Looking for piano accompanist for violinist

[Dreamaurora]

maykenth:

wow!! wats the qualifications to b accompanist actually? i am taking dip in piano performance tis year..

There is no qualification needed, you just need to start accompanying (start with the lower grades one first) and the instrumental teacher will give you pointers on how to do it. Then the more you do, the easier it becomes. If you do want to be certified, I believe Trinity offers grade 1-8 piano accompaniment.

[sleepy]

buds:

Sleepy.. mebbe in future can consider asking accompanist to come over your place for a few paid trial runs prior to exams? This; if you hv ur own piano at home.. or else can book studio for the sessions as well.

Yes, have piano at home but root problem is I couldn't find a private accompanist with references. Been asking around for months to no avail.

And I'm not comfortable to just anyhow pick an accompanist from the earlier web link & entering a private arrangement without referrals. With a music school, at least they have some control over their teachers & I'm assured accompanist will show up on exam day.

I would much much prefer referrals but since there isn't, going to a music school was the last resort. I signed up for accompaniment package at music school so there were numerous practise sessions before exam.

Any music school which conduct string lessons will have accompaniment package during exam period because they need to provide accompaniment for their existing string students too. Hey, come to think of it, that music school strings students also 'kanna' because that same teacher will be accompanist for many of their existing students.

[buds]

Apologies.. I thought there was lack of chemistry due to insufficient accompaniment sessions together... :salute: By the way... What's an accompaniment package for exam period? We are in a music school but we don't have that leh. :scratchhead: You mean pay for the practice sessions with accompanist issit, babe?

[sleepy]

buds:

By the way... What's an accompaniment package for exam period? We don't have that leh. :scratchhead: You mean pay for the practice sessions with accompanist issit, babe?

Yes, must pay. Typical package goes like 4+1, 5+1, etc weekly sessions. The +1 refers to exam day accompaniment

Most schools use piano teacher's per lesson rate multiply by the number of practice sessions. Accompaniment on exam day is consider one lesson. Some music schools will incorporate small mark up to teacher's fees since there's no deposit or registration fees required for accompaniment packages.

Regardless, I find music schools pricing structure very reasonable so no complaint on fees.

Your dd's violin teacher provide accompaniment for free? So good! More importantly, quality assurance because teacher will know exactly which part to be expressive.

I've to ding dong ding dong become messenger between the 2 teachers. They didn't see eye to eye :slapshead:

[sleepy]

Dreamaurora:

an accompanist who cannot 'take breath' or 'follow' will in turn cause the soloist to not be able to do this as it will cause the piece to sound out of sync.


Some accompanists may also play their accompaniments as if they are playing their solo pieces and drown out the soloists' playing; someone I know actually found out this the hard way after auditioning for an orchestra (the music director told her the accompanist was too loud and he could not hear her playing clearly).

Yes, I observed these undesirable traits in dd's piano teacher after a few sessions that's why I suspected she has no experience in accompaniment despites what music school claimed and asked her directly. And she admitted this is her first time :scared:

Piano teacher also insisted to keep to tempo but we all know strings needs to have phrasing and some 'breath' is intentional, not because soloist is slow to catch up on tempo. Yet she kept harping on some quarver note. She also asked my dd to play louder but dd's string teacher said piano teacher is the one who is too loud. So these numerous practice sessions are essential to iron out all these different interpretations.

Then on exam day, accompanist can't even play her notes dutifully without making mistakes :slapshead:

Fortunately, my dd played beautifully. I think exam board should just scrap the accompaniment requirement for strings.

[buds]

Aiyoh sleepy... your poor DD... :hugs: That accompanist just doesn't have chemistry with her lar... hope she wasn't too depressed over the comments made during the practice sessions. Btw, your DD doing which Grade now?


Ya, we never had to pay for any exam accompaniment package n wat nots... tts why I asked. DD1's violin teacher can play both piano and violin. She's so good that while playing the accompaniment during lessons, she can use one hand to on and off adjust my DD's bowing lar.. posture lar.. or just press down DD's finger on a particular string for more pressure while DD is playing her piece. DD plays beautifully thanks to her... she's been a great inspiration n role model for DD1. :please: We enjoy listening to her playing at home. Even the baby loves it. He'll quiet down, sit up wide-eyed and really just listen. Now a bit older, he also knows how to clap for his jie.

Eh babe, if scrap accompaniment requirement then play alongside the CD arh? Lagi stress leh. The CD only one tempo n must follow leh.. some a bit fast too but hor good thing is this kind of accompaniment won't make mistakes or be a nervous wreck on exam day.

[sleepy]

buds, PM you

buds:

if scrap accompaniment requirement then play alongside the CD arh? Lagi stress leh. The CD only one tempo n must follow leh.. some a bit fast too but hor good thing is this kind of accompaniment won't make mistakes or be a nervous wreck on exam day.

I meant just play solo without any accompaniment.
Show real kungfu without side kick

[buds]

Kungfu without sidekick? Hehee! Lol!


PM replied.

[Dreamaurora]

buds:

Aiyoh sleepy... your poor DD... :hugs: That accompanist just doesn't have chemistry with her lar... hope she wasn't too depressed over the comments made during the practice sessions. Btw, your DD doing which Grade now?


Ya, we never had to pay for any exam accompaniment package n wat nots... tts why I asked. DD1's violin teacher can play both piano and violin. She's so good that while playing the accompaniment during lessons, she can use one hand to on and off adjust my DD's bowing lar.. posture lar.. or just press down DD's finger on a particular string for more pressure while DD is playing her piece. DD plays beautifully thanks to her... she's been a great inspiration n role model for DD1. :please: We enjoy listening to her playing at home. Even the baby loves it. He'll quiet down, sit up wide-eyed and really just listen. Now a bit older, he also knows how to clap for his jie.

Eh babe, if scrap accompaniment requirement then play alongside the CD arh? Lagi stress leh. The CD only one tempo n must follow leh.. some a bit fast too but hor good thing is this kind of accompaniment won't make mistakes or be a nervous wreck on exam day.

I dint think its the chemistry issue lar. Good accompanists can adapt to all.sort of playing, whether good or bad. Anyway not possible to scrap accompaniment as many of string standard repertoire has equal weightage on the piano part, especially the higher grades. Those advanced repertoire like violin sonatas are almost like practically piano sonatas with violin accompaniment.

[buds]

I still think there must be some chemistry nevertheless cos there are some who can just click at first accompaniment n others just don’t. The other thing to marry chemistry is experience. Which in sleepy’s case, there was none since it’s the teacher’s 1st time! And the school didn’t even mention it.