Summer Term Music, Musicians and Music Exams thread

30 French horns?? That must have been an amazing sight!
Good luck for this evening Wafflenose - so nice to be able to check online. I think we have at least another week before the piano result comes through for DS2 but teacher checks online for us and texts me so it's still better than waiting weeks for the post.
Last night's end of term concert at DS1's school was lovely apart from DS1 who panicked when he couldn't find his flute music and chose an unscheduled bass guitar piece instead. Those expecting to hear Schubert were treated to Rush! (It made one Dad's day, though!) He is the limit.

Scared, good luck! That was me a couple of weeks ago, the only adult doing a music exam in a week of children! Grade 1 piano at that.

Anyway, just got the result and I got a distinction!

Waffle you made me laugh about your dd's school report. I mean what an achievement for the school to teach her to read music. And she now understands rythm

I also got dd's school report with no reference to the NC whatsoever, just lovely comments for each subject but nevertheless I have no clue how she stands.

Lovely comment about her sharing her musical talent with the school in the spring concert and being part of the choir. At least they didn't try to pretend they taught her how to read music.

Scaredofthepianoexaminer Our pro tip for an adult candidate - when arriving for your exam make sure that they know you are a candidate and not a candidate's accompanist or parent. My husband returned to piano after a thirty five year gap and nearly missed his exam as he was the only adult entrant in the room (or "the only one above knee high" as he put it at the time).

I wish you the best of luck, it is supposed to be a challenge and it sounds as if that's what it is.

With all DC's doing so well, I am terrified of the impending doom which is my grade 1 piano (NCO challenge) on Wednesday afternoon. DD has not been backward in coming forward to give lots of advice and especially assistance with aural! I still haven't had a lesson as such, but played my pieces through to DD's piano teacher at the weekend. It went so badly I had to go and play to her again this evening - she gave me wine afterwards which she obviously thought I needed!!

Yes I wish I would have had the digital in the living room but hey, never too late. Luckily the 250 kg upright could not go upstairs so DH had to accept it will be in the living room.

Not. That he was against music in the living room but we did have to rearrange furniture to fit it in. The benefits are showing, I am still laughing though when dd is looking for the on/off button when she starts/ends her playing session.

This is a good tip - the cello stand we have was worth every penny! Also we have our (admittedly digital) piano downstairs and DS2 quite often goes and plays in the morning before school as well as his 'proper' practice, just because it's there.
My joy at his cello report was slightly tempered by laughing at the incorrect categorization of DS2 as 'female' - I suspect the teacher has had a lot of reports to do recently and clicked in the wrong box and I have every sympathy. DS2 hasn't noticed, so I'm saying nothing!
Last week of catch-up lessons before the summer hols, hurray!

Fleur one of e best tips we had was to always keep instruments 'out' by using instrument stands etc. as soon as we did that with a cello stand dd started just to casually start playing at random moments, and often to relax. Hope your dd continues to enjoy.

Well done for all the amazing achievements, Better I am impressed with your DS's level so young, congrats!

Dd will continue her piano lessons over the summer holiday so no change there except our 2 weeks holiday but we will try to make up the lessons by doing a couple of one hour length lessons instead of the usual 30 min.

Her teacher is still aiming for the C session for her next exam so timing is important.

I congratulate myself for getting her the piano as it is now in the living room so more accessible (digital was in her bedroom), while previously she was just doing her practice in her bedroom now she went and played for pleasure a few times only because the piano is there.

I'm new to this thread, but have enjoyed reading about your experiences. I have 2 dc's studying music, but one is a good self-starter so other than reminding him to practice I don't have to do much. But my other DC is a different story and requires a lot more interaction from me!

7 year old dd has just passed her grade 1 recorder with merit and done her singing prep test. She loves music and is very musical but is not terribly self-motivated to practice, particularly scales etc...

I wonder how much you will get your younger ones to practice over the summer holidays?

Dd's teacher has given her a few pieces to work on so I'm thinking 15-20 mins every other day apart from when we're away. Does that sound reasonable?

Mom17,DS started piano at 5 and violin half year later.

Bettertochange : I am really amazed at your DS's achivement, G6 Piano and G7 violin looks too amazing for a 9 year old, What age he started both instrument ?

Nice news to end term - dd has been chosen as a choirester at school for yrs 5 and 6; it is very much a light scheme compared to those many of you are part of, but does mean three rehearsals a week and two school chapel services, plus various cathedral services and a tour in Europe next summer (for me too!). Am very pleased for her as it was a very lengthy audition process and also very glad I gave notice to her singing teacher as this is def enough for her.

The Rachel - a smile after G7 - wow how lovely is that:)

Ah yes, I am proud of his hopping!

She's noticed some of his capabilities (he's getting better at hopping..) but if his extracurricular activities don't overlap with what they are doing in school he won't get the chance to shine. I don't think music featured on a single report from junior school because they didn't do any. If mine had taken his G6 in and waved it about it would have meant nothing to anyone.

My experience was that everything changed in Y7, new school, new teachers and music and sport become GCSE subjects rather than "just" extracurricular activities. (I can't get my head around music still being regarded as extracurricular when DS is taking it for GCSE next year, it's a bit strange that one). You know what your DS is capable of, that's what is important.

I know you are right. It's been a difficult year with this teacher and I am just sad she hasn't noticed any of my son's capabilities .

dotdot congratulations to your daughter for battling through her cold, it can't have been easy for her.

TheRachel - depending on the school they may have no idea of your son's musical abilities because it may not appear on their radar. It wasn't until my son's class did Wider Opportunities that anyone realised that he was any form of musician (capable or otherwise). Up to then there was little or no music of any sort in school, he'd vanish off for a lesson once a week and that was that. They only see what they see in class, if they've been doing hopping in PE and not sprinting then that's what they know. I'd file and forget.

It's nice to hear that someone comes out of an exam smiling, I hope that it does go well for her.

Dd (11) took her grade 7 violin exam today and came out smiling and feeling it had gone well. Fingers crossed!!!

On another note, please can you share your thoughts with me on my dcs school reports. Dd's report is another glowing one - she excels in academics, music and sports and this is reflected in her school report.
Ds (just turned 8) is often distracted and can be talkative in class, but is working above national average. This year he gained a distinction in grade 3 violin and is working on grade 4 now. He also went from being a beginner guitarist to above grade 1 standard in 9 months. He is the fastest male sprinter in yrs 3, 4 & 5 and won all of his sprint competitions in a recent athletics competition. His report describes him as a 'capable musician' and comments on how well he has developed his hopping skills. Would you be happy with this? I don't feel his teacher knows him at all well and feel sad that dd's report reflects her talents well, while Ds' doesn't .

Our wind band wears white tops and black bottoms. DD wears an ordinary black dress with a short white cardi, but I've just bought her a couple of black stretch miniskirts as a lot of the other teens wear those with a white t-shirt. They are not expected to be formally dressed as long as they match.

We had our last musical event of the term Wed night - a solo concert at a local bar-restaurant-campsite for which DD got paid quite well (!). We got two free meals and drinks out of it too, which is some small compensation for the money I've spent on lessons and instruments over the years ;)

She got her school leaving diploma results today (top grades in everything) so that is the year over for us! Next year she is weekly boarding so music practice and lessons will be more complicated.