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!

NewLife well done to your DD!

Regarding the abrsm aural app - the clapping but I tell DD it doesn't work properly as it seems to be a hit and miss, generally I can work out if she is clapping properly, harder on the stronger beat and she needs to get the 2/4 3/4 and 4/4 correct meaning that she did probably clapped right.

DD does ballroom dancing and she does know that if it feels like a waltz it is in three times, if it feels like marching it is in two times. If it is neither then it is 4/4.

Fleur your DD is spot on!
I'm not worried about either DS when it comes to timing, clapping and changes in a melody as they seem pretty instinctive with that. However, they are just rubbish at the singing. I have tried and tried to get them to join school choir but they refuse.i have told them they must at least attempt the singing so the examiner can award a mark for effort! It's a bit odd as DS2 has a good ear for the cello - actually he can sing along with the cello so maybe he should try singing his scales as he plays! Their father is the same - he can tune a guitar completely accurately by ear but he Does Not Sing!

Icouldbe

I think she's gained a valuable lesson in listening and being better organised.
I don't think she was tested on anything she shouldn't be able to do and practising daily anyway. So luckily it wasn't lack of preparation as she was preparing constantly, she just didn't know she'd be tested on it because she has selective hearing/ lack of concentration. Tbh, she said she wasn't the only one who didn't know and when she went in and told some of the older ones, they hadn't listened and read the time table properly.

We have tears today because the child can't play a grade 3 piece perfectly after learning it for 3 weeks.

(Or do people who passed grade 2 learn a grade 3 piece in 3 weeks?)

No, perfectly they don't.

Unless for someone who over learned grade 2 for a ...very long time!

No way NeverEver, not perfect. Maybe just playing it but at a slower speed, not many dynamics, still sorting rythms here and there.

We had strops tonight also just because I dared pointing out she was playing a D instead of an E, it didn't sound wrong but for some reason I happened to notice and told her so. Total meltdown...

Never ever - def not!

New life - well done DD (and she def must have great practice technique 😀)

I could - interesting, as am just wondering whether we should do g7 this term given we have had max two lessons since Easter and lots more wont happen. Trouble is we will need to wait until next Easter - or maybe this is the moment to let go of grades completely until g8 in the distant future....am seriously considering this

Loose - good luck to cello son; is he still loving the new size cello and bigger sound??

Fleur and TheSecond - def tired child here too 😕

< waves at Icouldbeknitting >

I devised a new system for DD where she throws a die to decide which scale to practise next. Hopefully this will stop her from only practising the ones she already knows and avoiding the ones she isn't confident about.

Fleur: mine has been very tired too, she needs to be in bed at 8 these days which means no practice and I only see her for an hour. When I finished tidying up and went and checked she was already snoring peacefully...its must be this season where they are overly active during the day. My husband will be late tonight so I am having a red and listen to Yani for a change!!!

Thanks for good wishes - DS2 should be ok and certainly getting a nice sound from bigger cello!

Tired and oversensitive dd here too... Tears tonight as I dared to point out errors in scales on 2 instruments. Scales were subsequently played at great speed in the hope that it woukd stop mean-spirited mummy pointing out corrections. Practice has been flakey and with uncharacteristic lack of effort all week

Hello everyone! Been manic here but congrats to all on the recent results/ achievements! Miniprada has grade5 violin exam this weekend via a special visit and Is taking her GCSE Spanish tomorrow ...no nerves but what a week! I admire her calmness. We had the summer concert for the local orchestra she joined last week and she played the intermezzo as a solo which sounded wonderful. So proud! For the exam She is also doing the Rondino and the Vivaldi 'off list' which is certainly challenging....Grade 5 theory (again) on the 18th June but she seems much more confident this time. Grade 5 piano in June (let's hope she doesn't break anything on the school residential trip this week) then we get stuck into the 11+ and entrance exams in September.... Eek! Good luck to everyone with exams coming up! Xx

Prada, what a busy term. All the best to MiniPrada for the exams coming up!

Pradaqueen good luck with everything!

Pradaqueen good luck with all the future exams, you have a very busy few months ahead!

Tired Y7 son here as well! Congrats to mini NewLife.
Very busy end of term here with lots of exams. I have Y7 son, who will be doing G6 guitar, G6 horn and G5 piano all in the same summer session! Now I think it was madness to agree to sign up, but he was keen. Also for piano he has not done any ABRSM exams so far and has been learning piano with lessons only for just less than one year now. Anyhow we'll see how it pans out for him...
I also have a Y3 son sitting for grade 2 piano at same summer session, but less stressed there. He also plays cello and horn, but no exams this term for him. And I also have a five year old little violin player.

Do you know when the ABRSM appointments come out? Just really hoping we'll get the last week of exams in July as it will give my Y7 more time with the piano practice

ABRSM send out appointments 3-4 weeks in advance, so if anyone has already had one, it means they'll get a really early date! I am hoping I don't hear anything at all until June!

I have two Year 4 pupils entered for Grades 1 and 3 Clarinet, and an adult with SEN for his Grade 6 Theory - he's done so very well. With Trinity I have four recorders entered - one Initial, one Grade 2 and two Grade 3s. So a quiet term for exams really, although I'm just under halfway through this term's 17 Music Medals. Every variety this time round - 4 Copper, 4 Bronze, 7 Silver, 1 Gold (Rara) and 1 Platinum.

Goo is tired too, and off school today with mild tonsillitis. She doesn't know she's missing the whole school photo, which takes place once every four years. It's just tough luck though - she was on the last one, and Rara will only ever be on one. Last time they did it, she was still at nursery, and next time, she will have left.

Thank you Waffle! Fingers crossed not to hear from them till mid or end of June. Poor Goo, hope she gets better soon.

Good luck everyone! I'm sitting outside the Spanish Exam.... One down, one to go this weekend!

Well, I gather there was a wobble in the G5 xylophone piece and a sticky arpeggio in the g3 cello, but otherwise it went as well as expected in the exams today!
I am enjoying sunny Bordeaux, back to normality Sunday noght!
Hope Goo feels much better!

Goo seems to be a bit better - she has spent the morning arguing with Rara, over some Lego people. I've walked off and left them to it. Rara is super grumpy and uncooperative at the moment. She has practised the cello once a week for the past three or four weeks, and the recorder not at all. She still wants to learn, but claims it's my fault for not telling her to do it. Aargh! She will be doing a bit today, for sure. Once I have recovered from the arguments over Maths homework and Lego!