Those of you who have musical kids or kids taking grade

[Beetroothasbeenforgotten]

1. Make sure they are getting aural work in the lesson - and if not try to find time yourself to do some with your child. Aural is a part fo the exam and an easy way to get marks if the work is put in before hand.

1. Get them going on theory early - sme great books around. They will come unstuck at grade 5 as they have to have their grade 5 theory before goign on to grade 6 instrument exams. It creeps up and can be a real pain!!

A mother talking from bitter experience!!!

aw beety

what happened?

Beety - we were wondering where you were just a few days ago. How are you?

I take it you are feeling disgruntled about your dc's music exam?

I am fine. 2 out of 4 have music exams this week and they have done no aural work - only just found out so we are cramming. tedious!

Ds1 cannot not go anyfurther as he has not taken grade 5 theory.

We have only just realsied that these things need to go along side the music lessons and therefore makes it easier andthey learn better.

It will all be fine - but wanted to warn others

its true

but

a lot of the stuff you need for grade 5 theory you pick up from playing anyway

and if the teacher is any good, s/he should have been teaching bits of theory anyway?

Grade 5 theory is FUN! Really, it is....as I recall, anyway. I did it 15 years ago

crap, no I didn't.

17 years ago

HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

Do you have any advice for totally unmusical parents wishing to help/encourage offspring learning instruments?

agree filly that theory is fun, I remember my books being called 'theory is fun'!

mine was 14 years ago too... yikes.

i would start on Piano if you have one, or the recorder or violin (although this takes a while to sound good) Have one to one lessons. and practice 5 out of 7 days. We practice every mornign before school for 30 mins (two instruments)
Also depends on age.

EG dd who is 7 plays piano and recorder. She wants to play the sax and clarinet but we have to wait until year 5 as her teeth need to be formed.

French horn is always needed in brass bands.

trumpet is great fun -

Double yikes! Mine was 25 years ago

I used to really enjoy the theory too - more than playing tbh (but maye that was becasue I as better at it!). I joined a choir last Christmas and got to read music again and really enjoyed remembering what I once knew.

dunno, 40+

personally I'd let them faff on as many instruments as possible. make music fun. don't leap in there with grades and stuff. get them a recorder for xmas (go for aulos or similar, something good quality, ebay aulos prob fine if you are skint but NOT some shite from elc)...go to concerts etc...that sort of thing.

and get into it yourself! Just play about and have fun!

It's too scary for me to work it out!

Nice to see you around Beety

The recorder is My Instrument btw so am a bit biased

YES YOU CAN DO GRADES ON THE RECORDER!

I did my grade 5 theory 15 years ago I think.

DH did music at university and his main instrument was the recorder .

dd (7) is doing grade two recodre and she sounds bloody amazing on the recorder. I am sold on it now. We ahve a recorder consort at school and they give concerts which are wonderful. Age 16 down to 7 -

i am going ot make all four of my kids take their grades in theory now. ds1 will go straight in at 5 but the others can work there way up

Thanks for so many comments already!
ds1 learned Violin for 2 years and passed 'Silver Medal', which is for children learning in groups. Now he's been learning French Horn for a year & has just been given some Grade 1 pices to practise.
ds2 is working towards Grade 2 Violin.
I usually ask them to practise 20 mins a day. They have 30 min lesson one-to-one. Both are in school junior band one lunchtime a week.
I tell them how proud I am that they want to learn, but I'm so clueless about music. Wish I could help them more

Can't beleive there are teachers out there not covering aural. Dh finds it difficult in his peri work as the schools he works in often only pay for a minimal amount of time per group but it is an integral part of his private practice.

Is there stil the option to take Grade 5 Practical Musicianship instead of theory?

forty, you soundliek you are doing a great job and so are your kids. The best way to help them is to go to their lessons, and maybe have lessons yourslef.

Otherwise, they seem to be doing great. My ds2 is a french horn player!

Should I tell my 2 to ask their teachers to send back a message re: whether aural work is covered in their lessons?

Beetroot - thanks for that! Funnily enough ds1's school had a 'learning review day' last Thurs but music lessons were on as normal. I took him in for it and had to wait 30 mins - I asked if he'd mind if I sat in on his lesson. He was HORRIFIED at the very idea! Said he'd be so embarrassed he wouldn't play a note!

I wouldn't necessarily bother taking all the acual theory exams, bit of a waste of money, but they should be working through the books, grade by grade if they are going the exam route practically.

yes I have discoverd this JNM, ds1 has a thearoy lesson at school once a weeks as part of the curriculum but the theacher is rubbish and they do very little work. He now needs to cram for it - lack of foresight really on our part.

I thought it might be nice for them to do some of the theory grades just to get them used to the exam and it is nice when you pass and your name is read out!!

I was a very dull child. I loved music theory. I got distinction in grade 8 theory.. yes that dull... But getting our 3 older children through it was hard. I remember my ex husband took them camping and the girls did an hour's theory with him every day.. shortly after they passed grade 5.

Depends on the child which it take. I liked the sequence of doing them. My older children I think did something like grade 1, 3 and 5 or just 3 and 5. It's quite easy to work on the books at home and buy practice papers.