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Original poster

Summer Term Music and Music Exams Thread

584 replies

Wafflenose · 22/04/2014 11:50

A new thread for a new term!

If you're a music parent, or music teacher, please introduce yourselves here. It was getting hard to keep track on the old thread.

I am a music teacher (woodwind, 90% recorders these days) and I have:

DD1 (aged 8) who is taking Grade 5 Recorder this term, currently working towards Grade 4 Flute, and also sings, plays the piano and one tune on the ukulele (no lessons on these three). She has completed a video audition for the South West Music School, but we won't hear yet, and quite honestly, I don't think she'll get in this year.

DD2 (aged 5) who is taking Initial Grade Recorder this term, started the cello a month ago, and can play a few tiny, baby tunes on the piano and ukulele (again, no lessons on these).

I only have one pupil doing an exam this term, other than my girls - a Grade 2 Recorder player. I'm doing 11 Music Medals though.

OP posts:
Ishouldbeweaving · 20/06/2014 09:40

The husband's piano exam was laid to rest yesterday, it was a small event, no flowers. Actually it wasn't as bad as that but he thinks he blew his chances of a distinction with a slip in every piece (not in the same places as they've been stumbling in practice, he managed exciting new mistakes for the exam).

Best of luck for tomorrow Wafflenose, I hope you have a fun day out.

HercShipwright · 20/06/2014 12:06

Theas - I thought the bass piece looked...challenging. But actually, it's not nearly as horrible as the key signature might lead you to believe. Falls under the fingers nicely. Your DD's audition is very late? Everyone DD1 knows auditioned ages ago. I think it's going to be a very full course (what with the Germans and all). We haven't started planning how we will get her there but I expect there will be a car going from our part of the world full of the usual suspects. Assuming she is fit to go - she's in hospital right now. :(

HercShipwright · 20/06/2014 12:10

On theory, DD2s summer project is to finish grade 3 and have made a good start on grade 4 before she goes back to school. They have theory lessons there for the kids who are post grade 5 on an ABRSM syllabus, which hopefully will be her (she does Trinity for recorders, and she's only recently passed her grade 4 flute but she has grade 5 singing in a couple of weeks). But they are usually older kids and she is wary about joining the group as a new Y7. So she might carry in with the private theory lessons. But maybe not. DS also needs to buck his theory ideas up, he is the same level as her and would be ready for grade 6 sax if only he had the theory under his belt. He is belatedly realising that this would be a good idea, because he doesn't want her to catch him up in playing exam levels.

HercShipwright · 20/06/2014 12:21

Theas - DD1 is using a placcy bass for the foreseeable too. My wooden one cost nearly a grand, and it's not that good (it's not a Kung) and with her having had conservatoire grade descant treble and flute in the last 2 years, there's a limit and frankly she's well past it. We may get her a decent bass if she chooses to do a bass piece for her diploma, but we need a new car first! And the diploma will probably happen too soon. And all those auditions are going to cost a bomb too. Most of the NYRO people don't have sprauncy basses, to be honest. And then there's the issue of over playing - you'd need a placcy one as well as a decent wood one for the week and imagine carting two basses there as well as all the other stuff! Nightmare.

ealingwestmum · 20/06/2014 17:40

Well one down here this afternoon. Finished consoling daughter on her G4 piano. She blanked on piece 1 (even though piece 3 had been the car crash in practice!) and played with right hand only until left felt happy to come back in (half way through).

Proud that she managed to recover after a horrible start…first time nerves have actually gone into the exam room. Now roll on the next in 2 weeks for G6 violin - opposite to overcooked, well under prepared (according to her teacher) and really hoping the exam trauma of today does not get taken forward!

Good luck on your hubbie's piano results Ishouldbeweaving!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 20/06/2014 20:21

Eek, just eek. I'm not worried about DD's audition really (she will deliver, and if it's not good enough it'll be because she's just not there yet, not because she won't play well) but I'm VERY worried about getting there. It's miles and miles away, not particularly easy, and I am capable of getting lost in my home town!

OP posts:
Shakyisles · 20/06/2014 21:27

Well since doing grade 6, DD has had a big turn around in attitude to technique. She always practised but hated technique and tone work and preferred spending most time on pieces - as most children do. Anyway, the examiner wrote in the extra comments, that she needs to develop her vibrato further ( no surprise as this is quite new to her and she is on a half size) and do further technique work. She is determined to do this. Her progress has been amazing in the last 2 weeks.

Anyway, the examiner's comments just hit the mark. Great combination of lovely remarks and a few 'raise your game if you want a distinction' type. She got a merit. She was relieved that she got a decent mark but is gunning for a distinction at grade 8. By then she should be on a 3/4.

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 21/06/2014 15:03

Hope you got there OK Waffle. I understand completely. And I hope DD enjoys the experience.

Herc snap, that is also DS2s summer project. He could also do theory at school in September, but as its after school on Fridays when he has Choir so it won't be an option.

Piano teacher said this morning she would like him to do it next March, so that seems achievable, though I think we may need to get a good way through Grade 4 over the summer.

Ealingwestmum how brave of her to carry on. I'm sure she will still have passed and it will probably be really good for her confidence to realise that things can happen and you can carry on.

Hedgehogsrule · 21/06/2014 16:14

Waffle- if she gets in, you can look forward to some very challenging navigation to get her to the various days they do. Had a horrible experience getting DD to a primary school in an anoymous modern suburb of Bristol. Never seen so many primary schools in one place! Results next week...

circular · 21/06/2014 16:29

Herc London NYRO playing day not till 29 June, and auditions going on that day. Hope your DD is fit and well soon.

Theas18 · 21/06/2014 19:44

Who has a DC auditioning for nyro other than me?

I know they all play plastic basses but I agree most are not from the first batch to hit the uk virtually ( 1992 , the receipt is still in the case £105 or £115 I believe) and I agree it does have an elastic band working the key, and a very dodgy top C sharp- but all keyed basses do! She'll have to cope.

I'll offer her my great bass to try maybe... ( she won't be able to reach - it's a Lockwood- direct blow and keys that look like a Sputnik !)

A decent bass is, well, not affordable is it. The schools recorder sinfonia have some lovely light Yamaha ones but we don't have access as they've all left now.

HercShipwright · 21/06/2014 20:00

As I said, Dd1 auditioned at Easter.

Circular - thanks. She's much better, and home now. It's been a hideously worrying few days though.

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 21/06/2014 21:03

Sorry Herc I hadn't read that bit properly about your DS1. I'm glad she's doing OK.

Ishouldbeweaving · 21/06/2014 22:04

Hercshipwright, I'm glad to hear that your daughter is out of hospital, it must have been a horrible time for all of you.

HercShipwright · 21/06/2014 22:40

Thanks raspberry and weaving :) it's been a horrible few days but she's back home now and much better. I'm almost able to smile about giving her a right talking to on Wednesday about manning up and not staying off school for every little imagined ailment. Almost.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 22/06/2014 15:06

Super busy day yesterday... the venue was 1 hour 40 minutes away, and straight after we got back, I had to go and help at the village fayre, then we stayed until late.

Anyway, it went fairly well. DD1 was in and out of her interview rather quicker than I would have liked, and was a bit ditzy about the details, not really remembering what she'd been asked about! Her practice with the accompanist went well, but her audition only "OK" - she said the warm-up was better. It's been quite hard for her to keep the recorder pieces going for so long after peaking in her exam, but the flute ones are still improving. The ladies on the panel are both flautists, and came over during the break to say that they both enjoyed her performance and that she shouldn't be disheartened (I don't know if they said this because she hasn't got a hope, or because she expressed disappointment with herself).

She really enjoyed the group activity (singing) and happily improvised phrases for the others to repeat, when it was her turn.

She was the littlest one there. The accompanist said, "I'm going to make a point of telling them that she's eight. It's on her form, but I'm going to mention it anyway" - because everyone assumed she was 10 or 11.

22 kids auditioned yesterday, and they are seeing 90 in total over the four days, to fill 30 places on the feeder scheme, and however many are available on the core programme this year. Nearly all of them were guitarists, but there were a couple of singers and saxophone players, and one clarinettist that I saw. I didn't see anyone else with a recorder or flute.

DD1 is pleased with herself and enjoyed the day. I'm fairly sure nothing more will come of it this year, having heard some of the others!!

OP posts:
Shakyisles · 22/06/2014 20:04

Phew, it must be a relief, waffle nose, to have the audition out of the way. Enjoy your summer!

teabiscuit22 · 22/06/2014 23:31

Hello ..new here and it's an exam week for us! DD has violin G4 and Piano G2 both Trinity. Anyone know how if the sightreading and Aural at G4 is comparable to that in the Practice books?

Clobbered · 22/06/2014 23:44

As long as the practice books you have are up to date, the examples given in them should be exactly the same standard as the ones in the exam. Stupid question, but are you working from Trinity books? (There are all sorts out there!)

Just heard today that DS2 (13) passed his Grade 7 Theory (Trinity). Taught him myself so we're both chuffed to bits :)

teabiscuit22 · 23/06/2014 11:02

Yes working from Trinity books. When we did ABRSM I didn't feel like the practice books were completely relective of the exam.

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 23/06/2014 14:00

Hello teabiscuit. Good luck to your DD.

Waffle I'm glad your DD had such a positive experience. Good for her. Hope you have a nice relaxing summer now.

Herc my DD was off school for 3 days last week, with compounded minor ailments, again. If it had been something more serious I doubt either she or I would have realised it straight away. Hope she continues to get better.

DS2 is off to secondary for Primary Music Week, they have a wonderful week of ensemble, orchestra and singing, DD is helping so also has a week off schoolwork.

Various concerts happening too, and I have just returned from a shopping trip to kit DS1 out for his school band trip next week.

Hedgehogsrule · 23/06/2014 14:17

Herc - this all sounds amazing. Where we live there is almost no music in state schools. Our local v large comprehensive doesn't have a single instrumental group. Where you live makes such a difference to musical opportunities.

Theas18 · 23/06/2014 14:43

Hedgehogs we are so lucky too. Loads at school, and the schools music service is now an independent organisation and managing to keep going too.

Ishouldbeweaving · 23/06/2014 15:25

I was interested to hear about the audition Wafflenose, thank you for telling us about that. Good luck with exam week Teabiscuit, I hope it goes well and well done to Clobbered's DS for the G7 theory result.

On music in state schools - DS's school has 1300 pupils so it's a big one but there appears to be next to no music in school other than X Factor wannabe singers. There is an ensemble of about five, they are all from my son's year and I have a suspicion that he's hunted them down and press ganged them into playing at lunchtime. I don't know how many musicians are hiding and don't play in school because it's not cool, no doubt they will surface next year when DS starts GCSE music.

Hedgehogsrule · 23/06/2014 17:12

Having v little music provision for children encourages initiative. My DD plays in 2 adult ensembles. She joined them when she was only around gr 3 standard and clung on somehow, and is now accepted there on merit rather than out of kindness! But she's musical. Not so easy for those who aren't particularly. I wonder how much music will be left when this generation grows up. I heard someone worrying about that recently - talking about a drop in people who are good enough to go to conservatoire, because there is simply no music in schools.