July Music and Musicians Thread

[Wafflenose]

Welcome to wet July (well it's wet here) and a new thread. This is the place where we can talk about all things musical, like music lessons, exams, practice and new instruments. I am a music teacher (woodwind) and have two daughters. Goo is 10 and her first instrument is recorder, although on paper, flute has now caught up. She plays flute in NCO Under 11s, has just received the difficult bits she's meant to work on, so is finally cracking on with sorting out her piccolo. She started piano lessons at Easter and is going fast, currently playing Grade 3 pieces, and working through the Grade 2 sight reading and Dozen a Day books. Rara is 8 and far less keen - we are still currently trying to figure out what she really enjoys so that we can encourage her. But for now, she's learning the recorder and cello, and is between Grade 2 and 3 on both.

Goo did her flute exam on June 23rd, and now won't have any until at least March, or next June if I can push for that. Rara will probably do Grade 3 Recorder at Christmas. I have had a quiet exam term for my pupils - 7 altogether. 4 are already safely through (3 merits and a distinction), we are awaiting results for a Grade 6 Theory, and I have a couple of clarinettists still to go on Monday.

Well we're all examed out! G5 piano done although I think by the sounds of the de-brief she's got a pass and nothing more but we'll take that given the drama! Definitely withdrawing from netball in the autumn term!

Happy holidays to everyone especially musicmom and everyone else doing 11+. We're off next week for a week only.

Waffle - there is something to be said for having no choice rather than having the bunfight for grammar as it does leave the non-faith schools in the area severely lacking. I also believe you are right about musicality in all when encouraged. You should be proud of your amazing achievements despite what sounds like .

In other news, miniprada has started her G7 violin syllabus. 90% done on one piece and 50% on the second. She's determined to get them licked over the summer hols. Lovely pieces to choose from. We won't be skipping any grades in piano given she has tiny hands and is less musically able than on the violin. She really, really loves her violin at the moment so I'm very proud of her commitment. Green - I would send you the details of the teacher, but she's miles away from you

Wafflenose, same experience re playing pieces during the competitions. Dd always played pretty simple pieces on piano festivals, below her level, and got distinctions, the other children played smth complicated (I was looking at their music before their performance thinking wow!) and they could not deliver it. So excellent advice, I am glad to find a confirmation of my experience.
Saying that this year her violin teacher chose smth for the festival (the piece is also in Suzuki book 6 program - so quite advanced apparently) and it will be interesting to see how it works. I always treat festivals as a chance to perform in public and not bothered with grading or places anyway but of course it is a bonus if child performs well. I have all the faith in teacher though, therefore if she is not skilled enough to play it he is skilled enough to teach and get the best of her

Pradaqueen was thinking about your dd today

Just to clarify re musicality. I also believe that everyone can be taught music, well, almost :). What I was trying to say I suppose is that if one is a musician but does not have musical family it does not mean there is no musical "gene" running in the family. The musical genes may be there, but skills are not. As skills indeed depends on opportunities provided. This is smth no one knows for sure.
But I am only speculating as this sort of things fascinates me.

And we're done too - DS1 suspects the very kind examiner from ABRSM was consoling him with her smiles as he had some kind of 'nose event' and it ran so much through the exam that he accompanied his own playing with fairly continual snorts apparently ... bassoon duet with, as he delicately put it, a snot attack Unlike DD1 he never seems to care a jot what his marks are, just carries on enjoying his music as if he hasn't done any exams. So the shortTRL's are done with exams for the Summer hols ... and we're into 11+ prep for DD1 (perhaps not the same slam dunk as DS1 & 2 ... agh) plus NCO purple patches for the harp part appear to be the entire harp repertoire so we'll be busy....

Well done to one and all, and hope those heading away for a holiday have a happy time.

only I'm the opposite about this "music gene" business. We carry on on the assumption that you can get pretty good at playing whatever it is you play if you put in enough effort and have enough guidance. How far can you go? Well, you go and see how far you go... Is there a name to this approach?

Sorry only - "opposite" only in that I'm not really interested in the debate. In reality we might actually all be doing the same thing!

NeverEverAnythingEver the name to this approach is "everyone can be taught music"
I suppose it is music gene that limits how far you can go assuming enough effort is put into it? :)
The reason I am "pro" music gene is that I can see it in the family, dd has inherited very specific aural skills running in the family. I would say it is pretty narrow and showed too early to assume it is merely training. I don't mean that she is more "musical" or "special" in any way because of it, just mention it as a matter of interesting fact related to music skills. Part of this is her ability to repeat a tune outright - she was not singing on exam (echoing), she was playing it on violin, and she got full marks for aural. And nobody ever "developed" this part of her aural, she could do it after one year of her music lessons at 5yo. But as I said - this is running in the family....
Would be interesting to see if my second child got it ....

Oh, NeverEverAnythingEver , sorry, replied before I saw that you are not interested, just ignore my answer then!
It does not matter after all, only writing because love this subject, but always need someone to stop me

Prada, given what happened to her hands then giving it ago already showing her level of commitment. Such a brave girl!!!
TRL: all the best, I felt for the nose running, especially under this heat. Hopefully it will go away real soon.

We had to cancel our usual lessons as someone was sick due to playing too much under the sun and needed an early bed time. Apparently it wasnt as bad because when I got home some one was happily stuffing her face in the water melon bowl so it was nothing to worry(I have a feeling someone is playing a trick here).
Well, I need a violin tutor, a good one!!! I do!

Have a pile of books about music talent - off to read them

only

I've had the results tonight about my pupils, and they all passed! The one who thought she'd messed everything up and failed actually got 113/150! Three out of the five got merits, and the other two had passes. My Grade 4 pupil had 106/150, which I was surprised at; I expected a higher mark, but at least it's a pass. Perhaps it just didn't go well on the day. I'm very happy with them all though.

Well done to your learners Tokelau. I am still impatiently waiting for my tutor to call me for dd's and mine from the 6th.

Tokelau well done to you and your students

Another thought about "musical talent": it's only in hindsight that you could tell how "successful" someone is. So in the here and now I find that it's more useful to adopt the "everyone is musical" approach.

It's very very hot here today. Hope everyone is coping/having fun!

And well done Tokelau's students!

Thanks everyone.

Well done to them all! I am still waiting for my clarinet pupils' results from July 4th.

Hot here too - 25C already, and meant to be 30C here later. I am in my shorts for the first time this year, plus factor 50 because I have red hair and fair skin. I am about to go and finish writing my reports in the garden.

We are all jamped like sardines in London tube and it doesnt have air con. Many sw trains dont have air con either and its the same it will be cooler this weekend which is the only time we can enjoy it. Well, thats all the moans from me, good thing is, I have a Royal Albert Hall bbc event this Sat to see

HOT. I will have to water the garden tonight, as plants are looking at me with begging eyes...

Greenleave What are you seeing at the Royal Albert?

Never: its bbc prom event at 11am. We have quite alot else going on with bbc prom this season too.