NCO 2018

Thanks musicdoc - we are having a few days off the Vivaldi 1st movement and he is starting the 3rd movement. He's getting on really well, and may play it for the audition. He even prefers it to the first movement. It is a great idea to listen to watch some YouTube. we need to find a recording that is a bit slower than the awesome Perlman one though...

Part of the problem with DS2 is that he is knackered from getting used to the chorister routine again. It's quite full on, with 6 days per week of rehearsal, and concerts and tours coming up, even before they start singing evensong!

Yes I think they seem to be sending out an email exactly one month before . I got in a panic as I hadn't heard and they emailed me the date and time back but I also got an official email with the date even though it was on a Sunday. Think they are trying to make it fair for everyone though obviously the later on you pick the more time you have to prepare ds is so busy he's playing things he already knows ( I got my way in the end ) !!

We are still waiting for our audition date. Does anyone know when we should hear by?

Ds is playing without . Last year he did 1 piece with and one without this year s pieces work without and it's just too complicated to organise someone that we know who isn't teaching ( it's on a school day) an then get them to drive to Norwich- which is about an hour and a half away

We just got our audition slot. We got first choice, which is good cos it's more convenient location wise and doesn't involve a day off school; though our second choice would have meant we had an accompanist. I now need to think about that!

Taggie if he loves it he should play it, and let them know he loves it.....on my DDs feedback last year they wrote 'you gave us a lovely smile at the end of your piece, it would have been nice to see that whilst you were playing.' As far as it all going wrong at the moment, sometimes it is worth having a couple of days off - perhaps look up others playing it on YouTube to improve his enthusiasm? Does he have a back up option?

musicdoc oh dear - DS is doing Vivaldi in A minor because he likes it (or did) and I wanted him to have something to 'get his teeth into' over the summer. He was playing it well, but suddenly is messing it up...

not sure what to do now :-( . We are giving it a break for a few days, anyhow as it is just getting worse.

I love those shoes !! They were how I spotted you !

I had the shoes on today!

Classic. Randomtrumpet must have been slightly confused but hid it well... or looked down at your shoes and thought, ah eccentric music mother..

I still find it funny! The funniest thing is that I'm usually very shy! I can't believe I told Randomtrumpetmum something a bit secret. Not that it would mean much to her.

Yes, Trumpet, I got an email today too, confirming 10th, as she had missed my email about rearranging to 27th. But sorted now. We are close to AYM so hopefully will see you there at some stage... but unlike Waffle, I will double check I know who you are before divulging information! That is still funny.

Niggle we have had our 10 th October date confirmed ( now I just need to negotiate a day off school but they are usually really supportive ) Shame we don't get to meet - maybe at AYM in the future ?

Yes, Goo likes regionals, and would really miss them. I'm torn between keeping everything going as normal (with masses of support) to show her that the world hasn't stopped turning, and letting her concentrate solely on Year 7. She got five bits of homework for the weekend and has been fretting massively about them... but four are done, and the fifth isn't due for a couple of weeks. We took her and Rara out for the day yesterday. We were very active, did some really exciting activities, bought ice creams, and didn't talk about school at all. It was much needed!

Taggie I have a violinist DD auditioning for u11s - I have heard that Vivaldi A minor 1st movt is a pet hate for the audition panel.... but they surely can't mark it down on that basis. However they might be more picky about how well it is played especially as they have more performances to compare it to? Last year my daughter auditioned with the 2nd movt of Vivaldi A minor and Stravinsky Gavotte (G7 Abrsm book).

Waffle what a shame she is off auditioning this year. My son found adjusting to y7 very difficult. Does she enjoy regionals enough to focus on associate membership, and if she gets full membership despite feeling underprepared then it's a bonus?

Trumpet, may have bumped into you the 10th, but we have changed to Cambridge as DD's violin teacher can accompany that day. Well, I hope we get the date!

Hi all,

Taggie, my DD was thinking about Vivaldi a minor, but I think we are doing something else from Suzuki Book 4, and maybe a G5 piece. She is also auditioning for U10's. We haven't heard about our date yet.

Waffle, I think Goo would get through even without a lot of practice, given her level. So there is still time for a good polish of a few pieces.

Thanks, both.

She was doing netball, dodgeball, school choir, orchestra and recorders last term, as well as her current music lessons, NCO etc, so the primary school stuff has all vanished. Instead, though, she is cycling 4.4 miles per day, and going to the gym at school on Thursday lunchtimes. Music clubs start this week and she is going to try three - she does love to be busy! Hopefully it's just a case of getting back in to the swing. I predict that we'll have a far more confident Goo by Christmas. She's just so unsure of herself at the moment - it seems that everything in her world has changed.

Waffle - DS1 is y8 this year, so many sympathies for the y7 blues. It is a huge jump from primary and the first days can be overwhelming, particularly for anxious children. For what it's worth, we cut back on all extras in the first term of secondary, including music. All spare time, such as it was, was relaxation - and plenty of screen!

DS1 took up all of his old interests (and more!) once he had settled in. He easily made up for lost time.

I know this doesn't solve the audition issue though :-(

We will keep the slot open, yes. But I have asked her to think about it, and tell me and her flute teacher the truth once she has decided. I have more than enough going on right now, so can focus my attention elsewhere if she doesn't do it.

It will be Oct 25th. I think this is a combination of the new school, puberty, lack of practice, a bit of rebellion and lots of anxiety. She hates to perform now.

Oh waffle it's tough when they start year 7 I still don't really know how ds managed it all last year as he'd never done an audition , played in an orchestra or been to high school before !! (Outwardly he made it look easy but needed lots of moral support from us and his trumpet teacher) Have you had your date yet I'm assuming that you will just hold onto your slot so that she can go if she wishes ? She'll be fine anyway even if she doesn't do loads of practice she's a fab player

I am not worried about getting the venue we asked for... it's never full. We even managed to change back there at the last minute in 2016, when Goo made a miraculous recovery from her injury!

Goo is talking about withdrawing. She's never keen to go to her piano lesson, but enjoys it when she does; she didn't want to go to her flute lesson yesterday and was moody (over tired) and never wants to go to her CAT. I have asked her if she wants to give it all up and she doesn't, but the enormity of starting a new school and getting there under her own steam is clouding everything else at the moment.