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Extra-curricular activities

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

Original poster

October Music Thread

486 replies

Wafflenose · 01/10/2017 01:18

Hello, I just fell asleep in front of a very long film that DH wanted to watch, and woke up in October! I couldn't resist starting the new thread before going to sleep properly.

The monthly music threads are welcome to ALL, and we really like hearing from new contributors and beginner musicians. We have all levels on here. It's a good place to discuss instruments, lessons, practice, exams, auditions and anything else that you want to.

I am a teacher of recorder, clarinet, saxophone and flute, and have two daughters. Goo is 11 and plays the flute and piano. She is planning to do exams on both next year, but none just now because she's just started at the secondary school 2 miles down the road, which has a great reputation for music and sport, and is extremely academic. They study four languages in Year 7 - Goo has just finished her unit on German (by the end of three weeks, they could write three substantial paragraphs - I couldn't believe it!) and is now embarking on Mandarin.
She's thrown herself into choir, orchestra, steel band, flute group and the gym. Rara is 9 and has been playing the cello since the age of 5, and clarinet for a year. She enjoys both, but is happiest when she's reading or cutting up paper/ making things out of paper! Rara has plenty of free time because she attends the village school five minutes away, and hardly gets any homework.

Goo attends South West Music School, which is the nearest thing we have to a JD in the south west. Rara is just about to join! Not too much on musically this term (and not a lot of practice taking place, quite honestly) apart from auditioning for the NCO. Goo has been in it for the past three years, and is hoping for Under 12s. After a wobble about even auditioning, she seems quietly confident now.

OP posts:
Minimusiciansmama · 11/10/2017 19:29

thistly my girls love of classical music stemmed originally from the great ballet masters and has widened with a wide range of experiences of classical music being performed. We love the proms, the BBC get involved workshops, the LSO family concerts and workshops, the ballet, the RCM ignite and explore workshops and concert experiences. The classical spectacular at the RAH blew her mind. She loves to listen to music she's heard performed. And listens to music she knows she's going to hear. She is currently loving L'enfant et les sortileges - she's going to an opera north workshop and performance as a birthday present.

Thistly · 11/10/2017 14:57

Waffle and catkind, thanks for your replies!

Waffle, she did grade 3 a few months ago, and is 12, and the approach her teacher is taking seems to be exactly what you have outlined!

I will let her know what you said about being special! She will like that, and also it is really helpful to think of it as easing into the new instrument.

I think the idea that it doesn't take, over, at least not to start off with is really helpful. We will carry on with John Pitts, and I think the idea of getting to grade 3 by the end of the book might help her feel like it's not going to feel hard forever.

I will have a look at Brandenburg concertos.... Perhaps I should just get concertos from the upper end of the abrsm syllabus and they can get familiar with those ahead of time!

I could also look at some of the things they have done in orchestra, and get the whole symphony....

catkind · 11/10/2017 13:53

Thistly - I don't play the recorder since primary school, but did tack viola on to violin which is a similar thing. My tip is find a piece you more or less know on instrument A, and play it on instrument B. Then you're not having to read the music completely cold but start to pick up the new notation by following the score and working out notes you're not sure about.

On what music to listen to - maybe chamber music or concertos for their respective instruments? How about Brandenburg concertos for some of both? Or just stick radio 3 on as background occasionally and see if they click with anything.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 11/10/2017 11:05

Thistly I’m pleased you asked! First of all, please tell her that ALL good recorder players have to do both – they’re just so special and clever. :) So much beautiful recorder music is written for the treble, and I’m sure she’ll grow to love its gorgeous sound over time too.

Please can you tell me how old she is, and what sort of descant level? I can then tailor my advice more specifically, but I would maybe do a few things differently with my pupils. I don’t think of it as a transition, because they have to play both equally well eventually. I treat treble like a completely new instrument and ease it in slowly. I tend to start treble with them around Grade 3. They carry on spending around 2/3 of their lesson time on their hard descant music, to keep their hand in, continue progressing, and reinforcing note reading on that while learning the new one. I then get ‘Treble Recorder From the Beginning’ (green book by John Pitts, which assumes they are already decent descant players, starts gently, and takes them all the way to Grade 3 treble). We spend a few minutes of each lesson, and a bit of their practice time at home, doing these extra easy treble pieces. I wonder if your DD has been told to try and play things on the treble which are at or close to her current descant level? Maybe I’m wrong though. I don’t think that would work in any case. The green book is great – It introduces 2-3 notes at a time, and provides lots of pieces at each point. They generally manage a couple of pages per week, finishing the book and reaching Grade 3 level within a few months, although I had one determined and gifted student who mastered the whole thing over the Christmas holidays – I think that’s all she did for a few weeks!! Concert Repertoire for Recorder gives even more early pieces for treble, if needed.
So, very generally, I would do a tiny bit of treble and plenty of descant each day, and increase the proportion as treble starts to catch up with the descant, then maybe in 6-12 months she’ll be able to do 50/50.
If she is using the green book and finding it far too hard, I will send you some easier starting pieces if you’d like that. It might take me some time though. In rare cases where a student really hasn’t managed well, we’ve alternated lessons/ practice times between recorders – one week treble, one week descant. I do find it better to start like I mean to continue though.

OP posts:
Thistly · 11/10/2017 10:01

Hello everyone, I have occasionally read bit of this thread, and been in awe of the level of playing all your children are achieving at such a young age!
My own children are doing well on their journeys, and both hoping to achieve grade 8 by the time they leave school. I have one recorderist and a violinist.

I am posting because I feel you have some collective wisdom we could benefit, and to ask waffle for some specific recorder advice.

  1. Listening to classical music. One of my children has yet to sit a practical music exam. She has now decided that she would like to, but when looking at clips from the abrsm syllabus, she announced that they all suck. Except the gypsy one. I think it would help them if we listened to more classical music in general. We are more of a folk/ world music household. They do already listen to Grieg, Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet, swan lake and sleeping beauty, and I am looking for suggestions for other classical music they might enjoy which might 'broaden their horizons' any suggestions?

  2. waffle, and any other recorderists... My child is struggling to transition from descant to treble. Our teacher's approach is to carry on playing both simultaneously, and to avoid transposing in head, but to learn the new fingerings as a new instrument. This all makes sense, but she is getting a bit upset at how hard it is. She is also sad that she will not be playing her descant so much any more. Have you any words of wisdom to help her feel better about the transition, and any practical tips for making it easier?

Thanks so much you amazing lot.

drummersmum · 11/10/2017 08:27

green I loved yours too Smile

se22mother · 10/10/2017 21:51

She's very pleased so I think a worthwhile investment

Original poster
Wafflenose · 10/10/2017 21:22

Wowee to the new clarinets - I approve! I desperately wanted Rara to have the Prodige (new B12) but she was having none of it. I have a Buffet clarinet, Azumi flute and Yamaha saxophones. Goo and Rara have Yamaha flute/ clarinet!

OP posts:
Kutik73 · 10/10/2017 21:06

Shiny! GlitterballGlitterballGlitterball

drummersmum · 10/10/2017 21:00

That's photoshop se22Grin

Minimusiciansmama · 10/10/2017 20:41

Ohhh Se22 niceeeeee!!!!!!

TheSecondOfHerName · 10/10/2017 20:16

I don't think I've ever mentioned DS1 on these threads. He just spent 15 minutes playing the guitar he borrowed from a friend a year ago. Both chords are still coming along nicely.

Greenleave · 10/10/2017 20:16

Wow!!!SE22, it does look like the best one I have seen! This is ours

October Music Thread
Doubleup · 10/10/2017 20:07

se22 - ooh, shiny! Smile

Trumpetboysmum · 10/10/2017 19:42

Sorry just caught up . Great news kutik . Green I hope you sort out your teacher problem soon , it must be very frustrating

se22mother · 10/10/2017 19:38

Dd has declared this "the prettiest clarinet in the world'

October Music Thread
LooseAtTheSeams · 10/10/2017 09:47

Oh gosh Green I feel your frustration with the violin teacher search! String I am really shocked to hear that about tutors and 2 working parents!!
Well, I have decided to pick the same C piece for grade 5 ('Cool') as DS2. I wasn't going to because he's a much better pianist and comparisons are unflattering but it's too good a piece not to attempt it! I shall just have to practise when he's not listening! Grin

Greenleave · 10/10/2017 07:31

Charis, we did have a full time nanny in the past and yes it works well and reduced the pressure massively. We have sent the second to full time nursery this year(3.5yrs) and our 9yrs old goes to school and gets home by herself(longer school time with clubs and activities). It works ok if there isnt music and 11+ as the 3.5 yrs old really enjoys having more friends to play with. I will call Torchlight today, thanks so much, never heard of them before.

CharisInAlexandria · 10/10/2017 06:38

For the tutor you could also try an agency like Torchlight Tuition in Barnes. Pretty sure they will have tutors who do weekends.

CharisInAlexandria · 10/10/2017 06:33

Greenleave, one good solution is an after school nanny or au pair. Then even when you both work the kids can get on with homework / music practice / activities after school.

Greenleave · 09/10/2017 22:50

Kutik: you are nearly there, nearly done, just few more rounds and minikutik is doing amazing well. I would celebrate every step though, however its me, I dont do delay gratifications.
Violin: we tried skype unfortunately I dont think it works as the signal wasnt as good and mine wasnt as focused nor motivated. Apart from the fee, I found her schedule was too tight, she could just about to sandwich our lesson in between and has to take a cab back to be on time for the next lesson. I have scheduled to see someone tomorrow night. We will keep trying.
String, se22: they are then loosing business arent they. I did lie(saying she is very prepared, test her now you will want her Grin), I did bribe(couple of guys from gum trees advert who said they didnt have availability), I said I will pay above...well, no cunning plan works. I am thinking of asking my boss for 1 afternoon working from home, which I havent seen anyone around me has it approved(or dared to ask). So there are couple of options. To be honest, I feel like I only need tutor to guide us (format, technique, how much is enough) rather than really has to teach her.

Kutik73 · 09/10/2017 22:36

This thread is so encouraging and sportive. Thank you so much for all the kind words.

Icouldbe, I am an eternal worrier so I won't stop feeling anxious until all is over. We are totally out of the catchment. I can imagine there will be plenty children who scored the same or above live between the school and us, and 19 places will be quickly filled up!

Green, unfortunately we can't pop the cork yet as DS has just passed the round one, and has to pass the round 2 to secure a place! By the way, have you discussed the skype option with the teacher? Sounds like you are looking for a new one..?

Original poster
Wafflenose · 09/10/2017 22:33

Very well done, MiniKutik!

OP posts:
se22mother · 09/10/2017 22:12

Green most tutors round here only do straight from school. If literally took me years to find a good one prepared to work later

drummersmum · 09/10/2017 22:04

Yay minikutik very impressive!!!!!