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!

Aaoo: mine started on piano when she was 4.5 yrs old and only did her grade 1 when she was 7, so it did take a very long time. What happened, she was just too young, less focused, never practise(or very hardly). She took grade 2 last November then grade 3 last March. The lesson I learnt, we shouldnt expect too much for a less than 6 yrs old(or mine is too ordinary). I will properly start with my second child at 6. Save money and time.

Only: what grade your daughter is doing for this Jun violin exam again? Sorry I forgot. Best of luck to her.

Loose: that was just a fantastic idea, she was so happy to promise me tonight(her teacher agreed too). If she earns 12 stickers then there will be a theatre/O2 trip. Lets see!

Lemanitoba: its great to know there is another option.

To every one who has children doing gcse, it must be tough having a musical child studying for gcse as they are so much busier. I guess around that age asking the child to drop some instruments/practise similar to ask a runner/gym addict to stop running/going to gym. It must be harder I think.

Me too, great idea Newlife, I am doing the jar thing too(only about 50% of the time I dont know if the scale was played right or wrong)

Great idea, thanks all! I need an idea of the jars size, lol

Good luck with the GCSEs everyone, I am going through the anxiety of it also, I know how it is.

Scale jars/pots here too when DD needed to know them inside out for exams. These days although she always warms up using scales with lots of different articulation on first 2 instruments it takes threat of death to get her play piano scales! I have given up now - annoyingly when her piano teacher asks for them she seems to be able to do them anyway - I think she has learnt them so thoroughly on the other instruments the note patterns and key signatures are ingrained and its just a case of muscle memory for the fingering on the piano.

I think we'll only do two jars of all the scales, practice the new assigned ones every night until she can play it with her eyes closed and then choose some old ones from the jar and move them to the other jar if played correctly 3 times.

AaoograhaHoa re moving onto clarinet, the disadvantage of descant recorder is that the fingering is different. It's much the same as sax though so bear that in mind! DD played recorder to about G5 as a younger child but then gave up. Last year it took her about two terms to get back to nearly the same level, this time on sax.

I don't think DD has ever played a scale on piano but I have been noting her practice for once and she does do a reasonable amount. Piano tends to be a bit irregular, because she gets home from school too late/too tired to play every evening - but it is very rare for her not to play her guitar. Often she retires to bed with one of the acoustics. She did 2x45 mins guitar on Mon and Tues and both times I had to stop her because her brother wanted to go to sleep. Today she did 1 hour of piano (somewhat under duress: she has her first lesson in a month tomorrow) and about an hour of guitar.

We had the meeting about her grant application today. The council people are very helpful and professional and had lots of good ideas about what she can put in her application, but now it's up to her. Whatever the outcome I think experience will be very valuable - she is expected to put forward a budget, make a schedule, and propose ways of evaluating the success of her project. I also had her old guitar teacher on the phone tonight proposing to get together later this month to work on the arrangements for some of her songs. So things are starting to move for her ...

Also like the idea of a jar, was thinking of something similar - having like a raffle tickets with the scale names and do half every day...

Greenleave, dd started her piano lessons at roughly the same age as your dd and I totally agree with you - it was too early and I am not repeating this experience with my second child . She will be doing grade 4 this summer. Thank you for your kind wishes

Mistigri good luck with your dd application (I was reading about it earlier, as well as your thoughts on talent in music which was one of the reasons I decided to join this thread so next time I can express my admiration to what you have said :) :) :))

There are pink and red(small book), my daughter finds the red(small) one is much easier to read, it although doesnt have as much in detail explanation. She has to go back there often during her practice. Why not set up a goal Onlymusic, say this Dec for theory test then plan working toward it. I think until Dec is definitely doable especially she has a G4 practical done.
Please can I ask what grade your daughter is on piano now? How does she find between them. Which one she prefers?

Mistigri: your daughter project sounds very exciting.(its like corporate fiance when you plan for budget, cost, cashflow, discounted etc). There must be something online to help with her plan. It also means she will have to record and keep records of all related receipts, bills. Exciting!!!

Mistigri good luck to your DD with her project, it really sounds exciting!

onlymusic good luck with grade 4 piano this summer!

From what I have read and Dd's teacher experience I agree that starting young takes longer to progress. Dd's teacher only takes students over 6 but has a few exceptions when the parents insist to start earlier, but told me she is teaching under 6s differently, more games and rythm related, clapping, stomping, singing rythms, the time for formal learning is reduced to 10 min only.

DD started at 6 and progressed fast by her teacher's standards, that was the reason for which she skipped grade 2.

onlymusic your Dd did progress fast though, grade 4 at 8 is a great achievement.

Last night I was trying to find some ready made cards online for the scales jar and I discovered the Susan Paradis resources which are amazing. Lots of music activity worksheets, flash cards, games. I think she is American as she uses the terms "quarter note, half note" but still really good. I thought I'll share the info so if you google Susan Paradis scales cards or anything it will come up with her website.

Interesting debate on the gender of the teacher and effectiveness of managing DCs.

DD's violin teachers have all been female (3 of them since age 7, she's now 12). All have, at some point, said she is a challenge to teach. Conversely, her male piano teacher (taught from age 7 to present) has never commented on her personality. Not once. And even when she's cried from frustration, he's patiently sat there, waiting for her to recompose and then carried on. A quiet, unassuming young man but with such subtle assertiveness I have to admire his style vs the more exuberant but at times, highly emotional violin ladies! Lovely, all of them but it's been like treading on egg shells...

Hi all and thanks lemanitoba and Suspended I take it trumpet is for orchestra, and cornet is for band? but otherwise are they similar in terms of pitch and clef? You are quite right re recorder of course as Waffles DD has shown and they do sound lovely (at a slightly higher level than my DD has got!)...

ealingwest "subtle assertiveness" is exactly the right quality! I need to cultivate that with my (further ed) students! I have learned to go very quiet, look at the culprit and wait when there's a low-level chatter, giggling, texting etc. No one has rolled on the floor. Yet.
DS2 has been incredibly fortunate to have had the same two lovely women teachers for cello and piano since he started. He gets on very well with them and the piano teacher only commented that he could be a bit distracted but she had some sympathy! Never a negative word from cello teacher. They are both mums, one with little children and one with much older.
Fleur thanks for the scales tip - I will definitely check that out!

ealing I think it was more about the reaction a young male teacher can trigger in a little girl. More so if he is inexperienced in dealing with certain types of behaviour.

I know that sounds bad but I think instinctually my DD (and other girls her age from what I have seen) seem to behave differently, in both a positive and negative way, in the presence of a male teacher.

As I said DD (8) has a male teacher at school this year. We went to a curriculum meeting where the DCs were also present. The girls (8-9 yo) behave in a way that made us all adults smile. A lot of giggling, a lot of Mr X look at this "giggle giggle giggle", Mr X Sophie said... "Giggle giggle giggle". A lot of them being loud trying to gain his attention on top of each other. Also all jumping to impress him with knowledge, helpful and so on. Fortunately he knows how to deal with them, it is a positive response from all of them because they are all trying to be a favourite. This behaviour doesn't happen in front of the female teachers (female head teacher also present and ignored).

I don't want this to be intrerpreted as sexualising young girls, it is just an observation I made following my Dd's curriculum meeting and on taking with another two mothers after the meeting they agreed.

Oh and I also don't think the girls realise they behave differently or have the notion of "I am trying to impress a man" in an adult sort of way. I think it is just an instinctual response.

Ultimately male or female, it comes down to the way the teacher knows how to manage and react to pupils behaviour.

I hope I won't get flamed writing down my observations.

Not at all flamed...I did not read it that way at all .

They're all so different...that's why we share our observations here!

Loose, sounds like you are mastering that quiet but I am still in charge look to perfection...even more of a skill if you can do it with young adults!

Phew!

And just to reiterate: the fact that she has a male teacher at school was a massive positive for DD. She came out of her she'll this year, she is doing her best to impress Mr X with her research homework, she responds more in class and under no circumstances should Mr X be cross with her.

*shell (not she'll)

lucy I have a trumpeter. Trumpet for orchestra and cornet for band. Completely interchangeable in terms of notes and playing technique. DD has played trumpet for 5 years and recently joined a band. She has no issues playing the cornet and swaps between the 2. Some bands have their own instrument store and so will be able to lend out a cornet

Greenleave, dd did grade 3 piano last November. She clearly prefers piano (well, until recently anyway), but I don't think she has aptitude for it to be honest. She is doing ok but just about. I should discuss theory with our teachers, you are right....

Fleurdelise, thank you for your kind words, but not yet, not yet, let us wait till exams are over :) She is doing violin at summer, not piano. Talking about achievements - well, she started early and look at your dd and other children in this thread - I am really impressed!
About male teachers - I totally agree with your observations. I hope I will not say something horrible but occasionally male teachers help mums to get more involved into the educational process too . Depends though :)

Statistically, I have mixed experience with male teachers, we had one arrogant male teacher in the past, but in general I find them more in control of their emotions. Which is good when dc are not behaving, but bad when they need praise as females REALLY praise, and males just praise...

ealing your comments on highly strung female string teachers made me smile. I have a slight preference for detached male teachers for my 2 DDs. They seem to respond well to the "well if you want to play get on and do the work" approach as opposed to the more "encouraging and caring" approach but I don't think that would apply to all girls.

That said they get on great with the female strings teacher at school who welcomes them to her ensembles and never undermines or takes offence at me teaching them, so we're not all cut from the same cloth

oh yes, ealingwestmum, your words made me laugh too :)

Fleur: not at all flamed, in fact very opposite. I am appreciated for your sharing and especially sharing your thoughts. I was only thinking he isnt the best in violin or he is much better with piano. However for her level now and for the convenience he is great.

Onlymusic: your daughter inspired me(and I will tell my daughter tonight about her and I am sure she will be inspired too). Its always so much easier to related to someone similar age. After every Orchestra my daughter always come back and saying: mom xxx is so good, he is so good, I am jawdropped everytime I hear him playing.
We havent practised that much on violin as we are supposed to as last week was most in the play ground then too exhausted in the evening. The last couple of days we were on the chords practise that our teacher give us as an extra. We try to do scale in each of our practise however its definitely not always. Scales, sight reading and aural are her weakness