TSO's Pictures at an Exhibition

Last night we went to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's Pictures at an Exhibition. It was great!
The first song they played was a new work called Shenanigan by Kati Agocs. She was in the audience and she talked a little about it before they played it. I liked it!

I liked watching Joyce Yang play the piano with the orchestra. She played Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor by Rachmaninoff with the orchestra and she also played a piece by Chopin that wasn't in the program. I paid close attention to her hands. It was amazing! She bounced with energy when she performed! I really want to see her perform again.

I loved Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky. I especially liked Tuileries and the Polish Oxcart.

I really wish I had a recording of the whole concert! Everything was so good.

We stayed for the after concert chat. I found out that Joyce Yang started piano at 4 years old, just like me! Can you imagine she practices for 6 hours a day!

I got to meet her after the concert and Mom took a picture of us.

Gershwin

I've been reading about Gershwin. I really like his music.

In one of his songs they use a fly-swatter!
It's called "Second Rhapsody".
http://youtu.be/dVtbCFoDc9c

"An American in Paris" uses taxi horns.
http://youtu.be/oeEMlYpGJzs

Here's a link to "Rhapsody in Blue".
It starts off with a long whooping sound and it's very lively.
http://youtu.be/1U40xBSz6Dc

It doesn't really feel like Summer anymore but I like this song.
http://youtu.be/UYlIHI35oak

My Preparatory Rudiments Exam

Last month I sat my first ever theory exam. It was the Preparatory Rudiments exam.
Mom said I should do this one as a practice exam before I do the Basic Rudiments since I've never done a written exam before.
I finished very early! I was checking my work the third or fourth time when they called the half hour mark. I didn't know I could leave early until I saw a teenager leave.
Guess what!
I got 96!
First class honours with distinction!
I'm so happy. :-)