Autumn / Winter 2025 Music

@Compsearch do remember that a comprehensive in London is often a very fine thing - and low stress! You don't need to leave the country - we were exceptionally unlucky with DD2 and the music failing at hers. She would have been fine otherwise. You don't need to be at a school with an 11 plus to thrive.

True comprehensives really do cater for pretty much everyone on pretty much everything and I can assure that the teaching in DD2's private school is NO better than it was in her state one (except for the music of course, but you can provide that).

As I come to the end of schooling in a world in which we've made some mistakes, changed tack a few times, dealt with Covid and generally made it up a bit as we went along, my conclusion is that both our daughters have mainly found their place when they've needed it.

It's easy to get sucked into this stuff.

From what I can see online people certainly do tutor intensively for DAO - there’s an 11+ forum where they have laid out their intense schedules starting from year 4. I’m very conflicted about this whole thing.

DS is not a stem geek or any kind of geek really - he’s a bright little boy who likes normal little boy things and obviously has grown up in a house with loads of books and parental support so has had major advantages even though we can’t afford to send him to private school (but also wouldn’t qualify for a bursary).

If we put ourselves and the kids through the massive upheaval of moving house for the sake of a school, I think we would have to go all in on the prep, but then that’s huge pressure for a child. DAO is appealing because I wouldn’t have to put my DD through the same thing but that’s unfair on DS and no doubt why it’s so competitive. I’m strongly considering sacking it all off and leaving the country! Anyway, sorry for the thread derail!

I'm not sure people tutor for MHC and DAO, at least there was no need to when we applied for my DS (admittedly a while ago). Technically, these two schools are not grammars and not that selective, I think doing past papers and some Bond would be sufficient, nothing really intense. Doing mock MAT would help for the first round of music admissions as it's an electronic sound unfamiliar to many classically trained children. Auditions at both schools will be very easy for a child of two musicians.

Grammars will require more tutoring for sure and they use different test formats, but FWIW DD sat first round for Henrietta recently with no tutoring whatsoever and nearly made it, to my surprise, despite people saying it's impossible without years of military drill 🤷‍♀️ DS ended up at Latymer grammar, also with no tutoring, but a) it was easier back then and b) he's an autistic maths geek so pretty much Latymer profile. Music at Latymer was decent but I hear they are focusing on STEM even more nowadays...

Friends started tutoring in the summer before year 5, got a place at QE which is one of the hardest grammars to get into. I think bright kids don't really need intense tutoring so I would take the hype about crazy tutoring with a pinch of salt - many people do that, there is no doubt, but I don't think it's absolutely necessary though regular prep would definitely help with the test formats.

Not sure if a child needs to be baptised soon after birth for Oratory. I know of someone at Oratory who is not Catholic but other Christian denomination which is low on Oratory oversubscription admissions list, mum did a lot of volunteering at church and the child is musical so it looks like there are possibilities...

Thank you @Ubertomusic that’s really helpful. I also thought we had plenty of time but DS will be year 4 in September and my understanding is that people start tutoring then?! It would be lovely to skip all that and try to get in somewhere via a music place but I’m sure that is a very high risk strategy, and we would still have to move house.

For Oratory - DS is not Catholic (though I am/(was baptised and confirmed though v much non-practising!) does that rule him out? I would definitely prefer co-Ed but that limits our options even further.

If I remember correctly off the top of my head, MHC offers 20 or 25 music places, and applications for those are around 150.

DAO has 10 music places and is usually considered a better option but I don't really know how their music provision and orchestras compare these days. It can change a lot by the time you apply @Compsearch but both are very good schools and not too far from each other so I think it's possible to find a catchment postcode for both somewhere in between.

MHC, DAO, Henrietta Barnett, QE, St Michaels Catholic and Latymer Grammar form a sort of cluster of super selective and partially selective state schools in N London and many people apply to all of them. For music, they tend to go to Guildhall as logistically easiest.

There is a similar cluster in the south, lots of friends in Sidcup for example had their choice of good and excellent schools, but I don't know that area in detail.

Co-ed obviously saves a lot of logistical headache, unlike eg Oratory that is probably better for musical boys and choristers and is very central so easy to do extra music, but leaves the question of finding another school for your DD.

I believe MHCHS has Music and academic places for Y7 entry, I don't know how many or how it works though.

Thank you @Arlington45 I will have a look. I’ve been researching various options and feeling quite defeated/overwhelmed by it all.

I think DS would have a good shot at grammar but for most of them that would involve a house move + 2 years of tutoring and it seems a lot of eggs in one basket/massive stress for him (and me!) and he and his sister are so happy in their current school. I’m weighing up now whether to go for some of the schools that have out of catchment places, with a view to moving only if he got a place, but they seem even more competitive. It’s very difficult!

He’s got lots of extracurriculars and choir will be 3 x a week from September so I struggle to imagine how we’d even fit in the 11+ prep. I find it hard to fit in the violin practice!

Hi, have a look at Mill Hill County High - I'm a musician and don't have secondary age kids yet but a friend invited me to their DC's Christmas concert and I was very impressed. Huge variety of ensembles, clearly loads of kids that absolutely love it, and my friend said the Music dept have had lots of success in getting kids into Oxbridge for Music and conservatoires recently.

Emma and Pembroke are her top two! She has meetings at both.

dd’s just finished a four night run of the school musical. She’s shattered! Not too tired for the cast party tonight though!

When DS was recording stuff for his agent they recommended a hand held recording device, rather than an iPhone. I’ll sift through the wreckage of his room to see if I can find it.

Only did audio, mind you.

@northerngoldilocks - just looked at that and there seems to be an issue with the connector on that model only working on older iphones and my pampered little princess has a newish one.

Thank you

@northerngoldilocks - bit more than I/DD wanted to spend too.

Funnily enough DH was talking about investing in some mics yesterday as he often records things at home (not for public consumption but still). I will report back on what he has gone for.

For anyone with a Guildhall connection, I think they do reduced rates for Milton court recordings for students/staff/alumni, and possibly other music colleges have similar, but probably overkill for auditions.

Would be interested in recording info as well. DD is recording entries for big competitions on her iphone but I can't help feeling now she's moved up a league better quality recordings would stand her in good stead.

I'm after advice on improving sound quality on audition recordings. We have historically just used my iPhone (an older one, not a snazzy new one). It has been fine and various auditions have been successful. But iPhone microphones are not very kind to clarinets and I was wondering whether any of you have experience of recording using a basic microphone to improve audio quality? I am thinking something simple from amazon, not creating a home recording studio!!

@QueenMabby probably on her list but have a look at Emma and Pembroke - both lovely colleges and choirs. Also the choir and DoM at Girton are absolutely brilliant.

@QueenMabby I can never fathom how your DD fits it all in - sure she'll continue to be similar when she gets to uni... what a powerhouse she is. Well done on the string competition too!

Looking forward to having DD2 home for halfterm here. She's got two exams at the end of this term - one ARSM and one grade 8 (flute and singing). Apparently it's not the 'important' ARSM, which is next term so that she has more time to prepare. Good she gets them out of the way in lower sixth anyway I guess.

Well dd will definitely be applying for natsci so she has targeted colleges that sing max two services a week. She is used to 10 hour school days with all the stuff he has on so hopefully that’ll stand her in good stead.

Other considerations are which colleges re looking for which voice parts for the year of entry! It seems to vary year on year.

I also meant to thank @Londonmummy66 and @Ubertomusic for the school advice. Not really any the wiser but have a lot of research to do!

I think you very much have to pick your college if you’re studying anything but music- Or if you want a life. Friend of mine’s son was a choral scholar at Magdalen Oxford. He wasn’t getting out much!