Grade-5-a-thon

The only mention the harp will get in today's blog is a lament that I've hardly touched it over the past two weeks. With the end of term fast approaching I've had too many little tasks to deal with including pupil exams, school performances, and other concerts. I am also organising a group and arranging music for several music service performances next week so time is tight. For me to take on any extra work around this time of year it has to be 1. well paid; 2. offer substantial food; or 3. be so musically satisfying that I feel I can't turn it down. So when an email came through from fellow musician, teacher and Grade-1-a-thon (GOAT) participant Kirsty asking if I would be able to accompany her for her grade 5 trombone criteria no. 3 sprang to mind and I could hardly resist! However I was a little put out when I went on to read "I need someone who is not going to laugh at my playing!". I treat every musical engagement with the seriousness it deserves so once I had pulled myself together and stopped chuckling I replied to say yes. I then discovered that Kirsty's other half Derek needed accompanying for the same exam so said yes to that too. Kirsty did trombone in the Grade-1-a-thon. Derek actually learnt the bassoon for the GOAT but already had a trombone so switched. We had a quick rehearsal one evening which went well. I am always fascinated to hear highly qualified musicians (in this case Kirsty, proficient on many woodwinds including the bassoon and ocarina and Derek a percussionist) play on an unfamiliar instrument. The tone was there... most of the time and there were some great characterful moments, particularly in Kirsty's Gershwin (ironically it was Let's Call the Whole Thing Off) and other than stamina there didn't seem to be too many problems. They discussed their differing technique for scales, neither of which seemed to be the most logical method to me but I smiled politely as I didn't want to worry them at this late stage.

Of course another reason for me keen to accompany was to keep track of other GOAT participants. Not that I am competitive of course but I do know that Maurice and Thanea, both pianists who were on the GOAT organising committee and featured in early blogs, are taking grade 5 on the horn and cello respectively this term.

The day arrived and I set off for Hemingford. Both were there and when I arrived we had a few jokes with Elaine who runs the centre and both talked about their last minute preparations (which didn't seem to include many scales so maybe their methods had worked). We went out to the summer house for the final warm-up and got a few photos.

All set for grade 5

So how does B flat minor go again?

 
Elaine keeps chickens and ducks and this morning they were quite happily scratching around the garden enjoying the sunshine. Derek went to play to the birds but just as he parped his first note they ran to the far end of the garden with one screeching louder than the forte that Kirsty and Derek combined manage on their trombones! Elaine's head appeared from the back door and she demanded to know what we were doing to her chickens!! We sheepishly went back to the summer house to warm up. The chickens eventually calmed down.

Derek tries one last time to find an audience who will listen

Kirsty went in first. Despite all the fun beforehand, the enjoyable preparation, and as well as experience and knowledge of the music grades system an exam room is still an exam room and I could sense the change of atmosphere as we went in. After tuning up we played the Mozart. I felt this went well and Kirsty's tone sounded clearly over my accompaniment. There were even some dynamics! The Gershwin began well although with a trickier piano part I was not able to listen in quite the same detail as I did in the Mozart so I worked mostly to keep the pulse steady just focussing on Kirsty's rhythm. I perhaps now appreciate just what stamina is needed on a brass instrument, especially from someone who has been learning for only just over a year. The demands on breathing and control of sustained notes is something that builds up over years of regular playing so what Kirsty has already achieved is pretty spectacular! When she came out the first things she mentioned were the negative things (doesn't everyone though?) but she quickly mentioned the aural had been easier.

Next up was Derek. Purcell's Rondeau was fine and included some nice changes of tone colour which I think were planned. His second piece was an odd little number by a little known composer called Francl. (There may be a reason why he is little known but that's not for discussion here.) Again, I had to concentrate on rhythm more than notes here but we started and finished together so think it was fine. Chatting with Derek afterwards he revealed how he had been playing a scale and then had not realised where he was within the scale which threw him slightly. Woodwind and keyboard players do not have to find the note in the same way as string and brass players as fingerings alone on the whole will give you the note you are after. Again, experience plays a huge part in this so maybe when they do their grade 6 exams this will be sorted!

I did enjoy the morning and thanks so much to Kirsty and Derek for asking me despite being warned about the standard of my piano playing! I look forward to hearing how you've both done!

Cambridge Music Festival

Due to a mini-marathon taking place in the city with road closures I left a little earlier than I perhaps needed to get to the venue in good time. This meant getting up earlier than planned and after miscounting how many times I'd hit the snooze button I only had enough time for one very quick run through of Barcarolle before setting off. Not the best preparation but that had to do.

When I arrived I saw another harp being unloaded from a car then saw Robyn so we walked round to the music block together. We were directed into a room where numerous harps were being unpacked while Rohan tuned one at a time. Eventually all the harps for the first two classes were tuned and all were moved into the performance room. The first class was for Grade 1-2 players and we heard four performances, all very well prepared and while we waited for the adjudicator to sum up Robyn and I predicted who we thought would win. The adjudicator went briefly through each performer with at least one positive comment and one thing to think about in the future.

We then went straight onto my class, for Grade 3-4 harpists. The first competitor played one of the grade 3 pieces, Alpine Waltz, very well. I did try this one a while ago and found the short glissandi quite tricky and she pulled them off beautifully. I was up next and waited patiently for what seemed like ages as the examiner finished writing the previous report. I felt a little nervous but not as much as I thought I might do. I was aware it was an unusual setting but relaxed into the piece which felt better as it went along. I did hit a few wrong notes but managed to keep going. The next player performed O'er the Sea to Skye. It was another good performance. The adjudicator went through comments and suggestions which included more dynamic contrast in Alpine Waltz and making sure that the middle section is as well learned as the beginning section for O'er the Sea to Skye. To me he said that because a barcarolle is a song I should imagine myself singing while accompanying with the harp. That way I might put a few more 'breathing' spaces into the music. It was a good point and one I have to think about on the clarinet, because I have to breathe, but had not considered this with the harp. He read out the marks and because mine was the highest I was the winner! It was very close though and I am sure my fellow competitors will go on to have successes in the future. After a break we heard the Grade 5-6 and 7-8 category. Most played on pedal harps but there was a lever harp in each class so it was good to see what was possible on the instrument at those higher levels. I look forward to being allowed to try 'New Blue' by Deborah Henson-Conant which had a great section written to sound like a walking bass line. The morning finished with the ensemble class. Two harp duets and a flute and harp duet gave really impressive performances.

Rohan has the manouvering of harps down to a fine art and at one point we were running 15 minutes early, very rare for a festival. She is the master of organisation and huge thanks to her for her initial arm-twisting and being there on the day helping things run smoothly.

The adjudicator was friendly and encouraging and during one of the breaks told us that he knew very little about the harp (just in case we were wondering what his qualification to talk about the harp was) but as an organist he understands how much goes into a performance, by that he meant the technical challenges of getting the right notes, changing levers, moving pedals, often with both feet. While different parts of the body are moving just one thing should come from the body and that is the music. If he shut his eyes he should not be aware of the technical difficulties the player might be experiencing. He did say he was now thinking about taking up the harp... with Rohan!

Clarsach Society Playing Afternoon

The first of my double bill of harping activities this weekend was near Sudbury with members of the Clarsach Society south-east branch. Robyn came along but as has moved up to a pedal harp wasn't able to bring hers but she enjoyed listening and helping some of the younger members and took a few photos.

As well as Anne, the rep for the branch, there were four younger students there, aged 5 to 9 and an array of harps right from a tiny lap harp to mine, which was the biggest. As well as the various sizes our harps had a great range of colour, shape, and design. One of the harps had a lovely Celtic knotwork decoration.

We had a lovely afternoon playing through easy ensemble pieces with Anne suggesting easy accompaniments for the children which they learned remarkably well by ear. Each of us played one of our own solo pieces we had been working on and finished the afternoon with a run-through of the group pieces. It was a little different to last time where there were three adults but it was lovely to see how much the youngsters were enjoying their harps. Three currently study with Danielle Perret and the fourth, on the lap harp, will be starting lessons with Danielle shortly.

Robyn and I had a slow drive back stopping at one of the village churchs to have a look round while the weather was good. I had a very short practise session when I got in and I can now look forward to my performance in the Cambridge Music Festival which takes place tomorrow.