November Music Thread

And to you too congratulations drummersmum!!

Prada many congratulations for the wins!

Festival update: well she's learned a Gershwin prelude for precisely 2 weeks and had a go with it today. Got great feedback. Also got 2 X 1st and 2 X 2nd. She actually won 15yrs and under including playing the same polonaise as another entrant. In fact she fared better against the older entrants than the younger ones - which is fair enough given that she was mostly playing g7. She got a lovely rose bowl trophy for 15 and under. She's well chuffed tonight!

Green - how funny, miniprada is also likely to do the London chess at Olympia. Her school entered for the first time last year. She had great fun. She's board two for her school. Her best mate is board one and really fantastic at chess. They play each other a lot!!

Good luck with the prep for the exams everyone!

neverever that sounds very exciting. I just read something about the second half of our lives should be devoted to culture and creativity.
Thanks everyone for all the fingers you have crossed. I wish results didn't take so long.
Alexandra omg I know the Elgar cellist. It's got to be her. She played Elgar at a festival this weekend. She's one of DS best and oldest friends, her mum's my best friend. I have outed myself so much on this thread ha ha.

Waffle 3 instruments is very very difficult. We are really struggling.

Loose I don't know quite how it will go but it's quite interesting.

Thanks Loose and Fleur, I didnt know there was an option, didnt realise it was 2016 book. We were given for free the G5 books. We will probably go for it whatever state we are, a not so great result would be an awaken call that we should respect it better and for her to understand that (hard) work is needed

I help to run a lovely festival in S Manchester, info here:

www.hmyf.org.uk

Never yes, could be compromising! But sounds fun and hope it goes well!

Loose It's a piano quintet. Slightly unusual piece so if I tell you I'm going to have to shoot you.

Only kidding. It is an unusual piece and I don't want to out myself if anyone in the quintet is reading. (Not sure why ...)

Green if you postpone MiniGreen can definitely do the same pieces from the 15/16 syllabus in March (that was what I opted for.) DS2 loves swing pieces - he's already decided on the one he's playing for G4 whenever he ends up taking it! At the moment he's doing another couple of C pieces to broaden his scope a bit before trying something from the other lists. Problem is, he loves Bow Chikka Wow Wow so much he doesn't want to play the other pieces!
Never exciting! what are you going to play?

But I have plans to play some chamber music myself. V. excited.

Dropped off my active threads list!

But I have nothing to say apart from that I too am exhausted ...

Green even if you postpone the piano exam your DD can still take it in March, I think the pieces are still valid till the march session. With regards to festivals I see it as an alternative to exams, DD isn't taking grade 4 but will be entered with a grade 4 level piece in that class for the benefit of performing and getting the feedback.

drummers fingers crossed for a great result!

Prada good luck with the festival, it sounds like miniprada is enjoying it and this is what matters.

Alexandra I love the panda eyes comment, that would so be me.

And I played piano for them without charging so they had no accompaniment expenses - that's true if you are playing a pianist it mounts up. Hoping to enter ds for under 7 strings next time, but he might have other ideas...

I put some students into our local festival last year for the first time and thought it was a great way to get feedback and experience without the pressure of a grade exam. The judge was very constructive and they enjoyed it despite not being confident performers in general. Compared to the price of an exam it was cheap and run on a shoe string by volunteers.

Alex, will look for panda eyes ha ha ha, you prob see another match too:)
Prada: we find 60s swing is fun and quicker to learn(but not easier). I love all the 3 pieces, I dont like seeing/hearing scales and try to pretend very hard that I like them. I have a medium competitive child, she doesnt hate competition although she might not be the first to raise her hand. We havent had any competition done in the past so lets see how things changing for her. (We have Olympia chess competition coming in Dec, however year 4 and only learnt to play for more than a year and never have anyone else to play with(both of us cant play), we have set our expectation very low).
Waffle all, glad to hear that they are not just "competition", I was hoping for it too. There are about 3 happening around my area and the earliest is in April when register is happening in Jan. I dont want to think about the cost yet, if its violin then def accompaniment and its usually at least £50/hour including rehearsal on the day and waiting etc. If its piano only then it might be just the fee. Time off from work for pick and drop etc. But we are very looking forward to participating into one.

Quickly trying to catch up with thread!
Drummers fingers crossed for a top result, which I think it will be!
The festivals sound great and good luck to all the DCs. I definitely agree with Prada that sometimes you have to judge the moment if DCs seem to be getting exhausted - that goes for any activities.
Waffle I am not surprised Rara is a bit ground down this time of year. I have noticed it with DS2 and he only has two instruments, not three. (He said if he did a wind instrument it would be bassoon or saxophone, but I'm not exactly pushing him to decide any day soon. The practice for two instruments is demanding enough!)

One down on the G8's drummers, 2 more to go (if I remember rightly?), fingers x'd for him on fab results!

We'd love to do more festivals if time allowed. DD did a couple in junior school in her quartet and the feedback was really lovely and constructive

I also agree, it is far more than paying to play. I also agree it's not right for everyone, it wasn't for my DD as she grew older, despite winning. She still liked the group categories though.

Green - I agree with Waffle about the feedback. I have a robust child who takes constructive criticism in her stride. She is also at a school which is inherently competitive. There was more than one child on Saturday who cried because they didn't win. Festivals are no place for children who are shy or sensitive or most importantly, don't enjoy performing.

Miniprada dropped out of category yesterday to concentrate on the 4 she has today. She was knackered and not in the right frame of mind. As a parent you have to know when to say no I think. I have a feeling she will pull out of one of one category today as the piece genuinely is not ready. The other three she has a fair chance with though. We'll see.

Next week she is tackling the piano. I think we'll have to get rid of two of them as she has pretty much forgotten them. She is doing 60's swing though as it is a really lovely piece. I hope minigreen is enjoying it!

Fleur: its after. To be honest, piano is very lonely instrument and for a nearly 9 years old recognition and fun are still the main drivers for practice. Violin gives her more fun as she plays with her friends in Orchestra and opportunity to perform in front of audiences to be recognised. Without an exam then mine would easily drop piano so I am glad there is something there.

I'll have to call and enquire about certain classes in our festival, I think DD will enter just two classes, a sonatina and a grade 4 class.

Green is your exam before or after ours on the 26th? You are right, sometimes we have to roar!