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Autumn 23 Music chat

995 replies

horseymum · 31/08/2023 11:30

It's autumn term already! I'm sure there's lots of music going to happen this term. Welcome to anyone who wants to chat about your child's music activities, whether current or things you hope to do. It's a friendly group with experience at many different levels.( I've learned so much) No question is a daft one and don't be put off by chat about higher levels, all our children couldn't play a note once.
Come and ask about starting music lessons, which instrument to choose, exams, music festivals, specialist schools, orchestras and ensembles. We love talking music.
We also love to share music exam successes or struggles etc ( you can't always shout about these on FB!).
Feel free to do a wee intro if you want, although it's still public so only share what you want to.

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hidingmystatus · 25/03/2024 16:45

Thank you all. And congrats to @yodaforpresident 's DD too!

yodaforpresident · 25/03/2024 10:16

@horseymum @northerngoldilocks @chickentikkasalad @minisnowballs it is always the way - something important coming up, then you must be due an illness or injury of some sort!

@MorningBobs thank you. My DD did the practical and it usually takes 2/3 days to come back nowadays. She did do a piano performance exam last year and that came back in 23 hours. I think I would probably query that with them, as it may have just got lost in the system.

yodaforpresident · 25/03/2024 10:09

Fantastic news @hidingmystatus, your DD must be so excited!

MorningBobs · 25/03/2024 07:18

yodaforpresident · 23/03/2024 09:25

Very proud mummy moment here - DD(12) took her grade 8 singing this week and has got a distinction. So pleased for her as she has been fighting a cold and cough for about three weeks now.

That's an outstanding achievement congratulations. Out of interest, as we are still waiting to hear the results of dd's grade 5 flute performance exam after 8 weeks, did your dd do a practical ABRSM exam or something else? How did she find out so soon?

horseymum · 25/03/2024 07:12

That's exciting! And great to get a scholarship too.

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mustardrarebit · 24/03/2024 20:46

@hidingmystatus that's awesome! Huge congrats!

chickentikkasalad · 24/03/2024 16:43

Congratulations to @hidingmystatus's DD! Well done!

muggleaunt · 24/03/2024 16:05

@hidingmystatus Congrats to your DD, wonderful news!

hidingmystatus · 24/03/2024 15:45

I just want to boast: DD was accepted by her first choice for a Composition Master's in the USA with massive scholarship. So relieved and happy.

chickentikkasalad · 24/03/2024 11:32

Congratulations to @yodaforpresident's DD. DS had a cold during the music festival and I was so nervous he would cough during the violin play (luckily he didn't), can't imagine what it would be like to try to sing when not well. Congratulations...

northerngoldilocks · 24/03/2024 10:43

Well done to your DD @yodaforpresident - that's great! Exams at the end of term do come with a degree of peril, especially woodwind and singing! Though turns out broken wrists are also quite limiting for strings as we discovered at Christmas!

minisnowballs · 24/03/2024 09:54

Fabulous news @yodaforpresident ! Well done to her!

horseymum · 24/03/2024 08:11

Well done @yodaforpresident to your DD. Singing when not on top form must be hard. Older DD has a whole weekend of rehearsals then a concert tonight and is battling a cold. Then school concert on Tuesday. Hopefully some rest afterwards will help.

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yodaforpresident · 23/03/2024 17:52

Thank you @QueenMabby and @Pollyanna8844. The stress of avoiding illness is real - I do wonder if the nature of woodwind and voice make their musicians more prone to respiratory illnessses.

Pollyanna8844 · 23/03/2024 12:45

Congratulations to your DD @yodaforpresident! DS plays flute and I seem to spend most of my time keeping my fingers crossed he won't get ill at a crucial time or, if he does, he gets better quickly. Coughs and colds are the worst - so stressful

QueenMabby · 23/03/2024 11:11

That's great news @yodaforpresident. Well done your dd! Fantastic result.

yodaforpresident · 23/03/2024 09:25

Very proud mummy moment here - DD(12) took her grade 8 singing this week and has got a distinction. So pleased for her as she has been fighting a cold and cough for about three weeks now.

horseymum · 21/03/2024 12:11

They often have quite early closing dates, a couple near us are November for a march festival. The schedule might come out earlier so you can see what pieces to prepare.

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mustardrarebit · 21/03/2024 09:49

muggleaunt · 20/03/2024 15:02

The festivals site @horseymum mentions is: https://www.federationoffestivals.org.uk/festivals There are lots! Many take place in March. We've found it good to go to our 2 nearest festivals in March and to one further away at another time of year.

That's fab, thank you! Looks like we've missed festival season this year. Plenty of time to prepare for next year though. 😀

QueenMabby · 20/03/2024 22:47

Quick question. We are buying dd a new cello next month. We have an appt with a luthier about an hour away. DD's cello teacher and his wife are meeting us there and they are "making a day of it'. This is in the school holidays and I massively appreciate them taking time out of their week for this. He insisted on coming (don't think he trust us to buy a decent instrument without him - fair enough).

Should I take them a thank you gift? Offer to take them out to lunch/pay for their time? How does this work? We've always just rented an instrument from school until now.

Any input much appreciated.

thirdfiddle · 20/03/2024 22:28

That's how our local festival started horsey, it's still non-competitive which I definitely like. Mine don't get many chances to perform to an audience being at a very unmusical school, so it's really valuable to them.

muggleaunt · 20/03/2024 15:02

The festivals site @horseymum mentions is: https://www.federationoffestivals.org.uk/festivals There are lots! Many take place in March. We've found it good to go to our 2 nearest festivals in March and to one further away at another time of year.

Autumn 23 Music chat
mustardrarebit · 19/03/2024 19:03

horseymum · 19/03/2024 18:54

I'm not looking initially to start a competition, more a playing opportunity on a nice piano, with the option for some to have comments from a kind adjudicator. I'm waiting till I have a bit more time to organise though! There are loads of online things but most look like money making scams, costing £50 to enter. Or they say free first round and pay to progress.

I've come across a couple of competitions that seem a bit scammy. Your idea sounds lovely, especially for younger musicians. My middle daughter doesn't like to perform at all. She plays for herself, but something low pressure like that might give her confidence.

horseymum · 19/03/2024 18:54

I'm not looking initially to start a competition, more a playing opportunity on a nice piano, with the option for some to have comments from a kind adjudicator. I'm waiting till I have a bit more time to organise though! There are loads of online things but most look like money making scams, costing £50 to enter. Or they say free first round and pay to progress.

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