November Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

Let's have a new thread for November... I'm not sure if the old one will last long enough. This is a place to talk about music lessons, practice, exams and anything to do with learning instruments/ singing. We have beginners and advanced players of all ages.

I am mum to two girls - Goo (newly 11) - Flute, Recorder and Piano, and Rara (8) - Cello, Recorder, and one month of Clarinet so far. She won't put the clarinet down, so I think we've found The One.

Amadeus was so good. I would happily go again. But still recovering from actually going out in the evening. Getting too old for stuff like this ...

Although mine checked his answers and decided that a correct transposition was wrong and changed it! He was in tears when he realized later
Good luck everyone.

Good luck to all doing the theory exam!

Waffle I loved watching you and Goo play, I watched it about 3 times.

disorganised good luck with the audition, it sounds like your DS had a great experience.

With regards to how long does it take for a piece of 2-3 pages to learn, for piano at grade 5 I'd say 3-4 months to exam standard, however DD just started one grade 5 piece and the plan is to take it in July next year, but she won't concentrate yet on that piece in particular, she plays another 4 pieces at the same time. She's only learning 3-4 bars at a time because her teacher wants it right from the beginning (4 bars, correct dynamics, interpretation, move to the next few bars). So you could say it will take her 7 months but the other pieces will be introduced later next year. 3 months at grade 5 I think it is about average.

Thank you all for the answers! Sounds like all have more or less the same period of preparation, same in our case. The reason I was asking is that dd was preparing few pieces for the concert and though it was an interesting experience I got fed up with listening the same music again and again
Fortunately concert is in few weeks time and we can move on finally :)

Morning all - had a chance to look at the link waffle - very lovely playing from both of you! School looks charming also

Miniprada has decided that a pass wasn't good enough at G5 theory in the Summer so against our better judgement is doing it again today to get a merit or higher as she wants to go into the indie school auditions with a better result . She scraped a pass last time having forgotten to answer one whole question it transpires.... So completely agree with the sentiment to 'STAY IN THE ROOM' she left last time after 45 mins so careless really...

On a positive note aside from the child's madness I've booked a massage on site where she is sitting the exam which I wouldn't normally have time for after school so I guess I can't complain if she wants to sit it again...good luck to you all!

Festival rehearsal last night. Did not go brilliantly with the official accompanist mainly as she hasn't practiced the G5 pieces for ages and the G7 sounded flat against the piano. I feel mega practicing coming on this week!

Disorganisedmummy - sounds like the visit was a success! Congratulations!

Ps drummersmum when miniprada was 8 I had a whole class sleep over for the girls in the class . It was potentially a disaster but I moved all the clocks forward in the house so they went to bed at 10 thinking it was 1am

Good luck to everyone today, I remember last term it was on a Saturday!

Prada: why not do grade 6 theory instead? We would do grade 6 theory however that might never happen as I dont find the point of paying for it if it isnt required. And well done, very clever on turning the clock, I will be doing it next time.

Green - I did suggest that and completely agree but I think the fact that she missed a whole 10 marks by her own stupidity has preyed on her mind... Plus the fact that everyone refers to G5 as 'equivalent to a gCSE' and she wants an 'a'

Good luck to all the Theory DC today.

Thinking of you theory guys today...good luck!

Just retreated to a coffee shop after dropping DS2 off. He has been completing past papers within half an hour, and I feel that it would be cruel to ask him to spend 1.5 hours checking the paper (especially as he has ADHD) so we have compromised: I'll be available to collect him after 45 minutes, on the condition that he works carefully and stays until he has checked his answers properly.

I was surprised by the number of candidates. If there had been a queuing system, it would have reached half-way around the block, but it was more of a scrum free-for-all.

It doesn't seem that busy here but quite a few parents and siblings in the waiting room.
DS1 went in with reminder to read the questions and check his answers carefully before he comes out. I do hope he passes for his sake!
Just this exam, then the bass guitar exam a week on Friday and then I think I only have to worry about me next term!

We are back from grade 3 theory exam.
She was off the room after 30 mins
Will be interesting to find out her score....
Saying that I don't see it as either good or bad sign - I expected it. But somehow is still surprised with her speed (but then she is on a hyperactive side)

How did it go TheSecondOfHerName?

How is your ds LooseAtTheSeams?

Well we are back. Seems like we've learned our lesson re: point of checking! She seems confident that she has a better than pass score so we'll see.... One poor child was 5 mins late but was let in to sit G8 theory but when the envelope for her was opened it was empty so cue lots of disruption in the room whilst a copy was emailed from the board.... I guess that mum had a stressful day!!

Hope everyone gets the score they want. Onwards now to prelim exam at one of the indie schools on Thursday. I need

Well done everyone, and good luck for the results just before Christmas!

I have had to have The Hard Work Day with Rara today. She was struggling with a memory exercise, and with under 4 weeks to go, it got to the point where I had to sit with her for 30 minutes and get her to do it repeatedly. She didn't like it much, but got a treat after. I think she's cracked it now. We also went over her treble piece a few times, adding the Irish style twiddles. I explained that she'd like it a lot less if I sent her into the exam room unprepared. Anyway, we have a date for her exam... December 5th. I think she also wants to do Grade 1 Clarinet with her BFF next term. She'll have gone past it by then, but I'm not in any rush. It will do her good to consolidate for a while. No idea what's going on for Goo yet, but I have managed to negotiate no piano exams for the foreseeable future, possibly ever. She can see the end in sight with Recorder and Flute (and does WANT to finish her grades) but has no desire to start all over again with exams on another instrument.

DS2 came out after 50 minutes. He says he checked his answers, and I really don't think he could have stayed there for another hour and ten minutes. He wasn't super-confident about his melody, but was otherwise happy with how it went.

Glad to hear everyone did well!

Mine got out too early insisted that she did double check also(last term) for the first written exam in her life and at 8 years old there isnt much else we can do about it.

We are on scales, and its purely labour and its not the most interesting task in the world. In fact since Sept I think about 80% of our time are on scales, its truly feel like a life time.

Fleur, we rely heavily on the metronome these days on the pieces

No result for miss 10 yet.
Miss 12 has taken her result at grade 8 and realised that she can actually play the violin now. She feels free to enjoy her music - and is practising the violin 1 part of the double violin concerto by Bach. Which she adores. She is picking up and playing for longer. I remember doing the same, it was like I had to achieve grade 8 before I believed that I wasn't a complete beginner.

Miss 12 has decided that she isn't going to sit her theory. She is working through the grade 8 workbook but not enjoying it one little bit. Miss 10 has decided she is going to take it. But she is only just grade 6-7 standard.

I prefer the harmony in practise book than the workbooks.
Good luck with results everyone!

DS1 out of exam after 50 minutes at most but seemed to be very happy with paper and confident of a pass. We shall see!

Just found out...miss 10 got another distinction. (She has had distinctions for every exam). Heading to a sax lesson tomorrow, where we will be discussing repertoire and future plans. She is very excited.

Shakyisles that is just amazing! Many congratulations to both DDs on their brilliant results!