October Music and Musicians Thread

Thank you Alexandra for the Eb clarinet info, I guess DD is attracted to the piccolo as it is so tiny and cute. I'll let her know that there is a cute clarinet out there also.

Is there a way to find out where is the nearest NCO audition to me and their local children orchestra? Just for the future record.

Green -dd only did g2 the term before she got into under 10s. Lots of children don't take grades at all.from the website, some London venues are full but not all of them - I would call them tomorrow as offend there are cancellations too.

Prada - well done to Mini! DD passed her first pre-audition but we have some months to go yet.

Prada: the card is for me as it suits me now hahaha. The reason because when I read about miniPrada and Goo are going to NCO then I was thinking: should we also try? I eveb had no idea what is NCO and what does it do? The pushy mom award should go to me. This morning we spoke about it and I said you have a chance to have a week away from home with other children. Then I had a million nods and massive grin. I although had to tell her that this only for a feedback to understand where we are compare to similar age children playing the instrument. Many other children might have been working hard for it hence deserve more. She agreed!

Mending: you are welcome!
TRL: We live in a terrace with small garden with 2 girls and most of the times we feel like we cant manage. I cant imagine how could you do it! I have made a decision to pay more for the silence system with our piano and it turns out great. The other day I was putting our 2 yrs old to bed and our lovely old lady neighbor knocked the door asking if we dont play after 7pm(she wasnt even playing by then). Had I have a harp and a double bass then we might have to move
Loose: love the take away, I am sick of cooking and cleaning sometimes and a take away is heaven( to be honest I dont even cook much, I am just tired-lazy). When is your concert? Are you playing with one of the boys?goodluck with the new drum lesson.
Our violin teacher got back to us and asking is it a mistake that she thought London auditions have closed. I havent received the confirmation email so our teacher might be right, hahaha. Not too sure why NCO let us pay. We decided if there is an audition then we will go with the 2 that we just did with our Orchestra. There might be never in the NCO history there is a child to play a grade 3 piece for an audition hahaha, hopefully it isnt too embarrassed.

Alex missed your news on principal clarinet... Huge congrats to your DS

Welcome Mendingfences!

Thank you Waffle about piccolo clarification. I guess is something to leave for later, much later that is

Dd 8, yr 4, is preparing to take g1 clarinet, G3 violin and g1 theory. She also sings in a couple of choirs.

Can i join you?
I've got three small(ish) musicians in the house, dd1 (10) plays violin, dd2 (8) plays flute and ds (6) percussion. i tried in vain to get him intetested in a smaller instrument, his first choice was tuba and his second double bass......

We're not in the uk so no grades but dd1 is in a talent development program and working on some Vivaldi in her lessons, and the other two seem to be following in her footsteps progress wise.

This terms performances have already started, dd2 was first two weeks ago, dd1 tomorrow and ds next wednesday, but as far as i know thats it until the Christmas season starts.

Aww thanks everyone. It is a selective faith state , the music just pushes her up the list making it more likely to get a place. We'll see what she decides....

Green - I bought the card in WHSmith (assuming you didn't mean it was me on the card )

Wow, to miniPrada - so well done!

Greenleave: there was a truly hideous time when DD1 wanted to play double bass as her second instrument along with the harp ... there was just NO way! We can only fit the harp, a driver and 2 children in the car at the same time so everyone has to zipcard around already. Maybe I should go with the whole flute idea simply on grounds of transportation but not till after 11+ as we're struggling to stay afloat with h/w and practice at the mo and I think the whole family pack of cards would collapse with another instrument to fit in.

Alex: wonderful news on the clarinet head and yes, main Orchestra is like a far distant dream to us, a goal for one day!!!
Prada: I am tired of congratulating miniPrada daily . (Only joking). The fact is I need one of the card you gave your friend the other day please!!
TRL: I have just sat down and felt knackered then reading your post I feel like my day has been nothing to compare. And a cello, plus a harp?

Well done to MiniPrada - that is fantastic news! Also absolutely in awe of TRL. And lovely to hear about Alexandra's boy and I think we're on the same page with the free spiritedness!
Well, I am glad to report that after a week of insane amounts of practice (i.e what I should be doing if it wasn't for DCs, excuses and deadlines!) I can now play one of my grade 4 pieces (the one for the concert) without hesitation or deviation and even without looking at the music! And I can nearly play Indian Pony Race really fast. So I am now enjoying and we've ordered a takeaway!

Congratulations to miniprada on the scholarship place. It must be a great confidence builder.

Well done miniprada! And also well done Alexandra's The Boy! Sounds like he will pursue a musical career?

Also forgot to say, next time I moan about organising 1 (one) DDs music practice, between academics and sports I will also think of TRL having 5 DCs doing music.

Prada great news and well done re music scholar place! Is that a grammar or a state with music specialism?

TRL you have 5 kids and all doing music?

Ps forgot to say thank you waffle!

New thread

Miniprada is 10 and is aiming for G6 piano and G7 violin in a special visit in December but we'll see as we are heading into indie school application territory ....

We have our NCO audition next Thursday at the RAH. She will play the G5 pieces well rather than the G7 not quite finished... I've learned that from this thread
Green - good luck to minigreen. we did it last year but I was very new to all of this so possibly she should've gone for the G3 pieces not the Reiding concerto which possibly was a stretch too far at the time. This year we are aiming for regionals if we can get a place. National would be lovely but she will be up against fierce competition. Definitely playing in the local orchestra has helped no end with sight reading which was an issue last year.

In other news she has just won a music scholar place (17 only) from the audition she cocked up last week so that's great. A confidence boost before next week anyway.

Happy October everyone!

Thanks Waffle.

DS2, 13 and Y9, is entered for Grade 7 piano this term.. He is also around Grade 6 on clarinet and 6-7 on trombone, and a Chorister. We are just filling in an application for NYO Inspire workshops and residential. He plays in numerous school groups, County orchestra and Youth Concert Band.

DD is 16, learns piano for fun, plays Bari Sax in bands. She has also just started learning Sax.

And my DS1 who is 18 has just added his trombone to the very large pile of boxes waiting to go to with him to uni tomorrow!

Loose obviously it's a couple of years since DSs GCSE, but totally second the Grade 5 piece really well played. Ensemble piece was a duet with his teacher here.

Waffle do you know anything about the piccolo? DD keeps admiring her clarinet teacher's one. I wonder if it is hard to learn by herself once she has some experience on clarinet and what resources are there.

Next time I add up how expensive DD's activities are and her instruments etc I will read TRL list of instruments that are played in her household and I am sure I will not complain again. Good luck with the 11+ prep TRL or the lack of it we are in the same boat, I keep amending priorities, practice or 11+, each week they keep swapping.

Petra - love it!

Waffle, can't quite believe it's October already ....

I have DS1 (13) who plays bassoon and cello plus composes and sings, DS2 (11) who plays violin, oboe and sings, DD1 (10) who plays harp and sings (and is desperate to take up flute), DS3 (6) who plays cello and piano and DD2 (4) who is doing kodaly/eurythmics at Guildhall on Sats.

No-one will take any grades this term, but DD1 is preparing for music auditions: NCO, NYHO and for music scholarships. She's also entering for a local Young Musicians competition and performing in the school concert to help practise for the scholarship auditions. She's pretty cool about it all whereas I'm an anxious heap already. (And don't even ask me about the academic 11+ prep we're just not managing to fit in!)