Any parents with a G/T musical child?

[disorganisedmummy]

Hi,as the title says I'm looking for parents who have musically gifted children for some advice. This is our situation.
Ds is 9,10 in June. He has Aspergers and possible Dyspraxia. He plays violin and has so for 4 years. He is about grade 4 standard but we've just been told that he has perfect pitch amongst other things. Now I'm not suggesting that he is gifted/talented purely based on that but I'm told it is quite rare. His Autism has obv given him an edge musically. It's not so much his playing ability as you can see by his standard but his ability to read,reproduce and other similar things. If I'm honest,I'm not really sure. He plays in 2 county orchestras as well as council run Saturday music school. He has 2 lessons a week plus a theory lesson. We're very happy as is he with this arrangement. Our issue is the future.
He is at an Indy school which goes upto 16 which he adores and we are v happy with. We've been told to consider specialist music schools (we're in the South East) and definitely to consider Saturday music Conservatoires at the music colleges in London. Ds's passion is music. It is all he thinks of and it has changed him in ways you can. It believe. He wants to go the RCM/RAM for Uni.
Does anyone have experience of putting their kids through this sort of thing? Sorry for the essay!!

[disorganisedmummy]

Bump,anyone that can share their experiences??

[Fleurdelise]

You may want to post on the thread above (The musicians thread) as there are a lot of experienced people.

[disorganisedmummy]

Thanks fleurdelise

[Wafflenose]

I second the general music thread, and will pop over there in a minute. I think people probably don't want to go out on a limb and say their children are musically gifted or talented. I have one who might be, or perhaps just intelligent - she is also Year 5 but a few months older than your son, and tackling Grade 7 Recorder and two Grade 5s (Flute and Theory) currently. The younger one is 7 and Grade 2 on two instruments, but not at all talented, she just works hard. I don't think either of mine would get into music school TBH, and we have no money for private. We are in the catchment area for a good all round state secondary with an excellent music department, so are hoping that suits them well. There are parents on the Music and Musicians thread of children who did get into specialist schools though, and they will be able to give loads of help and advice.

[disorganisedmummy]

Believe me,I am very uncomfortable calling him gifted/talented. I really didn't and perhaps still don't believe he is. It seems that his playing ability is different to his musical ability if that makes sense?? I think what his tutors are saying is that he has excellent reading ability,perfect pitch and is able to listen to a piece of music and reproduce it. His theory is also v good. No idea if that makes him gifted. We don't really care one way or another,we just want to do the best thing for him musically,academically and emotionally.

[IslaSinga]

I have 3 children who are musical and have been involved in Saturday conservatoire schools since a young age. If you want that for your child, you should definitely enquire soon as from my experience, there are often very long waiting lists. The thing you will find at these schools is that most children will be at the same level, or higher than your son - it's very strange - you know your dc is talented, but in that environment they wont be iykwim - it can be quite a competitive environment. If you can go and take a look and see what goes on there and explore your options.