Spring /Summer 24 - Music thread

Any SWMS alumni on here? DD13 has been offered a place on the Performance Development Programme. We don't know anyone else who's ever attended (we're probably not what you'd describe as a musical family, but keen to learn and very supportive) and would love to hear anyone's experiences before we commit. TIA!

Thanks very much. I think we may need to look at an intermediate instrument.

@ZeSpondee my son is a clarinettist - started sax in lockdown 2020 as a second instrument. Having done a bit of a research, we got him a Yamaha Yas-280 - regarded as a very good student horn. My son is now working towards his grade 8 on it. We paid around £800 new - they seem to be retailing at £885-£900 now. Hope this helps.

Hope you’re all having a good summer. On the back of his grade 8 clarinet result, DS’s head of music has suggested that he should consider auditioning for a junior department (Sept 2025 entry). Should he be successful, this would coincide with him starting year 11. We are a 90 min train journey away from London. DS is quite keen but we have our reservations about him starting this in his GCSE year. Whilst he’s doing quite well academically at school, he’s not the most organised! He also has a good set up locally with lots of musical opportunities and great instrumental teachers, so the ‘value added’ by attending a JD seems less clear cut, particularly as he’s not sure whether he wants to pursue music beyond A-level. He is a music scholar so would still have to fulfill school music obligations. Would be great to hear peoples’ experiences and if there are any parents with teens who have navigated GCSEs whilst at JD and would be happy to chat to my DS, that would be greatly appreciated 🙏🏻

Could anyone advise on what alto sax would be a reasonable purchase in the following circumstances: never played one before,will have 2 or 3 months of experience when money gets handed over; is G8 on clarinet; wants it for fun/possibly 2nd instrument for uni/playing in pop band/jazz band. Will be hiring to start. If they don't like it obviously we won't buy. Will consult teacher but they are not connectable for the summer. Want a vague idea of the ££££ we are getting into!

@Comefromaway can you comment on the musical theatre question on the previous page. I thought the poster would get more advice here but can't remember who else has musical theatre knowledge.

Oh wow they changed the dates?!

This is all so helpful. I don't mix in these circles at all so would neve know all this. You're all amazing 😍❤️

@GeneralMusings one of DS's sixth form friends has done some Inspire events this year when he was in year 12. He plays flute and is grade 8. He was offered the Inspire at the Proms, but was unable to accept as he is on holiday. Being in Inspire gave him the confidence to audition for next year and he has got through to the Final Round Assessment Day. There are 2 2 day guests this residency on flute. Also, sometimes people drop out of a residency for whatever reason and, if NYO have enough notice, they will invite an Inspire person to be a 'guest' on that residency. This happened to another friend of DS's and I think she was 16/7 at the time. Bear in mind re the Inspire Orchestra and keeping dates free that they completely changed the dates this year and this wasn't announced until the beginning of the summer! Hope this helps

@GeneralMusings yes the first things they are offered go on what they write - when DD2 was offered more things they said it was because of her 'focus and determination' (she is very determined- though she's also a fairly decent bassoonist nowadays I guess - certainly wasn't when she got there). So once they get to know them I guess that some of their choices go on how they perform once they're in. No idea what makes them pick some above others other than that except the published criteria.

Maybe oboe next year?!

Thanks will have a look at the form with her this evening :). I hadn't quite realised there was no audition - so it will go on what they write?

Always worth a shot :).

I think they say they are looking for those who will benefit the most. You need to be at a state school or be from an ethnic minority as those are both groups underrepresented in orchestras. I think they want people who will get stuck in and give it a go, sometimes they do improvisation etc so have to be prepared to try things. I think just be honest on the form, there are lots of questions. They don't actually audition for inspire.

Thankyou @horseymum all of that is really helpful! I compeltely assumed that was a year long programme that once in you were supposed to commit to all the activities that year (bit like our local orchestra) but it makes sense that it's a mix of activities and different people get chosen! Also helpful as I was concerned about overcommitting in gcse year if it was a lot of things!

She's a flute so knows there's always lots and she's less likely to get chosen. What's the main criteria with inspire - do we emphasise the orchestra she's done or is it more for those who've never done orchestras? Or do they want the best performers?

It sounds a fab programme.

I'm not sure about her oboe she's roughly only grade 3 so probably would rather not play that yet at a higher level! Now she has her flute she's going to try and work on her oboe this year I think :)

@GeneralMusings I would just urge caution on promising her the inspire orchestra. I think there were only about 50 in it this year, that's not their main focus for inspire. I think they say the minimum you'll usually be offered is one day in October, then hopefully a short residential in February. This is what most inspire members will do. They also do some instrument specific days during standard NYO residentials and the two day guests are where they get to take part in some actual rehearsals but not the concerts. Some people get offered things at the last minute, it just goes to whoever can take it. You couldn't really plan to be available for all those things. You can tell them about second instruments on the form. It's definitely not full of 13 year olds, they are in the minority, especially for wind instruments. Mine have enjoyed it.

Ah her main instrument is flute so that may answer that!! What makes them more likely to give them a place?? She would love it I think.

Her second instrument is oboe but she's not grade 5 level yet as she's only ha dit a year.

@GeneralMusings DD2 (now nearly 15) has done NYO Inspire for two years and loved it. There are residentials - they are completely free and she has done two in Blackpool, and there were free coaches from various parts of the country so didn't even have to pay for transport.

Some of the players are exceptionally good, and others are less so. She found it relatively challenging but not insanely so if you see what I mean. The tutor she had was very, very good this year and she learned a lot from her.

In terms of your questions, DD2 has been offered various things with Inspire and has not taken part in them all. After her second residential she was offered a free two week tour with the Inspire orchestra and the chance to play at the Proms though could not do so because of our other commitments sadly, and she wasn't able to do a playing day in Brighton because we were away - it does not seem to have stopped them offering other things. We were gutted re the Proms but just could NOT make it work.

Full disclosure, she may have got less if she'd played a more popular instrument. DD originally applied on flute which was her first instrument originally. They rang her and asked her to do bassoon as couldn't guarantee residentials on flute - but then she was right at the bottom of the age range then.

She started as a state school student (hence eligible for Inspire) but they seem to think she's still eligible now she's at specialist school on a government place so I guess she'll just keep going.

If I can tell you any more do ask. We've been really grateful for it and she's had some really good tutors. She's not applied for the main NYO (yet) but I can see the experience would help if that was something she was ready for.

Reposting from a separate thread!

Does anyone have a DC on the Royal Academy of Music’s Junior Academy Musical Theatre course?

DD’s classically trained singing teacher has suggested DD should apply, but I can’t see that it would be any better than the weekend courses at ArtsEd or West End Musical Theatre, and those courses would provide dance training as well as singing and drama.

It would be different if the RAM course provided an academic angle, eg joining with the other Junior Academy pupils for composition, conducting, improvisation and general musicianship training, which would help with her Music GCSE and A level and potentially open the door to a traditional Music degree, with all the wider career options that could lead to, including composing for musical theatre or being a musical director, rather than just the small chance of perhaps a maximum of 10 years on stage (for a female musical theatre actor) following a vocational performing arts degree.

Any advice from other families with DCs already on the course?

I think it would help her to see it as a potential way into NYO too.

She's quite black and white in her thinking (autistic) and really wants to spend time playing with those better than her to progress (I've pointed out that's logically inconsistent!)

It looks really interesting!! Thankyou both.

Is it really all paid for? (were low income)

Do you choose what to take part in or is it a contract.

When is the summer course? I want to make sure we're available.

Wow the proms!!

DS is in NYO, but worked his way in via Inspire initially (during lockdown) and has done some Inspire projects since.
I'd recommend it. It's a pretty decent standard and a very good way of potentially progressing into NYO.

Happy to chat further. Especially on popular instruments there will be older ones who just haven't quite got in but are definitely good enough. There are many more grade 8 players than they can take. For some it can also lead to getting to go on full NYO courses as two days guests. They also do an inspire orchestra in the summer and they are playing a piece at the proms. Mine have been to Lancaster and Blackpool, summer course was Dorset.

Can anyone talk to me about Nyo inspire?

My daughters at a local summer music school and suddenly come home asking about it. She's passed grade 8 flute but knew Nyo itself would be too competitive.

She'd previously assumed inspire would be full of 13 year old and she'd feel too old at 15/16. But from the literature it looks a mix? And it is of a decent standard itself isn't it? She had to audition to get into her local youth orchestra and as it's year 11 she doesn't want to take time out of this year for "everyone gets to participate" type events unless it's really good if that makes sense?!

And is it mainly London based?

I'm liking the fact it's funded....

I guess 14 can be pretty young as well - but a London 14 year old who is 15 next week and used to covering the country and playing a lot herself isn't going to disrupt the Proms. She had a fabulous time - though complains that as she'd gone with three boys who were all six foot something and she is five foot nothing, they could see a lot more than she did.

It did sound like the beginning of a joke though - two clarinettists, an oboe player and a bassoonist walk into the Royal Albert Hall... though the punchline seems to be 'and argued all the way home about which instrument is the most difficult'

It’s to do with licensing. Why theatres and concert halls are licensed differently to cinemas I don’t know but certainly in London at least they are.

I get annoyed at age limits at concerts compared to cinemas, I had a long discussion with one orchestra box office about the fact that the teen can be unaccompanied at the cinema much younger. Do they really think a 14 year old classical music lover is that rowdy? Do they check if older teens or adults are going to be rowdy? Yet an adult with any kind of behaviour issue is free to go in. They do have stewards and in many places actual security guards. I don't think they really knew why the policy was in place. Puts a bit of a downer on a group of kids going If they need a parent. If they were going Thursday/ Friday they would see the girls former teacher playing.

@herbaceous the Rodolfus courses are amazing, DD has been to two and for her first one, age 11, she got to sing, amongst other things, Faure’s Requiem, so I would agree that the quality of music is high. Ralph is amazing and the pastoral care is super too. Sadly DD can’t make it this year as it clashes with something else but hopefully back next year.