November Music Thread

DD is (just) taller than me but she has long since reached her adult height and she will be forever mini ;)

Annoyingly for her (she complains about her short legs), her brother while not unusually tall - 5'7 at 13 - has ridiculously long legs for his height.

Is anyone else's teenage musician annoyingly vague? DD is doing a piano competition this year but has no idea what, when or where. She has to do a programme of 12-14 minutes - she has one piece (Chopin nocturne in E minor op posth 72), is learning a second (Debussy Arabesque No 1) which together will last 10 mins, so she needs a modern (20th century) piece of 4 mins max.

Anyone have any bright ideas? She is a romantic not a showy pianist (not enough technique for showy - she only has 2 years of piano - and her taste does not run to aggressive or dissonant styles). She is thinking of the famous Michael Nyman piece from the film The Piano, but not sure they want film music. Any ideas gratefully received. Ideally it would be a bit less difficult or at least shorter than the Debussy.

Congratulations miniDrummers! (I suspect he's not that mini though ...)

And good luck miniMisti! (I also suspect she's not that mini either ...)

Mine are still mini even though one of them is taller than me. ;)

As for DD we are in build-up mode to her concert (supporting a well known artist at a gig in December). Had to provide photos and a biography for the publicity materials, all at very short notice.

I do wonder how she ended up getting asked - did they have someone else pull out? It's a bit surreal - the tour includes dates all over North America, at the Bataclan in Paris etc - obviously DD is only supporting one local date but even so it's a bit weird.

Yay! Just saw the news - fantastic result drummersmum! He really deserved it, well done! 😀🏆

drummersmum wow that's fab! I guess he must be one of those incredible drummers that plays things with four limbs that ought only be achievable by an octopus . DD's guitar teacher who is a pro Jazz musician plays in a band with a drummer like that. Awesome to watch! You need to post a video of your DS doing a drum solo.

Oh wow, fantastic news drummersmum!
(love " Drummersmum drummer"!)

DS1 (17 year 13) had until the 1st to decide whether to do grade 8 electric guitar (Rock Guitar).

Thank you! Happy weekend everyone

Fantastic result drummer

Wanted to say many congratulations to drummers son, that is an amazing result!

Wow- well done Drummersmum drummer!
That's amazing!

Results are in and DS got a Distinction on his Gr8 drumkit with 92% mark ! So that's done...
Wish I had less work these days but I can just pop in for a minute.

I like your novels MonkeypuzzleClimber!

I can understand why people are not keen on "G&T" label - it is usually associated with smth glamorous, easy achievements, etc... Whilst in fact it is about bloody difficult children and hard work!

Regarding Scotland i May have got things backwards, dd1 went TO Scotland (from rural scandinavia) for the strings training ensemble this year and had a great time

I'm not keen on "gifted" either... DC are pretty fast learners, but not geniuses by any means. Especially DS2 - he learns things pretty quickly, but still have to put in an effort (which he doesn't want to ) to get things perfect.

"having to do basic phonics in reception when she had just read the lion the witch and the wardrobe" Haha! We are lucky that DC's school were not dogmatic about it. In fact I think they were decidedly half-hearted about it. Which is lucky, because personally I have NOT A CLUE what the whole thing is about. DS2 was quite happy to go along with what little they did despite being a rather advanced reader by that stage. Sometimes I think the boy simply humoured his teachers... They seem to like him ...

Good luck to everyone waiting to hear from NYO. I'm impressed by all the nyo/nco participants - I'm in Scotland and know of very few Scottish children who have been. Tbf though - I know of one or two who were offered a place but didn't take it as it meant travelling from Scotland to Southampton.

Were any of your children in the youth orchestra prom this year? Mine were in the NYOScotland prom and the NYJazzOScotland proms. How incredibly lucky are they - they had a fabulous time. My older one is past school age but the Scottish groups take people up to the age of 25!

Last year the older one went to china with NYOS!

Some children are truly gifted though(not mine), they do need different level of support, they have completely different level if brightness. Mine is normal bright(who isnt), and we know if we want anything we need to work hard for it. Still I wish state primary could do more so the bright and love learning can develop their love of learning better. I now understand that, similar to music, parental inputs are key, I need to learn and find ways to support her better too.

Thanks stringchild for clarifying it was the newsletter (we havent got it yet), I was getting a touch paranoid . I'm trying not to care too much about the NCO result, as it wont help her, but I can't help it. She loved it so much and her NCO identity is so important to her, but time (and its managment) is another area that's a mystery to her, so thankfully she hasn't asked recently. Good luck to all of you and your kids!!

Thanks for the comradery Loose and would love to hear more about your quirky violinist onlymusic. Lovely to hear of others who are a bit different. I had a long and somewhat teary chat during a difficult time last year on the potential+ helpline with a lovely woman who really helped me see my girl as her version of normal. It seems her combination of abilities and difficulties/behavioural stuff is quite common amongst the uncommon.

I personally loathe the word 'gifted', and think if it needs to be referred to 'high learning potential' is much more appropriate. For one my older daughter's exceptional abilities in certain areas, and the awful frustration and resulting distress and behaviour problems it has caused (having to do basic phonics in reception when she had just read the lion the witch and the wardrobe) and similarly in year 3, when she had teachers who did not know what to do with her has felt more like a curse than a 'gift' sometimes.

In music I think it also doesn't recognise all the hard work they have put in to get to that level. That gift has been 'paid' for in hundreds of hours of practice!! We did tell her it was all hard work and practice, until she started asking if that meant those around her who could not do the same things were lazy. She now, if it comes up at all, she says she is 'just a fast learner'. We also point out that these abilities are no more important than others, like listening, following instructions and staying focused even when it is a bit boring and the other things she needs to work a little harder than some others.

The NCO was great for putting her abilities in perspective a bit too , she loved being around others young ones who were as good or in many cases much better than her, and I don't think she had much time or spare energy to get distracted or mess about!

Oh dear, just previewed and i've written another novel . Guess i have some stuff to get off my chest

Hi all! Only just found this thread. We have had a quiet term so far; much appreciated after all the madness of NYO auditions. DD got a place in the violin section so she is very happy. She is also on the younger end of the spectrum and auditioned for the first time so everyone was very suprised! Grade 7/8 singing is next term (probably 8) and then potentially a piano diploma, so this is the lull before the storm. Hopefully enough practice will happen so it is not all last minute!! Fitting in schoolwork and practice will be a struggle.. :-/

Thanks Stringchild. DD2 was in NCO this year, but we Haven't had an email. Will just have to wait and see - and manage expectations. She did a late audition last year and got the letter within a week or so, so the waiting is new to us.

Hi it was in the NCO email newsletter that goes to current members and others who sign up for it (i think from memory you can also sign up to get it via the website) - said that first letters will go out for beginning of Dec. Traditionally we have got ours on the friday or sat but i think they batch post; the older orchestras get theirs around/after the Winter concert weekend.