Spring / Summer 2026 music thread

I think so….we are hopefully doing ours soon, I don’t think it will be brilliant either but worth a try! We need to decide between two locations I think? Or do they just do geographical nearest?

Good luck to your DS sirius! How exciting even to be there.

Compsearch, yes - in previous years they've asked them to answer a question about their favourite music or something too.

Good luck to everyone sorting out NCO auditions. They're a very happy place for young musicians.

Speaking bit? Is it just where they introduce themselves and what they’re playing or is there more to it than that?

We need to record DS’s NCO audition this weekend as his in-house accompanist (DH) is off on tour for a couple of weeks after that. Have narrowed it down to 2 pieces but I don’t think they’re great really so don’t have high hopes!

@678socks the speaking bit always seems worse! Thankfully mine are self sufficient in recording as they don't like me being there. I actually haven't seen the recordings sent for NYO audition! COVID at least taught them some digital skills and confidence. Hope you get a good one.

@Siriusmuggle that sounds like a great opportunity. Although I find competitions a very fickle thing having been involved in a few and hearing behind the scenes in some others. They just have to do their best and part of the value is the performance opportunity.
I also do not get to comment on things like studying and practicing. Partly because I do not practice what I preach - ie I rarely practice and still haven't sat my grade 5 theory ( despite having got to the point I would have passed a couple of years ago!) A new bow has made me more keen to play though so that will help. Mine are pretty self- motivated though (on the practice front, less so the tidying!)

Thanks everyone. Also not wanting to make a big deal of it.

Mine is taking part in an international competition with his chamber group this week. It’s being held in the UK though. The groups they’re up against are pretty formidable but I’m hoping it’ll be a great experience for him.

my dad used to quote this all the time

We usually get a take of the pieces and then when that’s done, we do the speaking. Otherwise we kept hitting a mistake on the second piece and the speaking became stressful.

I do end up with an annual gag reel…

We just did the whole lot in one video, couple of takes and picked the best. Mainly because I didn't want to make a big deal of the whole thing. Yes DD made herself notes for what to say. I put a toy next to the camera for her to talk to as she doesn't like talking to cameras. She's too old this year, no more NCO auditions😥

NCO people…. is it best to record the words separately to the pieces? Also I presume you wrote out what needed to be said? Bottom of the age range so finding the speaking worse than the playing 😂

As Mark Twain said: ‘When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.’

ha! given DD2 won't even entertain the idea of a piano teacher, I think you can probably imagine how wellmy attempts at instruction go. The number of things I have known 'nothing about' since she got back from school is a number higher than I really dare think about.

Oh herbaceous you ought to know by now that parents know NOTHING. I once had the audacity to suggest that practising might improve the chances of one's big solo going right. Tch.

DS is spending the summer proving to his non-music A-level subject teachers that he can get the required A grades, by actually writing essays in the way they've been telling him to, and not coming over all creative, which resulted in non-stellar marks in y12 exams.

(Which is of course what I told him to do in his exams but of course 'I didn't understand'. Despite being a study skills tutor. I've been very restrained and not said 'I told you so'.)

Doesn't want a teacher because 'they'll only tell me I'm doing it all wrong'...!
Ha ha, that made me laugh. Good luck to her!

Offspring 1 not interested in oxbridge even though his teachers (non music subject) suggested it. It sounds too much like hard work. He doesn't know where he does want to go though, maybe researching unis also sounds too much like hard work🤐

Offspring 2 wants to go to music college 'but I don't want to be in a big city'. Umm...? But at least she's got a few years to think about it.

It is lovely @DitheringMusicParent - but DD knows she can't get too attached. Meanwhile it is summer of 'I hate composition' and a determined sprint on Grade 6 piano - she continues to teach herself and reckons she'll get this one recorded by the end of the summer holidays. Doesn't want a teacher because 'they'll only tell me I'm doing it all wrong'...!

@herbaceous @achangeofnameisasgoodasarest We used to be there (we were not in the Music faculty but many close friends were). Such a wonderful place. DS9 is totally obsessed with wanting to go to a particular college with a very large chapel, having played its organ a few months ago; but (1) he'd never get in and (2) if he did get in, he wouldn't have the exec function skills to cope. I guess he can live in hope for a few more years while being gently directed elsewhere (preferably, places with lower fees for international students...)

@herbaceous sounds familiar - not that we went but DD knows it is marvellous and will go in Sept to have a proper look - did the online masterclass and adored it.

For DD, also small matter of 'learn how to harmonise a chorale'. Ho hum.

Spent yesterday risking heatstroke to sample the delights of Cambridge and its music faculty. All of course completely wonderful. Now merely a question of increasing expected grades, choosing a college, passing the entrance requirements and getting A*AA. 🧐

@Londonmummy66 good to know thanks! She absolutely loves her composition tutor- he also takes academic music seminar where she shines in a big way- but he does not seem to get at all that she doesn’t understand it (organists!) she thinks everyone else has just come out from
the womb being able to compose and she has not got some kind of missing piece installed in her brain.

but wailing about it will get her nowhere!

I’ll take a look at guildhall. It’s annoying because she’s just had her mocks back. Clear a stars on her other two subjects - but the composition drags her music down. She doesn’t NEED an a star but it would certainly help with her ambitions.

@achangeofnameisasgoodasarest sometimes a different perspective helps things click. Most unfair of the school.
also on holiday . DD did ask her teacher re taking instruments but was told to just relax as said instruments might crack.
DD has 4 weeks of music courses this summer so plenty of time to catch up with playing.

@achangeofnameisasgoodasarest - I really really sympathise. DD1 was in exactly the same boat at this point - also in top set and otherwise really good at it all but simply cannot compose and the composition teacher she had really didn't get that. If you can afford a tutor just get one and don't tell them. I really wish we had. I so don't think they should have to compose - they should be able to take an arrangement/harmony paper instead but it is what it is.

Eye wateringly expensive but Junior Guildhall do a summer composition course - the tutor there is also at music Hogwarts I believe so they wouldn't be able to turn round and say it wasn't her work..... They do offer bursaries and so she might get lucky?

Does anyone have recommendations for a rollout mattress topper or such? Daughter away at a few orchestra residentials this summer and one of the places she is going twice has the worst beds