November Music Thread

I ended up teaching cursive to the children at home, as they weren't taught it at school. They both write in cartridge pen too - and it looks beautiful. No cartridge pen refills here so we have to send back to the UK for them!

I'm very stuck for Christmas present ideas this year for them both. Are there any fab mail order places in the UK that do music themed gifts? Or Doctor who?

I seem to spend an inoderinate amount on pencils. We use them for music so they get spread far and wide - and the dog loves to chew any he can find!

Oops, forgot the link
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0198744447/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_13?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

It seems like it is virtually impossible to keep up with this thread! It is moving too fast

Meantime, I was reading one of the violin groups on fb and came across mentioning of Paul Harris (remember the books like "Improve your sight reading"/"Improve your scales", etc?). He has some other interesting titles.... The whole lot can be found here
www.amazon.co.uk/Paul-Harris/e/B0034OM8IQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

but some of the books that caught my attention are

Improve Your Theory! Grade 5
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0571538657/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

The Virtuoso Teacher
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/057153676X/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

The Practice Process
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0571538339/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

Simultaneous Learning
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0571538681/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

This book may be of some interest to disorganisedmummy
Music, Language and Autism: Exceptional Strategies for Exceptional Minds
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1849051976/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_12?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE
I looked at preview-apparently 1 in 20 autistic children has perfect pitch, which is much higher than in general population. The author of the book is a piano teacher and specialist in teaching children with special needs, particularly blind.

And finally, should I ask Father Christmas for this book?.... Content seem quite interesting, but the price

Just popping in to quickly wish happy birthday to your DS Loose! didn't read anything else so I'll catch up on the thread tomorrow.

Harpburg: ha ha ha

This is what I got today(bonus with a new diary), hopefully more practice tonight!

hapsburg

For stationery addicts I recommend cult pens website...nothing to do with music but very lovely!

Drummer - great presents esp from the masterclass!

hapsburg I love that website thanks!
loose happy birthday to DS1 . DS' birthday is early next week. I didn't realize they were so close in age.
DS presents list this year:

• a whole new set of mallets (marimba, timpani and xylophone) and drum sticks from us.
• a new ride cymbal from grandparents set 1
• a drumming 1-2-1 masterclass with chosen jazz drummer from grandparents set 2.

Love it hapsburg

Following her lesson this week I printed this out for DD www.throwcase.com/2014/10/27/student-has-amazing-breakthrough-by-doing-what-teacher-says/
Admittedly she has been practising much more diligently since the lesson (it is more the quality than the quantity that is the issue!) but I will file this as I'm sure it will need to come out again soon!!

Sent too fast!

I didnt even notice that she was still on pencil even the other day I just sharpened a whole box for her. It is similar to cleaning/cooking/tidying things that we do routinely and dont question why we are doing it(hopefully it wasnt translated as if she was being neglected ). Eventually they will use computer(or what ever in their generation) anyway. About stationery, everyone here has now inspired me and I made a decision of getting her some ink pens from JL today(in Canarywharf there isnt other stationery shop). And her hand writting isnt the neatest(although better than mine so I dont complain for a change)

Icould

Loose: happy birthday to your elder son. Its wonderful starting a birthday in good mood. Hopefully he is spoiled by everyone today!

Prada: that is a great feeling isnt it even for just that 4mins or something performance it has taken days/years of hardwork and dedication(forgetting about the cost)

icouldbe

In this house we refer to it as 'shall we have a girl's look' or 'shall I use mummy eyes' when things are draaaaaaamatically lost!

Icouldbe oh how true! Normally I ration them to one 'have you seen my...' per day.
I'm really impressed with your DH doing jazz piano grades. I think DS2 would enjoy that at some stage but we'll plough on with the usual grades until he's older!

Loose In our house this is known as "man looking". If something is under or behind something it renders it invisible to the male of the species.

DS was not a Lamy fan (scratchy nib and didn't hold enough ink) but is a fountain pen convert with a TWSBI mini. It has proved to be one of my better purchase decisions following from a school project on reducing waste. Gone are the days of doing the shopping to have to go out again two days later for a £6 pack of whatever pen he's on this month. I buy a large bottle of ink every two years and that's it done. DS says that a fountain pen is easier to write with because you don't have to push it as hard and he's never had any problems despite being a leftie.

I was a bit disappointed with the shimmering sparkly ink though (yes, I am 12) as it clogged the feed.

Musical content - DH has G2 jazz piano in the next couple of weeks. It's been lovely to listen to him play (unlike G8 which was an exercise in frustration)

Good luck WhatHave - we've got theory as well. Honestly don't know if DS1 ready or not but he seems to think he is!
Thanks for his birthday wishes - he isn't exactly mini as he looms over me! It's a good job we have to be nice to him today - yesterday he vowed he couldn't find his Oyster card anywhere at all and today I walked into his room and it was on his bedside table, just slightly obscured by a plate covered in empty snack wrappers!!

DD (14yo) has her G5 Theory next week and despite a wobble over Half Term seems happy with the way things are going.

Next term is G4 Piano and a singing exam. Not sure what grade this will be as she's only been having lessons for a term. I think her teacher is thinking of G3. Does that seem about right?

DS has decided on no more exams having moved up to high school and , changed piano teacher. Am happy to go along with him as he's progressing well.

Both my DC had Lamy pens at Primary but they're stuck in the drawer now

Great result, congratulations to minishakyisles!

Happy birthday to miniloose!

Mourning the days of the lovely Lamy pen...now abandoned for industrial packs of Bic pens. This is no daughter of mine

Arrgghhh,sorry posted twice!!

Stringchild,the audition is not until the Spring. They run between Feb-April. So we have plenty of time but I'm stressing out that there are gaps in his knowledge. I really need to sit down and work out a schedule for him.
When we look round Guildhall tomorrow we will ask about a pre audition assessment as they may feel he's not at the right standard yet anyway. I'm trying to prep him for any questions hey make ask him tomorrow but due to his Aspergers he just looked horrified! They know to expect this though so hopefully they won't push it.

I'm in awe of all your kids doing music festivals. We have asked ds if he'd like to do this to raise his performance platform but he doesn't want to do it yet so we'll leave it for now.

Happy birthday mini loose!

Stringchild - good luck to your DD! prelim exam for back up school next week then prelim exam for 1st/2nd choice later in the month. Next stage exams for the main contenders (depending upon prelim performance) in January. Fingers crossed for us all!

Had a proud mummy moment just now when miniprada was rehearsing with her school strings teacher (for political reasons she keeps her lesson at school although the teacher knows about the Russian teacher) and a couple of teachers came out of their classrooms to find out who was paying in the hall as miniprada was playing the G7 Mozart. They were stunned (good sign I think)

Stringchild,the audition is not until the Spring. They run between Feb-April. So we have plenty of time but I'm stressing out that there are gaps in his knowledge. I really need to sit down and work out a schedule for him.
When we look round Guildhall tomorrow we will ask about a pre audition assessment as they may feel he's not at the right standard yet anyway. I'm trying to prep him for any questions hey make ask him tomorrow but due to his Aspergers he just looked horrified! They know to expect this though so hopefully they won't push it.

I'm in awe of all your kids doing music festivals. We have asked ds if he'd like to do this to raise his performance platform but he doesn't want to do it yet so we'll leave it for now.