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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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Original poster

Music career?

97 replies

titchy · 21/03/2012 18:43

Hoping some pro or semi pro music folk can advise....

Dd plays an instrument (fairly common orchestral one) pretty well, but she is by no means gifted. She enjoys it and is always happy to practice, plays in groups etc. she is likely to do grade 8 in the summer of year 11 (that'll be a nice stressful term.....)

Is a career as a musician possible with that level of ability? She is also quite academic. (maths and science particularly).

She is only a teen so there is no rush to decide on future career obviously - however if (and it's a big if of course) a music career is possible does she need piano? In which case I need to get her some lessons ASAP! Hence me asking....

Thanks!

OP posts:

OrmIrian · 22/03/2012 09:40

This thread is bloody depressing. DS1 is currently doing really well in music in yr 10 - he desperately wants to have some sort of career in music. It's a bit of a surprise to us as he wasn't interested prior to a few years back. Sounds like he's wasting his time....

1805 · 22/03/2012 09:40

In a nutshell, playing an orchestral instrument, you will get a job by either auditioning and trialing, or by word-of-mouth contacts.

If you're good enough and fit in, you get the job.

PushedToTheEdge · 22/03/2012 09:40

I accept that there are exceptional musicians out there who never took graded exams or whose last exam was for Grade 3 despite being concert level skill-wise. But I am not addressing my comments at them.

The OP said that "Dd plays an instrument .... pretty well, but she is by no means gifted". This did not suggest to me that the Dd is an exceptional musician who did not see the point in passing exams.

1805 · 22/03/2012 09:41

Orm - why is it depressing?

1805 · 22/03/2012 09:43

To OP, I still reckon sound engineer fits with music, science and maths.

Bramshott · 22/03/2012 09:45

Good at maths says 'fundraiser' to me - lots of opportunities for those, and relatively well paid!

Orm - it shouldn't be depressing - your DS enjoys music and that's great. What several people on this thread are saying is that there are loads of other careers in music which don't involve the highly competitive, highly stressful job of performing to a high level on a daily basis.

PushedToTheEdge · 22/03/2012 09:46

Orm - Don't let my prejudices get you down. Here

DS is not interested in a music career but if he was then IMO if he wasn't good enough to play for one of the main orchestras then he shouldn't bother. But that is just my view.

That is not to say that one can't have a satisfying music career otherwise.

OrmIrian · 22/03/2012 09:47

Because it implies that DS (who has no grades so far) will never have any sort of music career as he started too late. He plays guitar exceptionally well - classical as well as modern. He plays just about any instrument he can gets his hands on reasonably well. He had composed several pieces. His teacher regards him as one of the best natural musicians he has ever taught - but without grades he sounds pretty well useless.

OrmIrian · 22/03/2012 09:49

Anyway sorry for the tangent. i guess it's irksome because he has dropped all pretence to doing anything else with his life now and I just have a feeling he has burned too many boats.

1805 · 22/03/2012 09:49

Orm - No no no no no.
Don't get hung up on grades! If you're good you're good. I reckon contacts are the key in the music industry. Get him out there showcasing what he can do.
Sounds amazing!

PushedToTheEdge · 22/03/2012 09:51

Orm - What is to stop him taking exams now? He doen't have to take every single grade. DD went straight in and did Grade 6 viola with nothing in between.

I accept that unneccessay importance is placed on grades but the reality is that the music world is like the business world. i.e. Yes you have 5 years experience doing the job but do you have a degree?

OrmIrian · 22/03/2012 09:53

He is . I just listen to him with my mouth hanging open. I never pushed him to do music when younger because my mum made my formative years a misery trying to make me play music on a variety of instruments I had NO apptitude for. The angst and money wasted on it was criminal. I love music - I absolutely love it but I can't play anything. DS also loves it but can also play.

OrmIrian · 22/03/2012 09:55

His teacher is putting him forward for music theory next term - grade 2. I guess that's a start.

Bramshott · 22/03/2012 09:56

Guitar is not really an orchestral instrument Orm, so it's a bit different I think. Good luck to your DS!

thetasigmamum · 22/03/2012 09:57

@ormirian he might easily NOT be wasting his time. I suspect I know a bit more about the various possibilities of a career in music than many of the people posting here. I have no idea if he stands a chance or not, but don't be out off by the people who can't see past the way things were done 30 years ago. :)

1805 · 22/03/2012 09:57

Orm - What type of music does he prefer? Are there local festivals he can perform at? School concerts? Local groups he can offer to compose for?
I see no reason why he needs formal grades.

PushedToTheEdge · 22/03/2012 09:58

Orm - :)

DD does drums and the electric guitar at a local scout hut. His teachers are all late teens/ early 20s kids who do this as a part time job. If your DS is a natural then that is something he may want to get into.

PushedToTheEdge · 22/03/2012 10:02

We put DCs straight in at Grade 5 music theory after 5 months intensive prepping at home. Not stealth boasting. Simply suggesting that, as in playing exams, it is not necessary to start from the bottom grade.

thetasigmamum · 22/03/2012 10:03

@pushed sorry, but you don't know anything about the music world, clearly. or indeed the business world (because 5 years experience WILL trump any degree that isn't Oxbridge).

@Orm if he is good enough he will shine. And it's not even necessary to go to a conservatoire for a performing career. Although most of the people I know did do that, the two most well known went to Oxbridge and didn't even read music. And they are involved in the orchestral world not the pop or folk world. I know several very successful people in the folk world, too, which might possibly be something a guitarist would look at.....or jazz. You definitely don't need to go to a conservatoire to be a jazz musician (though many many do). Please don't be depressed.

thetasigmamum · 22/03/2012 10:06

@orm if your son is doing GCSE music then he should be capable of doing grade 5 theory soonish. :)

OrmIrian · 22/03/2012 10:09

Thanks everyone.

Parents evening next week - I think we need a long chat with music teacher.

Sorry for the derail op.

Theas18 · 22/03/2012 10:12

Waves to thetasigmamum!

Agree exams aren't the be all and end all of it. However if not pursuing an exam based structure than watch that the theory side is being covered. Yes not being able to read music works for some musicians, but to have a sound grounding would be better. Ditto some piano, and probably a grade in this just to evidence the fact.

Certainly we have a teacher who is help in high esteem in the nice world of that instrument who places no importance on grades at all. DS last did grade 3, he'll do grade 8 sometime soonish just because he wants to.

thetasigma- will you and yours be on the easter course? DD2 is going.

pigsinmud · 22/03/2012 10:13

Dh ended up a musician without planning it. Did a music degree and postgrad at RCM. He never dreamed he would be a musician - didn't think he was good enough. He was not outstanding as a teenager. A friend of his didn't pick up a trumpet until he was 13 and he also ended up a musician.

As 1805 said - don't get hung up on grades. My ds2 is 11 and about to do grade 5 violin - nothing outstanding about that I hear you say, but when dh's friends (mainly musicians!) have heard him play they say "wow". I don't see any reason why he can't aim for music career, if he wanted to, and yet he won't be doing grade 8 until he's 14/15.

As someone else said, can't remember who, it is so often about who you drink with (in the brass world!) and who you know.

PushedToTheEdge · 22/03/2012 10:14

"@pushed sorry, but you don't know anything about the music world, clearly. or indeed the business world (because 5 years experience WILL trump any degree that isn't Oxbridge)."

:o :o Nice to be so knowledgeable about the Music world AND the Business world.

thetasigmamum · 22/03/2012 10:17

@Theas18 Waves back! B isn't doing Easter - too far, too expensive (when you factor in the summer too, just can't afford both) - but hopefully she will be on the summer one again (although also very far and expensive). Her audition is in a couple of weeks. Incidentally - ERO is playing the Orchestra in a Field festival. Bit of a schlep from where you are I know but it's a pretty big thing for a recorder orchestra to be doing! I'm wondering if I have bitten off more than I can chew mind you! (Wonders what a Garklein will sound like in a field!)

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