November Music Thread

Drummersmum - I'd love a thoughtful child who can make dinner! Mine can all use the microwave and the toaster .

Good luck hunting for the right JD/music school everyone. I agree it is difficult to predict these things as miniprada only showed potential at the end of year4 when we changed piano and violin teachers and then she flew.At the moment miniprada wakes at 6.30 and I've cured the luxurious shower issue by leaving an alarm on my phone which is set for 6.45 in her bathroom by which time she should be downstairs for breakfast with the phone. she then fits an hour of practice in every day bar the weekend when we might do more on Sundays and little on Saturday as she has a two hour piano/theory lesson. She has an hour lesson on the violin per week also.

my dd wanted to go to music school so she went in for an advice audition last May and she was offered a place at a specialist music school. She was pretty clear that she wanted to go and wanted to immerse herself in music.
So we made the move so she could be closer to school and to be a day pupil.
She absolutely loves it, she's gone from hating school to loving it (although she doesn't see it as school).
I think an advice audition is always handy for feedback even if the child (or parent has doubts) is not interested in attending music school.
I also think that the child will know whether the environment is right for them and the schools are pretty good at weeding out children who aren't completely passionate about music.

drummers I am impressed with your dinner offer, I wish mine would give me a break from cooking once a week.

Waffle Rara obviously found her instrument. It must be so satisfying seeing how motivated she is.

On the subject of schools we are lucky to have DS in a selective school which would qualify DD to go in on sibling rule. They have fantastic music opportunities. That doesn't mean there isn't a even better selective school in the area, DD will try for it as the music department is even better, but I will not lose sleep if she doesn't get in.

Practising: we all get home around 6,30-7 three days a week and at 3,30 two days a week. DD is with my ILs which means all she does is play between 4 and 6pm those three days. When we get home we have dinner, then 20 min some academic stuff (school homework or extra) and from 8-9 is music practice. Sometimes we don't do the academic stuff so she can have a more focused music practice if I feel there is a need for it and I am tired and can't be bothered to do extra maths with her Normally she's in bed at 9ish and reads for 10-15 min then goes down like a log.

Her bedtime is getting later and later but to be honest she wakes up at 7 every morning without any prompting and she reads for a bit again so I am not worried.

Welcome all new people!

Drummers - some of the category finalists also did JD and non-music school; in fact we know one and he (not cello) and his siblings are inspirational in how they have transitioned to the 'professional' world. Hence my baby steps and it is entirely possible we will put the whole thought on pause for a few years (maybe forever...?)

Waffle have you considered Saturday JD or are you too far? Just a reminder that a few recent BBC young musician winners (the two cellists) were attending regular comprehensives and church schools. But they all attended Saturday school though.

Mmmm neverever I may make that the next one.

I think the desire to attend specialist school has to come in a big measure from the child. When DH was young he was encouraged by his cello teacher to apply to the Menuhin school. He really thought about it but he loved his school at the time, his friends and he was very academic and not ready to dedicate the hours a day.

We have no grammar schools in our area but we have very good state schools so we are very lucky. :)

drummer You have just reminded me that it's been a long time since I've been offered fried eggs for breakfast by DS2. Must remind him so he doesn't forget how to do it. Took me hours of heart attack teaching and supervising him when he was younger.

Waffle when Ds was much younger his teacher suggested looking at a specialist music school or JD. We didn't, he was very young and it seemed to be a big step to be taking. He looked at JD more recently and backed out once he realised it would mean saying goodbye to Saturday. Music is a big thing in his life but it's not the only thing. I am happier now with the decisions we took when he was ten than I was at the time.

I should add, I'm not a fan of selective education as a system, but one or two of the super-selectives appeared to have really great music facilities! So, what I mean is it is understandable sometimes to wonder 'what if' even when you're actually happy with what you've got! At the same time, we're very lucky because our borough is a music hub and there's a very good private music centre practically on my doorstep!

Waffle I do sympathize! We're not in an 11+ area but adjacent to a couple with super-selective intake and with DS2 I sometimes wonder if we should have gone the tutoring route and at least tried the tests, but he was keen not to and seems very happy at his new school. Unless he has a marked personality change he will do very well there academically but will have to be resigned to getting most of his orchestral experience outside school! I love the school band, but it isn't an orchestra as such and not even an 'orchestra'!

Long showers and eternal teeth brushing, oh yes!!! I once asked - years ago, obviously now I can't ask a 14 year old boy what he's doing in the bathroom - and he said it's the best place to think and let your mind wonder. There must be something about standing in front of a mirror, a kind of mental self-dialogue? I think it's a lost battle.

waffle your local school sounds too good to be true. You're also prioritizing things that are very important, her happiness and the convenience. See how it goes and you always have time to reevaluate in a couple years time.

Waffle don't panic - it really does sound as though the secondary school is on its game. if Goo changes her mind you could look into 13+ entry as well as sixth form, perhaps?
Green your DD must have been taking lessons from my DS2 - we can't believe how long he can spend in the bathroom at showertime and had to ban him from taking books in there (especially after a small library started mounting up in there). He also dawdles in the playground on the way home!
Drummers your DS is truly a star - I dream of the day when I hear a youthful cry of dinner's ready instead of me saying will someone please set the table!

We don't have grammar schools in our area, the nearest is in Kent about one hour drive, but I know people who move houses because of grammar schools. Which also makes me feel miserable as I don't feel deep inside it is a right thing to do (in our situation) but on the other hand I think-what if...?
But at least Saturday music schools in London are withing an affordable commuting distance from us, so we are not in too bad position after all, are we? Not that there are immediate plans to get into one, but who knows.....

stringchild ds is also hoping for under 12s but it's so competitive I'm not particularly hopeful. Good luck with the advice audition. Ds regularly asks about going to music school instead but as they are all miles away from where we live I've told him he should wait a few years and see then if it's still what he thinks he wants ( and if he's good enough by then). Luckily his school is pretty good on the music front and his teacher seems convinced that he's doing more than enough, I hope so. But wafflenosei know what you mean I do feel guilty/ worry on a regular basis that I am somehow standing in his way

Drummers - oh lucky you!!

Waffle - as with many things, i sort of accept that there is no right or wrong on these things. I hope Saturday will go well, and then we can just use the advice audition as a new source of feedback. ps 4 languages in year 7 is a luxury!

Green - we too don't have time to practice in the mornings and we live 5mins from school!!!

Greenleave, as I didn't follow last thread-what happened to your violin teacher?

drummersmum, oh, what a star!

My daughter got home around 4.30 everyday(they usually stop at the playground everyday as its between school and my house and she could never resist it not mentioning her toddler sister). Getting change then a quick snack is already 5pm. There is only 1 hour everyday and she doesnt realise she has this an hour as its then her play time in the garden or drawing, playing(8 yrs old and still plays with a 2 yrs old toys), reading. She wakes up between 7.30-7.45 so there is never any free time in the morning. Once I got home around 6.30-7.00 then it was a quick dinner. After putting her toddler sister to bed quickly then its usually nearly 8pm. And we are both exhausted, feeling lazy by then. I put in my schedule yesterday of 30mins practice either instrument daily and already find it challenging. I feel terrible when wanted to tell her that there is only 24hours a day and you cant spend 45mins in the bathroom brushing your teeth(a shower is 1hour). I have everyone in this household (except me) bring their book to the loo and I never see them out again awggg!!!

We had a first violin lesson last night with a new teacher and she came to us(her major is viola and she doesnt seem to be as experienced/good as our previous one). Its an easy option for us right now as I dont have to bring her to anywhere. At least I have someone keepping her going on with her violin for now until I could find/come up with a better solution

Wafflenose, I know that feeling - you know what is right for your child, and yet, you read about someone's experience and wonder... But I think we should trust our parental instincts.... I remember I decided not to apply to one very popular primary school as I didn't feel it would be right for my dd, I just could not visualize her there. And yes, 5 years on, I know I was right. But of course I was thinking - do I do the right thing?