Autumn 23 Music chat

I'm after a little advice, would getting lessons through a music centre linked to a council's music hub be better than using a private teacher? Just in terms of opportunities, teaching quality etc?

I've hit a dead end with our school/county's services, but there's a music centre in our neighbouring county that is quite close and offers lessons. I'm wondering if it's worth looking into, both for a second instrument and possibly to switch piano teacher (I've not yet had the courage to tell the current one how I'm feeling about the lack of progress!).

That makes sense yes, NYO inspire will be a much higher standard and likely more his age group too.

It is tough- but given he's also 12 (year 8) he's getting towards the top of the age group.

Think he might be better doing inspire at some point given state schooling (which won't effectively cost £550 for 2 weekends). I don't think he will ever get NYO main given he's a 'hobby flautist'

Would definitely consider it more for DD though (although she'd have to get in first 😂- maybe next year...)

That's so hard to tell northern! From our perspective, the Projects orchestral experience was joyful, but not in a challenging repertoire or super high standard sort of way. They do short, fun pieces, lots of them. It was easy music that DD could sightread and concentrate on performing style and having a fun day. It's not perfection, there is a fair amount of tutor/volunteer stiffening in some sections, but it is a huge roomful of little people playing music together and having a ball. There might even be recordings of some of them on their social media if you search back to give you an idea what they do and what they don't.
For DD it worked really well socially, particularly in her second year when she was starting to remember people from the previous year and from other courses. Local youth orchestra is a higher playing standard (mostly, it has more gaps too), significantly harder repertoire, but DD finds it difficult socially being small and shy. I have a feeling they Projects may have forbidden phones during the day so they had to talk to each other- will check with DD...

Yes @horseymum that's exactly it. I think for NYO it seems clearer that it's worth missing Sat school, as a great opportunity and the residentials are something different with an opportunity to make friends with other young musicians.

However, for NCO projects I'm not convinced DS would make new friends as it's only 2 weekends and not residential- so that doesn't lend itself to getting to know other players (experience is that at breaks they all just go on phones) so it would all be whether the orchestral experience was better than others he does and again it's hard to tell.

Think we've decided to turn down DS's projects place in NCO. I just can't reconcile the cost with the offering especially as it would mean missing 2 full weeks of Sat school (so 2 1:1 flute lessons, 2 1:1 piano lessons, wind band, flute ensemble plus other groups). I'm sure the group sessions would be lovely but with flute there is always a danger that the tutor is 'woodwind' rather than flute specifically. If he didn't do the sat school and the really good holiday orchestra I'd snap it up, but I'm struggling with what he will get from it that he doesn't from other offerings. Also the missing the flute lessons feels counter intuitive.

The only fly in the ointment was that I asked his flute teacher who said - it's only worth it if he gets something out of it he wouldn't elsewhere, which made it easy to think we would turn it down, but then I asked his head of dept who said he should do it 😬

We are currently away that's why we wanted to record and send everything beforehand, so we can relax while on holiday.
Feels funny it's the first time DS hasn't got his violin with him on holiday. It's quite liberating though I think he enjoys a little time off, especially after quite a stressful week of recording!

Good luck horseymum

Let's see - the deadline is 31st Oct so I will be any time after that I guess

Hope they are quicker with a response than NCO! Sure it'll be fine.

Thanks @thirdfiddle , I did record it in the end and sent it. It wasn't easy and not the best one. But it was the best I could manage without causing too much stress!

Def agree alsoplayspiccolo. There are lots of different paths, and lots of different opportunities. Even conservatoire isn't the only way in - some great musicians around who did academic degrees first and performing after.

Thanks chickentikka. & Did you get your DS's audition recorded in the end?

Just want to add congratulations to all the audition successes and wish you better luck next time if it didn't work out this time!
It was exciting to read all the news! Love this thread!

Just to add to the commiserations, DS auditioned twice for NCO and didn't get anywhere - not even what used to be associates.
He was hugely disappointed at the time and we thought he'd missed the boat because of starting the cello relatively late (he was nearly 9) and would always be out of the running for things like NYO.
Fast forward a few years and he's caught up and is flying - not getting in definitely didn't impact anything.

@horseymum i hear really lovely things about the place- but having just done a very long trip to pick up dd2 yesterday definitely think about the distance! Though I’m sure she’ll get to be a whizz at public transport.

congrats to all for nco and nyo(saw some familiar faces on their orchestra list published this week)- and for those for whom it wasn’t to be this time, commiserations- but when one door closes another definitely opens we are finding- well done to them all for trying!

Congratulations on the NCO successes. My son did main orchestra a few years ago. He’s still in touch with some of his orchestra mates and at least one is at conservatoire with him, it’s such a great thing to do.

Hi northern - yes DD has done two years of Projects.

I can give limited information about the online provision as DD didn't engage hugely with it, she was really in it for the in person stuff. There was certainly an online sectional before each of the two weekends for their orchestra/instrument. Those were on Sundays so hopefully better for not missing stuff.

There were a lot of other resources like webinars and things, and musical challenges. But I'm hoping someone else can give you better info, as I say DD didn't engage that much and I may also be confusing things with NCO Online in 2021.

On the weekends yes they have a 'sharing' at the end of the weekend where they play the pieces they've learned. They've had some amazing soloists along (Sheku Kanneh-Mason played at one of DD's and was just lovely with the kids). More or less a different set of repertoire for each weekend, with one or two overlap where they didn't have time on the first weekend and wanted to give it another go.

Thank you for that @northerngoldilocks I've had a look and contacted a couple of charities that look hopeful. The real problem is the turnaround time as the results of the preliminary rounds were only out last week and the competition is the end of next month.

Thats brilliant news @thirdfiddle - congratulations to her.

I think that you mentioned she had done projects in earlier years - wondered if you had any insight as to what it involves apart from the 2 non residential weekends of face to face 'activity dates' as the rest of it seems a bit vague.

There is some reference to 'looking forward to a refreshed year of online activities' but wondering in reality what these will be? My reading is that for £350 you get 2 weekends of coaching /playing together and then everything else is online. Assume there might be a 'mini concert' for parents at the end of each weekend to share what they're working on.

If he takes up the place it would mean missing 2 weeks of Sat school which given he has 2 different individual lessons there is quite significant so just trying to work out if its worth it for him.

Congrats madrescuechickenDD, that's great!
DD also in to U12 on viola.

londonmummy1966 congrats to your DC, very impressive. Can their institution/teacher help at all, or at least advise? Otherwise as well as national orgs you may be able to find more local charitable trusts that include the arts in their brief for allocating grants.

Well done to all with nco success (at whatever level).

Thank you - yes, I'm looking through in more detail now and I think we'd qualify. Good luck to everyone else's kids too.