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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Grade 6 violin and beyond - how much did you pay for your child's instrument?

29 replies

AgonyBeetle · 08/01/2016 07:52

Am interested to know, because my child's teacher has just informed me that our current instrument (which is a Gliga Gama) is not good enough.

Any thoughts? The Gamas are very well reviewed, and I've had quite a few favourable comments from people who know what they are talkign about. They are a bit chunkier than most violins, but I think the sound is good.

Am I being unrealistic about how much it's necessary to spend to get a child beyond Grade VI? Child is 12, at good county youth orchestra standard, plays well and enjoys it, but not to the level that it's going to be a career.

OP posts:
ealingwestmum · 08/01/2016 16:05

That's a decent budget Agony, and you should pick up a really nice one for that when you're ready to change.

Great point on theft - If I had the money and thought ahead, I would have kept one at school in the music locker as right now due to tube commute and lots of bags, the violin stays at school during the week (safely) and therefore never gets practiced on unless she makes it in for 7.30am (I know, wishful thinking). All because of after school club swimming where she'll get the violin lifted from the swim baths for sure...

Original poster
AgonyBeetle · 08/01/2016 14:37

Ah, £800 would be within my pain threshold (the Gliga was £600 iirc), but her teacher has suggested we need to think in terms of £1500-2000, which is more than I really want to pay. The teacher has a couple of specialists she uses and recommends, so I don't think it's about finding a better deal elsewhere, I suspect those sellers will be offering a good deal but that's just how much she wants us to spend. [wince]

Her current is a full-size one, but she's only been playing full-size for about 6 months. We'd need to hang onto it anyway, because she takes a violin into school several times a week for orchestra and chamber group, and there's nfw I'm letting her take £2k's worth of violin into school on a regular basis.

OP posts:
ealingwestmum · 08/01/2016 12:45

Hi, we bought our daughter a 1890s german school violin 2 years ago (she was then 10 yrs) when she was doing G6. We know she probably won't take music beyond HE level but is a strong violinist/scholar, and therefore was happy to pay £800. This was much cheaper than the main retail stockists (we bought from a local violin restorer/maker). He said it should take her through her senior years and he'd take it back at same price if and when we wanted to upgrade. I thought this was a good deal, and the sound from her instrument now gets lots of compliments. Added a new quality bow, but didn't stretch to the £800+ her then teacher was recommending...£400 paid on top, and took out insurance for the first time!

This was her 2nd 4/4 violin (she's tall), previous had a stentor which was great up to G4, but was advised to upgrade by her junior school for higher grades.

I know many do spend more, but thought this was ok for where her music career was at this stage...

Attached a link the the on-going music thread that is really well run by teachers/parents/musicians etc if you need any more advice. Hope it helps.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extra_curricular_activities/2541092-New-Year-Music-and-Musicians-Thread

disorganisedmummy · 08/01/2016 09:02

I can't help I'm afraid but I would also be interested to know for my son. He is a bit younger at 9 and plays a 3/4 size but it's only a student violin (stentor). Ds also plays in 2 county orchestras and this is his passion. He wants to do GCSEs and A level music and go to Royal College Of Music. He is about to start working on grade 4. He turns 10 in the summer and I've been told he will probably need a full size violin by then and I will need to spend a fair bit which is fine but not really sure what I need to be looking for and would he need to upgrade again?
Thanks for reading.