November Music Thread

Came across this book-
"The Music Parents' Survival Guide: A Parent-To-Parent Conversation"

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0199837147/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_128?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

Did anyone read it?

We found mymusictheory website was really helpful and they sell photocopied practise papers however it might be too late for the coming week exam. Best of luck everyone!
I read miniWaffle and miniFleur practise spirit and I am full with envy. Mine still happily never practises if not being nagged. I got home tonight and tried to remind her about piano practice, then I had someone brushed her teeth and spent time in the loo for nearly the whole 45mins when I performed bedtime routine for our toddler. I am now sitting by myself in the dark kitchen writting the next 6 weeks daily plan grrrr!

Icouldbe that is exactly what I'm concerned about with DS2. So far they've been great and authorised absences for all sorts of things. But I think it will be best to fly under the radar when possible!

TheSecond did you come across the Quizlet app during last year's GCSE revision slog? There are ready made card sets for G5 theory if he has (or can borrow) a smart phone.

Glad I've found the new thread.

1 week until the theory exam for DS2.

Icouldbe he sounds really busy this season! School should be supportive, anything else is old, stone age thinking .

Only DS composing takes two forms. One, with jazz piano, because it includes improvisation, it really opens up their musical imagination and sometimes he will start improvising a solo at home and branch out into a new piece, or kind of. I really recommend jazz for this reason. The other is more classical composition and is through school. They have a visiting composer (quite well known!) who meets a small handful of students a few times a year on a 1-2-1 basis. A task is set, then feedback is given in the meetings and this year they will put on a concert of their compositions. It is a very unique and truly precious opportunity for him. Not to mention helpful for music GCSE.

Fleur Minifleur could already at her level start freely playing melodies that come to her head at the piano, changing them, or inspired from the pieces she's learning, etc and having fun then show her teacher who would give advice. DS started coming up with stuff at your DD's age, he would notate it by hand on a stave and call them names or just Prelude number x, etc. As her piano is becoming harder work and she sounds so disciplined and dedicated, this could bring a new element of freedom.

DS's school is very supportive of music studying and they take it seriously, I mentioned before, they offer all the 1-2-1 lessons for free once you chose music GCSEs and a levels. Unfortunately DS is not interested in music but we have hopes of DD going there so she'd benefit of it if still interested in music.

She is back to becoming a famous pianist tonight. I didn't have the heart to tell her how competitive the world of music is. But hey whatever makes them happy.

drummers composing sounds so good! Please tell us your experience going forward, I'd like to get DD into composing but I don't even know where to start. Her piano teacher said she'll teach her some basics but she's not great at it.

We're doing hard practice in this house, I am very proud of DD's efforts, what she does in piano is really hard but she seems to do ok and work really hard to achieve what is set.

Clarinet exam prep seems to be ready, just the arpeggios are a bit wobbly sometimes when the clarinet squeaks and she gets angry and keeps blowing. Not all the time though, thank God!

Raspberry the challenge with school was that the performing arts department loved him and were proud of his achievements but the rest of the school seemed to think that his music was a bit of fluff that was in danger of interfering with exam performance in "real" subjects like history. It didn't matter that he was/is planning on studying music at university (maybe conservatoire), in school terms music does not have the same weight as other subjects. During Y11 they did find out how many hours a week he spent playing and I spent the rest of the year dealing with the fallout. It would have been a much easier year if they'd been kept in the dark all the way through.

Bassoon - lovely instrument. We had one over the summer and it was beautiful to look at and a source of continuing wonder as DS found out the same key did multiple things depending on how/where you depressed it. It was also a pig when it refused to come apart and had to spend the night in the garage (teacher's recommendation) and then the airing cupboard which fixed it (all hail Google).

Icouldbe good advice indeed re school and I shall follow it with DS in Y9!

I have DD in Y12 who plays alto and Bari Sax in school and in three bands out of school. She also learns clarinet and piano for fun.

DS2 is almost 14 but is hanging on to his choristership as his voice has not yet changed. He has Grade 7 piano in 4 weeks. Also plays trombone and clarinet to around Grade 6, but doesn't do grades at present! He is going for an NYO Inspire residential next year, we should hear by the end of the month. Also plays in bands in and out of school.

I also have DS1 who has just taken his trombone and tuba to uni and having a great time with them there.

Thanks for a great thread Waffle.

Woolley DD2 started on a mini bassoon with 2 others, but grew more quickly than they did and had to move to individual lessons when she changed to the bigger bassoon. She was about the same height as it when she started with it, but is now taller than the bassoon!

wave to other bassoon parents - one here too!

Just wanted to chime in and say this is also my favourite place on mumsnet and to express my great excitement at drummersmum's DS and his composing experiences! Do let us know how he gets on and very best of luck with the drumkit exam!
ICouldBe at your poor DH last year, bet he has learned his lesson!

Doubleup, we will be asking for bassoon advice! Second lesson went well, only three of them today, one seemed to have practiced hard in the break as dd has and one appeared not to have practiced at all!

No new notes, and we are to practice two tunes which dd has already been playing but she came out positive having had good advice on how to improve how she holds the instrument etc.

Clarinet pieces are at a phase where she is enjoying them so we will practice that more this week.

Ah November, the annual march for the Remembrance Service followed more or less immediately by the start of the Christmas season. Last year saw my husband having his chestnuts roasted over an open fire not once but twice because he'd not put all the band engagements on the calendar and so DS (16) found himself double booked. I stepped right back out of that one and let DH sort it out himself so I suspect that he'll be making more of an effort this year to keep the calendar up to date.

DS plays with two brass bands, a youth brass band, the county wind band, two groups at music centre and will appear for anyone who finds themselves short of a player for a concert. Christmas is a band's harvest and there are only so many playing opportunities in the six weeks up to the 24th so there's something on every weekend. The last time I counted he played 31 times on the run up to Christmas (there were some days with three jobs). That was a couple of years ago and I took the decision to stop counting them so I could plead ignorance if school ever asked.

He's started A levels this year and it's a fresh start at college where they don't wear uniform so I will have no problems this year keeping up with the supply of white shirts for concerts. We have decided to use the same approach that worked through secondary school which is tell them nothing that they don't need to know because it only makes them start fretting about their exam results.

That's me covered until January, just as well because all I'll be doing until then is making sure all the white shirts are washed and checking that everyone has been fed appropriately before they vanish out of the door.

Hi, I found the October thread and thought I might join you for November. I have DD1 (13) who plays oboe and sax and DD2 (9) on bassoon and guitar. Grade 5 sax and theory this term for the eldest and just had a bassoon free half term after NCO audition. Nice to see another bassoonist on here!

Thanks Waffle, cant believe we have now got to the monthly one.

I have an 8 yrs old, plays violin and piano. We are having piano exam this term however practice peak hasnt happened yet. Things usually are rushed at the last minutes in this house hold so I am pretending that I am calm in the mean time.

Opposite from you Only who is doing so well on practical side, we are more afraid of practical exams. Mine had although found theory very interesting, I have no idea how did she learn it neither her teacher

I also follow this thread religiously. I have dd 8 grade 3 violin, grade 1 clarinet and theory. these threads are a great source of advice and wealth of experience

Ooh new thread? Don't mind if I do...

Thanks waffle! Agree this thread is a little bit of what I would consider to be the 'true spirit' of the original intention of mumsnet - support and non-judgemental advice.

Miniprada is 10 and is possibly going for G7 violin this term and G6 piano or we might hold off until the new year as we have to concentrate on 11+ entrance exams and audition pieces. She has a music festival the month

disorganised

I think it's important that your ds is in a school that supports him, it's worth its weight in gold.
we know that no schools round here would provide good music lessons nor offer the kind of support that dd has atm.
It's a difficult balance but junior Guildhall will be a great opportunity fo him, I'm sure he'll be fine.

DD has just started scales for this years assessment. She knows all the ones to grade 8, level 1 at her school. Now for level 2 she has to do other type of scales and harmony, jazz scales and chords.
Next years look really hard and are level 3 equivalent to 1st year undergrad
She says it's hard as once your fingers are used to normal scales you have to undo it all again and your fingers want to follow what they are used to.
Please don't anyone ask me what they are as I haven't got a clue
All I know is they get harder every year, like you'd expect I suppose.

only- omg I'm so sorry. I will check my in box as soon as I'm home.

drummersmum is your ds studying composition? dd's teacher mentioned that there is smth we may need to consider in a future as dd likes improvising sort of things.... I am more interested in jazz piano though, but I am not sure how to have it all taking into account there are only 24 hours and two children! Piano already suffered immensely

disorganisedmummy, just to let you know, I pm-ed you few days ago-not that I demand any reply , but as I recently discovered that I had a message sitting in my inbox since May which I haven't read I thought I let you know here just in case :)

Hi all,I also follow this thread religiously! Ds is 10 and plays violin. He is around grade 5 standard although has only taken grade 1 exam. He is hopefully going to be auditioning for Junior Guildhall in the new year. We're looking round it in Saturday-ds is so excited!!
We are told that he's gifted has has perfect pitch amongst other things. He may/may not. Not really bothered but he is definitely looking to pursue a career in music. He needs to work on this theory (he's around grade 2 standard and I just starting work in grade 3. He also has Aspergers. He is currently at an indie school which goes up to 16 which supports him very well though I'm worried about the music as this is not an arras they're known for. We don't have many other options tbh school wise so it's a suck and see scenario. Hoping that Guildhall will give him a really solid musical base if he's lucky enough to get s place.