October Music and Musicians Thread

When DD started piano age 6 she definitely needed me to have an input into her practice, same as reading. I had to sit down and remind her what to do, correct mistakes as I was sitting in lessons so I kept up with her. My DH always jokes that I am a musician who cannot play an instrument.

Now it is just a habit and I am being led by DD, she has days when she would practice when I am cooking, days when she sits me down at the opposite corner of the room so she can play for me and days like today when she asked me to sit next to her (on a chair) while she practised. I do make sure I pay proper attention at least twice a week to ensure she does do what the teacher asks.

I still sit in lessons and I guess now that she does a whole hour I can leave her there and come back and pick her up. I will wait for her to settle and then start the strategy.

I'm a great admirer of the Suzuki method. I taught my DC book 1 and 2 on the piano. What little children can do is sometimes beyond one's expectations!

Read drummers link on the train tonight, thanks for sharing it drummers. The fact is for us we have never had to work so hard and paying so much for academic( apart from paying tax) while we spend so much more time and money on music. My daughter told me that she is now the only violinist in her school Orchestra as other older kids are busy with preparing for 11+. I try to comfort her by saying that then she is now the "lead". She said "mum it isnt particularly fun when you dont have anyone else to follow you"

It is interesting to hear about other people and practising habits. I really meant very young children would need supervised practice in order to improve - certainly my two aged five and six would not have been able to carry much information home with them without parental input. But then the Suzuki method is heavily dependent on parental input anyway.

I am interested in hearing about children who are self motivated. My two were definitely NOT self motivated in the beginning, although the older one is now extremely keen. It must be great to have a child who actually wants to practice.

Though Erlkonig is probably not as bad as La Campanello. I shall have a look at the score.

gilly I once asked my teacher about La Campanella. She said how much time have I got. Well, not enough. I shall stick to feasible pieces.

Ha, another one here, who is far behind compared to other children on here, but who is actually also one of the most "advanced" in her year 9, with here grade .....4....Maybe difference is that she DOES NOT practise every day,

never

Of course you can, it's a slow process. It just takes a long time and with music there is no cutting corners.

I'm so addicted to Schubert's at the moment but there is no hope in hell of being able to play it... :(

never

He teaches Saxophone mainly but has dabbled in clari and flute, though not really a flute player.
Any instrument for jazz impro though as it's the same on any instrument. He wouldn't dream of trying to teach specific instrumental technique on an instrument he doesn't play well.
All ages and levels from complete beginner to students returning from conservatoires around the world.

My parents both don't have this kind of musical knowledge either. I think we always practised on our own.

And I don't read with my DC either apart from the very early days. God those books were dull! I was so happy when they could read more interesting things and we could talk about them. Perhaps that's why the music teachers were very excited when they started playing "proper" music!

I think I've convinced myself to ditch the learner piano books for DS2 and go for something else now ...

Wow, this thread moves SO fast! And so good to see new faces too.

DD (13) Y8 plays violin (G8), piano (G7) and sings (G5). And swims. A lot.

Thankfully no exams here this term, just lots of juggling of ensembles x 5, lovely pieces to master and continuation of studies/2nd movements etc to improve technical skills.

I may be a lone wolf on the practicing with parent present/alone when young age. We are a non-musical family and both us parents in the early days worked until late, so practice was always non-accompanied (with listening from a distance if I was in). I do understand the reading analogy, but hands up, only read to her at night when she was very young.

But, I do love a good concert, be it impromptu at home or formal at school, and have a decent ear even though my music reading days are long behind me.

Great link Drummersmum. It's sad to see extra curricular such as music not given the same level of respect as core academic subjects.

gillybeanz What does your DH teach?

I play the piano and have only started to play with other people in my grand old age. I must say I've always enjoyed playing on my own ... But I'm quite unsociable!

What a brilliant start to a new thread, lots of new posters, or one's I've just missed before
Dh teaching today, why can't pupils show up at designated times? Just answered the door to a man who is 15 mins early, we have no waiting room.
luckily he is a Doctor and we have a hospital very close, so he's gone there for a cuppa. I bet he's late back and tea is always around 7.30 on a Monday Arghhhh, I'll be starving getting on to 8pm.

Anyway, have to agree with Waffle but will add, even the most dedicated aren't being pushed to complete exams and grade 5 theory isn't really that important tbh.
I find it hard getting my head round this and expected that the school would be very exam and assessment orientated, I couldn't have been further from the truth.
Continual assessment/ exams seems the main focus from most teachers and I appreciate there are different reasons for this. It becomes difficult to shift this focus when it has always been the default you are used to.

Hi, thanks for the new thread. As a quick intro I have ds (7) who plays double bass and does a bit of recorder and singing. He doesn't really do grades but might do a grade 1 for experience next term. He has started doing ensemble playing and is getting to grips with that just now.

In response to callmeadoctor's post - I don't think it matters whether high grades are achieved at an early age, it's more what you can get out of an interest music for life as a hobby or as an audience member.

string

Aw, thanks for the suggestion but she's nowhere near on clarinet, not been playing long and it's a bit of a side study to keep her going until end of 6th form, just slow progress. She doesn't really have time for regular practice but will do it in bits every now and again.
I think she was being silly, maybe testing me for a reaction. Or she has seen/ heard her friends practising for the orchestra.

DC go to a music school on Saturday and I was initially intending that they don't do music in school ... After all, it's not a bad thing to have something that's not to do with school. But DS1 has got himself involved in all kinds of musical things in school (classical and non-classical) and DS2 has got himself into definitely non-classical stuff in school... I don't really care (!) as long as they continue at the Saturday school.

goodness! That is true commitment.

What is a talent development session?

The dc's violin teacher has talked to us about NC orchestra but she said that it is quite a big jump to spending a week away without parents. I am not sure DS is ready. What are the experiences of those on the thread?

Humphrey, so with you on the price of rural living. Next weekends talent development session is 2 hours (including a ferry) each way.....

It is so nice to read about all your children. I definitely agree that it is not a race to the top. Music brings its own rewards at whatever level you are playing.

DH supervises all practice. It never ceases to amaze us how many people we know are willing to pay for music lessons and then leave practice entirely up to a young child. No one would do that with reading.

We are now having a where do we send the oldest to school dilemma. The nearest excellent comp sadly has a music dept obsessed with popular music which is FINE, but not only that, surely? We might get him to audition for the Junior Conservatoire in Cardiff next summer, but that means one of us giving up every saturday and driving a fair distance. Still, that is the price of rural living.

"Master of the misguided practice session" I think there might be a contender to that title in my house...

Now I know how tall not-so-mini-Howabout is I am taking even more notice of her! I quoted her wise words about practice not being a mini concert to DS2, who looked daggers at me. Then again, he is the master of the misguided practice session!
I think in this house Year 9 is instrument grade 5. Year 10 is the year mum makes you take your grade 5 theory exam. Actually, I think DS2 will get there sooner but that's because I know more about these things now!
I don't know about the ABRSM average but I'd be chuffed if I got to grade 8 before retirement!

Yes Drummer, school are fab and have asked her to perform at special events.