December Music Thread

If anyone wants to see a short video montage of DD's concert I'm happy to PM a link. It was shot by a friend - I didn't do any video during the concert because DD hates me doing the "mum thing" in front of her friends (and because the venue was packed and I'm short lol).

Green re tutoring, remember that if everyone tutors it resets the baseline. You may get away without with a very bright kid, but even bright kids benefit from knowing what to expect. DD is in a class this year with a super-bright kid - he is 14 and top of a very selective Y12 class - who is brilliant at everything but doesn't really work. DD has recently started getting better marks than him in maths and physics not because she is a better mathematician but because she does the work - what this means is that she is fast and accurate (because the skills are becoming automatic) and that matters in a test situation.

kittymum welcome! Your question is actually quite hard to answer because it depends what you mean by gifted - there are different types of musical talent and also it depends where you draw the line. I'd say that G2 that quickly and that young is pretty unusual, but doesn't necessarily tell you where she will end up going, because so much depends on motivation and perseverance once they hit 10-11 and then the teenage years. (My DD dropped her first instrument by the beginning of secondary school, and actually stopped playing music completely for a while before taking up several new instruments as a teenager.)

It's a pretty damn good start though - maybe she will end up like the genius pianist kid at DD's music school, who at last summer's concert played one of the harder Chopin etudes and a piece by Liszt while barely able to reach the pedals!!! (he's 9/10, but short for his age). He's gone off to study with a concert pianist now.

Welcome Kitty! Your DD does sound very talented but is maybe a question for her teacher? What does he/she say?

Well done to your children Goodbye. My son was quite lazy and hated doing exams. He stopped at G5 although he could have done much more. He has an excellent ear and can listen to anything on YouTube and then play it will all the correct chords etc. My daughter ploughed through exams, but doesn't have the natural talent that he does..

I have learned from friends that some children who do well in exams peak early and then fade away.

However for your daughter to do G2 at age 6 after just over a year does seem rather exceptional - well done

Hi all have just joined mumsnet.
I have been asked to join this music thread by Fleurdelise who replied my post earlier this morning.
I have 2 children, ds 9yr who has been playing the piano since 5yr, and dd 6yr old playing the piano since Oct last year and has just taken her grade 2 exam.
My son took his grade 1 after 2 years.
Is she musically gifted or is she relying on good memory?

Misti it sounds so amazing. Will you post something?
Green IMHO the biggest myth around 11plus is that the children who were tutored will need to be tutored all through secondary school "to keep up". That's utter rubbish and I can elaborate more in a pm not to bore people here, but I'm so sick of hearing lies like that .
loose the Guildhall jazz summer course is a pain for drummers because they have to bring their own drum kit. Have you heard of the Rythm Studio? DS and his mates really enjoyed it last year: therhythmstudio.co.uk/ They were allowed to do their own jazz funk stuff.
DS is revising Spanish everyday, IGCSE mock after the hols (he's taking it a year early outside timetable).

Well done to Mistrigri's DD - I bet she was amazing and I am sure more concert offers are coming her way! Also well done to Miniprada! I do feel for Goo, that sounds like a horrible infection and just hope she is better very quickly so she can enjoy Christmas.
Bit of a manic week and I never did get the theory result but either someone will pop into the music office and send it or dS1 will find out in the first week of January!
Incidentally, he's keen to do a music course in the Summer holidays, so if anyone has any ideas let me know. There are some possibles on the Guildhall junior site but the listings are for last year so I think I've got some time before I need to book anything! Something percussion, electric bass or drum kit related - jazz would be ideal but his interests are pretty broad.

Well done to your DD Misti! She's great!

Waffle poor Goo, I hope she feels better today!

I am truly lazy, I do need professional help, trouble it, I need to learn how to get a good one. It might be too late to get a good one now. Will keep looking.

Green - mixed prep. Tutoring is rife but honestly? I think if you are reasonably educated yourself you can do it at home successfully.

Waffle, hope Goo will have more rest over the weekend.
Yes Petra! cant wait!(and its the shame that pizza is only for the kids, was thinking about pizza all day today).
Prada, thought miniPrada is on a single sex prep. I thinking I was reading wrong post because everyone is saying they dont tutor their kids and all is naturally bright and the ones tutored will be carrying on tutoring the rest of their (educational) life. Coming from South east Asia, I am not against tutoring at all. We were all heavily tutored years ago and did ok at schools back in our home country and/or gained scholarship on top univs here. No one feel ashamed of it or have to lie about it.

Not sure I have clothes with a lapel!!!

Ooh suggest carnation in lapels a la 1920's crime novels...

We need a secret mumsnet sign!!!

Ooh green do we get to meet another real person????

Aww thanks ladies. Funnily enough Green my DD is friends with the boys at her school too and has some lovely girl friends. It is the self proclaimed 'cool' girls that are the issue. Although I am certain that being a wannabe wag really isn't cool... Miniprada is rising above it but it really makes your blood boil when someone attempts to make your lovely child feel shit about themselves (even if it fails) doesn't it?!!

Anyhoo, Green step away from the 11+ forum except to lurk for the scores. It is verrrrrrrrrry intense! Trust me, you don't need it with a kid that bright. Stay sane and do bond/cgp at home maybe with an hour a week with a multidiscipline tutor.

Alex, yay!!! If you see someone wrestling with a 2 years old then you will know its me. We are so looking forward to it(we might find each other by the end of the concert both with panda eyes:))

Oh poor miniprada dd has an awful time at school with the other girls I just hope that in the end it makes her more reIliant 😞

Prada, how did it happen? Never mind, only another 2 terms then they might not be in the same class again.
The good thing about mixed primary is miniGreen has fantastic friendship (with boys mostly). Mainly because she isnt girly type(clumsy, quirky, messy hair-blaming my husband who prepares mornings and the least thing they care is hair combing). I havent heard any jealousy story at all(probably because the girls dont categorise mine as their "group"). She plays with all 29 kids nearlly equally however doesnt have bff and doesnt bother about it.(which on other hand concerns me that she is missing something as I do have close friend from early childhood and we are very close still).

P/s: cant believe it I am lurking 11+ forum however such a newbie that I need time to understand and sink into any discussion.

Wow mistigris! How fab!

Thanks everyone for the lovely messages. At the end of term thank God. Miniprada has had a week full of those girly bitchy and totally unnecessary weeks from a kid who is obviously insecure in herself but sadly the teachers don't observe the behaviour and awards are still dished out at the end of term... Sigh. As they say, apples don't fall far from the (same insecure) tree

Mistigri, thanks for reporting back, wonderful to hear, please share the video, anything?

Oh how fantastic Mistigri so pleased it went well

Well done to minispaghetti and miniprada :)

Apologies for not posting much, it has been manic here. DD played a very big solo concert on Wednesday, supporting a reasonably well known artist, and it was a huge success, couldn't have gone better - though I could have done without the sore throat stress in the run up!!!!

Big (800 people) and very attentive/ supportive audience, and she played and sang beautifully. Pretty nerve-wracking for me - especially with all the hanging around for stage set-up and sound checks - but she looked and sounded very comfortable on stage and says she really enjoyed it and wants to do more. I'm pretty confident that she will get more invitations now, though I think she might be waiting a long time for another opportunity quite as good as this week!

Wow Prada, many congrats to miniPrada, great results this term all around isnt it