Autumn / Winter music thread - 2026/2027

How annoying.

When ds was at school his form tutor was head of PE, but said tutor was so encouraging of ds and his performing arts. (his own daughter was a dancer and ended up at full time dance college so he understood). He told me at parents evening that his job was to get ds through the qualifications he needed to go and pursue his dream.

Talking of which it's fairly quiet for him at the moment. He has no work on at the until November but is financially OK as he has managed to save a lot of the money from his contracts throughspring/summer. Annoyingly though he has had to turn down a couple of dates playing with a well known orchestra because it clashes with his panto contract. It's the age old thing. Do you take the safe, longer contract or hold out in case something more prestigious turns up?

I think this was at the root of his frustration, @achangeofnameisasgoodasarest! Music types using PE as an extra time to get stuff done, rather than taking their session of 'ultimate frisbee' as seriously as he would like.

Hello, just found this thread. I'm not on mumsnet as much as I was 10-14 years ago when the kids were little but both of the now teens are aspiring professional musicians and there is a lot going on. Both are at a London JD and DS is doing NYO Inspire this year, as well as a couple of other holiday courses that he loves. NCMC was a big hit last summer. Just trying to work out what to do about potential clashes this year

ha - @herbaceous - i think it is more unusual for DD to turn up for PE than be absent for some musical reason. Yesterday apparently she was demonstrating her bassoon to some of the little ones instead.

Hope he gets it done and in soon.

After the music department having to rally round like mad to find a slot where accompanist and recording could be in the same room at short notice, said slot was set to be during PE today. DS excused himself nicely and got a shitty email from head of PE saying it’s ‘compulsory’. Sadly for head of PE he also copied in head of music. Pistols at dawn.

Two conservatoire applications in, one with recording. One UCAS form to go.

Feels a bit odd doing it remotely - mostly just requests for money to pay for auditions. So glad she's only doing two!

I'm hoping his 'last minute cobbled together' attempt won't stand up too badly against rather more polished entries, and that this is just a preliminary sift before the real auditions!

@herbaceous oh no, what a stress! Kudos to him for pulling it together though - and for improved prediction.

DD's 'short talk' is quite waffly and even on her best take she pulls a slight face when one of the notes does not go the way she wanted - I'm hoping, probably in vain, that this is less noticeable when you don't know her.

Good luck to him!

Well it turns out he DOES need to do a recording, and to a fairly exacting brief! (Finding all this out has taken the detective skills of Poirot - maybe it's some kind of 'pre-entry sift').

So, he's having to sort repertoire, compose a short talk, sweet-talk accompanist, find a room and do a decent recording before Thursday. He hasn't been practising anything relevant, so will unearth three songs he did for his diploma in the spring. What can go wrong!

On the plus side, extra work he did on one of his A level subjects has got his predicted grade up to an A, so UCAS applications looking more hopeful!

He’s working in a bar part time to pay the rent. He’s got a few gigs lined up over the next few months but hoping to get some more dep work when the orchestras get busy. He’s spending more time at his conservatoire now than he did as a student! He’s doing a fair amount with his quintet. We’re calling it a portfolio career and hoping the balance eventually shifts v

It flies, doesn’t it?
DS has just gone into his third year, but it feels about 5 minutes since he started.

How’s your DS finding professional life? There’s never been a tougher time to start out as a pro musician, IMO.

Good luck to all on conservatoire applications. Doesn’t seem long since mine was applying and he’s finished his degree now.

Well, we'll see. She's making one anyway as school thinks it is needed, so we will see what happens.

Looks like the same rule for woodwind, @achangeofnameisasgoodasarest!

https://www.rncm.ac.uk/study-here/make-an-application/your-audition/rncm-school-of-wind-brass-and-percussion-audition-requirements/

I would phone up for clarification, but have entirely lost my voice.

Actually, for vocal studies it seems you don't have to submit a recording. Bloody hell. They make it so difficult to understand!

https://www.rncm.ac.uk/study-here/make-an-application/your-audition/rncm-school-of-vocal-studies-and-opera-audition-requirements/

good luck @herbaceous - let me know.

I am engaged in an online chat with a bot claiming to be a student. We shall see. And have unearthed Mummy Video of his diploma singing recital which I can always press into service.

This further link makes matters more confusing. It seems to say you 'may' be asked for a recording as part of the initial application, but maybe not.

https://www.rncm.ac.uk/study-here/make-an-application/how-to-apply/

Long shot for DS too. Partic as he hasn't got anything prepared! It seems like the recording is just a preliminary stage. Proper auditions come later.

I was just going off the website. We haven't spoken to them or anything so maybe you're right. It feels like a long shot for DD anyway. It's the finding an accompanist and a recording space that are hard at this time of year for her which is why she's had to be on it.

Your link does rather suggest that. Hmmm... whatever he was looking at last night - the UCAS form I think - seemed to suggest it went in later.

CRIKEY.

The recording has to be in next Thursday as far as I'm aware. It's that one DD is stressing over.

Yes! That's the one. I get lost in the acronym jungle

Well, when I say now, I mean October 1 @herbaceous if you mean the GRNCM? Sounds like he is very busy.

www.rncm.ac.uk/study-here/make-an-application/your-audition/grncmmusb-joint-course-auditions/?utm_source=gemini