October Music and Musicians Thread

[Wafflenose]

I thought I would start a new thread, as September's is looking unlikely to last for another month.

The music threads are open to all musicians and parents of musicians, no matter what their age or level might be. We have quite a few kids on here who are very serious about music, and plenty who do it as one of many hobbies.

For anyone who's new, I am a teacher of woodwind, and mum to two girls. Goo (10) plays the flute and recorder to a similar level (Grade 7 on both), and started the piano in April - she won't be doing exams on that. She is hardworking, committed, highly strung, and a stubborn little madam. Rara is 8 and far more laid back. She is taking Grade 3 Recorder this term, is a little behind that on the cello, and just this week started learning the clarinet. I don't suppose she will carry on with three instruments in the long term, but we'll wait and see which she loves!

Prada We went to the picasso exhibition too!

Never - it was really good wasn't it?

and then there is also the difficulty of actually handing in the homework to the teacher when they have completed it.....

Alexandra it could be the same child. I am frankly starting to suspect a double life....
DS2 has just got to the point where he is colouring in THE END on his sodding pop-up book homework. I made cooking dinner last as long as I possibly could...
Hang on, Picasso exhibition? where? Life is looking up!
Please tell me half term is over!

I assume it is the Picasso exhibition at the National Gallery, we've been today. DD was more impressed with Van Gogh to be fair.

OMG, I hope the pop up book is now finished! I have just put my kids away for 11 hours, and will be opening the shortly. They were quite industrious today - they finished their homework (!), helped put groceries away, helped me clean out some of their five gerbils and Goo did two lots of practice. Rara did one, and threw a strop, because it wasn't clarinet! I decided that she had to practice for her upcoming recorder exam, but she is struggling with the treble piece. Oh well, she just needs to work at it a bit more... too late to change it now! After dinner, they both perked up further and were lively, silly, loud, rough and shrieky, so I'm pleased they're now in bed!

No, mr industrious at the last minute is embellishing the pop-up book. There is frankly an unnecessary level of colouring in!
I have resorted to
Right, that is it. I'm off go the National Gallery tomorrow!
DH is attempting to watch F1 and Antiques Roadshow simultaneously. It's quite surreal.

With 2 older siblings making fun of dc3 playing a "toyinstrument" I thought I would get dc3 to listen to some "real" recorder music. Found out Red Priest is visiting our qtownon....on a Friday....when I am working....grrrrr

Listen to Perkelt too! We went to see them last year and met them... the recorder player is astonishing!

We went to the Picasso one(well the kids and their dad) as I have someone who thinks she can draw. I am completely exhausted this weekend, just chasing after them everywhere, and no practice. I was hoping for a little practice this midterm until tonight when I confirmed with our teacher about the lesson tomorrow lesson then I realised we havent done any(or any evening when I was home). Well, it was her break so what I was asking for?

Green there hasn't been much practice here either! It's sort of been a relief to get through half term and wave them off this morning!
Just remembered - for cello fans, King's Place in London has a big cello season next year. So far, I have got tickets for a concert that isn't until next September, which is massive forward planning for me!

Happy Halloween from Rara! She has been learning the clarinet for a month now, and has been practising this one for 7-10 days for you all.

Fantastic, Rara! Thank you for a great, spooky start to the day! I can't believe you've only being playing for such a short time. Really well done.

Well done Rara! That's definitely a very spooky start to Halloween! I can tell she must be doing a lot of practice seeing as she's only been playing a short while. Plus, she does look super-cute!

Rara is adorable and plays so well!

Rara plays that beautifully

Ahh bless her. Very spooky!! Wonderful playing xx

Fantastic playing Rara. Can't believe she's only been playing a month. Keep it up!

Thank you all! xxx There are definitely things to work on - her lip pressure and tuning vary a bit (due to being a beginner) and the articulation wasn't all correct, but it was quite spooky! She has completed Stage 9 of Clarinet Basics now and needs to consolidate (and is going to have trouble reaching low E and F) so I have now taken her off that and given her an old copy of Abracadabra, to find some pieces in there that she likes. She also has an expired Grade 1 book and had a go at Shepherd's Hey and something else this morning. Hopefully we can keep her going with lots more tunes at the same level until it's properly time for Christmas music!

Waffle - excellent posture and great sound and breath control!!

Hello, I've been away due to work overload and deadline. I am soooooo tired. Caught up but it would take me a whole day to send all the responses to everyone not to mention participating in the teacher's feedback conversation considering DS has four different teachers...

Waffle Rara really made my day. She's super sweet and gave that piece the spookiness it needs. Well done to her, a fast learner! And send a big thank you!

My work deadline was spiced with very serious conversations with DS as he's suddenly really considering pursuing music professionally and I had an irrational moment of pure terror, specially if we end up narrowing it to drums and he continues having such "popular" taste as the most obscure jazz and fusion. No interest in Greenday's latest Top 1 in the charts. We're talking the starving for a living type of thing. And he's teaching me to love it too! I'm of course going through the emotions now so don't take me too seriously. He, of course, is not privy to my fears, talking him out of it would be unfair and too responsible on my part Meanwhile, he's very realistic and mature and feels torn between life options. He has two feelance parents and has witnessed the price to be paid too close for comfort. But that burning passion... I've told him to become a conductor as he's always been a little Von Karajan And the earning's good. He says conductors don't play an instrument and he loves playing. It doesn't help me that a professional musician friend of mine reacted to the news the other day with: "Oh no, what a waste, with that brain he could literally do anything!"

Drummersmum If he is passionate about it, it would be better to try it than always to wonder what might have been. He sounds a remarkable young man! I like the idea of conducting - or composing, maybe?
Of course, he may also change his mind - it's early days yet!
It is also a good idea to have very good A levels, just in case!
I look at my two and wonder what they will end up doing. I am not sure they have a plan yet!

Hi Drummersmum

I agree I think he should follow his dream with music and try to get good A levels. I had a student who did music played professionally in orchestras for a few years then decided to retrain as a doctor and she has just got her first doctors job. I asked her if she regretted the music route and she said no she's glad she did it. I hope that helps.
Nicky

waffle That was excellent!

My DC have not said anything about careers yet but they are still young. I don't know what I would think if they want to be professional musicians ...