Autumn 2020 music thread

Welcome new people! No lofty heights of achievement here - but I've been very grateful for all of the help I've received from other parents on this thread.

DD2 is supposed to take a practical grade 6 on flute this winter. I am nervous - she's not had a lesson in person with her flute teacher since March and there doesn't seem much hope of one before the exam. Her grade 5 was cancelled and I'm aware there's a massive gulf between them. And she's just started secondary so there's plenty else going on to take her attention away from melodic minor scales.

I've just managed to find an accompanist - which was tricky enough and has involved lots of conversation about ventilation and masks for rehearsals. Her teacher was keen for her to take the usual practical rather than the performance exam but I'm really not sure if it will go ahead (we are tier 2). Just have to see I guess.

Where she does get one-on-one lessons on other instruments, they are so much appreciated, but I know all teachers are doing their best in their own circumstances.

Face to face is so much more rewarding, although i cannot our teachers efforts online it was clear it was very much out of the comfort zone for some.

Nice to see some more people joining the thread, we all need support. All our kids were beginners once and not everyone reaches the same lofty heights, we all have something to share so ask/ share away about exams, instruments, practising, auditions, anything really- someone will be able to help. Our woodwind teacher is coming back face to face for only about the third time since March. Can. not. Wait. Kids have missed the in person teaching so much, zoom is so different.

Orchid

Definitely stick around, my dd was about 8 when these threads started and she's 16 now. Some of us go back a long way, some new and all those in between.
All sorts of different instruments and schools and everyone so helpful

Hi to all new posters and Dev how gutting about the funding. Such a shame.
Has anyone’s dc done their online abrsm exam yet? Dd is recording for her g5 piano performance exam this week. School are sorting it all and I think they’ll do all the uploading etc as they are a “centre” but has anyone got any experience of what the turnaround time is/what the marking is like etc?? Thx.

I can't comment on specialist music schools but on ds's state college btec music course it's business as usual except no public performances.

Dd attends a specialist dance college and again it's business as usual but singing limited to slightly smaller groups of up to 15 and no public performances. But they've been sent hone twice for 14 days in the last month so apart from the first 3 weeks of term have only done 1 full week.

Thanks for the welcome. I think my dc are perhaps in a different league than these here - how brilliant to have such committed and talented children

I will still keep lurking as think I can learn a lot

Dev - I'm so sorry you've lost the funding. It feels so massively unfair. Hoping things are better for all concerned soon.

Welcome to new people, not my thread, but wanted to be friendly.

Hi Ashard

Business as usual at dd music school. This week is music course before half term. They are just doing lots of recordings, still have the visitors into the school, but not parents for concerts.
Mine is a wind player so lots of quartets, octets, not sure about Big Band I'll ask.
Singers and choirs still going too, and lots of smaller ensembles for the classical players, and orchestras. .

Hello orchidsonabudget. Welcome. It stands for a junior department on a Saturday at one of the conservatoires.

What does JD stand for in this context?

Hello
I am new too.

@PaddingtonPaddington
It's great that the sixth form is able to do that, not least because it has enough instrumentalists, albeit slightly chilly ones! At dc's state comprehensive, there aren't enough students in the whole school(1,500 pupils) to form an orchestra. Or, come to that, a GCSE music class. Our county youth orchestra is starting up today, in small chamber groups, with a massively reduced rehearsal schedule for this term in the first instance and probably longer as we're in a tier 3 area.

No idea about specialist music schools.
DDs sixth form has arranged a sixth form orchestra and choir as they are all in the same bubble it’s allowed. Her county youth orchestra has just confirmed it’s going ahead for an in person rehearsal half term (yippee). They’ve found a larger venue where they can all sit 2 meters apart but have been told to bring hats and gloves as all the windows and doors will be open! She goes to a string group every other weekend and they’ve found a bigger venue so have been back practicing since September. Her JD is still all online but working ok. We’ve been to 2 socially distanced concerts which were both amazing. We’re in a tier 1 area if that makes any difference.

Hello everyone. I've lurked on here for a few years on and off, name-changed. One dc at JD via streaming and two on-site visits this term. I must admit that today has been a very pessimistic day. DC is definitely starting to wonder if there will be a career in Music at the end of this. I can't let myself think like that but feel so sorry for this generation of future musicians. Even some performance is better than none, so it's great that quartets have been allowed.
Just wondering how the specialist schools are organising their music-making. We're starting to wonder whether a move to specialist school might provide a more consistent support frame work. Can anyone come on here and give an overview of how it's being managed?

Aw, thirdfiddle

I felt awful about that last post so came back
It is hard but I shouldn't have been so blunt. MW are popular and if they can capture the heart of the nation should be supported.
I just hope bit by bit something/ anything returns.

I know what you mean about streamed stuff, my dh did a jazz gig with his quartet, they were allowed 5 in an audience the rest online.
I can't imagine how hard that must be without any atmosphere.

So glad to hear about your concert, yeahhh has made my day and put a smile on there.

mini

I'm right fed up this morning.
All my funding was cut, had a portfolio with 5 years of funding accepted from Lottery funding.
Found out that even though everyone has been cut thousands upon thousands have been awarded to Military Wives.
I'm beyond mad.
Their husbands have well paid jobs, they are a bunch of amateurs, although granted can sound ok, they don't need funding.
The sales of shows and recordings must have a nice little nest egg to pay for anything they may need.

DDs bassoon teacher seems to have an awful lot of reeds to provide her with (do bassoonists ever think about anything other than reeds?). Now there's a pandemic she dips them in Dettol or something - which I'm sure for DD2 will be one of those 'recherché de temps perdu' (can't spell it) tastes when this is all over. Bleaagghhh - between that and the constant smell of sanitiser....

Dev- we all need music to come back. Please hang in there if you can. I've spent a lot of time talking to arts venues this week about funding (part of my job) it's been sad, but also uplifting... There will be light (and music)but I am so sorry the government is not properly supporting its freelancers when they need it.

My dd is making face masks to sell, Ds was repairing bikes. Keeps them out of mischief when no clubs on.

horseymum

She's only 16 and her parents let her as long as they are involved/ monitor.
I think she sells on amazon, not sure.
Yes, they are getting terribly industrious under the guise of saving for college.
Mine is trading in saxophones and mouthpieces with her Dad, so also supervised. It's amazing how much you can make if you know what's what.
She's also learning how to strip down and service and charges her friends for emergency repairs.
She's even done a few for teachers who were stuck

Thanks for the reed tip, we just buy from our teacher but great she has a wee business.

Anybody looking for Bassoon reeds, my dd friend has a nice online business, giving her pocket money She's very good and won't rip people off as only 16 herself.