New Year Music and Musicians Thread

[Wafflenose]

Morning all, and Happy New Year. I decided it was time for a new music thread too. I really enjoy hearing about what everyone (and their DCs) are up to each term, and it's great to hear from new posters too.

I have two DDs. Goo (10) - the child previously known as MiniWaffle. She's not very mini any more... she's 4'10" and catching up with me. Anyway, she plays the recorder, flute, piccolo and a bit of piano when it occurs to her. She is doing Grade 5 Theory and possibly Grade 5 Flute (if the new teacher deems her ready) this term. Next recorder exam will be Grade 7, but possibly not for about 18 months! Am hoping the new flute teacher will also do a bit of piano with her... we'll see.

And Rara (7) - previously known as BabyWaffle - plays the recorder and cello. I was thinking of putting her in for Grade 1 Theory, but she's not keen, so we'll wait. She is in the blissfully calm position of no exams this term - yay!

We all have the local music festival next month. I think Goo is doing 11 Classes, and Rara about 7 (plus possibly helping with some percussion parts). I have 27 groups, pairs and individuals entered, so am going to be busy for the next month or so.

Thanks Rasberry! Good luck to your DC's at your music festival too xx

disorganised, in our case FWIW, over the years the issue of DS (Year 9) attending Saturday music academy has popped up again and again. It was recently mentioned again by one of his teachers. The reason it has not happened and may never happen is:

• he is so involved in the music of his school - two classic orchestras, three jazz ensembles, choir, plays, etc - there really is no point in adding one more ensembre or one more orchestra to his life. However, you say the music department at your DS school is not well set up, so yours may be a different case.
• it's definetely not cheap. Luckily, DS already gets some of his music tuition covered by a music scholarship at his school. A no brainer in terms of cost.
• the homework really increases in secondary school. Combined with the amount of extracurriculars he is involved in, family time is almost nonexistent right now. And GCSEs are around the corner.

Having said all this, if he came to me and said he really wanted to do it, I'd shut up and try to make it happen for him. That's for sure.

If we hadn't had the chance of him going to his school at 11, we may have considered boarding specialist school although I'd never be able to afford it without a bursary, and the ida of sending DS off really turned my insides upside down and sank my serotonin to below zero.

In your case, saturday school may be an option. I would not be put off by the level of other players. There are things in music that cannot be measured in grades.

drummersmum

I know all the music schools are different, but if it's a school that attracts MADS this is neither a scholarship or a bursary and is a bit fairer for all wrt fees.
Fees are paid on a sliding scale dependant on income with allowances for other dependant children in the family.
I know of cases where the school have ended up paying the parents
It works out about the same as what we were paying for lessons, transport, tickets etc before she joined the school.
If you earn under 20k you have all fees paid, uniform, transport to and from school etc.

MADS is great, newlife4me, you're right. A small miracle in these times, and I hope they keep it going.
Hope your daughter is blossoming.

drummersmum

She absolutely loves it, that's all I can say really.
A few teething problems initially more so with academic work, but she's getting there now
As you can imagine I hated her not being here at first, but have got used to that now.
The holidays are long too and she is still on half term, 2 full weeks.
Then less than 4 weeks until Easter.

Pardon my ignorance but what is MADS?

MADS, is a government scheme for talented musicians and singers and is available to anyone who has a g&T child who attends one of the schools.
There are approx 8 of them throughout the UK.
It makes it fairer for children whose parents may not earn so much.
Everybody is assessed for the scheme on entry to the school and you receive help with fees right up to 190k earnings.
I'll pm link to dd school then you can see how much you'd be expected to pay.

I meant dancers not singers, excuse my drugged state, I'm full of cold and had lots of medication

This may help others thinking of the specialist schools.
www.gov.uk/music-dance-scheme

NewLife can I also please have the PM with your Dd's school link so I can understand the fees? Thank you!

I'm not sure the link I posted worked, if you click on the above the listed schools take you to the exact page you need.

Fleur: wish we could swap, I do feel like we need another couple of weeks to be ready

Newlife,thanks very much for the link and info. We're down south (South East) so feel that that school is too far away. We're looking at Purcell which is much closer and would mean that ds could come home at weekends. They do the scheme there too.

Their min grade requirement is grade 5 for violin which I would think would be the case at most schools. We're planning on looking round it at their open day in October. Ds is currently grade 4. Would you say he should be at grade 5 by then or ideally a little past it,working towards grade 6??

If it is feasible financially we would be looking for ds to go from year 7 or 8. He is now year 5. It's so hard to know what to do for the best. The London Saturday music schools would leave him with virtually no down time as Sunday's are taken up with the 2 county orchestras that he plays in.

Thank you NewLife! Silly question: the income stated in the link, is it before or after tax? Also when you apply what documentation they want to see? Pay slips, employer letter?

Green I am sure your DD will do great! I do wish we could swap also though as I want her to move on, already got the books for the next step in her music development as suggested by her teacher, she'll add Bartok to her technical exercises next to Burgmuller and Czerny and play more Bach some Tchaikovsky, and whatever else she may decide on the way.

Fleur: after this exam we will do some none exam and deep in technique practices too, my tutor also suggested playing more Bach, hopefully it would be a nice break(or for someone like me thinking of skipping grade 4 as we are quite bored of doing every single grade-sat pre-grade also)

Fleur

I kept last years in my file I'll check documentation, but off top of my head.

We are small business and had to send everything.

If you didn't read all the school stuff there are allowances for any other dependants. Not sure how much because we only have dd dependant now.

disorganised

I think they are pretty similar tbh, it's Wells that seems a bit different as it offers scholarships for other things than music.

You learn something new everyday there is assistance for Art, photography.
I hadn't seen this before, nor did I realise how many centres also attracted support.

Green we're in the same boat, not sure what brings next, if she'll do grade 4 or skip it and do 5 later on. No rush, Dd's teacher seems to think there isn't a huge jump between grade 3 and 4 with regards to pieces so she said she'll see how she's progressing, she'll decide later on if it is worth doing or skip to grade 5.

NewLife thank you for your advice, in think we may give it a go as one of the schools in on our door step (20 min away) so it would be a shame not to. Probably for entry into year 7, she's year 4 now, she seems to be on track to achieve the level suggested in piano.

Now my other question: I know that having more than one instrument is an advantage, DD sings but not seriously, just school choir and always singing around the house. Would I have to hire a teacher to get it more serious? Would another instrument give her more of a chance? What is your experience, which instruments is your DD playing? Sorry, I am sure you stated before, but if you don't mind repeating the info I would appreciate it.

Also when you say there are allowances for other dependants I assume it is regardless of what they do, by this I mean the other dependants don't have to be in a music school? We also have DS who would be going into 6th form as she enters secondary school.

Gosh, I should just email the school with all these questions, shouldn't I?

No it's fine, happy to help.

It just means it doesn't cost you as much, they disregard a certain amount.
I may have seen over a thousand/ maybe 2k for other dependants, but I may be dreaming that bit
No, it doesn't matter what school they attend, it's to appreciate you have another mouth to feed.
I remember they look at savings but strangely don't count tax credits as income, but need the info.

I'll pm you when I get off backside and find last years notes.
You have 3 bills per year August, January and not sure now with Easter being soon. Probably beginning of next term.

Thank you! I've inboxed you!

Goo did her last practice paper for her Grade 5 Theory today, and scored 99%! She made a slip with one of the chords, and said it was a Vc rather than Vb, but seems very happy and prepared. She just hasn't had time to learn the foreign words from the Grade 4 and 5 books (she did learn all the earlier ones) so I hope not too many come up. I've told her to take an educated guess if they do. She also gets her braces on Wednesday, so it's going to be quite a big day really!

Hasn't March come round quickly? I remember the theory exam being AGES away and then suddenly here it is.

Waffle

Well done to Goo, she does sound well prepared, Good luck. Let us know as soon as she has passed I should say distinct not passed

Dd has grade 2 Piano coming up soon and will take grade 5 theory in October.
I thought she'd be one of the last ones to take it, but there's quite a lot in her year yet to take it, and some even older.
It seems strange to be away from the pressure of preparing for exams but dd likes it. She will do exams, but not each one, and only one per year varying instruments. So might not do another Piano exam for a couple of years and whichever one she's ready for iyswim. They only get about a month to practice pieces but they are taught to be ready.

So sorry for the hijack above btw.