January Music Thread

I did just drummers, thank you! . She said there's always next year.

Just managed to grab a sneaky lunch with her before ortho. 3 years of torture. Can you tell her to stop biting her nails mummy; can she not eat pizza crusts mummy; can she stop playing hockey mummy and on and on. She does one out of 3 of these (and wears a customised mouthguard for the pleasure). Weirdly, when I have made DH take her (because I've not been in the mood to be patronised), not ONE comment. Ever!

Felt much better when we left the surgery and DD says "could you ask x to not breath as much, Mummy" in her best imitation voice. Not music related (but I feel better for the rant)! However I was sat there thinking how DD's orthodontist would react to some of the DC here playing wind instruments with reed challenges and broken brackets! We have light though...4 months of pain to go, so today did have an upside...

And DD dreams about eating apples, carrot sticks and french baguettes again

ah Ealing - what a shame! hope she is ok with it?

TrumpetsBoys - how did the school respond? hopefully good>

Icould - thanks; i haven't done it so far but others in our year 6 have. Think this time i will just because the whole thing is such a one off it would be a real shame to miss it

I have pulled DS from some sports in the two weeks before G8, diploma and a residential music course. I asked him to be excused from hard ball sports and not to be put in goal for penalty practice because I thought that the biggest risk was a ball in the face and a split lip. Lads larking about could mean that months of practise and/or a big chunk of my money was wasted.

Trumpetboysmum there will be other school concerts but maybe not another educational opportunity like this.

ealing I'm sorry for miniealing. She fits so much in though, tell her from me she's amazing x

trumpet what a great chance. Definitely get out of school whether they like it or not

Argh, she didn't get through to shortlist for her music competition either. She'll be gutted, even if it's not a total surprise. Hope this week gets better...

I don't think children do pull out of school sports usually string unless it they really are anxious for a major event. This was just usual run of the mill games at school with a rogue ball hitting her finger at the wrong time. Cricket, netball, rounders etc...all have similar risks but normally minimal...except on here with our kids!

Ealing - poor dd and head of music!

Generally do people pull out of sports likely to injure before big events? We have also had the netball finger issue this year and am wondering if I should pull dd out of her match this wee given her competition next week. Seems odd to do this for a 11yo but sort of tempted this time round as the competition is a relatively big deal.....

waffle. Can relate to your angst.
Currently off music and all other stuff due to a locked injured finger during netball. Not a very happy Head of Music when she had to excuse herself from orchestra. Not helped when another student (DD's nemesis always trying to outdo her) turns up with exactly the same injury 5 mins later. One loves sport, the other doesn't...poor teacher can't be doing with injuries during concert prep!

Waffle I feel for you - we don't get tears here but tantrums and silent treatment have both been known.
for you!
Mistigri lovely to hear about your DD! Well done to her!
Trumpet I don't think there is any way your school can turn that one down!
Last night's piano lesson could have gone better. 'pleasant meadow' needs a lot more attention! Sat at the piano this morning working on all the fingering. Again. And it turns out the scales have to be played faster, although that's less of a problem.

I can't remember if I did all those things myself when I was little. Probably did.

But by the time I was in secondary school I'd happily play scales all day ... Not sure when I ever did my homework. And surprised that our neighbours didn't move away...

Never ever, dd says exactly the same

Here sometimes practice = sulking/angry/"But-you-don't-even-play-the-violin!!"/"That's-what-I'm-already-doing!!!"/shrug.

Though sometimes they do actually play things over and over till they get it without throwing a tantrum.

No exams Alexandra is definitely something to celebrate

Mistigri, how spooky; I got dd2 to listen to exactly this piece by same pianist yesterday!
My mum used to play it (she passed way before dc were born, but I have inherited her piano ). I used to have a go at it but it never sounded like hers, even though she struggled with artitis in her fingers.

Ah I see Trumpet, hope they are reasonable

Raspberry ds's school have been great so far but his school orchestra have a concert that day he will make it back in time for the evening they just have to agree to him missing the afternoon rehearsals
Waffle ds can be equally tricky sometimes instead of crying though he just gets really cross I feel for you I just keep hoping he will grow out of it

Trumpetsmom - wow what a great experience! good luck with the school

Reeds - we are on Vandoren and still on 2.5 as we start preparing for G7; dd also uses the red Vs on a 3 sometimes. Am sure she has some science to it, but i really don't know why she swops around

waffle - you have my sympathy; enjoy the week :)

Trumpetmum how amazing. DS1 was lucky enough to hear her about ten years ago. I would be explaining politely to school where he would be that day, and asking if there was any possibility of it being recorded as authorised absence. DCs school is generally very supportive though.

Waffle my DD is so similar, sometimes whatever you say is wrong. Good luck, I'm sure she'll be fine.

Reed's, DD didn't do well on Vandoren for sax, so we've tended to stick with Rico Royale for clarinet too. I bought two boxes of 10 clarinet reeds by mistake at Christmas, so they will have to like them for a while!

Woolley how is the bassoon coming along? If you are having to buy your own reeds, let me know and I can recommend someone who makes them to order. £4 each last time I got some. Recommended by DD2's teacher.

Trumpetmum - I m a huge fan of Alison Balsom (she plays violin part so delicately and wonderfully with trumpet). What's an amazing opportunity.

LooseAtTheSeams - OK if two parents on this forum say it's amazing then I must go! A family day out in a lovely part of the world sounds very appealing.

onlymusic - I stupidly counted including piano practice so my ds plays violin much less than an hour/5-6 days, so it seems we can get away without any re-hair (yet).

We bought ds's bow last summer. It's a second hand carbon one which cost just less than £100. I thought it must be fairly good one for 3/4 so prepared to have it re-haired one day. But since then I've learnt people spend quite a lot on a bow. So as onlymusic says we might have to buy a new one instead (when the time comes)....

Ooh lovely mistigris!

We stayed last Christmas at the Aman hotel in Venice. They had Chopin's piano there that miniprada was allowed to play her G3 pieces on 😂 I don't think she quite did it the justice your DD would've done!

Good luck with the festival waffle!

Alison Balsom masterclass Trumpetmum! How wonderful!

drummersmum it is certainly a very handsome instrument, a very dark chestnut colour. DD didn't want to play it because the Schubert impromptu she played (this one: needs tinkly waterfalls of descending high notes and she couldn't get it to sound right.