Summer Term Music, Musicians and Music Exams thread

[Wafflenose]

Hello again everyone! I know not everyone in the UK has gone back to school yet, and some of you are overseas, but term here starts today, so it's time for a new thread. Please post away about your children, your own musical studies or any questions about music exams/ learning an instrument generally. We have a helpful and experienced bunch of people here to answer queries or reassure you.

I have MiniWaffle, who is 9, and BabyWaffle who is 6. Mini has passed Grade 5 Recorder and Grade 4 Flute, and also plays some trumpet, piano and ukulele. Baby has passed Grade 1 Recorder and Initial Cello, and tinkers with the piano (when it's not in the repair shop...)

This term for exams, we have Grade 3 Theory (Mini) - as a warm-up for Grade 5 which will hopefully take place next year - and Grade 1 Cello (Baby). Both in June. I am doing Grade 2 Xylophone for the NCO Parents' Challenge! We have been challenged to learn an instrument unrelated to our proper ones, and I'm really a clarinettist.

Loved the NYO Prom on Sat and v proud of a special ex-pupil who was playing.

Yes! To recommending Pro Corda - she's done this v happily in the past.

Hello everyone. I hope those on summer holidays are having a nice time.

Mini is practising hard for her course, which starts on Sunday. She's excited, but also utterly convinced that everyone else is going to be much better than her, because she's still getting to grips with some of the harder pieces. She really has tried though.

I also have some good news - she finished the Grade 4 Theory book today! Any of you who 'know' her will realise what a big thing this is. She's currently being very difficult, drags her feet and finds a reason to kick off about it every single day. Tomorrow we'll do a past paper just to check, and then we'll move on to Grade 5 (finally!!) when she gets back from her course.

I did look in to entering her for Grade 5 this term, and absolutely would if she didn't have to go to school! I think, though, that the next book is 56 pages long, so will take at least a term if she's just doing it at weekends, then she probably needs to do 6-8 practice papers, and spend a few weeks revising and learning all the terms and signs. So we have decided on March - still earlier than I would have thought until recently.

So it looks like our exam schedule for the next little while might be:
Autumn - Grade 6 Recorder (Mini)
Grade 2 Recorder (Baby)
Spring - Grade 5 Theory (Mini)
Grade 1 Theory (Baby) - obviously no need, but she is really keen and I can think of worse ideas than having her go in to her first formal exam with her big sister there to reassure her.

Summer - Grade 5 Flute (Mini) - she is almost there, but obviously has the important recorder and theory exams coming up, and is probably getting braces in the winter too - eek!
Grade 2 Cello (Baby)

Brilliant news about the theory Waffle. She'll probably find it much easier now she has gained momentum.

DS2 is doing a Jazz Music School for a couple of days this week and having a great time, I think.

DS1 got his AS results today (did well) so I can look ahead to next term now.

Next term DS2 is doing his Gold RSCM award and has decided against Grade 5 trombone, he is just going to move forward.

DS1 is thinking about doing tuba Grade 8 in Spring, and I think DD is doing Grade 8 sax then too, and DS2 will do Grade 5 Jazz Clarinet. Plus its our local festival so will be a very busy term.

And next summer will be extra-curricular exam free I think!

I think DS2 is unlikely to get to G7 piano next year

Oh gosh, I forgot about our festival next term as well! Hopefully my two can play bits from their recorder exams and their latest fun stuff too, so that I don't need to give it too much thought. I need to crack on with arranging group music this term though. And Mini will have her NCO audition in a couple of months. I haven't even thought about that yet.

Well done to your eldest! Is he going to study music at university?

Ah, have just seen it was AS results, so presumably Year 12!

Yes, only Y12. And no, he isn't doing A level Music or hoping to study music, its strictly extra-curricular for him.

He is hoping to do Physics, apparently there is a strong connection to music.

I asked if he would look to join music groups at Uni, he said it would depend on who was playing in them!

At some point we'll have G8 piano for DH and a diploma for DS (I've just spent nearly £80 on music for that so it seems very real at the moment). I'm hoping that the two don't overlap - I can dream. He's waiting on an audition result but that's not due until the end of the year, we had a regional audition early in the process and there are a few more still to run.

Eek at the cost of grade 8 and a diploma! I hope they don't end up being in the same session!

Grade 4 theory paper done today, just to check. She got 92% and lost 4 of the marks on a topic she HATES (grouping of notes and rests). She is super hot on scales and intervals though, which is useful.

We are starting to pack for the course today, as tomorrow is looking busy.

Waffle, the bad news is the music was just for the diploma, £77 I think it was. We've been working with his teacher's music and I think that's what he'll use in the exam (breath marks and all) but at least we'll have an original set in the room. I think that it will work out with the diploma in the winter session and the G8 into next year. This is based on DS being a lot more ready than DH and also because it's his GCSE year so I think he'll have enough on in the summer.

I hope the course goes well, the first time DS went away I found it very challenging. I heard some of the seat auditions on the day I dropped him off and they were frighteningly good. I spent the first few days worrying that he was going to struggle but of course he did no such thing. If they weren't good enough then they wouldn't be there. I had a three day fret and he had a wonderful time.

Raspberry what jazz course is your DS2 doing? You can pm me if you want. When I look for summer courses for DS I never seem to find many possibilities yet all children in this thread seem super busy! It must all happen outside London...

Hello all hope the summer is going well.

Waffle - DD is the same re the course next week; she has had to learn grade. 6 scales (she has only done G3) and there are some real technical challenges in the pieces. But she has worked hard even if we are not near perfect. Hopefully they will have a great week although I do expect a v tired child at the end! We also had a crisis as I didn't realise there would be a two mo th waiting list for an instrument service - so we have had to hire one as hers had keys sticking etc etc. yet again I show ,y lack of musically knowledge!

Next term - G5 Clainet plus did starts with our City's children's chorus. We are going to go straight to g7 cello next year sometime but will much depend on how much school/ entrance exam work ramps up in yr 5. And of course NCO audition.

We are far away from London, drummersmum. It is a local non LA music centre specialising in Jazz. Its only £10 a day for 2 days, they got funding, so its been ideal. Its actually cost more in petrol as its 20 miles away twice a day. They have combined it with a fundraising concert, so DS stayed on yesterday evening for a rehearsal with the regulars and the Jam
will be tonight.

Waffle I reckon its school teaching your DD to read music that's spurred her on!

Musicmom1 Mini is far from perfect, and certainly not fast enough in some passages, but has tried so hard. I hope that's going to be enough. She has done so well in other areas too - her theory is coming along at a good pace finally, she did a weeklong swimming course and passed her Silver, Gold and half of her Honours in 5 mornings, and she has just been shortlisted in a writing competition. Then she and her little sister cooked dinner last night! She has had a lot of downtime too, which she always needs, as well as a lot of sleep. She's always had a lot of interests, but I think she will love the course once she gets over being away from home and starts to make friends.

Raspberry PMSL!!! They did so well to teach her to read music and get her to Grade 1 Trumpet in a year, didn't they? Particularly as the trumpet has not been out of the case at home since December.

Thanks Raspberry
it seems to me there is more going on if you're far away from London.
I am just listening to DS practice a Mozart sonata on the piano and my eyes are tearing. What treats our children give us.

Drummersmum, I've assumed there must be masses going on in London!

We are very far north in a rural county, an hour and half away from any music conservatoire/Saturday school type place. Perhaps it means local groups thrive more because they have to create opportunities?

If we lived within the M25 I would investigate this for DS2.

And yes, every now and then the practice and the driving round and the arguments (and the money spent) all fall into place and it is magical!

Many thanks Raspberry, it looks great, we may check that out if DS is willing to drop another thing he does Saturdays for which he gets pocket money and professional experience... there's not enough time in the week! :)
BTW there's no masses going on in London in the summer and some like Guildhall Jazz are insanely expensive. DS did a week of orchestral work in a school in East London two years ago but it took kids of all levels and it would not be challenging enough for him now.

Hi Swarskicat,

Theory is very boring for every student! So, I am not surprised about your daughter.

You may probably be interested in my new music method (Brainarm), as it provides theory starting from composing immediately, and not vice versa. Moreover it allows to express oneselves without knowing neither theory nor technique and bring hidden music out! Have a look to www.brainarm.com!

I am a professional pianist and composer, so I can provide also traditional theory and piano lessons.

The trial lesson is free of charge if you go on then. Completely free if you first come to my place.