November Music Thread

4strings does your dd have any arenas outside school to build up her confidence/ self esteem? I understand you want her to get oppotunities within school but if that is not forthcoming maybe its best to focus on outside school?

4strings rather than have her confidence eroded any more I would have her stop performing at school completely and just keep the music outside of school. I'm sure you already have, but it is really worth searching for all possible opportunities away from school - local music service or festivals (don't have to be competitive) may give her a chance to play. There is no way I would let DD play at all in the circumstances you describe. Sorry she is having this experience at school

I lurk on this thread and have posted previously (under another name) about the shoddy treatment my very musical daughter gets at her primary.

Dd1, (just turned 11) is working toward ABRSM grade 5 on the violin - not to shabby, I don't think. Yet again she hasn't been asked to play at the end of term concert. Same last year. Not asked at Christmas. Not asked at Easter. Then for summer they said she could, but had to pay her third instrument. She begged to play the violin and was "allowed" but it was maddening (I am very proud of her for standing up for herself though!).

They have musicians play in assembly every week and she did it weeks ago, and has been told she can't again "to give everyone a chance". That would be fine, but a couple of other kids have played more than once. When she did play, some of her classmates - can't really describe them as friends - took the p**s and said she'd messed up.

Suffice to say her confidence is being decimated. She's not sporty, never gets picked for anything academic-related (despite being very academic) and music is her thing. She leads her string orchestra. She's hoping to audition for a specialist music school. All she wants is the chance to shine and show what she can do. Is this so unreasonable? The school allows one of the groups a 20-minute slot (multiple performers playing multiple pieces each).

I don't really know what to do.

Sorry I’ve been away. Sounds like you’ve all been very busy I had a busy couple of weeks sorting out physio appointments for dd’s shoulder injury. Turns out we have to get a whole new setup for her violin so new shoulder and chin rest. As well as a different way of playing. Thankfully she’s on the mend now with exercises and hopefully will be able to do her concerts in December and procorda audition.
Also ds has a pre audition audition at a JD in February so he’ll be busy preparing for that

Can'tkeepawayforever DS had scheduling issues last year because of my husband's funeral being the week after one audition and the week before another. One institution leaned over backwards to be helpful, DS could send a video in the same way that international students did, he could reschedule, he wouldn't be disadvantaged by any delay. The second institution said that he could reschedule to after Christmas. Had I known at the time that "after Christmas" meant after April then I would have delayed the funeral and trotted DS along to the original audition. At the end of March DS still didn't have an audition date and he'd been playing the pieces for an extra five months at that point. He decided that one offer was enough, emailed the second place to say he wouldn't be attending any audition and rang UCAS to zap them from his form (he couldn't accept a place while there was an audition outstanding).

One place appeared to be able to come up with solutions, the other had a procedure and that was the way it was. That would have been fine if they'd had said what it was at the outset.

I see the full NYO list is out. Congrats if anybody on here got in/commisseration if tried and didn't. I see lot of comments about NCO on here but not much on NYO. DS thought about trying but decided commitment was too much.

You remember NBB had 2 audiions which clashed? Well, the conservatoire in question has rescheduled ... to clash with a different audition this time, DESPITE DS writing to them a couple of weeks ago to tell them the date and them replying that they would absolutely not give him an audition day which clashed....

E-mail despatched. May have to try to change the other audition (already been told can't reschedule twice) BUT have already confirmed there on the back of the categorical e-mail assurance that the audition wouldn't clash....

Rescheduling institution probably more likely bet that the one it clashes with, but given they're not exactly covering themselves in admin glory, DS is considering going for the 'really long shot' audition instead and just declaring that this one just isn't for him!

We are not going to bother with diploma (although one DC murmuring about it for violin) but I heard that the fail rates are quite high - much higher than the preceding grades. Plenty of people who sail through grade 8 seem to come unstuck.

Zeema at the CYM my DS went to they were happy with complete beginners providing piano was grade 6-8 but I guess all are different. As for scary to apply? Did you mean Purcell. Just go for it. The only scary thing will be if he gets in as no way back :)

Although I have descended into the black hole of diploma requirements (for my information only....dd won’t be doing anything at that level I suspect) ...the viva requirement for the dipabrsm looks terrifying!!!

Yes spotted the arsm....doesn’t get dd out of doing actual grade 8 tho! Doesn’t really matter - this would be more for having something fun to aim for rather than an exam!

petra there is also the new(ish) ARSM - purely performance, no supporting tests.
I quite like the Trinity Advanced Cerificate - DD did one about 5 years ago as a practice run at performing a recital programme in exam situation before doing a diploma in the next session. I think she did have to produce programme notes, which again was good practice for diplomas.

The trinity one is a proper qualification though - it’s a valid prerequisite for the dipabrsm!

Petra - LCM also offer Leisure Play at all grade levels - repertoire chosen from their main exam syllabus, but none of the other trappings that go with the full-on grade exams. ABRSM offer a Performance Play, where you are "judged" by an examiner, but it's not pass/fail.

Today’s interesting discovery...trinity offer performance certificates at equivalent of g3/5/8 - no scales/aural/sight reading just performing. And you can do the exam as a group if you want!!!

Dd already planning her advanced recital (it’s a long way off)...she thinks this is a brilliant idea.

Sorry for late reply, I couldn’t remember my log in info as just joined! @Druid, thanks but they don’t have a piano summer course at purcell (anymore) that would be ideal! FWIW just took our son for open day/play and he LOVED it but seems scary to apply..!? @Herts that is a good idea but they say you have to have played for a year snd he never did percussion.. looked into pro corda but 8 day residential seems like a long time, the 4 day piano course could be a better option, wrote them, thanks for the suggestion!

I change my name from time to time but it's actually pointless as this thread would allow them all to be pieced together (if someone was bothered!) so Taggie has the right idea I think. It's a very small and inter-connected world.

Sorry Romany - I didn't mean to be annoying. I should have been more clear. I meant that I have posted enough identifying details that people who know me in real life through musical activities, and who are regular mners, can work out who I am. It has happened twice. I don't mind this in the slightest. I don't post things here that I would not say openly during a whinge at the school gate - knowing that I might be overheard by teachers etc.

I rarely post anything interesting or scurrilous on other threads, but I do like to have a space where I can post anonymously, about my own health issues, for example. I change my name between musical threads, occasionally, to try to reduce cross referencing amongst musical types I know. I didn't tell many people that DS2 was auditioning for the NCO, for example, as it is up to him who he tells. He told everyone immediately once it was done (although not before) - so I don't mind posting openly about that here now.

I can’t say anything to ds either . I have totally given up making music suggestions now !! Tonight he was talking about his history homework I had to bite my tongue !! I’m sure it’s all fine and I never check his homework but I really could help him with this ( I studied history at uni ) but it’s his way or no way - even if I’m right !! He is so stubborn luckily he listens to his teachers ( they of course always have a valid point to make even if it’s the same one that I’ve made !!)
SE your comments about the neighbours made me smile - I think ours have noticed too !!

Romany your post made me smile . Dd and I are both stubborn and don't back down too - I think all our neighbours have noticed too... I tried to reduce her breaths (on clarinet) on a piece on Sunday night. Mutiny

Taggie
I don't know who you were, I hate it when somebody on here does this even though I understand and do it myself.
If it isn't spelt out I'm useless.

Well, I think dd has finally forgiven us for not attending her concert. She's a strange one.
She used to hate me being there and would seriously make me sit at the back or behind a pillar. We had years of "Do you have to come"? Followed by "if you want to be there, Yes".
Only 4 weeks to go now and this weekend she finishes Thursday lunch so lovely long weekend for sleep and cuddles.
That is one of the benefits, I'm sure if she was at home we wouldn't have the closeness we do. We are both very stubborn, and she won't back down easily.

Zeema - how about going to CYM and instead of piano taking up tuned percussion as a second instrument? My DS used to go to one and they encouraged pianists (well ones already grade 6 or so) to try tuned as obviously lots of overlap and gives them a chance to play with others in an ensemble. Might find that tuned perc also gives another perspective to his piano playing as well.

I thought I was the only one who can’t watch DS performing solos. I grind my teeth so much during his performance, it’s not enjoyable at all. I actually stopped him from entering more competitions because of my own anxiety. He also gets very stressed about it. On the other hand he probably needs to perform more, especially singing and violin, he hates doing solos in both. Piano is somewhat easier. Though we had a disastrous performance when he won a music competition and had to perform his piece again at the recital. He refused to play and then played terribly after lots of coaxing from a very stressed competition organiser. :(