Spring Term Music, Musicians and Music Exams Thread

[Wafflenose]

Hi all, my children go back to school tomorrow, so I thought it was time for a new one. Who's doing what this term, and how is practice going?

Our main focus is the local festival next month - we're all doing loads, as are my pupils! My girls have just started practising for that.

MiniWaffle (9) is doing her well-overdue Grade 4 Flute this term, and hopefully Grade 3 Theory (to keep her on track) in the summer, and Grade 6 Recorder in the autumn. She also has some SWMS and NCO commitments, although not too onerous yet! She plays the trumpet for fun, and dabbles with piano, ukulele and singing.

BabyWaffle (6) will concentrate on repertoire and technique for a while. I think Grade 1 Cello is supposed to be in the summer. She can play a coupe of the pieces and some of the scales. She plays the recorder too, but won't be doing another exam on that for at least a year.

DD (13) plays guitar, piano and sax and also sings. No break from guitar over the hols, as she played a gig on Friday night where she performed several new songs - so there was a fair bit of last minute practice! - but piano and sax have been a bit neglected. This term she will be playing sax with the senior wind band at her music school, and the pieces still need a little bit of work. She will be doing theory and sax exams in the summer term.

DS (11) messes about on a keyboard just for fun but doesn't want lessons.

Dd (9) will take a clarinet grade this term and possibly g3 singing; has nco commitments plus is joining a once-a-month orchestra (cello) and band (clarinet), on top of Saturday and school music commitments Still awaiting G5 cello results, and need to think how we overcome resistance to theory.

And I am starting saxophone - my first ever attempt at nything musical. Managed together a note out of it today when it arrived so am quite excited!

I started teaching today (my weeks run Sun-Sat). Whole bunch of new students starting tomorrow (all piano, what's with that? I'm a violinist!) at local music school. I get paid slightly less but have no admin to do, so fair exchange!

This term I think we have two Trinity Initial pianists (both 7yo) and a Trinity grade 2 (also piano, 11yo learning for a year) but not sure yet. My first ?Trinity exams... Weird. May have some music medals for the violins.

I'm organising my first student recital but most exams will be in summer, including hopefully my long overdue diploma (i.e. I can sightread diploma repertoire easily but haven't really got the time to get anything to performance standard). So.. Minimum 5hrs a week of practice for this teacher! It's now on my work timetable!

Hello! My first post on Mumsnet, which I joined solely because of these music threads that Wafflenose started a few years back - I have been an avid reader but not had much to contribute. DS (8) plays trumpet (G1 merit just in time for Christmas 2014 - hurrah!) and cello (beginner). I am hoping to find someone who will teach DD1 (4 1/2) recorder this year. I am completely non-musical but can hold a tune reasonably well.

Yay! Another cellist!
Music lessons began today - DS2 trotted off happily for his piano lesson before school. No exams for him this term. DS1 starts Thursday with drums but I'm also arranging a bass guitar lesson for him. I have had to nag him to do any flute practice, but to be fair he wasn't actually set anything to do over Christmas. He has drum kit grade 4 in March and possibly a tuned percussion exam in May. Not sure when he'll do G4 flute, happy to wait for December to be honest. I'm much more excited about him playing in intermediate band.
Congrats to Janet41 on the new saxophone. I changed my own piano lesson from Saturdays to Tuesdays, so my lessons start tomorrow evening. I've just about got the hang of a Gurlitt Waltz and looking forward to starting Cancion para dormir una muneca by Estevez (it's in the ABRSM G4 book). Will keep you posted on my progress and my battle with ever harder scales and sight reading!

Hello Gaffa! Glad you like them. I started one when I was worrying about MiniWaffle's first Grade 1 exam. I never expected to be where we are, three years later!

Happy New Year

We go back to school tomorrow here and then its a busy term with our festival and exams

DS1 has Grade 8 trombone this term, (end of March), he also plays tuba,and plays both in a variety of school groups, Music Service concert band and Community concert band.

DD has a quiet term, no exams for her, lessons on her alto sax and piano. She plays bari sax in school groups and the Youth Concert Band, and also cello in the local Youth Orchestra although she stopped lessons last year. She also dabbles with ukelele and guitar.

DS2 is a Cathedral chorister, which takes up loads of time! He is supposed to be doing G5 theory in March, although this will be confirmed next week. He definitely has G4 clarinet in March as I've paid for that! He is working towards Grade 6 piano in the summer, (dependent on his theory) and also learns trombone. He is hoping to do classes in all his instruments, including voice, at the Festival so he will definitely be busy. He also plays in school groups and the Concert Band. Bands in school and the music service have been brilliant at allowing him to fit in when he can round the Cathedral commitments.

Happy New Year to all. DS(14) has a music lesson today so I suppose that means we're back to normal. There has been practice, I am trialling a new regime of computer assisted nagging and I'll let you know how that works for us. DS will be moving up into orchestra at music centre this term on his second instrument, it's a challenge finding a suitable group that doesn't clash with his existing commitment. I'm not sure that he has the necessary range yet but he was too advanced for the group he was in so this might bring him back down to earth.

2015 is the year where we put G5 theory to rest, I'm hoping that he's forgotten that he said he wanted to take G6 as well. The year ahead may see some variety of trombone exam, or not, depending on what his teacher thinks. He needs to work up a new pair of competition pieces and we'll see whether he's still opposed to auditioning for the national youth group that he could play with. He was in the children's group for two years and enjoyed it but when it was time to audition last year he felt that it was too big a step up to the next group.

DD(14) G5 here too - theory and piano, maybe spring, most likely summer.

Hello! I'm currently struggling to get DS to practice for his G1 cornet. He's a bit stubborn when asked to do something and thinks that once through each night is enough whether he gets it right or not. He's only just turned 7 and can indeed do it if he feels like it. Anyone with much more experience than me got any hints as to how to encourage him without putting him off? I don't want to scare him or turn into a tiger mum...

I've started trying to teach myself the clarinet so he can see someone else practising (and making goose honks ) but all that's doing so far is making him laugh that he can play more notes than I can. At least I've got historic G5 piano/theory so I don't have to learn the notes or terminology this time round.

Weegiegirl1 (14) is carrying on with accordion - she's bypassed grades 1&2 but we're thinking about 3. She didn't practice much over the holidays and found playing again last night a big effort on her arms (she's quite skinny but plays a 90% size instrument which requires a lot of fitness!!)

Weegieboy (12) sits grade 3 piano this spring. He had some time off in the summer but is now back into it (especially as he can take his National5 music exam early because of it!)

Weegiegirl2 (11) sits grade 3 violin and grade 2 piano in the summer. She ends no encouragement!

Hello all and Happy New Year.

Not sure what exams dd will do this year, maybe gr5 theory and a couple of gr 2/6/7/8 practical exams, who knows.

She is still committed to the HCC and has second audition for Chetham's coming up so mainly concentrating on these atm.

It would be nice to have something to work towards but at this stage its hard to know which to do next, dd isn't bothered either way.

It's lovely to hear about the regular and new posters dc, I will be lurking for a while now, until I have something to add.
Making decisions about exams has been easy until now, its just been the next or the next standard but now its harder for her to decide.

Hello! My DD is 7 and playing the piano and also having singing lessons.
She is currently preparing for grade 1 piano for the spring session most likely. She finished two pieces and she has done the left hand part on the third piece. Dd loves her pieces choice, she is playing one from the abrsm book and two from alternative pieces.

Good luck to all DCs with their practice and exams!

hi Morethan - DD has askd to go to Chets open day; she isn't expressing any interest in becoming a musician at all (in fact is clear she doesnt want to be) but is passionate about playing so I am not sure it would be the right move for her; she does get fed up trying to fit everything in and I think sees Chets as a way through that.

One of her close friends started there last sept but he def wants to follow a musical career (as does her other friend who went a few years ago). They both love it. So we may go up and take a look. When is your dd's secnd audition? - she must be super good.

Happy New Year Waffle and all!

DD (11) sitting G5 piano this term, and also hoping to be selected for music scholarships auditions once all CE 11+ exams are sat these next 2 weeks for violin (G7 level). Not really got a chance I don't think as competition is tough in West London but she is up for trying!

Eleven new students yesterday in back-to-back 20min lessons. Exhausting! That's why I usually do 30mins... also because I didn't know any of them a little stressful. Some teen beginners, some littles, and one girl who's around grade 3.

Plus... I have a new adult violinist who's a lot better than she thinks she is (yay! easily pushing grade 5 still, she was around grade 7 ten years ago). Flung her in at book 3 of Trory's Violin Playing to brush up on shifts and build some confidence (she's been trying 'tune a day' before she came), but she should be in book 4. She never took grades so...

Four? more new ones this week and then we'll settle down again. That brings my total from 30ish last summer to more like 60 now, which is about as many students as I can handle. I'm resolving to be super-organised and write up lesson notes or I'll forget who's who.

Dunno if this is the right place but we finally have dd2 grade 7 clarinet result- a respectable 125. Result took ages though.

Now I AM on the ball this time and I do know she's doing grade 6 piano this term. I also know she's a long way from it at the moment. I may have to resort to a modicum of nagging ... Le sigh.

Lovely to hear about Julie's new pupils and Theas DD's exam result. Well done to her - that's excellent!

I have about 5 practical entries for this term, and 1 Theory re-sit, so nice and peaceful on the exam front. I expect to have the usual 13-16 next term, plus 40ish Music Medals, so will enjoy the calm while it lasts.

Well after a distinction in Grade 1 singing in December I am going to ask dds teacher (who teaches her for both) if we can put a post in the sand (or whatever the expression is!) for her Grade 1 piano. She's a way off but she's faffing around at the moment and not really making any progress and therefore not really enjoying it. We've had some fun over the holidays and I had a lovely concert the minute I walked in from work, so I think the focus of aiming for something will do her good. She actually picks it up very quickly when she wants too - so I think it'll be a good move. I just hope her teacher doesn't think I'm being awfully pushy.

Janet

Hello. Please go, its amazing and a whole different world.
The children are lovely, down to earth and very supportive of each other.
I bet your dd will love it and want to stay.
Ours announced she was going when she was 7 and asked to come out of school as it was getting in the way. i know exactly what your dd means.
I don't think its a case of being really good but they do have to have a natural musical ability and play at a gr5 distinction level.
They aren't too bothered about the exams though, it seems more to do with personality and love of music tbh.
I have been told its musical boot camp, not sure if this is true or not.
DDs second audition is next month and she won't stop practising for a moment and trying to get her to do some Maths or English is impossible.
Today she started a project on composers and the era they were from, so a little bit of writing happened.
Oh, you must go, I promise you'll enjoy it and if you have to travel some distance and it fits in, try a lunchtime concert the following day, they are free and very good.

We are hoping that dd's grade 1 clarinet music arrives next week before her lesson, so she can start learning pieces. I think the aim is to work towards an exam in the Autumn term.

I hope she finds pieces that she will enjoy learning. We got her the clarinet music for Frozen for Christmas and I'm not sure we will be able to tear her away from it!

So pleased with her progress in her first term of learning as is her teacher.

DD has her first rehearsal with the senior wind band tomorrow, assuming she gets the go-ahead from her teacher (I think she will as the pieces are sounding good). I'm proud of her as it's quite an achievement in just one term.

DS told me tonight that he wants to play some harder piano pieces but he needs some help. I told him that's what teachers are for!!! (He says he doesn't want lessons).

Ooh, forgot to add, dd has her first experience of playing on a group next week in a local beginners woodwind/brass band.

She was also very excited by the arrival of the school clubs letter on Tuesday as "flute choir" has changed its name to "wind ensemble", she is the only non flute wind player in school so she's hoping to have the honour of an invite!

DD is going to be doing G2 flute and DS2 is going to be doing G2 clarinet. Both in March I think.

DS2 got distinction in G1 (after only two terms of lessons) so hopefully can keep the momentum going.