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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

After grade 8 flute?

34 replies

GeneralMusings · 20/05/2024 19:47

Hello

My daughter (15/yr 10) is sitting her grade 8 this summer.

Her teacher has floated that she might want to stop lessons. I think she knows we are fairly low income and we've been having an hour a week (!!). She has also just got into a regional youth orchestra that required an audition and grade 7/8 and her music teacher thought that might be enough (3 hours a week plus school orchestra).

She isn't going to make music her career but I know she does love her lessons. However we are struggling financially at the moment and it is her final year for gcses and she is now committed to her orchestra for 3 hours a week and going for her lesson takes an evening a week as well.

Any thoughts? I know proper music people will say to keep learning but just wondering compared to coat/time if it's a natural time to stop?

OP posts:
CrotchetyQuaver · 21/05/2024 08:03

An hour a fortnight works well and keeps up enough momentum. Your daughter sounds committed, it would be a shame to stop the lessons and bad habits creep in.

WaterBottlePurple · 21/05/2024 07:39

You could try something ad hoc with the teacher. Maybe do lessons when another of their regular pupils is on holiday etc?

Original poster
GeneralMusings · 20/05/2024 23:08

To answer questions -

Oh she absolutely is continuing with flute- she's so excited to have got into the regional orchestra and as it's audition only she is one of 3 flutes and very keen!! She also plays in 2 school orchestras and the mixed flute group at school. There are other opportunities outside of school but she hasn't got the time.

She has started another instrument at school and has got to grade 3ish in a year but that's just 20mins a week.

Yes the orchestra would like her to pick up piccolo but she's only just started with flute so wants to get established first but it's a possibility.

She will practice at home. Its so tricky isn't it to balance all the demands of school and orchestras and having another night a week for a lesson (we drive there) is a lot but equally she wasnt quite expecting to give it up.

Bursaries - I'm not sure she's gifted enough (we applied for aym last year and got their basic 100 rather than the bigger award) and she's had some local funding towards summer school but as we're no longer on benefits there's a couple we're no longer eligible for and it was costing us an hour a weeks lesson.

But she has loved it! I wonder if less often is a possibility or if that's not helpful for the teachers timetable. Again I guess "one more term" has the same issue with messing up her timetable.

I think if she was going on to audition for a degree we'd keep it up but she's looking at sciences.

Yes she's doing music gcse. She will ace the performing part but no idea about the rest of it!

OP posts:
cavernclub · 20/05/2024 22:53

She will learn loads just playing in lots of different groups. You can drop the lessons, but keep her going with wind band, orchestra, playing in the pit band of musicals, school ensembles- and it's lots of fun for that age too

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 20/05/2024 22:47

Any flute choirs near you at all ?
I guess the big question is does she want to continue ? With any instrument grade 8 is not the end, just the beginning of higher level study. It's the end of the beginning iyswim, she could explore a diploma or make her own programme, maybe she might like to explore jazz or alto flute or a piccolo. But she may find the orchestra will satisfy her enough.
is she doing music GCSE ?

SpringKitten · 20/05/2024 21:25

I did grade 8 in y10 and my teacher aalso said no point having lessons but when I looked very sad he agreed wit my mum to see me once a fortnight for 45mins. I only did that for a year, at that point I bought a cheap second hand piccolo and joined a concert band - best fun I ever had ! 😂

I also taught myself new repertoire eg loads of South American style music a
with flutter tongue techniques and circular breathing.

I also made some friends I could “jam” with

So yes, I’d say just find what she loves and lessons are less necessary now

i still love playing, over 30 years later, though I’m nowhere near as good as I was!

Bluebells81 · 20/05/2024 20:13

Look into grant funding for the lessons. Grade 8 at year 10 might qualify her for 'young&talented' support. Sources could include local music hubs, local county charitable foundation, musicians benevolent fund, benslow trust, local family trusts for deserving young people - and many more. She could go on to study for a performance diploma after grade 8. You may find that the youth orchestra fuels her enthusiasm.

MrsCratchitstwiceturneddress · 20/05/2024 20:08

I stopped lessons after grade 8 but continued to play in various ensembles. I also taught and entered students for ABRSM exams. I've continued to play as an adult for fun. Like your daughter, I knew I wouldn't be making a career from music, but it's always been something I've been glad to have in my life.

JC12345 · 20/05/2024 20:05

How about having a lesson every 2-3 weeks rather than weekly? At that age/ability she should be able to practice independently, but would still be beneficial to have input from a specialist teacher to give some direction for her playing.