September 2018 Music Thread

He was saying he would need quite a lot of time for homework this weekend. But now the weekend is nearly finishing, it's change to 'if I finish Maths at least, as the hand-in is tomorrow, it's OK and I can do the rest at school'.

Waffle, I hope NCO wants him!!

His heart says he likes to try again, but sometimes those auditions/exams/performance opportunities have to take a back seat to move forward... He may choose to focus on what he has to focus for now.

Romany, school is not against and they would give support when they can, but they don't seem to think it's necessary. They are like, if it won't crash with school's timetable then you are free to try, but we won't particularly encourage and totally fine with you not doing it.

We bought him a new pair of footy boots on way home from NCO. He quickly finished his Maths homework and now he's out trying the boots with his dad. He's supposed to do some individual practice but not sure if he has enough time. He has lots of temptation at home (all his toys, games, books, movies are staring at him in the room he practises!)...

Thanks - I'll give it a try!

Also, cover the 'window' and give it a hard, silent blow through to get any water out afterwards.

Just the mouthpiece. Very very quick swill, then leave it standing up on some kitchen roll to dry out. No kind of stick or pull through cleaner can get to the part which gets grubby/ blocked.

waffle - washing up bowl? Even the wooden one?

Recorder cleaners are useless. Wash them up in the washing up bowl! (I've heard the dishwasher does a good job too, but I don't have one!)

Good luck to those auditioning for NCO, I have noticed that the specialist schools seem to support them with this and of course YMOTY.
Ours doesn't allow JD as well as they don't like other teachers being involved, and of course Saturday they are needed for orchestras and ensembles rehearsals, many of the dc are in several so there isn't time for anything else.

Floot - we too are struggling as dd stays at school until Near 6 a few times a week; after travel, tea, homework it can be near 8pm there really isn’t time or energy for good practice never mind intei instruments. We leave the house at 7am. I feel really bad today about how difficult it is; have been suggesting a year off NCO - she wants to do it but I think something needs to give!

Hope everyone's audition prep is going well,

I have been feeling a bit frazzled with everything this week - trying to keep on top of my own work deadlines as well as making sure DD is doing all her homework for new secondary - plus trying to fit in music practice and some sort of exercise. And occasionally remember to check in with DS who is now in Year 5 so not such a big transition for him!

DD enjoyed the orchestra she joined yesterday morning plus there are some friends there from her old primary who have all gone to different secondaries so it was nice and familiar for them to all meet up again.

The recorders were sounding a bit muffled this morning in DD's lesson. Think I need to get some cleaners - she's not great at taking care of them.

It's great to hear how he's getting on. The NCO neeeeds him though!

I haven't had much to add lately... for once, my two aren't working towards anything in particular, and both are ill at the moment. It's quiet here!

Floot, DS brought quite a lot of homework for this weekend. On top, he is expected to practice violin/piano and he has NCO half day today. We have planned a few fun things too (too eager to have him back...). Didn't expect he has to juggle like this already, especially he is at a specialist school. Being a music scholar at academic school with lots of sports opportunities would be much worse and challenging for a 12 years old! I think you are handling the situation so well, listening to him and reviewing the needs.

I don't think DS will play G8 pieces but I vaguely thought he may play some lovely pieces he learnt after the exam. However he's not going to keep working on them any more with his new teachers. It seems he is ditching all the old pieces. School is fine with him going ahead with the audition but may not have intention to help prepare for it. Then DS will probably choose to go alone with them and focus on the tasks given by them than preparing for the audition. We'll find out more next week. I have a feel that he may drop NCO this year.

string ensemble, not string rbsrmbke!!

So sorry for your lost, Druid.
Thanks for asking after us, Taggie. Sorry you've had a trying week. It's hard going for a few weeks after the long summer holiday, isn't it? We've all got the beginning of term lurgy here too. DS was do low with it on Wednesday that the school nurse called me - I can empathise now I'm battling it.
Glad your DS feels he's in a good place for his NCO audition. I suspect DS won't do his audition after all, and that's ok - he was never keen and my tiger mother pupil parent experience this week has made me rethink how I handle him when he's reluctant.
He's struggling to fit everything in at the moment, and it's come to a bit of a head because he got a negative behaviour mark and public humiliation from a teacher for not doing well enough in a Spanish test - the class was given one night to prepare and it was the night he was unwell and had a cello lesson after school, so was out of the house for 12+ hours.
Last year, he was in school sinfonia, senior orchestra, string ensemble and choir, plus a county ensemble. The school ensembles were at lunch time, so easy to attend. This year, he has been asked to join a string trio, so another lunchtime gone, and the string rbsrmbke has moved to after school. Because of DD's various after school activities,DS was already staying late at school on 4 days, so going to string ensemble at the new time would mean a 5th late return, so I said it would be fine to drop it ( although I was disappointed). He didn't go to the first rehearsal but the HoM has asked him to attend in future.
He doesn't get home from school on late days until nearly 6 and often later ( after leaving at 7.05am) - I don't know how he can fit cello practice piano practice, theory prep and homework, as well as free time for himself ( he's only 12!).
I keep finding him asleep. 😥

Good luck to miniTaggie and everyone else. DD is auditioning for the first time this year. She’s never auditioned for anything before so just hoping it’s a positive experience and not too scary! She knows she’s unlikely to get in but hopefully may get some useful feedback...

DD2 has hers in mid-October too. She has two pieces, but needs to spend a bit more time refining them - not so easy with the start of secondary school. Very contrasting - Mozart's bassoon concerto and a short jazz piece. Interesting choice on a bassoon, but sounds good (when she plays it well!)

Good luck mini Taggie Ds's isn't till mid October so a while yet

double DS is auditioning in 2 weeks - one of the first.

When if your ds’s NCO audition Taggie? I’m sure by this time last year there was another thread about auditions....

Patrick hope you're having a lovely weekend with your ds and that the logistics of getting to jd worked out ok Littleladsdad !!
Ds came back from AYM yesterday and announced that he would like to go into London in a couple of weeks time with some mates - admittedly they are older than him I think we'll let him go but I could feel worried about it already he really hasn't got a clue!! Luckily as we lived there for a long time I could probably direct him back home by phone if he did get lost . Not sure that I'm quite ready for this new mature Ds yet

I'm sure he could use his grade 8 pieces Patrick
Ds is pretty much there I think - just a bit of polishing to do I think - it will be nice to listen to some other pieces when he practises
Whether he gets in or not though remains to be seen - its is for the main orchestra this time after all
Ds is so busy I don't think he's really got time to dwell on it at all . I think he's hoping to get in but knows he might not
We're off to Cambridge for the Easterlies today im really hoping they've found another trumpet player it really is too much for 1 player to take on by themselves - though he's giving it a good go but I think he does feel quite exposed whereas he normally doesn't worry at all about orchestral playing

Yes - We tried to prepare as much as possible over the holidays, although we ended up not having much time then either!

He is ‘ready’ in that he has two pieces of the appropriate standard that he can play - one well and the other is still a bit scrappy. So he is in a much better position than last year, when at this stage we ditched one of the pieces, put back the audition and learnt something new (and harder)! However, whether he will be polished enough to get into U11s remains to be seen.

patrick I’m sure your DS would get in with a couple of his grade 8 pieces from last term, and it would be a shame not to do it seeing as he has such a fantastic time. But as you say, it is up to the teacher and missing a year wouldn’t be the end of the world. He could rejoin for U13s and main.

I'm impressed miniTaggie is ready for the NCO audition already. But knowing how busy he is with his choral duties you may have deliberately tried to get it ready earlier - well thought!

We applied for the audition, though DS may not do it after all. He has just started with new teachers after two months break and he hasn't got any piece to play at the moment. He may manage to use his old pieces but only if his new teacher approves. A bit tricky.

Have caught up with the thread properly now.

So sorry Druid