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.

Waffle, you probably already knew this but Goo was well on the way to a distinction with those practice papers! Well done to her.
Prada, Fleur has a point. I'd probably go for the remark to try a get a pass...In the long run, it won't matter whether she got a pass or a merit in her theory, will it? On the other hand, if you think she could benefit from the learning - DS learnt a lot from his theory classes in terms of musicianship - then maybe it's worth resitting and having some extra preparation.

Only 2 marks, its soooo close! I would def ask for a remark then the choice of resit is up to me. I would tell my daughter that she didnt study for it hard enough, it needs more time. This with hope she wont feel like a failure rather than the fact that she needs more time(and properly works harder and its a very hard exam) which might help with her actually preparation for 11+(a little wake up call with no damage?).

I am also feeling dreadful as we will be in your position in couple of years time. Big hugs from us!!!

Prada - if your DD is applying for scholarships etc, then I would get a remark, as they will probably ask whether she has grade 5 theory yet.

Thanks everyone! As I said it was a long shot that she would pass with minimal lessons....Issue with remarking appears to be timing as the time it will take to get remarked might take us out of time for the deadline to apply for the Summer exam. I do think that the resit might allow more musicianship knowledge so no bad thing I think. Scholarship auditions start mainly in Dec and Jan so we have time, just wanted to get this away before the 11+ work starts in the summer term for Sept exam. We are in an area where competition is fierce for indie schools and we are just out of catchment for grammar so possible to get a place but she would have to be in the top 5% or so which I think she will be but it is not guaranteed and I want to reduce any pressure on her. Music Scholarships just give her another angle and having G5 theory will definitely help with the audition process just will take up the extra time we had set aside to use for sight reading / aural etc. thank you all for the supportive comments!

Just wanted to add my best wishes for next time Prada. DD1 says having done grade 5 theory made doing the aural and even sight reading easier, so maybe you will be killing 2 birds at once with the extra prep.

Thanks How!

Prada, just in case it helps, DS was offered a music scholarship at all the schools he applied to and he had not sat G5 theory yet.

Thanks new, one of the schools she has her heart set on is super, super selective so we do need two instruments at G5 plus G5 theory....I honestly wouldn't have thought one year ago we were in contention so this is all fairly new!

The AB told me that any theory fails that are within 10 marks of passing are double checked before marks are released so I think it's better to not hold out any hopes of a re-mark helping , unfortunately

I am not from/in UK but I understand 11+ exams thing but I want to know why do they need G5 in 2 instrument+ G5 theory if you are choosing musical lines ( assuming kids are too small and we don't know what they will like to do in future as profession)?

• not chossing

• not choosing

Schools that have the 11+ entrance exams also have music scholarship so besides taking the 11+ exam the DCs can also apply for music scholarship for the same school. They can be offered either a music scholarship or an academic place. It doesn't mean they have to become musicians, it just gives them more chances to get a place at the school they apply for.

But each school have different requirements with regards to the level/grade DCs need to be to be offered a place. In the area where I live there have been instances where a grade 5 DC didn't get offered a place while a grade 3 did. In this area there is a music test and then if you get enough points the DC does an audition. So a DC can be grade 5 but not pass the initial test therefore not qualifying for the audition. If the DC does pass the initial test I would assume that a higher grade would have a better chance to get a place when they audition.

Thanks Fleurdelise for clearing this doubt, I thought Music scholarship is like you are forced to take musician line. Just to make things clear: it is just for scholarship, they still have to clear 11+ entrance ?

In the area where I am in no, they don't have to clear the 11+. So let's say they take the 11+ test (academic) and the music test. Then you apply for both a music place and an academic one. If the DC "fails" the 11+ but gets good marks for the music test they will be offered one of the music places.

That doesn't mean they are expected to become musicians, they will follow the same academic curriculum requirements but they will be expected to participate also in all the music activities such as school assemblies, choir, music lesson etc.

But they don't need to pass both 11+ and the music test, they will only be offered a place either on academics or music.

Got the exam result, very proud of my little one, merit. Sight reading a big let down as usual (she failed it).

Her teacher already has a huge repertoire planned to dive in and lots of sight reading exercises.

Congrats li'l Fleur, your mom was worrying unnecessarily...

mom17, just to clarify, if the scholarship applications are for independent schools (vs 11+ grammar as I think Fleur is referring to), then irrespective of the child's musical ability, the academic entrance papers must be passed first (if selective) before they will consider shortlisting for auditions. Of course, having musical ability adds value to an application, but is conditional on the respective pass mark being achieved first.

It is then very likely that a child will be offered a place at the school, even if the music audition is unsuccessful in scholarship/award and non-scholars can live full musical lives at school without wishing to take further in HE.

Fleur, congratulations on the result!

Thank you!

Yes, I forgot to add to my explanation that I am referring to state schools (grammar) 11+, not private schools.

Actually I asked as one of my friend's son got in St Clair and during preparation time, he gave it a break to Piano ( He was Grade-2) that time and resumed after 1 year.

Yay! Well done, Minifleur! And don't worry about the sight reading, that will come as she gets older and plays a wider range. I remember she is very good at the aural, which isn't so easy to develop over time - at least, it's more of a struggle for me! Very exciting for her to be starting some new repertoire!
I am trying to use the Easter holidays to improve my grade 4 pieces. Just mentioned this morning that I was about to practise, when the next thing I knew a pyjama-clad child zoomed over to the piano and is doing his grade 3 pieces - he has the earphones on but I can tell what he's playing by the thumping keys!
He has also made the staggering discovery that practising his cello pieces has resulted in a big improvement in a week. I love his amazement - who could have predicted that, eh?

Loose when are you taking the grade 4 exam? Good luck with the pieces, they must be truly hard from grade 4 onwards.

Amazing that practice makes perfect isn't it?

Yes DD is good at aural, rubbish at sight reading, I've ordered the "proper" sight reading books at her teacher's request. Until now sight reading was practised by playing new pieces so no formal training.

She'll skip grade 4 and do grade 5 but only when all the areas of the exams are up to scratch, so it may be 2 years until then. Maybe doing some festivals on the way to perform in public.

Fleur: many congrats, now you can completely move on and know what to work on. I think when we practise we most focus on the pieces and forgot other things: scales/ arpeggios, sight reading, aural and these could drag the marks down, not enough for them to fail however not enough for a distiction either. The same story to us, argggg!!!

We wont apply for a scholarship, we are not interested, I think the pressure is too much however my aim is for her to be in the school orchestra and plays high quality for both instrument as an extra curr. Its now time to learn, they will be much busier later on. And for none musical family the later we leave/delay it very little chance she will ever pick it up again.

Loose: we have a silent mode with head phone in our digital yamaha now however I dont trust her on it yet :)