October Music Thread

oh October! I was lost in TennisLand, but now back on track with music :) and NCO audition in two weeks...

DS1 (13): horn preparing Grade 8 only instrument left with lessons; he did guitar grade 8; piano grade 5, but because of his tennis commitments/teenage he does not play them anymore.
DS2 (9): cello not doing grade until gets to Grade 7/8 standard; piano preparing Gr 5/6; horn grade 4 in July. But cello is his favourite and it shows.
DS3 (almost 7): violin about grade 2

All three play tennis daily and do tournaments. One is the current county champion, trying to get to nationals this season. But importantly music practice is back to normal now. We have chosen two pieces for NCO and now I'm looking for piano accompaniment.
Although I have not posted so a month or so, it is so good to read about what all the music minis and helps me get back on track and away from TennisLand :)

Schwanen, that is rather sad. Is there a macho culture there? I guess their own parents were dismissive too, but it's such a shame not expose your kids to all kinds of music. I grew up in a rural backwater, but there were musicians who lived in the area ( and even more have moved there in recent years) and it somehow attracted many touring events from The Kings Singers to Scottish National Opera. My mum took us to anything and everything that came - and even my dad, a farmer, came most of the time, as did several of his farming, rugby playing friends. I am so grateful for that exposure.

Kutik good luck for Monday’s results - sounds like it went very well!
The sixth form college was a lottery for us as we’re out of catchment. It turns out all his art and music friends seem to have a place too! We’re looking at another sixth form - a huge school one - that I think would suit him very well and if he’s offered a place there we can hold both and make a final decision when he’s got his gcse results. It’s a lot easier than choosing a secondary school at age 10.
He’s got gigs tonight and next Saturday! DH has muttered something about not being a taxi service!

Can anyone do me a favour and tell me if the ABRSM theory workbooks teach chord progressions? I did grade 5 Theory many moons ago but only recall learning enormous lists of Italian terms, and scale degrees. I’m now covering chord progressions/wheel of fifths stuff with my new teacher and it explains SO much and I love a good system. I don’t recall having learnt it but I may have forgotten. Thanks!

In other news, I have tickets to take DD to Alexandra Dariescu’s The Nutcracker and I, and am trying to get us all to the Aurora Orchesra too

Slightly sad experience here recently. We went to a lovely children's concert being given by a touring chamber group. DS loved it, they were awesome.

I had asked various people if they wanted to come along, and got a whole lot of comments along the lines of "we don't want our kids turning out like that thanks" — "that" apparently being entitled little performing monkeys. Same people happily take their kids to pretty much anything else, but classical music carries a very weird stigma. I did ask why the kids of one parent couldn't just enjoy the music but she didn't want her kids mixing with that kind of person.

So weird. and sad.

Good news Loose

Hope the results go well Kutik

Strange experience at band this week, dd plays bassoon in the junior section and then clarinet in the senior section. I pick her up half way through senior band as 3.5 hours on a school night is a bit much otherwise. Band leader says to us both, when are you going to start playing your bassoon here, soon as possible I hope. We talk about it on the way home, dd knows she is way off the standard required for the band, and clarinet is still what she would prefer to be playing given the choice. A few hours later something click, so I ask dd, is the bassoon player at band from last year still there? "No, oooohhhhh" and it clicks for her too. She's a bit upset that they don't particularly want her, just a bassoon in the band!

Best of luck to miniKutik!

And HUGE congrats to miniLoose1, best reason to toast tonight!!!

@ xennialish I think organ is the most likely, so thank you for the tip. His organ teacher did sixth form there so is very enthusiastic!

Loose, I don't know how 6th form college entry works as no experience yet. But it must be great news? Congratulations!

DS had his MAT test today. He said it sounded like flute and was easy. His feedback is not always reliable but will find out if it's true or not very soon. The results should come in next Monday...

Hope Fleur is well? I would like to say thank you to you, Fleur, for all the generous advice.

Update: DS1 definitely has a place at 6th form college!

Schwanengesang thank you for remembering. He took it at a fair clip but I kept up. Performing it was exhilarating and I'm really glad I did it.

@raspberryrippleicecream is your son applying for organ? Or brass and piano? If organ I think the main teacher is the choirmaster who has a recital in the cathedral at 11am, then bacfad so he won’t be in the school much but after the recital at 11:45 would be the ideal time to say hello.

Good luck to everyone auditioning from me, too!
Not much to report here either except the sixth-form viewing cycle is nearly over - one more next week - and DS1 has an interview with the sixth form college so they definitely got his application!

Nothing to report from here, just wanted to say hello to the new faces and good luck to every one's NCO audition.

TheSecond how did Singet dem Herrn go?

kutik all these things in life are seasons! This one is (extremely) time, money and energy intensive.... there'll be different pressures and needs of us as they get older.... probably more money and eventually less time... til then its quite a journey!

g1raffe fingers crossed for you, sounds a good purchase!

Thankyou. Hope it's still there Saturday!

Just realised I used 'also' million times...

Mini, that's a wonderful win-win solution! Your little girl benefits from what you enjoy, and you can support her with what you love.

As I said, I am loving this supporting role. I don't think I can be like that all my life as I am a normal human being and I have my own desire to fill in my life. But at the moment, I'm enjoying it and loving it. I feel grateful the opportunities and experiences I can share with my DS. It's been a beautiful ride so far (lots of scratching and pulling my hair moments also, but that's also part of deal). So, I'm also having a win-win solution!

She started on the Yamaha from when she was a beginner. It was easy to play, and a flute that makes a nice sound encourages them to continue playing and increases their enjoyment. We paid just under £300 for it (second hand) five years ago. It will retain some value, so you can resell it further down the line.

DD has the Yamaha 211 and it makes a nice sound. She'll be doing G5 on it.

kutik for us, me playing is also part of me supporting her dream. I don't have in depth musical knowledge, I am learning with her to try support her better. And for both of us, it brings extra pleasure to it all as we love doing duets, she really likes now I can sometimes learn the accompaniments etc. So it's a partially selfish expense but also part of the expense of her love of it all!

Thanks Waffle. Hopefully it will be me posting on these threads when shes a bit further on!

October already!

DS2: Enthusiastic clarinet player hoping to do G8 next year. Sings but at that age where voice is unpredictable.

DD: Plays the flute when she feels like it. Gradually working towards G5. Beautiful singing voice; having lessons to increase confidence.

I'm a former choral scholar. I currently sing in a choir which is good but much larger than I'm used to. This term I seem to be mostly singing in German.