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Original poster

New Year Music and Musicians Thread

991 replies

Wafflenose · 04/01/2016 13:46

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.

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SuspendedinGaffa · 07/03/2016 13:48

Thanks Fleur Smile

Good luck to Howabout's, Woolleybear's and Greenleave's DC - fingers crossed for good exam experiences all round.

Also good luck to Raspberry's DSs - as a new convert to festivals, I hope they both do very well and enjoy their performances.

Musicmom1 · 07/03/2016 15:09

Good luck too to this week's examinees.

DD did a really lovely festival this weekend - 6 classes and a whole day, so v tiring but great judges. We watched a lot of other classes and I think the immediate and do constructive feedback is really helpful. Two 1sts, 3 2nds and a 3rd for DD so she was v happy, and it reflected how much she had worked for it (far more than for next week's exam!!)

LooseAtTheSeams · 07/03/2016 15:53

Just wanted to add to the good luck messages - hope the DCs have a good experience in the exams and best of luck to the festival players as well!
I have my piano lesson tonight and have done hardly any practice - too busy chivvying everyone else! Need to go and concoct some scales...

Icouldbeknitting · 07/03/2016 15:57

Good luck to everyone with exams on the horizon.

raspberryrippleicecream · 07/03/2016 17:03

SuspendedinGaffa I've just worked out this will be my 10th as a parent. The first one was DD in Y2 in Infant Action Songs.

Greenleave · 07/03/2016 20:43

Thank you everyone!

Also can I pls ask a question, one of my daughter issues is her "feeling the pulse" isnt good, what would improve it?

Is it anything to do with our old yamaha piano? Will getting a new/good one help? I am thinking only getting a new one once she is learning for g5 however if it helps then we could get her a new one sooner

Greenleave · 07/03/2016 21:07

Well, silly question in some panicking moments, anyway got the tutor text tonight for this question:

"A new piano will not help with the pulse or rhythm. It doesn't depend on an instrument. Sense of pulse is one of the musicianship skills (only developed by listening, rhythmic exercises - clapping the pulse, even dancing to music!). A new piano will certainly help with sound production and piano technique"

Musicmom1 · 07/03/2016 21:45

Greenleave have you thought of finding a Dalcroze class - very good (and fun) for developing those sorts of skills.

Greenleave · 07/03/2016 22:17

Musicmom: awhh, thank you, just google it and it sounds fun, the only one near us (Richmond) is for 2-7s, she is already 8, might be too old to join

howabout · 08/03/2016 09:37

Green I don't think it is at all unusual to have to work at keeping a steady pulse. DD1 has control freak tendencies and she still shouts at the metronome because it refuses to keep time with her.

We have a proper ancient manual metronome but there are lots of cool free apps with monsters etc to keep time with.

Greenleave · 08/03/2016 12:07

Howabout: we know that it has always been an issue with her, a steady pulse, feel it, keep it awwww!!!( I cant even do it and most of the time tell whether it was correct as I am nonmusical so its so hard to help her).

We have the most basic apps on our iphones however we hardly have time with her during her practice so it doesnt help. Her another problem is she memorises all notes, she has a very good memory which helps her to learn the piece real fast now we find it so hard on playing them nicely too...memorising notes also causing issues with sight reading awhhh!!!(her learning is good, she learns music theory so fast)

Mistigri · 08/03/2016 12:12

Green I think some people do just find this easier than others (it's not a strong point for me whereas it seems completely natural to my daughter).

I wonder if some "complementary" activities like dance or singing might help? I think my daughter's strong sense of rhythm was partly developed by an intensive period of playing rhythm guitar as an accompaniment to her singing.

Greenleave · 08/03/2016 12:21

Mistigri: inherited from both parents she loves singing however has (terrible)voice... Yes, I will look around for dancing(might be tap dance) in our area at weekends...thank you!

SuspendedinGaffa · 08/03/2016 12:24

MusicMom1 very well done to your DD! That's an amazing set of results! I believe DS was at the same festival - and yes, we also really appreciated the immediate and supportive comments from the adjudicators. The other thing that stood out for me was the warm rounds of applause for each competitor at the end of their performance and again once each mark and feedback had been delivered. Even my 10 year old commented on how friendly and helpful the other competitors were. Good luck to your DD for her exam next week - hopefully she is really motivated following that clutch of wins!

Raspberry - 10 festivals - I think it will take quite a few years until I can match that number! DS is entered into one other festival this year, and then we relocate to NZ in September where opportunities to compete and perform, at least in the place to which we are headed, appear to be extremely limited. Mind you, I have two little ones behind DS so plenty of years yet to hone my expertise. (From Festival 1 I have learnt to write the composer's name on the music so that my son doesn't do guppy impersonations when asked for the information).

I am having to enter DS for his G3 Trumpet exam outside the auspices of his school next term since the peripatetic staff have all just been informed that a special AB visit is not being arranged as is previous years. At least this gives us the freedom of choosing between ABRSM and Trinity, which both schedule exams in local venues. Without opening a can of worms concerning the relative merits of the examining boards, does anyone have any views as to which repertoire and technical requirement for the trumpet might be more interesting / fun / better?

Original poster
Wafflenose · 08/03/2016 14:02

Well done to Musicmom's DD, that's fantastic!

Goo has Grade 5 Flute tomorrow. She is tired from a trip to Cardiff last night (we went to see the BBC Young Musician Woodwind Final, and loved it!) but I know she'll just get on with it. Once her homework is handed in... that's been left until the last minute this week!

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drummersmum · 08/03/2016 22:09

Good luck everyone.
Waffle, any idea when BBC young musician will first be televised? I can't find it anywhere.

FiveHoursSleep · 09/03/2016 08:22

DD1 got her double bass result from her exam on 27th Feb. Her teacher rang her last night to say she got a high merit ( 127) for her Grade 5.
Everyone is thrilled because she suffers terribly with nerves ( only justpassed G4 and broke down in tears a dozen times).
This time she only cried once and although I put it down to more regular practice, DD thinks it was the entire packet of rescue remedy she necked before the exam. :)

drummersmum · 09/03/2016 08:52

Very nice result for her, Five. Well done. This will hopefully boost her confidence which will help with nerves.

Fleurdelise · 09/03/2016 10:56

Well done to your DD Five! Very good results! Dd's teacher told me that one of her other students (which we know as her lesson ends as Dd's begins so sometimes we chat with the mum also) broke down in tears before and during her exam and had to restart a piece multiple times. I felt so sorry as she worked so hard, she couldn't wait to do the exam. Sad

Green thinking of you this weekend, good luck, I am sure she'll do fantastic!

Good luck to all the DCs taking exams or participating in festivals, I hope their hard work pays back with great results.

Icouldbeknitting · 09/03/2016 11:11

Musicmom1 what an impressive set of results. The more they perform the easier it gets, it's then not just about standing in front of an examiner in a grade exam.

Raspberry - ten festivals? you deserve a medal. I thought I was due a veteran's award for seven year's music school Christmas concerts but clearly I am but a novice.

SuspendedinGaffa I'd look at the requirements for both boards and see which suit your son better. Both of the syllabuses are on line, settle down with a cup of tea and compare and contrast. I remember it as the exam with James Bond in it (Trinity)

Fivehourssleep sometimes they are fine until you put them in front of a stranger. If she thinks RR saved the day then that's what she needs for next time.

Best wishes with the flute exam today Waffle

Musicmom1 · 09/03/2016 14:01

fiveHours - great result; I love the double bass!

Waffle - good luck today; we are Tuesday....

Re DD's results -thank you! We had a lot of fun but was seriously tiring.

Suspended -were you in W? Have you looked at Leamington Spa - lots of classes for different genres etc and supposed to be really nice again.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 09/03/2016 20:49

Good luck to Mini Green, and to everyone else with exams this week. I have five pupils entered for Trinity recorder exams tomorrow (four Initial and a Grade 3) and one with ABRSM next week (Grade 1 Clarinet - an adult who only started in January).

drummersmum I think it is televised in April and May. We were way up in the circle... about 3-4m from where the presenters were discussing the finalists in between items.

Goo was very glum after her exam, according to her dad and flute teacher. But the teacher has just rung and said she scored 93% with Trinity, so way above the required mark for a distinction! She got full marks in scales, sight reading and aural, after telling me she'd made mistakes in all three. I am never buying into her drama again! I think it's an amazing achievement, 7 days after getting jaw-altering blocks braces and taking the Theory exam. Surreptitiously crossing my fingers for another distinction in that! So it's been a really, really busy week, and Goo has come through it all like the trooper she is.

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Musicmom1 · 09/03/2016 21:06

Waffle - Very well done Goo - great talent and resilience obviously! How was Strings Day? Did Roos go yo Strings day? - we are booked into the single reed day if DD doesn'thave a concert - are they worth the trek?

Greenleave · 09/03/2016 21:22

Five: great result, very weldone!

Fleur: tks, will let you know how it goes

Waffle: Goo is truly talented, she might be one of a perfectionist who never see anything less than 100% is good enough, that attitude will help her to be success!!!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 09/03/2016 21:35

Musicmom Rara loved strings day - she is very shy, but joined in everything and spoke to somebody new. Goo and I took the chance to look around the cathedral and the shop, then we had dinner in the cathedral restaurant before driving on to NCO.

I think that if Goo isn't happy with performances resulting in full marks, she must be expecting 112% like Hermione in Harry Potter!

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