New Year Music and Musicians Thread

Thanks for the lovely messages - I just caught up with the thread again! I am so impressed drummersmum with your dad and with waffle's clarinet beginner. Congratulations to icouldbe's DH and I'm glad the examiner was kind! Good luck to all the DCs with exams this term! 😀

Will join in properly!

Eldest son is taking G7 kit this term.

DD2 is 10 and working on G3 piano after starting late. Her first instrument in violin and she attends one of the music schools as a specialist musician. Strictly no grading at the insistence of her lovely teachers.

DD3 is 8 and G5 orchestral percussion is on the horizon for June/July and music theory will be on the cards for same time.

DS 2 is 7 and is tinkering with Trumpet, on G2 kit and G2 violin.

So a quiet term for us! Which is good as I have A2's ad GCSE's for DS1 and DD 1 this year.

Hello all, can I join too?

My ds (12) is working towards his g7 flute next term after getting his g6 (90/100) in November

He also plays tenor recorder and starting on piano to help his compostion and theory skills.

Icouldbe I went through the same stages last year and she scored distinction so at least I now know I am just neurotic and I need to keep my opinions to myself. But I do secretly make plans that if I think she's not ready by exam date I will just not take her to the exam centre.

My FIL is 80, he played guitar all his life and taught himself piano. He now practises every day even though he is not progressing much but finds it so enjoyable.

Loose: congratulations, you are so brave and have done so well, I could never do the same. Everytime I sat down with my daughter I was thinking she isnt doing too bad as if I was in her shoes I dont think I could learn a note. Its quite terrifying, exams, practise etc.

My dad is 80 and having his first piano lesson next week.

loose, you make me feel for my life, you deserve for being a In this life, there are things [santa] brings but the really good things are a gift to yourself through sheer....(no emoticon for guts mumsnet!!????)

Congratulations LooseAtTheSeams, good for you for carrying on after it all went wrong. We've had DH's mark sheet back, funnily enough it doesn't say anything about "candidate went to pieces after music slipped to floor". He was
certain he'd failed but I think the examiner must have added in a few pity marks.

Fleurdelise I sat outside my son's exam, listened to the slips and blips in the second half and started planning where we could possibly find time for the resit in between mocks and GCSEs. Fortunately I didn't tell anyone this because I would have looked like a fool afterwards. Go for it!

Oh and just to add I am carrying on and beginning my grade 4 pieces!

Thanks! It was a surreal experience. I had a major hand brain meltdown on one of the scales so after 2 false starts it was utterly wrong going up and perfect coming down! Haven't seen mark sheet but suspect lost lots on aural due to brain freeze after scale incident! However I also don't regret it and I would say if pieces are usually good it may well be worth going ahead rather than risk going stale in 6 months. That is a long time to play the same pieces.

Congratulations Loose!

How was it? I am actually freaking out about Dd's exam now, some practice sessions I think she is totally ready, some others I think no way she should take it this session. But the alternative would be another 6 months of playing the same (now boring) pieces. Grrrr...

x 3 I think for getting through that! Well done loose, I don't seem to have the courage to restart an instrument as as I think it would get too competitive (if our parallel french learning is anything to go by)

Wasn't going to mention this as I was convinced I'd failed but I actually passed my grade 3 piano exam! Regretting the dry January thing now but so relieved to have scraped through!

Going to a festival sounds great. I will research and engage my daughter if we could manage it

Great advices on the rehairing the bow. Saved it for whenever we need to have it done. Thank you

Ah, I bought my daughter's first violin from there but didn't know about the expertise in bow re-hairing! Thank you drummersmum, he would be perfect re location and convenience

ealingwest this little strings shop and repair is in Acton Lane corner with Evelyn Road W4. It's supposed to be one of the best in London according to my musician friends:
www.matthewcoltman.com/contact.html

Brilliant, thanks Musicmom1

Whatever happened to JulieMichelleRobinson - anyone know?

ealingwest - stringers is good.

Suspended - the other Chelt venues are def calmer but do lack a bit of buzz of the festival. Both festivals have classes for all grades/ages. Judges great and supportive at both. DD will do cello and clarinet at worcs, not sure about Chelt yet as we are doing two other weekend ones locally.

Happy new year all - well done to those with results from last term!

DD (12 yrs) is well settled into Y7 of new school, working towards G6 piano, and G8 new syllabus violin. Sitting G4 singing this term after starting lessons in senior school in Sept...no idea what this involves!

Can anyone here in the violin know, recommend where I can get a bow re-haired in the London area please? It's a nickel & ebony pernambuco (by Erwin Mahler) now 2 years old and think it may need doing soon...thanks for any suggestions.

DD (dancer) has been absent from school for 2-3 days for every Chelt festival for years. It's an absence that doesn't count as an absence (there's a special code for it) so it doesn't count in the statistics - she got her 100% attendance last year despite festival absence.

Unfortunately there isn't any such dispensation for the teacher parents of festival participants, so it is an annual logistical headache!

My DCs schools, both Junior and Secondary have never had any issue with DC participating in our local Festival. DC are entered by school for some classes (though we pay fee), but for others all that is required is a phone message on day saying DC is at Festival. I think secondary don't always know whether it's a private or school entry.
I do always get the DC to let their teachers know in lesson before, and make sure they get homework.

School have scheduled Y8 internal exams for festival week, which might stretch this policy! DS2 missed 2.5 days last year, and I think it will be 2 this year.

I've also just obtained permission for DS2 to have 3 days authorised absence in April for a national music event