Sharps In Brackets

9-yr-old girl has just started learning a jazzy piece with lots of 'blue' notes.  It's in the key of A major (F#, C#, G#).

Me [pointing to the first C# in the piece]: Is this a high 2, or a low 2?
Girl [promptly]: High.  Because it's not got a natural, and it's a C, and there's a C# in the key signature.
Me [pointing to the C in the second bar]:  How about this one?
Girl [promptly]: Low. 
Me: Because?
Girl [like she's talking to someone a bit slow]: Because there's a natural in front of it, and that takes away the sharp.
Me: Good.  How about this second finger?
Girl: Umm..  High.  I think.  Why is the sharp in brackets?
Me: What do you think that means?
Girl: It's optional?
Me: Er- no.  Although I like the idea. But, can you imagine if you had a whole orchestra doing optional sharps?  [girl starts giggling] It would be madness! 
Girl [still giggling]: It would sound - blergh...
Me: Exactly.  So they're actually trying to be nice to you, because in the bar beforehand that note was natural. 
Girl: Oh.  And is that the same here and - wow.  They're everywhere!

Too/Two

This year's junior quartet are so, so funny.  I wish I could record them and show you all.  Instead, you'll have to receive their hilarity secondhand, through me.  And just in case you're not fluent in Kodaly-speak as well as violin-speak: a 2 (two) is our second finger.  A too (or too-oo) is a minim, or a note held for 2 ta (crotchet) beats.

Me: Violin 2, what sort of two do you have in bar 32?
Violin 2: I don't have a too in bar 32.
Me: Um, yes you do.
Violin 2: No, I've got ta za za za ta ta ta ta-
Me: No not bar 31, bar 32.
Violin 2: Oh!  Ta ta ta ta-
Me [a little exasperated]: Yes, but what sort of two?
Violin 2: There is no too. [By this stage, Violin 1 and Cello have got up and are peering at her music as well, pointing to the right bar and saying the rhythm also]
Me: Yes, there is.  Find it, quickly, and tell me what sort of two it is.
Violin 2: I don't have a too in bar 32, and anyway, what different sort of toos can you have?
Me [finally cottoning on to the problem]: Ah.  Bar 32.  Your second note.  What sort of second finger do you have?
Violin 2 [blinking]: Oh.  Oh.  Low.
Me: Ah.  Yes.  Phew.

General hilarity ensued as they all realised the cause of the confusion.

Second Finger Relationships

She's back.  One of my most entertaining girls resumed lessons last week.  In her lesson last week, she was very quiet and I thought maybe the events since last year had subdued her.  This week, she was back.  In all her crazy random glory. 

Me: What sort of second finger do you need to be doing here?
Girl: What?  Um.  Second finger.  Two.
Me: Yes... But...  Okay, high two or low two?
Girl: Huh?
Me: Is your second finger going to be friends with the 3 or with the 1?
Girl: What?  I don't know about their relationships!  How am I meant to know that?
Me: Oh boy.  It's a C# so it's friends with the 3.  Got it?
Girl [with the "I have a crazy teacher" look]: Ohhh...  Okay...


This was only a small part of her lesson.  We also covered Chinese zombies and snails.  Fun times.

Second Fingers Sorted

Looking at a new piece with an 8-yr-old.

Me: What's the key signature?
Girl: C..No, F sharp.
Me: So, wh-
Girl: Do is G.
Me: Good... How are you going to do the first note?  High two or low?
Girl: Um... [thinks a bit]... High!
Me: Why? [this often makes them change their mind, regardless of whether or not they're correct]
Girl: Because it's a mi.
Me [delightfully surprised]: Yes!  How about on the D string?
Girl [slight thinking pause]: High.  Because it's a ti.
Me: A string?
Girl [takes a little while, I think she's thinking up the G major scale from the open G]: Low.  Because it's a fa, and fa is best friends with mi.

Yay!