Autumn 21 music thread

Lovely to find this thread. I'm Nina a mum to DS aged 17 who has been musical from very young. He started off in primary school with recorder, followed by clarinet and then added saxophone. Aged 10 he joined the RCM Junior Department. Loved it there! Later aged 14 joined a specialist music school whilst still attending music college on Saturdays. Anyway, roll the clock forwards and we are now in final year of A Levels and he's applying to Conservatoires. Specifically the London 3 for Jazz Saxophone. Two auditions down, and one more tomorrow at the Guildhall.

@lulukentgirl Hi there just seen your message from 27 September about your DSs just having started at London Music School on Saturdays. My DS is now in his 7th year studying at the RCMJD every Saturday. It's been a truly brilliant experience. He loved every moment and Saturdays most definitely were his favourite day of the week. It's a hard balancing act between demands from the JD and school! But I'm sure you'll get there. I hope your DSs enjoy it as much as my DS did. He entered with 1st study Clarinet and 2nd study Saxophone, to emerge this last year playing Jazz Sax - so a complete overall of his studies during our time there.

There used to be options to play in school but they seem to have gone with Covid. They only have whole school assemblies and it seems to be full of rules! She did play in assembly at the infants, but not since moving to juniors!

Thanks for the theory recommendations, she's doing grade 3 at Saturday music so will just take a while to get to it! I'm not in any rush for her to take grade 6 though, she can spend some time working on wider repertoire, developing technique etc

For those facing Grade 5 theory I can recommend "Take Five and Pass First Time" by Christopher Dunn. He wrote it for his 4 children when they were battling through it. You can usually buy a secondhand copy very cheaply on ebay.

We have done that in the past, they get to play their piano pieces as people are filing into the assembly hall and then maybe at the end as well. I should have got her to play in class, forgot we used to do that.

My DD is still primary age, so not sure about secondary arrangements. I ask her class teacher if she can play her exam pieces to the class or in assembly a couple of weeks ahead of the exam. She always says yes and it's a great performance opportunity.

Other mums are doing the same now, so they have regular little performances and it seems normal to them now.

I feel your pain with grade 5 theory. Youngest dd deliberately not doing it as she thinks grade 6 is too hard so won't need the theory yet. She doesn't know she's already played grade 6 pieces fine. She'll get around to it at some point.

That's great she played her best, that's all you can ask for. My friend is a teacher and had pupils on Friday get their results today so it really is quite quick.

Can you get some friends or neighbours round to have a wee recital? That would help create the performance butterflies. Then she could learn to control them to create the adrenaline needed for a good performance.

That is a massive issue - something i need to think about for DD too. Piano is difficult to have regular performance opportunities really in general. She has way more opportunity to play violin in front of others just through playing in ensembles / orchestras.

I think it's so hard doing exams just now as they've had no chances to perform or get that nervous feeling and conquer it. My dd was really nervous and it showed in the singing but pieces were fine.

We got ours this morning too- not sure if they send out on a Sat or if the piano teacher was just out yesterday and checked today. Either way, really quick and delighted that she's passed. She's at strings ensemble now so doesn't know yet!

Results through this morning, happy girl. That's day three so super quick. I enter them so get the results first.

Am trying to resist the urge to message the piano teacher to see if he's checked emails... basically will be Monday at the earliest now.

I checked back and when she sat last it was 3 days and when my son sat it was 5. That's much faster than the 'satellite offices' though

We're waiting for results too, exam sat on Wednesday, hopefully Monday will bring good news!

Our grade exam results came out 3 days later, both this time and last time. Good luck!

amazing - well done to her. We are waiting for results from G5 piano here - sat on Tuesday and trying not to keep thinking about how last time she sat at head office that results were out 3 days later!

That's fabulous news! Well done to her

I posted a couple of weeks back for advice on helping DD with scales for her G4 woodwind exam. She went in as prepared as she could be though still struggling to remember all her scales. In the exam, she was asked every last scale and arpeggio and duffed some of them up terribly, BUT she passed her scales and got a distinction (in the 90s) overall. We both completely shocked and delighted! Thanks for the great advice. It was very reassuring and helpful!

I've just dug out some Christmas music books that have simple piano arrangements of carols - good for your grade 3+ pianists or for a couple of others to play together with a pianistic parent.

Let me know if you want any...

Also have some basic harp music but guess that is a bit more esoteric.

The Christmas Fiddler - Christmas... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00006LTTZ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Also enjoying this book, although they are not duets as such. There is a harder part (the tune) and an "easy part" plus piano accompaniment. I think they work well as trios, but not sure it sounds up to much without the piano.

Family Fun Violin Duets for Christmas: with Sing-Along Lyrics and Guitar/Piano Chords (Good Old Tunes Violin Music) www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1706957408/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_Y97JY5FJB6TCGVCTJRR3?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

These are quite good. Otherwise just go for any flute duet book.