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Original poster

Support group for parents of children taking music exams!

999 replies

Wafflenose · 14/11/2011 22:03

Hello, I'm feeling excited, nervous and wobbly because my daughter is taking her first music exam in three weeks. I'm a music teacher and am very used to getting children through the exams, keeping the parents informed, helping to focus practice, etc, but this is my first experience with my own child doing an exam and for some reason it's more scary than putting other people's children in! I think she will be OK (and the other thirteen I have entered this term) but I'm not!! Any tips for the 'other side' (parents rather than music teachers) for how to keep us both calm on the day would be gratefully received! Does it get easier as they become more experienced? Am thinking not...

She is taking part in the local music festival tomorrow, to gain performance experience. She's wildly excited, and I've got the jitters!!

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MaryAnnSingleton · 27/03/2012 22:48

Meant to say- at ds's school they always have a recital open to those taking music exams about a week before -a nice chance to perform one of the exam pieces in front of an audience.Ds is very shy,but manages to do this confidently-think it's quite a good idea.

roisin · 27/03/2012 22:53

Thank you. How old's your ds MaryAnn?

Has your ds done any theory work yet MaryAnn? I highly recommend the Trinity workbooks, they're much more accessible and well-presented than the ABRSM ones. ds2 basically just worked through gr1-gr4 independently (asking me when he needed any help); I marked the workbooks and the teacher marked the exam practice paper at the end. Then we got the ABRSM gr5 workbook and he had 3 lessons on composition with his teacher and did some practice papers.

It's great to have that hurdle out of the way so it isn't an obstacle in future.

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 27/03/2012 22:55

andybat, I would have said about a month, except that the DCs actually got theirs in 2 weeks last month. It was a school visit though.

DDs violin certificate too 6 months to reach us last year, but that had more to do with the teacher and the fact that DD had moved on to secondary school

gelatinous · 28/03/2012 00:24

andybat unfortunately Trinity Guildhall are not noted for their speed of getting the certificates out - it can take up to 6 weeks sometimes, though I'm told they're trying to improve.

Congrats to andybat's and roisin's ds for their excellent results Smile.

MaryAnnSingleton · 28/03/2012 07:34

roisin ds is 14- he can do the theory as part of his GCSE music lessons I believe- would be nice to get it out of the way before all the exams.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 28/03/2012 12:56

Trinity certificates take ages. Results are nice and quick, but DD had to wait over 2 months for her Grade 1 certificate. ABRSM take a couple of weeks and are issued with the results. Of course with the Prep Test, DD got her piano one at the end of her exam, which she was thrilled with.

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lancelottie · 28/03/2012 14:22

A teeny, relieved 'Yippee!' here that DS has finally got through Grade 5 theory (a Pass, but hey, that'll do, kiddo).

gelatinous · 28/03/2012 14:37

well done lancelottie ds - a pass is a great achievement and what is needed to move on. In the years to come nobody will ever ask or care what grade of pass it was...

singinggirl · 28/03/2012 16:09

Aargh - had six children in for piano exams this week. Grade 1, 2x Grade 2, 2 x Grade 3, Grade 4. My own DS's were the Grade 4 and one of the Grade 2s. The poor Grade 1 had her Grade 1 violin exam two hours earlier. One of the Grade 3's had a complete meltdown the weekend before when she got the words chromatic and contrary motion mixed up in her head. (How? How? She's known these for ages!) Then DS1 had an argument with the examiner - she told him not to play the DC in his first piece, so he gave a lecture about how you don't play repeats in exams but you do play DCs. I need Wine

roisin · 28/03/2012 18:01

Oh that sounds like a good option MAS.
Congratulations to Lancelottie's DS. (My intention was for ds2 to target a 'pass', but he and his teacher had other ideas so he spent many, many hours preparing and practising. Hmm Still, at least it's done now!)

Shock at ds1 arguing with the examiner singinggirl - eek! Hope he did well nonetheless and all your other pupils.

lancelottie · 28/03/2012 18:39

Thank you! His younger sister has a brass exam tomorrow, just to prolong the term's agony till the very last minute...

singinggirl · 28/03/2012 18:48

Just trying to convince myself that it will be ok, hoping the examiner likes sparky children roisin. Hopefully he'll be ok, but I had been hoping for borderline merit/distinction, and he reckons he didn't play as well as usual after that! Oh well...actually I think I'm more worried about my confused Grade 3!

roisin · 03/04/2012 16:49

ds2 seemed quite happy with his exam yesterday (piano gr4 ABRSM), so we'll wait and see what the results say.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 18/04/2012 18:23

I got my last result from the Spring Term yesterday - ABRSM from March 26th. It was a grade 1 pianist, who's a first study clarinetist: 125 :D Very happy, and it's on with the next lot. The same girl is doing Grade 4 clarinet this term, and I have a grade 4 flute, 2 Initial recorders, 3 grade 1 recorders and 2 grade 2 recorders. After much discussion, DD has decided to go a grade lower than she could have, and take her grade 2. If it makes her happy and confident, that's fine by me. Anyone else this term?

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RaspberryLemonPavlova · 18/04/2012 19:58

I think we are having a term off - although there is a slight possibility that DS2 might do Grade 3 trombone, probably a bit soon, which is a shame as he is likely to then end up doing Grade 4 piano and Grade 3 trombone in the same sitting in November. Well done to your student.

ImNotaCelebrity · 19/04/2012 20:47

Result in at last! DS (7) got 127 for grade 3 violin. Chuffed to bits!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 20/04/2012 12:19

Yay! That's brilliant. Well done to him!

DD1 is working towards grade 2 recorder and grade 1 piano (although on piano that really is working TOWARDS - we haven't got the book yet and won't for a while) but is flute mad and has been trying to play mine at every opportunity. She does have her 8 adult front teeth, but is still a bit too short really, so we were going to get her a curved head one for her birthday in October. Today, my mum has come across a used one in the paper for £35 and snapped it up, so DD will be getting a surprise! I can give it the once over and have minor repairs done if necessary. Even if it's not great, she will probably only need it for a year at the most, and I have a full size beginner level one she can go on to when she's big enough. So excited!

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RaspberryLemonPavlova · 20/04/2012 20:52

That's great for your DD Waffflenose. My DD arrived home tonight with the baritone sax we are renting from school. I wish she had been attracted to flute! She has started her Grade 6 alto sax pieces but will be taking it slowly and alternating lessons on her bari.

Well done your DS ImNot a Celebrity

Original poster
Wafflenose · 20/04/2012 20:59

Ha ha, having read about the baritone sax I'm now grateful it's flute too. I would rather she'd picked something a bit more unusual, as I think there might be more opportunities later on, but at least it's small, cheap and very portable! At least she is starting young I suppose. DD doesn't know about her flute yet - my mum lives 60 miles away and I'm not seeing her for another week or so, then I will probably try to string it out for a bit longer. I will probably start off teaching her myself, and pass her on to someone else next term because I don't have time to do three instruments with her with a nearly 4-year old at home with me too.

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RaspberryLemonPavlova · 21/04/2012 15:28

Entirely separately DD was asked if she would consider playing bari sax in the youth concert band she plays in last night, they didn't know about school. So I suppose she will be in demand. There's lots of time for your DD to play a more exotic instrument later too. At DDs secondary school, the woodwind teacher has all his pupils doubling on saxes if at all possible. DDs other instrument is cello though!

lancelottie · 23/04/2012 12:11

Yes, Waffle, I think the reason some instruments are 'rare breeds' is that they are astonishingly heavy and expensive (euphonium for DS in this house with possible tuba to be borrowed from school once he can lift it -- I can't!).

DD's just heard she got her Grade 3 cornet, so can now relax till the next lot. One of them may have piano this term, the other possibly singing (now that's a good, portable instrument!).

Original poster
Wafflenose · 23/04/2012 17:00

Well done to your DD, lancelottie! My youngest has expressed a desire to sing, but she is only 3!!

I think you might be right about the rare breeds actually. They are mostly large, heavy and expensive!

The flute teacher at the school I work at had a massive rant at lunch today, about young children starting the flute, and curved flute heads in particular. I chipped in with my 2p worth, saying I'd rather my DD1 did it properly (with a small flute, lessons, etc) than kept playing mine and got into bad habits/ injured. She was slightly taken aback when I explained that DD is just over 4ft, has all her adult front teeth, can play the first five notes, and is Grade 2+ on the recorder :D We're waiting to hear back to see if she can start lessons at her own school, but it might not be possible until next term. No particular hurry - she's just ultra keen!

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roisin · 26/04/2012 18:25

Finally got ds2's gr4 piano result: he got another distinction, so he's thrilled. (Just 2 terms since gr2!) Marks all very consistent too, which is pleasing.

He's doing a term of "fun jazz" playing, then see when new exam syllabus comes out which exam to do next and when!

lancelottie · 27/04/2012 10:10

Excellent news Roisin (both the results and the 'fun' time, which I see you were concerned about up thread)!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 27/04/2012 12:19

Well done to your DS, roisin! Wow, he's going fast. How old is he?

I have just entered seven children for recorder exams with TG (including 6 yr old DD for Grade 2) and two sisters for Grade 4 AB flute and clarinet. I also have seven concerts and performances this term, including a big community concert I'm organising. It's going to be a busy term!

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