Playing Around

2002-09-09T23:30:00.000Z

Have had a couple of gigs lately which have made a small amount of music fill a very large space of time.

Quartet job at John Lewis's featured a 2 hour break and a 3 course meal, which was nice; and a concert in Wells had a 30 minute interval. That seemed a little pointless.

2002-09-09T23:29:00.000Z

Well - I suppose that's back to school then...

The music room at today's school has been turned into a special needs teaching room. The piano has gone, and so has the music that Sam left in there last term.

Jade and Zakk had forgotten their cellos, or at least their mother had brought the cellos into school for them later, but we couldn't find them anywhere in the school. They turned up eventually, under the deputy head's desk.

Jade had forgotten which hand to hold the cello in, and Zakk couldn't remember how to unzip the case.

2002-07-15T22:48:00.000Z

"So, boys and girls! What kept us all together during that piece"
"Was it, um, Scottish?"
"Well - the answer I was looking for was actually 'rhythm'"

Yes - it's live music concerts time again. Rebecca and I are exploring the pub lunches of South Gloucestershire, and trying to ignore the other half of the quartet. Bob has arranged 'Summer Holiday'. Sort of. How can you have grown up in the 50's and not ever actually heard anything by Cliff Richard? He takes the tunes and puts in his own harmonies. Doesn't half baffle the punters!

2002-07-15T22:45:00.000Z

I'm not really keen on all that 'jingoism' as they call it. Y'know, flag waving and the like. However, it occurred to me during the last verse of Rule Britannia on Saturday that if it wasn't for the flag wavers and picnickers my income would be considerably lower.

Helen had put away the washing when pissed the other week. Before she left for the concert, she had a quick rumage in her drawer and pulled out her black concert stuff. Only it wasn't. It was her son's pyjamas. They are basically black, but with a very loud South Park cartoon about Attention Deficit Disorder on the front of the T shirt top. It was fine when she put the top on back to front - so long as someone was behind her at all times.

2002-06-27T23:00:00.000Z

Well - I think it's all coming together.

The massed primary school strings just about fitted on the stage, no room to bow, but still. And apparently were making a reasonable racket. All I could hear was my own playing - which is nice! Very hot and crowded.

The exam rehearsal venue is sorted (I think), and all the parents have been phoned to check that the information got home rather than getting stuck in the bottom of music cases. Mostly it had got home. In Austin's case I had to deal with Step Grandad who lives miles away, and deal with all sorts of complicated logistics in getting Austin to the exam, due to all sorts of family problems that I can't begin to comprehend. Anyway - the school nurse, step granddad and I are dealing with it.

OK - this should get in before midnight - will post more soon!

2002-06-25T22:59:00.000Z

Rehearsal with 100 ish small violinists for the big concert tomorrow. Why did I agree to be in charge? By the time I've tuned the 100th violin, the 1st few will have been experimenting with tuning pegs and will doubtless have their strings hanging in loops. Not to mention the elaborate plaits and light sabres that can be achieved with bows. Star Wars has a lot to answer for.

Actually - year 6 at school no 2 today did me a nervewracking sword dance today, over a couple of crossed bows.

"Ooh Alice - careful! Mind that.... Ooh - watch where your foot's landing Daisy. That bow cost.... oh"

2002-06-25T22:56:00.000Z

It was the Year 2 Music Day at school no 3 today, and the theme was seaside apparently. Always good to see a music adviser dressed as a pirate and singing to a tambourine.

Sports day practice at school no 4. I can't come to violins miss, cos I'm supposed to be doing the running.

5 minutes later

It's a bit hot out there miss - I don't like the running, can I do violins instead?

Miss. I can't do my bow, my hands are all sweaty.

2002-06-23T22:25:00.000Z

I don't understand how certain people can routinely be over an hour late for rehearsals.

2002-06-23T22:23:00.000Z

Saturday

For some reason, all the incompetencies of my Saturday morning group just made me laugh today. 3rd violins were struggling with the concept of off beat notes and on beat rests.

Evening was an outdoor concert at Langford. The professional picnic-ers were out in force with tables, windbreaks, gazebos and lovingly prepared salads. No such provision had been made for the orchestra, although there was a table where we could buy a cup of coffee.

Started off with the sun shining directly in my eyes. Fortunately this soon turned to cloud, rain, and a serious challenge for the clothes pegs holding the music onto the stand.

2002-06-23T22:16:00.000Z

Friday

Well - the roads were very quiet during the England v Brazil match, whilst I was driving to school no 1. Somehow, I thought I wouldn't see many pupils in the first couple of hours, and as I opened the car door & heard the racket coming from the school hall, my suspicions were confirmed. Hundreds of children were sounding just like football hooligans as England slid out of the competition. I braved the shouting for a while, and then sat with tea, biscuits and a book in the staff room. Eventually the flute teacher joined me, and after the match we just lumped all violins and flutes together to play a couple of tunes. Nice easy start to the day.

2002-06-20T22:27:00.000Z

Well, an e-mail explaining the dilemma to the local conductor has solved my problem. "Oh bother! Of course you must take the ESO work. It won't compromise your position with us..." That's a relief. The answer I wanted - and by honest means as well.

Chelsea came to tell me she was quitting violin. Well, I made her come and tell me - I'm not having these second hand "Chelsea's quit miss" rumours. Turns out that the neighbours were complaining that her practice was waking their baby. WHAT??? Eventually we worked out that if she practised in the spare room, she wouldn't wake anyone and could carry on. Jack can't buy his violin book - his mum's going on holiday instead.

2002-06-19T17:41:00.000Z

Today's moral and ethical dilemma:-

Which to do... The gig that's been in the diary for ages leading the violas in the good local amateur orchestra and sharing a stage with the Swingle singers, which I morally shouldn't back out of

or

the just come in gig with the pro orchestra whose extras list I've only just joined and whom, selfishly, I don't want to turn down?

2002-06-19T17:39:00.000Z

Clarice (grimacing)... "But, miss - I don't understand why that violin costs so much - I mean - it's.... OLD"

"Well yes - I know. It's like an antique - people pay a lot for antiques too"

"But like really old"

"Yes Clarice - about 250 years old"

"URGH! That's disgusting! Think of all the dead people who've played that! EEEUUUURRRGH!"

I suppose I'd never really thought of it like that.

2002-06-18T22:57:00.000Z

"But miss - I don't know that note"

"Yes you do Jade - just think for a minute. What's that note there?"

"D"

"OK - so this one is one note higher isn't it? Can you see how it's higher up on the stave? Well then - what comes after D?"

"A"

"Well - not quite. What comes straight after D? What comes after D in the alphabet?"

(pause)

(big smile of recognition)

"FAST!"

2002-06-18T21:04:00.000Z

Skills required for the peripatetic lifestyle....

1. Diploma in advanced parking.
School car parks today looked as though (to quote Bill Bryson in his Europe book) I'd just missed a parking competition for the blind. The abilty to reverse in and out of small, odd shaped spaces across grass and pavements is essential to the quick getaways needed with 10 minutes between schools.

2. Immunity to bad smells
Dear me - Kathy let off a stinker this morning. I could hear the phrrrrup, and hoped that the noise would be worse than the smell. It wasn't.

3. Slow, patient driving
Yes, as well as the fast, efficient driving, there is the driving out of school gates at the end of the day technique, where parents and small children are totally oblivious of large motorised objects.

2002-06-17T17:46:00.000Z

Lots of extra kids at my after school group today. All in preparation for the big concert at the end of the month. Of course, it coincided with the school hall being out of action and the music co-ordinator swearing blind that he didn't know it was happening today. Still, we crammed them all into a classroom and watched the sweat drip off them for an hour. They still refused to take their jumpers and fleeces off.

2002-06-17T17:44:00.000Z

Saturday

Turned up at Hagley Hall in plenty of time for the rehearsal, and followed other cars around until we gave up trying to find the 'right' car park and settled for the field nearest the exit to enable a quick getaway at the end.

Lots of extras in the band, including some familiar faces, as well as a choir of 300 primary school children, and their barking teacher, Jasper Carrott, Josie Lawrence and Becky Taylor, who is apparently the 'new' Charlotte Church. She looked very sweet with her shiny hair and Claire's Accessories type outfit, and apparently she could be heard perfectly through the speakers. I have no idea what she sounded like though - couldn't hear her from the 3rd desk of the violas.

The audience arrived nice and early and set up amazing picnic tables, hampers, deckchairs etc, and waved their union jacks throughout the proceedings. I think they were bored by the 'real' music though. Mendelssohn's Hebrides overture was a fine excuse for a loo stop and a natter. Mind you - I can see their point to a certain extent.

Jasper Carrott (who does seem to be actually, positively involved with the charity for the concert) told lots of anti Danish football, curry and bacon jokes. I thought he was quite a laugh, although my mother ( who was there for the first half only) was disgusted by his bad language in front of the children. I don't think it helped when I pointed out that children that age use far stronger language in my presence.

So - we didn't get to rehearse 3 of the pieces at all, and there was a somewhat unexpected rendition of the national anthem at the start. Other than that - a nice introduction to the ESO, and I was home before midnight.

2002-06-14T22:43:00.000Z

Year 6 at school number one were out at some cricket coaching thing this morning, but there were a couple of half chocolate biscuits in the staff room biscuit tin, so my time wasn't in vain.

I'm typing to the combined background noise of the second CD I've burned, and the ever loudening police helicopter. It's been hovering for ages. Usually I just want it to shut up. Today, I'd like it to do its job and catch somebody (then wrench the viola out of their arms and..... ah - dream on....)

The phone was going non stop this evening, from the moment I got in, until about 9.45pm. Is it something in the weather that makes people suddenly want to use their phones a lot and call my number? Mrs Mu, with her limited command of English was one of the callers. She wants me to start teaching her daughter again because they're not happy that she 'only get an hour with Mr Smit at school'. Mr Smith is a far more experienced teacher than me, but she is one of those who 'always remembers her first teacher' in a wistful sort of way. Which is very flattering, but I don't think I have the energy to deal with Mrs Mu each week again.

Finally got around to finding my way around the borrowed viola before tomorrow's ESO gig. It's quite easy to play really - smaller than mine - but with less 'personality'. Ah well. So long as I manage to bluff my way around all those notes I haven't seen yet!

2002-06-13T17:32:00.000Z

That squirrel was asleep in my window box when I got up this morning.

There's a notice on the harpsichord at one school which says 'PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH HEAD OF MUSIC'. I can't help feeling there should be some punctuation in that. Anyway, the head of music didn't appear to be in, so all the doors were locked.

School number 3 were having a 1950's, Coronation Day. The Jehovah's Witnesses kids weren't in as a result. I can't remember if it's to do with not celebrating anniversaries, or not celebrating royalty. Anyway - all the gym equipment had been moved from the hall into the music room, which made it a little tricky to fit in groups of seven, overexcited children. I did threaten to give them a 50's style lesson, where they played studies and showed me a bit of respect. They didn't go for it though. The fancy dress theme was 1950s as well. Sabrina was dressed as a Spanish Flamenco dancer.

2002-06-12T20:57:00.000Z

There was a squirrel in my garden this evening. It made Hilary's lesson a lot more fun for me. I could look out of the window whilst making helpful remarks about her tone and intonation, and watch the amazing agility of this creature leaping and climbing around my tree and fence.

My living room always smells interesting on Wednesday evenings - I have a small skateboarding vegetarian with halitosis, followed by a grown up who smokes far too many per day. Still - on the flip side - all my Wednesday private pupils pay in cash, which sort of makes up for it.

2002-06-12T14:56:00.000Z

"Didn't the office tell you? You've got a new violin and two new cellos starting today - except one of the cellos is off with measles"

OK - well there goes the trip to the violin shop to carry on the replacement of things in the stolen case.

A year three violinist who, sadly knows all the details of why her dad is a b'**d, and exactly how much maintenance he's supposed to pay, and what happens when he doesn't. Whatever happened to innocent childhoods?

And then Zak, who looked shellshocked throughout the experience. He didn't know what a cello was when he volunteered to learn one. He thought it was something you blow down, and he certainly wasn't expecting something almost as tall as himself.

2002-06-12T14:52:00.000Z

I found Kylie sitting on the floor outside my room crying. And this was after her lesson. OK - I'd been a bit exasperated, but not that bad.

"S'not you miss. I'm meant to be in PE but some girls looked at me funny, and it's my fault but it's doing my head in"

Well - as one who spent most PE lessons lurking in a music department I had to take pity on her really. Tried for a while to get to the bottom of the problem in a sympathetic manner, but no luck there - probably because I'm old and I can't possibly understand hormones or being 15. So, she did a mock exam for Austin, who has his grade one in a few weeks. Very generous marker she was too - if he really gets a distinction like that I'll be ever so pleased.

Don't know where she went when she was supposed to be in French.

2002-06-10T09:51:00.000Z

And no - I have no idea why 'posting is temporarily disabled' in the comments box. It's annoying, but no more annoying than people who won't answer the phone.

2002-06-10T09:11:00.000Z

It's true what they say about helpdesks and call centres and helplines isn't it? I'm currently on hold with Blueyonder (who up to now have been very good) to get them to come and install me a new modem and link it up to my new computer. Clearly no-one has asked them to do this before, because it has them totally baffled. Until 5 minutes ago, I was being passed from Customer Service, to Technical Support, to Sales, to Customer Service to..... well - you see the problem. Eventually I tried bursting into tears at a sales consultant when she told me that they couldn't sell me a new modem because the screen said I already had one. So now, she's agreed not to pass me round anymore departments and just play the Flower Duet to me, with a boom-tishy backing track.

I still need to phone so many more people - it looks as though there will be a good ol' tacky 'sad story' feature in the local rag to try & recover my instruments. Anyone for a reward and some eternal gratitude??

2002-06-02T19:45:00.000Z

Yesterday was the first day of half term (goodness how we needed it), so, predictably, I woke up with a throat feeling like sandpaper, and a steady stream of - hmm well never mind - from my nose.

It's been nice and warm here lately. Teenagers don't seem to realise that school jumpers are removable, only that hot weather is to be complained about.

Hot tip for visiting popular shopping malls on bank holiday weekends:-

Go during the first England game of the World Cup. Absolutely empty. Of course, the sales staff aren't especially interested in serving you, but at least that means they don't try to foist extra warrantees off onto you.

2002-06-02T19:41:00.000Z

Right, Welcome to my new computer, and a welcome for myself to the world of Apple.

Yes - I have been proselytised to the world of iMac. Which despite the word is not a brand of hair remover - it smells a good deal nicer.

It's not one of the brand spanking new anglepoise iMacs - they are very beautiful, but a little too expensive for my insurance vouchers plus bank account. Still - it is rather gorgeous and clever, although now that I've got the whole shebang sitting on my desk, I have just realised that I have nothing to put my feet up on. Ah well - guess I'll get used to that.

I have burned my first CD on this thing as well (burning is apparently not as spectacular as it sounds - no actual flames) - all remarkably easy, and the resulting "String Things" CD plays on 1 out of my 3 other CD players. So that's a success!

2002-05-26T16:54:00.000Z

It's been a while, hasn't it?

Well, you see, there was this burglary, and I am no longer in possesion of computers or musical instruments. So this temporary update comes to you from the other side of the city and an unfamiliar computer, which keeps making me type strange spellings. I'd better get used to it though, since I might be getting one just like it when the insurance money comes through.

Have you ever tried to describe a violin and a viola to a couple of police officers at 1am? It's a surreal experience:-

"So - violin - hmm - how would you describe that then?"

"Well - erm - it's a violin. English, circa 1840, made by George Craske, bridge engraved with the name of...."

"How big? 2 foot? 2 and a half?"

"14 inch back - standard full size violin"

"'bout 2 foot then in all. And made of wood is it? So - what colour would you call that? Brown?"

"Er yes - suppose so."

"What's a viola?"

(Dear me - this feels like conversations I have in primary schools)

Deep breath...

"It's like a violin, but bigger and it plays lower and ......"

"Bout 3 foot then? Wood again? Brown again? Serial number?

So - that's a 2 foot violin, make 'George', model 'Craske', and a 3 foot viola, make 'French', model '1880'. Both of wood construction and brown in colour."

2002-05-17T17:17:00.000Z

Well - the funny noise in the car is just that - a funny noise. Nothing serious, so that's a relief.

It was 'bad hair day' at school no 1. And end of SATs - so noo-one was really in the mood for playing the violin.

Got to school no 2 to find a note:-

"Dear Kate,

Could you take your first group down to year 2 and give them a concert and presentation about playing the violin and encourage some of them to start next term? Sorry not to have given you much notice"

Much notice indeed! Any notice would have been nice. Still - the first group did marvellously well - played 4 pieces and fielded questions from small people about violins. They even coped when year two sang along with Happy Birthday and Twinkle Twinkle.

It was the last day at school for the GCSE year at school no 3. Therefore there was washing up liquid on all the banisters, paint on the loo seats and stinkbombs in my corridor. Ah! Maybe that's why I've been sneezing...?

Charlotte was not impressed that I had asked her group to buy themselves the grade 2 music from the music shop in the village. "It's a rubbish shop Miss - they don't even sell music at all - they just sell skateboarding clothes!"

Well - I suppose they would - and maybe the cool looking shop next door sells music...? No - that would have needed an eye for a shop name, or some initiative, or something.

2002-05-16T22:51:00.000Z

It was hot today.

My car radio has stopped working - the volume has set itself to off and won't move. It may be the lack of music which has enabled me to hear a disturbing and possibly clutch related noise in my car. Hmmmm....

Seemed to be rushing around like a mad, but tired, thing today. Started 6 new beginners at school No 3. Lots of:-

"Miss, Miss - is this my violin to keep now? Miss, Miss, this bow doesn't work. Miss... Shane's got his upside down. Miss.... This bridge is - oh - it isn't glued on... Miss...... "

One is autistic, one has behavioural problems. Oh joy! And after I specifically asked "Is there anything I should know about this list of children?" "Noooo, noooo - all lovely bright, co-operative kids"

5 minutes at home between school, picking up Becky's repaired violin and taking it to her lesson. That's one re-glued fingerboard coming out of a small girl's pocket money!

2002-05-15T23:37:00.000Z

Wednesday

Had to report 3 year 9s to the head of music today for barging into my teaching room, being rude to me and refusing to leave. They know very well that I am not allowed to physically move them out of the way, so they think they can get away with being ill mannered and obnoxious. Is it the hormones? Is that really a valid excuse?? They'd done the same to the guitar teacher. Drum teacher's advice.... "Well - just lock your doors". Surely you shouldn't have to do that?

Only saw 3 people at that school anyway - which in 2.5 hours is pretty slack going. Spent half an hour of the time responding to Clarice's note though. The piece of paper said:-

"Dear Miss,

When you get a minute could you look at my cello? Cos the bridge has come off and so has the A string.

Clarice"

No idea how that bridge came off. Maybe the same force that knocked the soundpost down on the last cello she had. And I do wish she hadn't sellotaped the broken string to the varnish on the front of the cello. Mind you - it was still slightly less stressful to deal with than the note which said, "Dear Miss, Please don't kill me but I have sat on my violin and bust it". That week was fun.

Competing with trumpet playing at my second school, and two little fiddlers who announced that they were playing in assembly next week. "Oh really? What are you going to play?". "Umm...... don't know". Marvellous!

Met a new pupil this evening. Her dad wanted to check that she was sure before they went and bought a 1/10th size violin. Awww - sweet! She was very cute, and another very loved child. Father used to play the viola and we managed a duet of Old Macdonald, to show Grace what she'll be doing in - well - a year or so's time. She's taken away a starter violin / colouring book. I hope she'll be back!

2002-05-14T22:47:00.000Z

Ooh - well that was nicer than yer average Tuesday.

Went up to Brum for a lesson with Helen. First time in over 9 years that I've paid someone to cast a critical eye over my playing. All very encouraging though. Bit of Brandenburg 6 to warm up with, then a bit of Berkeley and some Bach movements set to work at. Points learned include swimming butterfly stroke, breathing, rolling shoulders, wrapping and unwrapping, thinking of the lower string and other apparently unrelated items. Applying to decent orchestras is apparently not out of the question. We both agreed that my previous (and fondly remembered) teacher was exceptionally good at his job, and that his untimely death was deeply sad.

Lovely house, lovely area, same bathroom tiles as me (strange) and a nice cup of tea.

Returned via Cheltenham for lunch with parents and to pick up what I thought was going to be a half size violin. Turns out it's a 3/4 size, which needs a lot of work to make it playable. Took it to see Nick in the violin shop, and he suggested I either treat it as a small investment - do it up for a couple of hundred pounds and have a 'nice little instrument' worth about £600, or persuade the workshop to let me have a couple of small violins for half price.

Nuala's funny. She is very clingy with parents, but as chatty and confident as anything when they've insisted they are leaving her to let me do my worst for 45 mins. And Emily burps when she sings.

2002-05-13T22:33:00.000Z

Dear me!

Nearly phoned the office today to tell them that I refuse to teach in my Monday afternoon school. I had a mutiny from year 4, because violin is now at the same time as puzzle club and I'm not as nice as Mrs Bowen, and they will only carry on doing violin if they can play Au Clair de la Lune every week for the rest of their lives and never do any practice. All apart from Molly, who is a good little creep and likes me very much.

There was a sausage on the floor where I was teaching today. And a squashed baked bean. And eventually I found out that I could have been teaching in the library after all. I only found that out when I was told I couldn't use the staff room after I'd moved from the kitchen. Do you see the problem?

Saw my part time grownup pupil this morning to run through the stuff she's doing in her chamber music club. Sad to lose a morning off, but she's never hard work - which is why I haven't told her that I've put my fees up.

At the end of the after school group, the office phoned me. Julia wants me to be the mug who leads the massed violins into battle next month. She will 'have a chat' about my problem school. She also wants to hijack my after school group for extra rehearsals. Well - that's OK I suppose - at least I'll get a reasonable number turning up.

Finally did a bit of practice before my lesson tomorrow. Ooh dear. I really should have had that bow rehaired. Still - see what happens...

2002-05-11T23:12:00.000Z

Well - it's still Saturday in my head.

I'm quite getrunken, but I'm posting anyway in the safe and certain knowledge that this is my site and I can delete anything I like later.

Just had NBS concert. Got better as it went on really. Copland a bit dodgy, Mahler fine apart from Emma having a terrible, terrible coughing fit. Horrible feeling that - that you're about to choke to death in front of 1000 people.

Bruce came - which was nice of him, what with work and all, and parents also came. Everybody made good efforts in the sociability stakes.

Then lots of beers afterwards and a lift home from Rachel. Neither (and that's my third attempt at typing Neither (and my second at typing!)) boyfriend, nor parents came to pub - probably just as well - tis the only orchestra with which I get regularly plastered.

Dancing 'like no-one's watching' when back in own kitchen with own toast and marmite, and own milky drink - close run thing there with the boiling milk...

What else today...?

Oh - just having to explain the point of the arm waving that I do in front of Saturday group. Tis not just for my own amusement and fitness etc, tis actually to give kids some idea of how fast to play.

Gosh - good beer - good people who bought it for me. Spose should go to bed, but quite fancy not being home alone - quite lively now - but not coherent.

2002-05-10T22:35:00.000Z

Interesting post today. An invitation to the surprise retirement party of the two people who fired me a few years back. Hmmm - probably just as well I'll be away. The temptation to haunt the place would be great.

2002-05-10T22:34:00.000Z

Alistair has a new violin.

We're trying to get him to 'free the sound'. Which translates as 'please don't whack your new bow on it quite so hard'. He was thrilled when I showed him how to clean the rosin off the strings though. "It makes a great noise doesn't it Miss?" "Yes Alistair - just like fingernails on a blackboard". "Cooooool"

2002-05-10T22:30:00.000Z

"We're playing Submarine in Saturday group Miss"

"Submarine? Are you sure?"

"Yeah - Handel's Submarine. And Algeria"

(baffled) "Let me see the music for it...."

"Ohhhhh! Sarabande and Allegro. I seeeeeee"

But never mind - they'll be playing 'Algeria' in the same concert hall that Atomic Kitten performed in last month. So that makes the little violinists of Chipping Sodbury just as famous as Atomic Kitten. Doesn't it? Course it does.

2002-05-09T23:07:00.000Z

This is going to show up as the next day isn't it? It should say.....

Thursday

I was Mrs Invisible Violin Woman today, as I tried to teach in the staff room, as the staff were coming and going, trying to make their chat heard above Hayley's violin playing, and making cups of coffee. Then the physio came in looking for a meeting, then a mother, looking for the physio, and, well - you get the picture.

I had a quiet morning at the next school though. Year 7 had gone to the zoo. Sian was hoping that the zoo would keep a couple of them. Year 9 were doing SATs, so that just left me with one year 8 and a year 7 who was scared of animals. Would have brought some work to do if I'd known. Or rearranged the timetable so I could leave early. Instead I ploughed through some piano parts in a very incompetent pianist kind of way, and played some pieces from the bluegrass book, which drew an admiring visit from another bored teacher.

Then at school number 3, I was auditioning new beginners. Despite assurances that Graham would be excellent violin fodder, Graham actually put his fingers in his ears for the whole process and told me he didn't know any songs at all. I don't think he'd much like an E string next to his ear. I've got him down as a 'reserve'.

2002-05-08T22:26:00.000Z

Today I was teaching next door to an African drummer teaching a hall full of primary school children how to hit things very loudly and rhythmically. That was a challenge.

How can you forget which note lives on the middle line, when the piece you're learning only has three notes in it? I really do try to stay patient. I become over-cheerful, with a manic grin when it gets like that though.

Half asleep at rehearsal this evening. Thank goodness for helpful, wide awake desk partners. 'No vib' she wrote, as I wondered why Mark was shaking his head at my playing; 'In 2' she wrote, as I played a passage at half speed. Dear me...

2002-05-08T14:50:00.000Z

Maria, the bassoonist, used to ring people up from the stage mid concert and play the loud bits to her friends down the phone. That sounds like fun!

2002-05-07T22:45:00.000Z

I bought a little pack of cards called 'Flashcard Fun' a while back. It's a sort of musical quiz thingy, with rhythms and notes and key signatures and things. B commented that it didn't look fun at all, and I have to say I reluctantly agreed. But he was wrong! Flashcard fun went down a storm with a little lad with limited sense of rhythm. Just the act of 'pick a card - any card' and then play me a scale in that rhythm. He could have gone for hours with that. Well he could if he knew more than 3 scales. Must try it more often - could make for quiet, easily plannable lessons.

Dug out my impulse purchase mandolin this evening whilst looking out fiddle music that B could strum along to. Very odd to play it. My left hand knows exactly what to do - it being violin fingering, but give my right hand a plectrum and it's utterly lost.

Just one more thing to practise...!

2002-05-07T17:39:00.000Z

"No - you can't teach in the library - we've got practice SATs in there. No - Cookery corner is holding booster classes for SATs. Oh well, yes - I suppose you can use the staff room. The cuckoo clock that plays a tune every 15 mins shouldn't disturb you too much, and the staff will need to come in for their cups of coffee just when you teach that girl who's got her exam this term"

They didn't tell me that the photocopier repair man would also be in the staffroom, frightening the children and doing very loud things to the duplo machine.

"OK then Sam - you're just going to have to be louder than the repair man. NO! - not by doing that - I meant with your violin playing! Sam! SAM!! Come back!!!"

2002-05-06T23:29:00.000Z

Bank holiday Monday

Another nice 'arty' day, looking round Spike Island's open days. Bruce nearly bought something to do with rusty nails, but resisted at the last minute. Then evening at his, and much unnerving magic on TV.

Back to work tomorrow - ho hum - and I've had such a nice time playing and wandering about!

2002-05-06T23:27:00.000Z

Sunday

Down to John's in the afternoon, where he had an 'open studio' thing going on. Big clearout with loads of nice things at very stupidly cheap prices. Two pictures for me and one for parents. Lots of folk type musos there. I'm slowly plucking up the courage to join in with all that. Still plenty of classical reserve hanging on in there. I could lose some of it praps - but there are aspects of my way of doing things that I'm quite happy to keep to. Bruce got hold of a guitar & joined in too, which was fun. Poppy nearly gave me a heart attack by picking up someone's fiddle and wandering around making noises on it. Expensive wood being kept away from stone floor by a small exuberant person. Eeek! I can't be doing with all this picking up and passing round of other people's instruments. It scares and unnerves me.

2002-05-06T23:19:00.000Z

Tewkesbury - Saturday

Afternoon rehearsal - freezing, extra repeats and 2nd violin off doing a sneaky quartet gig. Parents appeared at the end of rehearsal and we discovered that there is nowhere open to serve food in the whole town between 5pm & 7pm. That was fun.

Nice meal afterwards though. Well - I had intended to order bangers & mash all along. Parents hadn't - but everything else was 'off'.

2002-05-06T23:12:00.000Z

Staying in Oxford

My friends really do live in the best location ever. Not only are they one street away from the house with the shark in the roof, but they are near shops, walkable to the centre of Oxford, and on a remarkably efficient bus route. Adrian had an afternoon off on Friday so, as I had a totally free day only working in the evening, we met for lunch and a gossip. Then I followed him back to watch him doing his 'Friday chores'. Piles of ironing! I never do that much ironing - let alone all in one go. They really are my most grownup friends.

Oxford has the most fabulous book / cd / vid / etc shop I've ever seen. Borders. It's just fab. Open til 11pm, cafe, armchairs, tables & chairs, and - best of all - you can scan the bar code of any CD (even the obscure ones) and listen to it ALL THE WAY THROUGH if you want before you buy it - or not. You don't have to unwrap it or anything. Just great.

And the answer to the next question is.... 2 CDs, 1 video, 3 books, 3 gifts, and a postcard. Could have bought much much more too. Must go back there.

The other useful purchase was a new phone. Digital, cordless and with answerphone. The idea being that lodger can pick up his messages without risking his life by wandering into my bedroom, or relying on me to relay them. And also that I can be on phone and in kitchen in multi tasking kind of way. It was only on the bus back to Adrian & Alison's that I remembered why I hadn't bought a digital cordless before. You need a phone socket and electrical socket close together don't you? Next purchase - extension lead.

2002-05-06T23:04:00.000Z

Oxford - Weds - Fri

Oxford is a very badly signposted town with exceedingly expensive car parks. Arrived straight from teaching with bags of time to spare, which was just as well as it took me a fair while to locate a handy multi storey. Then of course I had to go and buy a packet of polos with a £20 note to get enough coins for the parking fee.

V nice people in the orchestra, which was just as well considering I was a tad nervous. Good meals in "The Nosebag", with talk about the perils of teaching over keen adults, teaching one's partners, and embarrassing concert moments.

It was a biblical epic type of opera - tho mercifully short - which gives rise to confusing moments where Jesus and Moses are being ordered around by the conductor and director (who of course do not get on at all). Not to mention instructions to the orchestra such as:- "Let's just go from figure 56 - It's God's will"

And as for some of the diction.... I'm sure he couldn't have been singing about "pissing his tent" really - could he???

Students really are omnipotent aren't they? I mean - I'm sure I was too at that age, but they really do know absolutely everything, and they know it quite loudly.

The whole do was really very 'Oxford'. Mary Magdelene looked just like a young Helena Bonham Carter, and there were countertenor angels, and lots of people in funny cardigans.

2002-05-06T22:53:00.000Z

Gosh - it's been a long time. All of a few days! Let me do this in bits...

2002-04-30T20:55:00.000Z

I don't go to many sites really. And you know that I'd do those proper buttons that link to sites if only I knew how, so that these links don't disappear off the page. But here are some of my regular haunts:-

This is Neil's page, this is Dave's, this is Wood's, and this is Bruce's.

Now then. How much of that html have I messed up?

If all goes well - who knows - there might be more later

2002-04-30T19:35:00.000Z

Quote of the day.....

"I can't say 'three' Miss, cos my mum's from Essex"

Well there's a thing I never knew about Essex girls!

Why do the designers and builders of primary schools use such heavy doors - with handles unreachable by small people? And why do the staff of primary schools think it's such a great joke to hide music stands in obscure and unreachable cupboards in odd corners of said schools?

Got a quartet enquiry this evening, for early August. Which is kind of when I was hoping to be on holiday, but I have promised to check it out with the others and get back to him. The money would be nice, and it's in a rather lovely hotel, and only an hour's playing, so it would be good if we can do it.

Off to Oxford tomorrow, and leaving the lodger in charge of the house. Must get around to packing my stuff in a minute, and doing a bit more work on the music.

2002-04-29T23:49:00.000Z

"I forgot my violin cos I didn't know it was violins today"

"I didn't do any practice cos I didn't take my violin home all week"

"I forgot I did violin Miss. I forgot to bring it"

"I haven't done any practice for my exam and I forgot to bring the money"

"I bust my arm so I can't play violin today, but can I have a lesson anyway cos it's History"

Sometimes, Mondays are - like that. Actually - Mondays are quite often like that.

And from the other point of view....

"Nicola - why can I hear E string notes? - they should all be low notes - look at the music"

"Well - why did you fold it up like that? It won't stay on the stand now, will it?"

"But why isn't your bow in the case with your violin? What's it doing on the piano in the infant hall?"

"Please don't wipe your nose on that"

2002-04-28T21:01:00.000Z

Finally got the opera music yesterday. It looks fairly playable, unless of course the speeds are silly. Due to my great dithering (sounds like a remote Cornish village - Great Dithering and Little Dithering by the Sea), though, I'm not going to have time to get my bow rehaired before the run. Ah well - that can be my excuse for a fuzzy sound now and again. Adrian and Alison are still expecting to put me up in Oxford, I just need to phone them 'after the Forsyte Saga please' to check how to get to their place from the centre of town.

Dinner party last night at B's. Sophie & Nigel came round for Carbonara, bringing peppery crisps (mmmmm) and olives (hmmm?). All the things you're not supposed to talk about over dinner were discussed. Death, religion, sex, politics etc etc. Oh - and tango. In fact, the religion / church thing was quite a feature. I keep very quiet at times like this. It takes me a while to sort out my opinions and put them in the right sort of order to say out loud.

Jon's got Bell's Palsy. He's conducting NBS rehearsals with a half paralysed face. Must be very frustrating for him. He can't pronounce any words that involve closed lip syllables, and has to manually blink his eye. All very strange. He had demanded that us section leaders meet 30 mins before today's rehearsal, to finalise bowings etc. We were there (sort of) and the gates were locked, padlocked and chained. It was only a passing teacher who was going in to do some work (on a Sunday?) who saved the day. Don't quite know what happened to the security chaps who were meant to let us in.

Rachel's daughter, Molly, has a fab multicoloured cassette player, and is very much into singing and dancing along to it. Why is it that the speech of 2 & a half / 3 (I forget) year olds is so endearing. Molly is v chatty - just like her mother, and was very busy making me all sorts of things from her Fisher Price kitchen.

All my new kids at Music Centre came back on Saturday. Glad I hadn't frightened them off too much. It's tricky though, when the one cellist there has only been learning for a term. Parts need to be simplified even more than easy cello parts usually are, and every note has to be explained. Still - her rhythm's good, so I'm sure she'll cope somehow or other. At least she'll finish at the same time as the rest. Olivia's gone straight into the seconds. She's played 'German Dance' before. They were going to do it in a concert apparently, but they couldn't 'cos the seconds were rubbish'.

I've got in a right pickle with this page haven't I? I've made a bodge job of trying to add some links, and now I can't seem to get rid of the bodgeness. Ah well...

2002-04-26T22:03:00.000Z

Roisin boogies when she plays. She's a nice little girl. Bright, bubbly, musical and no use at all with a violin. And I think it's the boogying that's the problem. All her energy goes into moving in time to the funky backing track, which makes keeping a bow on a string rather tricky. The hilarious thing is that she has no idea she's doing it, despite the rest of the group giggling at her and telling her she's dancing all the time. Still - I think she's enjoying it.

And at last! Alex produced the most musical playing ever. Months of dithering, faffing about and making excuses as to why she can't do this or that, and then today, a passionate rendition of a Brahms Hungarian Dance. I'd asked her a while back to leave that piece until she was in a really bad mood and then play it with some feeling. Wow! Not in a bad mood, but she put herself into it.

No practice again - fell asleep and woke up half way through Frasier. I hope the music for the opera arrives soon. I'm a little nervous about that. Must sort out the staying with friends aspect as well.

Isn't Neil good? I think he's the only person that knows I'm doing this - even though I've now put a link on my profile at Ship of Fools .

2002-04-25T22:54:00.000Z

Last night I went to Tango again for the first time in ages, and it's all changed. Well - not all of it, but there has been a kerfuffle with teachers. I realised just how slick our previous teacher was, and I realised how my pupils feel and why they play up when I'm not as prepared as I should be! Had to try very hard not to act like a giggly child - especially when Joe & I got 'told off' for doing it wrong. We were having fun anyway. Nice to dance again though, and good to be there with B.

I love my little 5 year old pupil. He's so bright and so cute and so intelligent and inquisitive. There's no pressure in his life yet. School is fun, home is fun, and violin is fun. Less happily, I have to decide what to do about a keen, motivated girl who desparately wants to do violin, but her mum can't / won't (?) pay so the school won't let her learn any more. What am I supposed to do when she turns up to lessons with all her friends? Tell her to go away cos her mum hasn't paid the bill? Tis difficult. Mind you - she's got a broken arm at the moment, so I can buy some time on that one, telling her not to do anything strenuous whilst the plaster is on.

I knew the armchair re-covering idea would turn into a 'thing'. Hmmm

2002-04-24T15:58:00.000Z

How do people get these cheap, late holiday deals you keep hearing about? I've spent huge chunks of today, dealing with various websites, teletext numbers and other phone calls, trying to get somewhere warm for the beginning of June. Just for 2 or 3 nights. But it seems there are no flights. It's Whitsun. It's the Jubilee & everyone's leaving the country. It's summer in't it? And various other helpfulnesses. Why don't they update their ads then?

2002-04-23T22:21:00.000Z

"You could put somebody's eye out with that!"

Didn't your mother tell you that? And your teachers? And, if you were a string player, somebody in your youth orchestra when you were waving your bow around in an absent minded fashion?

It nearly happened today. Poor lad - hobbling into his violin lesson with a twisted ankle, promptly got stabbed in the eye by his lesson-mate's bow. No actual blood - but oh - what a fuss!

And really - what is so difficult about reading music? When the notes go up on the page, the sound gets higher, so you add more fingers - and vice versa. 5 year olds manage it because no-one's conned them into believing that it's hard. 9 year olds decided they can't, and won't and shan't.

On the plus side - I correctly guessed the name Shakira when Leigh told me, "Miss - I like that singer who dances like 'this' (provocative style wiggling ill befitting a 10 yr old.) I dunno her name though - or what songs she done" Surely that's done something for my street cred?

Interesting violin teacher type injuries numbers 1 - 3:-

1. Sore fingertips from trying to turn those stiff adjusters on weeny, and out of tune violins
2. Grazed ankles from fighting through cupboards full of stacked chairs & drumkits in order to reach the heavy duty music stands
3. A bruised hip from barging into doors whilst carrying 2 violins and a large bag of music (which somehow never contains the book that year 5 have forgotten)

2002-04-22T23:37:00.000Z

It's been said before I know - and many times, but why oh why oh why do people need gert big landrovers in the middle of a city? Two of them trying to pass in a double parked road clogs the place up and means that my takeaway goes cold. Mind you - Thai curry takeaway - twas v spicy. Charlotte wouldn't have like it one bit!

2002-04-22T17:15:00.000Z

Ah - first Monday back at work. I start off teaching in the kitchen. Well - to be more precise, the area between the kitchen and the hall, where the dinner ladies have to come to and fro pushing chairs, tables, trays and children around. Usually they get cross with me for being around and getting in their way, but today they were cross with me because I hadn't been there last week. I suppose they must have got used to me.

Plenty of forgotten violins, stunningly out of tune strings and lost or forgotten music. Particularly from a group of year 4s, who can never quite get it together. By the end of the lesson we'd learned one whole bar of Cripple Creek, and half the group had gone for a loo break.

Why do small boys have such a fascination with bodily functions? And why do small girls feel the need to react by becoming overly prim, proper and shocked by hearing about said functions? The best non practice excuse came from Dan, who apparently had been ill over the holiday. Poo Mania it was. That's what his mother told him - so that's what it must have been. Either that or pneumonia. Either that or a cold. One of those anyway.

So - the dilemma. Can children play violin, play recorder and dance all in the same concert? The head says no, the music co-ordinator says maybe, the violin teacher says yes and the concert organiser is off with stress.

2002-04-21T22:49:00.000Z

Had a good evening. Went to the Relaxation Centre for the first time. Lovely sitting in hot tubs under the stars, sweating in barrel shaped saunas and generally trying everything out.

Came out more invigorated than relaxed really. First warm evening here, and I was all prepared to go for a long, late night ramble.

I know, I know - not sensible. We went to the pub instead.

2002-04-21T15:33:00.000Z

It's a sunny day, so I feel I should be outside. I should also be doing some practice.

But instead I've done a little tiny bit of work on Appalachian Spring and a lot of time here trying to set up a weblog that works.

Hmm