Huntingdonshire Music School Association - Strings

Listen to a podcast of the new Cello, Double Bass, Trumpet, Trombone and Bass Trombone requirements for 2010 - 14:23 minutes

From the ABRSM web site:

Syllabus Update for 2010

Nigel Scaife, Syllabus Director, looks ahead to the new syllabuses for 2010 being prepared for release later in the year.

Whereas last year we had the major reviews of the syllabuses for piano, guitar and singing, this year there are no reviews of scales or sight-reading, but we are refreshing the repertoire lists for five subjects: cello, double bass, trumpet, trombone and bass trombone.

Alongside this, we will be supporting the syllabuses with a range of exciting new publications and recordings. So let me take each subject area in turn.

• Cello
• Double Bass
• Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn
• Trombone

Cello

The cello syllabus repertoire was last refreshed in 2005, when we were able to draw particularly on the experience of cello teachers via the European String Teachers Association, and much of their expertise and advice has fed through into this new syllabus. This time round, we are delighted that to complement the syllabus, ABRSM will not only be producing CD recordings for all grades, but will also be supplementing the three existing volumes of Time Pieces for Cello by a further two books in the series.
These new books extend from Grade 1 right up to Grade 7, and will offer a rich choice of extra repertoire for candidates taking the new cello exams.

Double Bass

In late 2007 we conducted a pilot project involving literally hundreds of double bass teachers in the UK and covering a variety of topics from repertoire suggestions to new approaches to scales. We wanted to know, for example, the extent to which teachers valued having the choice of different groups of scales and gain a sense of the percentage of those using half position at the early stages. While the participantsâ?? responses relating to scales will be fed into the global review of all bowed strings that we have recently begun (more in future Librettos!), the feedback on the current double bass syllabus and the many suggestions for new or little-known repertoire were much appreciated by the team choosing the new pieces. So, many thanks to everyone who took part in the pilot, and watch out for the new syllabus to see which of your recommendations have been incorporated.

ABRSM is extending the popular Time Pieces series â?? available already for 14 instruments â?? to embrace double bass. There will be two books, the first of which will provide material for Grades 1â??3, with the second volume covering Grades 4 and 5. These will be an important asset for bass teachers and their pupils, providing attractive repertoire drawn from the widest possible range of historical and stylistic sources.
The revision of the cello and double-bass lists completes the refreshment of repertoire lists for bowed strings, following the new violin and viola lists that were issued for 2008.

Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn

Although the new lists have yet to undergo their final round of moderation, we can reveal at this stage that one of the most noticeable improvements in the new lists will be a more varied content in the List Bs. While a good number of jazz-style pieces will be retained, they will now be complemented in the List Bs by a wider representation of significant repertoire pieces from the late 19th and 20th centuries â?? repertoire we hope candidates will really enjoy getting to know.

Another important development reflects the fact that a significant percentage of candidates currently entering for this syllabus take the exam on the cornet, so our selectors have been busily looking to increase the number of pieces specifically written for the instrument. Although candidate numbers are smaller for flugelhorn, the selectors have also been eager to boost the number of particularly suitable exam pieces for this wonderful instrument as well.
And finally, it is our aim that the new syllabus will contain a larger number of choices in each list, more in line with the size of the current flute and clarinet syllabuses, for example. This will mean that trumpet teachers can be even more empowered to match the repertoire to the particular needs of each student, finding just the right material to challenge and motivate their learners, at whatever stage they are at. Recordings of the new trumpet syllabus will be released by the end of 2009.

Trombone and Bass Trombone

As with the new trumpet lists, it is our aim that the eventual number of pieces in the new trombone lists will be larger than the current syllabus, offering candidates and teachers a richer selection to choose from. The lists were last refreshed in 2002 and this time we are also taking the opportunity to revise the repertoire lists for bass trombone, which have not been updated for many years. The grades of this syllabus will remain as before â?? that is for Grades 6â??8 only.

The ABRSM provides a complete list of syllabuses on its site and advice on the overlap periods between the old and new syllabuses.

PS It seems the plural of syllabus can be either syllabuses or syllabi.

Choosing between long and short nails for playing Classical Guitar | Classical Guitar Home: Classical Guitar Home • The Blog • Sheet Music • Videos • Contact The debate over long or short nails has raged since the dawn of the classical guitar and the right answer to this question is ‘It doesn’t matter’. But there are differences between the two styles and some things you should know before you decide which is right for you. Some classical guitarists prefer to pluck the strings with the nails of their right hand while other guitarists prefer to keep their nails trimmed and to pluck the strings with the tips of their fingers. If you are a beginner classical guitarist you might be wondering which way you should play. You can start with no nails at all playing like that for one year or so.In that way you will find the right attack of the fingers. Only after that you could let them to grow. Here are some insights about each way so you can make a decision as to which style is right for you…

Reference

Extract taken from article on CreativeGuitar.org blog

Taken from http://www.mit.edu/~jcb/jokes/viola.html. And, yes, you can substitute pretty much any instrument and it works. Not sure why there is a history of attacking poor old viola players. No doubt someone out there knows. As someone who plays the tuba I have an inkling what it’s like !

Viola Jokes

Part 1

These jokes have enjoyed wide publicity. They have been mentioned in such places as Alex Beam’s Boston Globe column on Wednesday, November 30, 1994 (p. 65), John Hayward-Warburton’s article in BBC Music, and Dave Barry’s book Dave Barry in Cyberspace (pp. 153-4).

Acknowledgement

These jokes are a continually-growing collection, and unfortunately, I can no longer remember which jokes I heard from whom. If you have ever told, emailed, or otherwise communicated to me a music joke, thank you.

I also collect Jokes about other instruments.

How is lightning like a violist’s fingers?
Neither one strikes in the same place twice.

How do you keep your violin from getting stolen?
Put it in a viola case.

What’s the difference between a violin and a viola?

• The viola burns longer.
• The viola holds more beer.
• You can tune the violin.

We all know that a viola is better than a violin because it burns longer. But why does it burn longer?
It’s usually still in the case.

How do you get a viola section to play spiccato?
Write a whole note with “solo” above it.

How do you get a violist to play a passage pianissimo tremolando?
Mark it “solo.”

What’s the difference between a viola and a coffin?
The coffin has the dead person on the inside.

What do you do with a dead violist?
Move him back a desk.

What’s the difference between a viola and a trampoline?
You take your shoes off to jump on a trampoline.

What’s the difference between a viola and an onion?
No one cries when you cut up a viola.

What’s the definition of a minor second?
Two violists playing in unison.

What’s the definiton of “perfect pitch?”
Throwing a viola into a dumpster without hitting the rim.

Why do violists stand for long periods outside people’s houses?
They can’t find the key and they don’t know when to come in.

What’s the difference between a seamstress and a violist?
The seamstress tucks up the frills.

What’s the difference between a washing machine and a violist?
Vibrato.

Why do so many people take an instant dislike to the viola?
It saves time.

How can you tell when a violist is playing out of tune?
The bow is moving.

How was the canon invented?
Two violists were trying to play the same passage together.

Why is playing the viola like peeing in your pants?
They both give you a nice warm feeling without making any sound.

Why is a viola solo like a bomb?
By the time you hear it, it’s too late to do anything about it.

Why is a viola solo like premature ejaculation?
Because even when you know it’s coming, there’s nothing you can do about it.

Why do violists leave their instrument cases on the dashboards of their cars?

• So they can park in “handicapped” parking places.
• If someone mistakes them for mafia, they might get some respect.

Why don’t violists play hide and seek?
Because no one will look for them.

Why do violists smile when they play?
Because ignorance is bliss and what they don’t know can’t hurt them.

Why shouldn’t violists take up mountaineering?
Because if they get lost, it takes ages before anyone notices that they’re missing.

What’s the difference between a dead skunk in the road and a crushed viola in the road?
Skid marks before the skunk.

How do you get a violin to sound like a viola?

• Sit in the back and don’t play.
• Play in the low register with a lot of wrong notes.

If you throw a violist and a soprano off a cliff, which one would hit the ground first? (two answers)

• The violist. The soprano would have to stop halfway down to ask directions.
• Who cares?

A conductor and a violist are standing in the middle of the road. which one do you run over first, and why?
The conductor. Business before pleasure.

What’s the most popular recording of the William Walton viola concerto?
Music Minus One

What do a viola and a lawsuit have in common?
Everyone is happy when the case is closed.

What is the range of a Viola?
As far as you can kick it.

What do a SCUD missile and a viola player have in common?
They’re both offensive and inaccurate.

Why are violas so large?
It’s an optical illusion. It’s not that the violas are large; just that the viola players’ heads are so small.

What’s the difference between a chain saw and a viola?
If you absolutely had to, you could use a chain saw in a string quartet.

What is the definition of a cluster chord?
A viola section playing on the C string.

Why do violists get antsy when they see the Kama Sutra?
All those positions!

If you’re lost in the desert, what do you aim for? A good viola player, a bad viola player or an oasis?
The bad viola player. The other two are only figments of your imagination.

Why shouldn’t you drive off a cliff in a mini with three violas in it?
You could fit in at least one more.

How many violists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
None. They’re not small enough to fit.

Why do people tremble with fear when someone comes into a bank carrying a violin case?
They think he’s carrying a machine gun and might be about to use it.

Why do people tremble with fear when someone comes into a bank carrying a viola case?
They think he’s carrying a viola and might be about to use it.

What’s the difference between the first and last desk of a viola section?

• half a measure
• a semi-tone

Why can’t you hear a viola on a digital recording?
Recording technology has reached such an advanced level of development that all extraneous noise is eliminated.

Did you hear about the violist who bragged that he could play 32nd notes?
The rest of the orchestra didn’t believe him, so he proved it by playing one.

Why is viola called “bratsche” in Germany?
Because that’s the sound it makes when you sit down on it.

Why can’t a violist play with a knife in his back?
Because he can’t lean back in his chair.

What instrument do violists envy most?
The harp. You only ever have to play pizzicato on open strings.

What’s another name for viola auditions?
Scratch lottery.

What is the difference between a violist and a prostitute?

• A prostitute knows more than two positions.
• Prostitutes have a better sense of rhythm.

What is the similarity between a violist and a prostitute?
Both are paid to fake climaxes.

How do you get a dozen violists to play in tune?

• Shoot 11 of them.
• Shoot all of them.
• Who the hell wants a dozen violists?

What’s the latest crime wave in New York City?
Drive-by viola recitals.

How does a violist’s brain cell die?
Alone.

How do you call a violist with two brain cells?
Pregnant.

Why do violists have pea-sized brains?
Because alcohol has swelled them.

How many violists does it take to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies?
Ten. One to stir the batter and nine to peel the M & M’s.

What’s the similarity between the Beatles and the viola section of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra?
Neither has played together since 1970.

What is the longest viola joke?
Harold in Italy

What do you call a bunch of violists in a hot tub?
Vegetable soup.

Did you hear about the violist who played in tune?
Neither did I.

What is the main requirement at the “International Viola Competition?”
Hold the viola from memory.

Why did the violist marry the accordion player?
Upward mobility.

How do you transcribe a violin piece for viola?
Divide the metronome marking by 2.

Why do you always bury a viola player three feet under?
Because deep down they are all very nice people.

How do you keep a violist from drowning?
Take your foot off his head.

Note: the following joke is very funny in German, but doesn’t translate well into English.
Was sind die drei Lagen auf der Bratsche?
Erste Lage, Notlage, und Niederlage.

(What are the three positions of the viola?
First position, emergency, and defeat.)