November Music Thread

Hello, I've looked at these threads for a while but been too shy to join in. There are lots of very accomplished families here: this is most definitely not us! My DS (9) has been playing the piano for just over 2 years. His teacher seems to think he's quite good. He got a distinction for grade 1 and a solid merit for grade 2 back in the summer (ABRSM). No plans for grade 3 yet as there are some things to sort technically before his teacher will consider it. He enjoys playing. Less so practising hard stuff (like correct fingering & sight reading 🙄).

I've decided to post today because I have a question that I expect someone will know the answer to. DS has also just started the cello via school and we've just hired an instrument from the music service. It's in a nice Tom & Will case but there are no straps so DS can't carry it on his back (which would be useful). There are loops for straps and I've just looked online for some and found Gewa ones. They look expensive! Would these be a good bet? I can't find any that are the same make as the case. Any advice gratefully received. I'm not a musician myself and whilst I have a bit of an idea about pianos, I'm clueless about string instruments and I'm quite intimidated by the responsibility. Thanks!

I agree panda these threads are great, masses of information, and support and general nice sharing.

Good luck to mini wii in the competition, how lovely to be invited to enter.

Good luck to mini Wiifit!

Thanks for the new thread. DD plays violin and piano. Grade 5 theory on Tuesday and piano exam in December, violin will be next year.
Being non musical I’ve learnt so much from these threads

ooh good luck to wii-folk! Glad someone is flying the folk flag

That great news - good luck

Thanks everyone for the well wishes for my son and his audition. I spoke to the music department who were fine about his older brother accompanying him on guitar so all is well! I have no concept of how he will do. He has never auditioned for anything but has been playing in ensembles for years and has no stage fright at all. He is right in the middle of the 8-12 age range but I imagine there will be some fantastically accomplished 12 year olds auditioning. Folk music is just so different to other types and I doubt they will have anyone else playing folk! We will see! Luckily he is not doing a grading this term so can fully devote his practise time to the audition.

Oh were you there- damn didn’t see you

Swaying he did that at BBC Young Musician too - wandered around and sat ( in the row in front of us !!) for the first half with his siblings and friends . Very calm and collected - just the way he needs to be to manage it all I imagine

Mine are laughing about the coughing too but only now that I have asked them. It must have been a capacity crowd, I have never seen that venue so full ever. And Sheku just rocked up and wandered around/ stood in the lobby with a few friends up until 20 mins before the concert, leading to a very awkward six foot circle round him that there wasn't really room for as people were all desperately coolly 'ignoring' him .

Hope your DS's audition prep goes well wiifit - sounds exciting!

Zak - hope you enjoyed the concert (coughing aside). We will be going to see Sheku play next month, DD is excited. She had to write about one of her heroes in English the other day and wrote about him .

Went to see DD play last night with the borough training orchestra in the borough's music service's gala concert. It was so much fun, I love watching so many youngsters up on the stage doing their thing and having a ball. There were some fab jazz groups and drummers. The leader of the borough youth orchestra (obviously an accomplished violinist) also played trumpet really well in a number of jazz ensembles. I thought that was pretty impressive!

It was actually getting funny- from the amount of coughing

Went to see Sheku play with the BBC Phil tonight- great concert- but oh my god....the amount of coughing after pieces- maybe a seasonal thing- but seriously ....even the kids thought it was overkill with the coughing

Wiifit that sounds great - hope they are flexible I love folk music . The piano accompaniment but is probably because they don’t want them playing along to a backing track

Great opportunity for your dd Wiifit

The Wells course is really good Crazy.

That sounds really cool wiifitmama, hope you can negotiate folk music accompaniment suitably.

Hi all. I posted on the last thread asking about my ds2 as we were looking for a 6th form that specialised in music.

Well today I am surprisingly posting about my ds3 who came home from the local recorder ensemble he attends with an invitation to audition for Junior Musician of the Year (our local council). I didn't even know they ran this. Ds2 auditioned last year for their Young Musician of the Year (and missed making the final 5 by a hair!) but this younger one passed me by. They don't advertise it apparently as you must have an invite from your ensemble teacher to do it. Anyhow, he is over the moon! He plays recorder. He is only around grade 3 level (we are not doing the exam, but he did do the grade 2) with traditional recorder music. But with Folk, his passion, he plays at a much higher level as he has been doing that way longer (playing by ear). He wants to audition with a folk piece - which I totally agree with, but I need to call them as they are insisting ALL auditions are accompanied by piano for some odd reason!! This is not how folk music works! He has exactly 4 weeks to prepare before the audition.

Doing 3 instruments (she also is g6 trumpet) makes it complicated...esp as I won’t allow 2 grades in the same session! Moving brass to trinity helps tho - much more flexible session dates!

Dd was g5 violin and picked up viola about 2 weeks before the course (primary) last year...played both happily at the course! Going again Easter and summer this year - should be g6 violin by Easter plus either 5 or 6 viola by summer...

They say about grade 3 for the preparatory level course (ages 8-10). But they are quite flexible and don’t require DCs to have done exams.

Primary is age 10-12

Woolley- expectations go up with age. The minimum standard on the primary course is approx G5-6 I would say.

Thanks Taggie
they’re looking for grade 7+ and to apply and book an audition. Dd really wants to do it so she’ll ask her teacher next week.
The week does look really good from what I can see online

Have just had a brief look at Pro Corda after reading the above. I can't see anywhere about expected levels? Might be good for DD but not sure she is up to their standard.