Music Specialist School Discussion

It was definitely thriving at a residential music course that led us to accept DD’s chorister place having decided against it the year before. She just came home from it so sure that that was the life for her!

DS & I are attending an induction day next week - looking forward to finding out a little more about how things work. I've been finding posts from those of you with DC at specialist schools most useful & illuminating - thanks , in particular, to Gilly. Practical advice and survival tips are very welcome!

Kutik - dd often says that she wishes the NCO would set up a school!

Yes that is true. The level required to be professional especially with any kind of solo career is phenomenally high (and requires a good dose of luck). Even the BBC Young Musician competition is a bit misleading. We have been to some international competitions and for my son's instrument the level in those competitions is significantly higher than BBC. It's a big wide world out there. That said a great many do make it either as professional performers, composers, singers, etc but it is no golden ticket.

Kutik.

My dd was the same, she was on cloud nine when she got her letter and "Golden ticket" we even had the Willy Wonka song

As for the different world, dd has been tested for most sn /mh cases that might include being on a different planet, and it's just her.
if you think about it they are constantly being told how marvellous they are. They begin to believe this and it's true for kids, but what they have to remember is there are other kids just as good who don't want to attend these schools. They really aren't that outstanding, this comes when they are practically finished school and ready for college.
Then they start at the bottom again like everyone else.
It's nice when they get the huge over the top applause, but I often think we are setting them up for a shock when they are grown up and the applause is for merit only.

Kutik immature and lives in totally different world? If my son if anything to go he will fit in very well :)

No Mr M said it was the first time xx
She really was fantastic!
Great- see you Tuesday x

Just ignore me, I was feeling so down and miserable
it's one of the ones I wanted to see.
Thanks Paul I've had lots of parents messaging saying they enjoyed it.
I'm not sure if they've had a singer before, I think she thinks she's Billie Holiday now Although, who'd wish that on their child.
Will see you for the ensembles, I'm looking forward to that, will miss the last concert too, but not so bothered about that one.

She was amazing Gilly!!

Gilly it must be hard but you certainly shouldn't feel rubbish - you have given your dd the most amazing opportunity.
There are times - like tonight - when I would quite like to be redundant !! But I think I too would really miss it - though I wouldn't miss trying to coordinate Ds's diary !! Can't wait till he can do that himself

It was me Pythonesque.

I take your point. DS is/was a chorister. He sings on the back row now, getting paid to do it sometimes too. He has also already earned money as a stand in organist at a local church.

I think though it is definitely the submersive atmosphere of music school he wants.

Gilly I'd thought of that too!

I've just stumbled on this thread and read it right through (procrastination plus!).

Kutik I wish you the very best for the next year, sounds like you have worked really hard to research the choices for your son and make sure you know what is what and why. I remember our journey from "When can I sing in a choir like that?" to sending our eldest to choirschool just before she turned 10; it started with "don't let her discover that girls' choirs exist" ... When they really want something even at an early age there is a lot to be said for following their dreams, within reason. [come to think of it, though, I haven't told my youngest that specialist music schools exist ... but see below we all think he's going to the right place next]

Regarding performance skills - my son has only started to "get it" (for solo instrumental work) in the last couple of years - he's nearly 13. That despite being thoroughly professional as a chorister. At 10 he was still very much making music for himself and had to find out how to apply the discipline necessary to polish stuff properly. He is still pretty diffident about acknowledging an audience.

Choirschool standards - having had two children through two schools, one day, one boarding, I'd say that their instrumental work does tend to take second place to the choir, especially if a day student. My boarder might have got further at home with me "nagging" more, but hard to tell, some of that was a personality issue anyway. Though some of her friends did also do very well, I recall a couple going to Wells and one Eton music scholarship during her time. Academics - well, a certain minimum is looked for at voice trials to ensure they can keep up, different choirschools have different standards I think. (I have heard interesting tales of the process and numbers at the voicetrials my uncle did in the very different world of the late 50s). The fact that most schools are preps working to the common entrance syllabus (or similar) means that they do keep moving and have a higher goal at 13+. Academic achievement being valued and interaction with other like-minded children does a lot too.

I've got two academic children. The eldest was prepped for scholarships mainly by extra work 1-1, which was interesting when her brother's school not much more than half the size runs a separate scholarship class in year 8. Reflects different destinations I guess. For my youngest his "letter from Hogwarts" has come in the form of an academic scholarship to a public school - one of many things that appeals is the mixing of year groups within the scholars' boarding house.

Someone up thread ? raspberry? has an organist child. For organ I would definitely encourage you to check what public schools can offer, as the all-round preparation an organist can potentially get in a school that runs a chapel choir looks to be tremendous. One of the schools my son had auditions for took me aside and discussed building up his confidence as they would need to get him working with the choir ...

hello Kutik, Raspberry and others.

I'm feeling like a rubbish mum today as had to miss dd big band concert last night and was a biggie for her.
You have to get used to taking a back seat and where you used to be able to attend all concerts, ferrying them around and perhaps a close relationship with teachers, forget it.
I'm practically redundant now, and miss all the times i was involved.
I'm getting to see one on Tuesday though, but not the same as it was.
My dh got a sound recording, not visual though. I would have loved to see it.
Just another side to it, I hadn't considered really, you sort of sign them away.

Rasberry I'll keep my fingers crossed you here soon and it's positive
Herts