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.

You see this is the difference.
My dd finds it hard to do anything else, it's her life.
She went out once this holiday with her friend, and was back a few hours later.
Music has taken over her life, she used to enjoy so many other thing.
She was always very keen from being tiny, but instruments and music were her toys and she'd ask to practice, or just get on with it.
We had every toy, game, you can imagine, lots from her brothers too.
She hated dolls, and girly things, and didn't like the toys.
When she got to 8 she decided school was getting in the way of "her music" and left school for H.ed, auditioned for school 3 years later and said she would never forgive us if we stood in her way.
I feel like I lost her then
We have a great relationship and occasionally if she knows its really bothering me she will talk about something else, but eventually it will come back to music in some way.

My DD spends a lot of time playing guitar - probably at least half an hour a day and several hours at weekends. But none of it is really "practice". The sheet music from her guitar class never comes out of her case!

She practices piano maybe 30-45 mins, 4-5 times a week (more often 4x30 than 5x45, tbh ...)

Thank you everyone!
I could nag, I could ask her to do more however I am not sure if she should do more as for now I am only planning for her to learn it as an amateur(with hope in the future she has choices and skills if she needs them). We are non musical so I am secretly scared of her entering into a world where we are foreigners of. During the term time then it could be 30 mins a day. She doesnt put her violin in the case anymore and we just put a hanger up so she could get her violin and the bow easily everyday when she practise

DS has never been a great practicer but he learned early on to practice efficiently which made a big difference! I'd done a CT ABRSM and he was a good Guinea pig for the ideas I explored there.
For us it was important that he'd done Grade 5 before secondary school so that he could play in excellent ensembles there with his violin and flute. He'd done singing too although his school choir is open to all whatever experience they have. Then he was able to enjoy a whole wealth of music in school as well as doing a fabulous choir and orchestra outside.

Anyone else's DC at the NCBF in Manchester today? Seen DS off to the bus nice and early....

We're in Mcr but only 1 of my 5 was a brass player, sadly, NCBF looks like a lot of fun!

I don't time DDs practice, she does what her teacher asked her to practice daily, so now she has 2 studies to practice, a burgmuller piece, and she started fur Elise. Plus sight reading exercises and scales. I'd say it takes about 1 hour, sometimes less sometimes more, to practice all these properly.

I haven't got an issue with DD choosing a music path or an academic only path, I just think it is now a bit too early to chose.

*choose

Noteven Nice Work indeed

Green "First Steps in Music Theory grades 1-5" is a really good pocket sized reference. Each chapter finishes with a listing of all the musical terms so you can break down the task a bit. DD2's woodwind teacher has a really good technique of blending all the fancy terms into the lessons so she comes home and blinds me with science.

We will struggle for practice time for the next couple of months as rehearsals for the school show take over. DDs have 3 instruments each and have to practice before DD3 goes to bed at 7. Piano quite often happens in between breakfast and going to school. I have to be quite regimental about nagging or they would mess about and run out of time. For violin I think too much practice can be counter productive when they are young because posture is so important and fatigue sets in quickly. I tend to practice for longer when I can because it is my relaxation but DD who is working towards grade 7 does concentrated 15 minute sessions most days.

Mine are teenage hobby musicians but even so spend upwards of 6 hours a week at ensembles etc so it is hard to stop it from taking over.

DD1 is 5 9" and still growing. The never ending search for a decent length school skirt is challenging.

Waffle I wonder if you can help with some advice: I am looking again with DD at a second orchestra instrument for her to pick up just to make her music life social. We were looking at clarinet vs flute. She loves the sound of both.

Can you please give us an insight into which one is less costly, which one she could progress faster (she wants to progress quickly before secondary school), and which one is more suitable for her age: she'll be 9 in August.

We're thinking of starting after the summer holidays but doing some research.

Fleur: best of luck with choosing a second instrument, the nice thing is they are normally slightly easier as they can read the note and understand the important of practising.

How: I have the book, it wasn't open though even bought a month ago, will have a look tonight, thank you( going out for whole day today so no chance)

Teacher, noteven: hope they will have a fun time today, it's nice and sunny in London today!

Both are relatively inexpensive, fine for most children her age (I have started off 6 year olds on small versions of both) and she will progress fast on either, having only one line of music to read. Please make sure she gets to try both, as I'm sure one will choose her. Bring her round to me if you like!

Waffle thank you! Can you pm the area where you teach? I would love to send her to you but I have a feeling you are not around us.

howabout yes being a parent to a teenage musician is time-consuming. DD is starting to get invitations to play over the summer season (local festivals, bars and restaurants that put on live music) and just the ferrying about and waiting for her to finish playing is timeconsuming.

I feel for you, re your tall DD - my son is 13, has the shape of a pre-adolescent boy, but needs the same length trousers as his 6ft+ dad. Thankfully I don't have uniform to buy!

Fleur I have no experience of the flute, but clarinet is a great multi-purpose instrument that can be used for lots of different musical styles and which opens doors for playing other instruments too. I played clarinet and recorder as a child and was able to pick up DD's sax and play easy pieces straight off. My pro jazz musician friend in the UK started as a clarinet player, now plays clarinet plus all the different saxes.

Misti the irony is that DD1 has small hands which make her good at fiddly notes but not so good on big chords. Average height DD2 has big flexible hands and can reach an octave plus 2.

The earlier conversation prompted me to google some of the stories surrounding famous musicians and hand size and I found this hand stretcher advert which made me smile. www.increasehandspan.com/historical-attempts

Definitely not adopting Schumann's approach

I was hoping this thread would hold out until tomorrow (when our new term starts), but it's not going to. I'm glad it's proved so popular though. Please hop over and join me on the new one I've just created.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extra_curricular_activities/2611174-Spring-Summer-Music-and-Musicians-Thread