January Music Thread

However we later saw a little girl in the finals of the concerto competition who had beautiful technique- I caught her after and got the name of her teacher, if we could get in with her I'd be very happy!

It wasn't the standard of the other child that bothered me, I'm just worried about Noo's technique slipping. We've been soooo lucky with teachers so far!

I feel a bit uncomfortable going into detail really.. let's just say the child was working on G8 pieces but there were technique issues that I wouldn't expect at that level. Not trying to blow our own trumpet, but Noo's bow arm, bow change and softness in her left hand / dexterity are much better developed and she's 'officially' 2 grades lower...

Thanks for your warm words Trumpet. We sit right in the dark pocket where we can't apply for any financial support yet we are not wealthy enough to be confident with our financial ability to face up to the ever increasing school fees. We have to pay full fees for NCO, JD and all the other stuff DS does and enjoys. If our state option had been seriously dire, cutting down other activities to fund for the school fees would have been an option. But luckily I think we've managed to get the best state option for DS so we are happy with it -
at least for now. As you said, it's not a fixed deal, so we will re-consider our option when and as needed. Nevertheless, we are still pleased that we went through all the hustle as we would have felt 'unfinished' otherwise. So far, all the experience has been positive, so we have no loss nor regret.

folk, what did it make you feel so no-no about the teacher? Was it the personality or teaching quality?

I'm going to email them a few questions and then depending on the answers, we'll go for an audition and take it from there I think.. we can always say 'Thsnks, but no thanks' I guess!

Glad most of the day was positive today folk . I have no idea what you do if you get a teacher that isn't right for you I guess you could ask to change . If we ever look at London jds how teachers are allocated etc will certainly be top of my list of questions . Ds would really be going because he needed a level of expertise that his current teacher felt that he couldn't provide . We have quite upfront chats about this , though ds is so fond of his lovely teacher I don't think he will ever want to leave his lessons with him . But I remember you saying that your current teacher might not be able to teach for much longer - difficult
Great news mini double
Kutik big well done to you and your ds for surviving the school entrance exams/ auditions and great news that you have made a decision that you are all happy with ( and remember although not ideal things can change and a decision made now doesn't have to be till 18 - though nice if it can be)

Thank you Waffle for sorting out the problem.

Another big well done to miniDouble. Has she got her first choice? We won't know the official result till February but we have already decided to go for the state option due to the financial issue. 10-20% reduction doesn't help us much. Luckily DS likes the school so no drama about it. Phew...

folk, we were asked to put preference prior to the course started so I suppose you can mention the name of the teacher you are unwilling? We didn't know any teacher so left them to decide.

Do they just allocate a teacher, or do you get trials?? What if it's not working, are they open to changes?? I really would not want the teacher we saw today, that would be a deal breaker! A shame as up until that point we all thought it was brilliant! Head heard her play and said 'I would certainly encourage you to put in an application' while nodding very positively.

Ah, the move to music school teacher has not been smooth sailing for us but I would say we were just very lucky with our first teacher rather than we are unlucky with her school instrument teacher. It’s a big decision but the consolidation of music activities and the like minded peers have made it worth it.

Confused!!!!! I was expecting to come away from Cardiff today super enthusiastic and desperate to get her in but.... all was going really well until we observed and individual violin lesson and I was so disappointed!! Maybe we were just unlucky. Anyone got any first hand experience of violin teachers at RWCMD??

I did my art gcse coursework in two weeks, during which I hardly slept and took a lot of proplus. My mum shudders involuntarily if it ever comes up in conversation .

Hope all the ill families are on the mend and minidisorganised’s arm doesn’t hold him back (some forced aural practice would be a godsend here!).

Really interested to hear how the junior conservatoire day goes, will certainly be going to the next jrncm open day.

Thanks for sorting out the channel Waffle

Third school offer for DD2 arrived today with a music scholarship worth 25% of the fees! Would also include free tuition on two instruments. Their literature says that they offer two Music scholarships to a maximum of 20%, so they must be very keen on having her (or at least having a bassoon player!)

On the bright side, I'm listening to this (very loudly through ear phones):

I have only come to Glenn Gould's playing recently. I used to prefer more 'authentic' Bach playing.

Wow - well done mini-double. What amazing results .

Folk - glad to hear Noo is doing better. Sounds like she is having an amazing day.

I am feeling somewhat sorry for myself, marking a massive pile of coursework while DS2 is at choir. I am being plagued by the most annoying woman in the world, who uses this time to play "let's be savages together" extremely loudly with her toddler daughter [she's here every week]. And yes - I know I am being grumpy and unreasonable...

Festival tomorrow for us. I have no idea how DS2 will play. As always, not enough practice time . Hope he isn't discouraged if it doesn't go brilliantly. Probably I shouldn't have entered him.

So how are the rest of you going to spend your time folk ? Hope Noo has a great day!

We made it to Cardiff! Noo much better today. She has been whisked away with her violin to shadow a chamber music lesson, which she will also join in with!!! We weren't expecting that.... looks like the day will be pretty 'hands off' for the rest of us, they have planned out a packed schedule for Noo. So impressed so far...

Hope all the poorly and injured minis get better soon! Horrible time of year with so much illness going around.

Yes Double!! Great news

double congrats on school offers and scholarship, well done to her.

Doubleup I'm sure your dd is better organised than my DS! he has brought much of the art misery on himself, I suspect!
Congrats on the school results so far and fingers crossed it all works out on Tuesday!
to all the poorly minis and hope they are much better soon!

I'll put my hands up to say that DD1 is doing art and music at GCSE - currently Y10. Seems to come in waves with regard to the art workload, but I think she sneaks into the art department when she can to get things done. Not sure about music so far - not much evidence of school music at home. Six weeks until Grade 7 oboe exam for her and roughly the same for DD2's guitar exam, although I haven't had a date for that yet. Only Grade 2 in that so not quite so much pressure.

DD2 had two offers of school places today. One is for her sister's school where she has been offered a music scholarship. The other is for a school where she will do the music scholarship exam on Monday, but they said also that she performed very well in the entrance test and they want her to do their additional academic scholarship exam on Tuesday. Trouble is she is due to be in London all day with school for a performance at the O2 in the evening. I don't know if the logistics are at all possible. I haven't even managed to tell DD as she went to a friend's house after school and went with them to the music centre for band practice. I think she may have had enough of assessments and may not even wish to sit it....... Third school result due tomorrow.