Summer Term Music and Music Exams Thread

dancersdad If they take ABRSM exams they can't progress beyond Grade 5 without having taken grade 5 theory (or practical musicianship or jazz). This doesn't apply to Trinity exams. I have no idea how long it takes, our county music service does G5 classes over a few months but it's taking us forever (or maybe it just feels like forever)

schilke we had the same thing, my husband started teaching him theory and the fallout was such that we decided it was better for DH's piano teacher to take over. Both father and son have a need to be right and it doesn't make for a good teaching scenario.

Stupid question, which grades do they need the theory for? And how long does it normally take for them to work through it? Sorry, I'm a bit clueless!

Wafflenose - your dd1 sounds like my ds2. He thinks he should know everything before he's been taught it - this applies to school work too. Dh had to give up doing theory with him and get ds2's violin teacher to do it. It felt like a waste of money as dh can teach him the theory, but it stopped doors being slammed and shouting!

Another very non-musical mum (and dad). DS1 will be off to Conservatoire in September though and watching him learn and love what he learns has been an unexpected joy. DS4 has thankfully taken up the reins and will be taking G4 this summer after playing for a year.

I don't think there is anything better than watching your child perform well. We're very lucky.

DD 10 is taking her first music exam this term, grade 4 singing. She also plays the violin but we're holding off any exams on that until next session as her after school schedule is crazy at the moment. She's quite relaxed about it- her first music exam but she's a dance exam veteran. DW and I are not so relaxed!

Big instruments seem to impress my DC.

DS1 went from trumpet to trombone and tuba.
DD started on violin and alto sax and now plays cello and bari sax.
I tried to start DS on clarinet but he ended up with clarinet and trombone.

Sorry, I just assumed you were a string player Lily!

It's funny how big instruments impress children. Dd2 was a bit miffed when a boy in her class took up the cello and announced that it was much bigger then a trumpet. That evening we told her to tell him that the trumpet was much louder. It was a bit of a late comeback line, but she was pleased with that!

I'm not a string player! But they are v useful, especially later on for orchestras.

Congratulations on that distinction LilyBolero

I don't remember getting any sort of a choice of instrument, out of the blue my son came home from school with a letter about the music service and announced that he wanted to play the euphonium. I didn't know he'd even seen one, his father tried to sell him on the cornet but he was having none of it. My suspicion was that the euph was the largest shiny instrument he'd seen that day and I'm grateful that the peri teacher didn't demonstrate on a bass because otherwise he'd have been wanting one of those. The County Music Service produced a battered instrument that was polished as much as it could be and he was off. At the time it was a big instrument for a small child but he grew into it.

As a violin and piano teacher, I would point out that strings are jolly hard to start with ;-)

First instrument should be instrument in which the child is interested. If it's the violin, they should be taught to bow correctly ASAP because I hate screechy noises ;-)

Are you a little biased though Lilybolero? I'm sure my dh would suggest brass!

I would always go for strings as a first instrument as it is the most useful if you want to play in an orchestra, both as a child, and even more so as an adult!

Am v chuffed as dd just got distinction in her G5 cello.

Ishouldbeweaving..... We've been around in county ensembles here to see they are age blind if they can be... But if you play a popular instrument (dd is a Clarinettist ) them you maybe grade 7 but there are many at grade 8 plus around too and not that many top tier ensemble places ( she's already in the concert band ie next to top... Though obviously there are a handful of clarinets in concert and symphony orchestra too - probably where she'd like to be ultimately as she's a very experienced one to a part player- and maybe a bit intolerant when there are 6 first clarinets and they don't function as a team lol)

If I was guiding a child re instruments again I'd go for rarer ones! DS has had more fun on French horn than the girls did with clarinet- but all 3 have recorders as serious 1st instruments and recorder to clarinet was easy!

Ishouldbeweaving - same here. It's a sports mad country. I have been lurking and watching for a while so it's nice to finally join in.

Also - it's lovely to hear what everyone else is doing. I don't know any other parents with musical children so it's good to hear of others going through the same revolving cycle of exams/practise/theory/ensembles. I just hear about football tryouts and swimming galas where I try to be interested but really, I'm not.

Theas18 My son auditioned for our County Wind Band last year when he was 13. I told him that he most likely wouldn't get in, for the reasons you said, that they'd probably give preference to older children because if they gave a seat to him he'd be filling it for five years. The audition would be good experience for him so he went along without expecting success. My husband said that audition night was full of A level students, he said they seemed to be all of an age to be wanting that line on their personal statement.

Well he got a seat. ("You were wrong mum") At the end of year concert the leavers stood up and there were four or five or them that had been with the band since they were 13 including a couple of flautists for which I would have thought competition would have been cut throat (as opposed to lower brass where there are fewer of them to fight for a place) It does appear that our County ensembles genuinely are age-blind which really surprised me. I know they should be but I expected them to favour older children because the younger ones can always try again another year.

Oops posted too soon.

Cello at school has been a cheaper option for us as a second instrument - dd has zoomed along with it and aware currently waiting for exam results.

Ds (6) will take grade 2 violin in the summer term.

It has been a busy year!

I'm a suzuki mum to dd1 (10) and Ds (6) and dd2 (3). The older two play the violin and my little one is likely to start cello some time this year.

Dd1 needs to pass grade 5 theory as soon as possible as she will be ready for grade 7 violin next school year. The problem is, she is currently working towards the 11+ exam and we have neither enough time it money for both at the moment .

Dd has amazed me this year after starting cello at school as a cheaper opti

I was a music teacher, pre-kids. Now I homeschool and run a choir and accompany and teach music a bit now and then. My daughter who just turned 10, is taking her grade 6 violin in a couple of weeks. I want her to take her grade 5 singing at the end of the year, but she's not so sure. She plays a bit of piano for fun, but has no intention of taking exams. I am doing grade 6 theory with her and have suggested she goes to grade 8 theory, as she needs to know the material. She found taking grade 5 theory hard - but passed first time, having just turned 9. Now she is lording it over her younger sister who is having to work for hers!
Younger sister (7) is taking grade 4 sax in the same session - in a few weeks time. She also plays the drum kit and a bit of keyboard. She adores improvisation and listens to pop and jazz. She composes and sings.

Oh - and though I am a pom - we live in New Zealand. This means our exam sessions aren't quite the same as the UK.

My life revolves around music, so much so I don't know what I like anymore .
DD and dh are musicians and spend many hours playing a multitude of instruments.
There are quite often musicians in our house and dh does a bit of teaching from home.
I have the ability to switch off now, when I need to, thank goodness.

DD is 10 and doing 3 x gr4 in summer Violin, Sax and Voice.
She plays in ensembles, orchestra, and choirs.
One is a well known one, which was used in a play scheduled for bbc2 xmas day. I might catch a glimpse

I'm usually on here, or G&T (dds voice) or H.ed as she isn't in school.

This term, DD1 aged 13 doing g6 flute exam and working on g7 piano. DD2 aged 11 doing g5 piano exam and working towards g5 saxophone. Clueless non-musical mother trying to get them to do some practice at some point during the week. Look forward to this thread!

DD1- GCSE's this term plus grade 8 flute.
Grade 8 piano next term. Music festival next week.
Chetham's Piano summer school in the summer.
DD2- just started Clarinet having given up piano.

I'm not especially musical; cried my way through the piano exams up to grade 5

New thread! We don't appear to have any exams this term..... Just A levels for DS and auditions for higher ensembles for DD2 ( unlikely to succeed as she's grade 7 but only 14 and they re many older kids that need " their chance")