October Music and Musicians Thread

Poor goo :(

Just checking into say hi. I know this is about the kids, but I joined a choir this term- finally ! Same choir I sang in 30yrs ago as a student lol.

My kids are all big now, only have the 17yr old at school. She's planning a handful of grade 8s this year. I suspect that not wise with A2s and a general reluctance to do large amounts of practice. At the moment we are trying to mange out piano grade 8. It won't benefit her having the certificate. She's never going to me more that " useful " on the piano. However her teacher is a family friend with a very exam focused teaching style- tricky. Recorder and clarinet will be fine if she learns the scales properly ( her downfall).

Oh um. Yep .... that would be my tip choosing a teacher - choose people you like as well as your child likes. They are part of your life for years and years. We will still see our the teachers after she's left I'm sure. Piano teacher has taught one of ours at least since 2000, recorder since 2003 and clarinet since 2004. That a looooong time !

But the real stress at the moment of course is uni applications !

I am sorry Waffle, it must have been a very stressful day for you. Does County only have the single set of auditions - ours has a Spring and Winter round.

:-( bad timing. I remember when my little one broke her arm playing tennis. Meant she couldn't play in the high achievers concert. Or do the circus show. There were tears...
Hope all heals quickly.

Horrible timing waffle footie and music wise...hope you manage to salvage or obtain deferrals for her for when she recovers, though the concert miss is a shame

Get well soon, Goo!

Waffle I wish her a quick recovery. It's a good thing it's not broken! Those damn sports

Poor Goo, hope the pain will go real fast!!

Fleur: we havent got the date. I so hope that we will have it as late as possible as we need more time. You sound so on track, I know it could be worrying with a new instrument but I am sure miniFleur will do real well. For us, Am Abend is challenging for example the first note has 3 voices, the right hand with the 3 last fingers are loudest, the other 2 in different voice and left hand is in different voice, then other notes require some other technique. Pedals in bits, light pedal in other bit etc. The most worrying is now scales as for some reason she didnt get any scale right. We rechose the 3rd piece and it shouldnt impact much as we havent started with that 3rd piece yet. Well, it says it all isnt it when we dont practise properly(I told him that she had a cold the last few days which was partially true but not entirely true that it wasnt as bad that she couldnt practise for 2 weeks). We have to treat it with respect I think.

Poor Goo! Hope she gets better soon.

Yes, the stress will pass, so thanks for your kind words. It is bringing a cloud over the whole household. We really are counting down the days.

It's lovely to hear about everyone checking out schools. I used to be a music teacher in a senior school and have large classes for GCSE. Over here I homeschool. And those of you who manage to help your children with more than one instrument, hats off!

Miss 12 isn't planning a career in music, so is concentrating on maths and science and IT. Miss 9 actually wants to go into music. It's taking more and more time each day. I do worry it's going to take over completely.

Fleur if you can bear it go and see all the schools you can! It does make sense to look at some with an eye to the future, I have a couple of options for when we think about sixth form for DS1, although ironically staying put would also be an excellent option.
It also takes some pressure off 11+ if you know you have a strong fallback option.
Not a musical issue but I am slightly relieved we have a bit of a break from Japanese lessons before half term. I don't mind the time I spend reading s book in Costa but getting there and back was a bit wearing yesterday!
Green your new violin teacher sounds lovely and like she has great ideas for motivating MiniGreen!

Green I can't remember, are you doing an exam this term? If so did you get the date yet?

We're waiting for DD's date, hopefully it will be end of November, I suspect she'll be ready by then. Aural is fine as she did it before, she'll just need one reminder, sight reading is fine also as she is easily reading grade 1 pieces, it is just the pieces that really need a lot of work. Now that we finished with school visits (only one next week) she can focus on music practice every evening again.

Icouldbe yes, I have seen it today and suddenly feel very lucky. We're going to visit the music school this weekend, I wanted to skip it as realistically (it may sound selfish) I don't want to spend so much money on it. I believe the schools in the area are quite good, if she really wants to do well she will have the opportunity.

However I have been told off by DD "mum, of course I want to see it, I play two instruments and my teachers think I am good so I need to see how that school looks".

We'll go and have a look and decide maybe if she should apply later, maybe sixth form if she is still set on music. Or earlier but at least to know for sure this is what she wants to do.

TRL: hahaha, just think of it makes me smile. I will look for your harp, if you see two little people rolling underneath your harp, probably its me and MiniGreen
We had our violin lesson last night and our new violin teacher was being very kind and try to comfort miniGreen saying: dont worry there are lots of other chances that you can try so you could have a similar reward( a week away from home). Then "listen, if you could practise 30mins a day, 5 day a week then I might let you bounce(on a big bouncing ball in her room) on that one", who says teacher doesnt bribe(the other one gives stickers).
In both of our mind, its a rehearsal, there could be many more in the future which makes it exciting cos its a chance to play infront of professionals and receive feedbacks. That was it all about with this one.
Our piano teacher has been sick so we have been practising on our own the last couple of weeks. We have a lesson today I am hoping to be able to catch him before he leaves to know where we are with our piano. Aural is our worst so probably someone will spend the whole weekend on my phone to play around with the aural Apps(we are going to a Beethoven concert this Sunday in RAH)

Fleur there has been a recent thread (in secondary I think) about someone's school discounting in school music lessons once they start GCSE. From memory they were very much in the minority.

Thank you everyone for your kind comments.
Ealing
Congratulations to Woolley on the lessons and the arrival of "Betty" - watch out, with that name she could turn up a little dissatisfied princess - you can tell I was totally devoted to Mad Men
Prada so you're putting your daughter through 11plus, music auditions, and renovating three houses at the same time? Can I offer you a
Shaky really sorry to hear about the stress. The good thing, it'll pass, like the exam itself, and then it's over, right? It's G8!!

We have received date for DS drums G8 exam, it's in November. It feel so weird I will have been in this same exam place eight times, same door, same pictures on the wall, same seats where we wait looking at the little faces of nervous waiting children and their parents, all these years... and suddenly it will be the last time. Uff. Gotta move on.

Have had quick response from teacher.. I might be reading too much into it but I reckon she realised we missed the deadline after she talked to dd about it. but I guess the following is reasonable.

"Grade 3 will be next term as the entries for this term went a few weeks ago. However, I would like her to really get to know these pieces and scales soon so that not only can she perform in school but also raise her standard so we can push on to grade 4. It would be nice if we were heading towards grade 5 when she leaves (name of School).

I don't really mind when she does grades as long as she wants to do them and is enjoying her playing but its a bit weird just after chatting to dd about it (who may have got the wrong end of the stick I guess)

We're NCOing in Barnes this time Green - you'll know us by the circus level racket we make as we attempt to move the pedal harp - both DD and I are, how shall I put it, 'natural leaders' (bossy) and tend to yank said harp in opposite directions.

Last year was at RAH which isn't as grand as it sounds Prada - up several floors and in a side room (I was desperately hoping it was on the stage ...!!). Sounds like a good plan to do it in a less busy wek for you.

👏👏 at drummersmum's boy's "hands"

For those of you embarking on entrance exams, music auditions and the likes...I wish you all huge success in your outcomes! Stressful times I know but also immensely proud times as your DC rise to the occasion...

Woolley: thats great news, it must have boosted her confidence and to me more motivation to practise. Regarding to this term exam, why not try to call ABRSM, there is an option of special visit(it must be more expensive I guess but you have choice)

Prada: is it in Barnes? We might bump into each other.

Fleur: great that miniFleur likes the school too

Thanks, we have missed the deadline to apply for Grade 3 this term then. Fine with me but wont fit with the teachers grand plans. I have just e mailed to check when she thinks dd is doing it

The bassoon is indeed a bargain, after the year of free lessons, we can continue to hire it for £20 a term if dd plays it in at least one ensemble. She is hoping within a term or two she can move up to the senior band with her clarinet so she can play bassoon in the Junior section but 3.5 hours playing may be a bit much (especially starting 15 minutes after an hour of school orchestra!)

Console yourself with the thought that bassoons are expensive to hire and to buy so even with the reed and book you're still getting a bargain.

woolley for Abrsm it was 30th September last online entry date. By post it was earlier, don't know the exact date.