April Music Thread

Woolley - some pieces are full of repeats and the exams would have to be double the length!
Fleur that is so lovely of your teacher and just shows how impressive Minifleur is on the clarinet! It can be a bit emotional for the parent, although DS2 gets embarrassed by praise - which is quite funny to see!
DidIplan it sounds like a breakthrough moment! We had that with cello - at first DS2 would plough through a piece regardless of pitch and then began to be a lot more self critical. He's very consistent now.
An unexpected benefit of music lessons - DS2 spotted a toy piano at the gaming party and tried to play it. Next thing a proper keyboard appears and he's providing the musical accompaniment while the other gaming addicts dance! He even joined in the dancing! those lessons are worth every penny!

So pleased you've made a decision kutik how exciting for your ds. Ds has his second round audition tomorrow which will hopefully be a fun creative day and then we just wait and see . Welcome Didiplantthis it's always really exciting when they have their eureaka moments and here is a good place to share these ( not everyone else gets it)

Woolleybear The ABRSM website is a mine of useful information:

Da capo (DC) and dal segno (DS) indications should be followed but other repeats (including first-time bars) should not be played, unless stipulated in the syllabus. However, very short repeats may be played at the discretion of the teacher or candidate.

(If it's not ABRSM ask Mr Google "examboard repeats" and see what pops up)

The journey of our JD challenge is nearly ending now. It looked so bold of us to even think of trying, but I am so glad we actually made the action (more precisely, glad that we let DS what he wanted to do).

This challenge brought us so much positiveness. But a truly magical thing would be that my DH, who was not very happy with DS favouring music over sports, has secretly started reading 'Music Its Story in The West' by Alan Kendall. I know he still wants DS to be sporty rather than musical. But it seems DS's determination displayed during the challenge made DH want to understand his son more.

Of course, I am not supposed to know that he is reading the book!

Thank you Double.

Didiplanthis , welcome!!

Always lovely to get an e-mail like that Fleur.

Congrats to miniKutik. Sounds like he knows his own mind.

Fleur, wish we had a tiny slice of your experience! You've been receiving all those wonderful and endless praises from both teachers... Just to let you know, in case you are not aware, it's not that all the children get such warm words from their teachers. I have never got one for instance! They have said 'well done' or 'he deserved it (based on his effort)' when DS achieved something, or maybe some occasional 'you can do it' (wait, it's not a praise but encouragement, isn't it?) - that's all really. You've been so modest as always but I think your DD's achievement with clarinet is not all down to due to her piano experience!

I have been a bit worried about lack of progress

It's not my area of expertise, but isn't that the typical violin progress story i.e. you typically spend a long time making not much progress and then it kind of takes off? Much like this: www.violinlab.com/Community/details.php?id=7184

Woolley that's correct, your dd is right.

I just got a brilliant email from dd's clarinet teacher. She emailed to arrange the exam details and ended her email saying she was blown away with her progress, determination, focus and musical talent. I am sure it is all due to the piano experience, dd is still finding clarinet much easier, but it still feels good to hear those words.

Welcome Didiplanthis! Don't feel like your dd's achievements are not comparable, I remember joining this thread when dd was just about to take grade 1 after 18 months of playing the piano and I felt I was "ridiculous" with my posts comparing to all the grades 3/4/5-8. And now here I am a few years later, dd about to take grade 5 piano and 3 clarinet and it doesn't feel so ridiculous anymore to actually be interested about her music development.

This thread felt so welcoming, no judgment, just exchange of opinions, experience, advice, if you stick around I have a feeling you'll become addicted like some of us.

Where is Only by the way?

Well done Loose, and Kutik on making the decision.

Dd got her marks sheet back and surprisingly it was the A and B pieces that she has been playing really well that she dropped some marks on, it's helped her to see that actually it's just what the person thinks on the day.

This is probably too specific a question but here goes just in case someone can help. Dd has started learning a Minuet and Trio, in the piece there are lots of repeats but dd says when she does it for an exam she doesn't have to do the repeats, is that correct? Seems a bit weird to me!

Hello. I haven't posted on this thread before although I asked a few questions on different threads and got great replies and advice. We are not scaling any heights but I have a 7 yr old dd learning violin for 18 months. I have been a bit worried about lack of progress but today we had a breakthrough and I wanted to share as no one I know in RL gives a monkey's about music ! Firstly I found a recording of her playing a year ago - I can confirm we have come quite a lot further than I thought ! Secondly half way through practicing a piece she stopped and said 'That was dreadfully out of tune - I need to start again' -- yay !!!!! My husband thinks I am slightly mad for being happy she was out of tune but didnt understand that a) She knew and b) she wanted to do something about it. I have also recently taken up the violin have been a reasonable clarinet player (grade 8, county orchestra etc ) in my youth, so I can be more use to her in helping and my goodness it's hard to learn to play !! I am now much more understanding of her struggles. I remain in awe of the super talented children on here.

How about choir seats? They are not expensive neither. The view is quite interesting and you can see things you won't normally see which is a fun bit. Many years ago I saw Lang Lang playing with orchestra. I could see him doing some sort of finger exercises under the keyboard while the orchestra was playing (and him waiting for his turn).

String: great tips, we might do couple of prebooked and loads of hop in/balcony then. We had really great times last year almost every week mid Jul to mid Sept and love the free activities that the whole family can join, I love bbc for many reasons.

Green - yes it can soon add up; depends what type of seat you choose really? i always go for stall as i think they are most comfortable/best view even though not most expensive. we sometimes prom in the balcony esp if we are not sure we will make it through the whole thing and that reduces the price a lot

Is anyone going to this year proms? We went first time last year and participate in various family activities. The ones we went last year tickets were cheap £25 or something for a RAH box seat. I am putting in a planner now for this year and for 6 concerts my bill appears more than £800 for 3 of us and they are not best seats. Is the planner price very close to the final price, we thought proms tickets are cheap?

Yes, I need to plan carefully so that a huge chunk of payment won't overlap!

We had a long day, just got home. DH is watching a football match (but I am going to kick him out to the gym to watch the rest as he is being too laud), and DS is playing Zelda. He is so into Zelda....

Kutik - congratulations, just saw your post! I can imagine it's all mounting up. I managed to spread paying the bills a bit and they are never all due at exactly the same time, but I daren't add it up!

Thanks Green and good for you for being firm about Monday morning. I hope you and MiniGreen are having a lovely weekend.
DS2 had 2 hours' orchestra rehearsal followed by a double birthday party to go to - basically gaming and food. I suspect he's having a very nice time!

That's it! We decided to go for JD No. 2, so I'm cancelling the trial at JD No. 1 as well as the audition at JD No. 3.

DS always wanted to go to JD No. 2, and has never changed his mind. There are several reasons on top, but after all it's him who spends time there so if he is so clear where to go then no point playing with 'if' and 'but'.

The cost of his musical education will be shockingly high from September. Some of the things we enjoy as a family have to be stopped....

Because Choir is so busy at Easter, they have next week off, so it's a quieter week. It also means his organ teacher is away.

We did spend a lot of time at the cathedral during the week as he was allowed some extra practice slots.

Piano started again today, bands back on.

This term is looking very quiet, bet it doesn't last!

I feel like this month music is draining my account completely. Piano needs some make up lessons which weren't paid, so I'll have probably around 3 extra lessons to pay. Not sure if an hour or 30 min each.

Clarinet - the teacher moved from pay as you go to termly payments, which is fine, I prefer it, but it throws the budget out of the window for this month. Then two exams payments. I didn't even add it up yet, I refuse to ...

I feel guilty as I don't spend that much on DS's activities therefore today I went online and bought him a pair of trainers he wanted.

It's been business as usual here, the only thing that stops over the holidays is Saturday morning music centre. Music lessons ran as normal, there were a couple of band practices cancelled but that was all.

Yayyy to minikutik, tough choice but all is great!

Loose: how wonderful, you have nailed it

Prada: is the g7 in Autumn, we are doing it together yayyy! We havent got the books, our lesson will be back next week. Will let you know what they choose.

I have been so busy at work almost till very very late hour and last night I had to vent and ended up never got home till early hour. It was a great night out and I did need it. I heard some violin practice downstair this morning so there is something happening(for 15 mins). She is having her Ortho-K check appointment now then we will head to the pool and hopefully I could hear some practices tonight.
Drummers: we love "how it works", highly recommend to anyone else here, thank you!
There is a French election first round result this Sunday and I was told to be in the office at 5am on Monday just incase things turn sore in Hongkong market however I said I wont, we did few over nights with various elections last year and I need to have time with the kids. Pay isnt getting better and its just more work. Anyway, thats all my moan for now!