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Extra-curricular activities

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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:
pigsinmud · 23/04/2014 17:27

Sorry, I just assumed you were a string player Lily!

It's funny how big instruments impress children. Dd2 was a bit miffed when a boy in her class took up the cello and announced that it was much bigger then a trumpet. That evening we told her to tell him that the trumpet was much louder. It was a bit of a late comeback line, but she was pleased with that!

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 23/04/2014 18:00

Big instruments seem to impress my DC.

DS1 went from trumpet to trombone and tuba.
DD started on violin and alto sax and now plays cello and bari sax.
I tried to start DS on clarinet but he ended up with clarinet and trombone.

dancersdad · 23/04/2014 18:39

DD 10 is taking her first music exam this term, grade 4 singing. She also plays the violin but we're holding off any exams on that until next session as her after school schedule is crazy at the moment. She's quite relaxed about it- her first music exam but she's a dance exam veteran. DW and I are not so relaxed!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 23/04/2014 19:55

DD1 has just been a brat this evening. I got her to sit in with my current theory pupil and crack on with it while he did. We're 1/4 of the way through the Grade 2 book, but took a one year break, so she has forgotten how to do things and is being very stroppy. Actually, we probably ended up taking the break because of her moodiness!

Suffice to say it is NOT going well. She just hates to be told/ taught anything, and gets angry if she can't do it straight away.

OP posts:
purpleshinyone · 23/04/2014 20:11

Another very non-musical mum (and dad). DS1 will be off to Conservatoire in September though and watching him learn and love what he learns has been an unexpected joy. DS4 has thankfully taken up the reins and will be taking G4 this summer after playing for a year.

I don't think there is anything better than watching your child perform well. We're very lucky.

pigsinmud · 23/04/2014 20:47

Wafflenose - your dd1 sounds like my ds2. He thinks he should know everything before he's been taught it - this applies to school work too. Dh had to give up doing theory with him and get ds2's violin teacher to do it. It felt like a waste of money as dh can teach him the theory, but it stopped doors being slammed and shouting!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 23/04/2014 21:14

schilke I am currently figuring out how much I am willing to pay to stop the stamping and shouting, and (just as bad) the silent treatment. She is like it with school work too - woe betide us if she ever has to actually LEARN one of her spellings... she can't cope with it, and neither can we!! I think that even if I farm the theory out to someone else, we are always going to get the strops and door slamming, because she is just highly strung.

OP posts:
dancersdad · 23/04/2014 21:18

Stupid question, which grades do they need the theory for? And how long does it normally take for them to work through it? Sorry, I'm a bit clueless!

Ishouldbeweaving · 23/04/2014 21:43

dancersdad If they take ABRSM exams they can't progress beyond Grade 5 without having taken grade 5 theory (or practical musicianship or jazz). This doesn't apply to Trinity exams. I have no idea how long it takes, our county music service does G5 classes over a few months but it's taking us forever (or maybe it just feels like forever)

schilke we had the same thing, my husband started teaching him theory and the fallout was such that we decided it was better for DH's piano teacher to take over. Both father and son have a need to be right and it doesn't make for a good teaching scenario.

dancersdad · 23/04/2014 22:02

Ah OK, so do they then continue the theory alongside the music grades? Grade 6 for Grade 6 singing, etc? DD is doing her grade 4 with ABRSM, god knows how she's going to fit theory into her schedule. Is there much difference between Trinity and ABRSM?

LilyBolero · 23/04/2014 22:42

No, is gd5 only. Once you've got that you never have to do theory again.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 23/04/2014 22:50

DD1 is doing Trinity for Recorder, so no rush. She's doing ABRSM for Flute, and is suddenly playing Grade 4 pieces, so we need to get on with it. Until recently, I thought a theory grade a year would be fine, but I think we need to go a bit faster than that (she will not sit the theory exams though - only Grade 5).

One of my pupils has a 30 minute theory lesson each week, and I don't set homework as he has SEN and is also doing AS levels at the moment. By the time he sits Grade 5 this autumn, he'll have been doing it for just over 2 years. I imagine it will take my 8 year old quite a bit longer.

OP posts:
NannyPeach · 23/04/2014 23:18

We HATE theory and have pretty much abandoned it for the past few months. Big mistake, as I'm sure dd will have forgotten most if it by the time we crack on, and we must crack on unfortunately!! She did grade 5 violin in y4 (she's y5 now), and is likely to take grade 7 sometime in y6, so we have until then to get it done!

I forgot to add, Dd has a place in the national children's under 11 orchestra with violin, which is pretty exciting too!

maggiethecat · 24/04/2014 00:08

just heard from teacher that dd got distinction for grade 5 violin - she had a mind boggling busy schedule this term but she held it together and i daresay that she had some fun along the way!!

maggiethecat · 24/04/2014 00:18

We'll be seeing you at port regis in summer Nanny!

HercShipwright · 24/04/2014 00:37

DD2 is doing grade 4 flute in a week or so. She is probably doing grade 5 recorder, grade 5 singing and grade 1 piano at the end of term too but not definite yet. The piano has suddenly been sprung on us, but she is keen. So, maybe. Or maybe not. Not sure if Dd1will do grade 8 singing this term - she was supposed to, but has had a wretched cough for weeks and weeks that won't shift. So maybe not. She definitely won't do grade 8 flute this term (I think) but things might change - we need to see what happens with this wretched cough. I'm not keen on her postphoning both grade 8s till next term though because that will mean putting her diploma (on recorder, her first instrument) back a term too (the plan was to do it at Xmas). Happily the days of piano exams are done, she has no desire or need to do grade 6 so I'm happy to save the money.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 24/04/2014 09:37

So many amazing children on this thread. In many ways (especially with DD2, but also with some of DD1's instruments) I feel like we are just starting out!

OP posts:
Bramshott · 24/04/2014 09:48

Ooh a new thread!

DD1 (11, in Y6) is taking ABRSM Gr 4 singing this term, hot on the heels of her Gr 5 musical theatre last term (different board). She is also a clarinetist (playing about Gr 3 but not taking exams for now).

She is very keen to start bassoon (I think I sold her on the scarcity value some years back!) but is small for 11, and we are wondering if it's too soon, and also if voice plus 2 instruments is too much to cope with in a brand new school in Sept. Any teachers on the thread with any advice?

Ishouldbeweaving · 24/04/2014 09:49

It's nice to be in a place where your child looks normal rather than standing out as "the musical one".

morethanpotatoprints · 24/04/2014 11:28

Bramshott

We can keep each other company Grin
Has she chosen her songs yet? it is such a lovely syllabus that dd isn't sure yet. I think its good that there is such a choice as they can sing all the others even if they aren't taking them for the exam.

So far she has learned o Cessette di Piagarmi, New Year Carol, A Clare Benediction, I feel Pretty, long ago and far away, The sound of music, and countless others, they are all so nice.

HercShipwright · 24/04/2014 15:02

Bramshot - DD2 will also be starting a new school in September. She does theatre and ballet (and hip hop) as well as her 4 music things - I'm not worried. DD1 was just the same (without the dancing) - when she went to secondary school she had 2 grade5s a grade 4 and a grade 2 and she was fine. Her progress on piano has always been slower than on anything else but that's more because of her dyspraxia than because she was doing to much. For DD1 the biggest problem was having to do a term of theory lessons instead of her second study instrument, because the separate theory lessons organised by the school were after hours and she gets the bus. Dd2 won't have that issue because they are now at lunchtime.

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 24/04/2014 19:52

Bramshott DS2 is another new starter for September. He is a Cathedral Chorister, and has piano and trombone lessons currently. He is also a clarinettist and will be starting lessons again at his new school in September, as well as fiitting in theory lessons. (He can't do them at school as they are on one of his Choir nights). He also does Scouts and Taekwondo and a variety of music groups. He will be fine. His older sister was just as busy with different things when she started (only 2 instruments but a long string of other activities).

I think this is a good time to fit in what they can, when it gets to Year 9 and the GCSE work ramps up, it gets more diffficult.

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 24/04/2014 19:54

Congratulations to the DC with exam results.

Shakyisles · 24/04/2014 20:42

I'm teaching DD grade 6 theory as she needs to know it even if she doesn't do the exam. I am hoping she will carry on up to grade 8 and then take that exam. Mainly because she wants to take her letters and understanding the theory is a tremendous help. She can currently fit in theory and practising violin. She added in piano a few terms ago, but had to drop it as there simply wasn't enough time to practise. It wasn't an issue, as it was me teaching her that.

The problem is- I know she needs piano eventually. She does about 1 1/4 hours a day on violin. Plus schoolwork. Plus cadets, gymnastics and swimming.

I remember doing my main instrument, my second, being in the youth choir, orchestra and concert band as well as school ones - but I was older. I look back and wonder how I fitted it all in.

My issue is I don't want her to become tired by over committing.

JimBobplusasprog · 24/04/2014 20:57

Ds did his g3 descant last term and has learned his g4 scales in the holidays in the hope his teacher will let him do g4 this term. He is also hoping to do his g2 violin but he has rather neglected it recently in favour ofrerecorder practice. He taught himself treble fingering over the holidays too, on a sopranino as he can't reach f on the treble (he struggled with c tbh). He seems to have got it pretty fluently now.