My just turned 12 year old son needs a new 2 1/2 minute program. He is Novice A level. Fast on the ice, can do slightly unusual programs and often adds his own touch to things. Has good sense of time. We tried to persuade him to think about some 20's or 30's music but he has set his heart on some really big classical pieces - Jupiter by Holst is currently his favourite.
He likes some others - but probably also not the best for him. E.g. Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue....
Conceded he might like some James Horner piece that sounded like something a senior skater might enjoy.
Any suggestions for slightly less big pieces? He doesn't want anything other boys his age are doing.
Big music, but Game of Thrones, Halo, Assissin's Creed III, or Elements by Lindsay Stirling might be the ticket since he's of the age for video games.
Arrival at Aslan's How - Narnia
Only the Beginning of an Adventure - Narnia
Harvey Two-Face - The Dark Knight (could give some interesting costume options, too)
The Avengers - Theme song
Marching Season - Yanni
Will listen to all of these tonight ( thanks to Spotify) and see if any meet the young mans approval. (Sigh). He told the coach today Rhapsody in Blue or Jupiter - coach smiled and suggested he bring in more than that and he bring in choices I may suggest that he doesn't hate.
Not sure if Lindsay's music is on spotify. It is on Youtube. And, the videos will help him get a feel for what she is doing. It's modern "dubstep" but with a violin. It has an edge to it. I am listening to Halow Medley- Firefight. That one is so beautiful.
I recall skating to movie themes....."The Last Starfighter" is a good one that comes immediately to mind. But if you start listening to "great sci-fi" movie themes (several albums avail on itunes, but you can probably find for free streaming via Spotify or Amazon Prime) I think you'll come up with some good ones. These tend to be strong, and dramatic. The tough part is avoiding those that are too well-known.
The Planet's symphony is on my "to evaluate" list....is the Jupiter of which you speak from that? If so, I like those ...... And my precision team skated to Rhapsody in blue; another one of my favorites. While they may not be suited to your son's skating style, I think he has great taste in music!
You might also want to try the Piano Guys. They have a few strong pieces. (i.e Cello Wars, mission impossible, titanium/Pavane)
I know someone over here was skating at novice level to an instrumental version of Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) which was given the classical treatment. It sounded really interesting and different. It took me months to work out what it was, and was a great track. I'm sure there'll be other pop tracks out there which have been given the classical treatment.
Music from Gladiator seems to keep coming up every now and then.
And there are things like Man in the Iron Mask which has some strong pieces which shouldn't be too strong for him (while staying on the movie idea).
Quote from: fsk8r on January 14, 2015, 08:08:37 AM
I know someone over here was skating at novice level to an instrumental version of Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) which was given the classical treatment. It sounded really interesting and different. It took me months to work out what it was, and was a great track. I'm sure there'll be other pop tracks out there which have been given the classical treatment.
The London Symphony Orchestra has an album of Genesis songs. Mostly older stuff, not the pop songs they did later. (And Genesis itself has some nice instrumental pieces that might work, like bits of Domino or The Brazilian. Maybe not quite what he's looking for, though.)
The group "Vitamin String Quartet" remakes popular older & new rock/pop songs.
The advice of his coach is worth seeking. You wantto match his skating style and abilities to the music.
Since he likes big classical, how about Beethoven's 5th Symphony? Extremely well known, but not many people use it.
The reason few skaters would use it are the same as for the Hoist piece - it has a very strong rhythm, which he would have to match quite precisely, or it would be very obvious. It also has strong climaxes, which need to be matched by spectacular moves.
Maybe that is something to bring up with him, because if he doesn't have a super-strong rhythmic sense or precise skating control and spectacular moves to match, he might want something with a weaker rhythm.
If he is good at rhythm, how about classical crossover - the Bond quartet (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PIGHOFz1Do&list=PL5A78B3F9010C639E&index=2 has Beethoven's 5th), or Classical Gas. The rhythms of classical crossover are more interesting and exciting to hear than most classical pieces.
Check the last of the mohicans, too, some great options there. :)
It is still a saga with the young man not even listening to many suggestions. I asked the coach about his style - she said "a character", fast, and "cute". Said judges often commented that he looks cute. His elements are not that strong but seems to be marked quite high on components - never forgot when he fell on an under-rotated axel and beat a better skater with two clean axels.
However "cute" would most definitely not impress him. Last program was techie spy music he chose and played out his own story. This time - he wants big classical or nothing.... And he is nothing if not stubborn. He's already cut Jupiter ( yes likes Holst). Coach delicately managed to say "no". He's suggested Bizet (Carmen) and other not so appropriate composers..
Am capturing him at times he can't get away and playing various music. I though piano guys had potential and yes - love some of the movie themes!
The last starfighter might pique his interest. You said on a different thread that he's into computers and that game I can never remember the name of, but know when I see- everyone's into it (but me, apparently). The Last Starfighter is about a young man who plays video games, in particular one about piloting a spaceship, and I'm pretty sure there was some shooting involved. Turns out the game was a test to find new pilots for some space war/effort/something that was unknown to the public and most of the military (it's been AGES since I've seen this movie, so I might be making some of this stuff up), and the kid was recruited and off to exciting adventures. I do recall it being a fun movie that I personally enjoyed when I was in my late tweens/early teens. And if he likes the movie, you might be able to sell him on the theme. I skated to it myself, probably was my favorite program music. It's strong, appropriately fast with some slow parts and has a good beat. It won't be as cute as his Spy routine sounds like it was, though, but there may be something his coach can work with. As a sample you can find the music on itunes (there's a band called the last starfighter too though, and they're NOT the same thing ;)). I got my copy from a "great sci-fi themes" album, If you listen around those albums you might find other good music, too. If you can get him to listen to it......Tough job you have!!! Good luck!!!!
This music might be too big for him, too, but it might pique his interest maybe. :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Woz01aKOfzY&feature=youtu.be
A teen guy at our last competition skated to the Star Trek theme. It was fun to hear!
Quote from: twinskaters on January 19, 2015, 10:16:07 PM
A teen guy at our last competition skated to the Star Trek theme. It was fun to hear!
We've had some of the new Doctor Who music and that was quite fun to hear as well.
Quote from: twinskaters on January 19, 2015, 10:16:07 PM
A teen guy at our last competition skated to the Star Trek theme. It was fun to hear!
Ooh, that would be good too.....
Quote from: twinskaters on January 19, 2015, 10:16:07 PM
A teen guy at our last competition skated to the Star Trek theme. It was fun to hear!
I've seen a guy do this as well, and it was great!
Does he watch a lot of the US Senior men? I ask because Joshua Farris did a Holst "Planets" program (http://"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaVK0ssL2Tg") when was 13/14 and it was one of the few times that I thought the music was too big for him. So maybe it would be an idea to show him an example of how the music might be too big?
Quote from: skatingmum2 on January 19, 2015, 02:04:05 PM
It is still a saga with the young man not even listening to many suggestions.
Maybe he needs to learn for himself. It isn't atypical for someone that age to experiment with rejecting authority. All the ideas we can come up with won't help if he won't listen.
The Legend of Zelda video game has music that is pretty highly regarded. Kevin Reynolds FS program this year uses music from it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ivJyGW-k0c). It's dramatic, but he could still play the character from the game.
I was listening to music for my daughter, but has he ever heard the score/soundtrack for How to Train your dragon (Music by John Powell). There are some strong pieces in there, obviously have to cut them. And when the first movie came out Hiccup was a young teen.... maybe that's one of those popular ones...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUWBm0Z-Xww&index=11&list=PLF0B863B65B56B122
He did finally listen to most of these - and firmly rejected many - but - will look at the last few suggestions with him. I did think so many were potentially suitable - and this is a great thread. The Lindsay Stirling ones were different which is why they'd be so good.
I loved "how to train your dragon" .
At least the coach has refused Holst/planets. I daren't show him Joshua Farris- he lacks insight and it would only inspire him and be used to argue his cause. (He is a very young, just turned 12 year old - at least Joshua Farris is good!)
Coach did potentially say that maybe if he does love Gershwin they could look at American In Paris although she would cut the music to avoid it being completely inappropriate. (He thought it was OK but said he didn't love it as much as Rhapsody in Blue).
Of course I could just try and resign as his mother and leave it all to the coach and have nothing further to do with it. Which I am tempted to do. I may though give the coach a list of ideas from this thread on a CD.
His first beginner program we had an awful time - he found some Spanish sounding James Horner music which some senior men were using. Eventually the coach told him he would be doing something to Adam's family. After a few weeks of protest he eventually began to like it. It turned out to be a great little program which really suited him.