Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

(Mostly) August Music Thread

842 replies

Wafflenose · 28/07/2017 14:29

Here's a new thread for August, but we're starting it a few days early, because you lot have managed to be super chatty this month! I wonder if things will slow down in August due to people going away... maybe or maybe not?

I'm Waffle, a teacher of woodwind - mostly recorders and clarinet, but I have a couple of flutes currently, and teach saxophone, piano and theory when required. I am determined that the music threads should be open to ALL, including complete beginners and adult learners. It's a good place to discuss lessons, practice, concerts, exams and our generally hectic lives!

I have a DH who plays the guitar for pleasure (no lessons) and two girls. Goo is 11 and has her Grade 7 Flute (March 2017) and Grade 6 Recorder (December 2015 and now pretty much stopped Sad ). She has been learning the piano for 15 months, is refusing to perform in any way, shape or form, but will probably take Grade 5 next year. Rara is 9 and has Grade 3 Cello (July 2017), Grade 3 Recorder (December 2016 and also ceased) and is working towards her Grade 3 Clarinet... probably next spring. Goo is off to NCO Under 12s on Sunday, and we need to pop out to get her some shoes and general supplies in a bit.

I have just realised that we will probably have Grade 8 Flute and Grade 3 Clarinet going on in the same session, Spring 2018. Oh dear! If Rara bothers with Grade 4 Cello, we'll probably have that at the same time as Grade 5 Piano, next summer. Double oh dear!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Trumpetboysmum · 11/08/2017 13:58

Didiplanthis well done for surviving your first argument Smile I now try very hard to stay out of the way as any involvement from me ( even if I am often right) leads to "but you don't even know how to play the trumpet" Grin

Didiplanthis · 11/08/2017 13:36

Back at the other end of the not quite grade 1 scale dd and I had our first bust up over practice ! 7yr old dd was quite insistent she was right and I was wrong. When I pointed out that as I was 40 grade 8 and had been playing for years and she was 7 and has been playing for 18 months so i probably was right - we had our first 'its too hard' meltdown !! Thankfully we had a summer holiday lesson with her lovely teacher and all is good again ( especially since I bought her 'I can play Abba' ). Bit of luck as we are off to buy her first 'own' violin tomorrow. Been renting and she needs to go up a size so biting the bullet now...

ealingwestmum · 11/08/2017 12:33

Lovely results Loose; Better!

Helen, I know it was an undervalued result for your DD, but nevertheless, very well done to her, especially on the back of her A levels!

Trumpetboysmum · 11/08/2017 10:31

Great news Loose Smile and better sorry I missed that one the other day still trying to unpack Grin

raspberryrippleicecream · 11/08/2017 10:06

Well done mini Loose, Better and Helen.

So pleased she got that final exam done Helen. You will keep in touch with us all I hope?

LooseAtTheSeams · 11/08/2017 09:49

Well done MiniHelenStar I can't begin to imagine doing grade 8 and A levels.
DS2 has done no holiday practice this week as he's been sailing all week. He managed to avoid falling in but got even wetter on Wednesday because of the torrential rain - and even worse no wind so they had to paddle the dinghies!
But to DS1's great astonishment I just got his result online for grade 8 bass - and he got a merit! It was priceless to see the look on his face when I told him as he'd been gearing himself up for a fail!

Trumpetboysmum · 11/08/2017 09:39

We always have a break from practice on holiday. Dd doesn't need asking twice not to practice Grin ds is not normal and so usually works out his whole day in the holidays around when he is going to practice!! So I think it's good to have a break when we are away plus the trumpet is very loud !

AlexandraLeaving · 11/08/2017 08:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

troutsprout · 11/08/2017 08:34

Well done to the minis Better and Helen.. those are great results!
Kutik Dd usually takes her clarinet on holiday .. (though not camping.. I put my foot down!).
I looked for a cottage with a piano this year but failed miserably... maybe next year.

Trumpetboysmum · 11/08/2017 07:37

Helen grade 8 is still grade 8 well done to your dd Smile

Helenluvsrob · 11/08/2017 07:24

Well grade 8 clarinet for dd. Miserable 118 from what seems a harsh examiner - her teach disagrees with her mark for the pieces too ! Mind you scales disaster - idiot.
It's fine though a pass is a pass. And this was just after a levels with scratchy practice 😂

AlexandraLeaving · 10/08/2017 22:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nigglenotes · 10/08/2017 19:37

Oh, I guess that is lucky, but I think some private teachers want to continue if they can over the hols. It must be difficult if you are planning Nov/Dec Abrsm exams, as the entries have to go in on 29 Sept, so how could you decide after only a few lessons post holidays?

We are doing two lessons a week to fit in g5 theory for Nov also. I'm quite chuffed that we managed to get to the end of g4 theory by just going through the exercise books ourselves. Although chromatic scales are still defeating me. And the enharmonic equivalents just didn't make sense so DD learnt the chart off by heart. I have discovered that she has the most wonderful memory. I'll have to watch myself!

se22mother · 10/08/2017 18:45

Niggle pleased it is resolved. Very jealous of the holiday lessons. We have no lessons until mid September .

Nigglenotes · 10/08/2017 17:25

Hi there,

Hope the Spanish GCSE result is what you are hoping for Drummer.

Better, is that at the end of Year 6?? Amazing. What age did your DS start?

My violin/piano teacher problem is resolved. She invited me over for a chat without DD, which took an hour or so, but all resolved. I'm glad about this as DD would have been upset. Working on grade 5 scales at the mo. We went for a lesson this morning, and DD rolled her eyes and asked if we, the two adults, had stopped squabbling. Obviously, I said rather grandly that we had resolved our differences as if it was a United Nations Conference...

There will be more violins along when you need them Kutik.

Kutik73 · 09/08/2017 19:29

Lots of great news everyone!

We are off to grancamping tomorrow. Noticed a few days ago as usual by disorganized and spontaneous DH. That made me go back to the violin shops to return the violins yesterday - didn't want to leave the uninsured instruments in our empty house.

Out all day for kids party today and now I'm starting to pack and DH has just dashed out for collecting bits and pieces from an outdoor shop nearby...

DS is telling me he is taking his violin with us. I'm not sure if it's a good idea even though we have mute...

Greenleave · 09/08/2017 19:03

Wow Better: fantastic results!

Lovely news/updates from everyone else!

Its very little music happening in this house hold these days( or I have been paying very little attention to her music aspect these days). I am looking into secondary schools options and what we need to do to prepare for 11+ exams preparation, costs, financial plans etc. Its a mountainous task! I might just leave it and start again after the holiday.

AlexandraLeaving · 09/08/2017 14:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

se22mother · 09/08/2017 12:21

Wow better fantastic results.

It is very wet here today. Hope it is dry for camping waffle

Original poster
Wafflenose · 09/08/2017 12:12

Wow, Better, those are amazing results!

OP posts:
Minimusiciansmama · 09/08/2017 12:10

drummers stay awake is still one of hours, and edelweiss. I remember singing edelweiss to her when she was days old, then when she first played it on her clarinet I cried!

waffle glad Goo is feeling better. Enjoy camping!

We are off to London from Friday. Proms workshop at the RAH on Saturday amongst other adventures.

Good luck to all waiting on GCSE results xxx

BettertoChange · 09/08/2017 12:05

DS last primary exam result in. G6 music theory with distinction. 4 marks down comparing G5 three years ago. G8 violin 142 last term. Same marks as his G7 two years ago. －:)

LooseAtTheSeams · 09/08/2017 11:25

Working at home today - weather is torrential and poor DS2 is on his sailing course! DS1 is hiding upstairs.
On the bright side I think the forecast is for better weather -especially important for camping! Hope it has a soothing effect on Goo, or at least is a good distraction.
Good luck with the music gcse. And Spanish! I got a couple of gcse music books - allegedly for DS1's revision. I have got them to myself for a bit, though, as they look quite interesting!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 09/08/2017 11:01

I thought it would go quiet on here at some point. Various people are on holiday, and we are going camping tomorrow, for a few days.

Goo is feeling better thanks. We are keeping her busy. She had a friend round for the night, and they have now gone out. She will need to pack for camping this afternoon. She is an intense, emotional creature generally, but is also nearly 12 and hormonal.

OP posts:
drummersmum · 09/08/2017 10:55

mini that's a great email to get, good of her.
trout glad scales are going OK and good luck re GCSE. We're collecting result for Spanish only...The real thing is next year Confused
waffle I hope Goo's feeling better. Girls at her age go though an incredible emotional time re friendships. At DS' primary school they mixed the forms up for the last year. The girls were all in tears, it was the end of the world. And then it wasn't, of course. But it's nice to know she makes such good friends at NCO. It's the shared music!

Lullabies... The winners in this house at bedtime were "Summertime" and "Stay Awake" (from Mary Poppins). I sang to him at night till he was in year 8...

Hope everyone's enjoying some hols. It's so quiet without DS. We're on a work deadline, so not much mumsnetting for me.