Spring /Summer 24 - Music thread

Thanks - I think technically she's supposed to be 15 to get in without an actual adult (they are all teens) and she isn't until the end of the month. Pretty sure she'll get away with it though. I have warned her she's standing, but she did the Globe the other day all the way through Richard III so should be OK!

Hope she enjoys the Verdi - some of my friends are singing in it. I obviously don't join the right choirs....

Just looked it up @herbaceous - four bassoons apparently, so she should be happy..seems to be her main criteria in judging a piece of music nowadays

Hopefully the Liverpool venue will put off Etonians! Not quite cricket. Glad the standard is high though.

How fab re the Proms. DS keeps nagging at us to go, but as we're not in London I never quite get round to it. But who wouldn't love Verdi's Requem!

@herbaceous I hear those are lovely - though DD2 was very put off by the fact that at the one her friend went to there were apparently more people from Eton than there were from all the state schools in the country. But the standard is supposed to be very high!

DD2 is off to the Proms tonight with some of her orchestra/wind band friends. I love the fact that they apparently do this relatively often...all get standing tickets on the day and meet up to watch and listen. First time she's been able to go (she's younger than most of them going I think) - but gives me hope for musical youth as a whole. Not sure what she'll make of Verdi's Requiem but it's an education!

Are anyone's singing offspring doing a Rodolphus Foundation course this summer? DS is going to the one in Liverpool...

DS and I sing in a church choir every Sunday. Four hymns, a psalm, an introit, an anthem and a mass, all rehearsed in 45 minutes then into the service! Keeps me on my toes! I don't believe in God, but it's very uplifting.

DD's school has a chapel choir and she loves it. When she was on music tour the chamber choir sang anthems at a service in one of the Italian churches and it was a real highlight for her.

It'll definitely be a thing to look out for when we start looking at Unis. She'll be going for a science based degree but will want somewhere with a flourishing classical music scene and choral music opportunities. At least it'll help narrow the field!

@horseymum I'm exactly the same - learned to sing chorally in my college chapel at uni and then continued in my twenties in the local church. The one we are in now is all guitars and drums - I sometimes wish for a lovely anthem!

DD2 sings in the 'chapel choir' at her new school, with the cathedral choristers for school services and has learned a whole bunch of stuff very fast!

I sang in a traditional church choir as a child and loved it. Nothing as fancy as a cathedral but I definitely learned a huge amount about music . I would still rather see all the parts when playing now though, instead of the single line you get in an orchestra and having to count. With choral music you can just see what everyone else is doing so no counting required. I miss singing in a choir now, our church has a music group which I do like but am a bit wistful sometimes.

If it's like DS's cathedral they have a year as probationers, where they learn singing technique, singing from music, and all the procedures you have to follow.

DS didn't have that year as he's done a stint in a church setting for a year beforehand.

Thanks @herbaceous - that's helpful to hear ☺️

Mind you, he didn't board, which probably made life easier!

My DS was a chorister, and hadn't done any music exams when he started. They're after potential, musicality, discipline and a great voice. He will pick up sight-singing incredibly quickly, and that ability will mean his other music stuff will also fly.

It is hard work and a huge commitment, but my DS adored every second of it. The camaraderie and musical education will stay with him for ever!

Thanks so much for the replies. Yes it's definitely daunting (for me anyway - he couldn't be less daunted!) and I'm now starting to worry about how on earth he will go from my little 8 year old who has just done his grade 2, to singing all that complex music in a huge cathedral! I'm hoping he can catch on quick and master all the sight singing and other bits!
The DoM is fabulous, so I'm not worried about him and the school is well regarded and I know people who've been very happy with it. He's super sociable and really flexible and quite resilient so I think he'll be happy. He's also very organised and self sufficient. Nothing like my older one who would never have coped I don't think. Thanks so much for the support x

@ChoristerMum1 I had 2 non boarding choristers who then went on to board - one at a cathedral school. It gives them amazing experiences but it is very hard wok and they have to learn to organise themselves very well. Unless its the Abbey they will have to learn to catch up on what they miss lessons wise when they are needed for special services etc. They do make great friendships and develop an ability to work "on the level" with adults at an early age.

The one thing I didn't do and regret is I didn't get to know the choirmaster before signing them up. This person will have a huge amount of impact on their well being for the next 4 years so make sure they are someone you are comfortable with.

@ChoristerMum1 no choristers here either but DD2 (just finished Y10) is now at a cathedral school as a specialist musician so lots of her friends are ex-choristers both at her school and other cathedral schools where they had to leave at 13. She has friends in the choir too in the year below who will stop this year.

She sometimes says wistfully that she would have loved to have done it - they're a tight team of children who've learned so much from the experience. Some of her year are only now just about getting over coming out of the choir - definitely a bit of a grieving process for them.

But it is quite a structured life - not right for everyone. One of our godchildren left one of the most prestigious cathedral choirs as he was just miserable at 8 and the school's boarding really wasn't up to scratch - he is happy now so don't be afraid to stop if it isn't right. And don't be afraid to be pushy if you're not happy with the pastoral care - they don't own your child...no matter how they talk about the opportunities they are giving.

Sounds like if he's already boarded a bit he'll be more ready than some are! Hope he has a fab time.

Hi @ChoristerMum1, sorry no inputs about chorus school from me. Hopefully lots of others will be able to offer more advice. Just love your DS's determination!! Hope he enjoys it!

Congratulations to @northerngoldilocks DS and many others on the thread on great exam results! Well done all!

Morning al!
DS2 is starting as a cathedral chorister in September. Going into Y4. Any current / former cathedral chorister parents on here? He will be starting at the choir school and doing some boarding. Bjg changes all round...although he's done some flexi boarding at his current school already - just for fun. He's been dead set on this for a long while. Totally immovable on the plan! Just wondering if there are any others on here! Thanks!

Fantastic @northerngoldilocks!!! Well done!

@northerngoldilocks excellent news! Some impressive exam successes on this thread this term - well done to all!

@yodaforpresident that was what I thought but I think its now on the ipad and northern suggested that it might be set to a default mid mark so less obvious than the paper sheet would have been.

@northerngoldilocks fantastic news for your DS - well done!

@londonmummy1966 that’s dreadful, I would definitely complain about that. The examiner has a mark sheet to fill in as they are going along - surely she must have noticed that one box was empty?

That's great news @northerngoldilocks. Well done your ds!