May/ June Music and Musicians Thread

Well G5 theory is done although miniprada took 50mins less than last time so not sure if that is a good or bad sign...... She seems happy though. Seemed to think that the paper was significantly easier than the last one so let's hope she read the questions properly!!!

Hope everyone else got on well this morning.

Green- no we are the other side of London

Finished both piano and clarinet lessons for the week and the clarinet teacher mentioned we need to start thinking about grade 1 soon. Mind blowing, she only had 4 lessons. That would be the November season though so that would be after 7 months (with a break over the summer).

I asked DD if she wants to skip it and she said no, she wants to do it. Sigh...

Cote I love your video :) you have lovely technique and very photogenic hands ;)

Good luck to all the theory candidates.

We are on the countdown to DD's solo guitar gig on Tuesday night, she's going to do a full run-through with amp and mike this weekend.

only I saw that. Perhaps I'll send DS1 to music theory boot camp next year.

No music school today! What to do!?

Just sneaking in to wish all the theory candidates lots of luck for the exam tomorrow and to congratulate Teacher's DS on winning a place in the jazz band!

This came up on my fb - Guildhall summer courses
www.gsmd.ac.uk/fileadmin/user_upload/files/Summer_Schools/Short_Courses_2016_-_double_paged.pdf?dm_i=351V%2C8Y60%2C2KXGHX%2CTO6F%2C1

teacherwith2kids congratulations to your DS!

CoteDAzur your video is -WOW! It made me to want to play myself (though I am not going to!)

Good luck everybody taking the theory exam tomorrow! I am sure it will all go well! I'll now drink for you (while watching Scandal on tv, I have become addicted)

I think I will skip some Waffle, saving money and also time off work to bring her to test centre etc. So definitely wont sit every single grade. I have a someone who loves theory and has been enjoying learning it the last 2 months and a half. Someone might do grade 8 theory in the future!

Drummer: even having no dream here still I have a secret wish for her to finish all abrsm grades for both violin and piano, so hoping I will be in your shoes one day!

green you'll blink and you'll be there

Teacher: wonderful news, many congrats!
Drummer: all these grade 8 looks so superior to me(working on grade 3 now), all the best!
Fleur: grade 5 challenge is on the scales I read it here, you are wise to get the book now, let her practise on it slowly so she isnt overwhelmed by then

Pradaqueen: just thought about you when I was on the train today, thinking we might see each other tomorrow as we both live in SW London if I remember you mentioned it before. Best of luck, I am sure it will be a pass this time, fingers crossed! And also the audition next week!

Only, no idea about these books, I was thinking of some interesting pieces to play around Grade 3-4 but not exam pieces, anything you could recommend.

I have...loads of theory books, couple ones are completely useless, highly not recommend. There are 3 books we like: abrsm, dingle and mymusictheory. Will find them and take a pic tomorrow. In the end we found the abrsm book is the best. I am going out tonight and someone has already in bed so we are all ready for tomorrow morning(just realised it is morning not afternoon as I orginally thought phew!!!)

teacher congratulations to him!
Prada good luck with exam and audition.
Fleur I will drink your watching the match tonight.
To all the theory DCs...May the force be with you.

Sorry to hear about Goo Waffle. I agree, on any other MN thread there'd be unwanted and unwarranted criticism. That's why I love your thread and the property ones as they are really supportive and great advice to be found.

Just wanted to say good luck to everyone tomorrow who's doing the theory. I am now rather worried we might make it two F's in a row given that miniprada appears to have not really done much since March, but we live in hope we'll find the additional couple of marks we were short last time!! Fingers crossed!! We also have a preliminary music scholarship audition at one of her secondary choice schools next week so busy times ahead!

I literally cannot wait until this time next year when they'll be no exams and playing will be for pleasure!

Oh and DS is having his GCSEs next year also so I will need a lot of this

teacherwith2kids well done to your DS!

drummersmum that sounds busy but if he is up for it I'm sure it will work out just fine. for you!

Just ordered the grade 5 scales and the teacher said we can get the grade 5 pieces also as soon as they come out, she thinks she'll be ready to start preparing around October/November.

We'll have a busy year ahead also next year, piano grade 5 planned for spring (if ready) 11+ in September and I will assume clarinet exam at some point. Also the decision needs to be made if to apply for specialist music school or not, we'll decide sometimes in the new year.

I won't think about it though just yet, God knows how things will be by next year.

Oh Waffle that's hard for you. She's managing everyone's expectations by literally bringing them to zero. She's telling you not to care so no damage is done. I don't think you have any other choice than walk away from it, give her all the space and act like no exam is coming. Exam? What exam? I think you're already doing that, aren't you? It will soon be over, she'll get a good mark and then she may ask to take another exam soon! But an exam free period I think it's a good plan. We just had an exam free year.

We've just had chats with all teachers regarding next year and it looks rather... ahem.
Autumn: G8 Drum Kit,
Spring: G8 Piano (if ready!) and auditions for JD to join in Sept 2017,
Summer: G8 Orchestral Percussion (on marimba, timpani and snare).
The idea is to start Y11 done with all exams and the thought of it is so sweet. On the other hand, this idea of starting JD the year of his GCSEs suddenly feels me with dread. Sure it's crazy. And he wants to keep 5 school ensembles plus choir. How on earth is he going to manage if Year 9 has already been a challenge? Please give me a .

I mentioned a while back - threads runs fast - that DS (15) was auditioning for the senior county jazz band.

He got in!!!!!!

Cote that was very nice, I loved it!

For those who is not musical parent like myself there is a very good sight reading series for piano, I think someone mentioned it on MN and this is how I know about it. There is CD-so you can get at least some idea if child plays ok....
www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sight+reading+success

Or these ones?
www.amazon.co.uk/Hal-Leonard-Instrumental-Play-Along-Violin/dp/1458420388/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1466175262&sr=1-4&keywords=violin++pop

www.amazon.co.uk/2005-2006-Greatest-Pop-Hits-Strings/dp/0739040480/ref=sr_1_19?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1466175341&sr=1-19&keywords=violin++pop