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.

Hello all, on another nc as had to re register, but still around.

10 weeks of holiday here which is presently taken up with 4 hours practice a day, a few festivals (audience, not performing) a bit of theory and academic thrown in to the mix.
Having lots of days out but not going away apart from a couple of overnight stays.
dd has organised a music course for some school friends who are coming to stay next week and the violin has made an entrance into her composing for the groups.
It will be mostly saxes, clari, flute and violin. So with lots of possibilities she is printing parts and transposing keys in her head.
So far we have Bb, C, A, Eb, good luck to them, I say.
A few of them went to see films (Jazz) last night and tonight, which are supporting the Man Jazz Festival.

Congrats CeeBeeBee! I seem to recall you had worries after the exam? Now you can relax and enjoy the summer!

Well done to CeeBeeBee and DD and - time to relax!
I managed quite a productive piano practice session today but there is much to improve!

Had just double-checked your other thread gillybeanz to make sure I wasn't mistaking you...I think I had made reference to your original NC and how it took a while to get used to it when fleur was considering a NC

Good to hear your DD is throwing herself into music in so many innovative ways over the long break!

Thank you all for the kind comments and encouragement.

Yes, drummersmum, I was worried about failing but I scored much better than I thought!

Well done to everyone on the great results. Just caught up whilst sunning myself miniprada has had a week deserved week off but we are back to it after this weekend (and 11+)

ealing

Sorry about that, I had to end up re registering for some reason when I forgot password, I'm terribly disorganised and can see where dd gets it.

Brilliant results everyone, congrats to all the parents as well as the children.
Those waiting for GCSE/ A level results hang in there, not long now.

No worries, and nice to see you back! 😃

I tried it once (intentionally) and it didn't feel like me, but panicked when I tried to get my old name back...eventually got there. But de-registering is impossible to revert!

Ceebeebee: they beated us all dont they, brilliant results for you both!
Gillybeanz: love your new name!

Rara and Music Theory!

I decided she wouldn't like 'Every Good Boy Deserves Football' because she would find it sexist - I was right. So I tried 'Every Green Bus Drives Fast'. "We can't have that," said Rara, "it's not fair. It's discrimination against other coloured buses." Oh. On to the bass clef... 'Grizzly Bears Don't Fear Anything'. "But how do you know that? Maybe they actually do?" she said. Finally, we came to 'All Cows Eat Grass'. "Finally, we have one that's actually CORRECT!" she announced. I knew Miss Creatively-Laidback was going to find this harder than Miss Hardworking-Logical, but I now think the person who's going to find it hardest is me. Good grief!

waffle

She is going to drive me to drink... and we're only on page 9.

Your kids are really good at learning theory, I wish dd was a little bothered.
She has just told me that she will be happy to scrape a pass and her teachers aren't that bothered , her Dad isn't either.
I know it's not important in the scheme of things, but I find it so hard to move away from the grade 5, then theory eam then the other exams.
I was just coming on here to ask for advice and saw the last posts.
She can do it but can't be bothered and reckons that what she does at school is way beyond grade 8 theory, but why not be bothered with the bloody basics then?
I don't think her teachers are that bothered about exams, I guess it's just a different rationale.
I have decided to make little notes and place them round the house so at least she has to look at them.
Is that being pushy, should I just let her get on with it, or in this case not?

Green

The name wasn't intentional tbh, I signed in with fb and this is what I ended up with

It doesn't sound to me like she needs or wants it. I am so in awe of what she can do already... wouldn't practical musicianship be a better option for her, if she needs to do one or the other to access higher grade exams? Or is the school insisting that she does it?

I know Rara is going to struggle enormously, so thought we'd start very gently now. I don't think she will ever get past Grade 2 theory; she just doesn't have that sort of brain. I am happy to be pleasantly surprised though.

Waffle

Isn't it difficult when they are like this, at least in your case Rara is a lot younger with lots of years to go yet.
My dd has the same attitude to everything unless its actually playing or singing and has an answer for everything.
She came down for water before after going to bed in a huff.
I was trying to explain why it can be dangerous to do enough work to scrape through.
I think she will be taking her theory in October, her teacher said she would be. She has had regular classes at school but if you ask her a question she more often than not doesn't know the answer.
Tonight her terms, signs and symbols were terrible, so I told her I was disappointed in her lack of effort and motivation to do well.
If there is one comment that really maddens me it is "Could have done better", having learning disabilities and struggling all my life nothing annoys me more.
I wouldn't mind if she actually struggled, it would show determination, rather than can't be bothered.
Sorry for the rant.

You are really doing the right thing with your girls and their music, I wish mine had some of Goos logical approach, she really is great you know.
I loved her piano clip. Will eventually put one on of dd when I can load her latest pieces she played in a competition.

Exciting news for us this afternoon ... I was able to meet DS off the coach returning from school music tour to France (glad to have him home) to tell him that he's been offered a place with Britten Sinfonia Academy - so will be training with them for at least 6 residential weekends over the coming year with accompanying concerts to look forward to, and I'm sure a lovely group of young people to get to know too. Am thrilled for him! He also had a great time on the trip
Also waiting to hear results from grade 8 exam which he did the day before he left -pieces all lovely (more or less) but some of the scales a bit dodgy (there seem to be soooo many at this grade - all of them I guess?!)
So we think he'll probably pass but perhaps not a merit?
Wondering do people ever re-take grade 8? Or what do they do next?!
I've heard some talk of a diploma. Or he could take up a second instrument? Maybe the guitar as has been learning the ukulele with DH and DD.
Or just play more trumpet but without working towards a grade?
I'm sure this new challenge has come at a good time for him

juggling more trumpet without the exams IMO! I personally can't wait till DS gets rid of all his gr 8 this year and, feeling good about having done them, can finally focus on getting better for the sake of it and choose his repertoire freely... Someone said to me: Gr8 is just the beginning.

I'm sure that's very true drummersmum but the grades do give you a certain structure so that, especially if not a previously musical family, you can feel a bit unsure what's next.
Which is where I think DS will really benefit from this new input, challenge and structure with BSA - good timing for him I think

We were so hit and miss with the aural too. It turned out she got the notes right but the rhythm is completely wrong, we are recommended to take a dance course for her practising feeling the rhythm better

Gillybeanz, Waffle: each of them has their own issue, isnt it. Mine finds theory is easy and interesting while she is always told to lack of feeling the music, the pulse, the rhythm( basically not so musical). We are quite stuck with practical to be honest. I totally agree with my teacher its not about what grade, she can do all the grades, she can even skip grades, its more the musicallity immature and having the correct feel in every tiny little details in each piece awhh

green my dd1 is not "naturally" rhythmical either - comes from her need to make the World march to her beat rather than the other way around . It is absolutely a skill that can be learned. I just have to persuade mine of the inherent logic of the metronome and then let her impose her will when she gets to the rallentandos and the accelerandos.

Dd2 is the "free spirit". The only way I can get her to apply herself to theory in any way is if it is subsidiary to something else entirely. Her bedroom wall now has a glitter encrusted mural I encouraged her to design. All the boring technical musical terms have their own unique illustrations. It is a work of Art .

Juggling I forgot to congratulate on the place at the BSA - well done him!

Gillibeanz, I would've thought that at your DD's school she can choose between ABRSM and Trinity? Why stick to ABRSM if like you say they don't really care that much about her taking exams? With Trinity she would not need to take Theory 5. How's she doing with the rest of the academic subjects? Maybe she just finds "studying" dry compared to all the hours she spends playing, practicing and making music IYKWIM.

green you could get her to do some percussion