September Music and Musicians Thread

[Wafflenose]

Hello to all musicians and parents of musicians, both old and new, beginners and advanced! Feel free to share whatever you like, and ask away about anything to do with music, exams, concerts, repertoire, practice, etc.

We are all heading back to school and work this coming Monday. My daughters Goo (10) and Rara (8) will be going into Year 6 and Year 4 respectively. Goo plays the recorder, flute and piano (just took up piano in April) and I have slapped a ban on exams for about a year - she has been doing too many. Rara plays the recorder and cello, and will be doing whole class brass lessons during Year 4. She's taking Grade 3 Recorder this term, and is about two-thirds of the way through the Grade 1 Theory book, doing it in her own sweet time and bloody annoying unique way. Goo's main project will be NCO and county auditions... not that she's busting a gut currently!

Good luck to Green and everyone doing nco auditions! It must be an amazing experience!
Just wondering, does anyone have any tips about GCSE music performance pieces! Ds1 seems to be planning to do bass guitar for his solo. I'm not 100% convinced by this - I think xylophone would be better but the school doesn't have one and I must admit to feeling tired at the thought of moving ours to school and back! He's asked his bass teacher to help him find something, I was wondering if there are any pitfalls to avoid! I think they're looking for grade 3-5 standard, is that right?

Oops! Just seen new thread - going to repost there!

Ok I really can't keep up with you guys, but reading the last few pages is very inspiring. I will look at the new thread! With practicing in our house we go for doing something, however short, every day unless we are away or an ensemble rehearsal happened (although if the ensemble music was tricky we go through it the same day). Most days we manage 20 mins plus on DS's main instrument but doing a small amount takes the pressure off when he's tired. He's still on early days though so who knows whether we'll keep it up!