Summer Term Music, Musicians and Music Exams thread

Well done to all this with results still coming in.

Noteven - wow that must have been special (and Matilda!)

Dd finished an amazing 11 day music course very late last night - parents and children partied well I to the night/morning. Lots of people rushing to get planes and motorways etc this morning, and some children were straight off to other courses.

Wafflenose - how are the purple patches going? Dd found hers mich harder than expected but seems to have got to a sort of relaxed place with them finally.

Hope all those on summer courses have a lot of fun and some rest time too - dd has two weeks of 'nothing' before the nco and I think sleep and trampoline is about the extent of her ambitions. :)

Yes, thank you. I sent you one back.
Hope you had a great time.
The ensembles are great, dd loved her time there and has some really good memories. Of course the Victoria Wood production was the highlight for her and what an experience.
She played it so many times, kept freezing the frame and taking photos of bits her mug shot was in we have a nice collection now.
I hope they all enjoyed seeing Matilda.
The person who directs the training choir is in charge of the normal choirs at the school. Our dd gets on with him well, he's lovely.

I think the Hallé Youth Ensembles are amazing! As was the Prom last night

Did you get email back Morethan? I loved yours!

Noteven

dds friend is in HYC and Training HYC, dd was in HCC.
She loved it but as it follows the same formula every year stopped to play in other ensembles.
A great experience though. I hope they like Matilda.

It's Halle Choir and Halle Youth Choir and Trinity Boys I think.

HYC have some separate concerts and fun down here after tonight too - they're watching Matilda tomorrow!

Noteven

Have sent you mail, not sure if it worked though

I never thought some choirs were still performing. Is it the NCO or something similar?
Thankfully we finished around the 16th July and were ready for a nice long break, although dd still has to do some school type of work or they'll wonder what she's done for the past 3 years.

We have been to several Jazz festivals though and got to meet so many big names. I feel as though we were well treated.
Last week LLandudno was amazing and it's taken me until yesterday to come down and dd has a cold after being wet and cold all weekend.

Aural can have quite dramatic differences from week to week - if you just 'click' with a repeated melody you can sometimes get much higher marks than one that doesn't resonate with you. Similarly, with the musical features questions, you can get one that is very easy for you to talk about, or one that you are less familiar with.

It's the section of the exam that I think can be the most surprising in results.

noteventhebestdrummer I'm off on a day out tomorrow and meeting up with a lady whose son (possibly sons?) and husband are singing with the Halle. Have a lovely day.

More than really well done to your DD.

DS is singing with his choir tomorrow at the Proms! Heading off to watch

I think the examiners are not consistent either! Because I enter a lot of kids for exams I notice this sometimes - a whole group will get surprisingly high or low marks for one section of the exam.

Yes! It would be great to know how it goes, no rush for young voices at all though.

I can't believe that in a two week gap she was able to go from a fail to distinction, dropping only one mark.
Either the aura tests aren't consistent, dd isn't consistent or a bit of both .

I could be wrong but I think they will probably concentrate on sax and piano for a while and leave singing exams. They all have to sing/ join choir anyway and we are paying for singing as a third instrument as well, so that may be enough for a young voice.

It will be very interesting to see her musical programme as obviously they are determined on an individual basis.
Will let you know in September if you like. I find it really interesting how they do this having only heard and spoken to them briefly.

Nice programme - DS did An Sylvia too but not the others!

AB Aural tests are not great tests of musicianship are they? But a necessary hoop to jump through - DS was asked to STOP in his Gd 8 last aural test because he could have talked all day - he's got the hang of it all these days.

As you say, experience and exposure to broad musical education is bound to help.

Noteven

She did the no 23 (marriage of Figaro) I think.
Unaccompanied was simple gifts.
I could have danced all night was the (c)
and the Schubert's An Silvia.
She got high marks for all of them, she usually does for her pieces.
Exams are not really her strong point tbh but she is young I'm sure the aural will become a bit more consistent in time.
I'm told her school in like boot camp for aural and musicality and we were told it would probably improve dramatically at first before settling into steady progress.

Hello, how is everybody, enjoying your summer holidays?

Congratulations again for the outstanding results and achievements!

DD is progressing well with her grade 3 piece and also having other pieces and studies on the side. Her music bag is becoming heavier and heavier with about 5 different books to play from plus the scales book.

I love the fact she is not following method books anymore and her teacher is tailoring the teaching to her needs.

We're off to France at the weekend for a couple of weeks break, if the tunnel gets sorted that is.

Have a lovely summer!

Hey morethan, great to hear results!

What Gd 5 songs did she sing?

Ishouldbe

I feel so sorry for him because it's what he wants. I totally agree though that the lack of A level won't hold him back.
I have heard stories of people being far from the desired profile and being offered a place immediately. One girl we know had hardly any academic or music grades, just grade 5 on its own.
When faced with talent it doesn't matter.

Morethan no, I don't want him taking another A level on top of his school work because with all the time he puts into his playing commitments it's not fair. I know it's not going to disadvantage him if he doesn't get it because universities do recognise that not everyone is able to take A level music, you can substitute G8/G5 theory if your sixth form doesn't offer it. He knows he wants a music degree and he wants to do the A level and it would be an easy subject for him. (Before anyone rips my ears off, I know it's not an easy subject in itself but it would be easier for him - he has a better knowledge base in music than in any other subject. He could waltz through the performance element tomorrow and have a good attempt at the composition too) With a short list of four sixth forms he should get a place somewhere even if it means I have to start doing the school run again (we're over three miles away so currently have a school bus).

I'm looking on it as a positive thing in that he gets to practise his decision making skills before it comes to choosing a university (did I say that already?)

Is it smiles all around now your DD will be starting her new school with the distinction? What's her first study out of all the things she does well? (don't answer if you don't want, I'm only being nosy)

scaredofthepianoexaminer is it time for a name change then as there was clearly nothing at all to be frightened of? DH mentioned a G1 challenge this week, I suggested he take recorder seeing as we have a shelf of them. Apparently he already has G4 recorder, that would be why we have a shelf of them then (d'oh!). He's narrowed it down to flute, my suggestions of bassoon and cello were rejected. What he hasn't considered is that the dog howls with higher notes and I can't see that a flute is going to go down well with the canine music critic.

Congratulations to Woolleybear cub too.

I am home alone this week, DH and DD are gone by 8am and don't get home until 10pm. They are both on a brass summer school and the house is strangely tidy, confirming my suspicion that it's not me that generates all the clutter around here.

Ishouldbe

Is it not worth getting a private teacher for the A level, they can find a centre in which your ds could take the exam?
Could you look at various boards to see if it's doable.
I know some who did GCSE like this, but don't know the A level syllabus.

drummer

Total surprise, honestly. She did her gr5 singing a few weeks back and failed the aural dismally. This time she got nearly full marks for it.
I know they can be hit and miss, well dd especially that we were thinking merit if the examiner was nice

morethan great news! But hardly a surprise, right?

and Sciencerocks...did I miss that result? If so, hope you managed to overcome your nerves!