December Music Thread

Ha, thanks Greenleave for the link. After reading about festivals I tried to find something in my county but no luck. However I have found something now. Ha, let's not mention it to dc3 just yet. She is auditioning for a scholarship in the new year already and this is not till Nov.

Kitrymum the only advice I would give now to musicians with good memory is that, while good memory is a fantastic asset to have, make sure the sight reading is not suffering because of it and do daily exercises for it.

DD has a fantastic memory and her teacher is amazed how quickly she memorises all her music, she's capable to see it once and then reproduce without even glancing at the music. Further more in one of her exam pieces for grade 3 she listened to the cd and then worked out the last line of music by ear without reading one note. However her sight reading has suffered quite badly and needed addressing as she failed that part of the exam. She now does 3-4 sight reading exercises in every practice session and she has massively improved.

So my advice would be to make sure you keep it up from the beginning more so with good memorisers as it works against them.

Double up:

Goodbye: there are many talented musical children in here and they are all being supported at most. She is definitely very advanced. She needs to build musicianship around her as well although that is a fun/enjoyable bit. We were told on here about www.federationoffestivals.org.uk where there are small competitions in your area for all instruments at all age(yes, including piano!!). We were so lonely with piano in the first couple of years as we didnt know about these. However it was by then mine started with violin.

I have nerver had someone threaten to drop anything rather than just not practise or make any improvement. I guess, its the same thing.

[Grin] yes Green in the fancy shed! I better go down this morning and check for the remains of snacks if his room is anything to go by!

DD1 I meant! It'll be a long time before we are buying a bassoon for DD2.

I like your thinking Green 😄 Used a similar line on DD2 with her oboe.

Greenleave congratulations, new instrument is soooo exciting! Ours (3/4) will arrive some time after new year, hope dd will grow even more into it. We already have full size violin, old German make, cannot wait when she can play it.
Saying that couple of days ago she announced that she is quitting music lessons.
Yes, over my dead body

Goodbyekittymum yes, memory could contribute to it of course, but then sight reading is a complicated thing to do....and then body coordination is another problem and your dd is clearly in control of it...I believe there is an ideal instrument for every musician, perhaps piano is a perfect match for your dd.... I think mine did piano grade 2 at 6.5 but piano is definitely not her thing... We put it on hold now...Anyway, good luck with your musical journey and with exam results!

Drummer, I could never understand what you said about percussionist until today in our concert, they are very very powerful though as their sound is the highlight of any concerts.
Loose, 6 hours? Was it in the fancy shed?
Thanks Misti, I was having a second thought about it as it doesnt cost us anything if we take the 3/4 for now then try 4/4 later. Although she had her heart on this particular one and R(the shop owner) said that it isnt too big for her. Lets see what her teacher would say. (She played 10 then choose the best 3, then really liked 1. R played 3 times with her turning away and didnt see which one was which and every time she chosr the same one so we sticked with it. Hopefully I will get a little more practice after please).
Fleur: we had a go today, although mainly focus on tunning it right and getting used to a new full bow. It will take us time to get to know it and be able to handle it/familiar with it. I told her it could be hers if she plays it until she is 18, otherwise she has to give it back to me

Oh trumpet that's great Purcell is perfect for us as we're in London. Txs

Onlymusic I think any child at any age who takes an exam of any kind is amazing.
I do think having a good memory really helps her with her piano playing. She only needs to be shown a scale a few times and she remembers it.

Is there a pattern to piano scales which some children notice as I think it all looks the same to me?
With sight reading a new piece she goes straight in trying both hands instead of hands separate first too.
There is no rush in trying to take any more exams for a while as I really want her to enjoy music for life, and there is always going to be someone younger and better than you.

Drummers sorry I sat in the car on the way home and realised they did say where the course was going to be it's going to be at the Purcell school I think it's residential ? And fairly easy to get to if you are london based hope that helps

I mean, DS1 of course!

I was very taken by that photo Green! So much so that I even contemplated trying to visit the shop!
Drummers I think what happens is that everyone auditions, but if they don't get onto the full course, there's a 'short course' that is a bit lower key but still worth doing because the following year students who do it end up on the full course. I think your DS is more likely to get on the full course.
Seriously, DS2 must have spent 6 hours practising drums since Friday. I have no idea what's going on!

green thanks so much for posting a pic of the magic shop which I shall never visit.

Ladies, thank you for your kind comments about dd's video - I know you didn't have choice to remain in my mailing list Sorry, I didn't answer straight away as was travelling but read all the comments.

kittymum, welcome to the thread! My input into your situation is that good memory is indication of abilities too, therefore does not matter if it is memory or anything else. It is definitely a promising start but.... unfortunately depends on their desire to practice in the future....

I recently had a conversation with a mum of 8yo who is preparing for grade 7 (strings). Not sure if mum really meant it but the insisted that it is nothing special about her child and contributed her success to the child's musical environment.... Well... perhaps she is right and it is nothing to do with the few generations of talented musicians in this family....

Thanks trumpet!
loose what is the short course NYJO?
Paulweller your little one is very brave.
DS attended one of the NYJO "Jazz Academy" Saturday morning sessions in Union street. We got there and there there were already three drummers, each waiting in line to play as they only need one drummer at a time! The boy that was drumming did not look like he wanted to stop any time soon obviously. We were not going to cross London on a Saturday morning for him to stand in line and get 10 min at the drums, that's for sure. So we didn't return. It's great if you play brass but with drumming it's just a pain, ONE drummer. At the open day of the RCM, the jazz ensemble had one drummer playing and another one waiting. I think percussionists in general get very good at waiting (DS waited almost a whole concerto movement recently before he had to hit the timpani), you need zen techniques, that's why they're so cool

We had a shopping day too and DS got the ride cymbal he was owed from his birthday last month. Second shop, again it took him about 90 min to decide but he just came down from practice in the loft to announce that his new ride was a smashing success. Phew. Of course he also fell in love with a cajon pedal (he already has the cajon). It's so dangerous to take them to shops like that!

Drummers sorry no we have just been at the end of day concert and they didn't say where the course would be just that the concert will be at kings place on 12 th august. Ds isn't old enough or ready to do the full course yet but he's keen great music again today I'm not really sure how they manage to learn it all by ear in a day

The Easter one does sound good but I think DS1 may need Easter holidays for intensive GCSE Japanese swotting! On the other hand, I can seem him loving the Summer one. I will make a list and let him pick out the one(s) of most appeal! he has been told by all his teachers that if he puts the time in he could do really well and I think the penny is starting to drop. It's a hobby but it's his main hobby!
I suspect even the short course NYJO would be a big ask this year but of course next thing I knew I'd booked tickets for us to go and see them in concert at Kings Place at the end of March! (My aunt wanted to treat us to something as our Christmas present and this was quite reasonable!)

She's never done it Drummersmum, but I think she'll like it. She wants to do the residential rather than day. She'll possibly be one of the youngest there staying over but I'm sure she'll be fine.
We can't do Menuhin summer as it's only brass.

Green full size!
Thanks trumpet for the NYJC mention. DS may audition for the summer course. The thing is he really wants to do a course with his jazz trio mates, so they'd all have to pass the audition and go together. They were discussing doing The Rhythm Studio again this year but this sounds so good. The Percussion Academy at Purcell looks great "PaulWeller. But for us it'd have to be one of two because of cost. Trumpet* do you know where the residential for NYJC will be this year? They only say the last concert will be in London (their website was a bit of a mess )
All these recommendations are so good. I've spent years asking for things like this! Anything else worth considering?

Summer at yehudi Menuhin for us!!!

Damn can't do brass academy at Easter- we have tickets to see The Who in Mancs, little percussionist really wants to see Zak Starkey, being the son of her fav drummer- Ringo.
She'll have to do summer course instead.

Wow a full size we are only just upgrading to half

Green - how weird we must have been less than an hour apart in our vists! Hope mini green enjoys the full size 😀