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!

"Can it be that she actually learns in spite of it looking as she is not?"

Mine fiddles with this and that and makes a noise here and there with the bow but appears to take in what the teacher says. Drives me bonkers though...

Just saw this story on-line and wanted to share it. Really shows the power of music to connect and maybe gives a bit of inspiration to all of us walking the tightrope between encouraging and pushing. www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/19/russian-teenager-born-with-no-fingers-becomes-celebrated-piano-player

Can anyone help the lady on this thread please
Thanks :)

NeverEverAnythingEver I can totally relate to it!
Fortunately, I was expelled from lessons and it saved my sanity. It appears dd behaves (only ) slightly better when I am not sitting there.

The old teacher wanted parents to sit in. The new one don't seem to like it. So I think I will leave it and play candy crush instead while I wait.

However, I thought I should have sat in with my older one in the early days. My younger one needed that for the first few months but I think he's fine now on his own.

Trout - my dd is also starting a one year gcse music course in September. I gather it's hard work, especially as they only get one lesson a week (think it's a long lesson though).

Yes, majority of teachers seem to welcome parents on their lessons, but my only role is to restrict dd, so I decided I let them to get on with each other and have a bit of me time instead :)

Oh yes, the fidgeting when DD plays with her hair, or looks outside the window and the teacher keeps talking. She has the patience of a saint not telling her off. It does sink in though, same experience here, she does seem to learn even if she doesn't seem to listen.

No experience with music GCSEs DS only doing the academic subjects but reading your experiences as maybe one day DD will sit music for hers.

I sit in lessons because DD seems to have selective memory of what is expected of her practice. More so when the teacher asks to play a certain bar on repeat or count out loud. I don't interfere otherwise as I have been asked not to.

Loose: fantastic advice, just remind me that she is very excited about earning points and stickers. Yesterday she told me how she did well in writting and earned one sticker. I will build the sticker system atraight away with our teacher(its so easy and...cheap :) hahaha.

Onlymusic: thanks god, my child isnt the only one. She was ok when I presented in the couple of lessons(cant stand still, legs twisting, fiddling with the bow, however not rolling nor running). How does she do, I dont know, I dont think she is "brilliant", however she isnt doing too badly and most of all she wants to do it(especially now with the Orchestra where there are other violinist only a tear or two older than her are already grade 5 or higher, she is much inspired and motivated). We are sitting the exam this term and started with G3 pieces in March(we were told she has been progressing really well from our tutor point of view, I dont know how come after all this she still coming out as such). I have to stress that she isnt having any issue with her behaviour at school, not a naughty one(well the toddler one is now) and is doing really well(only just so active and giggling and just laugh at almost anything..which hasnt been an issue until now.

I will write to our tutor tonight to reduce it into 1 hour for the next 4 weeks, 30mins violin then 30mins theory. She has a good chance in theory where she scored 80-86% on G4 past papers and finished the G5 practise book. We will only focus on her weak areas in the next few weeks where our teacher will explain more, give more examples. We save grade 5 past papers till the mid term break as she hasnt got time for it now.

Last night as much of my plan then I felt asleep on the couch while she was reading. I plan to speak to her when I put her to bed however I had a long day so I didnt know how did I felt asleep. Then my husband said he went home while I wasl asleep and she was reading next to me and he put her to bed. So she has a lucky escape:). After agreeing with our teacher about the speaker policy then I will speak to her. Hopefully she agrees and try better

I had a chance to attend Menuhin competition few weeks ago, what an inspiration it was! (came home and immediately made my dd to practice )
Pity there were not British kids in junior category this year :(
The orchestra from Menuhin School was amazing! These kids are so talented...

Sorry about typing too fast and typo mistake(and blame mumsnet where you cant edit it). I meant "sticker policy) earlier.(also my English where I am tolerated at work where I work with Quant people who hardly talks nor writes hahaha)

Can I make another suggestion, but please don't get cross with me. Can it be a reaction to a male tutor? (you have male tutor, don't you?). The girls are growing and it seems like their attitude towards opposite sex is changing gradually....A friend of mine warned me about it recently (female student-male teacher relationships), as mine has a male tutor too and she recently started to demonstrate some funny behavior....They may not do it deliberately just...growing!

I wanted to suggest this also onlymusic but didn't know how to phrase it. My DD has a male teacher at school and when I have seen how giggling and silly the girls can be in front of him I realised they were trying to gain his attention in a different way that they would have done with a female teacher.

Green your DD is doing so well with her theory, I am truly impressed!

Fleurdelise always blame your friend for silly ides, just like I did .

Oh, btw, I am also very impressed by your dd's theory success Greenleave! We just finished grade 2 book and I feel we have to take it a bit more seriously otherwise we will be stuck with practical exams very soon.

We are doing theory slowly at home.

I'm trying to convince DC that even though that is also an E flat it simply won't do to use that E flat rather than the other E flat in the key signature. What fun. I have very disobedient questioning children.

onlymusic

We are at the end of the grade 1 theory book, I am just repeating to myself that she has at least another 2 years until she'll be stuck or switch to Trinity after grade 5 practical. DD seems to understand it and enjoy it but I personally find it boring.

NeverEver you lost me with the Eb. That shows how much theory I understand.

Hello All

Any advice regarding when/how to get started on music theory and grading? My DS is 7rs old. He started Piano in Yr1 (about 18mths ago) and Recorder this year (so only about 6mths in). The lessons are through school - but they haven't mentioned anything about grading etc and I think it would be good to get him going. Or an I being a pushy music parent!

Its been soooo long since I did music (from 6yrs to 15yrs), and I had fab teachers who just sorted everything on my behalf - that I don't remember a thing about how that side all works!

Also - I did Clarinet and would like him to take it up in a year or so, am I doing the right thing using recorder as a stepping stone to get him started?

Thank you muchly for an wise words.

have no idea as I cant even read a note neither my husband, we are absolutely dumb in music. She hasnt had her exam yet,it will this Jun so I cant tell until I have the result. Its only on the past papers and we havent done the G5 past papers yet. We only started having 30mins for theory by mid/end March, many of it washed away as she wasnt focused on her violin then the whole lesson is gone without theory is even touched( last Monday as an example). I dont present during the lessons so I dont know what the teacher explain). I had to say that G1-3 was super easy for her( she has done piano grade 3 practical only with a Merit), she said she find G4 and G5 practise book very hard. She has never said she finds anything hard before academically, she loves being challenged so she is even more motivated for it. I read here many kids go to a course and nail it after couple of weeks/months. I cant find any course where I live and/nor we want/can to send her to. If you need it done quickly then might be look into finding these courses. I read some kids are even as young as 6 years old has done it. So my 8 and a half should be ok...only if she doesnt roll on the floor and giggling too much.

Welcome AaoograhaHoa! My DD does piano 1-2-1 privately so I don't know how piano lessons at school progress but just to say that from what I have read piano is the longest instrument to get to grade 1. It can take as long as 3 years (or even longer) if the DC is young when starting. It depends a lot if the lessons are group lessons or 1-2-1, how much practice it is done at home, parent support. So I'd say 18 months is ok still not to talk about grades just yet but you can check with the teacher regarding future plans. DD did theory from the beginning as part of her lessons but slowly, sticker books mainly to introduce her to theory.

Only music, that could be true regarding to female teacher as she plays with boys mostly. She still carries her male friends and around the play ground, she is hanging upside down on the climbing frame whenever she could and she plays all boys games. She is very good at chess also and so far hasnt lost a game in her club. I have 2 girls and none of them are girly(sigh!!). If it was about the sexual awareness then I dont think she has it yet. It could be soon, however for now I dont think so( we went for a holiday recently and she was naked running around and chasing her sister, forget that other people might see her, she has no concept of being shy yet)

Thank you Fleurdelise! Wow - as much as three years? In that case I will wait and see what happens next year.

I am being a pushy mum then .

Seriously though - that's really good to know. I can go and speak to the music teacher more generally about how he is doing etc, rather than focussing on grading and theory. Yay!