Or is sport more important than music?

[Azquilith]

Having an argument with DP about our DS learning music in the future. DP was in an orchestra at school - do kids really play in orchestras any more? Surely it's a bit 1950s and playing sport is more important for development and making friends?

[LePetitPont]

Ps and do you really not know one single person who plays the guitar (cheap instrument) or sings or does am dram? Really?!

[Azquilith]

BikeRunSki his school pay for instruments? And that's a state school?

[motherinferior]

All the Y3s at DD2's local primary can read music. Not brilliantly but OK. DD2 is in jazz band, brass band, rock band and choir. She's moving on to a secondary (comp) with a huge range of music. Another local comp is a music specialist school, and another one two have performing arts specialisms. I live in an unglamorous bit of south London....

[motherinferior]

Instrument hire is about £15 a term. Lessons do cost though are heavily subsidised.

[pancakesfortea]

I was in a very good orchestra in my 20s with an Olympic rower.

Discipline, co-ordination, team work crucial to both. A famous conductor once described a symphony orchestra as the most complicated team sport ever invented.

[pancakesfortea]

Every child at our London state primary learns an instrument. All completely free.

[Timeisawastin]

Music lessons are available in schools here in Scotland too at £125 per school year for 30 min individual lesson.

[phantomnamechanger]

our kids primary school were part of a county scheme of giving FREE music lessons to all Y3 pupils - once a week for the year with a peripatetic teacher - one year they did strings and one year wind - DD1 learned the violin, DD2 learned the clarinet. They both already played the piano. They have subsequently chosen their second instrument (neither the ones they had for free trial). I can clearly recall one mothers response to the free trial as "why do we have to take this home, she didn't ask to play it". No grasp at all of what a tremendous opportunity it was! Saying it sounded awful when the child had had ONE lesson - as if world class performers did not start at the same level! DDs secondary is a music specialist school and again EVERY child in Y7-9 learns an instrument! Even the headteacher is learning to play. Their school choir goes to international comps, they have a folk band and a jazz band and an orchestra and several "pop" groups. music is so life enhancing.

if you think music is very middle class, look at the mining villages and the colliery bands in the north of England. the whit Friday Brass Band contest in the villages around manchester. look at the welsh male voice choirs.

Oh and another thing. The audiences that go to watch orchestras do not in general get pissed and cause fights outside the venue. Nor do members of competing bands tend to bite the ears off other competitors!

[FavaBeanPyramidScheme]

Sqoosh - You don't need to play an instrument to enjoy music though. I think sport is more enjoyable when you're good at it!

Beatrice and Squoosh - if they enjoy both though (and lord knows I wasn't passionate about anything in school!), why not choose the one that's more useful in the long run?

[squoosh]

Fava your statement that sport is 'more useful in the long run' is based on what exactly??

I think parents should encourage their child's interests and not try to direct them as to the hobbies that the parents deem more 'useful'.

[treaclesoda]

It's true that you don't need to learn an instrument to enjoy listening to music. But then if everyone took that attitude no one would learn at all.

You may not mean it to sound this way but that attitude comes across a little bit as thinking that music is beneath you, and the little people can learn the music to keep the important, worthwhile people, ie the sportspeople, entertained.

[ExitPursuedByAKoalaBear]

Yeah music is a waste of time. Equestrianism is the way forward.

True fact

[BikeRunSki]

Yes Azquilith

A few years ago the school was bequeathed 50 violins by a former govenor, who was also the vicar of the associated church (CoE school). That's enough for every child in year 3 and some left over for those who want to carry on. I don't know what happens if there are not enough for everyone who wants to carry on.

[Cinnamoncookie]

I work in opera. I do what I do because of music, and I am surrounded by colleagues who do the same. I'm not a singer, but being able to play the piano and read music to a high standard means I'm very good at my job. I'm lousy at sport, but my job in music is physical and keeps me fit.

[Azquilith]

Mothersuperior I am South London, sw11, are all London schools like that, our local didn't really say anything about music on it's website

[han3459]

YANBU, music is a waste of time in my opinion unless you carry it on and practice constantly. Most DCs give up in their teens (after years of hating it), where as sport tends to stick a lot more and is much more fun. Promotes health and fitness and is much better for children IMO :)

[BikeRunSki]

As for rlthe comment about mining communities - absolutely! I live in a former pit village. Pits long since gone, but still plenty of brass bands.

[squoosh]

'sport is much more fun'

Um, in your opinion dear.

[treaclesoda]

yes, because nobody ever gives up sport in their teens after years of hating it. ..

[motherinferior]

I have no idea if they're all like that. But given that they're all like that round here it seems a reasonable bet that many perfectly ordinary schools are offering music of some sort. Tbh I never worried about it, just assumed it would be on offer, like sport. What with them both being normal elements of a normal school's curriculum.

[ExitPursuedByAKoalaBear]

OP. Let me introduce you to the saddleworth Whit Friday Brass Band contests. No camaraderie there I tell yer.

[motherinferior]

School sport still makes me shudder in retrospect and I'm 51.

[MamaMary]

My parents paid for me to have piano and violin lessons. Their money bought me something that will last my whole life long.

The joy, relaxation and fulfilment that playing and appreciating music have given me are all things that are priceless.

At school and university I disliked team sports but learned excellent team skills through participating in all kinds of music groups and orchestras.

Now, I don't know any adults who still play team sports, but I know plenty who continue to play musical instruments and/ or sing and derive continued fulfilment from that.

As regards keeping fit, it's easy as an adult to do that by walking, swimming, jogging.

YAB so U.

[Timeisawastin]

Han3459, I think you'll find that one of the big problems with sport is that young people also tend to give it up in their teens, especially girls. Many of the sports are undertaken by young people, gymnastics for example, and there are limited opportunities to train and compete into adulthood.

Music is ageless :-)

[morethanpotatoprints]

I think it depends on your personal preferences and of course the child.
We have 3 dc the two much older ds were into sport and not a bit interested in playing music even with all the encouragement and support any child could ask for. Our dd otoh hates sport and is a musician.

Also, some parents push their dc into music for enrichment and cv purposes or to gain places in certain schools, uni's etc, it's supposed to look good on a cv.

I guess it depends which camp you fall into and what your dc want to do.