Autumn / Winter music thread - 2026/2027

I thought that it was interesting that there were 2 "wildcards" in the final. I really enjoyed it and Sophia was a worthy winner but golly its hard when your instrument doesn't have the vast range of concertos that a violinist has. I found Alma mesmerising despite not finding the actual piece all that enjoyable.

BBC probably thought it wasn't entertaining enough last time, very strings and piano heavy and two finalist played the same Rach - which I personally found fascinating to compare interpretation wise, but perhaps a bit too niche as a TV show.

There are advantages and disadvantages to playing well known concertos. It's easy to make a relatively unknown piece your own. The audience and even the conductor didn't know them. Making Tchaikovsky feel fresh is a massive challenge when we've all heard top soloists doing it. (And boy did she do so!)

Thoroughly enjoyable all round.

I think the wildcard aspect shows how good that top 8 was. On a different day it could have been any of them.

I hadn't seen any of the heats, but thought deciding on a winner last night must have been nigh on impossible, as all such different instruments, genres, etc.

But Sophia (Sofia?) was utterly entrancing and I fell in love with her playing straight away! The way she brought the orchestra along with her, and the expression on her face. She was a wonder.

This will be our last year with lots of school music as dd is in year 13 now. She is hoping to record her g8 cello performance exam this month and has her g8 piano practical exam in December. Lots of choral stuff happening too, along with a piano masterclass, concerts and school musical rehearsals.
She was pleased to get a distinction in her g7 singing but thinks she won’t do her g8 as she just wants to sing for fun this year.

Last year for school music for DS too, which makes me so sad.

But he's going out with a bang. Playing Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar in a couple of weeks, grade 8 French Horn, playing in a pit band for 10 days, then multiple carol concerts, leading the school barbershop quartet, deputy music director for one of our non-school choirs, and that's just before Christmas!

After that he's Skye Masterson in Guys and Dolls. And then maybe some actual work for his A levels...

Has a couple of offers already for uni courses - Manchester and KC London - which are nice to have.

Congrats on the LSSO place @northerngoldilocks !

Hope he’s not too disappointed.

Goodness me @QueenMabby and @herbaceous they sound so busy! Good luck for music exams - DD has none until after she finishes A levels now - then says she'll record Grade 6 piano and take Grade 5 saxophone. But that's very much not vital in my eyes.

DD also has a Manchester offer, and one for York (liberal arts), and a date for her conservatoire audition. I am encouraging less performance, more A Level focus, I must admit.... still lots of coursework and an EPQ to get in.

Great news for your DD @northerngoldilocks - hope your DS isn't too disappointed. Flute is just such a tricky one... a numbers game really. DD decided it was a no for LSSO this year as she's not excited by the tour.

On that note, what she would really like to do before going to uni is a summer course on both orchestral and choral conducting. She can't go to the school ones as they clash with things she has to do and she isn't confident with this but would love to learn about it.

Any suggestions - she will be 18 in the summer holidays but not til a few weeks in so it's a tricky one to find as she bridges that adult/child thing.

@achangeofnameisasgoodasarest - can't help with the orchestral conducting but the RSCM have four "emerging leaders" each year who get to conduct on various courses - might be worth a look. DD did it the first year they had them.

@northerngoldilocks - congratulations to your DD - mine loved LSSO. Commiserations to your DS - woodwind is very hard all the winds in DDs time were senior students at JDs.

@northerngoldilocks big congrats to your DD - especially good after NCO disappointment and Violin 1 is fantastic! Hope your DS is ok about it - I think flute must be one of the most competitive orchestral instruments when you think about the popularity v no of places ratio.

I haven’t watched the young musician final yet but I did watch all the heats and I absolutely loved all 3 who got into the final. Actually my top choice was the pianist who I just thought was incredible - the fact he didn’t get into the final just shows what a high standard it was overall - very inspiring!

Thanks @Londonmummy66 - not sure that DD would be anything of an emerging leader - more kind of 'learning to wave a stick about' - but we'll keep looking!

Hello! Does anyone know how Inspire works now? Will invites go out for Feb soon? Do they give notice of everything in one go or just as and when?

DS has just heard he's got an audition for the Manchester Uni/GRNCM course, which is pretty fab. He just needs to have time to practise the necessary pieces! Has to be 12 minutes of singing, off by heart. Plus an interview. Eeeeeek.

And he got an offer from Edinburgh uni today, to add to two others. So all going rather well! If he gets the grades, etc.

Excellent news @herbaceous - good luck!

It was mid November last year so yes, quite soon, if it is the same again.

Well done herbaceousDS! I wish my DS would get his forms in, he's not applying to Oxbridge so it's all later.

@herbaceous great news on offers/ interviews. @chocolateisnecessary we just looked at emails from last year for inspire and it was round about this time so possibly this week or next. We like it because we usually go away for a weekend at the same, which is nice.
Youngest has three youth orchestra auditions, a grade 8, and four concerts this term , so a busy few weeks!

Fab, thanks! Just trying to plan a bit.