Summer 21 music thread

Is anyone's child off to the Wells summer school on Sunday?

Hi herbaceous, and wow at 150 score! That's quite something not to slip up once. If his horn is progressing as fast as piano did he'll be a great scholarship candidate - often a shortage instrument.
And well done Kitty's DS too!

I think it's quite interesting all the different recorded/performance exam options springing up. Really poses the question what they are taking the exam for. As a tool to improve your playing? To motivate practice? As a milestone to show where you are? Because you need to prove your standard to someone? To practice performing and get feedback? Because you like collecting certificates? Because it's just The Done Thing?

Which type of exam to take probably depends on why you're taking it. If there are scholarships and stuff involved I'd be inclined to go full in person exam in case the assessors are impressed by these things and because you're likely to be tested on other aspects like scales and sight reading in a scholarship audition too.
If they don't routinely practice sight reading/scales it's a good excuse to get those things happening.
I'm more inclined to do performance/digital for intermediate level exams that are just in passing. You could do a quick recorded exam where you might otherwise have skipped a grade. Particularly if the timing of waiting around for the next exam session doesn't work out.

(Really we just do what their teachers tell us though!)

Well done to your DS! 139 is an excellent result.

I must say I don't know much about the performance exams. Do they have the same 'cachet' as the 'normal' ones? I thought DS would prefer them, as they involve NO scales, but he wanted to do the normal ones, as it seemed more 'proper'.

Congratulations on the exam results and welcome Herbaceous. That's amazing progress for your DS!

My DS (nearly 12) got a distinction (139) in his G5 piano performance. He was really pleased and deservedly so as there's been so much disruption over the past year and he changed teachers just a few weeks before taking the exam. Next term we'll need to decide if he sticks with the performance exam route or goes back to the traditional exams. I've got no idea which would be best so if anyone has any thoughts on this I'd be grateful. He thinks he'd like some sort of career in music so we don't want to close down options.

Well done minisnowballsdd - great result.

Hi Herbaceous, welcome.

Welcome, herbaceous. everyone welcome here, whether starting out, or learning more...That's amazing singing marks. He must be very good.

There are lots of very knowledgeable people on here - people like me are very grateful for them!

My dd (now 11) took her theory online last year - it was basically fine. I think you have to take it online whether you do it through school or not now. She'd had a few lessons at her Centre for Advanced Training but mostly it was all done on the app from home. She's very glad to get it out of the way.

No posh school scholarships here - Dd is at a SE London comp, just finished year 7, but she does love her music...Though I still have to tell her to practise (and then tell her to stop) so I'd love to know what your secret is!

Ooh hello. Can I join?

We have ridiculously musical son, and while never have to push him or even tell him to do practice, want to make the most of his talents! He is very 'whatever', and wants to be a physicist. Or prime minster.

He's 12 (just), and a cathedral chorister. And two weeks ago passed his grade 5 singing with not just a distinction, but full makes. 150 out of 150. He got an extra helping of ice cream for that.

He also plays piano. Started less than three years ago, and is working towards grade 7. Has yet to take his g5 theory though, as the school is super-sluggish - so may try to do it online. Anyone experience of this?

And he plays French Horn. Grade 3 just passed, with distinction, but the thing that really gets him going is ensemble playing, which thank the lord is getting going again.

Next step on the road is securing a musical scholarship for posh school. We can't afford it otherwise!

Congratulations minisnowballs DD! It’s great the results come back so quickly now.

Pinot DD has Dominant ones on her full size if that helps. Sound is such a personal choice.

Anyone else waiting for theory results due today?

Quickest ABRSM results ever there - a 125 merit for cello. Pretty much what she predicted, and her teacher is pleased - so so am I!

My daughter had both dominant and tonica on her 3/4 size. I think she marginally prefered the tonica but both were solid. I dont think she ever tried alphayue. I think any string upgrade will improve sound.

Morning all,
I’m after some violin string advice. I’m getting my daughter her full sized violin soon and I would like to upgrade the string from the standard set. My options are Thomastik Alphayue strings, Pirastro Tonica strings or Thomastik Dominant strings. A good sound is really Important to her as she gets quite frustrated that there is such a huge difference between her teachers violin and her current one!

Well done minilulu! My dd missed her g3 cello - it was supposed to be the Friday they shut the schools in March last year - she’s not going back to it though! G4 at Christmas I think. Performance grade. No clue what it’ll all look like by the end of the year.
Glad your dd2 got hers done minisnowballs.

Well done Lulu's DS! DD2 G4 cello exam done (phew!)... was convinced that wasn't going to happen. Onwards and upwards...three more days of school!

Glad she got a performance in pre isolation at least didiplanthis! DD in similar situation, she got two performances but had to miss the final one - and we were going to go to a pro concert too which we will have to miss. Hobbling on to end of term with DS as long as DD continues to test negative. Fingers crossed they all remain healthy and frustration at staying home is the worst of it.
Well done lulu's DS!

Well done to mini lulu 🙂

Merit for 7yo DS for G3 cello. he is happy and relieved, as am I, given the short timescale for prep and practice. last lesson with his lovely teacher this week - all change from September. onwards!

Post covid live performance that is !

DDs first live performance to an audience tonight, and her school bubble has burst so she is in isolation (again) 🤦‍♀️... however she is booked on to 3 day strings residential in the summer that she cant wait for... she's never been on any music courses before and decided to throw herself in head first 😂

Yes, we will have a similar problem - a grade 7 next term, which she will forget the scales for if she doesn't practice will hopefully scare her enough for one instrument - and she has an orchestra course on that one. Not sure on the others - teacher on one likes to put in some holiday lessons, but not sure dd2 that keen!

Thanks all. She is very glad it’s done and a bit like your dd minisnowballs I’m not sure she understands the point of it all really.
Our school broke up this past Friday but it was a miracle we got there tbh. At one point in the last fortnight there were only 2 year groups in!
I just need to keep encouraging her to practice over the summer without “nagging”. She’s aiming to take her g4 cello at Christmas I think and then g6 piano maybe Easter? So she does need to keep on top of her playing as she wants to do well - half the problem really!!

Well done minimabby! Amazing stuff.

When my dd passed theory she then informed me she was never doing THAT again, so is deeply unimpressed to find herself deep into sight-reading the tenor clef for bassoon this week...Hm, dd2, it is almost like there is a point to learning this stuff.

horsey I hope DS is OK? I'm praying dd2 gets to the end of the week as she has an in-person cello exam Saturday. She's only just gone back in but Covid is absolutely ripping through her school. Her elder sister is one of three in many classes because I kept her off with supposed symptoms last week and she then tested negative, so missed lots of 'close contact' cases.

What an end to the term!

Well done Mabby with dds theory, it's a weight off once that is done. We didn't have any orchestra or band here, hoping things start back after summer. Am actually now glad orchestra course is online as DD wouldn't be able to go as ds just tested positive. At least DD gets something out of it.