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Extra-curricular activities

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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.

OP posts:
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drummersmum · 13/01/2016 13:18

Can be not cabe. Super phone not.

UhtredRagnorsson · 13/01/2016 13:37

Grade 5 theory doesn't give you any exemptions at GCSE. It used to get you off a whole paper in music O level. Sadly that isn't the case any more.

drummersmum · 13/01/2016 13:57

Yes I meant you're half there in terms of knowledge rather that an official exemption.

UhtredRagnorsson · 13/01/2016 14:20

Actually I don't think that is the case either, certainly not for the boards that DD1 and DS have done/are doing their GCSE music with.

drummersmum · 13/01/2016 15:53

Ok... doesn't it help with the composing part ?
In some schools requirement for music A level is either music gcse or theory grade 5.

Icouldbeknitting · 13/01/2016 16:50

Two of the sixth form colleges we visited wanted G5 theory for admission to the A level music course, with one of them if you didn't already have it the offer of a place was conditional on taking theory classes. One of the other places said that it would be an advantage to have it.

Icouldbeknitting · 13/01/2016 16:52

That's theory in addition to GCSE music by the way, I didn't spell it out.

DS took his GCSE music mock last week. G5 theory has been useful for the composition element but the big gain from the extracurricular music has been in the performance element. With his board there is 40% of the mark for performance and if you have a G5 level performance you are in the top band for difficulty.

He has had to listen to music that's a long way from what he's been used to and learn a different vocabulary ("riff"). Although he started the course with G5/G8 that was not immediately applicable to "I can't get no satisfaction" and "Stairway to Heaven". He's enjoyed it and the musicians have really gelled as a group but it's not been taxing. I'm fine with that, after all those years of music lessons there should be some benefit at the end of it.

Greenleave · 13/01/2016 17:29

My 8 years old is still at the very beginning stage, is it grade 5 theory that scary? Any success story? How did your child learn and pass it?

ealingwestmum · 13/01/2016 17:46

Greenleave, I think it all is dependent on the child - how much they have on, what G5 theory may mean to them etc.

My DD is not super bright, but is very driven. Once we got to G3/G4 on her instruments, the question of theory came up from the teachers. I am not musical, had no idea about who taught it/why it wasn't mentioned before as school had never brought it up.

She had aspirations to audition for scholarships in Y6 and knew she needed to be hitting higher grades to be considered, so self taught over the Christmas period, winter term and sat the exam in Spring, effectively giving herself a holiday and a term to learn. Her teacher helped in the latter stages and me with testing her italian etc, but otherwise it was plodding through the AB workbooks and answer sheets.

I would not recommend this to anyone, and in hindsight, would have got cracking earlier with at least an attempt at G3 before 5. She came away with a very respectable 82 (merit), flunking melodic intervals completely.

She didn't want to switch to Trinity (convinced it was cheating), though I did put her straight on both boards are equal. Doing this at 10 really set her up for other exams she faced at 11.

Sometimes they do surprise you...

Greenleave · 13/01/2016 17:55

Ealing: thank you for sharing, its very inspiring. I never thought nor mentioned by our teacher about theory test until couple of weeks ago. To be honest we dont aim for scholarship so no pressure. However knowing it now we will prepare for it, if its tough and we fail then we will restudy harder and retake until pass

DeoGratias · 13/01/2016 18:19

I don't agree both boards are equal actually and good for her to get grae 5 theory ABRSM.

LooseAtTheSeams · 13/01/2016 19:31

Thanks for all the info about theory and GCSE. It is very timely as DS1 chooses his options soon and wants to do music so I will mention to him about the composition as well. He will be fine for the performance part by the sound of it. Our borough music centre doesn't do separate theory classes but there were classes where I do piano so I will see if we can fit that in. i think he was doing some theory with his previous percussion teacher and she asked us to get the grade 5 papers but I don't think he really knows how to do any of it!

Greenleave · 13/01/2016 20:45

Just received the books tonight, one is: music theory in practice and one is music theory in practice model answer. There isnt a text books with explanation, maybe I got the wrong one, will need to talk to our tutor tomorrow

ealingwestmum · 13/01/2016 21:10

Greenleave: there's a pink book called the AB Guide to Music Theory to accompany the work books...and hopefully experts on here that may be able to suggest alternative theory books that are easier to learn from.

Greenleave · 13/01/2016 21:27

Ealingwest(I dont live far away from you btw haha), thanks for your note, it was a false alarm as reading it then it does mention the relevant chapter in the AB guide book. We have the pink book bought when we had no idea what the tutor saying(in English) about all the notes. I havent read the whole book though, will search for it tonight, it should be somewhere on the case

ealingwestmum · 13/01/2016 21:40

Smile good luck (to both of you)!

ealingwestmum · 13/01/2016 21:53

Thank you DeoGratis. Don't know enough about the boards but erred on diplomacy in the absence of any 1st hand comparisons. Sounds like you've had your fair share of pain endurance getting all of yours through it!

ealingwestmum · 13/01/2016 21:56

uff. can't spell names either tonight. sorry

UhtredRagnorsson · 13/01/2016 23:29

Deogratias indeed both boards aren't equal across all instruments. Trinity is better regarded for some.

drummersmum · 14/01/2016 07:50

For which instruments Uhtred?

UhtredRagnorsson · 14/01/2016 07:58

Recorder.

drummersmum · 14/01/2016 10:01

Thanks

teacherwith2kids · 14/01/2016 10:01

Also, Trinity offer 'Jazz syllabus' exams for clarinet, saxophone etc.

Although I appreciate that for a 'purely classical musician', these are probably lower status than the equivalent ABRSM grades on the same instrument, they are a much better measure of what is important to a jazz musician - the ability to play jazz! DS and a schoolmate have equivalent grades on saxophone / clarinet but in the two different boards. Schoolmate comes to the fore when the key signatures get heavy-duty in wind orchestra. DS is the jazz soloist of first choice for competitions. Horses for courses.

DeoGratias · 14/01/2016 11:48

When the recorder (not a proper orchestral instrument etc) was written about I laughed out loud - point proven. ABRSM is the better board in general.

However I am writing as a classical musician. I have a son who as well as his classical stuff learns the electric guitar and one of my other sons did grade 8 drum kit which was not ABRSM.

I am just being snobby....

teacherwith2kids · 14/01/2016 12:34

Interesting. I move in the dance world a little as well - it's DD's 'thing' - and there are similar discussions around RAD vs ISTD ballet. They test different things - RAD is about 'doing rigidly set exercises with impeccable technique', ISTD has, from the earliest grades, an emphasis on 'knowing individual steps so that in the lesson or exam you can be given a new series of steps to dance, to unknown music, and you will be able to perform them'.

It seems to me - I did ABRSM, DS does Trinity jazz, DD has started ABRSM strings - that there is a similar divide between the different music boards. They value and test somewhat different skills within the 'overall sphere of music', though they have a considerable 'overlapping core' within the syllabus.

I suspect that in later life it's a bit like the old O-level boards - at the time, some people may have said that Oxford and Cambridge board was better than JMB, but what people care about now is that I have good O-levels in English and Maths and show those skills day to day (unless I'm typing fast!). I'm sure that genuine musicians don't sit around going 'I'm better than you, because I have ABRSM Grade 8, whereas you only have Trinity Grade 8'. They'll be talking about their latest commissions or concerts or employment.