Spring/ Summer Music and Musicians Thread

[Wafflenose]

My children go back to school tomorrow, and it's my birthday this week, so it must be properly spring in the UK now, and time for a new thread! Please jump right in by telling us about your DCs' learning (or your own), or by asking any music/ music exam related questions you like. We have lots of experienced music parents and teachers on here, as well as lots of new ones.

I am a music teacher, and mum to Goo (10) and Rara (7). Goo started the recorder and flute when she was tiny (age 3 and 6 respectively), has recently added piccolo, but not very well yet, and is starting piano lessons in a couple of weeks. She has no exams this term, but will probably do Grade 6 Flute in the Autumn and Grade 8 Recorder next Spring. She plays in her school orchestra and recorder groups, South West Music School and NCO, and has her first concert with County Wind Band tonight, after a trial course. She hasn't auditioned to become a member yet, and might not for a few years yet, due to age and time factors.

Rara isn't so musically inclined - she prefers to read and draw, and is also very physically active. However, she is due to take her Grade 2 Cello exam this term, and Grade 3 Recorder in the Autumn - she's currently getting to grips with the treble and loving it!

DD's piano teacher gives her a limited choice eg between three pieces designed to develop a particular aspect of her playing, or between a selection of 5-6 Chopin nocturnes (which we quickly narrowed down to the two that were remotely accessible). She plays a lot of romantic music because that is her personal strong point, and with only three years to complete both "cycles" of the French music curriculum, she's not ever going to be an "all rounder".

In guitar she has little choice because it's a group situation - but she doesn't mind. She finds it all easy anyway so it's not like she needs to practice the pieces ;) And I quite like that she is playing and singing material that I am sure would not be her personal choice - and enjoying it.

Re not playing as an adult - I think it's easier to keep up playing the piano nowadays. Most young adults don't live in homes with space for an acoustic piano, but there is usually space for an inexpensive digital instrument.

waffle that's quite a schedule!

I might note what DD does in a week, although it's very variable. She got home after 7pm last night, retired to her bed sick (she's had a horrible cold) but later her guitar joined her in bed for about 45 mins . Not sure I'd call it "practice" though she worked on a couple of new cover versions. She has a very eclectic taste in music so you never know what she is going to cover next (latest one is an improbable guitar cover of a Frank Ocean song, which will probably mean nothing to you unless you are a lot cooler than me ).

We have a meeting booked tomorrow with the county person, about her grant application. Can't fault their reactivity!

Mistigri: I read her cold somewhere earlier too, hope she is feeling better today.

Yes, the lesson is long. I know, hopefully only another 4 weeks. When the theory is over then there will be max 1 hour(or if we fail then we will only need our teacher the last 4 weeks in December).

I logged playing time for DS last year, just lessons and ensembles rather than practice. After that I stepped back from nagging about practice quite so much.

dd1 seems to be given an wide variety of music by her teacher.No idea how much say she has in it herself. Not a chance she would listen to any of my suggestions.
Although never going to be able to pick up piano playing as I used to (well, maybe once I retire....). I quite enjoy playing together with dd2. So from that point of view my music lessons from my childhood hasn't gone to waste. ...

My DC probably do about 10-15 minutes per instrument per day, about 3-4 days a week.

As I said previously I don't know where the clarinet practice will fit in. I am hoping that 10-15 min a day would do for a while. Saying that she does wake up quite early in the morning and entertains herself for about an hour. I may have some suggestions for that time slot

My little clarinet beginners seem to do 5 minutes, 2-3 times a week if I'm lucky!!

Green my daughter has been playing since she was quite young (although not as young as some on here) and I will never forget a conversation I had with one of her teachers about teaching small children - in the same way that a fantastic player will not necessarily be a fantastic teacher, a fantastic teacher will not necessarily be fantastic with small children. DD's teacher gets great results with her pupils and they all love her and work very hard for her - she says she has to be prepared to spend a couple of mins listening to a very excited child tell her all about about what they have done at school/on holiday or wherever - or perhaps let them look out the window for a couple of mins when they are struggling to maintain concentration. All the kids have huge respect for her though and certainly know exactly where the line is!! DD still discusses all sorts with her - I think she feels there is some sort of confidentiality thing there like at the doctor or solicitor! Taking time like this has certainly not affected DD's progress - in fact if we hadn't found such a great teacher she would not be doing half of what she is now. Teaching is a skill in it's own right - quite separate from playing - and teaching littlies takes that one step further again. I think you said your teacher is quite young - how much experience does he/she have with small children?

Fleur my DS does his cello practice before going to school - he is incentivised to do so on the basis that, so long as he's had breakfast, washed and dressed plus done his cello, then I'm happy for him to play on his tablet or watch TV before we have to leave at around 8 am. It has certainly taken some stress out of the practice / homework arguments.

DS is now entered for Trinity G3 trumpet in early July - I almost missed the cut off date with everything else currently going on. Fortunately, our closest neighbour is very keen on his renditions of "Danny Boy" and the James Bond theme. She's also started putting in requests, which DS almost always obliges. I'm thinking of smuggling some suggestions to her since if I ask him to play something I'm invariably met with surliness.

Scare: I know you are right! He is about 25-27 years old. I dont know if he has much experiences with young children. I found him on google, I couldnt remember exactly where, he has been with us for over 2 years. Nothing I could complain, its mainly us. To be honest, I was educated in a way that unless your teacher is horrible, rude and/or doesnt have an ethic of being a good teacher then its always the children who could do better. She was rolling on the floor few time yesterday and he had to chase her to get back to het violin although she was all giggling and distracted( she is a very polite although very active, its hard for her to keep still). She could find everything funny and tickling and could laugh non stop...only I wish not during the lesson. That isnt respecting her teacher and she didnt do what she was told to do and this isnt the first time awww!!!

Suspende good luck with grade 3. I'll see if I can "bribe"DD into practising before school once September comes.

Green I may be wrong but while I understand that there are certain DCs who could be more difficult I also think respect needs to be earned. But there are teachers here thinking of Waffle who can tell you where the problem may be. I personally can't see a child rolling on the floor in our piano teacher's lesson but then she's around 50, has the patience of a saint but also a firm voice that makes me want to hide if she's cross.

This reminds me: almost three years ago when DD first started piano, after about the third/fourth lesson, I reminded DD it is time to practice. On sitting close to her I realised she was having troubles identifying the note names. As a very helpful ad full of initiative mother I took a pencil and wrote all the name notes faintly underneath (as many as they were, about 5-6 notes). Next lesson comes and the teacher opens the book asks DD to play. Suddenly she stops her and says: "who did that?" In a serious tone. I chose not to reply. She turns to me asking more firmly "who did this?". Well needless to say I realised I was in trouble and with a faint voice and red in the face I admitted I was the culprit.

So while she can take time and listen to all the random stuff DD chooses to share about her life just like Scared was mentioning above and can play silly games sometimes with DD it is enough even for an adult be put to shame by her firmness.

Green She is still young and having a very long lesson. If it were only thirty minutes then she might be able to stay on track all the way through it. I think the teacher's expectations are very high, I don't think it's realistic to expect an eight year old child to be attentive for over an hour.

FWIW I don't know any 8 year olds who have an hours lesson, I'm not sure they'd remember what to practice, even if written down in a notebook.
It does seem a long time for her to concentrate and agree that 30 mins seems the norm.
My dd lessons are 30 mins, she never has hour lessons.

I'd also say that an hour is excessive. It was hard enough to keep DD attentive for half an hour at that age! I'll be honest: I'd have stopped lessons immediately if DD had started rolling on the floor: it's a sign that either the child really doesn't want to be there, or that you need a new teacher with more authority. My DD at that age needed teachers who were quite firm.

Green would you consider dropping violin lessons for a while. I did this with DD2 because we just both had too much on our plates. Two years later, aged 10, she was practically begging me to teach her viola and because she was really keen and a bit older her progress was much much faster. She would probably have overtaken her older sister by now, who has played continuously from the same original starting age, had she not fallen in love with her oboe. Her viola is very much her 3rd instrument but she is still working her way through the cello suites and it is just for fun with no stress.

Our piano teacher also teaches strings but I prefer to keep the 2 instruments separate rather than having one detract from the other (also for me I would have found it difficult not to interfere with strings).

I don't think a young teacher is necessarily a problem but maybe there is an authority issue partly because he is coming to you rather than you going to him?

Green - I too find that a long lesson, esp if there is no break. Generally we know of lessons of 15-40 at that age. DD moved to 45m cello this year (age 10) and will go to 60m in sept. she foes do a long sat 6hrs) but frequent breaks and variety of tune of music activity. I couldn't quite work out if you are in the lessons? If not is anyone else?

Never ever - DD does what asked by always has a lot of her own 'suff' on the go!

Waffle - clearly the piano is in favour 😀

Thanks everyone. Yes, I know the 1.5 hr is long. I tried to save our teacher travelling journey by collapsing 30mins violin, 30mins piano then 30mins theory the last nearly 2 months or so. I might drop piano for now as we are not doing any exam, maybe until after theory( which is another 5 weeks or so). Then after we will go back to 1hour. (I might try to twist myself and ask our tutor if we could have 2 lessons, 30mins each, I am worried when I ask and he says no then does it mean I will have to bite my bullet, another option is having 2 lessons 45 mins each, that might be better for him).

Now if I have to be honest then I dont think 1 hour is long at all and even with 30 mins, she will pretty much the same. She only focuses when she is given a task.

Our tutor came back to me today and saying he will try to be more discipline to her. I will watch very closely next week.

Its slightly better with piano or theory where she sits on a chair then she cant roll or drop a bow. She although loves violin. All the points for her to learn music is for her to develop musical sense and appreciate it. It also gives her chance playing music with her friends. So we wont drop it. She loves it too, she will be heart broken.

Now I will have more time with her tonight(still havent got home yet, lets see), I will have a conversation with her. She will have to understand that if she does it again then there wont be any violin lesson any more.

Music: I am not in the lesson however our nanny takes care of the little sister and they are normally in the library room or upstair so they never disturb the lesson.
The couple of times when I was at hone then she was doing 1.5 hours just fine. However she knows I am very strict so she would always be her best when I was there

I have one hour lessons.

The children have 15min and 30min lessons. Orchestra is 45min but that's only for players at the more advanced stages.

Is any one's Dc doing gcse music next year ? be good to compare notes. Dd ( 13) just about to start a 1 year GCSE in music . At her school they all move up to the next year once the year 11's leave on study leave... So she'll he starting in a few weeks.
New piano teacher is going v well (old one retired) .Dd goes there on the way home from school. She comes home animated anyway - which is always a good sign.
She particularly liked the 'retro' looking piano books her teacher gave her (lol- retro in her eyes.. Prob published 1980's!!)
I think the teacher is just right for dd. She'll keep her on her toes.

trout DS is starting music gcse in September (yr 10)

Green I think I would do the two 45 minute lessons - piano with 15 minutes theory and violin with 15 minutes theory. Or, like you say, leave piano for a little while until theory is done. It's not at all unusual for children that age to be cheeky and it's certainly not your fault or anyone else's, they grow out of it.
However, I think your teacher needs to take the initiative! I'd try a slightly different tack with the violin lesson.
Ask him to agree a few simple rules with DD - no running around or rolling or messing with the bow! He can keep reminding her of their agreed rules but don't chase her, that's a game and no wonder she was giggling. Calm silence is better - but what's really important is to praise good behaviour. If she likes getting stickers, that can work well.
The other idea is to really keep that violin lesson moving and 30 minutes will whizz by so he should ask her a lot of questions: what to do first, if pieces, which piece first? How does she think it is going? Can she think of a story that goes with the music? Or set her a challenge - I bet you can't do this scale perfectly by next week etc. (I'll bet she can!).
She sounds great, frankly there is no way my DCs would have managed all that at the age of 8. If it really gets too much you can pause some of it and go back later on of she's keen to restart. But if she actually loves violin then I would stick with it - partly for all the opportunities for playing with other kids.

Oh, and DS1 is starting GCSE music in September as well! Two year course, though.
At the moment is he is wilting upstairs in bed with a terrible cold and cough!

Hi all! Was reading this thread for a while and really enjoyed some discussions. Dd is taking violin exam at summer.

Green I also have a very distractable and active 8 yo dd. Unfortunately I had no option but to have an hour lesson due to the similar issues, in a way part of the payment goes towards time when she settles down during the lesson.... However, it is really difficult to say where problem is-as it can be a teacher, a child, or even both! She used to have a very young teacher who was good but not suitable for my particular dd, as she was too shy to restrict my dd. Now dd has a teacher twice as old as the first one :) who knows that some children learn "on the go" (as much as irritating it can be ). She sometimes appears not listening at all (and essentially wasting my money ) and then when back home I discover that she took everything on board and follows everything single point her teacher suggested! How about yours? Can it be that she actually learns in spite of it looking as she is not?

DS is sitting GCSE music in the next few weeks. He's really enjoyed it, we were worried that he might be bored or turned off by doing his "thing" in school but it all came out well.