February Music Thread

Yes! DD got a place in a specialist music school on G5 piano and G4 violin, aged 11. Disclaimer - the school is a specialist school within a state secondary in Scotland, one of four 'centres of excellence'. Very good secondary school though. Holds its own in debating and sporting fixtures against fee-paying schools.

Lots of exciting news on this thread.

Going to DS' concert at his JD this afternoon. Next week is his specialist music school (see above) annual recital. His and therefore my last one.

Wow Rapidly how interesting. Too late for us though
Double how moving it must've been for you! Sorry about your lost.
I was chocked by emotion when DS read something he had written himself at my MIL's funeral, saying how his grandmother had told him so many important things in life, especially how to play poker

Can I just say re all the scary diploma and grade 8 stories Kutik, that DS was offered five music scholarships by five top London schools, two of them the maximum level the school advertised, and he was Grade 5 in both his instruments which at the time were piano and drum kit! So not even a rare fancy bassoon. He had not had a single lesson in tuned and orchestral percussion yet and his singing was far from chorister's level. I just can't believe things and levels have changed so much in only five years. Or maybe they have...Have they? I don't know, he's only 15, it wasn't so long ago He was also given a music place at an oversubscribed state school based on an aural test like the one you described, and to be honest aural was at the time not his forte.
So you never know!!!

I also think the beauty of the piece is in the speed played at, I've seen it played by a grade 2 pupil and it killed it.

I think the Burgmuller piece is given usually to pupils at around grade 2 but personally I believe that a grade 2 pupil doesn't do it justice. I think grade 3/4 would play it much better

I may convince dd to play it for pleasure after exam.

The Bergmuller piece is nice. I was just looking through the book last week to see if DS2 fancies learning any of them and this one is a candidate. I think it's probably doable at grade 2 but it's not outrageously easy for grade 3. (My random guess learned opinion. )

Doubleup what a bitter sweet moment for you. It's one of those moments when you wish that the departed were there to hear it, you know that they would be so proud.

One of the G8 pieces (one that DS played) popped up on the diploma repertoire list two years later.

We are also back to routine this week with music centre kicking off again. The next three weekends are really random (contest, other contest, residential and concert) so I am going to appreciate today with its lack of excitement.

Never Yes agree, she is a good mum and she really is a nice lady (I see her every week). What she did was from a good intention anyway.

Fleur I just noticed that one of your dd's dreams is to be an architect. I was an architect and loved every moment of it. Even so as it was in the middle of an art movement (in my country) - I got the most delicious part of the profession!

As some say, I agree that examiners look for different things for the same piece at different grades. This makes even harder for not so musical people to judge the true standard of a performer. I hope all the panels in music scholarship procedure is capable of this.

Having said so, can anyone give me any idea where burgmuller arabesque is normally placed? I thought it's G2 but some said G3. Would it depend on whether you are expected to play at the speed Mr. B set for the piece?

Alex, hope you have a nice time on the wheel!
Ealing: 2x10, that is A LOT.
Never: agreed with you, that is a "good" Tiger mum.
Kutik: I have a great respect to "good" Tiger mum, they roll the sleeves. I hope I could do better, I am just always tired and lazy. My other problem is I have very little time at home with the kids(1-2hr before their bed time during the week and weekend-which I feel I need to recharge to stay sane and productive the coming week).

Kutik The "tiger mum" sounds like she does reflect on her own and her child's experience and as such is a "good" tiger mum. It's people who have no doubt at all that's scary, I find.

I would agree that examiners would be looking for different things for the same piece at different grades. Look at that Kabalevsky's Clowning! Grade 3! I'm sure it would sound quite different played at different level of technique.

Even now I shudder at how I played some of those grade pieces (those I remember anyway) ...

But music school again after a break of two weekends.

Thank you Alexandra. Hope today's wheel goes round the speed you can control!

I am at the breakfast table eating and preparing food for an army (aka one swimmer) to last 2 x 10 hours swimming gala weekend. But, I still managed a wide smile at the thought of downloading The Communards...what a great blast from the past tip to get me through the days .

Greenleave, are you still looking for a tutor? You don't think of using a study centre? My friend's son used to go to Saturday classes in Sutton. He enjoyed the course as he could study with equally bright kids so the lessons were not boring for him. He sat three grammars last year and apparently scored high marks so his mum is confident that he is in.

I agree with the importance of preparation. And you know what works for your dcs.

Now, can I be a bit gossipy? I met a real tiger mum the other day. I always thought those horrific stories about pushing kids in a very unhealthy way would be just a myth. But wow, she was a real deal... She tutored her son an hour everyday until Year 4 (scared to ask when she started), then hired a pro-tutor from Y5 and made him study two hours everyday until the last session of the exams. Apparently he did well in the exam, but she said she regretted the way she handled.

Just to clear any misunderstanding - this is not a criticism nor I don't link this tiger mum to the lady who wrote the famous book. I am using the label as it's been used in society.

Greenleave , you say 'different culture', but we may not be so different after all. I'm originally from an Eastern country! I assume you are too?

MiniDoubleup: that was very special!

Kutik: I dont mind at all. Different culture, I guess. The only thing I really like in being music scholar is the school will "remind" her with her practice and most likely she could try for "lead" role in music rehearsals, event etc.

I know that we need help, not because she might not bright enough for the 11+ process, its just too ignorant and risky not be prepared, everyone else is equally bright or more, we have to respect the selection process too.

woolleybear, I sometimes miss some posts when I read on my phone so I just realised you kindly replied to my nosy question. Thank you, and sorry for my late response.

I agree with you - you don't need to be a music scholar to fulfil their musical needs. However, I do think music scholars will have more opportunities to take part in general (as it's probably expected to do so) and for those who love to grab every opportunity to perform it would be brilliant, especially if there is some sort of competition of who to perform at a event (this happens to ds's school - lots kids want to perform so very competitive to win a slot). But it depends on school and some schools have an opportunity to every child no matter if you are a scholar. I hope all will work for you and your dd.

With regards to pieces and grades, I think it's been said before that occasionally different boards have pieces at different grades, but they'll be looking for different things.

Doubleup how special to be able to do that. I love that piece of music also.

Well don to miniDoubleup. Yes he would have been very proud...

Loose, Ds's actual words were "I don't mind becoming an astronaut if not a musician". Year, so he DOESN'T mind, apparently... So nice to be an 9 years old.

Never, wow, thank you so much for the fabulously quick research and pro-analysis! Very interesting to compare like that.

Fleurdelise, sorry I didn't explain well I suppose. Passing exams are least concerns for me. The private school I mentioned doesn't ask "certificate" but "playing standard". My DS will be comfortably playing g7 "standard" ( not that he would take the exam - he is not exam focused so he only took 3 in the past for piano and none for violin), and he will face to those who are g8+ "standard". So I was talking about kids who are really at the standard not someone who rushed to conqueror higher exams.

So proud of DD1 today. I don't know how she managed to keep her composure, but she played beautifully at her grandfather's funeral today. Gabriel's Oboe from The Mission soundtrack - perfect for the setting. He would have been so proud.

You can't rely on what kids say about what they want to be. Sometimes they want to be unicorns ...