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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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.

OP posts:
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woolleybear · 11/03/2016 11:37

Exam over here, dd says she made a couple of mistakes in normally her best piece because the piano was going to fast and messed up the aural but all else went well. Does she have to "pass" the aural section to pass the exam? We have had the chat about it doesn't matter if she fails, she won't have to do it again and can just move on etc but I'm not sure she is buying it!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 11/03/2016 11:44

no, she doesn't have to pass that section.

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woolleybear · 11/03/2016 12:18

That's good news, she was also pleasantly surprised to find our she didn't have to play all her scales!

troutsprout · 11/03/2016 12:21

Does anyone ever worry that their Dc practices/ plays too much? As in a bit obsessively?

I've almost posted this before then deleted thinking no I'm being silly .. But I've thought it quite a bit recently and again yesterday evening.
No one else in the family ( her sibling, dh and I) are musical so I don't know if this is what happens if they are just really into it and they reach a certain level and it's just me not 'getting' it
But to me, it seems too much
Anyone?

MirandaWest · 11/03/2016 12:27

Hello - have read this thread before but don't think I've posted. DD did her grade 1 flute earlier this week and thinks it was ok. Roughly how long does it take to get the results? It was associated board. I'm sure when I did exams years ago it took about 6 weeks and wondered if it was any quicker now

raspberryrippleicecream · 11/03/2016 12:36

Yes its quicker than that, I think it was about two weeks for us last year.

MirandaWest · 11/03/2016 12:37

Thank you - may hear before Easter holidays then :)

She thinks she's passed and thinks it might be a merit but isn't too bothered I don't think

Fleurdelise · 11/03/2016 13:14

We got the result in 10 days time last year. I suspect it will take longer this time for us as it is just before Easter.

trout I don't think there is such thing as too much practice. How long does she practice for?

Fleurdelise · 11/03/2016 13:17

Green I have a similar plan, ease off the music if she is choosing the 11+ route, however she will probably auditon for music places also so I'll try to give academics and music a similar place in her priorities.

Good luck to the DCs waiting for results and to those still to take exams. 1 week till the exam for DD now.

Greenleave · 12/03/2016 19:32

Looking forward to hear more exam result in the coming week/weeks from everyone especially who took one this week!

We had ours done today, not as scary as it was thought, no slipped fingers with scales, sight reading was easy(thanks so the theory exam practice), pieces are ok. Given only prepared for 3 months with couple of weeks holiday I am now only dreaming of a pass! No exam planned for at least a month, for piano we will play some easy songs for fun for few weeks. Violin will be serious again from next monday lesson. And will carry on with theory although no plan for exam yet!

Good luck everyone for any exam coming, especially little Fleur for grade 3 piano also the coming week

Fleurdelise · 12/03/2016 19:54

Glad to hear all went as expected Green! Future plan sounds good, especially the playing for fun pieces. DD already has a list of "fun pieces" lined up for after the exam. Smile

Original poster
Wafflenose · 12/03/2016 19:54

Well done to Mini Green, and I look forward to hearing the result. Good luck to musicmom Jr, and little Fleur for this week.

My four recorder Initial pupils ended up with a pass (2 marks off a merit), two merits and a distinction. A very special little 8 year old got a merit for Grade 3 Recorder, just two terms after sitting Grade 1. We also have Grade 3 Clarinet pencilled in for her for next term, and she might audition for NCO in the autumn. I have an adult taking Grade 1 Clarinet on Tuesday - she only started lessons at the beginning of this term, and has worked really hard.

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Greenleave · 12/03/2016 20:34

Yes, I'd say its doable especially if the person/child has a right attitude and willing to work(hard) for it. The thing is, there are some important techniques do need more time to absorb though, especially with piano. We had a very long grade 1-2, must be too over prepared so it was slightly easier for g3.

My daughter also passed her swimming test this morning, she has 2 more classes before running out of amateur classes for children to learn, cant believe 3 years ago she was so scared of water and now she loves it. She could now jump into the water and swim for 100m nonstop for all styles. I am thinking of hiring a private tutor after running out of classes, someone to supervise her for about 30mins lesson each week

Fleur: all the best!!! The fun/easy songs sounds ver appealing!!!

We need to upgrade our very old yamaha especially after the little sister made a little damage to it(long story). I cant really get one now as there is no guarantee she will leave it alone(baby stays with the nanny in the house during weekdays) even though we know it impacts technique and also the sound is bad

Mistigri · 12/03/2016 22:05

trout when DD started playing guitar, aged 11, she played up to 8 hours a day. I'm not kidding! It actually shouldn't be possible to play guitar that much (I play too and my fingers would wear away). At weekends she can still play up to 3-4 hours a day, though not continuously - she messes around learning or writing new songs. She is recording for her radio show tomorrow so she will most likely do at least 2-3 hours.

She never actually "practices" though (as in playing the pieces she plays in her guitar class) and she's not nearly as good as she could be (for the amount of time she spends) because she rarely plays anything technically challenging.

Good luck with the exams everyone!

raspberryrippleicecream · 12/03/2016 22:10

Hope exams going well for people. Well done for getting all your pupils through Waffle.

Our Festival finished tonight . DS2 added another 2nd place with school in open choirs, not placed in another one. On Friday night DS1 and DD played in the school dance band, and won the Concert Band class, with an Outstanding, all 3 DC play in the Music Service band and came joint second.

Final class this morning was the Chorister solo. DS2 won with a Distinction, bringing his total to 5 firsts, 5 seconds from 11 classes.

The icing on the cake has been the award of a scholarship for most promising young singer. Which stunned us all!

raspberryrippleicecream · 12/03/2016 22:18

Next week we have concerts, school's Festival concert, DS2s Chorister instrumental concert, and DS1 has an orchestra concert.

Grade 8s approaching fast the week after for 2 oldest!

Musicmom1 · 12/03/2016 22:23

Raspberry - Wow!!! What amazing performances/results and ESP your DS2. And what stamina too!

Well done Waffle! Are you all done?

Good luck to examinees and festival performers alike.

raspberryrippleicecream · 12/03/2016 22:31

Musicmom thanks. He fitted in a Maths challenge day yesterday and a Piano masterclass this afternoon too! Think it's a good job its not a choir day tomorrow.

troutsprout · 12/03/2016 22:34

Oh thank Gawd Misti ... I was seriously starting to think..omg ! she's the only one!! Grin
That's exactly it... It's hours!
She goes from clarinet to keyboard and back again. It's not always practice as such.. More like she's mucking about ...playing with it I guess. So similar to your girl.
More at weekends...(plus she is at music school one of those days.) Her mouth hurts at the weekends.
She does some parts over and over and over.. And she makes up bits and she records it and listens and does it again. This is the bit that seems quite intense and a bit obsessive to me Hmm
I told her to stop last night at about 8pm because we live in a terrace and I feel bad for the neighbours.
My gut feeling is that it is something I need to keep my eye on. It seems unusual when I talk to other parents. Her sibling has an asd dx and sometimes when it comes to her music, I wonder about her too tbh.

troutsprout · 12/03/2016 22:39

Wow Raspberry.. Amazing achievements!
Good luck to everyone waiting for results

Original poster
Wafflenose · 12/03/2016 23:01

Not quite, Musicmom - Grade 1 Clarinet (nice and very able adult) on Tuesday.

OP posts:
Greenleave · 12/03/2016 23:58

Misti: its amazing at that age and they already grow a serious passionate and willing to work hard for it

Raspberry: your ds2 results are amazing!

Mistigri · 13/03/2016 08:55

trout my DD is not obsessive about it in that perfectionist way, I can see why you might find it a bit much. It's more of an expressive thing for DD, or just plain "having fun". If anything she is not perfectionist enough especially when it comes to public performances (she relies too heavily on the fact she she performs better under stress).

Icouldbeknitting · 13/03/2016 10:04

Gosh Raspberry "most promising young singer" eh? I'm proud and I don't even know them!

DS is away on a county residential this weekend so I'm going out for lunch with just my husband later on. It's a thing that never happens and I'm looking forward to it. I will have a big sticky pudding as I don't have to set a good example today.

Rumour has it that there's a school concert coming up although DS was a bit vague on the date. No change there then.

troutsprout · 13/03/2016 10:45

Yes .. It's def a perfectionist thing.. Oh well .. It's obviously something I DO need to think about. Confused Thanks for your help anyway Misti