Spring/ Summer Music and Musicians Thread

Very good first clarinet lesson, DD came out beaming. We now have the instructions for which book to buy and DD asked for a clarinet strap as her thumb hurts a bit. Any recommendations?

Exampanic, haha, good luck!!!No news def better!

well, dd1 has her date for exam; in 2 weeks' time. How many times have I heard her practice in the last 2 weeks. Hm, once I think, last night....
No date for dd2's recorder exam yet. At least gives me more time to practise the accompanying piano bit....

We have a "real" pianist, singer in our house tonight who plays piano, flute, sing in Gloucester Cathederal since he was a child and all to a high standard(he doesnt do music for living, only as a hobby). My 8 years old was blowned away with so much singing and piano(we had to miss a lesson today as guests came at 4)

Regarding to exam, it does get easier when they are older, even only half a year older. I was really worried last year when she had her g1 violin and grade 2 piano. This year the dates are not ideal but hey ho, I dont feel as panicky!

It is I who have perseverance to carry on with violin Mistigri, not my children . If it were up to them they would would stop lessons after two months :)

My experience has been similar to waffle's in terms of the speed of older learners. DD started teaching herself piano about two years ago (third instrument), and has been having regular lessons for about a year now. She is tackling grade 7-ish pieces and she's certainly not murdering them. I'm not sure that she has the dexterity or accuracy of younger starters but maybe that will come.

The way that drummersmum's son has progressed seems ideal to me, and shows the benefits of taking it gradually.

I'm inclined to agree with routenationale that recorder is a good choice for very young children. It's easier in the initial stages than most instruments, it requires little strength and not too much coordination. It's possible even for not especially focussed or hardworking students (like my DD) to make decent progress. I'm sure violin is good too, but I suspect that young children who succeed at violin have a bit more focus and perseverance than either of my kids did at that age.

Starting piano young may have some advantages but older students can often catch up quite quickly especially if they have other instrumental experience.

Talking about other instruments, I asked dd's violin teacher about the best age to start violin. He was quite firm that 4-5yo would be an ideal age.

I think that it's good to start fairly young (age 5 or 6) on recorder. Plus plenty of singing. Then swop to an orchestral instrument or piano at around 7. Dd1 actually started recorder at age 4 and did quite well. But 1) she's v musical, 2) it was hard work (mind you it's hard work getting her to practice her instruments now, so that may not have been age related).

lucysnowe, my dd started piano at 4 and though she progressed very quickly, her brother is not starting it (if at all) till 6yo+ - this my conclusion from this experience. Even though he also asked for piano lessons. He also was asking for violin lessons for about two years but guess what? once the real thing started he lost interest very quickly. Because it looks effortless when his sister is playing but it is a VERY hard work!
Same with piano.
I can also see from numerous examples that the same can be achieved in a much shorter time if lessons are started at 6-7yo. Saves time and money.
If anything, I would start with another instrument, not piano.

janinlondon is it worth contacting abrsm to check if they can reschedule for another day? I know one of Dd's teacher's students had hers another day than most of them as she couldn't make it on the original allocated slot. Not sure what had to happen but I think it is worth trying.

Green good luck with the exams, I guess it will feel like a massive relaxing break straight after which is always good.

My dd has done 3 exams one after the other, a couple of times I think. Probably doesn't lead to the best possible results, but so much less hassle than doing them all separately.
I am very much in favour of skipping ABRSM exams. So we say no exams until grade 3 (except for piano, which is different). And since then dd has skipped quite a few exams. In one of her instruments I think she's about grade 6 level, but she has done no exams at all on that one. The hassle and the money and the playing the same pieces for months - there are lots of reasons not to do all exams from gr 1 to 8 (let alone pre grade 1!)

Jan no help this time but maybe Trinity exams might be better? Certainly in my area the weeks are set way in advance.

Loose DD plays alto and bari, but she had friends who started on tenor at secondary. I think it is the same fingering on all of them

Jan I did get s refund but only because it was the music centre who withdrew the date after offering it if you see what I mean. I think if the fee had already got to ABRSM I'd have lost the money.
Waffle I can see his logic, actually! It's less fun to go on three different occasions. I hope he does well! DS2 wants to add saxophone as a third instrument but I am in no rush - he can only start once he gets to secondary school and only if he gets through his grade 3 exams on the other two instruments. Also, I need to think about practice time and homework. And he's determined to play tenor whereas I think kids generally start on alto, though he's as tall as I am so maybe that isn't an issue.

We won't have refund if the date isn't suitable, only if the child is sick on the day with an evidence and can't be able to make it.

Well, it's part of a fun game( in a sarcastic way) to play along. We used to be able to reschedule for 2 days last November so we didn't have piano and violin on the same day(2 hours apart, no idea what they were thinking)

Loose - did you get a refund on that? We have been told no refund is possible.....so I am not cancelling her slot......just in case a flood of biblical proportions hits the DofE expedition site.......

Greenleave - oh goodness, that's a lot of prep in one go! On the other hand, think how happy you will both be afterwards! Good luck with both. I am definitely not worrying about results for my two. Ds2 trotted off to piano as normal this morning and has come back with lots of holiday practise for piano! That's OK because he has his own portable keyboard and is going to take it on holiday at half term.
He has his cello lesson tomorrow, they can do the post mortem then!
janinlondon I sympathize about scheduling. I had to cancel an exam last year because the one date we were offered clashed with a school trip I'd already paid for! Our music centre offered two dates originally but cancelled the one I'd chosen due to lack of demand!

Thanks Greenleave. I guess we just pay up again for next term and cross our fingers. Its an expensive game......I'm not enjoying it.

I called them and asked for any further date, no centre is available within 30 miles, we did specify the preferable date( never had it allocated I the past either). I have no idea about their allocation methodology, it's def not first comes first serve as we registered on the firs available date when we were allowed

Predictably DD is unable to make the date they have allocated for her grade 7 singing exam. Are we just destined to have to throw good money after bad repeatedly until a date actually suits....? Can they not schedule them a little bit further in advance....? Has anyone else had this repeatedly......?

I have just found out that the violin test date is 2 days after theory date. Oh well, at least they are not on the same date. No party for 3 weeks from now then will be a long long long break...

Had one little girl literally jumping up with joy hearing about the clarinet lesson tonight.

lucy if he wants to do it I would say yes. My friend's DD started at 5 on an hour lesson (Russian piano teacher who didn't take kids on less than an hour) and has been with her for an year and progressed nicely. Dd's teacher also takes little ones from 5 (she's English if it matters and does 30 min lessons) but after a quick assesment to check they can focus for the lesson. She is also adapting her teaching to be more interactive, such as more clapping rythms and counting, it depends of how ready she sees them.

I would give it a try if I were you providing the little one is interested. DD wasn't at 5 when I mentioned it, she started at 6 after she has seen her friend progressing and playing nice pieces.