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.

Did he get on OK? DS2 seems happy, we've just had fish and chips as a reward.

He and his teacher's other pupil were the only two there until 7.00, he was a bit bored by then I think

Mine sloped off at about 6.30, I didn't ask if he waited out his teacher's other G5 candidate. He's happy enough with how it went, he thought his composition went well. The dramatic incident was his propelling pencil running out of lead half way through, fortunately I'd handed him a pencil from the car just before he went in. It's all good experience for GCSEs - take two of everything you think you'll need and a spare pen as well. He's been doing one or two specimen papers each week since forever (that's what it feels like) and it's been months since he turned in a pass so I'm confident that he will have passed.

(Teacher is on the phone now and I'm eavesdropping - he thinks he's done enough for a high merit or a distinction. We will see)

Wolleybear and Theas . I am afraid I am not good with words but I hope you have family and friends around to offer you support.

Raspberry and Ishouldbeweaving we'll done to your Dcs, no matter the outcome which I do think will be the desired one, you must be very proud of them taking a "proper" exam at that level.

I have found new respect for the little ones taking music exams seeing how much effort is invested into one.

We're all set for tomorrow, and to be fair I can't wait till 4 after the exam when I promised dd to take her shopping for a present as a reward for her hard work no matter the outcome. Also I am getting a new toy tomorrow, changing my car . So it all happens tomorrow.

Good luck to your DD tomorrow Fleurdelise. Its lovely to celebrate the effort

Good luck looseattheseams DC for Friday.

and good luck to all other DC with exams, I know there are a few.

We aren't out out the woods yet, Festival and practical exams coming up yet, but enjoying the calm tonight.

Good luck to all the candidates in this session.

A question - how do you organise sheet music? There's a pile on the dining table, coffee table, on the floor next to the instrument case (the dog keeps trying to bury his biscuits in that heap so it's all over the floor). If I stack it all up then I've moved something important and we waste five minutes looking for it. I feel that we're inching towards an episode of "Hoarders".

Good luck everyone - we have another few weeks before DD's exam.

IShould....I got some of those folders with clear levees and try to get pieces 'filed'; open a4 upright boxes for books (sorted by instrument). Occasionally works!

I am picking up dd at 1 from school to take her home, change her clothes and have a quick snack. Wo could have about 15 min time for one last practice.

Shall I ask her to quickly play her pieces or not? I am thinking it would be good to play them once more but also if she makes any mistakes she may be worried.

Do your Dcs practice before exams?

No, it won't make any difference to the outcome and might unsettle her. She might or might not be offered a warm up at the centre, but I wouldn't get her to practise at home.

Thinking of you both, Theas and Woolley.

Thank you Waffle! Sorry for the silly questions

I can't wait for one of those tonight

Theas and Wooleybear - thinking of you and pray that your load will be lightened

Done with the exam, she came out happy, saying the examiner was really nice, she did it all ok, no pieces restart or mistakes. Now waiting time for 2-3 weeks.

Phew, done . She thinks it went ok but while she remembered her scales she said she somehow got the notes in the wrong order! Also she only had 30 secs to prepare sight reading while her teacher had given her a minute in practice. Fingers crossed and good luck to those still to come.

Well done to them both!

It is meant to be 30 seconds with both of the main exam boards, and that's what I always give mine. Looking forward to good news in a few weeks.

I have 5 practical exams at work this time next week, and Mini's flute exam is in 18 days. We've just changed her flute, so she should have time to get used to it.

Glad it went well for them both.

Hope your pupil's exams go well next week.

Ds2's Grade 4 clarinet 3 weeks today, but before then he has the Festival next week and a piano masterclass in a couple of weeks.

They have a school concert after the Festival with the highest places school entry in each category playing. DS2 is the only school woodwind entry in his category so he will definitely be playing, as will DS1. The other solo classes DS2 is entered for are not school entries so they don't qualify.

The only worrying part we had yesterday was that Dd took ages to come out, she was in for about 16 minutes. Myself and the teacher were starting to wonder if she broke down in tears but she came out beaming stating she loves exams

Good luck to those still to come, I hope your experience will be as good!

Well done to all the talents DCs! Fleur it sounds as though your DD had the positive experience she really deserved after all her practice! I expect the examiner was writing lots of nice comments on the form and that's why she was out slightly later.
DS1 was supposed to have taken his drum exam this afternoon but was sick last night and looked awful this morning. I've deferred it till May-July instead, no point playing the drums if you feel sick and dizzy and it just isn't worth getting stressed about exams.

arrgghh! having a minor panic about g5 aural - DS doesn't seem to have done much work on this, and guesses randomly whether a piece is baroque, classical, renaissance, romance or 20th century. Just got the practice book and cd to listen to in the car. Eeek.

So sorry for your DS Loose. I hope he feels better soon!

Howto good luck with the aural it sounds like it is pretty difficult at grade 5.

I did think it took a long time to write the comments in dds exam so wondering if anything went wrong.

Thanks Fleur that's very kind. He is looking much better now he has managed to eat something! I'm slightly worried that he might end with 2 exams next term but they are both percussion-based so actually I don't think it'd be a problem.
Oh and as for the longer time in the exam, we have had that before and nothing bad happened. I was anxious at the time, though, I remember it well!

Hi, can anyone possibly recommend a violin repair in London, dd forced violin into case with shoulder rest on and has snapped the point at the bottom where strings are held together - if that makes sense

ha, miracles do exist. Ds practised today more than he has practised, uh, well, ever in 1 day. He even got me to listen to it! Not familiar with rock school exams but seemed better than I expected..... I did read in his book that aural tests are not just sung but he has to play the tune back on his guitar. Hm, not sure my dd would be able to do that on her piano. She is also sitting grade 3 piano (ABRSM) week after this.

earlychristmas DD had a look at the rockschool syllabus a while back (but didn't like the grade 5 or 6 pieces so we ditched the idea). From what I remember, they're expected to be able to improvise based on scales, and for a student who is comfortable with doing this, playing back a melody shouldn't be too difficult :) good luck to your son and daughter!

DD has played non-stop this weekend as she has been home-recording some of her songs using GarageBand in my iPad, which is a very labour intensive process. Other practice has needless to say been somewhat neglected!

earlychristmas

We are the opposite and dd finally had 2 days where she hasn't practised, isn't it strange how we can ask such different things of our children She has come back will a vengeance though as was looking for more vocal material which seems a never ending battle.
All good suggestions gratefully received.

Memories Cats is good but On my own - Les Mis isn't iyswim, it's the bloody lyrics. Everything seems to be written for much older girls/women and it seems like she has covered all the suitable ones.

Have just been sent this link in an email and wondered if it was any use to those wanting to apply. My dd is in there somewhere.