Summer Term Music and Music Exams Thread

Thanks Ishould. For those whose DC learn several instruments - how many of them do they learn in school?

I'm tempted to send ds to a g5 theory summer camp when he gets to that stage (probably next summer). I imagine his attitude to me teaching him theory will be similar to wafflenose's dd but he tends to behave himself for other people. He quite likes the theory he's done so far but generally won't take my advice.

Wow ealingwestmum. That's a lot of work. My 10 year old is taking grade 6 violin this term too. She does about 1- 1 1/2 hours a day practise plus other commitments. It's hard to fit in! She had to stop piano because she hadn't time to practise:-(

Non-musical mum joining from the end of last thread.

I have a 10yr old daughter that is sitting G4 piano and G6 violin this term, though desperately trying to separate the entries to not clash and make practice less stressful…

Successful result (merit) from last term on G5 theory, though now I know better, would start theory earlier alongside practicals as cramming all in one term was not ideal (mixture of self teaching with workbooks and support from her teacher), but credit to her for rising to the challenge

Bramshott Non-statutory services are the first to fall when times are hard and when politicians are proclaiming about education being the key to making this county great you know it's not music they have in mind.

On your other point about school supporting music lessons in school time, it affected us in Y8 with his one half hour instrument lesson a week. "School" can be supportive but the individual teachers less so. Ours is a state comp, no music specialism, few children learning instruments. His peri lesson is the same time every week and the affected teacher was becoming very vocal, "not being supportive" doesn't come close. We'd already moved the lesson once because the alternate slot was with MrsEnglishTeacher and she'd put her foot down two weeks into term. It came to a head three weeks before his G8, I phoned the head of music and the head of performing arts Had Words. After that it's all gone beautifully. The subject affected is one that is going to be dropped like a hot potato at GCSE so I don't worry about him being left behind in lessons and older pupils get their peri lesson over lunchtime so hopefully it will be less of a problem for us in future.

It's a reflection of the view from the top really, the line may be "music is an important part of the curriculum" but it's seen as icing on the cake, optional, extra-curricular, easily cut.

Sorry to be very gloomy this morning (can I blame the weather?)

Has anyone else been reading the worrying articles in the press/blogisphere about cuts to Music Education funding? The most clearly laid out one I've found so far is here

There is an ISM petition / campaign about it at www.protectmusiceducation.org

Indeed morethan!

DD1 thinks she's definitely decided on Consider Yourself (which she also did for her musical theatre just now), To The Sky, The Dormouse Carol, and Danny Boy for the unaccompanied folksong. I think she's tried them all out in her lessons / school group at various points so nothing too much is brand new. But there is of course the lovely sight-singing which brings her out in a cold sweat! I'm hoping that now she's singing regularly in the county children's choir she will find it easier because she'll have been doing more of it more regularly.

Thanks for all the comments on number of instruments etc. I think the school were a bit worried because the idea is that she learns them all in school, with ensuing missing of lessons (and having the confidence to stand up and leave lessons to go to a music lesson). But they said that if she wants, she can. We are supposed to be going in for a pre-meeting / bassoon try-out soon after which we can make a decision. Have any of you with older children had the experience of other teachers in school not being supportive of DCs leaving for music lessons??

Not too much on this term for my younger two except school stuff where they have music scholarships. One has passed grade 8 trumpet so not much pressure with that this term. The other is working to grade 8 horn but that will not be until Christmas.

One is doing grade 3 electric guitar this term (ugh, but he likes it and it's an extra - it's fine, he's a teenager I can just about endure it). They passed grade 7 singing before their voices broke and I have the grade 8 singing pieces here, now they've settled down, but did not make the effort to grab one of them to have a go at those over Easter - too much on. I might try to get him started this term. He seems to have a nice bass voice. I accompany them in exams as I play the piano.

Good luck to everyone else doing exams this term.

Ds did his g3 descant last term and has learned his g4 scales in the holidays in the hope his teacher will let him do g4 this term. He is also hoping to do his g2 violin but he has rather neglected it recently in favour ofrerecorder practice. He taught himself treble fingering over the holidays too, on a sopranino as he can't reach f on the treble (he struggled with c tbh). He seems to have got it pretty fluently now.

I'm teaching DD grade 6 theory as she needs to know it even if she doesn't do the exam. I am hoping she will carry on up to grade 8 and then take that exam. Mainly because she wants to take her letters and understanding the theory is a tremendous help. She can currently fit in theory and practising violin. She added in piano a few terms ago, but had to drop it as there simply wasn't enough time to practise. It wasn't an issue, as it was me teaching her that.

The problem is- I know she needs piano eventually. She does about 1 1/4 hours a day on violin. Plus schoolwork. Plus cadets, gymnastics and swimming.

I remember doing my main instrument, my second, being in the youth choir, orchestra and concert band as well as school ones - but I was older. I look back and wonder how I fitted it all in.

My issue is I don't want her to become tired by over committing.

Congratulations to the DC with exam results.

Bramshott DS2 is another new starter for September. He is a Cathedral Chorister, and has piano and trombone lessons currently. He is also a clarinettist and will be starting lessons again at his new school in September, as well as fiitting in theory lessons. (He can't do them at school as they are on one of his Choir nights). He also does Scouts and Taekwondo and a variety of music groups. He will be fine. His older sister was just as busy with different things when she started (only 2 instruments but a long string of other activities).

I think this is a good time to fit in what they can, when it gets to Year 9 and the GCSE work ramps up, it gets more diffficult.

Bramshot - DD2 will also be starting a new school in September. She does theatre and ballet (and hip hop) as well as her 4 music things - I'm not worried. DD1 was just the same (without the dancing) - when she went to secondary school she had 2 grade5s a grade 4 and a grade 2 and she was fine. Her progress on piano has always been slower than on anything else but that's more because of her dyspraxia than because she was doing to much. For DD1 the biggest problem was having to do a term of theory lessons instead of her second study instrument, because the separate theory lessons organised by the school were after hours and she gets the bus. Dd2 won't have that issue because they are now at lunchtime.

Bramshott

We can keep each other company
Has she chosen her songs yet? it is such a lovely syllabus that dd isn't sure yet. I think its good that there is such a choice as they can sing all the others even if they aren't taking them for the exam.

So far she has learned o Cessette di Piagarmi, New Year Carol, A Clare Benediction, I feel Pretty, long ago and far away, The sound of music, and countless others, they are all so nice.

It's nice to be in a place where your child looks normal rather than standing out as "the musical one".

Ooh a new thread!

DD1 (11, in Y6) is taking ABRSM Gr 4 singing this term, hot on the heels of her Gr 5 musical theatre last term (different board). She is also a clarinetist (playing about Gr 3 but not taking exams for now).

She is very keen to start bassoon (I think I sold her on the scarcity value some years back!) but is small for 11, and we are wondering if it's too soon, and also if voice plus 2 instruments is too much to cope with in a brand new school in Sept. Any teachers on the thread with any advice?

DD2 is doing grade 4 flute in a week or so. She is probably doing grade 5 recorder, grade 5 singing and grade 1 piano at the end of term too but not definite yet. The piano has suddenly been sprung on us, but she is keen. So, maybe. Or maybe not. Not sure if Dd1will do grade 8 singing this term - she was supposed to, but has had a wretched cough for weeks and weeks that won't shift. So maybe not. She definitely won't do grade 8 flute this term (I think) but things might change - we need to see what happens with this wretched cough. I'm not keen on her postphoning both grade 8s till next term though because that will mean putting her diploma (on recorder, her first instrument) back a term too (the plan was to do it at Xmas). Happily the days of piano exams are done, she has no desire or need to do grade 6 so I'm happy to save the money.

We'll be seeing you at port regis in summer Nanny!

just heard from teacher that dd got distinction for grade 5 violin - she had a mind boggling busy schedule this term but she held it together and i daresay that she had some fun along the way!!

We HATE theory and have pretty much abandoned it for the past few months. Big mistake, as I'm sure dd will have forgotten most if it by the time we crack on, and we must crack on unfortunately!! She did grade 5 violin in y4 (she's y5 now), and is likely to take grade 7 sometime in y6, so we have until then to get it done!

I forgot to add, Dd has a place in the national children's under 11 orchestra with violin, which is pretty exciting too!

No, is gd5 only. Once you've got that you never have to do theory again.

Ah OK, so do they then continue the theory alongside the music grades? Grade 6 for Grade 6 singing, etc? DD is doing her grade 4 with ABRSM, god knows how she's going to fit theory into her schedule. Is there much difference between Trinity and ABRSM?