Music practical - questions and discussion

blueee

So I had my music practical about a week ago and I feel really bad about it. I played six pieces on piano and made a few minor mistakes but I feel like they threw me and I lost my confidence to the point where when it came to my last piece my mind wasn't really focused on it. I think I played them all nicely but I was so upset after it. Then I was thinking about how you are marked harder if you play all on one instrument as opposed to two activities and I feel like I mightn't have done as well as I wanted to at all.

I was wondering does anyone know how they mark the practical? Do small mistakes matter? I did have a great variety of pieces- pop, classical (two grade 8 pieces, one grade 7), Irish traditional, and I did play musically and enthusiastically, but I'm afraid I wasn't good enough.

Daggermouth

Don't worry about it. 2 years ago I did my practical, 4 on tinwhistle and music technology. For one of my pieces I got mixed up, and stopped playing for about 10 seconds while the backing track was still playing. Longest 10 seconds of my life, I was completely ****ting bricks. But after that I found my footing as was able to finish the pieces. None of my pieces were note perfect either, a few mistakes here and there. But I came out with an A1 in the end, and I calculated my practical mark to be >95%. But maybe I just had a very empathetic examiner!

Lc2k17

Right does anyone know, I am home schooled and doin my music practical this week, i have 6 songs ready to play on tin whistle and know i have to do a clappin test, but do i have to do music technology? Can someone explain how it works?

Thanks

evolving_doors

Lc2k17 wrote: »

Right does anyone know, I am home schooled and doin my music practical this week, i have 6 songs ready to play on tin whistle and know i have to do a clappin test, but do i have to do music technology? Can someone explain how it works?

Thanks

No
Go in play yer 6 pieces.
Clapping test.
Away home with ya.

hasdanta

Like you said, MINOR mistakes. You will be fine. We are always are over-critical of ourselves after exams.

Lc2k17

So im playin 6 tin whistle songs, is it okay if they're all less than 2 minutes each, i know the playing is approx 12 mins, but can it be less than that?

ejmck123

I slipped up in a Mozart piece 4 minutes into the piece on the final line . I paused for five seconds and mutter 'no' under my breath because I thought I missed a bit but I hadn't .
She heard me but I carried on straight away and gave a good finish .
I don't know if she marked me harshly because she commented on me being at a very high standard . But I just hate to think a pause could have cost me a grade . Literally worked on that piece for two years taking it from grade 7 last year and using it as my 4th piece with my grade 8 pieces.
My performance wasn't recorded and she wasn't writing at the end . Could I be ok?

Lc2k17

Any advice?
Im playing on tin whistle
Fields of athenry
Danny boy
My heart will go on
Molly malone
Harry potter theme song
Braveheart theme song

Is this a good choice?? Im panicking im picking the wrong songs

Can I play 6 songs on two different instruments, 4 on tin whistle and 2 on guitar? Im not the greatest singer but im not bad, should it be okay?

evolving_doors

ejmck123 wrote: »

I slipped up in a Mozart piece 4 minutes into the piece on the final line . I paused for five seconds and mutter 'no' under my breath because I thought I missed a bit but I hadn't .
She heard me but I carried on straight away and gave a good finish .
I don't know if she marked me harshly because she commented on me being at a very high standard . But I just hate to think a pause could have cost me a grade . Literally worked on that piece for two years taking it from grade 7 last year and using it as my 4th piece with my grade 8 pieces.
My performance wasn't recorded and she wasn't writing at the end . Could I be ok?

You'll be grand . The fact that she said you were a high standard is to reassure you... about grade5 is the standard anyway.
I remember at the end of one of my pieces in college (Mozart again! ) I couldn't find the very last 2 cadence chords... so went through a few random cadences till it sounded right!

Lc2k17 wrote: »

Any advice?
Im playing on tin whistle
Fields of athenry
Danny boy
My heart will go on
Molly malone
Harry potter theme song
Braveheart theme song

Is this a good choice?? Im panicking im picking the wrong songs

At this stage go with your best. That's a good varied program you have.

Lc2k17 wrote: »

Can I play 6 songs on two different instruments, 4 on tin whistle and 2 on guitar? Im not the greatest singer but im not bad, should it be okay?

Nope... must be 4+4 on 2 instruments.(presume your doing higher level).
Just to clarify .... what do you mean by a song on the guitar?

Lc2k17

Hey thanks for the reply, so basically i sing and play guitar on 4 songs and play tin whistle on 4 songs? Also would i be marked harder for that?

Also could i just do four songs on the tin whistle and the clapping test? Or does it have to be 6 songs?

evolving_doors

Has to be 6 songs on 1 instrument.
8 on 2 (4+4).

Be clear about the 'singing with the guitar' thing... do you want your singing marked... or your guitar playing?

Lc2k17

I want to be marked on my guitar playing, do i let the examiner know that?
So it has to be 6 songs? Not 4 songs on one instrument?

Also is it okay to play tin whistle and guitar as two instruments?

evolving_doors

Lc2k17 wrote: »

I want to be marked on my guitar playing, do i let the examiner know that?

Yes you get a form to fill in before you head in. Write down the names of the songs/tunes and the composer (if the composer is known).

Lc2k17 wrote: »

So it has to be 6 songs? Not 4 songs on one instrument?

6 tunes if doing 1 instrument....
8 tunes if doing 2 instruments and it must be 4 tunes on each of the instruments.
.
SO:
Option 1- You Just play 1 instrument. Play your 6 pieces on just the tin whistle .
See Page 17 Here for the Marking scheme: https://www.examinations.ie/misc-doc/EN-EX-46430006.pdf
The code is HE1


Option 2. You want to play 2 instruments. For this you MUST play 4 pieces on each instrument. BUT both of those instruments are marked at an easier level (to make up for the fact that you are doing 8 pieces in total as opposed to 6). See page 23 for this option here https://www.examinations.ie/misc-doc/EN-EX-46430006.pdf

Lc2k17 wrote: »

Also is it okay to play tin whistle and guitar as two instruments?

Yes (see option 2 above). So you would be doing 4 pieces on the tin whistle and 4 on the guitar. Just be clear about whether you're being marked on your singing or your guitar for the second option. If you're still in doubt ask the examiner just as you go in and handing them the form (maybe have a blank copy just incase you need to fill it out again).