October Music Thread

Yeah, living the dream.

Just a bunch of rebels...

niggle waffle is going to do it later, she's got a busy day I think though. But yeah, check us out all Octobery in November!! Hahaha know how to live on the edge us music mamas!

We are just not taking any notice that it is actually November, are we?

Mavericks, all of us.

Thanks Floot, am currently looking at lots of websites.

Niggle - no, not Wells. Year 5 is the ideal time to be looking at school choices. DS expressed an interest in his current school when he was in year 5. We didn't think he was the right standard but went to the open day anyway and chatted to the head of music, who encouraged us to apply. They look for potential, not just attainment, and also high scores in ABRSM exams, as opposed to higher grades. DS Sat the interview and entrance exams and then did the scholarship audition, which involved performing and music aptitude aural tests, as well as a written statement saying what he felt he had to offer the school, what his particular interests were etc.

Ha, well I have the house full of percussion instruments- I have a percussionist in training....so I know all about the instruments. I also know that my little percussionist spends a lot more time practising than her violinist sister- due to the amount of instruments.
Yes that makes sense about not needing many percussionists in comparison to say brass/string players in an orchestra etc.
Percussion is certainly not easy. Rather ignorant to think otherwise.

Kutik: congratulations on making a great choice!

Thank you everyone and Thank you for such a beautiful post Drummers, I am certain that miniDrummers will be succesful and happy in whatever route he chooses as his work ethic and his passion will play the lead. I met a (quite popular) violinist recently accidently(I was with my 3yrs old and got scared of 2 massive bull dogs and he came over to help to distract them with the dogs owner). We then introduced and he came to visit us(he lives couple of roads toward to the millionaire side if the area which isnt related to our little terraced). He played with my daughter and agreed to help on occasional section for fun. He isnt poor to any meaning(a member of Athenaeum Club) and certainly is living a very happy fulfill life. As a completely ignorant and non-musical person who doesnt love any music gene, I cant say my life is richer and more beautiful because when I go to concerts, seeing other children in my daughter Orchestra, I know life wont be as beautiful without music.

Our problems in terms of supporting her full force in her music are: she still needs to make to practise and supervise by me and we have so little time with me hardly at home, she needs to start doing it on her own( she does have the potential as I was told by all of her teachers, Eg. we started on C1-Ravel Valse piece recently and she just picked it up and could play through the whole piece after 3 lessons, my teacher says he is struggling to get few of his much older children to read, understand and play the note correctly. What she is missing is her rhythm, which comes natural to a better musical child). We need to start spending time and focus on academic side because we choose the selective route(I know you have all been there and you did both with keeping up in music practice and passing the academic requirement, I havent got the confidence needed and still clueless what to do(except the obvious that we need to start to know). I must say that this music thread has been my wonderful/only friend in our musical route to the least the last 2 years.

Floot, is that Wells? I have been looking at that for DD, but I don't know it at all. And she is still only in Year 5.

Crossed posts with flootoot!

floottoot and string I don't feel so lonely now
paulweller yes thanks I know about the happiness. On the other hand I also have friends who are happy as barristers or doctors and part of that happiness comes from having a nice life. In my field I know lots of people who never "made it" and they are bitter! However they are not musicians! Re percussion, I think percussionists have it tough because it's very hard for example to have a career as a soloist. Also the amount of orchestral and chamber repertoire that requires no percussion? If you're a drummer, in every jazz combo or ensemble only one is needed whereas they will have more brass players. And the logistics of your many instruments makes it very difficult to have them all at home for practice let alone carry them around without a van... etc etc. And someone told DS recently that there wasn't such a thing as "a good percussionist" meaning they were all the same. As you can imagine DS was incensed

PaulWeller, people tend to think that being a percussionist requires very little skill - "What? You bang a few drums/ play the triangle for a living??", as if somehow they're not proper musicians.
Add to that the fact you have to have a house full of drums, xylophones, marimbas etc and the sticks to go with them AND a car big enough to transport all of the above... No nice wedding/background/chamber music gigs to supplement income either.
It's only been relatively recently that percussionists have been able to enter BBC Young Musician, for example.

Interesting post drummersmum.
I agree, it’s hard work being a musician, or a parent of one.
None of my friend musicians are extremely wealthy, however they do seem the happiest out of all my friends- they love what they do......even when they’re struggling to pay the bills that month, due to missed lessons, school holidays (so not many lessons), or just a lack of gigs.....they still love what they do.
I think musicians are a special set of people- destined to be musicians .

And hey if it doesn’t work out, they can always train to be something else. I went back to uni after having kids, and retrained.
(Although I wasn’t a musician!) anything is possible.
P.S why so difficult for percussionists - asking as I’m not a musician, so not sure what you mean x

Drummers. - thank you. All very very true and elequently said. Friends get quite frustrated that we have to little time esp as right now dd wants to have it all and is pushing herself academically as well as musically. I have real mixed feelings when she sometimes talks about being a musician; she is still young so I will support her to keep these options open, but it’s hard.

Drummersmum, I could have written the latter part of your post, word for word!
DH and I are both freelance musicians (and DH is a percussionist!). Our eldest child is 14 and we purposely didn't go down the music route with her, as she has SEN. She is more into drama, but has recently started to say she feels left out when we talk about music with DS (11), so she's started singing lessons this term.
DS didn't start cello lessons until year 4 but clearly has some ability and has just started as a music scholar in year 7 in our local cathedral school. I will admit to encouraging his musical pursuits because I know what a wonderful experience music brings to a child growing up BUT I'm not sure how I feel about him considering it as a career, for all the reasons you've stated.
Being a professional musician is exciting, nerve-wracking, heartbreaking, wonderful...all at the same time, isn't it?

green I am of the opinion that your DD's temporary loss of interest in music is a glitch which all children involved in an activity have had as they discover how vast and wonderful life is beyond! But even if, lets say, it turns out that music is not her thing and she happens to find her interests veering some other way, I hope you'll believe when I say it's perfectly OK. Music is a wonderful thing but:

• When music becomes serious, like when sport becomes competitive level, or dance, etc it becomes a constant, huge sacrifice for everyone in the family. Money, time, efforts, everything goes into the same pot, in one single direction. No plans for the summer till all music courses are scheduled. No plans for anytime during the week or the weekend in case that's the only day he can fit music practice. No plans for most things because any extra money is going into supporting music. As it's the number one thing in your child's mind, it so becomes in yours. 90% of all Youtube videos watched together have to do with the child's passion. All activities and outings end up around the same thing!
• The constant tug of war with academics is exhausting if you're the kind of parent that is not ready to give up on that side and wants their child to have open options. It is also exhausting for the child as he/she struggles to fit everything in at the level he/she would wish to, leading to frustration which then permeates into the family life.
• The position of a "music mum" or "music dad" is so lonely. The friends without musical children don't understand what your life is like and if you are unable to commit to certain things, or make plans for your child, they immediately think that it's because you want your child to practice, never that it's actually your child who wants to practice and it's your child who's telling you not to make plans. They never assume it comes from the child. And most of society thinks that way. The other day a neighbour was saying something to me and he said "well, if you want your son to be a musician..." and I was like "waaait! Hold on a minute. I don't want my son to be a musician. It's my son who wants to be a musician. It's a very different thing. And my job, as I see it, is to support him, help him and be there for him."
• As someone who has spent my lifetime as a freelancer in the arts, without ever knowing if I was going to have a job in six months time, without being able to get a proper mortgage or rental because nobody had faith in my earning potential, without a single paid holiday, without a single paid sick day or maternity leave, without a proper pension waiting for me at the end.... Well, when then your child comes to you and says he wants to be a musician, shivers go down your spine. Believe me. So to anyone mourning the fact that their child is not going into music, I would tell them to picture their child in 20 years time, in a rewarding interesting job that pays well, that allows them to have a life without your support, in a nice house, and that offers some stability and that allows their child to sleep at night and retire with a fat pension. Not a bad vision, in my opinion.

On the other hand, I love music so I'm lucky he doesn't want to be a Judo champion cause I know FA about judo and would struggle to sit through a Judo championship.

Sorry. That's probably my longest post ever

Thanks all! It sounds amazing, but it's a non-fee school so not as flashy as independents obviously. Some parts are quite battered. But we are happy with our decision for now. I suppose only time tells us if we made a right choice. I really hope DS enjoys his new school.

Green, I understand this thread is open to everyone who want to talk about music (plus alpha, such as school choice ). Some DCs are devoted, some are not, some are beginner and some are proficient. Everybody can join, no?

It sounds great, Kutik and I'm impressed by the separate facilities for Year 7s and all the music tech! I'm sure MiniKutik will be very happy there!

Good choice Kutik. This school has a good established record and sounds great.

Sounds wonderfull. Dd1 will go to secondary school next year, no choice for is and certainly no great facilities. It is however small-her year will have 26 students and thats a big year group......

Great news kutik.

OK, then I'll carry on!

I had a meeting with DS's primary school's Head. She thinks School B offers more for DS (as an all-rounder). We then went to the tour School B arranged for those who were offered a music place. We met other scholars (lovely people), talked to the teachers (very passionate), and saw the fantastic facilities (DS couldn't hide his excitement when we entered the Music Tech class with the recording studio attached - he is becoming a tech-geek).

I was worried about the size - it's just so huge compared with our tiny primary school. But the pastoral care seems to be very high, and they do put lots efforts to individual care. Year 7 has their own building where other years are not allowed to enter even the toilet. The school says having space dedicated to Y7 helps those tiny new pupils find their place at their pace in the new environment without being intimidated by big, loud, confident Y8+ around. They have a good language department also, and DS can take exams in his home language if he wants (our language is very much minor!). Lots of science clubs, sports and of course music, everything on site.

We decided to put School B as our first choice.

Yes, but we haven't been lead to the next thread yet, so I am waiting patiently and quietly..

I personally am not qualified.

No rush.

Just realised it's November!