Marimba!

[hardboiled]

Hello, DS plays piano and drumkit, both grade 5. He is really keen to learn the marimba... Any advice on where/how to get lessons in London? Would it be part of "orchestral percussion" lessons or could he take marimba lessons alone? Thanks!

Ha! A fellow marimba mum!

My DD plays marimba as part of her orchestral percussion studies - which also covers snare drum, timpani and all other tuned percussion. The mix of instruments they play will depend on their tutor's likes and the availability of the instruments. But exam wise, the exams are in all percussion, and my DDhas played marimba as her tuned piece each grade, I think. But for exams, which you may not be interested in, you play timps and snare too.

If your DS is as state school, the best way is to link thru your county/borough music programme - some are better than others but if you have a percussion centre, which wouldn't be unusual, you could take him there.

If you're in the private sector then your school director of music should be able to put you in touch with a percussion tutor, if you aren't already. But if your school doesn't have a marimba, he would need to practice somewhere.

I must admit we're really lucky in our county as there has been a lot of investment in percussion, but I don't think everywhere is so well provided.

Thanks BeckAndCall that's really useful. He is at a state primary and as of next year...state or private secondary, we still don't know. The borough music service is a good idea. I will check with them and take action after the new year because DS says he'll be ready for it only after elevenplus exams are over. Children are wise.

Try CYM - Centre for Young Musicians. It is a saturday music school for the whole of London. Excellent, with amazing opportunities.

Great!

Another recommendation for CYM, it's brilliant.