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

NCO 2018

991 replies

stringchild · 23/08/2017 19:07

The new annual thread for those interested and/or auditioning! Ask questions, update your news - lots of nco parents on board and those hoping to be :)

OP posts:
Minimusiciansmama · 21/10/2017 03:28

Good luck minidouble for today xxx

Original poster
stringchild · 20/10/2017 20:54

good luck to mini double and others auditioning this weekend:)

OP posts:
Trumpetboysmum · 20/10/2017 20:52

Good luck tomorrow minidouble Smile

Kutik73 · 20/10/2017 20:37

Good Luck tomorrow miniDouble!

folkmamma · 20/10/2017 13:01

Good luck on Saturday Double 😊 we’ve been enjoying a little post-audition down time. However Noo’s teacher has now introduced Kreutzer into the pratice ritual, and adjusted her bow hold (it needed doing...) so we’re in for a rough few weeks 😂😂😂

Original poster
stringchild · 20/10/2017 12:25

Hi Tuesday for us (although haven't had the formal email yet....?

OP posts:
Minimusiciansmama · 20/10/2017 00:00

Hahaha double two new Christmas books have arrived to us this week and I am refusing to let her open them yet. Good luck to mini for Saturday

I have to admit to being very relieved to have a break from her pieces though she's reviving one for a concert this weekend, she decided today.

We had an email from NCO apologising for various bits of chaos that happened during the auditions in our venue, which I thought was nice.

Doubleup · 19/10/2017 23:11

Anyone else had auditions this week? Saturday for DD2 and we are all looking forward to it being over. The pieces are lovely, but it will be nice to hear something else. Not so sure I'm ready to hear Christmas music this early in the year which is part of what her teacher has set her for half term........ Grin

Minimusiciansmama · 16/10/2017 19:10

niggle Point him to the kettle and the packet then sit and eat your dinner!

Nigglenotes · 16/10/2017 19:09

Would love to get into the Regionals here, it sounds great.

Have cooked a lovely beef bourguignon. Made both rice and mashed potatoe as children and DH all like different sides. DS appears from his lair, sees the steaming pots of rice and potato. I ask him which he would prefer.

He prefers couscous.

Eroica · 16/10/2017 18:08

Hi kutik no, it's just not at all practical for us- each rehearsal would have required an overnight stay, tbh. That takes up the entire weekend, and DD plays county level sport too, so has a lot of tournaments up and down the country for that. We can't do everything (only I drive). The year DD got in, she just did the summer week.

folkmamma · 16/10/2017 12:19

Noo didn’t get age banded last year - just Regionals, but she has had the BEST time and it’s been a fantastic experience. We really will be delighted if the same happens again... tbh I’m not sure we’re we’d find the fees if she gets offered U11’s!

Wafflenose · 16/10/2017 09:52

Thanks Mini!

Kutik73 · 16/10/2017 09:19

Mini, I think you meant string? Grin

Eroica, you mean you don't go to regional at all? We are actually hoping to get in the regional rather than the age band one. We are normally away for the whole summer so the monthly meeting during school term works best for us.

Also, getting in the age band probably be quite a stretch for DS who got bitten by a music bug just a year or so ago. If his passion towards music continues, he may manage to catch up and may have a chance in a few years time (though he may not as I assume the competition gets even more fierce as it goes up).

Minimusiciansmama · 16/10/2017 08:55

Eroica it's about that for us but on a trainline so not too bad. kutik that's an interesting thought as we actually are equidistant to London also when done by train

Eroica · 16/10/2017 08:08

Grin at all the secret meetups.
We found out 12 months later that someone from a different Activity was at NCO same time as DD,.but we didn't know them then. Not sure whether they'll have gone for NCO this year, as it's secondary entrance year for them.
Regionals are all too far for us- 2.5 hours in three directions, such a nuisance, as it would really have helped DD I think.

Original poster
stringchild · 16/10/2017 07:17

Hi Mini - IF dd gets in we are thinking of going northerlies after 4yrs of doing London; same travel distance

OP posts:
Minimusiciansmama · 16/10/2017 05:53

I'm not sure I'm going to bump in to very many of you if she gets in- there's a few going for u10s but I don't think we have anyone else going for Northerlies do we? I would definitely need a cue like waffle's amazing piano shoes.

Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOO!!! CakeFlowersStar

Kutik73 · 16/10/2017 00:27

I suppose you can have a good guess apart from violinists (too many!). As soon as I exchanged a few words with Double, I was like, 'Ooooh!', and I was bold enough to ask if she was Double. Later on, on the other thread, it was confirmed that I didn't chat with a 'fake one' like Waffle Grin

Wafflenose · 15/10/2017 22:57

So much fun! Bet none of you ran up to a random music mum and blurted out a secret though (for any newcomers, I managed to do this at Under 12s in the summer).

folkmamma · 15/10/2017 21:48

We should all get badges made with our alter-egos on 😂

folkmamma · 15/10/2017 21:47

Haha!! Brilliant! Very nice to meet you in person 😊

Doubleup · 15/10/2017 21:39

I was talking to you today too folkmamma - in fact sitting next to you across the gap. My DD is one of the bassoonists. Smile. As I said to you at the time, the cakes were very tasty. Cake

folkmamma · 15/10/2017 20:49

The funniest thing is I have to go and buy my own cakes back super early in the rehearsal as the chocolate ones are egg free and I make them especially for DD’s BFF who is horribly allergic. But if I don’t get in quick they’re all gone!! I do like to bake.... but seems the only time I ever get round to it these days is the night before Regionals!

Kutik73 · 15/10/2017 20:46

folkmamma, I saw a lovely lady carrying pretty cupcakes there today. I was actually wondering if it could be you!