Spring/ Summer Music and Musicians Thread

Yes,regarding the cost, so far including the piano, music is the most expensive coat since she was born, school is free, swimming, some other clubs like chess, all the outdoor activities and few bikes, nothing could beat the cost of £75 each week and the new piano. Just a year ago, I would never imagine I would pay this much...

Routenationale "I can only imagine how well she would do if she actually put the work in."

Although I agree with Misti about benefits of stealth-practice, I frequently wonder about that.

But then I convince myself that DD wouldn't progress any faster if she did more i.e. that she efficiently squishes quite a lot into relatively little time, whereas if she spent more time then it wouldn't be so focused and she likely wouldn't achieve much more. Which isn't entirely convincing, but there's probably a measure of truth in there somewhere and this is only supposed to be good for her soul i.e. there is no need for faster.

Fleur: very lovely to hear, we hope to get back to the piano soon, in few weeks time, the new beast hasnt got as much ride.
Onlymusic: we will learn that way too: scales first then pieces
We had some chords practised tonight for theory and a bit on the pastime with good company. Its such a lovely piece.
I found a website called bachtrack online, its where you can find all concerts music event in London. Apparently there is always smth happening in London and many of it entrances are free!!!

I know what you mean onlymusic sometimes when she goes off on a tangent in her lesson and talks about puppies and kittens I feel like shouting "I am paying a lot of money for you to talk about kittens so stick to the script". But I do appreciate it builds their relationship and it doesn't happen that often.

drummers yes please if you don't mind pm-Ing the link. Thank you!

Fleurdelise I was pleased to read about your dd's lesson today, it makes you feel that all these efforts are not in vain, doesn't it?

Dd's homework is also more like "home learning" which is mainly ignored (unless I remind her). The only reason I make sure that music practice is done is that I pay for it and it is not cheap! The other reason is that being a pretty bright child she is not used to work hard, but music is a different matter - one needs to put an effort to be good at it - (I hope) it teaches her a work ethic.

We now established some routine with scales-playing all exam scales and arpeggios at the beginning of each violin practice (it used to take about 30 mins, now it is down to 10-15) - this is what her teacher recommends. I am thinking of doing something similar for piano but it seems more difficult to implement.

Fleur and Misti, I too love the Chopin waltzes. The one DS has just performed is the op.69 n.2, it´s in the Gr8 Abrsm repertoire this year but DS said it was easier than the other Gr8 pieces he is preparing. The watzes n.17 and n.18 are around Gr4 apparently. Fleur I can pm you link if you really want...

RE SCALES We have always used a box with three partitions I created. In one, scales. In another, arpeggios. In the third, what DS calls "other" (?) Then a big bowl where everything goes when practised so he empties box before starting the cycle again.

Teacher good luck with audition.
Waffle so good that Goo is enjoying piano so much. Best of luck with other exam.

I get that too. Dd never wants to practise, which drives me mad, though I have decided there's nothing I can do about it. But her teachers love her and refuse to believe that she doesn't practise. She's a very quick learner, and very enthusiastic in the lessons when she's getting attention. This fools them into thinking that she practises. Without practising, but playing in groups, she makes what to them is good progress. I can only imagine how well she would do if she actually put the work in. V frustrating.

NewLife your DD sounds amusing with her plans :)

DD had such s great piano lesson today that after lessons like that I realise what her teacher sees in her (in a positive way). Inquisitive, going the extra mile, wanting to do more than required. Not all her lessons are like that, there are the lessons when she listens and does what she's asked, the lessons when she's in a mood and takes a while to follow instructions and lessons like today when I think there must be a spark and maybe that is what the teacher sees.

Rout

She was only 8 at the time, but yes forgot the languages
She already had started italian though and had her tutor as soon as she left school.

Since starting school she has begun to enjoy Drama, I did suggest it a few years ago but she didn't seem interested at all. Now she quite likes it and will chose it for options next year.
I can't believe they decide in yr8 now. They are still so young.
Saying that though I think with the compulsory subjects there is little choice anyway.

She forgot about languages then. And drama is pretty useful for an opera singer.

New life: thats so funny and so true. I think its great that she has her clear route from now and she could throw herself just for it.
Neverever: I am the same, I dont even know what she is learning at school anymore, every week on Sunday night I checked if it has been done. Just a week or couple of weeks ago we nearly forgot to do an English home work and she ended up stayed up late to do it as only realised in thd evening

If they want to be musicians I don't see any problem in prioritising it over academic subjects.
My dd hardly did any work when she was H.ed, it was all music really.
She enjoyed other subjects but would always relate them back to music in some way.
History, included black American Jazz musicians, and issues surrounding Human rights.
Geography had to take in all the Opera houses

She once told us she needed 3 subjects - Geography, English and Maths.
To find her way to gigs/ concerts, to sign autographs, and to know she'd been paid right.

I know what you mean, Fleur. although ironically, he has just stomped off to his theory lesson annoyed because he forgot for the second week running to do his theory homework. This is despite having an hour at least this afternoon when he could have cobbled it together. and after faffing around he set off late despite being reminded in plenty of time.

So I concentrate on getting music practise and theory done ...

Both my DC manage their own "home learning" - that's what I like to say. I ask them whether they have homework, what their plans are to tackle that, what they need from me, and I give them my "office hour" when I am available to help. So far it seems to work.

raspberry well done to your DS, sounds like he knows what he is doing.

Loose DS (year 10) is also doing most of his homework in breaks. No complaints and his teachers sang his praises how all the homework is done on time. I have to say I feel like I am out of control as I never see him doing much academic work at home.

We had parents evening this week and I was so impressed with DS2s teachers. DS is Y8 and had subject exams the week of our Music Festival in March. He missed some, and didn't revise for any as he had so much practice for the Festival on top of Chorister stuff. The attitude all round was that he works hard in class, does homework (mostly) well, and that though his exam results didn't always reflect what he could have done, it was Y8 and they were pleased he had done his Music. Equally no complaints about his recent few days off to sing at a concert

DD doesn't get formal homework, she gets "home learning" which is a theme they need to look into and present it the way they want. So if it is the Tudors she can look into it and do what she wants, a poster, a power point, write something down, whatever. There is some competition between the kids though so she does like to spend time on it, there are days when she's not in the mood though so she'd only write a couple of sentences which takes her 10-15 min. I don't mind either way. Maths homework doesn't get assigned at all, just being told what they'll learn the following week in case they want to look into it.

I agree with you Mistigri about homework in primary, although ironically the year 6 homework was a lot more useful than what had gone before. DS1 still does most of his homework in breaks as well and I haven't heard any complaints!

I'm militantly anti-homework in primary, though in fairness mine didn't get much. DD used to go to the after school homework club to hang out with her best friend (her choice) so homework never actually came home. Even now (equiv. Y11) most of it gets done in free periods at school. She kept up five after-school activities right through junior high, including exam year, though currently down to only three. Obviously it depends on your child (my younger one seems to spend much more time on homework to much less effect) though it probably helps that we decided to keep them in state schools.

I don't know to what extent I'd be prepared to let music take priority over academics though I suspect we might be on course to find out. DD currently thinks she might want to do medicine - which in France is completely incompatible with music, especially the first year. She has a year "in hand" as she will only just have turned 17 in June 2018 when she finishes her baccalaureat, but she doesn't have the right personality for a gap year IMO.

I feel like we are putting more emphasis on music than academics at the moment also, while music practice is about 45 min to an hour a day homework and academics are somewhere around an hour or max 2 a week. We recently in the last couple of months started some 10 min maths tests a couple of times a week to get her into a routine of doing some extra work which would be required come September but I am not consistent at all, sometimes I remember to do it, other time a week or two goes by without any extra academic work. I can't say she needs it, she currently works on books for 9-10 year olds and come September she'll be ready to approach 10-11 and more so hopefully ready for the 11+ by September 2017 when the rest is. I also checked with DS's school and she would get in on the sibling rule providing he gets into sixth form which currently I have no reason to believe he wouldn't. That should hopefully take some of the pressure away even though 2017 will be a stressful year with DS's GCSEs and Dd's 11+.

Hmm...still remember DS1 in year 6 managing three weeks of no homework by the simple expediency of not bringing it home! His cunning plan was foiled when the teacher cornered me in the playground. I said if she could make sure he brought the book home I would make sure the homework got done.
I think the GCSE and music balance is going to be interesting next year, but up until now there hasn't been a problem. The main issue is insisting everything gets done before they get onto the computer.