Autumn 21 music thread

How's his range? What about something from a musical? Where is love from Oliver, I just can't wait to be king, little people from Les Mis, letter from Charlie bucket from Charlie and the chocolate factory are all good.

@northerngoldilocks consider a slow melody like Song to the Moon or Softly Awakes my Heart?

I'm also looking for some advice please- DS is 10 and he has a music scholarship audition for secondary school in January. He needs to play 2 contrasting pieces on his first instrument and one piece on his second instrument - all fine so far.

There are some aural tests - not going to be his best bit but will cobble something together on that and get him to practice some sight singing over Xmas.

But then he also needs to sing something. He's not auditioning with voice as an instrument but does still need to sing. Wondering if anyone has any ideas / suggestions of what he could do please ?

He does choir at his sat school, but isn't really a 'singer' and there isn't really anything from the term he's done there. The pieces he does at school choir are either Christmas related (inappropriate in January) or young voices pop sing along. Not sure they're going to be great for this either. Don't think it needs to be very long, but I'm drawing a blank on inspiration so if anyone has any ideas I'd be grateful.

Hi Diving Dolphin. Not sure where in SE London you are, but when i was looking for violin teachers recently, I noticed there was a Dulwich Suzuki group which had local teachers listed in case that helps?

Hello all, just introducing myself- I'm a southeast London-based mum of two v little ones. My eldest who is 3 seems keen to start learning the violin soon and wondered if I could pick brains about best way to do that. Suzuki method? Also heard of something called Dalcrose? I'm actually a music journalist so feel like I ought to know but I don't! All recommendations very much appreciated (also realise I might not be in the right group for this so feel free to redirect me if I'm lost!!)

Wow!!

Well might hear soon then!

Thanks all x

A friends daughter sat at 5pm on Thursday and had the result by Sunday last week . ABRSM have really upped their game!

@Newgirls - sorry, when I said the Monday after the exam I meant the Monday immediately after the Friday so 3 days (and no actual working days) - it was very fast. Had the same back in the summer session too. Fingers crossed you don’t have to wait too long.

3 days!! Two weeks is also great! Used to take ages I think? It will be via music school so hopefully they will be open when results come in.

Congrats to those with grade results! Dd did g4 cello this week. We’ve pushed g6 piano and g2 voice to next term. But gutting for the piano as she’s really ready and now has to keep the pieces going over the holidays but school ran out of slots!

Grade 7 flute today for DD2. So glad it's over and she didn't have covid (we're in London).

Congrats to all those with results and conservatoire offers.

Many congrats to nina’s and sirius’ DCs on their conservatoire offers - very exciting.

@Newgirls - one of mine did a Grade 8 on a Friday 2 weeks ago and the email came through at 2am on the Monday.

Congrats on the conservatoire places!

Mine did a grade 6 today - abrsm. How long are results taking do we know?

@ninavd there’s a conservatoire thread on the further education (or is it higher education) board.
Mine has 6 applications in, 4 offers so far and 2 yet to offer/reject. Of the 4 he’s decided 2 or 3 aren’t for him. His top choice has yet to offer/reject. He got a slightly surprising offer from RCM but I’m not at all sure that London will suit him.

Wonderful news today. DS received his first offer for Conservatoire from Guildhall for start in Sept 2022 - all very real now. Now awaiting Trinity and RAM.

We definitely don't like doing too many exams, expensive and distracting from actually learning and progressing for us, others do seem to like them. Dd went straight in at g5 for bassoon, having done g2 piano earlier. Definitely the cost of an accompanist adds to it, two practices and the exam soon adds up. I used a friend but still paid her.
Welcome to @ninavd too! Hi! You're all really lucky your JD s are fully back, my dd hasn't had a full week yet with everyone bin so hasn't played with the full orchestra yet which was part of the reason for going. Supposed to be back fully next year but that decision was before omicron kicked off.

Excellent news thirdfiddle. I'm similarly pro skipping grades / not doing too many exams, not least for instruments with accompanists too- it's very expensive! Though having a couple of strategic ones is good. DD did grade 1 and then 5 on piano. If she does any violin it will probably be 5 as the first one. She might do some more piano at some point but not straight into it. DS has his grade 5 pieces kind of set for flute and piano but not sure I'd want him to sit both in spring, or that he will want to keep them going for longer so might skip one of them too

[quote ninavd]@Comefromaway what is your ds applying to study? We are going through the same process. My DS is applying to study jazz saxophone at: RAM, Trinity Laban and Guildhall. Trinity was first up - he loved it. RAM was second - he hated it. Guildhall tomorrow. So fingers crossed. It seems that we will have word before Christmas.[/quote]
Popular Music possibly combined with music production/technology. He is a keyboard player.

His real love is musical theatre and he wants to go into pit playing/keyboard programming/Musical directing.

Funny you should say that about RAM. A friends ds hated RAM too. He got an offer, but chose to go elsewhere.

@horseymum yes in full swing. My DS is at RCMJD and it has been full on all term. Everything including large ensembles fully operational - thank goodness.

@QueenMabby the best ones that we've found (now have 2 of them) are Hercules BS118B EZ Glide Music Stand. Very durable! These have been everywhere: abroad, musical weeks away, around the house, you name it. About £40 but worth every penny as they are still in the same condition.

@Comefromaway what is your ds applying to study? We are going through the same process. My DS is applying to study jazz saxophone at: RAM, Trinity Laban and Guildhall. Trinity was first up - he loved it. RAM was second - he hated it. Guildhall tomorrow. So fingers crossed. It seems that we will have word before Christmas.