Autumn Term Music and Music Exams Thread

well, dd (8) did her grade 1 piano and came out with a smile. Luckily I couldn't hear her play because that would have been too nerve wracking. Now waiting for the results...

Thank you! x Didn't mean to sound so negative - very happy for her!!

Despite my dd being unwell and off school she's somehow managed a distinction in her Grade 1 singing. Very pleased for her although it doesn't bode well for future exams as she did absolutely zero practise - I don't even know what pieces she did and certainly never heard them. Oh and she's known for 4 days and 'forgot' to tell me.....

Good luck to everyone! Two weeks till DS2's first cello exam and after the stories on here I hope we don't have any broken strings! Although fantastic teacher will rescue us if it happens so am not going to stress about that.
I am looking forward to the school Christmas concert. Lots of children play something, everyone claps madly whatever happens, and it'll be the first outing for the new school orchestra!

Best of luck, guys!
Big push on for grade 5 theory for my saxophone player now.

Well done on the great results so far.

Hearts - I would never attempt to change a cello string but then I have a deep fear of messing up dd's cello (I dropped on of her earlier ones on a stone floor once....in front of a large group of teachers and children.....I still cringe)!

G5 in 10 days; scales much improved, pieces going off boil, and the dreaded aural still a sticky point (singling back even though she does choirs, is working towards G3 singing...)

Congratulations to your DD firework, busy Spring term for you!!

Hope exam went well Hearts, nothing like string drama to derail you temporarily, glad it all got sorted!

Thank you to everyone for the advice about the cello string. I was a bit panicky, could you tell

It's a rental cello. I honestly expected the shop just to fix the string but DH brought home a whole new rental cello. Their call I guess. The shop specialises in string instruments so I guess they know what they are doing. DD2 is disappointed because the new one isn't as shiny as the old one...

If DD2 gets serious about this and especially if we buy her a cello, I will learn how to change a string! YouTube is a great tip.

Her exam was this morning. Can't wait to hear how it went.

So pleased for My daughter a good Merit in her grade 3 abrsm Oboe and teacher is skipping grade 4 and working towards grade 5 for the summer term great result al round :-)) Grade 5 theory in feb and grade 5 violin and 4 singing in March its going to be a busy term :-)) Good luck to everybody waiting to take them and waiting for results xx

JulieMichelle you mentioned a few pages back that you were using an adult piano book with your 10 year old student - would you mind letting me know what it is called?

A friend has lent my DS the John Thompson books (1-3) but they go much too slowly for an older beginner - he wants to skip big chunks because the pieces are way too simple but this means he also skips a lot of the basic theory that is presented on those pages. He's gone through book 2 and most of book 3 in a week, so probably something for beginner/ pre grade 1 adults would be about right at this point. He is having much less trouble putting the hands together than I expected.

To change strings on a cello...

Stick non-nobbly end of string through hole in peg. Wind clockwise a bit. Try to cross it over once, but no more than once, to hold it in place. Wind until approximately the right length. Stick nobbly end of string (or loop) into slot on tailpiece (or hook round). Tighten slowly, making sure string fits into grooves on bridge and fingerboard. It will keep on going out of tune for a few days.

(That probably sounds harder than it is).

Alternatively, get random guys in music shop to do it for you. If they don't know how, they shouldn't be selling cellos.

Thank you for your reply JulieMichelleRobinson. My daughter started on the grade 1 pieces last month as her teacher decided she is ready but she has been waiting for the new syllabus to be out as she had the same opinion that the old grade 1 pieces were pretty hard. She said she'll see where she is at by January when she enters the students for exams but feels quite positive as DD is progressing pretty fast.

She works on additional repertoire also, beside the two pieces for the grade exam that she has started she always has some other piece on the side.

She is practising A2 B6 and C6 as these are the ones she liked.

Is it hard to change the strings on a cello? (I honestly have no idea).

I've found youtube an invaluable resource for routine maintenance of musical instruments - I am a whizz at changing guitar strings now (far easier than I expected, hence my question about the cello) and have even fitted a pick-up.

I've certainly learnt a lot about strings since DD1 started violin. I'm a flute player so dd2 's sax is more my thing.

Still practising like crazy here for concerts and towards grade 8!

why couldn't the cello shop just change the string?! That would be the usual solution.

DD2's long- dreaded awaited cello grade 2 is on Friday. She's been practicing a lot, and I think is sounding good. Or at least good enough

However this is in spite of her dear mother trying to sabotage her Monday evening I was trying to help her tune, was v proud of myself for downloading a tuning app and everything, and managed to snap the A string. Cue DH dashing to the cello shop on Tues morning, got a new cello (rental) but ack! No finger stickers! And cello teacher not to be seen in school until Friday - the day of the exam!

Anyways it's all sorted now, DD2 had orchestra this morning and the lovely Head of Music stuck some on for her. Oh the drama.

At least with DD1 and her saxophone I can help somewhat. Wind instruments are in my comfort zone. Strings are NOT.

My students go a lowly with exams so will probably be summer - we do lots of early repertoire, duets etc. rather than focus on exams. Last grade one pieces were really hard, this year more normal. But there's an alternative piece I really like, the cuckoo one.

Hello all! I am so glad I found this thread! I am new to the forum and I have created an account just for this thread.

My DD (7yo) has been having piano lessons for a year now and she is preparing for grade 1 in the spring term.

I know this thread is about the autumn term but I thought I will join you and say hello.

Any other little pianist preparing for grade 1 on the new syllabus? And a question for the piano teachers, what is your opinion on the new syllabus? Thank you!

Lovely to hear about musical experiences! I'm a newbie piano teacher (facing the rather terrifying prospect of preparing a Grade 1pupil for her exam) and facing the even more terrifying prospect of taking Lcm Rock and Pop theory on Saturday. Yikes

Aurals, obviously, not auras!

Yes, We have definitely had some muttering about singing being for girls - in fact the music centre choir isn't as skewed as the school choir here, either, so no excuse there. to the residential week and not reading the timetable!

Thanks everyone for the advice, we are going to tell DS2 to at least try the choir before he dismisses the idea. Maybe I should do the same with DS1 but the older group meet at the same time as another of his music activities so I suspect not much chance there! At the moment he seems to be OK with auras, though.