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.

And I have been just told the marks for violin exam - 137

Only: great results, wonderful news for the summer!:)

That's amazing only!

Wowee, what a great mark!

I had two clarinets with ABRSM this morning, both 9 years old and good friends actually. Grade 3 was delighted with her performance - I know there are some little issues with tonguing and tuning which she needs to sort out, but am hopeful of a merit despite this (maybe more). Grade 1 unfortunately became both nervous and over-excited, messed up one piece, small slips elsewhere but should be safe.

Well done only!

Interesting to hear that i'm not the only one with a musical child who doesn't talk. Is there a connection i wonder?

Good luck Waffle. Hope you get answers soon.

OldBeanbagz DS2 was very, very late talking, in fact he sang before he talked.

Congratulations mini Green and mini Only!

We had another lovely weekend. Last week was the primary music event run by the DCs secondary school. All my DC went at Primary and have helped at various times in secondary. DS1 and 2 were helping this year. I have a lovely last photo of DS1 in school uniform playing in the band, 9 years after his first music week concert. It was also Leavers Dinner that night, so DS1 and 3 friends made a quick exit to arrive slightly late at the dinner. They got choc oranges as a thank you from the Music dept for giving up their time and the start of their dinner!

Sat night was DS1s last music service concert and he was awarded the annual trophy for contribution to the music service. Very proud.

So sad in some ways, but a lovely ending.

He still has school band trip to finish his school music, but they play in a different uniform for trips

Good luck waffle.

Thank you ladies!

OldBeanbagz - I don't think there is a connection between not talking and musicality, if anything it seems to help with the speech according to what I read, I don't remember exactly but I think the same areas of the brain are responsible for certain aspects of musicality and certain aspects of speech.
However, children with some neurological conditions seem to have more chances of being musical...

Congrats only!

Both my kids talked like anything quite early and haven't stopped yet ...

Raspberry: there should be medals for you too!

Good luck Waffle, I hope you get an answer soon enough, I admit I don't know much about selective mutism.

Congrats Only that is a fantastic result!

Congrats to Only and Raspberry - lovely to hear your news!

OldBeanbagz Rara isn't musically able in the slightest. She started her instruments at 4 and 5, because... why not? So she is going very slowly, shows no aptitude whatsoever, but enjoys it. She is extremely articulate and was talking in paragraphs well before 2, but a perceived trauma at 3 made her zip up in public. She is also unable to describe her feelings, and has violent outbursts instead. She wanted to take part in the school musical and has learnt the words, but can't bring herself to open her mouth when other people are watching.

only and Raspberry that's great news, many many congrats.
waffle best of luck with assessment. For what you say you may be quite right about the result.

Good luck on getting some insight into Rara's inner world waffle

Waffle - good luck with everything; have Rara's ears been checked to make sure they are not exacerbating other things? Just a thought.....after 10yrs of ears I now too fully know how they can make things even more difficult for a child....

Only - great result!

Raspberry - such talent (and fun!)

Waffle It is so hard when you know there is something wrong but don't know how to help. Sending a big supportive hug for you and Rara.

Wafflenose i hope you get some answers for Rara soon.

Our DS isn't nearly so complicated though he couldn't speak to any of the adults at school for a long time. Typically he talks loads at home and i hear his lovely singing voice but he refuses to join the school choir.

It's his Y6 show this week - in front of 300+ people. According to DS he's on stage a lot but doesn't say much

A 123 mark for G6 piano received, her lowest AB score ever. I have a reflective girl right now, knew that it was a fair mark given her multiple mishaps in all 3 pieces, but that genuinely this was the most prepared she had been for a piano exam. If she can get a grip of her pesky exam nerves moving forward and start believing that she is well on the way to becoming an accomplished pianist, she may well have just turned the corner.

And that maybe it's also time to stop considering it as 2nd fiddle to her fiddle

That's still a lovely mark, and quite a bit more than I got for Grade 6 piano (my last piano exam). Please tell her well done from all of us!

I will, thank you waffle!

Well done to miniEaling: please tell her its great mark. Grade 6 piano is a very very big thing. I think for piano its very very hard for the higher grade to achieve similar mark to other instrument. Also many times, its so easy to have a "funny/less performed" 10 mins exam session. I remember we were most prepared for piano grade 2(started from 4.5 yrs old, grade 2 when 7yrs old), we have been playing variety of pieces for the whole year, learning technique, knowing the scales in and out, mastering the pieces. Then it was still a merit. Couple of slips fir scales, didnt get the aural bits well, slightly more nervous in the pieces....by then I got to understand, as long as it a pass and if we could move forward then its good enough!!!