Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Autumn 21 music thread

334 replies

thirdfiddle · 18/09/2021 11:44

Well, we started the summer thread on a rainy day so how about an autumn thread on a sunny day?
Welcome all parents of musical young people, from total beginners to total professionals. Please come and chat in one of the friendliest and most helpful corners of MN.
What's new this term?

OP posts:
Original poster
thirdfiddle · 22/12/2021 10:26

And fab news siriusmuggle! Good luck with decision making.

OP posts:
Original poster
thirdfiddle · 22/12/2021 10:21

Congratulations minisnowballsDD! Sounds like the perfect wake up call - she still passed, any sort of grade 7 at 12 is still impressive, and it's only grade 7 so she can aim to replace it with a better g8 mark in due course.

OP posts:
Siriusmuggle · 22/12/2021 10:15

Mine now has 5 conservatoire offers, 3 of them include scholarships. He’s down to a shortlist of two but it’s really hard to decide between them.

languagelover96 · 22/12/2021 09:28

@minisnowballs

Fingers crossed!
Good luck
minisnowballs · 22/12/2021 09:24

Fingers crossed!

Newgirls · 22/12/2021 09:08

Wow that’s quick. A string instrument via a music school so might appear. Though they have a reputation as a bit chaotic so we shall see. Don’t want to be too outing!

minisnowballs · 22/12/2021 09:06

Took it last Tuesday - but her music centre had to 'release' the results so I don't know when it actually came in. Good luck to yours, @newgirls, what are you waiting on?

Newgirls · 22/12/2021 09:01

Well done to minishowballs dd! How long did it take to get results? Waiting here

minisnowballs · 22/12/2021 08:55

Just got DD2s Grade 7 results back. She passed - but I think at 116 that is a bit of a wake up call for a child who has done an absolute maximum of 15 minutes practice a day, four days a week for two terms on it. Aural a total mess, pieces, scales and sightreading variously high pass or merit.

She's pleased to have it done, but I'm hoping it will persuade her to take some time and mature a bit before Grade 8 (she's 12). We're in no hurry here and she's lacks the maturity to work harder.

On the plus side though, got to watch her AMAZING concert with her holiday orchestra last night. They played their hearts out and I'm so glad it went ahead. Makes me laugh to see her swapping between flute and piccolo all evening - she's normally really clumsy but never misses a beat, even when turning pages too.

Original poster
thirdfiddle · 20/12/2021 14:39

Doh, I should have spotted that horsey!

OP posts:
horseymum · 20/12/2021 14:05

Just mentioning that Aloha only seems to post with links, are you trying to advertise on every post?

Original poster
thirdfiddle · 20/12/2021 11:26

We also made it to full complement of end of term performances and carol services. First performance since 2019 for some ensembles. Two of them did perform to camera rather than audience but that's okay.
Sorry your course cancelled newgirls, it's such a precarious situation at the moment.
Aloha, electric or classical guitar? Pretty damn cool either way. Does he have lessons? Good luck to elder's band. (Not Elmer's band as autocorrect would have it.) Just saying, you might want to ask mods to remove link though unless you are OK with sharing your real identity on here.

OP posts:
Newgirls · 20/12/2021 11:12

Our county youth orchestra course cancelled again… as they did in the summer when most of normal life was on.

minisnowballs · 20/12/2021 10:13

Just dropped dd2 at day two of orchestra... can't quite believe her holiday course has gone ahead - (but so pleased for her). She seems to be mostly playing piccolo and finding it exhausting but brilliant. So lovely to hear about christmassy concerts.

aloha20 · 20/12/2021 08:37

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

horseymum · 20/12/2021 07:56

Yes, same here. So glad to have made it to the nine lessons and carols. We were playing but did sing a bit too. Very thin on the ground but still lovely.

HappySM1 · 19/12/2021 20:20

Just back from our choir's 9 lessons and Carols. Belting out the descant to Hark the Herald as an alto always marks the start of Christmas!!! I am on such a high. Merry Xmas everyone!!

northerngoldilocks · 17/12/2021 20:51

Thanks HappySM1 - I think that's right and a Christmas Carol would be ideal if it wasn't in January, so will have a look at the other things on the list

HappySM1 · 17/12/2021 18:15

I don't think they are looking for vocal quality, but tuning, rhythm and musicality. He needs to stay at pitch when singing, and not "sag". So I would choose something really simple and do it very well. Work on diction and some expression.

Ideas:

A Christmas Carol
A folk song (down by the country gardens, molly malone, swing low sweet chariot, the moses song that has "let my people go" in it etc)
A nursery rhyme (sing a song of sixpence etc)
A hymn or worship song (if you are churchy)

Avoid pop songs (well I would, anyway)

Make sure he knows about the sing, where its from and what it means

DivingDolphin · 17/12/2021 17:39

@northerngoldilocks would some folk music work for your DS? We samg something called The Water of Tyne in our school choir which was pretty and simple but a good showcase for the voice. Also doesn't need piano accompaniment in case that's something to consider

DivingDolphin · 17/12/2021 17:33

Thanks so much @thirdfiddle and @northerngoldilocks - really helpful. I'd heard of colorstrings but not stringbabies. Will check it out! I learnt the violin using the Suzuki method when I was small and it was great though not always the best for technical stuff. You're right though - it's the teacher that matters most, not the method. @northerngoldilocks - we are based near the Dulwich Suzuki group so that's definitely a possibility. Hard to know when the right time is to start. He's keen now but maybe 3 is too young?! Don't want to put him off by starting too early...

northerngoldilocks · 17/12/2021 15:41

Thanks all - i'll take a look at these suggestions. They did say that if they didn't prep anything they'd make them sing 'happy birthday' so not sure if thats indicative of the type of length of piece they're looking for.

Appreciate the input!

languagelover96 · 17/12/2021 08:29

apologies my mistake

languagelover96 · 17/12/2021 08:28

Firstly good luck. Look on YouTube to find stuff. Tell us more about his voice type etc OP too.

minisnowballs · 17/12/2021 08:16

Hiya - good luck to him. I can ping you some of the stuff DD2 has just started doing if helpful - they are from ABRSM books and the range isn't too difficult- she's particularly loving Stairway to Paradise and Fall Leaves Fall at the moment (the good thing about them is you can find accompaniments on YouTube)