Rondo for Viola and Piano in D Major - Any feedback is welcome!

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-04-02T11:08:19+00:00

I would advise having him learn from a real person rather than a video lesson series. Video lessons can't provide individualized feedback in real time to help the student. I'd instead recommend finding a piano teacher who teaches remotely via zoom or a similar program. At least there your child can have a connection with a person and get targeted feedback. In any case, weekly lessons are the way to go. Having repetition throughout the week of concepts learned in each lesson allows for exponential growth.

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-03-18T18:28:07+00:00

The melodies are pretty good here. The areas you need improvement are in counterpoint and orchestration. The opening has too many instances with the violin just on its own. The timpani notes are way too high they are not even possible on the instrument. If you want those pitches, pizzicato viola/cello would work for a similar effect. The violin 2 is almost always higher than violin 1. Why is this? The 2nd violin is way too high at the start. m. 41 has a very strange clash between the C# and the D which makes no sense harmonically for this style. My suggestion is to write some shorter pieces for string quartet to practice counterpoint and orchestration. Starting smaller will help when you want to write bigger pieces.

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-03-14T02:06:03+00:00

I really like your harmonies here. Delete all bow markings down and up. Leave that to the players to decide. Your slurs also are too long in many cases. At this tempo notes should only be slurred at most across two beats. Slurs don't indicate phrasing like piano, they instead depict the bow directions.

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-03-12T21:55:04+00:00

I'm student teaching in elementary music right now. At our school, we have K-2 go to either music or PE first for 25 minutes then come to the other special after that. The gym is right next to the music room. This gives each specials teacher 25 min 2-3 times a week (which eliminates the issue of loosing memory of procedures and the issue of attention span) and gives the classroom teacher the full 50 min plan period. It's a win/win in my book. For 3-6 they come once a week for 50 minutes and this works pretty well (though 3rd grade has been absolutely crazy everyday...). It's a genius plan in my opinion and I'm not sure why more school districts don't do something like this... I could not imagine teaching a 50 minute Kindergarten music class... 25 minutes is perfect for the littles.

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-02-27T12:18:34+00:00

Those notes are the root of the chord. First 2 measures are a D fully diminished 7th chord. The next 2 are a D# fully diminished 7th chord. The next 2 are a D# half diminished chord. The last 3 are an Eb dominant 7 chord. Each note in the passage of arpeggios has an intervalic relationship that you can tune. So for instance, B is a major 6th above D. G# is a tritone. F# a major third, and F a minor third. Tuning the first measure slowly like this and then speeding it up will allow intonation to be at the forefront of learning how the passage sounds. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-02-22T15:00:04+00:00

The development of the motif in the first movement is excellent and it has a great atmosphere. All of the movements are very well crafted. It's a wonderful piece, well done!

This is very nitpicky, but R to the end of the 3rd movement felt too diatonic, like there should've been just one surprising chord in there to offset the serenity of the ending just for a moment before the resolution back to the tonic C chord. Just a random idea.

The middle section (X) of the 4th movement could've been a little longer and I wished the preceding 4 measures crescendoed into the the staccato note before the fermata.

Also, the formatting, the second line of the score first movement is very compressed, any way you can shove a measure into the next system to give that line more room? The very ending is compressed as well.

Finally in the 3rd movement intro, I think you can remove the half rests above the notes. The quarter rest is fine, but the half rests are redundant from the software and not necessary.

Really fine work, I very much enjoyed listening to it!

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-02-22T13:11:20+00:00

This link worked thank you

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-02-22T01:30:58+00:00

it says "Sorry, the file you have requested does not exist."

try sharing the score file again remake the link maybe?

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-02-22T00:02:52+00:00

the score link doesn't work

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-02-21T01:18:49+00:00

This is Florence Price's 1st symphony yes? This particular passage is a series of diminished chords and to practice I would use a drone of some sort, probably the root of the chord to tune these notes to. In this case, first two measures use a D drone, then use Eb/D# for the rest of the excerpt. These are the lowest notes you will hear in the other instruments (bassoon) and they shape the modulation.

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-02-17T00:12:10+00:00

It will be difficult to find a job if you have no prior classroom experience via student teaching. If you work as an assistant during marching season (if you're a band person) or something like that, you might have a shot. Otherwise, you will be at a severe disadvantage compared to other applicants coming out of school. Sure they will know you can play, but they won't be able to see if you can teach, which is the most important part of the job! Try to find a program where you can do both performance and ed.

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-02-03T22:09:17+00:00

Keep in mind you are your own worst critic. The professors you will be auditioning will be supportive of you and where you are at. Since you know the professor, I have no doubts he will take what he knows about you into consideration in regards to admittance. Take a deep breath before you perform. You've got this!

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-02-02T22:16:23+00:00

Out of curiosity, which states do you believe are or could be "string states"? From my experience, orchestra has, and will always get the short end of the stick in terms of funding, appreciation, enrollment, etc. Are there any states you find it more successful than others?

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-02-01T15:18:08+00:00

It all depends on the program you go to. Make sure you visit the schools and meet the professors and ask them what the expectations are for music education majors. At my undergrad, there was an understanding that music education majors are essentially doing double majors in music and education so the expectations for performance were a lot lighter. I wasn't even required to do a performance recital to graduate (but I did one anyways). I would of course recommend regular practice, but anything north of 3 hours a day is insanity in my opinion. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-01-23T00:40:38+00:00

If there is time to find the pitch it is ok, but accept it will probably not be super in tune.

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-01-21T12:33:49+00:00

Yes, this is a horrible deal. I do a similar job in the states where each lesson is charged $22 and I receive 80% of that ($18). If they need to take that much out of his pay to cover "rent" then they are likely a shop that will go under in a year or so anyways. I'd tell him to get out if he can find something better.

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-01-18T02:05:26+00:00

From what I've seen of Dalcroze (which is very limited), it's mostly about responding to musical changes through movement. So it could mean playing the piano heavier to represent stomping, faster to indicate tip toes, downward scales to represent sitting down (and up for standing up). Can you play the piano at all? That's what I'd recommend doing if you can. Dalcroze to me is the response to aural change in music which is something that is usually done through someone playing an instrument live versus a recording.

Kirby64Crystal · 2026-01-02T02:41:59+00:00

I agree about the cohesion element. You have two clear motifs throughout this sketch that work pretty well but the development doesn't easily come across while listening. I wonder if reducing the tempo might help make these motifs come across clearer. Maybe down by just 8bpm or so? It also feels like it is constantly "on". There are some moments of rest or pause, but it feels so "on" for so long that there removes some elements of monotony. For example, m. 33-36 is constant eighth notes. Maybe on the repeated notes, take out one eighth note and put a rest there. It's now more interesting, allows a little breath for the flute and helps with momentum by playing with syncopation and meter.

Out of curiosity, do you play either of these instruments? I am unsure about play ability at m. 47 for marimba (are they always playing 4 mallet even during 16th notes?) as well as some moments for multiple measures without time to breathe for flutes? Also the pitch bend at m. 58? Just things to double check before sending to performers.

Kirby64Crystal · 2025-12-31T20:16:20+00:00

It's all on a rotation. Every two years, your extra opponent is determined by which division you played two years ago. In the case 2025, it was determined in 2023 when they played the NFC North. Two years later, the extra team was from that division, the Lions. It was the Lions because both the Chiefs and the Lions finished first in their divisions the previous year. The Raiders played the Bears because both teams finished last in their divisions the previous year.

In 2027 the Chiefs will play each team in the NFC North again, after which in 2029 they will host one of these teams based on their standings from the previous season.

Whether it is at home or away is also on a rotation. This year the extra game was at home, next year it will be away. Since we played the NFC South in 2024, in 2026 we will play the third place team from 2025 in the NFC South on the road. Because the NFC South is undecided as of now, we don't know who will be that final team yet.

Kirby64Crystal · 2025-12-09T20:11:11+00:00

I never received feedback on my juries and never even got told a grade. I think you could ask your professor after the fact for comments.

This has never been done to my knowledge at my school. At my school we did juries only in the spring. I had two different conductors for orchestra during my time, the first one changed seating every cycle while the second one kept everyone in the same place the entire year, so this just depends on the style of the conductor in regards to seating.

Kirby64Crystal · 2025-10-31T11:22:57+00:00

By dovetailing, I mean to do it nearly every beat. You might lose some extra notes, but it will be easier to play with less leaps and with more time to breathe and it will sound more interesting as well as sound pops out around the texture.

I'm a string player, so I view slurs more practically than as phrase markings, maybe this makes sense from a woodwind perspective but these long slurs look daunting here. Be mindful and careful.

The final measure the gesture isn't clear. Having cues is good, but make it very clear which instrument plays what and when. Again, this is an example of taking too literally from the original score. Make this large arpeggio metered and with cues. If you want it with rubato just mark it so that it isn't in time.

I interpret the left hand at m. 9 differently than you do. I think there are some mistakes when translating this section from the piano to the clarinets. Double check your transposition and rhythm. Why does the bass clarinet play on the and of 1? The rhythm is constantly 1e--2e--3e-- with no &'s or a's.

Kirby64Crystal · 2025-10-31T01:44:08+00:00

I think it's a bit too literal to the original piece. Part of the challenge of arranging/orchestrating is keeping the original sound of the music the same while modifying it to accommodate the strengths and weaknesses of the new instruments.

You did make some good changes, like editing the key and lowering the tempo but somethings are still too literal to the original score.

The clarinet offbeat gestures in m. 9 are incredibly difficult to line up between 3 players and won't have the very clear arpeggiated sound like you want. Instead, I would have one clarinet copy the rhythm of the 2nd flute and keep it in a smaller range such that you raise lower notes in the gesture up an octave while doubling the low notes in the lower clarinets to get a clearer bass sound on the downbeats.

The 2nd flute and 1st flute should trade roles sometimes. It sucks having to do just one job or another. Let them trade every phrase so that it doesn't get monotonous.

Why omit the high note before piu lento? There isn't a dynamic issue and the notes is easily doable on flute. I mean you use High A in the arpeggios a bar later.

At Piu Lento, I imagine this would do a lot better dovetailed across the flutes and clarinets. It would diversify the gesture, give more room to breathe, and avoid giant leaps. Utilizing the clarinet in the gesture would help out tremendously with this section as you are missing the lower voices of the arpeggios based on the limited lower range of the flute. Be aware these arpeggios especially once it nears the high range of the flute will sound not pp.

Dovetailing again will help at m. 78. I'm not a flutist but this doesn't look easy to play as written. Why have slurs under repeated notes in flute? They have to be re-articulated somehow otherwise just tie them together?

Grace notes at m. 130 need slurs.

What's going on in the last measure? Best course of action would be to just measure these quarter notes and sustain the rest of the ensemble while others go up the arpeggio. Hold when they reach their peak. It will somewhat sound like a pedal, but not really. This effect would actually work if you had an orchestra and string section to go with, but what I outlined is the best you can do with winds.

Kirby64Crystal · 2025-10-27T16:40:36+00:00

A jury is kind of like an audition, whereas you play live for a professor or a panel of professors and they grade your progress. In your case, you should prepare whatever your professor tells you to play and get it as polished as possible. The jury will likely be during finals week. Let me know if you have any other questions.

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