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Original poster

September Music Thread

665 replies

Wafflenose · 01/09/2017 01:01

Hello, and welcome to a new thread for September. This is a lovely, calm and supportive corner of Mumsnet where we can talk about everything to do with music lessons, exams, practice, auditions, and whatever else you like. Contributors of ALL standards and ages welcome. There are lots of experienced music parents on here, but we also have a steady stream of beginners, and the collective knowledge on here is impressive.

I'm Waffle, teacher of woodwind - mainly clarinet and recorder these days. My DH plays the guitar for fun. We have two DDs - sensitive, highly strung and accident-prone Goo (11) who plays the flute and piano, and starts secondary school next week, and laid back, funny Rara (9) who plays the cello and clarinet, and is also a reading machine.

There's not too much going on for us musically this term, apart from auditioning for NCO in October. My main priority will be getting Goo settled in a much bigger school, with a longer day, and she's getting there under her own steam, eek! Luckily for us, we don't have any music exams or secondary school entrance stuff going on, but I know that lots of you do. I am anticipating Grade 8 Flute and Grade 3 Clarinet next term, and Grade 5 Piano in the summer term. I've no idea if Rara will do any more cello exams after the drama of the last one! At the moment, she says she's sticking to the odd numbers. Nutcase.

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Musicdoc · 01/09/2017 21:39

Hi all, happy new school year... I've got a few days before term starts and after a busy summer driving around the UK to various music events, I am looking forward to normality!!
My DS (12) is going into year 8 - G7 cello (trinity) last summer, taking G5 theory and will be auditioning for NCO for the 4th time this autumn. He is a typical lazy laid back boy, but is now talking about auditioning for Junior College next year - not sure if he is good enough though.
My DD (10) is going into Year 6.... 11plus exams next week, she's just making a start on G8 violin preparation, and her piano teacher is gritting her teeth at lack of practice for her G4 exam which she should be taking this term.
Any advice about standard for JD entry at Year 9 much appreciated Smile

raspberryrippleicecream · 01/09/2017 18:55

I think I've managed to upload DS2 singing when he was still a treble. Not brilliant recording, I didn't know how to edit the end.

raspberryrippleicecream · 01/09/2017 18:38

I was back at school today, but DC's don't go back til next Wednesday.

DS2 (14) is planning Grade 6 theory in November, Grade 8 piano not before next summer. His organ teacher was thinking about an exam, but he'd been expecting practice over the summer, he doesn't know about the fracture yet! So we'll see.

He has decided to stop singing lessons for now, but will still be singing in the Cathedral Youth Choir, and as a junior Choral Scholar with full Choir.

DD is carrying on with sax lessons, final year at school and just enjoying her lessons as a chill out time

LooseAtTheSeams · 01/09/2017 18:05

Hello all! I hope today went well for those who were back at school and good luck to Goo and all the other new year 7s (and their mums!) And to Fleur's DS starting sixth form!
I am back to piano lessons on Monday, can't believe I have got as far as the grade 5 book but definitely not taking any exams for a while. DS1 reminded me he will be 16 in a couple of months - how on earth did that happen? He is carrying on with post-grade 8 bass lessons, along with drum kit and tuned percussion. He could take G6 in December but if he doesn't we may leave that exam altogether as he has GCSEs this year.
DS2 is 12 1/2 and is already 5' 8. He plays cello and may take G5 in December if he can get the hang of the scales, but if not I will suggest working on them properly and taking it in May. He also plays piano and is about to embark on G5 and some theory. DS2 wants to have some guitar lessons as his brother mocked him for his cello-inspired guitar technique! He actually sounds quite good but I must admit it looks wrong.
Thanks for the Justinguitar recommendation, Misti - he has been viewed a few times by DH! I would have a go myself but I am useless with strings. The other three have maths brains and just seem to get it!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 01/09/2017 16:22

Of luck?! ONLY is what I meant to say!

Misti you have inspired me to start practising something again! It sounds like you and your DS have both made excellent progress this summer.

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Mistigri · 01/09/2017 16:16

Thank you for the new thread waffle. It sounds like your DD will definitely be better off in a group her age, rather than the youngest one in an older group. It can be a difficult age, not a child any more, but not quite adolescent either.

Hoping for tips on getting DC to actually read the dots on the page. DS is really slowed down by it. He seems to only look at the notes the first time he looks at a piece.

My DD16 does this on piano ... one of her objectives this year is to start actually reading music rather than memorising everything (she has a phenomenal musical memory). She has some books of easier music and I am encouraging her to play one easy piece from the sheet music every practice session. She is a good sight reader on her other instruments, but reading two lines of music simultaneously is obviously a much harder proposition. I also think that sight-reading piano requires more strategy (use of intervals etc) than when reading only one line of music. As a late starter she has simply not read enough piano music to be good at it.

Anyway, DD just got back from a month away with her boyfriend, she has a couple of weeks to catch up with holiday "homework" before piano lessons start. She goes back to school next Wed, for her final year before higher ed. If all goes well then she will be in Paris this time next year!

I also have DS14 who has just started guitar and has crammed a couple of years' worth of guitar classes into the summer holidays. I take lessons in an adult group where all the musicians have been playing for at least 3 years and quite honestly he's as already nearly as good as us. He will start group classes this year at the same guitar school that DD and I go to.

I am still waiting to hear whether I have an adult place to study piano at the municipal music school. Have been practising over the hols and it's coming back, slowly.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 01/09/2017 16:14

From Rara: "if grades came in quarters, what grade would I be on the clarinet?" LOL! (Answer: Grade 2 1/4). She has of luck had one cello lesson since her exam on July 12th, so I would have to say Grade 3.0 for cello, lol!

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stringchild · 01/09/2017 14:41

TheSecond - Allianz here too

TheSecondOfHerName · 01/09/2017 14:14

Thank you, will have a look

Original poster
Wafflenose · 01/09/2017 14:11

I'm with Allianz, TheSecond. I've had the policy for 25 years, and only recently made my first claim.

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TheSecondOfHerName · 01/09/2017 14:04

Before I forget, good luck to the DD of Fleurdelise and any other DCs with upcoming music aptitude tests or 11+

TheSecondOfHerName · 01/09/2017 14:02

Thank you for the new thread Waffle.

Just took DS2 to try clarinets. We found a Buffet E13 he was happy with, and managed to get some change from £1000, so everyone's happy.

Does anyone have insurance recommendations? Is it better to include it in the house contents, or insure separately?

Trumpetboysmum · 01/09/2017 14:01

That's what I was thinking string. Ds has probably got it wrong and I would imagine that with perhaps the odd exception it would be easier if they used the new age bands straight away I guess we will all find out in December. I'm not really looking forward to the next few weeks ds isn't at his best when he's preparing for something that he really wants to go well !

stringchild · 01/09/2017 13:50

Waffle - we had assumed dd would be in U12s if successful; i think the oddity would be if they put people in one or other depending on whether a parent asks them too. Can't imagine they would allocate that way. Also I suppose it depends on how many of the Main are staying - if quite a few then u13s may need to repeat as no Main seats and thus U12s etc too. So am not sure how anyone can know until the auditions are done really especially for the sections with less places

Original poster
Wafflenose · 01/09/2017 13:40

I do wonder when they are actually going to enforce the new age groups then, if they do that for every orchestra this year? Goo would be devastated if string's DD went up too, as that would leave her with no-one at all. Well, not exactly, as she'd have to start all over again, but you know what I mean. We have talked about it though, she knows she would struggle in U13s, potentially end her NCO 'career' earlier than she could have, and it's just not right for her at this time. I also want her split up from the person who has been chipping away at her confidence.

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Trumpetboysmum · 01/09/2017 13:33

Might well be the case Waffle although ds made it sound like it came from the tutors . It doesn't affect him anyway as he was always going to audition for under 13s and I think most of his friendship group ( and all bar 1 of this years trumpets) are going into year 8

Original poster
Wafflenose · 01/09/2017 13:22

I do wonder if that is a rumour that started because a falling out, and one child asking her parents to ring the office asking for her to be bumped up next year. That did happen.

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stringchild · 01/09/2017 13:00

Trumpet and Waffle - dd said that some children on the course had heard from their parents that the nco office has said they can be in the u13s (if they get in); I haven't heard this but we haven't asked. Dd would like to be with her pals who are def u13 but also realises what a school year difference makes physically for a wind instrument (and others I guess??). At this point her priority is to get a place at allConfused

Original poster
Wafflenose · 01/09/2017 13:00

Exactly, Mini - yes, exactly. Goo tends to come across as 14 physically, mentally and socially (and musically in certain settings) but she is still 11, and at the moment she is cripplingly self-conscious, self-critical and under-confident. She needs this year to adjust to her new school, puberty (she's halfway through) and just BREATHE. I do welcome the changes with the NCO year, and not just because Goo is old for her year - it's just that everyone was at different life stages with some in Year 7 and some in Year 6. That said, she is obviously devastated about her friends. If they make Main and she makes U13 eventually, they do work together for some things.

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Minimusiciansmama · 01/09/2017 12:38

That sounds a good result all round for her then, waffle. I think its important to stretch them but it's good for their emotional well being and their self confidence if they have a while of being comfortably at the top too; perhaps taking a bit of a role encouraging the younger ones, and feeling good about their abilities sometimes. Not easy balancing that sometimes. I know when DD started band, she was way beyond the ability level of her first band but it was her first ensemble experience and she learnt important skills from that. Also she was more at the same social level as her band mates, though still younger than them all. She's in different bands now and most of them are twice her age and size. It's a nice mix though of a band that stretches her and one that is quite easy, but she hasn't the same friendships

Fleurdelise · 01/09/2017 12:38

Oh my God, September thread! I think my brain is still somewhere in July! Happy September everyone! Goo luck to all the secondary school new starters, I hope the transition is lean and without bumps.

I have 16yo DS who isn't "musical" (never really intrested in music lessons) he just finished his GCSEs and got into his desired sixth form so now I am adjusting to the thought of having an adult as such and drop the school related nagging. I'll let you know if I succeed.

I also have Dd who just turned 10yo 3 weeks ago and starting in year 6 on Monday, she plays the piano and the clarinet. At the moment there is no direction of music planning for this year, definitely theory exam at some point but also the conversation of grade 6 piano will come at some point we'll see what she decides as she doesn't want any piano exams anymore.

Clarinet- she's starting with her new teacher on 16th September so no clue what grades or if any exams will be taken, her teaching methods or anything, it will take a while to adjust. She'll also audition for NCO with her clarinet without a huge hope of getting in as she's only played for 1 year but we thought why not.

She's also sitting her academic 11+ exam in a week's time and MAT exam on the 12th, if successful she'll be called back for an audition.

A busy September but once is out of the way we can get back into a routine. Smile

Trumpetboysmum · 01/09/2017 12:34

Glad that's sorted waffle it sounds like our life !! that's not nice for Goo if she feels like others are putting her down I'm hoping that AYM is quite inclusive it's a fairly small group and ds knows one of the other trumpet players who's now in his last year hopefully he will keep an eye on ds and support him

Original poster
Wafflenose · 01/09/2017 12:21

I have just had an email from SWMS, saying the first residential is the same weekend as Goo's compulsory Year 7 residential, and her NCO South Westerlies concert - which is not what we were told six weeks ago! Apparently the venue has let them down and they've had to move it, but I cannot physically have her in three places at once. I got straight on the phone, and she has permission to miss that one now. It was hard enough work making sure she could do both of the other things - I have to pick her up from the school trip 2 hours early, and take her to NCO 2 hours late, but all of that had already been arranged (and paid for!).

Goo is struggling with the whole SWMS thing, so we've had a long talk about it. She is definitely going to the introductory day this month, and cheered up CONSIDERABLY when she heard that the age range for her programme is now 10-13. In the past, it's been 9-16, where she and one other child were 9 and everyone else was in their teens! At audition, she was told she was good enough for the top course, but might be better off socially staying down. I am so, so glad they have made that decision for her, and feel similarly about NCO. She needs to consolidate, and feel like one of the older and more experienced ones, rather than feeling put down by a certain young man, and like she is playing catch-up to the other flutes.

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Trumpetboysmum · 01/09/2017 10:43

Good luck mini with all the new things ! Ds went strangely quiet ( for him) when he turned up to AYM on Wednesday but has settled in now and says he's having a great time

Minimusiciansmama · 01/09/2017 10:36

Good luck to the new year 7s and their nervous mummies! Back Wednesday here, so a nice phased start with dance class going Monday, first band next weekend and the other stuff the following week. No music lesson til 19th then into her first day of CATs on 24th!