October Music Thread

Well done to Noo and floot's DS! Noo looked very professional in the photo on the cluster site.

And good luck to minilad!

Floot, does the school head think she has robots? Nothing balanced and healthy about that! More likely to cause burnout, unhappiness and rebellion! Is this another example of the fallout from school league tables?

Druid I'm sure we are all with you in spirit xx

Well done Noo!

Druid, I’ll be with you in spirit!

Bravo to Noo, Folk - I bet she shone. 🌟

Rest assured, I am taking the 6 hours advisory with a large pinch of salt! It's ludicrous - the head told all year 10 parents that she expected 2.5 hours every weekday night, and 6 hours a day every weekend and holidays, plus no family holidays and no sleepovers.
DD would suffer if she did even half that - she has ADHD, poor working memory, poor executive functioning skills and qualifications for 25% extra time, so everything is much harder work for her to learn and she needs lots of support. I'm not prepared to sacrifice a happy child and home life for mythical grades she could never achieve.
It's her birthday next weekend and we have lots on this week, so missing books are indeed a blessing.

Year 10 homework !!

Druids I thought the same thing about the Tear 10 homework !! Don’t want to derail this thread but I wish I was marching today too - instead I’m sitting in the car while ds has a trumpet lesson !!

Thanks all - girl done good! She played well and the only 'slip' was one I didn't even notice so no one else would have! Her old teacher came to watch, along with DH, DD2 And MIL, so she had a cheering squad!! A great first experience.

Floot, it may be a blessing in disguise that DD has left her books in school. And certainly not the end of the world. Bless her, she sounds pretty stressed out by it all 😔.

Bet it was a bit special hearing DS play in that environment!

Floot your poor dd - i hope you sort it but I think school are putting her under far too much pressure ( that’s a crazy amount of homework ) it sounds like she needs a good rest.
Good luck today Noo

Thank you all for the best wishes - we are on our way in a few mins. Good luck to everyone else's dc doing musical things this weekend.
double The solitary pair of jeans were in the case - he arrived at the station yesterday wearing shorts! I will try your suggestion!
I like your story very much too Taggie - ds seems to take after his laid back mum.

DS played 2 bourees from a Bach unaccompanied cello suites yesterday, in a school scholars' concert.
It was in a cathedral, so you can imagine the acoustic. 😍 I was worried how it might go, as he's been so busy he hasn't practised as much as usual, and the second Bouree had been proving tricky ( the pair are grade 7 and he took grade 5 in March, so quite a step up) but he played really well - musically and sensitively, if not quite note perfect yet.
One of the nicest thing about his school ( among many lovely things) is the connection with the cathedral. I don't think of myself as religious, but there is something about just being in there, listening to wonderful music that is so soul-restoring and uplifting.

Littlelad - both!
DD got home from school for half term last night, walked in the front door, put her school bag down, walked into the kitchen...and promptly burst into tears and was hysterical. When I could finally understand what she was saying, through the sobs, she'd that second realised that she'd left all her school books, pencil case, singing books etc in her locker at school, because she'd forgotten to get them after a rehearsal.
So, she's off for 2 weeks and the school have said her year are meant to study for 6 hours every day ( year 10) plus she's got a history test when she gets back...and everything's locked in at school!!

Folk, Open House concerts are lovely! Is it in the LRR? Noo will be fantastic, if her rehearsal video is anything to go by. 😀

littlelad you could try taping a list to the inside of the suitcase? Sounds like you might need a stash of extras at home, just in case of a repeat. . Were the clothes you listed just what he was wearing?

June/Patrick - don’t go!

Oh - I forgot Littlelad. Very best of luck for the audition! I love the packing story. Before the days of kindles and ipads, I was the same. As a postgrad student (in my 20s!), I set off for a three month field season with a rucksack full of novels and journal articles. My few clothes were in rags by the time I got home! I have never been the most practical... Fortunately, DS2 takes after his practical dad.

Wishing Noo the very best of luck. Loads of luck to all those doing auditions today.

Happy half term to everyone. It couldn't have come at a better time for both my ds's. Mini disorganised is still exhausted and has been battling a cold all week. He's bounced back from the disappointment of not getting into Guildhall. He had a lesson on Thursday and talked over the feedback from the head of strings. We've kind of left him alone to get his head back together and will chat more with him over the break as to what he wants to do. I'm hoping he will want to audition again but it has to come from him.

Thank you everyone for the clarinet stand recommendation... Hercules it is then, as we certainly need something sturdy! Good luck to minifolk minilittlelad and anyone else doing performances and auditions.. and june I hope you don’t leave. We can all air our worries and questions on this thread as we are all in the same boat, just trying to do the right thing for our DCs ... It’s been really good to hear your experiences 🙂

Good luck to Noo!

June - I’d be personally sad to see you go, for what it’s worth. It has been a huge privilege to share (in a small way) your family’s musical journey. Take care xx

June/Patrick It's been wonderful to have been able to talk to someone who's ds has embarked on their journey at the same time as my own. I really hope that you'll stay around.

Trumpet just like my dw, you are so very reasonable, which I appreciate! I keep being told 'he's only 13'. I wouldn't have been so concerned about the clothes if we hadn't been going to The Peak District for our half-term break. Brrrr

Noo is doing a solo performance at her first open house concert at JD today! I'm sure in time it will all feel very normal, but today we are both feeling a few butterflies...

June Patrick hope you don't go x

Thanks all. You are very kind. I'll be back at some point, of course. As I said it's hard for me to be away too long.

Little dad - sorry but I had a giggle st your face when you opened the case🤣

June/Patrick....dont go x

@Juneharmony really, there is no need to disappear!! It was just a moment in time and we are all friends here. X