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May Music Thread

784 replies

Wafflenose · 01/05/2017 15:59

Hello, and welcome to the May thread. It's a public holiday in the UK, but my school is open and I had to work today, which is why I've only just got round to it! This is a place for parents of musicians of ALL levels, and adult learners, to chat about lessons, practice, scales, concerts, exams, and whatever else they'd like to! We have lots of regulars, some occasional posters, and sometimes people who just pop in to ask a question. It's a friendly place.

I have two daughters. Goo is 11 and in her last term at primary school. She's working towards her Grade 8 Flute (some time next year) and playing from the Grade 4 Piano book (currently refusing to take any exams, and putting off the first proper performance!). Rara is 8, may or may not be doing Grade 3 Cello this term, and is approaching Grade 2 Clarinet.

Both of them played the recorder for years, starting as preschoolers. They reached Grades 7 and 3 respectively, but sadly neither has really played since the music festival a few months ago. They are obsessed with their Flute and Clarinet, and really enjoy Piano and Cello. There won't be many opportunities to play the recorder at the secondary school they will attend, so much as I love it, it's probably a good time to quietly drop it. Recorder has given them both lots of opportunities, confidence, reading skills... and festival prizes!

Goo does NCO and South West Music School. Rara isn't that level at all when it comes to music, but is gifted with her hands. Instead of practising the cello and doing her school spellings today, she completed a lovely sewing kit without bothering to look at the instructions, and also made a lovely crafty construction from card and coloured paper. Both girls are keen on drawing and playing computer games. Rara swims and Goo plays sodding netball and dodgeball, which have both been responsible for multiple injuries over the past few months!

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PetraDelphiki · 27/05/2017 19:07

Do you know how much they all hated that piece that was commissioned for them? They had to spend so much time trying to make it sound tolerable that they lost out on playing the 3rd piece that they had been promised (which was actually a nice one)...i don't know a single member of the TO (or parents) who liked it!

I think the nice thing about a smaller group will be that they can focus better...I wouldn't want to have to get 75 preteens in tune and concentrating!

drummersmum · 27/05/2017 18:05

I would love to be surprised with a holiday Grin

Doubleup · 27/05/2017 17:40

Fleur - stress levels are pretty high. DD2 didn't have the best of lessons this week . Her pieces need a lot of air and she only has little lungs, so at points some of the notes were not sounding. Not helped by her reed either. The teacher got a bit exasperated with her and she was upset on the way back home. She has now lost a bit of confidence which I am trying to build back up. 5 weeks to go for that, but only 3 for theory. Roll on July!

Fleurdelise · 27/05/2017 16:24

The clarinet teacher was a bit taken aback by the date as she's not teaching during half term which means dd has only got 1 lesson left before the actual exam. Grin I am not stressed but the teacher was a bit therefore she'll have an hour lesson on the 10th which is 3 days before, not sure what difference will that make but hey ho, we'll go with it.

String maybe you are in a similar situation to ours, I am quite puzzled by our piano teacher as she seemed more stressed last year for grade 3 than now for grade 5 a year later, I also think dd is taking it a bit early but her teacher seems to think she's fine and there's other stuff to move on to such as the next year's festival, she wants dd to go big, play heavier music, play a duet with another pupil of hers so a lot to prepare.

I keep counting the weeks and try to think of a difference between an exam in 2 weeks and one in 6 weeks. So much more time to have fine tuned those pieces. 🙁

stringchild · 27/05/2017 16:04

Fleur - hmmm ready.....i have no doubt she will pass unless something bizarre happens, but i am not hopeful of much more. Taking it far too early in my view (but didn't have much say in it). Still will be great prep of pieces for the much more important thing (in her view) - the next nco audition :)

AlexandraLeaving · 27/05/2017 15:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PetraDelphiki · 27/05/2017 14:26

Sadly one of the reasons dd is happy to leave is that she feels that the TO are really not valued - she's not impressed at losing some of the small amount of time they have to a soloist...

I've been reliably told that the EDYO are being taught in very great depth about the music they are playing - the friend who introduced me to it (cello lead for kingston Phil) said that they are taught at the level she would expect at college! Plus it's only 5 weeks!!!!!! (Can you tell I'm happy to get Sundays back?)

Kutik73 · 27/05/2017 14:00

Oh boy, it drives me crazy. I hate last minute notice, and actually I like the planning parts so would love to know things in advance. Sadly I have no choice but deal with unexpected/unpredictable events DAILY since DH is INCREDIBLY UNBELIEVABLY HORRENDOUSLY spontaneous.... He couldn't tell me because he just booked NOW. It seems we are going to the destination straight after NCO, and coming back on Saturday (then next day is NCO again)...

DH also just told me that we are having friends coming over this afternoon for watching FACUP final for daddies and table tennis tournament for kids. When am I going to pack?? I don't know....

LooseAtTheSeams · 27/05/2017 13:54

Meant to say that Waffle your pre-trip experience sounds very familiar (the boys are like Rara when it comes to packing!) but it always turns out well once the actual holiday starts so hope you have a great time!
Alexandra There is no way I would ever go on a surprise holiday! Hope the concert goes well - I'm seriously impressed with your boy and the five clarinets!
Hmm.. the only way to get DS1 off the computer is to suggest he does revision on it Grin
Petra we might be able to look into the orchestra - the five weeks aspect is tempting!

Fleurdelise · 27/05/2017 12:50

Loose it sounds like you got the same chat we had at the beginning of yr 11 reg GCSEs. We've been told to be prepared to be stressed as the majority of the boys will do no revision at all, barely do their homework and have an attitude of "gcses? What GCSEs? Who cares?" Between September and January. What was worse was that the mocks were in November which meant it was reflecting their attitude of not revising. And then January comes and they all seem to suddenly realise the exams are looming and start revising. It totally applied to DS.

And agree about the distinction/merit/pass. DS got some at earlier levels but as she's becoming more and more self conscious as she's growing up the nerves get the better of her so not only she needs perfection but also to get rid of nerves. If she gets any merits this time we'll be delighted. Smile

Alexandra totally agree, I would be so stressed if I wouldn't know where I am going on holiday. I would nag DH until he'd tell me. Good luck to the Boy with the piano concert sounds great. And I do agree, if they could only release a console game on GCSEs. Grin

AlexandraLeaving · 27/05/2017 12:22

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AlexandraLeaving · 27/05/2017 12:20

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LooseAtTheSeams · 27/05/2017 12:19

I agree Fleur about the pass/merit/distinction. DS2 would love to get a distinction and in theory he could this time as he's done a lot more work, but in reality he'd need to be playing at his absolute best and not have any nerves. That isn't going to happen. If he gets a merit he and I will be thrilled!
DS1 is putting pressure on himself with his bass guitar exam but none from me!
But oh no - not a GCSE maths exam as well! I admire you for being so philosophical about it! I really hope you have a treat planned for yourself after the exams are over!
I went to a talk on GCSEs for Y10 parents earlier this week. It was curiously reassuring as it seems almost all the boys don't get the reality of GCSE exams until they can see them coming towards them and yet they seem somehow to manage! I think it takes nerves of steel to survive that as a teacher or a parent, though!

Fleurdelise · 27/05/2017 11:54

Double yours has two exams too this term, how are the stress levels?

Personally I am getting so used to exams that I am starting not to care that much about the pass/merit/distinction part, I know she'll pass (unless she's messing up badly in the exams) so that's all that matters. I used to get so stressed as I wanted her to get a distinction as that's what she was hoping for, the fact that she didn't get one in grade 3 piano helped as, while she was disappointed, she could also see it doesn't really make a difference, and I could also see that my girlie is resilient and bounces back even if she was disappointed.

Fleurdelise · 27/05/2017 11:18

string is yours ready?

Fleurdelise · 27/05/2017 11:17

I know Loose! A friend asked me if DS will have any GCSEs exams same day as dd will have music exams and I replied "oh noooo! I couldn't cope with that, DS's will be over by the time dd will sit her music exams". Grin

Not the case anymore, DS will sit his last maths exam same day. It looks like I will cope with it just fine 😂

Anyway scheduling an hour lesson for dd the week before the exam I think she needs it.

stringchild · 27/05/2017 11:14

Fleur - I feel your pain; we also have a mid June date......

LooseAtTheSeams · 27/05/2017 10:42

Fleur that's very frustrating! I really hope we don't get an early date for DS2. His pieces are fine but we could do with a few more weeks to be really ready. The plan was school exams should just be over by the time of the piano exam date!

Fleurdelise · 27/05/2017 10:25

Now I need to inform the clarinet teacher as the piano teacher entered her for both. We have an hour with the piano teacher tomorrow to fine tune the pieces with accompaniment, hopefully the clarinet teacher will not be concerned either.

But indeed, we can then move on and we'll definitely get the results by the time we go on holiday.

Fleurdelise · 27/05/2017 10:22

Her piano teacher said she's fine, at the moment she can't see a distinction but she'll pass so any improvement in the next couple of weeks is a bonus. She said she's not worried about dd but she does have other pupils that needed the extra time and she's annoyed with Abrsm to give her the exact opposite of what she asked for.

drummersmum · 27/05/2017 10:20

Oh fleur i know how you're feeling. I'm sure your DD is ready though. And the nice thing is that she can start all those great new books!
alexandra we'll see how it goes! His very mature brain has a tendency to hover high in the clouds sometimes.

Doubleup · 27/05/2017 09:58

That's annoying Fleur! Our date is 30th, but theory exam to do first. Hoping to get back on track with that this week. Too much in one term Sad

Fleurdelise · 27/05/2017 09:52

The think that I am annoyed with is that the 13th is the orchestra day that dd is missing school for it. Now I'll have to pull her out early as the exam is in the afternoon.

Trumpetboysmum · 27/05/2017 09:43

I'm sure she'll be fine fleur. We still don't have an exam date it's being sorted through school but I'm just guessing on the last week of June as that's the week for exams at the local centre ( if it's sooner ds will just have to wing it Hmm)

Fleurdelise · 27/05/2017 09:11

So we got the exam date, the teacher asked for the last week, we got 13th June Angry

Her teacher said she's not worried but we're annoyed, it's the second day after the exam session starts.