 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: rchess
Date: 2012-02-18 03:59
Hello everyone. I'm hoping someone can offer advice:
1. info about clarinet lesson or teacher in Nassau County for 8th grader
2. suggestion on picking up a NYSSMA level 5 piece, relatively easier one please
My son's background here: He is a 8th grader now and preparing for NYSSMA level 5 now. He played Schumann Fantasy for last year's level 4 (25 out of 28 score?)
Generally, he is an average student for music and 1st clarinet in school only
As parents, we have no ideas for which reasonable piece for passing a higher level. The school teacher offered a list yet no suggestion. We have not talked with the private teacher yet, as he cancelled the 1st class.
We search youtube and listen to some pieces and some of them really scared us. However, we find Mozart K622 seemingly easy to study and play. It is actually a level 6. And my son likes k622 too.
So, our question is Can our son skip one level to level6 k622? And if not, in level 5, please provide advice on an easy piece?
We know we are not serious about music learning, no aim to put the kid to a level of college music student. Eventually completing NYSSMA level6 then All-Count, are our goal for kid's music education achievement.
Thank for your reading and please provide any advice or info.
Best wishes
Post Edited (2012-02-18 16:43)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2012-02-18 14:04
Some state music associations put their basic music lists on their websites and make them available for everyone to see. NYSSMA does not, and I'm not sure what's on the list and what isn't. Someone else might be able to help you more than I can, but I think I may be able to offer suggestions.
Your son might have a copy of Concert and Contest Collection by Himie Voxman. This is an old standard, suitable for advanced middle school and high school, and I'm guessing that many of its selections are on the NYSSMA list. This book contains one of the three Schumann Fantasy Pieces, and this might have been the one your son played. The first and third movements of the Mozart Concerto might be a bit much for an 8th grader, but the slow middle movement is in this book, and might be a nice choice. If your son was able to play one of the Schumann Fantasy Pieces well, with some practice, he could probably handle this.
There are a lot of other nice selections in this book, some easier and some harder, and it might be worth going through them.
Other possibilities--although I'm not sure if they're on the MYSSMA list and I'm not sure about their levels on this list:
Vaughan-Williams, Six Studies in English Folk Song; Finzi, Five Bagatelles; Babin, Hillandale Waltzes, Var. 2.
Post Edited (2012-02-18 18:46)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2012-02-18 16:59
I am a NYSSMA judge and also a clarinet teacher in Suffolk County.
Yes ... your son can skip a level and try to play a Level 6 solo after having played a Level 4 in the previous year, but quite honestly, what's the rush?
There are plenty of challenging Level 5 solos available to play and I'm guessing that almost all the level 6 solos would at this point be over his head.
Speaking as a judge, one of our pet peeves is students who are playing a solo which is far too difficult for them. It's much better to score higher on a lesser solo than struggle and hope to make it through a difficult one. Trust us ...we can tell immediately if a student has neither the ability or the rationale for playing the solo which was chosen.
The Schumann Fantasy Pieces are graded as a Level 5 and all must be performed. I think you may be confused about him playing it as a Level 4 piece. His score then would have been based out of 100, not 28.
Playing a Level 5 piece is a good stepping stone for playing the difficult works on Level 6. The judging is far more rigorous as more qualities of playing are assessed.
Have a look at the Level 5 NYSSMA list, I'm sure there are many solos there which will certainly give your child much to work on. One of my favorites on the Level 5 list is the Bergson Scene and Air. It doesn't get chosen often enough but has many interesting musical challenges.
BTW - I wish I had a dime for every horrible performance of K.622 I've heard. 90% of the students had no business even attempting it. I always blame their teacher 100% of the time.
...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: rchess
Date: 2012-02-18 18:17
thanks GBK and other friends.
My son just assigned to learn bassoon this year and I am not sure what instrument he would play in high school. And honestly, my son spend much more time on video games than study. We don't ask him to practice every day. Just to want to set goals for him: clarinet level 5, 6 and to all-county level, then study bassoon to certain level.
Will focus on the level 5 list now. Any recommendation of piece, and teacher/studio? thanks
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: salzo
Date: 2012-02-18 18:33
When I did NYSSMA 35 years ago, I played the Saent Saens sonata as a level 5 piece- great piece, but I do not know if it is still a level five.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2012-02-18 22:03
salzo wrote:
> When I did NYSSMA 35 years ago, I played the Saent Saens sonata
> as a level 5 piece- great piece, but I do not know if it is
> still a level five.
It's a Level 6 and you must play movements 1,2 and 4.
...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: salzo
Date: 2012-02-19 13:39
Saent Saens is a level 6? Man that seems like an easy six, especially since they are leaving the most difficult movement out of the audition.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: gsurosey
Date: 2012-02-21 21:28
When I played NYSSMA level 5 (back in the spring of 1996), I played part of Weber's Clarinet Concerto #1 (first 2 movements I think).
At the time, I didn't understand how that was a 5 and the Mozart Concerto was a 6; I was basing the level rating on the technical challenges alone rather than taking the musicality into account. And, I did better on the Mozart than the Weber.
----------
Rachel
Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
