Spring 21 virtual music thread

We have a quietly very excited dd as we just received an offer for JD for her! So hoping that it won't be blended learning by September but already looking forward to the opportunities. Now to investigate whether there is any funding support at all out there when we aren't eligible for a bursary.
Xenakis, my youngest started on a mini bassoon due to size but, as predicted, grew, out of it's capabilities a little bit before she could quite manage the full size. I don't know anything about the pbone's sound but she found she was getting frustrated as there were a few notes she couldn't quite get but just had to put up with that. You might just have to be extra encouraging in that pre transition period. It's so different to strings when then can always have the perfect size if you are able to keep trading in or loan instruments.

Hi XC, it's always worth a conversation with them, they are very approachable, but my previous understanding has always been that they want them on standard instruments for nationals - no pBone/smaller clarinets/tenoroons etc. It might if they're doing online stuff as well next year that they'd offer that, I don't know.

Hi all,

I wonder if you could advise please - DC2 (age 7) is doing Gr 3 trombone in the summer. Is it worth applying to NCO in the autumn for the U10 programme? Still on a pBone as a regular trombone is too heavy.

Thanks,
XC.

Hope it went well for him.

DS2 had his Grade 8 trombone ABRSM exam today. Feeling very lucky to have been able to do it, private visit at his JD. First in person visit to JD in over a year!

ComeFromAway excellent news!

So it appears that dd never told me or dh that following her self taped audition she had a recall at RWCMD yesterday! And she has a recall at a London based private MT college next week.

Oh, that's stressful Comefromaway - so hard when they're all in the same place together.

Some in-person instrument lessons back for my two this week (in school only) while the Saturday school still works out its next plan. And an in--person drama course in the Easter holiday for my younger one - it's childcare so I can work so apparently OK. She is so excited!

I don’t think I said by the way. Dd arrived back to her halls last Saturday after being at home all term. She’s back in college 4 days a week with one day on zoom. The first thing her hall mates said to her was we hope you’re not going to be singing here. We’ve got essay deadlines you know. (They didn’t give her the same consideration last October when they were partying till the early hours but she had an 8.30am dance class)

She was really worried as her day on zoom includes one vocal rep & one vocal technique class. In the end college have given her permission to go in and use a spare practice room.

Being back in college has made a big difference for my two. It’s ironic though that Ds can spend 2 hours in a college class with his music tech/composition teacher but has to have his private singing lesson with the same teacher on zoom.

Still online lessons here and DC losing interest. Not just music but also her sport activities.

@Comefromaway that’s good news about the deadline but not for the audition fee.

DD thrilled to back to in person music lessons for violin and piano and her sixth form orchestra restarted this week too.

So we just found out that Royal Academy are still accepting applications for their postgrad Musical Theatre course until Monday. (When dd applied to RCS & Royal Welsh in January the November original deadline for RAM had passed.

But £100 just to audition, by self tape. Think I need a drink as we transfer her the money.

At Mary's looks amazing but the fees assistance are on a sliding scale and my DH has a fairly comfortable salary so the fees would be massive still!

Poor dd only lasted one lesson though before she was sent home. Suffering side effects of her covid vaccine.

1st full dayback at college yesterday for ds. It was a long one 9am - 5pm (though with a 90 min lunch break. He got home at 5pm and was fast asleep by the time I got back in at 6.30pm!

Hi. Not extra-curricular as such.... but perhaps of interest? St Mary's Music School in Edinburgh are doing online advisory auditions. If you already have recordings made, why not send them in for an opinion? It's a really good specialist school. And they've just put a call out for recordings. There's no minimum grade requirement - it's about potential.

Hope your filming goes well! We are hopeful that we can knock on the head all the outstanding ones this afternoon,
festival entries which seemed like a good idea in November!

@horseymum My thoughts exactly. Thanks!

Oh, that's hard for a nine year old to do it by themself. My 10 year old wouldn't have much to say. Maybe ask the question then a back up question to draw out a bit more if necessary. I'm sure if it was live they would be relating it to what they said on the application form to stimulate a bit more chat. I'm sure they are adept at seeing whether it is all scripted or not!

Thank you @comefromaway
We might try another video in the form of an interview, might help her. She's only 9 :-)

@Comefromaway that sounds brilliant!
@MissScotland we got told to answer the questions however they liked, interview with a family member, monologue. They could use the exact questions or add their own things. I let DD do her own thing, didn't want it too scripted by me! She did it kind of by saying 'I'm going to talk about what I like about my instrument, why I want to join the RCS juniors and my musical experience and influences' which was the questions given. Remind them to look at the camera and not just the screen, first take looked awful as her notes were at wrong height but once we sorted that it looked more natural. They have done loads of playing for the camera but no talking to it so this was actually the hardest bit. It's hard because if live, the interviewers would probably prompt for more eg tell me about... but here they just have to say what they think. Her teacher thought it was nice though so we'll see!

Good evening mamas,

Does anyone have any insight or tips on what should be included in the interview recording for JD application? Is it supposed to be in a form of an interview where someone asks questions and DC answers? Or is it just a monologue?

Thanks and good luck to everyone!