Autumn Term Music and Music Exams Thread

[Wafflenose]

Hello everyone. My children went back to school today, so I decided it was time for an Autumn Term thread. Please jump right in!

I have DD1 (MiniWaffle) aged 8, who loves music but knows her own mind!! She is currently playing Grade 6 and 7 Recorder pieces and trying to get her Treble up to scratch. Her second instrument is Flute and she's been hovering around Grade 4 for a while. I have no idea when her next exams will be, or what grade, but none this term that I'm aware of. She is auditioning for the NCO in October though. DD1 also sings, tinkers with piano and ukulele, and has just started the Grade 3 Theory book. I tend to find this one the biggest jump, and if you can do this one, you can manage Grade 4 and 5 easily. Usually. I hope.

DD2 (BabyWaffle) is 6, enjoys music and is going at a completely average pace. I can say this with some confidence, as I have about 120 pupils of my own. She's been playing the recorder for about 18 months and the cello since March. She wants to do Grade 1 Recorder and Initial Grade Cello this term.

Looking forward to hearing about how everyone else is getting on.

Sunnyfrostyday - My new phrase (which I got from here) is "success starts at the pass mark". A merit is a fine result and nothing to be ashamed of.

'Success starts at the pass mark' - that's just what I've always said. Well done to him!

There you go Wafflenose - your phrase has gone out into the world and is now living happily in the Midlands.

Yay!

BabyWaffle's new cello book arrived. It goes from beginner-ish and ends with Grade 1 pieces. I have to say, it all looks a bit easy for her now. I think she would be able to walk Grade 1 currently (apart from the scales) so I might not bother paying out for it. MiniWaffle is likely to do Grade 6 Recorder, Grade 4 Flute and Grade 3 Theory in 2015, so I want to try and space their exams out for financial reasons. And leave some out, if possible!!

Great phrase, thank you. He's happier today, and has been playing again so not too traumatised.

Final concert done! Christmas can begin! All lessons finished for the year and the music is ordered ready for next term.

I agree that passing the grade is something of which to be proud, but we all know that children like merits and distinctions. I was once told by an examiner that they give more merits and distinctions out than usual for grade 1 and 2 to encourage the beginners - which is reflected in their own figures.

Well done to everyone for the results and getting through this busy time of year. We are awaiting dd's cello G5 result - guess it will be Jan now. next term will be clarinet g3 prob and a jazz clarinet grade. Big decision is how fast to push on with g5 theory, or shift to g6 trinity or just wait for a year or so and see where we are with g6 or g7.

sunnyfrostyday a borderline merit/distinction could probably have gone either way, depending on the examiner. It's still an excellent result :)

DD's Christmas concerts are now out of the way so she is focussing on her New Year one ... Which apparently involves playing some original compositions which aren't finished yet .

Yes, Shedding. I predict that it will last her about a fortnight!

Astonishingly, my DS did manage to pass his Grade 7 saxophone after a massive amount of last minute work. Wonders will never cease!!!

Final shopping centre stint done, only DS2s cathedral commitments now. Hooray. I counted over 20 concerts/bandstands/shopping centres with one or more DC playing, and we managed to arrive at all promptly with correct DC and instruments, (which was an achievement at times!)

DS2 sang the choristers solo in Once in Royal David's City at the Cathedral Festival of Carols and Readings this afternoon. He has sung other solos but this one always seems special so I was proud he had been given the opportunity.

Congratulations on the G7 choirmumoftwo, I don't want to think about what a fail would do to the household Christmas spirit.

Today has seen two concerts and a couple of hour's carolling in the local shopping centre, which leaves only two more concerts left to Christmas. We nearly had a disaster this afternoon when DS set off in the wrong blazer. He has a black one embroidered with Band1 logo, another black one embroidered with Band2 logo, a fancy coloured one with braid everywhere and a black embroidered fleece (There are twice that number of jackets festooned on dining chairs because my husband has a set as well). DS set off for Band1's job not in Band2's blazer but in his school blazer. We caught it before he got through the door but I think it's a sign that December has gone on long enough.

RaspberryLemonPavlova - I always listen to the Christmas Eve broadcast from King's College and I always well up for Once in Royal David's City. The other carol that will reduce me to tears is a children's production of Silent Night (this year provided by the wobbly violins at the music centre concert)