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Original poster

November Music Thread

761 replies

Wafflenose · 01/11/2016 08:13

Let's have a new thread for November... I'm not sure if the old one will last long enough. This is a place to talk about music lessons, practice, exams and anything to do with learning instruments/ singing. We have beginners and advanced players of all ages.

I am mum to two girls - Goo (newly 11) - Flute, Recorder and Piano, and Rara (8) - Cello, Recorder, and one month of Clarinet so far. She won't put the clarinet down, so I think we've found The One.

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drummersmum · 01/11/2016 15:26

By the way Nicky and Loose I wanted to thank you for your supportive messages re the future plans. It all helps Flowers

drummersmum · 01/11/2016 15:02

Amazing going Waffle !
DS 14 doing piano (classical and jazz), and percussion (drum-kit, tuned and orchestral) and our his life it's just totally crazy and he can't be happier with it!! This week he will be meeting a composer who he meets every few months and will get feedback on a piano and marimba duet he worked on last summer which I his unbiased mum love and he's looking forward to see what composer says! Grade 8 drum kit exam in a few days, plus two school concerts playing with symphony orchestra, concert band, big band, jazz sextet and latin jazz band, plus school musical with five performances before Christmas. And he's considering playing for the next school musical in Feb/March when he already has two competitions, two auditions and two concerts because there's only 24 hours in a day... Grin.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 01/11/2016 14:56

I really like it here. It's a calm corner of Mumsnet!

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onlymusic · 01/11/2016 14:54

I think it is an atmosphere of support and non judgement in this thread which attracts people gillybeanz. Which is hosted by Wafflenose of course!

onlymusic · 01/11/2016 14:52

Thank you Wafflenose! I hope it will work, my concern is that, as you may remember, she has what I can vaguely describe as learning difficulties :), that is she has certain issues which may get on her way to learning... It is a matter of how she copes with them during written exam.... Oh well, we shall see...

gillybeanz · 01/11/2016 14:26

I can't believe we are onto monthly threads now. How well it is supported too with no arguing. It has to be a first on here Grin
Thanks Waffle. It's nice to see that once again music has the ability to bring people together. Thanks for all parents of musical children.

Fleurdelise · 01/11/2016 14:18

Thank you for the new thread Waffle!

I have DD 9 who plays piano and started clarinet in June with a break over the summer and she is taking grade 1 clarinet this term. Next plans are grade 5 piano next year, 11 plus next September and then focus on music theory so we can get it out of the way.

If it takes a bit longer with grade 5 theory she could always skip grade 6 piano and take grade 7 once she's done theory so no pressure there.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 01/11/2016 14:12

We found Grade 3 a very useful warm-up for Grade 5. Goo was pretty consistent and got 89% for Grade 3 and 90% for Grade 5, which was exactly what she wanted! I think if you can manage Grade 3, you can easily carry on. I need to sort Rara out soon... she has been hovering around Grade 1 exam level for Theory for a year. We need to finish off the last bit of the book, and move on. She does Trinity for Cello and Recorder, but will do ABRSM with me if she wants to do Clarinet exams, so if we can keep the theory at the same grade as clarinet, she should be OK.

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onlymusic · 01/11/2016 14:07

Will try to follow this thread religiously!
I have dd1 (still 8 but not for long) who is playing violin and piano and ds2 (5) who has started violin recently. Dd is doing grade 3 theory next week, otherwise no exams for us this year. Next year plans are grade 5 theory and violin. Piano is put on hold for the time being. Depending on how she gets on with grade 3 theory we may switch to practical musicianship exam (or whatever it is called).

LooseAtTheSeams · 01/11/2016 10:11

Hello all and many thanks to Waffle for new thread!
IGrumpy Teenager (lack of sleep) was at marching band last night. They sound awesome but are drowning out the other groups practising in same building! He has grade 5 theory coming up and bass guitar grade 6 later this month.
DS2 is 11 and plays cello and piano but no exams on the horizon!Smile
I am an adult learner who should just about be ready for her grade 4 piano exam in March. Last night's lesson went well. I can do the sight singing for aural and clap the rhythms but keep forgetting what I'm doing during the echoes! How do small children manage to do this stuff?!!

woolleybear · 01/11/2016 08:50

Second bassoon lesson tonight for dd, so will see further how the group thing will work. dd desperately hoping she will learn some "other hand" notes.

Grade 3 pieces going well on clarinet though not sure she will still want to be playing them in Feb/March time. Scales mastered apart from D minor I think and a bit of work on the chromatic one.