Autumn 23 Music chat

@Pollyanna8844 I really, really hate piccolo practice, it is the worst - though I should imagine your DS is so good it is rather more pleasant than when my DD does it.

Glad NYO went well - we were sorry to miss it - would have loved to have taken my DDs.

Rather more locally, DD2 was in front of the timps on contra last night. Next to the brass. She wore the (provided) ear protection, but says it makes it hard to play. She'd left her decent earplugs at school ... I'm glad they made her wear something.

The concert was amazing. Khachaturin, Prokofiev and something written by the conductor. The fact that SLYO 1 can still field a full youth orchestra when it clashes with the LSSO and NYO at the same time is extraordinary - though it does make me realise how much youth music is concentrated in London (five bassoons in her orchestra and four in the one below).

I don't think it is very good at including state school musicians though. Every time DD has gone up an orchestra (SLYO has 4) we know fewer parents from our local area and more and more of the children come from the Dulwich private schools and Whitgift foundation in Croydon. Last night we didn't know a single person.

Still, she came flying out asking if she could do the summer course - so they must have done something right.

@Alsoplayspiccolo DS always feels guilty about who his piccolo is deafening. Before he left for Warwick he wondered who this year's victims would be. Being in the room with him when he is practising is not fun, so I sympathise with your DS.
The concert was great - hope you and @horseymum enjoy on Saturday

DS might do a violin exam - although not sure whether it'll be this term or next. They've decided what piece to learn last lesson. He was able to play all 3 pieces this week. He had one go with the piano accompaniment but there are places where the timing needs to be better. It depends how fast he can master the timing. Will have a chat with the violin teacher this Saturday.
He'll do our local music festival in March though, with pieces of his own choices.

I don’t think mine will do any more exams. Did grade 8 in year 11 and is now second year conservatoire. I thought he might do a diploma but he’s not inclined to do so at the moment, reckons it won’t impede his career.

Good luck for tonight's concert, minisnowballs. Love a bit of contra!

Were going to the Warwick concert on Saturday, horseymum. Hope it goes brilliantly tonight, Pollyanna8844.
DS is right in front of the woodwind and says it's unbelievably loud! He was considering ear protection, but was worried about how it might affect how he plays.

Hopefully no exams this term here - dd2's flute teacher says an ARSM this academic year, but hope not this term, and there's a grade 6 singing in there at some point but she's not really had time for practising that.

Big sister is finally talking about taking a grade 6 viola as well - she hasn't taken an exam since primary so it will be a shock to the system if she does (now year 12!)

Looking forward to seeing DD2 on contra tonight - second big concert on it... Apparently the top has been attached with gaffer tape as it keeps falling off at crucial points - typical bassoon nonsense.

We seem to be 'between exams'. DS did g8 piano last summer, and is now working on diploma, but that won't be this term! Hopefully he'll do g6 French Horn soon, though his teacher doesn't really 'believe' in grades as a method of motivation.

DS will be starting singing lessons soon for the first time since his voice broke. So maybe g7 singing too? He's got a packed schedule of musical theatre stuff going on - Mr Bumble in Oliver, Action in WSStory, and he's auditioning for the Beast in Beauty and the Beast!

Second @horseymum's approach on recording and playing back here too. Whenever DD starts a new piece I record it and then again every couple of weeks so she can see how much progress she's making. Especially now the pieces are longer and the focus is more on voicing / phrasing it helps her realise that she's improving

I have no idea what is happening re exams for mine. Need to speak to DDs violin teacher to see whether to do gr 5 in the spring or skip it re wrist injury. DS might do gr 6 piano in spring and perhaps gr 7 flute at some point too- maybe the summer. DD is starting a second grade 8 piece so will see how long that takes her.

DS also has a youth orchestra concert tonight so looking forward to that and DD has hers tomorrow. She got moved into 1st violins this time and was a bit worried re her wrist in case it was still sore but thankfully was ok yesterday. Will see how today has been!

Hi @Alsoplayspiccolo I'm off to the Barbican for tonight's concert. The rehearsal clips on Instagram sound brilliant

What exams is everyone preparing for? My DS3 is signed up for grade 2 singing for musical theatre in March and grade 4 piano in the summer. DS2 has just passed grade 1 drums and is going for grade 3 next. If only there was a secret to getting them to practice!

Hi @Alsoplayspiccolo - sadly DD has her South London Youth Orchestra concert tonight so we can't make it - hope it goes fantastically for all those involved - she's enjoying their social media account which features many bassoons and some of her school friends.

Happy New Year!
Anyone going to the NYO concert at the Barbican tonight?

I know that there are a few bassoonists on here and I think also some oboes so can I mention that RCM are having a double reed day fairly soon. Details here

https://www.rcm.ac.uk/events/details/?id=2845314&utm_source=eshot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jan2024keynote&utm_id=doublereedday

She has been stuck to them since Christmas Day and is using the Melodics app for lessons and is already getting a good sound. I must confess to having had a go too but it will be a long time before I produce anything that sounds like music!

Lucky child. Roland V drums are, I’m told the best you can buy at the moment. My sons friend doesn’t like the cymbals but that’s his personal preference.

It’s the Roland TD-02KV.

Which kit is it?

An electronic drum kit here, quite a lot of new music and the Ghibli piano book too @northerngoldilocks

Very impressed with the sound of the drums.

DD got some new beautiful guitar picks and a 'Studio Ghibli' piano solos book. No instruments this year though.

Nothing music-y here, apart from a niche book about how the Beatles wrote their songs.

One of our geekier choir chums did get a tie especially for Midnight Mass with 'word' written on it, and the associated chord, for the verse of O Come All Ye Faithful that only gets sung on Christmas Day! That's niche!

Ds had a new amp to replace one that disappeared during a run of shows last summer, does that count?

and he had an SSD drive to store the sounds from his music software