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!

Wow, I darent show that to dd, she would love it.

We have good news in the house tonight, dd has been awarded a year of free lessons on the bassoon and I have said she can do it, I'm going to pick the monster up on Monday!

No band tonight as she will be up early for a school trip and we needed this evening to pack. To celebrate, dd has done all 8 scales in her practice tonight, weird child, and they sound a lot better from where I was in the garden where she thinks I can't hear than they do when I ask to hear them.

Drummer that is incredible

Ha, will show dd this tomorrow, wonder what she will say. Imagine having this in your own home...

drummermom !! so awesome , I feel anybody would fall for it after listening/watching to this video. I am non-musical and felt liking learning this immediately.

Drummer - wow!

Wonderful drummer!

Yay to Woolley's new bassoon. What will you call it?

In other news, miniprada's NCO audition has been moved to later in the month as her accompanist was already at the other venue so it made sense and saved a couple of £ for us. Shame we are not at the RAH but it did mean missing school plus my work this week is mad busy (I renovate houses for a living and I have three ready this week for sale which I have to dress one of which has 15 viewings booked already) and there are just not enough hours in the day this week....arghhh!!

Woolley if the bassoon doesn't come with cork grease please make it the first thing that you buy because having stuck joints is no fun at all. Our bassoon of teenager rebellion has gone back now, he didn't get it out of its case over the summer holidays and was fine with the suggestion that we return it. I thought it was the most beautiful thing to look at and it was quite exciting when he got to discover another key - it's a far cry from a four valve instrument.

Woolleybear ooh, how exciting for your DD - do keep us posted! It's an amazing-looking and sounding instrument,
I think I will have to make a cello purchase before too long. I heeded the advice on a previous thread about growing boys, 3/4 cellos and lugging the thing to school and asked the local music service if a I could just swap the 1/2 size to 3/4 size. I got a nice stentor II for ds2. This has turned out to be a very wise move. Over the summer, DS2 grew like crazy.
Since starting Y7 he has reported that the teacher agrees with him the cello might be "a bit small" now. I have told him to manage for the time being until "bit small" becomes a definite "too small". It was meant to get him to the end of Y7 not just Christmas!

Arggg.... mere weeks to go until both children do their grade 8 exams. It's so stressful! And the tears! And miss 12 desperately wants a higher mark than her little sister.
Arrrggghhhh.

Oh dear, sorry it's stressful... is that because they're being competitive? Goo was going to do a Grade 8 exam this academic year, but I thought that might be stressful and decided against it. She will do Grade 7 instead, if and when she's feeling relaxed and ready. I have slapped a ban on exams this term though - she had done 6 in the last 5 sessions (various instruments and theory) and needed a break.

MIss 9 just manages to sail through without stress normally, but this time she has had tears and tantrums. And miss 12 just wants a decent result and NOT to go to pieces with nerves.
Not particularly competitive with each other as such. But I do wish they weren't sitting in the same session.

Thanks

It will be called Betty apparently (but only if it suits it when we get it!), I will remember the cork grease, we have some at home for the clarinet (Colin) but only use it occasionally now.

For a "free" instrument, its cost a lot already, new reeds and a book, £20 for the instrument plus the petrol and the time off to pick it up, hopefully all will arrive before Tuesday's first lesson and I can track down the sling we bought but never used for the clarinet!

Anyone know the latest date we can decide this term to enter exams, again, I'm sure we had put in for them by now.

wooley what an exciting news! Well done to your DD and good luck!

Waffle good luck to Goo with grade 7. Shakyisles good luck to your DD's also with their grade 8. What instruments are they playing?

We visited DS's school last night for open evening so DD can get a better flavour of it. She love it and it is now her number one choice which make me want to throw all the 11+ material out the window as she should get in on sibling rule no problem. However knowing her she may change her mind by next year and also knowing DS he may suddenly decide he wants to join a different sixth form. So we will continue preparing but not as rigorously as I thought we should. We'll switch to once a week tests rather than do something everyday.

Music department is good at DS's school, I have seen a better one at another school but this was close to it. They have school orchestra and school bands, plus all the musical children participate in the yearly show production to perform something.

Even better, once you decide to do music GCSE and A level you get all your music lessons (one to one) paid by the school. I don't know if all the schools offer this?

woolley for Abrsm it was 30th September last online entry date. By post it was earlier, don't know the exact date.

Console yourself with the thought that bassoons are expensive to hire and to buy so even with the reed and book you're still getting a bargain.

Thanks, we have missed the deadline to apply for Grade 3 this term then. Fine with me but wont fit with the teachers grand plans. I have just e mailed to check when she thinks dd is doing it

The bassoon is indeed a bargain, after the year of free lessons, we can continue to hire it for £20 a term if dd plays it in at least one ensemble. She is hoping within a term or two she can move up to the senior band with her clarinet so she can play bassoon in the Junior section but 3.5 hours playing may be a bit much (especially starting 15 minutes after an hour of school orchestra!)

Woolley: thats great news, it must have boosted her confidence and to me more motivation to practise. Regarding to this term exam, why not try to call ABRSM, there is an option of special visit(it must be more expensive I guess but you have choice)

Prada: is it in Barnes? We might bump into each other.

Fleur: great that miniFleur likes the school too

👏👏 at drummersmum's boy's "hands"

For those of you embarking on entrance exams, music auditions and the likes...I wish you all huge success in your outcomes! Stressful times I know but also immensely proud times as your DC rise to the occasion...

We're NCOing in Barnes this time Green - you'll know us by the circus level racket we make as we attempt to move the pedal harp - both DD and I are, how shall I put it, 'natural leaders' (bossy) and tend to yank said harp in opposite directions.

Last year was at RAH which isn't as grand as it sounds Prada - up several floors and in a side room (I was desperately hoping it was on the stage ...!!). Sounds like a good plan to do it in a less busy wek for you.

Have had quick response from teacher.. I might be reading too much into it but I reckon she realised we missed the deadline after she talked to dd about it. but I guess the following is reasonable.

"Grade 3 will be next term as the entries for this term went a few weeks ago. However, I would like her to really get to know these pieces and scales soon so that not only can she perform in school but also raise her standard so we can push on to grade 4. It would be nice if we were heading towards grade 5 when she leaves (name of School).

I don't really mind when she does grades as long as she wants to do them and is enjoying her playing but its a bit weird just after chatting to dd about it (who may have got the wrong end of the stick I guess)

Thank you everyone for your kind comments.
Ealing
Congratulations to Woolley on the lessons and the arrival of "Betty" - watch out, with that name she could turn up a little dissatisfied princess - you can tell I was totally devoted to Mad Men
Prada so you're putting your daughter through 11plus, music auditions, and renovating three houses at the same time? Can I offer you a
Shaky really sorry to hear about the stress. The good thing, it'll pass, like the exam itself, and then it's over, right? It's G8!!

We have received date for DS drums G8 exam, it's in November. It feel so weird I will have been in this same exam place eight times, same door, same pictures on the wall, same seats where we wait looking at the little faces of nervous waiting children and their parents, all these years... and suddenly it will be the last time. Uff. Gotta move on.

Fleur there has been a recent thread (in secondary I think) about someone's school discounting in school music lessons once they start GCSE. From memory they were very much in the minority.

TRL: hahaha, just think of it makes me smile. I will look for your harp, if you see two little people rolling underneath your harp, probably its me and MiniGreen
We had our violin lesson last night and our new violin teacher was being very kind and try to comfort miniGreen saying: dont worry there are lots of other chances that you can try so you could have a similar reward( a week away from home). Then "listen, if you could practise 30mins a day, 5 day a week then I might let you bounce(on a big bouncing ball in her room) on that one", who says teacher doesnt bribe(the other one gives stickers).
In both of our mind, its a rehearsal, there could be many more in the future which makes it exciting cos its a chance to play infront of professionals and receive feedbacks. That was it all about with this one.
Our piano teacher has been sick so we have been practising on our own the last couple of weeks. We have a lesson today I am hoping to be able to catch him before he leaves to know where we are with our piano. Aural is our worst so probably someone will spend the whole weekend on my phone to play around with the aural Apps(we are going to a Beethoven concert this Sunday in RAH)

Icouldbe yes, I have seen it today and suddenly feel very lucky. We're going to visit the music school this weekend, I wanted to skip it as realistically (it may sound selfish) I don't want to spend so much money on it. I believe the schools in the area are quite good, if she really wants to do well she will have the opportunity.

However I have been told off by DD "mum, of course I want to see it, I play two instruments and my teachers think I am good so I need to see how that school looks".

We'll go and have a look and decide maybe if she should apply later, maybe sixth form if she is still set on music. Or earlier but at least to know for sure this is what she wants to do.