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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

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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minisnowballs · 25/12/2023 23:41

dd2 quite pleased with her new tuner- very pleased by lala land piano music. But no new instruments - don’t think we could afford any more right now!

QueenMabby · 25/12/2023 20:31

No new music gifts at all here. Very unusual. We did have crackers with bells in so much hilarity ensued as we all tried to play Christmas tunes with them!

I hope you are all having a lovely Christmas.

Original poster
horseymum · 25/12/2023 18:25

Looking at a thread of present hits and misses and realising my kids have quite niche interests. Hits with them are younger dds new bassoon case, which she is delighted with and can't wait to take out somewhere. Older dds recycled oboe key necklace went down well too. They do also like books and fluffy socks so not totally weird!
Any shiny new instruments drop down the chimney?

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QueenMabby · 20/12/2023 16:01

@Alsoplayspiccolo - congrats to your ds. Congrats also to this prepping for NYO/NCO events.

Dd finished now after a hectic term. Next term already looking busy with a school strings competition and a concert at a local music venue on top of the usual suspects.

Looks like we may be moving up to a full size cello in the new year. We always said to dd that once she got to full size we'd buy one rather than rent from school so better start saving. Anyone know what is reasonable to pay for a cello for a student who's likely to reach g8 level but who won't need an instrument for conservatoire/professional playing?? Thanks.

northerngoldilocks · 19/12/2023 20:26

@Alsoplayspiccolo what a relief after the 'unorthadox' happenings earlier in the year. Brilliant that he was able to focus so well!

Pollyanna8844 · 19/12/2023 17:23

Congratulations to your DCs @horseymum &@Alsoplayspiccolo !

minisnowballs · 19/12/2023 14:13

Brilliant news @Alsoplayspiccolo - you must be so proud too!

londonmummy1966 · 19/12/2023 14:11

@Alsoplayspiccolo - fantastic news especially about the scholarships! If he is thinking of RCM I know my DD would be happy to talk to him about it and give some tips on accomodation.

Original poster
horseymum · 19/12/2023 13:22

@Alsoplayspiccolo amazing to get so many offers, and scholarships too! DD is playing cor and oboe so is having to make sure she has the right instrument at the right time. I can imagine the conductor moving around the piece a lot and her coming in on the wrong instrument and being totally in the wrong key!

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Alsoplayspiccolo · 19/12/2023 13:16

horseymum · 19/12/2023 09:10

Dd got a merit for grade 8 piano, think she was secretly hoping for distinction but scales weren't great. Got 30 for one of her pieces though, so happy with that. Now to learn a symphony for her first NYO residential.

That's a fantastic result! Grade 8 piano is HARD, and especially the sightreading, so she's done brilliantly.

DS spent nearly 2 hours yersterday, marking in the bowings for that symphony! Not sure what your DD's part looks like but the cello part looks difficult!

He has his final concert of the year tonight, with his county youth orchestra.

After the horrible situation around his Conservatoire applications, he's had the fantastic news of offers from all of them, with scholarships for two out of the three.

Violasrule · 19/12/2023 11:47

@PressedFlowers this happened to us last year.

It was because the results were being moderated. We had over 6 weeks of anxious waiting.

Original poster
horseymum · 19/12/2023 11:35

Thanks, yes they are so unpredictable. The sight-reading was a bit of a train crash I think too- in 7/4 time, in c major but every note was an accidental. I think the comment was ' some accident prone notes' which she feels was generous! Happy with the pieces though which is the main thing.
@minisnowballs sounds like your DD will make the most of the holidays.
We just have some church services to go now, school finishes on Friday.

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northerngoldilocks · 19/12/2023 10:38

Congratulations to your DD @horseymum - exams are unpredictable and a merit is a fantastic result - also a 30 on one of her pieces is awesome!

minisnowballs · 19/12/2023 10:37

@horseymum very well done to her 30/30 on a G8 piece is incredible - she must have played so beautifully. Hope she loves NYO. She should be so proud of herself.

We have dd2 home. After two days of being a bit floppy and tired she's now back to her usual extra self and has already disappeared off to make gingerbread with her cousin who lives an hour's train ride away.

She has a lot of practice to do though. Her school report (including all instrumental teachers) was wonderful so hopefully she now feels she's earned her place and can relax a bit. But she's an ARSM and a grade 6 to prepare for this year apparently- neither on her first instrument -which seems like quite a lot.

Original poster
horseymum · 19/12/2023 09:10

Dd got a merit for grade 8 piano, think she was secretly hoping for distinction but scales weren't great. Got 30 for one of her pieces though, so happy with that. Now to learn a symphony for her first NYO residential.

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Original poster
horseymum · 19/12/2023 09:00

They are normally much quicker - less than a week so must be being moderated. Maybe just keep chasing. What does it say on your account?

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PressedFlowers · 18/12/2023 19:49

Hello everyone.

Have any of your DC recently sat a face to face exam and found results are taking ages?

It’s been over 28 days and counting here… teacher has chased it but still no news.

Any reason this could be - does it mean the result is being moderated/disputed?

herbaceous · 14/12/2023 21:10

It’s called The Shepherd. Worth watching if you’ve got Disney+ - he’s on right at the start after the credits!

Original poster
horseymum · 14/12/2023 20:58

Oh dear @minisnowballs hope she's ok. Some rest at home will sort her out I'm sure. DD is playing her bassoon at church but older one has gone for a break from oboe and doing recorder instead.
@herbaceous that's lovely about the film, nice to be able to say.

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herbaceous · 14/12/2023 19:19

The bassoon is rather more, er, strident than the cello! I can see why they wouldn want it instead!

I forgot some exciting news. Last year, when still an angelic choirboy, DS recorded In the Bleak Midwinter for his agent (less high-powered than it sounds). It was to go into a music production library, and may or may not have been used.

Well, blow me down, we found out a few weeks ago it was used in a film new out on Disney+! Starring John Travolta! He even gets a credit at the end!

Sadly the film is tripe.

minisnowballs · 14/12/2023 16:11

Congrats to him @herbaceous - i guess with so many other instruments under his belt it seems easier. Impressed with the stamina with all the concerts too.

DD2 is struggling under the weight of the end of term. She had a concert last night in which she was the bassoonist in a Haydn symphony, followed by the contrabassoonist in Beethoven 5. This followed a seven-day-period in which she had the school play (five performances perhaps?) a massive Advent service and a bassoon masterclass.

All have been awesome It is perhaps unsurprising, though, given the schedule, that she fainted in the bassoon masterclass.

She's now being treated as though she were made of glass - and is most annoyed about it, though I am glad some pastoral oversight has kicked in. She finishes tomorrow and we are looking forward to having her home. It's been an amazing first term for her, but they have offered pretty much every opportunity possible, she has taken the lot, and it has been too much.

And on Sunday she needs to pick up the cello she hasn't played since September and help to lead a carol concert for our church. They weren't that amenable to the suggestion she played bassoon instead!

herbaceous · 14/12/2023 15:45

Got DS's mighty grade 2 viola exam result - distinction! Something of a miracle, as he did next to no practice. I think the singing really helps with the tuning and general musicality at this stage. Not sure minimal effort will see him much further!

Trying to count up how many concerts etc are happening this month. Got 1o 14, and became addled. And that's not counting the school cabaret they do on the last day of term, with all manner of singing skits and the like. No parents allowed!

Original poster
horseymum · 12/12/2023 17:18

@Bunnycat101 well done to your DD getting through her exam. My DD has just done her g8 and says she was shaking in it so nerves don't necessarily disappear, they just learn some techniques to cope.
We've got one school concert left and then church carol/ nativity/ Christmas day etc. I love carols!

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northerngoldilocks · 11/12/2023 22:08

Congratulations to your DD @Bunnycat101 . My DD sat grade 1 in March 2020 about a week after her 7th birthday and said she wasn't doing any more exams ever. By Nov 2021 she was happy to sit grade 5. Basically if she's saying never right now it might not always be the case. Lots of fun non exam stuff will probably help though!

DS now finished until orchestra aft of Christmas. DD has a Christmas concert with choir and string ensemble on Sat and the following Monday and then we are all done! (with strings being a world of dodgy bowing re fractured wrist!)

QueenMabby · 11/12/2023 13:39

Sounds like everyone is busy busy! Congratulations to all those with exam successes.

Just one more event for us - dd has a carol service tonight. She sang last night too so we went to that and are spared this evening as it's the same. The choir sounded fantastic. It's just a regular school choir although they do have to audition and then they sing church services most weeks on one 1 hour sectional rehearsal and 1 45 minute full choir rehearsal a week! Some of the choral music was very complicated - some in Latin, some in eight parts but they all sounded fantastic.

Dd loves her chapel singing and it really showed. She's shattered though!

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