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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

Autumn Term Music and Musicians Thread

322 replies

Wafflenose · 02/09/2015 09:47

Hello everyone!

I know not everyone is in the UK, but my children went back to school today, and I have found that having a new thread every few months works well. The school terms sort-of coincide with music exam sessions here - I will shortly start preparing the pupils that I plan to enter for November/ December.

As there are quite a few people reading/ posting on these threads, I would find it really helpful if people could remind us what children they have, how old they are, and what they play. If you don't mind, of course! Please feel free to ask questions and talk about your own learning too!

I'm Waffle and I'm a teacher of woodwind - mostly recorders these days. I have Mini who is 9 and plays the recorder and flute properly, and a bit of piano, trumpet and ukulele for fun. She is a member of South West Music School and NCO. I also have Baby who is 7 and plays the recorder and cello, and would like to play the piano.

For exams this term, Mini is doing Grade 6 Recorder with Trinity, and Baby is doing Grade 2. Next term, they are doing Theory exams - Grades 5 and 1 respectively. I know Grade 1 is utterly unnecessary, but Mini found it helpful to have a practice run by doing her Grade 3, and I can think of worse ideas than sending Baby in for the first time with her big sister. The next Flute and Cello exams will be Grades 5 and 2, but not yet.

I need to change their names at some point - Mini is not mini any more. She is 4'8" and up to my top lip. Baby is clearly 7, so I need to think again.

OP posts:
UhtredRagnorsson · 26/11/2015 20:30

DD1 now has an offer from birmingham conservatoire to go with her guildhall offer. Which confirms that the guildhall offer wasn't a fluke, so she is currently very happy. :)

raspberryrippleicecream · 27/11/2015 00:02

That's lovely news 'Uhtred'. Does she have a preferred option?

Icouldbeknitting · 27/11/2015 07:20

Uhtred Now your DS is in the difficult position of having a real choice. It's what we aim for as parents isn't it, to try to keep them in that sweet spot where they have a choice rather than having doors slam shut in their faces. Does she have more auditions to do?

UhtredRagnorsson · 27/11/2015 08:05

She has RCM and RAM next week (same day, which isn't ideal).

She won't make a decision till after she knows the outcome of those auditions.

Musicmom1 · 27/11/2015 08:37

Uhtred - well done to your DD! What a lovely position to be in and to go into the final auditions with. Must be super talented and hard working. Good luck for the remainder.

raspberryrippleicecream · 28/11/2015 10:00

DS2 has passed his Gold RSCM award with Honours, 142 out of 150. Very proud of him!

Good luck to all in the middle of exams/waiting for results.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 28/11/2015 10:56

Well done to him! What an amazing mark.

Exams start here on Tuesday. Mini and Baby have theirs on December 9th.

OP posts:
UhtredRagnorsson · 28/11/2015 12:12

Well done to raspberry's DS. DD2 has her exam on December 12. DD1 has her final auditions next Friday.

Musicmom1 · 28/11/2015 16:02

Raspberry - amazing result! Well done to him.

Icouldbeknitting · 29/11/2015 13:59

Raspberry what a fantastic result, well done that DS.

G8 this week, diploma next week, band jobs left, right and centre.

Helenluvsrob · 30/11/2015 11:11

Well done all the DC esp Rasp !
Uhtred does yuour DC know which they favour yet? THe new build at Bham conservatoire is going to be amazing.

DD2 has grade 7 singing on Wed. She appears to have developed the concentration span of a gnat on acid. Hope it gets better before then!

drummersmum · 30/11/2015 16:25

raspberry what a great mark. Well done to your DS.

raspberryrippleicecream · 30/11/2015 16:27

Thanks everyone. He also did some beautiful solos at a concert on Friday night. I feel quite sad his treble days are limited! Will enjoy this Christmas

Helenluvsrob · 30/11/2015 23:16

Rasp do record him. I'm sad I don't have a recording of DS.

We went to hear the big kids sing on Sunday and it was fab. I love advent proscession services.

raspberryrippleicecream · 30/11/2015 23:58

So do I, Helen. I was chaperoning ours on Sunday. Lovely. Lots of gorgeous events to look forward to in Advent!

I'm lucky, I've got a couple of recordings, he had a shot at Radio 2 Young Chorister, and though he didn't get anywhere, I got a copy of his entry CD . (Rutter Pie Jesu). And last Friday I recorded him on my phone rehearsing Ave Maria, as there were no restrictions like the Cathedral.

UhtredRagnorsson · 01/12/2015 00:00

DS passed grade 5 theory. I'm pleased amd relieved - it wasn't easy for him (Dyslexic).

raspberryrippleicecream · 01/12/2015 10:36

Well done to him Uhtred

Enb76 · 01/12/2015 10:47

Well done to Uhtred and Raspberry's offspring :)

My daughter has decided to do G1 after all and has picked her pieces.
She's going Arrietta (Clementi), El cant des Ocelles (trad arr. Marshall) and Na krmítku (Eben).

I have no idea when the exam will be.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 01/12/2015 14:05

Congratulations on the Grade 1 Theory!

I accompanied an amazing little clarinet pupil for her exam today. Grade 2, a year to the day after she started, and she's only 8. She was actually due to take Grade 2 in June, but really wanted a Grade 1 certificate! So she did that instead as a little warm up, and predictably got a distinction. Looking forward to doing lots of lovely new pieces with her now.

OP posts:
Shakyisles · 01/12/2015 20:33

It's lovely to hear everyone's news. Congrats on getting accepted into the colleges, Uhtred. Well - your child...you know what I mean.

Miss 9 is practising hard for the high achievers concert. Also both children working very hard at grade 8 scales. They are both hoping to have them mastered over the holidays - which start in a couple of weeks but end for us at the beginning of January. The Pom in me shall never get used to the long summer holidays being over the Christmas break. Or summer fruits for Christmas lunch! Singing Christmas carols in the park in the sunshine also feels wrong but to my kids it's all normal, of course.

LooseAtTheSeams · 02/12/2015 01:03

I've got my G3 piano exam same day as Mini and Baby waffle. I am too old for this! DSs have had one Christmas concert, which was great fun, and two school Christmas concerts to go. No exams for them!

Pradaqueen · 02/12/2015 10:10

Hello everyone! Thanks to this thread and new teachers for violin and piano since last May, miniprada 9 has been inspired and working hard Smile She got distinctions in Grade 1 piano, violin and theory in the Summer sessions so I had to buy her a Gerbil (long story)

She has just received a merit in Grade 3 theory from the November session (missed distinction by 2 marks) and has both Piano and Violin on the 17th of this month. Not ideal, but she broke a finger playing netball three weeks ago so we had to move the piano exam.

Her marvellous violin teacher encouraged her to try for the NCO with some Grade 3/4 pieces so we are waiting for the results in that but we were both delighted by the experience at the Guildhall really even if nothing comes of it. She has also participated in her first music festival and won two honours certs and a silver medal so I really am amazed by the difference in less than 9 months with supportive and encouraging teachers. Thanks to everyone on this thread for sharing such supportive information, you have revolutionised our music not to mention her confidence.

Onwards to Grade 5 say both teachers so this should help her secondary applications in year6 next year Grin

Icouldbeknitting · 02/12/2015 11:27

Pradaqueen it's lovely to hear a success story, obviously the new teachers are a much better match for her learning style. I start to fret two weeks before an exam, I write a "special snowflake" letter to his PE teacher asking for DS to be kept out of goal and away from hard ball sports. What actually happens is that they excuse him altogether and he gets to hang out in the music department for that lesson. I would like to wrap him in cotton wool and pack him away in a box for the last few weeks but it's not a realistic option.

G8 (DH) Friday ("if I fail I can take it again in the summer"), diploma (DS) Monday ("what's for tea?). They represent both ends of the spectrum of exam nerves, I'd like it if one was a bit more laid back and the other less so. No-one should get their results before Christmas so that's good, if it's not a double pass it will not be a Good Thing. I suppose we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Musicmom1 · 02/12/2015 12:10

Prada - interesting that a change of teachers/environment can re-energise in this way. We have a consultation lesson at a JC on sat; DD is already there but needs to switch her outside teacher doe her scone instrument, and seems sensible to see if it could be part of her sat. How old is your DD?

Good luck for nco - there is a thread running; grapevine suggestsresults will start to be posted out on Thursday.

Mistigri · 03/12/2015 07:21

Well done to your DC uhtred and raspberry :)

DD seems to have had so little time recently and practice has inevitably suffered - especially sax which I suspect is going to get dropped in the near future. Piano is going well though, despite limited practice opportunities (due to being a weekly boarder).

She has been doing her end-of-term theory tests over the past 2 weeks, and has scored between 75% and 95% on the various papers, which she is pleased with (she doesn't care what she gets as long as she doesn't have to repeat the year - French conservatoires can be pretty brutal and they will make you repeat, or even chuck you out, if you don't make the grade. She thinks she needs an average of at least 70% to be "safe").