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Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Extra-curricular activities

How difficult to get in JD in London?

36 replies

Pippap1 · 21/01/2019 00:20

Hi everyone.

My DS just turned 10. He is a violinist and just started viola. He is interested in JD (especially RAM Primary, as it is the nearest one) but I am afraid that it is highly competitive to get in as a violinist. His standard is Grade 5. As just started viola, he can manage to play Grade 3 pieces but he is still struggling to read c clef and sight-reading is disaster. He is reasonably but definitely not prodigy. He loves music so much and practices hard.

How difficult to get in JD as a violinist? I am afraid that violin requires higher standard than other instruments. So, I am considering to wait for another year until his viola reaches also Grade 5 standard as he loves viola equally with violin but he would love to challenge this year.

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Pippap1 · 21/01/2019 00:22

Sorry, there was a missing word. "he is reasonably musical"

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Helpmedecide123 · 21/01/2019 00:36

What is a JD?

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Pippap1 · 21/01/2019 00:43

It is junior department of music conservatoire s such as Royal Academy of Music.

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NeleusTheStatue · 21/01/2019 10:11

He loves music so much and practices hard
JDs would love these qualities of your DS.

As you pointed, violin is very competitive and it often requires higher standard than other instruments. However, JDs look for mostly potential and passion. DCs should display they are able to follow the curriculum, which around G5 would be good enough for young age, but certainly JDs don't care less whether they are G5 or G8. I know those who passed higher grades (G7, G8 or more) couldn't get in and those who were lower grades or no exam experience could get in.

If he is up to it, let him try this year. Why not? You can tell him it could be a practice run if you like to minimise his disappointment, then try again next year. But I think he has a very good chance to succeed. Viola as a second study is also great. RAM Primary would definitely love that.

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NeleusTheStatue · 21/01/2019 10:27

Also, they don't normally test sight-reading for the second study. He can just pick one viola piece he can play very well.

Good luck!

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folkmamma · 21/01/2019 14:54

Hi Pipp! My DD got into one of the London JD's on violin / viola last year at 10 - she played G6 pieces on violin and had literally been learning viola a few weeks at the time and we self-taught a movement from the Bach cello suites. As Neleus says, It's not all about grades. I believe what they look for is sound quality, solid basic technique and potential (musicality and the like) rather than very high grades. We were also told of post-G8 children who weren't successful. There are a mix at her JD - she is by no means the 'worst' and they range right through to complete prodigy!

Viola is definitely a bonus - there aren't many.

Go and have a look around - ours is very open and will let people come in to look around most weeks. You can also request advice consultations at most of the JD's which will give you an idea as to whether or not to go for it.

Her progress has really accelerated since going in September, I'm so glad we did it!!!

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NeleusTheStatue · 22/01/2019 09:32

My friend's daughter is a bit like yours, Pippap1. She auditioned London JDs last year. She was 10 (Y5). She was about to take grade 5 piano (her first piano exam) and another grade 5 violin in the following term (she did grade 1 & 3). Pianists also face to fierce competitions and many DCs reach a lot higher grades than her for her age. But her teacher thought she would be a good candidate. She is a natural musician, has good ears and creative mind. I am very sure plenty DCs looked a lot better than her on paper but she won a place at every JD she auditioned!

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NeleusTheStatue · 22/01/2019 09:36

Sorry, grade 4 violin, not 5!

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Pippap1 · 22/01/2019 10:39

Thank you for your comments! I just submitted application to one of JDs!

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Pippap1 · 22/01/2019 10:42

Hi Neleus, thank you very much for your encouragement and sharing your friend's DC's audition experience. The information is very helpful. Yes, she sounds similar with DS. Hopefully DS can improve viola a bit more until April. Even if DS cannot get in this year, I believe this audition experience would be a good experience for the next year. But hopefully DC can get in as he loves music so much.

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folkmamma · 22/01/2019 10:54

Good luck!

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Pippap1 · 22/01/2019 10:59

Hi folkmamma, thank you very much to share your DD's experience. DS would love to play Jupiter by Holst as it is one of his favourite piece but Bach Cello Suites also sound good. I am glad to know that grades are not the most important. I just called one of JDs and applied for the open day. I am sure DS loves it. As DS's current teacher doesn't teach him techniques well, now I teach him by using Schredieck, Kreutzer etc. There are plenty of violin teachers but it is difficult to find a good teacher. Hopefully DS get in and meet good teachers!

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Pippap1 · 22/01/2019 11:00

Thank you!

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NeleusTheStatue · 22/01/2019 11:07

Well done for the first big step! Hope you and your DS enjoy the experience.

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SE13Mummy · 23/01/2019 19:32

DD1 attends one of the London JDs and when she auditioned she'd taken grade 4 and had sidestepped to the AB jazz syllabus. She didn't offer a second instrument at all. Admittedly she's not a string player but she was accepted on the basis of her musicality and potential rather than formally assessed standard. Since she's been at the JD, she has taken her last jazz exam and then stopped doing exams - she may do grade 8 at some point but exams aren't a priority.

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RomanyRoots · 26/01/2019 17:57

The ones I know expect a grade 5-8, they don't judge on grades passed as anyone can pass a few exams, they look for potential and musicality.
Give it a go, you never know, but yes, violin is very competitive, there are just so many kids playing them.

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Pippap1 · 26/01/2019 18:40

Thank you for your comments!

It is good to hear that the grade exam is not the most important and children around the same standard with DS have got in.

I can imagine violin and piano are so competitive as some JDs have two rounds of auditions for those instrumentalists. DS is thinking to try again next year with viola as his 1st instrument if he fail at this year.

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NeleusTheStatue · 27/01/2019 11:07

Why don't you book a consultation lesson prior to the audition? DS's chosen JD didn't offer any pre-audition lesson so we booked one at a different JD. Each JD would be slightly different but it helped us see where DS was as we didn't have any indication like grade (he hadn't done any). They even told us if DS would get in or not on spot...

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Pippap1 · 27/01/2019 14:39

Hi Neleus, thank you for the information. How did you book the consultation lesson? I cannot find any information on JDs website. Is it fine to request by e-mail?

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NeleusTheStatue · 27/01/2019 17:10

You can ask the JD of your choice if they offer a consultation lesson. If they don't, ask Guildhall. You get to meet the MoD and he would tell you his honest thought on the playing.

Looking back now it wasn't necessary, to be honest. We just ended up paying extra. But as I said it was good to know where DS stood.

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NeleusTheStatue · 28/01/2019 01:39

Sorry, not MoD (what's that??) but HoS( Head of Strings).

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elevenfuss · 28/01/2019 10:46

Ah, just stupidly started a new thread without reading this one. My DDs (just 11 and almost 9) are going to have a shot at this (on viola and cello). It's all a bit last-minute so very helpful indeed to read about your experiences.

Out of interest, if you get offered a place on a JD and decide to take it up, do people ever move to a different one or are you generally there for life so to speak?

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folkmamma · 28/01/2019 11:05

People definitely move around Eleven...

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elevenfuss · 28/01/2019 11:57

Good to know - thanks folkmamma

Also, re audition pieces. Would you say it's best for them to play the most advanced piece they can play proficiently? Or the one they like more?! Should grade pieces be avoided do you think?

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folkmamma · 28/01/2019 12:29

I would say that the most important thing is that the pieces they play are well within their capability. The panel will want to see musicality and personality above all else, combined with solid technical ability and a good sound. If you go for pieces at the limits of their technical ability, they will be more nervous and potentially hanging on for dear life just to get through so the musicality may not come across. That said, standards at RCM (which I think you refer to in your other thread??) are very high so you don't want to go too simple either!! I don't think it really matters if it's off a grade syllabus or not, although they will probably hear those pieces more often so even more important to play them really well.

As an aside, unless you are going to accompany them yourself or take your own accompanist, it's worth practicing at a variety of tempos - in DD's JD audition the pianist took her Mozart a good few notches faster than she was used to. It was fine as she knew the piece really well and it was well embedded but on another day/piece, it might have thrown her!

Good luck :-)