To wish they'd at least dimmed the house lights so I could cringe in peace?

[user1476869312]

School musical evening: very well-intentioned and all that. But the piano was out of tune and so were half the kids.
I am, as far as I know, neurotypical, but I really, really hate wrong notes and it was a massive struggle not to flinch and pull faces while it was all going on. I wish they'd darkened the room so i could have bitten myself in peace. (and had someone in to TUNE THE PIANO before the show FFS).
And don't get me started on the 'suitability' of some of the songs.

I love the Wider Opportunities scheme, which a lot of this sounds like. Yes they sound a bit off to a trained ear, but my word the joy that a term or a year of regular music lessons gives to children who might not ever have another bash at it makes it worth it.

Having said that, I am quite glad I don't have to do the concert at city hall next year. I've donent two years running as a volunteer helper and I'm ready for a change of itinerary.

I feel your pain OP. That sort of thing can be difficult to recover from.

i am with you
i sat through a talent show which ran for 2 hours. it was mainly dreadful and the microphones kept cutting out.

30 year 4s playing the violin after only 10 lessons are bound to make a pretty hideous noise. But the vast majority of secondary pupils should be able to sing in tune (and primary ones for that matter).

I think part of the reason I was so appalled (and no, I didn't fucking show it even though I nearly puked - I even managed to say, well done all of you , when I was leaving) was because this was secondary school. I've done my time with primary school 'parent assemblies' and Xmas concerts of them all yelling Jingle Bells in six different keys with an intermittent bang of a tambourine by whichever kid wasn't punching his/her mate or picking his/her nose at the time. (and then the Head would always go, that was such fun, let's hear it again. utter cruelty to parents).

I know it's part of parenthood to endure this. I am having a whinge about it in an anonymous forum. But ther is also a part of me that thinks a secondary school 'music evening' should be a bit more than shit karaoke with an out of tune piano.

The school can only work with what they have though.
Also, there isn't a lot of time during the school day to practice for things like this.
Teachers are under pressure to produce good results for the school and time and resources are limited.
Piano's aren't cheap to tune and obviously not a priority for the school budget.
If your child enjoys performing could you not enrol him into a more professional activity or group.
You should see how much work is involved with the concerts for the specialist music schools, it's an eye opener