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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

Too old to start a second instrument?

30 replies

Emarri · 12/05/2013 17:58

DD1 is nearly 13 and movimg up to yr 10. Started playing keyboard this yr and doing grade 1 in june. Just got an 8b on a music composition. Also dabbles in guitar and recorder, will be learning a brass instrument in an out of school club soon. But is 14 too late to start a serious second instrument?

OP posts:
Original poster
Emarri · 12/05/2013 19:03

She already plays keyboard, and guitar and recorder get played for about 30 mins each week. So keeping them up wont really be hard. A brass instrument would just be an hour at a club on saturday.
The problem is that she doesnt know which instrument to take up either. And if she'll be too late to get to , say, grade 3.

OP posts:
ZZZenagain · 12/05/2013 18:16

Sorry for some reason I read ds not dd. She wants to do keyboard plus trombone or trumpet plus another orchestral instrument. That is quite a bit. Start with the instrument she likes most maybe.

I don't know if there would be much time to keep up guitar and recorder too but she should be fine starting on a second instrument seriously at 14. The problem with getting into orchestras is that with violin/viola/flute a lot of other young people will have already been learning for years so could be difficult to get to their level in those instruments. I wouldn't rule them out on that basis though. A lot of learners give up their instruments at secondary school. Out of all those 5-7 year olds who start, I don't know how many are still playing at say 16.

Original poster
Emarri · 12/05/2013 18:10

She wants to be able to be in an orchestra. Was hoping for UCAS points but 6 grades in 4/5 years is a bit too much tbh. She wants to try trombone or trumpet in brass band thing. And have proper lessons in clarinet, violin, viola or flute.

OP posts:
ZZZenagain · 12/05/2013 18:03

actually she was 11. Where's my head? People start learning as adults and go on to do well. If he has time, why not?

ZZZenagain · 12/05/2013 18:02

depends what the goal is maybe. I don't see why he cannot get good enough to join a brass band before long. Dd started piano last year (aged 12) and she is doing very well so obviously wasn't too late for her to embark on it - but I presume far too late to become a concert pianist, but then that isn't what she has in mind.

With some instruments it might make sense to start a bit later on (oboe for instance, tuba and so on). I think he'll progress quickly, he already knows a lot about music. What instrument does he have in mind?