Autumn / Winter 24 - music thread

@Compsearchthanks! not sure if she does have time, but I think with A-Levels it will be easier than GCSEs actually, free periods etc and only three subjects. She's a pretty quick worker, which helps.

Oxbridge plus conservatoire postgrad is pretty much what she's hoping for, but probably doesn't say that often because it sounds presumptuous I think, but school seemed pro supporting her in that.

Her dad and I are both oxbridge (one from each) so I guess she doesn't think it is unachievable - after all we aren't geniuses!

I'm a bit worried re keyboard skills if it is music she wants but she should be grade 5 or 6 standard by then, she can play at Grade 5 now, and the school have recommended she goes to harmony classes from next term. Might that be enough to apply at least?

Also, my goodness, the debt she'd be by at the end!!

Ah @mustardrarebit how exciting for you all!

@minisnowballs well done to your DD - that’s fantastic! Really great that they have recognised her academic talents too, and that she has time to fit it all in.

Fwiw I would recommend the Oxbridge+conservatoire postgrad route, especially for a bright wind player (because you can get by with less practice than is required for strings/piano) as a way of keeping max options open and getting amazing performance opportunities, if the academics appeal to her (not necessary to do music either, though if she does want to do music she’s right to be working on her keyboard skills!). Feel free to DM if you ever want - I’ve got so many friends in the profession who did this and worked out really well for them.

Congratulations to @minisnowballs too!

@mustardrarebit do let me know if you want more general 'music boarding' advice though - I'm getting good at packing, if nothing else. She must be SO excited (but what about your travel plans?)

and thanks @se22mother and @Alwaysplayspicc - it's an honorary scholarship (because she has MDS funding already) based on English and History papers and a 'Thinking Skills Paper' where she wrote on 'Does Music Matter?

She had a fabulous time doing the scholarship day, but we weren't expecting her to get it - it will be helpful for her to have the extension stuff on offer though if she decides it is uni not conservatoire she wants to aim at (or both!).

Congratulations @minisnowballs and @mustardrarebit

Congratulations mustardrarebit and minisnowballs - wonderful achievements!

@mustardrarebit that's awesome! Well done to your DD!

Congratulations, @mustardrarebit!

@mustardrarebit how exciting! Big changes ahead.

@mustardrarebit that's so exciting! Well done to her. No idea about the beds at Chet's though DD2 takes a mattress topper to her school which makes a difference - I don't think the beds are wildly uncomfortable but could be better. Toppers aren't pricey.

@QueenMabby hope she feels better soon. DD2 has school musical and advent service this week so was coughing like crazy, of course. So much sickness in this term.

DD2 is getting excited about A-Levels (have to get through the GCSEs first DD2) - she's been offered an academic scholarship to go with her music one, and is delighted to be 'taken seriously'. She texted me yesterday to say she'd bought a shirt for sixth form from a charity shop - the sixth form round here is just normal clothes but at her school it is all shirts and suits..

I can't believe she's even thinking about all this yet!

Thank you @QueenMabby She will be in Y7. Your poor daughter though. Hope the meds and a good rest will see her through the concert. I feel like my kids always pick up a bug at the worst possible times.

@mustardrarebit - great news for your dd. Well done! What year will she be going into?

Dd has done a summer school there and says the beds were ok.

My dd is supposed to be playing in a concert tomorrow but she's poorly. I'm ladling medicine into her but she's coughing so much. She'll be devastated if she has to miss it. Fingers crossed.

Congratulations!

Congrats @mustardrarebit!

Wow, congratulations to her.

We've not had much going on musically here, but on Friday we got an email to say our daughter was being offered a waiting list place at Chetham's, starting in January. To say she's excited is an understatement! Now we are scrabbling around trying to get her ready to go after the Xmas break. DH has a very badly timed jury duty scheduled, but we will make it work. DD is asking how comfortable the beds are, so if anyone happens to know the answer then it would be appreciated!

I'd have thought that the Classic FM books would be a good place to start

Could anyone recommend any books on composers/musical periods etc that would be fun for teens?

@yodaforpresident that's a lot of instruments your DS is playing and singing. She must be super busy even without the concerts etc. it's impressive!
@Ubertomusic my DS loves the Tchaikovsky after he heard it in bbc young musician final on tv. His teacher promised she'll let him try the beginning of the 2nd movement one day. He's super excited.
They're now learning the Handel D major and ladies in lavender. I love them both and feel lucky to be able to sit in his lesson and listen.
Repertoire exploring is much more fun than taking exams!

I was just thinking about grades and recalled that pieces may differ a lot in difficulty within the same grade. Teachers and parents often pick and choose depending in the goals - do they need a better mark for 11+ scholarships, for instance, or develop a particular technique or explore a different style.

DD's teacher made her study Tchaikovsky's 2nd movt despite it being one of the hardest pieces in the grade as he wanted to challenge her. We vaguely planned to audition with it (and did in the end) but were not desperate for places and had plenty of time. DD's friend who is the same age were not allowed to do it because they needed a high mark within a very tight time for the most competitive school.

It's a bit similar to GCSE - some exam boards have easier syllabi so the subject grade itself is only an indicator, not a 100% proof of knowledge gained.

Having said that, DD shouldn't be allowed to play it either, Tchaikovsky does not deserve such a bad treatment by young children who cannot even understand what his violin concerto is about 😂

Well done to your DS @chickentikkasalad - that's a fantastic result! I agree with the chorus above about exams. My DD(13) is a bit of a mix with exams - she did the classical singing grades from 3-8 and was awarded a distinction last year when she was 12 and is currently working on her diploma. For clarinet, she is working at grade 7 and has only ever done one exam in 2.5 years; two exams for piano and then back to lots of exams for cello. I don't think that she would have made such quick progress on the clarinet if she had been on the exam every grade path and she has played a huge variety of music and really understands what her instrument can do.

We are in full end of term concert season here - I got to hear a wonderful evening of orchestral music on Monday and am now back this evening to hear the choirs, another two next week and then the carol concert - I feel exhausted for them.

Yet another concert at school, this time 'unplugged', which basically meant rock, jazz, pop etc. Some fairly painful renditions of previously liked songs, and some utter bangers.

DS was in his rock band as vocalist in Hotel California and Everlong, sang Autumn Leaves and Don't it Make my Brown Eyes Blue with his barbershop, and an obscure Divine Comedy song with orchestra! Oh, and played his French horn.

JDs and specialist schools don't care much about the grades - some JD teachers find grades structure easier to follow, but they are by no means necessary.
Being a soloist has nothing to do with grades anyway.

Wow @chickentikkasalad that’s an amazing result - congratulations to your DS! He should be so proud. I remember I got a merit in my grade 5 (when I was about 12!) and was absolutely gutted. I literally cried for days. In the end I had scholarships to all of the London conservatoires so it didn’t hold me back 🤣.

Diplomas in particular are a total joke and just a money spinning exercise for the exam boards. At least grade 8s get you some ucas points. My DH always tries to dissuade his students from doing them but most of the time they’re just on the exam treadmill and feel like they should move on to whatever the “next thing” is/their parents do…music is about so much more than this.

Huge congrats to @Londonmummy66’s DD too!