Autumn 23 Music chat

Congratulations!
NCO offer bursaries 😊

Big congrats to your son!

She plays tuba and we're based up North. I just can't believe it as she's never done anything like this before. She's currently working towards her G7 tuba.

@londonmummy1966 wonder if something like the rotary club or similar might have funds. I googled and you can get extensive lists, though not sure how many are outdated:

Funding for musicians: music grants in the UK | Bandzoogle Blog

That's exciting @Madrescuechicken - what instrument? My DS has got London projects on flute u12

Oh my, I've just seen my DD has got U12 nationals. She's never auditioned before so I wasn't sure what to expect. Now just to raise the money on a limited budget....

NCO U12 and U13 results are out - good luck to all those who’ve been waiting

Hello - I tend to lurk on this thread as my DC are both out the other end of school now - one at conservatoire and one at uni.However I thought someone on here might have some ideas on where to look for help with funding to enable DC1 to attend an international competition. They have made it through the preliminary rounds but the final is in Europe and the competition offers no funding for travel there or accomodation. It seems harsh if the only people who can take part in the in person final performance round are those who can afford international travel and accommodation.

@horseymum re conservatoires I'd ask things like who the tutors are/how they're allocated, what performance opportunities can they expect, structure of the course etc etc

@MelodiousThunk glad to hear it's not expensive.... At least you can't do that with a bassoon (plenty else to break!)

@minisnowballs he over bites, we're working on it. We are using mouthpiece patches but he obviously managed to bite down right on the corner where the ebonite is really thin. And of course broke the reed in the process. Luckily you don't pay the "classical music tax" with a sax so relatively cheap to get a new one.

and @MelodiousThunk that makes me wince just to think of it. Surely that can't be good for the teeth?

@Alsoplayspiccolo nice!

Must admit I'm glad she's not in symphony this term (teacher keeps uttering 'next term' at her, but she wants to do Silver DofE too so she's not pushing it- and they do now have a plethora of bassoons) as we're doing the same for the school production in December - could all end up very expensive, especially since we have two other girls to bring with us...

Just...how...do you bite off the corner of a mouthpiece?? At least it brought a continuous hour-plus of arpeggios and pentatonics to an end, so that was a blessing.

We're off to school for the symphony orchestra concert tonight, minisnowballs, and staying over - nice hotel, afternoon tea and the pub after the performance...The perks of having a child at boarding school!

@Alsoplayspiccolo love that there's a Howarths for strings too. We have a trip booked to Marylebone next week so DD can try some bassoon harnesses. Her former teacher (who I still see at her sister's saturday school) gave me quite the detailed lecture on them last week, so there's clearly a lot more to them than I thought.

Off to pick up my baby tomorrow. Can't wait to have her back for two weeks.

@horseymum I am horrified that a child would take a recorder on holiday. My older DD used to call the recorder the 'rock horn' when she was little... made it sound far (even) cooler, but just as loud!

There is Cardiff Violins, which deals with all string instruments and is the string equivalent of Howarth's. Otherwise there is Gamlins, which is more your typical general music shop.

@minisnowballs - dd is doing ok thanks. In the throws of drama production this week and we'll ALL be glad when that's over! Congrats to mini @herbaceous for his casting!

@QueenMabby I am mostly OK thank you - I am very much looking forward to having her home for two weeks though.

Sometimes it makes me very grumpy that in order for her to have all this I have to give her up for such a lot of the time - but conversations like last night's make it feel like a worthwhile sacrifice. It really is another world, and one she very much loves to inhabit.

I'm delighted that our Ukrainian ward is getting on so well with our older DD - so we still have two happy girls interacting and hanging out at home... and lots of music going on from both of them too.

Hope yours are doing well ?

@minisnowballs I'm so pleased that your dd is so happy and thriving - sounds like such a good fit for her. How are you doing?? I mean obviously fine in so far as she's so happy but it's been a massive change for the rest of the family too.

@herbaceous what fun! Hope he's pleased?

I spoke to DD2 last night for the first time in about a week (I get a lot of whatsapps). That place really is changing her fast. She wants to know how many instruments she can bring on a canal boat for a four day break ('because I have to do things every day mum').

i'm saying yes to flute and not bassoon. We're going with friends and I'd like us to stay that way...In summer I think she'd have relished the chance for some time off.

She also has a trip to Howarths planned in half term with a friend to buy bassoon harnesses. Whatever happened to Claire's Accessories?

This conversation came with a soundtrack of someone playing songs from Frozen on the piano and a large selection of girls singing along.

Still - she sounds very happy!

Excitement here as after much auditioning and call/backs, DS’s school production of Oliver has been cast! DS is Mr Bumble! He’ll need a fat suit…

I did apply last year for DD and got a 'no space at the moment but we will be in touch after feb (or something like that) with an update- no update has ever come. To be fair I didn't chase so if you were more proactive it could work out, but probably one thing to consider amongst others rather than pinning your hopes on it