Spring /Summer 25 - Music thread

@NeedSomeComfy DS started piano aged 5 and the flute age 7. He only started flute to have an orchestral instrument. Fast forward to year 13 and he barely touches the piano, but will be studying flute at a Conservatoire from September. Also, I remember a percussionist on BBCYM, maybe 2016, that won the Category final saying that he had tried many instruments over the years until he found 'his' instrument. I guess it depends if you pick the 'right' instrument first off!

@NeedSomeComfy You'll get more expert advice soon, but just an anecdote. My DS is musical, but it's not his big thing (unlike many on this thread). He stated on Classical Guitar in Year 3, and found that he loved it. A year later, at his own insistence, he picked up piano too. He also sings (as a chorister for years) which started even later. So he found his path.

Now (Y13) he doesn't play in orchestras, but has a very solid reputation as being able and willing to play keyboards or (electric) guitar, or add vocals, at the drop of a hat in any of the many one-gig bands that form then break-up with his peergroup. It's made him very happy and found him some excellent friends.

Hi everyone! I'm new here and enjoyed reading about all your children and their musical experiences. I'm right at the beginning of the journey with a DD who's just about to turn 5. We'd like to start her on an instrument at the beginning of the next school year. Currently she says she wants to learn guitar. Does anyone have experience of guitar for little ones? Is it a good grounding for music in general?

Full disclosure, my DH is a pianist and I always presumed she would learn the piano which I was happy with because it seemed like an excellent base even if she decided to switch instruments later (and we have a piano in the house!). He says that she's not interested enough in the piano and he doesn't see the point, which I think is a bit unfair (she's 4! Although it's true that she's constantly singing and dancing but she doesn't go much to our piano). He was a bit sad when she said she wanted guitar because it's not an orchestra instrument and he seems to think that once you've picked an instrument, that's what you should stick with. He's the professional so I should trust him but I wanted to get other opinions. How important is instrument choice at 5 years old? She's already got a decent grounding in pitch and rhythm from a Saturday music class we've been going to since she was a baby.

Thanks for the advice.

I should imagine it's also very comfy @ilovesushi - otherwise there is no way DD would wear it!

That's brilliant. She has a similar one for ballet. I was almost going to suggest it to her in case we couldn't find anything with sleeves.

I think she would love that dress! Very sophisticated but still right for a teenager.

@ilovesushi if you can't find anything with sleeves that she likes then you could get one of these to go over a strappy dress - loads of musicians I know have a blackone. www.amazon.co.uk/Ladies-Sleeve-Womens-Bolero-Cardigan/dp/B005MFOBTY/ref=sr_1_18?crid=1NAOMCOT4E570&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kO6H8he4fvN6bRRXyTSha4zpheOf7T8UvO4OILtxTgQ9TMBPseUCQeF4q5Odm6FOwjpxDe_pVcSiaxBpSyyr6B8Katdl95uXvhY4BEov_8-3ADPCijC-50waT4Edu9tGtbsJ6lBpfb4c9-FxezAjhmxKqpTZ8oFOF-4Wtx0VZddzu-m3a63YxEukzM8F1uYZn8oOirZk-PhYn5zRrs5VI_9kEz6v28Df_BrgGvtPlbvwxjr2uQ_Cu2gI4lajydAKtIcyTJ_2gUs4UScltSqISt8GltYBB2nD6O7uNKY2GpRVO6EcPde1hohqlVWxVtkP4fX2DfTWZVnUrWYlzcCRujEYbuEnst0RLZQySH3C8retAG5o_DIFzrWcUvvdllAPPUPzMq2mHBR85xvD_qxQYCrQf2jm1DmyO8RmZXabXX_OtHl7G8qG9QlGQ7UnBD2f.ltteDMVo0OtXCA2UrYFLQBBCE18MLBhriVCyYOrLcuo&dib_tag=se&keywords=black+bolero&qid=1740491166&sprefix=black+bolero%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-18

Charity shops are great for concert clothes! I get a new outfit every few years from our local. Maybe a bit harder for kids though if there are strict rules about chiffon or sleeve length etc.

Well done to your DD on the competition @ilovesushi. Concert blacks are hard to find - we went for a skirt and blouse for orchestra and a dress for singing. School has quite strict rules so it is tricky to find something they will also actually wear!

Hi All! I haven't visited for ages but used to pop in regularly. DD now at music school for Sixth Form, previously at a local comprehensive. It has been a challenging transition, but she has been happy (socially) from the minute she arrived. Coping with rules and the timetable has been the difficult part. Now at the stage where she needs to start thinking about what happens next. She's not sure. Maybe a pop music course, or maybe a BMus, possibly with some contemporary options/modules, but almost certainly a conservatoire as opposed to university. She visited RNCM last week, which was great and she's also thinking about TL (thanks to great advice from some other music parents ;)) and possibly Leeds. Any other suggestions? Thanks to anyone who can help. x

And congrats on the competition! Sounds like a lot going on

@ilovesushi DD2 wears this (https://www.pullandbear.com/gb/fitted-midi-dress-l03397316?cS=800&pelement=662021386) as her concert fave. She's 15 now but tiny. It ticks the boxes at school as allowable in terms of sleeves and works with a bassoon harness - poss not a problem for yours here though! It is a steal at £18 and washes beautifully.

Otherwise she wears a black silk shirt (from vinted) and trousers. I prefer this but she likes the full length black

It's like instruments know when you have something important coming up. Hope you get everything sorted.

Thank you all. Facebook is now kindly sending me tons of recommendations following my late night slightly panicked scrolling. To add to the complications, she also has an audition (musical theatre) the same day and a key on her clarinet has gone skew-whiff so needs repairing. Currently practicing with the mouthpiece on her old instrument.

Whatever they feel comfortable and confident in will be best. School uniform is generally fine for weekdays competitions, especially where the school is being represented but feels strange for weekends, unless it is specified by the organisers. Sometimes to try to limit over competitive dress buying I think as otherwise it can get out of hand!

Something like this?

https://www.lindex.com/uk/p/3004201-80-black-dress-with-flounces?hl=en

https://www.lindex.com/uk/p/3003188-80-black-sleeveless-dress?hl=en

This jumpsuit is comfortable but I bought one size down as it's quite long and the neckline is low cut.

www.lindex.com/uk/p/3003395-80-black-jumpsuit-in-velvet?hl=en

Yes concert blacks are a good option. Our top tip is to just make sure it is comfortable for playing the instrument (raising arms, positioning, etc).

And congratulations on the competition!

Mine has a black jumpsuit, used as concert wear and smart occasions. Can't go wrong with black and it can be reused for subsequent concerts.

Rather than start my own thread, I thought I'd jump on here for advice. DD age 14 is playing a solo in a competition at the weekend. We hadn't realised she had got through, so it is very last minute and she doesn't have anything suitable to wear. For the earlier rounds she wore school uniform, but I don't think that will cut it. Any ideas for a suitable dress? Smart, sophisticated, pretty, not too fancy, age appropriate. Also not too expensive!

Yeah it's interesting - with piano, he hates learning the pieces but once he has the notes down, he enjoys the finessing. Trombone he enjoys ensemble playing but practicing at home is tough for him. To be honest I also play both brass and piano and felt exactly the same at his age so I have to be careful as it's clearly just the circle of life coming back to bite me 🤣

@Flippinec That sounds like a lot of exams for one household to have at one time, you are brave! I think you need to have a chat with the older one to see if exams are right for them. My eldest is very musical and has lots of potential, but for him, music was a wind down in the evening after studying, rather than a stressful thing with exams. The younger one maybe needs for guidance on structure for practice, it's hard for them to know what effective practice looks like unless they are shown. Most kids just play through the pieces.

@DontBuyANewMumCashmere
We watch a lot of YouTube videos of the best performances of our current piece to help with musicality.

Quick question: Can anyone advise on potential questions in a music degree interview? Particularly for Liverpool.

Thank you ☺️

Thanks for the g8 input all. I suspect that dd will do performance grades for both so we'll need 4 pieces for each.

Last piano grade was g6 in 2022. 2022 was last cello grade too - g4! She's come a long way in 2 1/2 years! She's just been having fun playing lots of repertoire so hopefully she won't have to slog away for too long.

Fortunately her favourite thing is learning a new piece so she's been playing loads over the last few days. The new Mozart piece (I just remember it from Dynamite Dan when I was a child!) is already sounding pretty good.

Hello all. Marking place.

I can't remember how long it took for DS to do grade 8. A year I think, following g7? Piano, that is.

We had a very full weekend of singing here. A bring and sing of Bach B Minor Mass on Saturday, then a church service and then singing in our city's cathedral for evensong! All rather special. DS and I both did all those things, and it's lovely to share it with him.

He's been asked to join a local opera company as a tenor, and I may go too as 'jobbing second soprano'...