Christmas and January Music Thread *Thread title edited by MNHQ*

Thank you and yes, doubleup, we are getting prepared for any eventuality!

Flipside We purchased Yamaha Baby Grand via Gumtree a couple of years ago. It was also advertised on ebay. It was just a few years old, in perfect condition and the people selling it were lovely - they even sent a piano stool and some sheet music along with it. We arranged for the piano to be moved ourselves using a reputable firm. If we'd bought from a dealer, we'd have paid thousands more!

If you are careful, ask lots of questions and try to get a feel for the seller, there are bargains to be had out there. You may need to be patient whilst waiting for the right instrument to appear but they do regularly come along.

Yes it was littlelad. Hope it works - or that you have a full set of spare clothes at home

Was it your idea for the list Doubleup? I couldn't remember. I've also asked him to send me a photo of the items from the list, actually packed in the case! Surely nothing could go wrong this time?

Flipside

We have a Yamaha silent piano: uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/pianos/silent_piano/index.html

It is a fully acoustic piano, and plays totally normally, but if you select the middle pedal the hammers cut out and it is silent (with earphones). Ideal for us as we live in a semi, and also a very good piano!

Will be interested to hear what comes back in the case this time Littlelad!. Hope the list helps!

Hapsburg We saw DS at JD concert yesterday and I spent most of lunch break going over what must/must not go into his suitcase next Friday. I have given him a printed list but fear it still may not work!

Hello Flipside

I am learning to play the piano (but am nowhere near as accomplished as most on this thread) and both my children are learning to play the piano.

We started off with a Yamaha digital keyboard but have now bought a secondhand piano. We ended up getting it from the Yamaha music shop in Soho but had a look in quite a few shops in
London. Where do you live?

By the way our piano was second hand, not brand new (the inheritance wasn't that big!). Second hand is fine if it's been treated well.

Hello Flipside. I don't have the musical knowledge of others on this thread but your situation sounds really similar to ours. DS (9) played on a Yamaha digital piano for his first two grades which was great but his teacher very much recommend that we invest in an acoustic piano. We also had an inheritance to put towards a piano. We went to several shops & dealers locally and DS fell in love with a beautiful Yamaha U3. Not cheap but wouldn't have been an option without the inheritance, and we are fortunate to have enough room. DS also really liked the seller who is now our piano tuner (had first tuning a few weeks ago, DS was enthralled). We love the piano and the richness of the sound it gives. Interestingly DD (5) wasn't hugely interested before but has become keen on learning since we got the piano. I'd definitely recommend shopping around and going to look at a few before you decide. We made our choice over a period of a few months and went back to places a few times. Definitely don't buy one on eBay. We know someone who did that and some of the keys stick and they don't like the sound. There is a company called Mark Goodwin pianos who sell Yamahas online but you can see a video of the one you're interested in so probably less risky than eBay. I imagine in person is preferable though. Good luck!

@FlipsideThisTime we have a Kemble upright which is lovely. It originally belonged to a close friend who is a concert pianist/ conservatoire level teacher so she knows her pianos!!! If you have a decent budget, Yamaha silent pianos are amazing! A normal Yamaha piano (always good..) which due to the wonders of modern technology can switch to digital (headphones!) at the press of a pedal - keeping the weight and responsiveness of the keys. Truly amazing and I'd buy one in a heartbeat if we had the money. The Piano Gallery in Oxfordshire are brilliant and super helpful if you want to go try things out.

Grateful for any advice from anyone about purchasing a piano - there seems to be a lot of very experienced musicians on these threads,. Dd (8) and I (middle-aged!) started piano just this year. Neither of us have ever done any music b4. We now practice every day and I think we are both progressing well and really enjoy it. I purchased an entry level Yamaha digital piano but already wonder if we should upgrade to an acoustic upright piano as I have started to really notice the difference between my digital piano and the teachers acoustic piano. Im very fortunate to have a little money due to inheritance that I could spend, and I'm fairly confident that we will both continue. Is it too early? Do people buy brand new pianos?! I have looked in shops and online for second hand pianos but having no background in this I'm afraid I might buy the wrong thing if I went for a secondhand model. Any advice on whether to buy or what to look for would be most appreciated. Or should l invest in a new one if I can jus about afford it? Thank you.

Both DDs were in two back to back concerts this afternoon/evening with music across all the various groups at a really high standard. Lovely way to while away 3 hours - although a chance to do some Christmas shopping would be good. Tomorrow is mostly taken up with hockey matches, but at least both of them are at their home club; no chance for shopping then either. On the home stretch now - DD2 has a Christmas service at school tomorrow which she is playing in and singing in the choir and DD1 has carol playing at the local supermarket as a fundraiser next weekend and then we are done! Good luck to everyone else with their concert marathons.

Our Christmas concert craziness has been more spread out thanks to DD1's JD main concert taking place in mid-November... a week after a JD brass quartet performance for an Early Music event and the day after a performance at the RFH (not JD). DD1 is busy rehearsing a mini brass band of local children who meet in our back room in the run up to Christmas as well as being committed to play at church. She's got a school concert at exactly the same time that DD2 will make her debut on her second instrument (that she's had 12 lessons on and has somehow managed to join an ensemble for grade 5+). She's also playing in DD1's brass band and at church but on her first instrument.

piccolo relieved to hear you made it to the shop and everything went well!

Thank you Waffle for the new thread.

I'm glad all ended well with the cello piccolo. DS has just started the cello and we've hired one from the music service. I'm paranoid that it's going to get damaged going to & from school. If he carries on with the cello and ends up in an ensemble I can see that I'm going to have to do some serious work on my nerves!

Phew piccolo! That was quite an adventure! Hope the gingerbread repair isn’t too awkward.

Thanks for all the trouser tips, everyone! It is a challenge when one of your DCs totally changes shape in the space of a few months.

Crazy I will have a look and see if I can find the details for a reed maker that we used to get reeds from in the early days. 3 years ago they were only £4 each - as opposed to £20 each for the ones she has now. Great to hear she will be playing bassoon!

Loving the gingerbread! (Although my autocorrect wanted to turn that into fingerboard! )

Gingerbread??????? Finger board!!!! (Love how autocorrect has gone christmassy!)

Sorry for keeping everyone in suspense - my phone battery died in the middle of the crisis!
Finally home!
We got to DS 's school, only to find his coach hasn't made it back from the rehearsal on the other side of the city. So, by the time he finally made it back, the school car park exodus was in full swing - it's a one way, join in turn system which took us half an hour to get in and out of. We eventual!y got to the string shop 5 minutes after they should have closed! Luckily, they had one full size hire cello that had been returned today, so we left his cello for repair and took that.
One of the teachers at school said he thought the gingerbread coming off was due to weather/ temperature change, but the expert at the shop said it was almost certainly through the case moving around in the coach hold, so he's going to have to check the cello over thoroughly, and the case ( a Gewa Air). He suggested any damage should be covered by the school insurance, which would be good.

The concert was absolutely fab. The standard at DS's school (independent, cathedral school) is really high, but they cater for all abilities and a wide variety of styles, so it was a lovely evening.
I may have had a large gin in the interval, to calm my nerves!