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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

July Music and Musicians Thread

827 replies

Wafflenose · 01/07/2016 09:04

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.

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Pradaqueen · 17/08/2016 19:28

Have a great holiday Green! Welcome back Fleur Grin

raspberryrippleicecream · 18/08/2016 23:09

Noy extra curricular, but wanted to share with my music friends. DS1 got his grades and is off to uni, Theoretical Physics.

He's read up on the bands on offer now, he's missing playing already!

GCSEs next ........

ealingwestmum · 19/08/2016 00:19

Was thinking about you today raspberry, congratulations to your boy 1 on his results! And finger's x'd for next week's results too...

AlexandraLeaving · 19/08/2016 05:21

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drummersmum · 19/08/2016 09:19

raspberry what great news! Such a new chapter for all of you.
We're on hols in the sun!

drummersmum · 19/08/2016 09:22

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Wafflenose · 19/08/2016 09:37

Congratulations to him!

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Icouldbeknitting · 19/08/2016 09:51

Raspberry, fingers crossed, we'll be able to congratulate you all over again next week.

LooseAtTheSeams · 19/08/2016 10:18

Just about to head on hols but wanted to congratulate Raspberry's very brainy DS and good luck to everyone waiting for results next Thursday!

raspberryrippleicecream · 19/08/2016 13:37

Thanks everyone.

Ishouldbe fingers crossed for both of us!

AlexandraLeaving · 19/08/2016 23:14

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Pradaqueen · 20/08/2016 02:44

Well done raspberry's son! Wonderful news!

NeverEverAnythingEver · 22/08/2016 10:42

I've been away! Hope everyone is well. No music practice last week. Maybe I'll get them to do something again ...

Greenleave · 22/08/2016 18:35

Raspberry: many congrats to your clever son and your family, its a great news, hope he will enjoy physics! Best of luck with GCSE result this week!
Alex: glad to hear they had a great time, it seems like everyone has been having wonderful experiences from all music camps, so looking forward to the time we could do it too!
Loose: have a wonderful holiday

Greenleave · 22/08/2016 18:43

Only: does she like the pink book? How about the abrsm practise book? I did break into sessions and skipped the ones she was ok and only focused on the one she wasnt good at. There are past paper result books where even non-musical like me can check how did she do. May be set up a target each week. Rewards if she has completed a target(we had stickers). We are in contrast with your daughter as we havent made much progress with Aural, will be on dictation for some more time then loads of sight reading before we could be able to plan for our next step. I dont see anything coming this December yet(we already had a ski trip booked so it might not even be March next year).

raspberryrippleicecream · 22/08/2016 19:22

Thanks for all the good wishes!

As a distraction, DD is thinking of learning a new instrument in 6th form. She got Grade 8 on her sax last March, and doesnt want to take it any further, especially as the woodwind teacher left in the summer. She will also carry piano for fun.

She's thinking about clarinet or trumpet. Any thoughts?

Clarinet, she's been told it's very difficult to go from sax to clarinet . But feels if she can do it she would pick it up more quickly.

Trumpet would be very different. She's had a go and can get a noise from it, but is worried it would take her too long to get going.

We have a very nice trumpet already and borrow a clarinet,

Icouldbeknitting · 22/08/2016 19:57

If the woodwind teacher left in the summer doesn't that knock clarinet out of the running?

Wafflenose · 22/08/2016 20:40

I had a very good saxophone pupil (was Year 10 at the time) who borrowed a clarinet, had a few lessons with me and got himself to Grade 4 in a couple of terms so he could go on the Year 11 orchestral tour. So it might be a good choice!

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raspberryrippleicecream · 22/08/2016 22:04

We think they have a new woodwind teacher Icouldbe . They didn't have anyone at the end of year, but the grapevine is saying it's been sorted, and with someone who conducts one of their bands.

If it is him I'm very pleased, he will have DS2 for clarinet for certain.

It's all a bit of a mess, several teachers retired from the music dept, finger's crossed extra curricular music will still be a strength of the school. The two curriculum teachers have been replaced with guitar players, before we had a choral specialist and a brass/woodwind specialist who conducted several groups. ( As well as the woodwind teacher)!

Waffle that's encouraging.

AlexandraLeaving · 22/08/2016 22:41

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raspberryrippleicecream · 23/08/2016 00:43

She did play descant and treble at Junior School, I shall pass it all on to her. Thank you Alexandra

NeverEverAnythingEver · 24/08/2016 10:45

Just finished reading the last two weeks' weekend papers. Hmm Grin Made DS1 read this article by Stephen Isserlis. He agreed with Isserlis about the cello being the greatest instrument but was non-committal about the rest of the article ...

Pradaqueen · 25/08/2016 07:26

Good luck today Raspberry with the GCSE's. Miniprada got her IGCSE Spanish result by email this morning. She got a C! She's so chuffed. Very proud here.

AlexandraLeaving · 25/08/2016 08:03

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Pradaqueen · 25/08/2016 08:06

Thanks Alexandra Grin

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