Summer Term Music and Music Exams Thread

Ds has exams on both instruments on thu. He doesn't seem to be able to practise his scales slowly. If he makes a mistake he speeds up the next time. He has been like this since he started. I have explained gently that he won't get extra marks for speed but he just doesn't seem to have a slow setting.

ouch singinggirl, that's tough on him. Good for your DS1 on prize, difficult evening managing good and bad news in the family!

DS2 just failed his Jazz grade 2, by two marks. It would have been fine if he hadn't just got back from a week away, but there it is. Still have to tell him, not sure how to break it since DS1 has just got in from school with the news that he has won first prize in the school computer programming competition, so DS2 will feel it all the more with his brother doing well.

My other student passed, missing a merit by one mark.

Mrs F, I'd play it low key, if he needs reassurance then my lines would be that Teacher wouldn't have entered him until she knew he would pass and that it doesn't have to be perfect. I personally found G1 nerve wracking because I've never done a music exam myself and I was clueless. Once we'd seen that examiners were normal people and we knew the process the ones after that were less fraught.

Mrs F....I don't know how old your DS is but my 7 year old acts in pretty much the same way. I have learned to let her just practise in her own way and try not to listen in to keep the nerves calm. Think it is v difficult being a parent at this time as you want the best for them and they seem to be doing things all wrong ....The exam is just the thing at the end of the journey and I think the journey ie the learning and practice counts for more especially with younger children or first exams.

Mrs fox, my ds has his piano exam this week and is much the same. He is now rushing everything and keeps playing without looking at his music. I figure it was his choice to sit the exam so the outcome doesn't matter too much. We will reward him however it goes just for putting in the effort.

Hi MrsFox - I am not a teacher but have been a 'music' mum of DD (10) for 2 years now - the only advice from personal experience is now to stop playing the grade and switch to non exam pieces for the remainder of the time to get him to relax (with occasional play-through). It sounds like nerves, over cooking, and boredom of waiting for the big day. Even if you think it's all going wrong, he knows his stuff and the frustration of the wait makes matters worse.

The examiner will do their best to make him feel at ease on such a big first grade, tell him they are rooting for him to succeed!

Dinner treat always works with us - the relief after the exam is enormous - all the best to him!

Hello all, after a little advice/ arm patting about DS and his upcoming grade1.
He's been ready for a while but due to teachers illness was not entered until now (exam on Friday) He has his three pieces off pat, knows his scales off by heart and now we quite frankly just need it over with.
The last few days however he has quite frankly been awful :( I assume this is partly nerves as I know he knows the pieces and scales inside out. I haven't mentioned a thing (most unlike me!) except that he needed to slow down on one piece and that was just a light comment.
Am I right in not mentioning it and just leaving it to him to sort it out for himself? Anything constructive I should say to him?
We will take him out for dinner on Friday as a way of praising the work he has put in rather than praise hanging on the result. Any other tips would be greatly appreciated :)

It's all getting a bit end-of-termy isn't it? DS missed his music lesson last week because of something going on at school, he's off on a trip this week, the school is closed for the strike next Thursday so there's only one peri lesson left in term. He also has a residential coming up - I suppose I should see if he has a pair of pj's and slippers that fit him. I also need to confiscate the trousers that show an inch of ankle before he packs them and we have a scene when I take them out of the case. Last year I was organised enough to email myself the packing list so at least I don't have to start that over again.

Raspberry - they are all a bit sadface still! Missing the show. But DD1 has her two exams (I agree that 2 at the end of Y6 isn't ideal but it's what DD1 did too) and DD1 has her various residential things coming up - I'm quite glad she decided not to go to Edinburgh to be honest - apart from the cost, I think it will be nice for her to have some time off this summer!

Good luck to all who still have exams - DD2 has two weeks exactly before hers.

Herc hope they are recovering now, it must be an amazing experience to be in that musical.

Congrats to Hedgehog Junior and Mr I should be. That is a great line from Wafflenose re success starting at the Pass mark, will remember that.

Singingirl good luck with everything.

Am extremely grateful DS2s brass teacher decided not to enter him for G5 this term, she felt that there was so much on for Y6 he should just enjoy it. DD managed 2 exams in June/July of Y6, both merits, so I wasn't sure, but it was right for DS2.

I'm having a really crisis-riden term here. DS2 took his Grade 2 jazz piano with another student taking grade 1. No results yet, so I'm getting nervous, especially since DS2 had his year six residential the week before, so no practice that week! He did practice a lot the day before, but got very upset at how he was playing, so I just don't know.

DS1 has grade 5 violin a week today and everything just fell apart at the weekend - and he has been playing so well.

And as for my eleven other students, four are year 6's and have also had time out for residentials, one ten year old is only practicing her favourite piece and a year 11 has only just turned to practicing properly after GCSEs. Roll on the holidays!

Well done also to Mr Ishouldbe!

News yesterday was better than expected on our piano result - a good abrsm merit, daughter humbled to acknowledge the importance of 'non-pieces' that pulled her through, hopefully lesson learnt.

G6 violin tomorrow - and then relax and prepare for her first residential orchestral with Kent Music School mid July (5 nights). Hoping she'll really enjoy it - anyone with first hand feedback much appreciated!

Congrats to MinWaffle and HedgehogJunior on their SWMS places. It's good that they tell them so quickly after audition, I hate the wait.

Mr Shouldbe's piano result was not as bad as it could have been but still not good - a pass. All his adult music exams have been distinctions but seeing as everything fell apart in the last month he's happy that it wasn't a fail. With hindsight it wasn't a good idea to have the exam the day before he left his job of twentymumble years, it certainly took his mind away from leaving but I can't say that he's been exactly relaxed this last month. His music teacher is not pleased but then she didn't have to live with him for the last month and hear him getting worse by the night.

She's 12 and does voice and several instruments. She loves SWMS, and I'm sure your DD will have a great time too.

Blimey - I haven't posted for so long here!

DD1 has her Gr 4 ABRSM singing on 11th July and seems fairly well prepared. I know there are others doing Grade 4 this term - how are they all doing?

Abracadabra Bassoon arrived in the post this morning for her to have a go at over the summer before starting lessons in Sept - exciting times!

DD has a place on the SWMS core scheme. She is thrilled. The residentials sound like a lot of fun.

Well done to MiniWaffle - I was pretty sure that that would be the outcome!

The grade 5 jazz sax materials arrived yesterday. Dh has decided he is going to learn his jazz scales alongside dd. My money is on her learning all hers, before he learns his!

Show week just finished here. 3 very sad DCs. It's going to be hard to get DD2 to focus on her piano and singing exams and DD1 to feel excited about her summer school and her NYRO week. Because nothing can really compare to standing ovations every night in the best musical ever written, apparently!

Congratulations to you both.

Great news Wafflenose. Congratulations Miniwaffle.