Autumn Term Music and Music Exams Thread

Congratulations on the G7 choirmumoftwo, I don't want to think about what a fail would do to the household Christmas spirit.

Today has seen two concerts and a couple of hour's carolling in the local shopping centre, which leaves only two more concerts left to Christmas. We nearly had a disaster this afternoon when DS set off in the wrong blazer. He has a black one embroidered with Band1 logo, another black one embroidered with Band2 logo, a fancy coloured one with braid everywhere and a black embroidered fleece (There are twice that number of jackets festooned on dining chairs because my husband has a set as well). DS set off for Band1's job not in Band2's blazer but in his school blazer. We caught it before he got through the door but I think it's a sign that December has gone on long enough.

RaspberryLemonPavlova - I always listen to the Christmas Eve broadcast from King's College and I always well up for Once in Royal David's City. The other carol that will reduce me to tears is a children's production of Silent Night (this year provided by the wobbly violins at the music centre concert)

Final shopping centre stint done, only DS2s cathedral commitments now. Hooray. I counted over 20 concerts/bandstands/shopping centres with one or more DC playing, and we managed to arrive at all promptly with correct DC and instruments, (which was an achievement at times!)

DS2 sang the choristers solo in Once in Royal David's City at the Cathedral Festival of Carols and Readings this afternoon. He has sung other solos but this one always seems special so I was proud he had been given the opportunity.

Astonishingly, my DS did manage to pass his Grade 7 saxophone after a massive amount of last minute work. Wonders will never cease!!!

sunnyfrostyday a borderline merit/distinction could probably have gone either way, depending on the examiner. It's still an excellent result :)

DD's Christmas concerts are now out of the way so she is focussing on her New Year one ... Which apparently involves playing some original compositions which aren't finished yet .

Well done to everyone for the results and getting through this busy time of year. We are awaiting dd's cello G5 result - guess it will be Jan now. next term will be clarinet g3 prob and a jazz clarinet grade. Big decision is how fast to push on with g5 theory, or shift to g6 trinity or just wait for a year or so and see where we are with g6 or g7.

Final concert done! Christmas can begin! All lessons finished for the year and the music is ordered ready for next term.

I agree that passing the grade is something of which to be proud, but we all know that children like merits and distinctions. I was once told by an examiner that they give more merits and distinctions out than usual for grade 1 and 2 to encourage the beginners - which is reflected in their own figures.

Great phrase, thank you. He's happier today, and has been playing again so not too traumatised.

There you go Wafflenose - your phrase has gone out into the world and is now living happily in the Midlands.

Sunnyfrostyday - My new phrase (which I got from here) is "success starts at the pass mark". A merit is a fine result and nothing to be ashamed of.

That's great, thank you.

I just want to show him that a merit is a fine result.

us.abrsm.org/en/press/exam-statistics/graded-music-exams-by-result-practical/

Stats. Notice the differences between grade 1 and grade 2.

Hi all. Does anyone know what percentage of candidates achieve a distinction or merit?

DS has just found out he got 128 at grade 2 piano, and is gutted! He got distinction at grade 1 and I think was expecting it again. Did try and prepare him, and am saying all the right things but he is very upset...

(I am delighted and proud, but this is typical - high expectation )

thanks.

Mr-grade-3's certificate etc. arrived in the post. As I suspected... he scraped through every section except the sightreading, with slightly better marks on the aural. I'm sure he didn't play as well as he had in the lesson before, either. Was pretty borderline and learnt the scales like a week before the exam (examiner gave him pass mark for those coz he clearly knew what notes he should be playing for each, just struggled to play them - no surprise). So, track record somewhat spoilt but I'm pleased that I am getting a good sense of the standards required, since I'm newish to putting people in for exams.

Now Christmas, which is surprisingly low-stress for me at the moment, compared to when I was in school or uni!

Ishouldbe, the only sung service at our Cathedral is the Christmas Day Eucharist. Morning Prayer, the early Eucharist and Evening Prayer are all said.

DS will be there at 9.00 for practice, service at 10.30, finish about 12.00.

On Christmas Eve he will sing the Festival of Carols in the evening, come home for a couple of hours and gone back at 11.00 pm for practice, then midnight Eucharist. The younger ones don't do Midnight, just Y6 and older.

I'm sure other Cathedrals are different. Obviously Cathedrals with residential choristers will be.

I can't remember how old your DS is Ishouldbe and this could divide opinion, but has he heard of the Out of the Blue cappella Oxford boys? Now there could be a reason why so many girls know his name, and it's not for the negative reasons he thinks?!

RaspberrylemonPavlova (and other chorister mums) - how does Christmas Day work for a chorister? Do they split them between morning and evening service? Do you get up super early? I can't work out how you'd go about separating tiny people from their presents, I imagine it's not so bad as they get older.

It's the last day of term today, it was the school Christmas concert last night. I provided one third of the boys on stage (one drummer, one instrumentalist, one singer). Not only does it reinforce my son's view that singing is for girls but apparently so is drama and dance too. This might explain how it is that whenever we go shopping groups of giggling girls walk past with a "Hi, DSname". I had wondered about that because he never has a clue who they are.

Congratulations to your DD Hearts, and to all the rest of the exam takers and concert givers!

Happy Christmas to you all - see you all next term!

Congratulations to everyone on the thread! We found out Monday that DD2 (8) got a high pass on her grade 2 cello and we are all thrilled. (given that I was worried she would fail only a few weeks before the exam!) Apparently only 3 marks off a merit. She is very happy & newly motivated and even said "I'm going to get a merit next time Mummy", all determined.

Thank you for all your support on this thread - I am new to all this music exam stuff and reading and posting here has been a huge help.

Wishing everyone a merry musical Christmas!

Ah yes, Grade 5 theory for DS2 here as well. Plus our local festival.

I'll join in the sherry too!

I'll take the sherry and 'spie thank you. We also have G5 theory in the next sitting, I'll be glad to see the back of it. DS has been doing past papers and on a good week he's getting distinction marks but let's not talk about the bad weeks. I'm assuming he'll do better in the exam as he has to spend more than half an hour on them and he can't keep up a running commentary on school/gaming/tv shows while he's doing it. Silly little mistakes are a common feature throughout his homework, theory included.

I'll join in the sherry and mince pie! We got to DS2's cello exam and everyone here came down with flu! He woke up with a streaming cold but soldiered on. His teacher says the pieces went very well - she accompanied him - but he wasn't very communicative about the rest. He did say the examiner was very nice, though, so not too traumatic. If he passes, he won't need to worry about another exam till the summer. He is much more interested in moving up to the training string orchestra next term!
I am in awe of Babywaffle, glad to hear she enjoys her cello so much at that age! Congrats to everyone on their exam results!
I need to start DS1 on theory over Christmas. I have the grade 1 book and plan to get him to work through the first couple of grades and then hand him over to someone else for anything more advanced!