Autumn / Winter 2025 Music

@Allthecoloursoftherainbow4 i think your son must be massively talented then….I wish mine could achieve what they achieve on only 20 mins practice mind you my eldest is struggling to motivate himself to even do that. I think sadly when he finds it difficult he just wants to run away from it which means it either gets worse or at rate no better, tricky in a small string orchestra.

Have to say I thought the same. I've a 12 year old NCO member at about grade 8 level and honestly I'm lucky if he does 20 min a day, he also plays piano about gd7-8 and similarly does about 20 mins a day! And sometimes that's not particularly 'good' practise either because he's 12 and not the most mature. It doesn't seem to have done him any harm so far not practising for hours a day. I can't imagine many kids this age are willingly practising 2 instruments each for an hour+ a day? What about homework, hanging out with mates, relaxing, watching the telly!

@chocolateisnecessary that's brilliant news. Hope there isn't too much awkwardness with other teacher.

Just to add, telling her to drop ensemble playing sounds completely ridiculous too - making music with other people is both where the joy comes from for most people, but also a vital skill for any serious musician to develop. I'd run a mile from this teacher.

Just to say thanks before I go onto the next thread. You’ve all made me feel like I’m not losing my mind re expectations! She had a trial lesson with another teacher last night and came alive on the piano and looked so happy. Really lovely to see. X

@chocolateisnecessary that sounds insane. I think if your DD was going to be a pro pianist (soloist or chamber) then I think to be honest yes, she would need to step up the amount of practice she was doing over the next couple of years - or more importantly - if it was right for her then she’d naturally be doing/wanting to do more. My DH is a pianist and his parents had to try to drag him away from the piano by all accounts. But it has to come from the child, it shouldn’t be imposed by the teacher!

If (as it sounds) it’s one hobby of many then I think she should take the good (ie her teacher clearly thinks she’s got great potential) and then wave them goodbye!

Thanks for the flag, extracts look manageable, I think DD will give it a shot. One question, which is highly highly unlikely to have personal relevance this year - we were wondering if the extracts are related to what they play as a group in 2nd round auditions, or they just get asked some of the extracts in their individual audition. I like that they're up front about only listening to 3 minutes of each piece, we can concentrate on polishing that much rather than the full piece just in case.

AN hour a day at 11 is plenty - DD did less than that preparing from Grade 8 at 12.

ETA - and got into conservatoire on her keyboard skills on not a lot more than that a day.

Bloody hell chocolate, that's crazy. It sounds like piano teacher thinks she has potential to be a ?conservatoire ?competition level pianist, and is trying to teach accordingly without any consultation as to whether that's what she actually wants. It may be his "for fun" is still a good and challenging level of playing and that might be what she wants at the moment. Though can also understand if she'd rather be with someone who listens better.

Serious level piano is known for teachers not liking dual studies, more than most instruments I think. Huge amount of repertoire, expected to memorise massive swathes of music, a lot of drills, and not much mechanical limit on how much you can practise. I think you can still be a very good post grade 8 pianist without trying for that track. There's always scope to take it more seriously later.

If she really wanted to do piano that seriously I'd consider a music school before home ed. Seems to me it would be better to be with a cohort of peers who have the same obsession than sitting at home on your own.

DS has never done anywhere near 10 minutes a grade. I'd never heard any of his diploma singing pieces until the recital yesterday!

It is so tricky isn’t it. One of our teachers suggests 10 mins practice per grade so we are up to an hour now. That definitely doesn’t happen though except in the run up to the day. We are in that phase and man it is tough! Just not enough time in the day. With two other instruments and orchestras etc and just playing etc. Very tricky balance. My eldest just can’t motivate himself to practice at all at the moment despite loving orchestras etc so progress has just stalled.

In 'less crazy' news, DS did a singing recital yesterday in preparation for his diploma. Raised quite a crowd, and got lots of glowing praise. 35 mins of singing at such power - I don't know how he did it. But I was very proud!

That teacher sounds psychotic. Music is supposed to be 'fun', which he seems to think is a dirty word.

The competitive music world is, thankfully, alien to me, but anyone putting that much pressure on an 11yo shouldn't be teaching, IMHO.

Piano is a very competitive niche too, perhaps the teacher is very ambitious for their students. I guess homeschooling can be miserable for pianists as they don't have orchestras to socialise and have fun. We know quite a few homeschoolers but somehow they're all orchestral instruments. Maybe just our bubble though.

Yeah, I agree. This is meant to be fun, it’s her childhood.

@chocolateisnecessary please don't make her feel she's not doing enough - and please let her have teachers who make her feel good about herself. Music is a long game and it should be fun!

It’s piano. She likes violin but it’s definitely her third one.

Piano time seems fine for this age, violin won't be at a competitive level on 30min practice so if it's the violin teacher, he's right but not everyone wants to compete. I think suggesting homeschooling is not wise unless the child is a prodigy obsessed with music. It's very tempting though with three instruments as there is simply not enough time in the day, especially with three instruments and composing. DD studies three instruments and dances, and it's tough.

Hi@horseymum,thank you so much for your kind offer of advice. I’d like to know if anyone has done it during their gcse exam years?( Year 11), and how they managed to fit all the activities around their revisions please? This would be for someone who isn’t the top of class and would need the revision time. Thank you.

Ta! She also loves playing football. There is some balance! And she needs that and school I think.

That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard for a young person. DS does violin and piano practice everyday but still does cycling training quite seriously and he quite enjoys school. He’s quit a few things a long the way since reception but all from his choice not told by anyone. All his teachers were actually encouraging him to enjoy other things in life. Maybe he was lucky to have had nice teachers. I wouldn’t let DS continue if the pressure was that much! Fingers crossed the trial goes well!

I think piano is where she decompresses and she just sees the harp as something Welsh kids do. Violin is there really for school orchestra and it’s so much more portable than a harp! I don’t think she’s even thinking that far ahead, she just loves to play. So piling pressure on just feels massively unhelpful and anxiety inducing.