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.

take3 we were also on 23 march and still waiting - hopefully next week - good luck

Ds (7) had his grade 3 violin today and I obviously have no idea how it went overall . I do know he made a mistake in one piece (something like starting to play 1st time bar, when should have been on second time bar) that he quickly put right. He also asked to redo a scale that he said he hadn't played right! Does anyone know how these obvious mistakes are likely to affect his marks?? I really, really wanted him to do well - he deserves to and is very capable of it!!!

Well done to all with results!

Sympathy to all still waiting.

Kaputkiss that seems a really early exam, or is it the end of the Spring session? I'm sure he did really well.

DS2s singing teacher has just suggested he audition for the National Youth Choir, he isn't keen so I haven't pursued it, but does anyone have any experience of it?

It's end of spring term exam. He did an end of summer term exam at the end of August last year too! Ds always sees his big sister doing so well at school and in music exams, I would love him to gain some confidence from doing brilliantly himself! The annoying thing is his pieces have been 'perfect' for a while and last week he started making a mistake and then did the mistake in the exam ! Oh well, what will be, will be.

We got the result - distinction (133) so dd (8) is thrilled.

worth the wait take3, great result!

Great result take3!

Congratulations take3, it was certainly worth waiting for.

Shedding the resident brass player was still in velcro shoes at grade 5, it was something he struggled with as he's left handed and we aren't.

MiniWaffle learned to tie her shoelaces when she was 5. Baby still can't at nearly 7, and in all other respects is the more coordinated of the two!

Will start a new thread tomorrow, for the summer term. I won't forget, because it's my birthday too!

They are all so different, aren't they? Mini learned to tell the time when she was 4, but couldn't swing herself on a swing until she was 8!!

Pretty sure Ds can't tie shoelaces!! He does struggle with concentration and has found school tough (especially compared to dd), which is why I wanted the exam to go well for him so much!
So, do we think it's ok that he redid the scale or do you think he'll be penalised for it?? I assume he may lose some marks for going wrong in his piece - does anyone have experience of this? Torturing myself!

Happy birthday Wafflenose, here it's a lovely sunny day ideal for showing off birthday cards.

Happy Birthday from me too, Wafflenose. Not quite so nice here but better than the snow yesterday!

Kaput remember he will also get marks for everything he did right so don't dwell on what didn't go so well. Was it Trinity or ABRSM?

Thanks Ishould and Raspberry - sweet of you!

My dc did violin g2 a couple of weeks ago and we await the result. I think he did mess up one scale so I did wonder how much impact that will have but dh was listening in (you can hear in the waiting room) and is sure he will have passed at least and that it all sounded pretty good.

Now awaiting the results - the ABRSM site says from the 17th...

It has been stressful for us this term, trying to get miss 8 through her grade 5 theory exam. Anyway - she get her result yesterday - and passed! Now she is all go for her grade 6 sax later this year. She knows her pieces really well, but is struggling with the scales as she isn't used to melodics yet.

Just updating that Ds got a distinction in grade 3 violin!

Hi All -

Could I just ask if anyone knows when Trinity send out their certificates for the Spring (March) exams? We haven't received ours yet but have got certificate for Associated Board, so I'm thinking they should have been sent out by now?

Thanks.

Hi, we usually get ours around June, for March exams.

Oh gosh, that's late! Thanks Wafflenose.

The summer term is the worst... at my school, the exams usually take place in early or mid June, then the certificates get sent to the school and just sit there until someone gets round to sorting them out in mid September. By which time, the children have forgotten all about the exam!