Monday, Monday.....

After a busy weekend of music making it's no surprise that we had the 'morning off' for the music section of the eisteddfod today, as the sessions didn't begin until 2pm. Starting the afternoon was Elizabeth Beacom performing on snare drum in the Under 18 Instrumental Quick Study class. I used to do the Piano Quick Study class when I was Elizabeth's age, and let me tell you, it's not for the faint-hearted! The competitor is given the piece on the first Saturday of the Music Eisteddfod (in this, case Saturday 5th) and has until Monday to prepare the piece for performance. Elizabeth performed admirably well in this class, even if by her own admission she thought the piece was 'impossible', and earned herself a Highly Commended Mark. Continuing the session we had two joint-winning Highly Commended Under 15 Pop Duets/Trios, and some great piano-playing in the Under 16 class, and the Under 15 6-hands at one Piano class. Particularly in the U16, there was a fantastic array of repertoire being explored by these young performers, with my particular favourites of the class being Jude Wegerer's "Nocturne, Op 9, No2" by Chopin, and Marie-Claire Benoist's "1st Arabesque" by Claude Debussy. Both these performers, in particular I felt showed clear understanding and expression in their music, as well as a real sense of knowing how to breathe with their playing. In the end it was Marie-Claire who won the trophy in this class.

Following the piano classes were vocal solo classes; Under 18 Folk Song, and Under 18 girls Vocal Solo, both featuring the same line-up of singers (as is often rather common when you get to the older ages of performing). In both classes Peter Hewitt praised all the singer's ability to tell the story, not only in their performance/acting, but in their abilities to change the tone and colour of their voices to suit the lyrics. This is often something singers forget about, that you can change how your voice is produced, and manipulate your voice to create characters, or moods for example. It's extra details like this that help the musician go 'beyond the music', as the adjudicator put it, and really excel in music making. A high standard of class, both classes were full of Highly Commended marks, but it was Kirsty Dempster's stunning rendition of Michael Head's "The Singer", sung completely a cappella which was the highlight of the afternoon, earning her a well-deserved Outstanding mark, the first for a soloist at this Eisteddfod.

- I'd like to take a moment here, unfortunately to make comment on something. It seems to me, that in  fact, the audience were a little disrespectful of the performers today. During Kirsty's delightful solo, there was talking (audible enough for me to make out actual sentences, though I won't repeat them....), rustling of sweet packets, and worst of all, a damn mobile phone went off. Similarly, later in the evening class, my mother had to stop and ask to start her piano sonata piece again because people were talking as she was playing. This is just simply not on I'm afraid. Both these musicians are seasoned performers, and still managed to produce excellent work without being too flustered, but what if this was a performer who had never performed on stage before, and didn't know how to recover themselves from being distracted? Audience members, I implore you: please, please, PLEASE turn off your phone, do not bring in sweet packets (or if you simply 'must' have something to eat during the sessions, empty the packet into a plastic cup like they make you do in the West End theatres), and save your talking until the house lights come back up. I'm really hoping this was a Monday anomaly, because every performer at this festival deserves the respect of the audience.

Anyway, rant over for now, back to the music - The Chamber Music Making Open, and Junior School Folk Song Choirs. In the Chamber Music Open, it was lovely to see Janine Mallet conducting the Guernsey Grammar School Senior Strings, her first ever conducting experience, which she managed commendably indeed. We often forget about the poor soul at the front waving their arms or a stick about, it's a forgotten art form! I thought the Senior Strings tackled the James Bond theme particularly well, with great tempo changes (another credit to the conductor). The afternoon was rounded off by the Music Centre Primary Choir - all 70 of them! A delightful army of children, all so engaged in their performance, and with fantastic choreography, earning themselves a Distinction.

My certificate and trophy - lovely!

Starting the evening session, we have, perhaps the most unusual classes for the Music Eisteddfod - Composition (Under 18, Under 18 'school entry', and Over 18). In these classes, the competitors have submitted their own music creation (scores, and a recording) to the adjudicator months before, and he/she studies them, grades them, and then talks about them to an auditorium of people! This year, I was really pleased to see a sizeable chunk of young composers in the 'school entry' class, as well as hearing about what is clearly a high standard of young composing, with all the entries being either Highly Commended or Distinction. I was delighted myself to win the Over 18 class, with a 92! This piece in particular, "Voul-ous enne P'tite Goute?" I wrote as a commission for the Charlotte New Music Festival I attended in the summer last year, and I'm so very pleased it was so well received by the adjudicator at this Eisteddfod. He also praised the performance of the players on my recording - they are members of The Great Noise Ensemble, and I have let know of this result, and they are also delighted!

The next set of classes for this Monday evening session saw the Classical Vocal Classes, starting with the Sopranos, and descending through the ranks to Bass, followed by the Senior Music Making Class. These classes saw another Outstanding awarded, for Deborah Bideau in the Soprano Class (91 marks), but I would also like to personally praise Lucy Cave for what I thought was a stunning piece with effortlessly soaring high notes, and Lindsey Veillard for her charming (as Peter Hewitt also thought) performance of "Christopher Robin is Saying his Prayers". The Piano Sonata Class, not to be taken lightly, showcased the complexity of concert piano music via three of the islands seasoned pianists. The adjudicator made an apt comment on how it is "extraordinary how three separate pianists can sound so different on the same instrument." After this dramatic concert of music, we were treated to a final performance in the Over 18 Voice and Piano Class, featuring Tina James (voice) and Marilyn Pugh (piano). This piece, "Crabbed Age and Youth" was very charming, and amusing, and very well performed by this pair, earning them a solid Highly Commended mark of 85.

All in all, perhaps a mixed day - musically, fantastic - but I think the audience might need to try a little harder - Come on Guernsey, we're usually so good at supporting live music, let's not get complacent, and put in a little more effort! (And don't forget to TURN YOUR PHONES OFF!!)