The Paternal Optimist

Er, Details - Well, A Detail - As Promised

The BW was understandably relaxed when the PO spoke to him on Monday night - the multiple pressures of the last few weeks are finally behind him, and he can at last relax a little and spend the rest of term focusing on other things - rehearsals of the Hogwarts Strings Group, preparing for end of year exams, tightening up that forward defensive and passing his fingers in a sort of eccentric intellectual way through his "flowing locks" (thanks to Mrs MOP for the lowdown on that one).

He was also typically blasé about his recent outstanding Grade VII results.

He admitted to having scored 29 out of 30 for his performance of Kadosa, which is gratifying, since he reported immediately after the exam that he thought he had played it better than ever before.

Otherwise, though, hard numbers were not forthcoming. Commenting on his scales and aural tests, on both of which he lost a few marks, he quoted his piano teacher who apparently told him that she would make sure that he scored full marks on both in his Grade VIII - which, incidentally, he will not be taking any time soon. The PO is pleased to hear that, rather than push him to take it very quickly (which there is no doubt he could do) in order to be able to say that he has done so at the tender age of 13, she prefers to give him plenty of time to prepare - as she says, he will only get to take the exam once, so he might as well work to get the highest score he possibly can.

Last Friday's viola masterclass, meanwhile, had the BW positively waxing lyrical and talking enthusiastically not only about what he had learnt during his half-hour with the master - including some invaluable advice about bow position that has helped him to coax a much richer sound from his instrument - but also about what he had gained from watching the sessions of the other participants, all of whom were more advanced than he is.

As for the Hogwarts scholarship, the Boy Wonder, as predicted, has chalked that one up to experience and moved on. One might say that it's old news - apart, that is, from the revelation that Young Mr Hoskins scored one, a fact unaccountably omitted from earlier reports - well done, YMH ! And apart from the fact that both their names were published in The Times and The Torygraph (thanks again Mrs MOP), thereby officially making them national celebrities ! No doubt it's only a matter of time before we get to see them on Big Brother or Hogwarts Idol...

Newsflash

[From the Hogwarts correspondent of the Associated Press]

Officials confirmed today that the Boy Wonder won a distinction in his Grade VII piano examination,  scoring 133 out of 150. He was said to be 'quietly pleased with himself.'

More later.

Father's Pride

The BW has suffered a couple of minor disappointments this week. First, he received confirmation from Hogwarts that he had not been awarded an academic scholarship following last week's extensive examination process; then, at the Oxford regional final of the EPTA piano competition which took place on Saturday, he came away empty-handed.

Disappointments ? Yes - it is always disappointing not to win, assuming that is the goal one has set oneself.

But setbacks ? Absolutely not.

The PO has already commented here on the maturity with which the BW treats those twin imposters, Failure and Success, and his ability to maintain an admirable sense of perspective. His reaction to this week's events has been typical, even if it doesn't take a degree in pyschology (which is a good thing, as the PO does not have one) to know that deep inside there is some part of him, however small, that is hurt.

Knowing the BW, it's unlikely that sense of hurt will ever grow out of proportion, but just in case one day it should do so, the PO would like to underline a few pertinent facts.

Taking the scholarship first, it was clear before the outset that the likelihood of Hogwarts making the BW an award was slim, simply in light of the fact that he is already the beneficiary of the maximum music scholarship. Any academic award would have been one in name only - a sign that his abilities have been recognised - and brought no additional financial reward. So why give one to him when there were doubtless numerous other deserving candidates, for whom (and, most of all, for whose parents) the financial benefits - and the PO speaks with considerable authority on the subject - would make a significant difference ?

Besides, the BW's abilities have already been recognised - by the fact that he was one of the small group invited to enter the scholarship exams, and by the letter which he received afterwards, in which the Hogwarts DPs congratulated him on his performance, pointing out that he had performed well across the board and revealed no weaknesses.

Most importantly, however, just taking the scholarship exams has been a great experience for the BW. Not only did he enjoy the social aspect immensely, but he also worked hard - with much help and coaxing from the Mother Superior - to prepare for what was by far the most rigorous series of academic tests he has ever had to take. He can honestly put his hand on his heart and say that he did his very best - and for that alone the PO is incredibly proud of him.

The timing of the EPTA competition could not have been worse - and I'm not referring to the fact that it took place on Saturday, not Friday, therefore depriving the Principal and the Recluse of the opportunity to attend a live BW performance for the first time. Not only did it come only a week after his scholarship exams, but during that intervening week he also took his Grade VII piano exam. As a result, though one of the pieces he played in the competition was also one of his exam pieces, he only had four days during which to prepare the other - the famous Khatchaturian Toccata, which he had hardly played in several weeks. Despite such an unpromising run-up to the competition, by all accounts the BW played beautifully.

How many of the other contestants had had such an arduous week before the final ? How many of them had as many strings to their bow as the BW ? Remember - he has a viola masterclass coming up on the 19th,  only a few days away. For how many of the  other children competing - and from the BW's gracious comments, it sounds as though the standard was quite superb - is music the be-all and end-all of their lives ? Once again, the PO is proud that the BW was able to go and give such a creditable account of himself without once complaining about the pressure or the workload heaped upon him (or about the fact that he missed the FA Cup final, thrillingly won by his favourite team, Liverpool).

Over the years, the Boy Wonder has given the PO any number of reasons to be proud. It's easy for him to understand his father's pride when he is winning prizes, competitions, scholarships, gaining distinctions and commendations. But it's important that he knows that he is the cause of unlimited paternal - not to mention maternal, grandmotherly and -fatherly, avuncular and agnatic, and yes, even brotherly and sisterly - pride all of the time.

[Right, BW, that's enough time-wasting on the internet - go and practice your viola, or you'll embarass us all at your masterclass...]

The BW Plays The Examiner Grovlez

OK, so it's not exactly "The batsman's Holding, the bowler's Willey", but it's the best the PO can do under the circumstances.

Hereafter the BW's assessment of Tuesday's Grade VII piano exam :

Warm-up
Excellent. The examiner turned up ten minutes late, so the BW was able to familiarize himself with the piano.

Pieces
Handel - Good, though the staccato was tricky because the keyboard was quite heavy.
Grovlez - Very good.
Kadosa - The best the BW has ever played it.

Aural
Went well.

Sight Reading
Pretty easy, but then the BW has been preparing by playing Grade VIII sight-reading pieces.

Scales
Good with one exception : a four octave C major scale, but with the right hand starting on the major third. The examiner asked the BW to play it staccato, which he hadn't practised. He stumbled a couple of times, until she suggested he play it legato, which he did with no problems.

_______

It'll be a while until the result comes through, but in the meantime the BW has other fish to fry - well, what did you expect ? He's playing in the regional EPTA competition final in Oxford tomorrow - and the Principal and the Recluse should be there to hear him !! Time to cross those fingers again...

Four Short Points

1) The BW reports thusly on his scholarship exams :

Maths. (x2) - Went very well.
Science - OK. Answered questions on relativity.
Greek - OK. Pushed for time.
Latin - Good.
French (x3) - Bien.
English - Good.
History - "I nailed it."

Overall assessment : a really good experience.
Results are expect some time in the next week.

2) The day after his scholarship exams finished, the BW spent his entire Sunday music-making - playing in a Mozart quartet and later sight-reading his way through the Requiem.

3) When the PO telephoned this evening, he was treated to an impromptu performance of the Chanson de l'escarpolette by Gabriel Grovlez, one of the pieces the BW will be playing during his Grade VII piano exam tomorrow morning.

4) The PO, having uncrossed his fingers on Saturday afternoon, will naturally be re-crossing them tomorrow morning, and hopes that you will do the same. Ratification by the Guinness Book of Records of his finger-crossing world record attempt appears to have run into some administrative difficulties, but he confidently expects to receive confirmation in the very near future that his submission has been accepted.

The PO Provides Moral Support

** World Exclusive **

The PO is excited to announce that he will shortly be launching a bold attempt on the world finger-crossing record. [To those who claim that he must already be the world record-holder, having crossed his fingers the day he went to public school and kept them crossed until the day, almost nine years later, when he graduated, he raises a single, uncrossed digit.]

Yes, readers, it's true : tomorrow morning upon rising he will be slipping the index finger of each hand beneath its corresponding middle finger, then wrapping the latter snugly around the aforementioned index finger until such time as it becomes firmly wedged - with the intention of maintaining this contorted position until Saturday lunchtime, three and a half days later !!

Naturally, there will be those who will pour scorn on the PO, throwing half-eaten hamburgers at him, dropping their trousers in front of him and generally dismissing his efforts as some sort of David Blaine-style publicity stunt.

Those who recognise the PO for what he truly is, however, will pause for a moment before lobbing their snacks or displaying their less-than-rosy cheeks and ask themselves a simple question : why ?

Well, as is so often the case with simple questions, there is a very simple answer : tomorrow morning, the BW, along with 31 other candidates (including Young Mr Hoskins and four other fellow Hogwarts pupils) will be setting out on the arduous journey that is the Hogwarts scholarship. Beginning with English and a French oral, ending on Saturday morning with Greek, and passing not only by the full gamut of academic subjects but also via "assessed activities", including problem-solving exercises, a maths quiz and scenarios designed to show their behaviour within a group, these intrepid teenagers will be tested, measured and evaluated in every way known to man - and the PO for one thinks the BW deserves all the help (in the form of superstitious mumbo-jumbo) he can get. So not only will he be crossing his fingers - he will also be gently caressing a rabbit's foot, doing whatever it is you're supposed to do with horseshoes and desisting from his favourite pastime of albatross shooting for the duration of the BW's ordeal.

After which, he will have a couple of days to flex his doubtless stiff little fingers and make full use of all ten of his digits, before crossing them once again next Tuesday morning in anticipation of the BW's Grade VII piano exam.

Good luck, BW (and YMH) !!