Sunday, January 31, 2010

First Piano Accompaniment Lesson

Both hubby and I had slept late last night - I finally surrendered to my dreamland at past 3am, just half hour before he got home(when I had to wake up and opened the door for him) and I couldn't wake up when Renee came to my bedside at 8am. I simply couldn't get up and thus, I told her to try and resume her sleep, which she didn't as usual.

Then, at 9am+, she came to me and said "mommy, I need to 'mmm mmm'" and that worked, it woke me up instantly and I told her to quickly go, lolz. However, feeling lethargic, I climbed back to my bed after I've got her bread, butter and water(tried to avoid formula milk for e time being) ready. She was very excited and told me that she's able to open the fridge's door. Oh man! And thereafter, it was very nice of her to just do her drawing and let us continued our sleep, sooo sweet...

Renee played, for the 1st time, with the piano accompaniment, Ms Tan today. Not knowing when will her exam date be and as Ms Mok hasn't received any notice yet, we had hoped that it'd be in March(so we could have more time to prepare), so it had supposed to be only a trial today. However, Ms Mok told me today that she's called up to check and was informed that it'll be on the last week of Feb and that means, we would really need to buck up now! OMG!

Ms Tan had looked abit stern when she walked in and Ms Mok's comment that she can be abit fierce might have frightened Renee that she was even more reluctant to co-operate. At one point of time, she even looked as if she's going to cry, geez. After some coaxing and the promise of a lollipop, she slowly began to be more receptive and luckily, it turned out that Ms Tan wasn't that fierce afterall, lolz.

They started by playing the 3 exam pieces but Renee only played them once - maybe no need since she's able to play on-tune? and then they began the Aural lesson. Renee had to repeat by clapping and telling Ms Tan the rhythm she's played on the piano. Thereafter came the singing lesson - Renee has to 'sing' the rhythm that's been played. Then she's tested on her ability to tell how a rhythm has been changed between a few sets of notes.(hope I've described correctly, heee)

Midway through the lesson, Ms Tan turned to ask Ms Mok if she could try 'something' with Renee and she started to test Renee by playing the keys/notes(sorry, I dunno how to explain this, lolz) on the piano. To our surprise(Ms Mok has told her that Renee has not been coached at all in this area due to her inability to understand maths/equation yet), she managed to get a few notes correct!

As I've not expected wonderful performances today, especially it being the very 1st time she's playing with a real accompaniment, I must admit that I was rather happy when I heard Ms Tan's comments. I couldn't believe though, probably due to the frustrations I've encountered during her practices, but Ms Tan, like Ms Mok had, said "I've played with so many young violinist, she is....." and with that, I think I should just take her words, be happy and shut up, kekeke. Phew, at least my and even her very own efforts were not wasted, phew... I told her about the frustrations too, that she's lazy to practice esp. when pieces/excercises got abit difficult and again, the same remark "it's like that with young children, even I was like that when I was young" and that again, was another assurance to me(but which means I have to vomit more blood? Arrrggghhhh, lolz)

However, we're still not sure how she would react to the examiners on the day of exam and I'm crossing my fingers...

*I had not understand earlier, when people told me that it's expensive to learn this instrument. Now I do, for not only we have to change the violin rather often(size - which is a must and even quality upgrade-if possible), we have to pay separate teachers for practical and theory/aural lessons, plus the accompaniment for the exam(oh I 've forgotten to ask how much will we be charged for the exam day...)

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