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.

Can violin mums share their thoughts please?.... We are about to upgrade to 3/4 size (will cover grades 5+). Couple of teachers I spoke to reckon that there is not need to buy anything expensive too good and Primavera will do. Dd's half size is Gliga (which is 300+). The next Gliga upgrade will be in a region of 600+, this is vs second hand Primavera. Would you go for a a cheaper or more professional model (assuming it is all serious, main instrument, etc). There is ds2 too, though he only started this year - so, presumably instrument will be used by second child at some point

no need that is, sorry, posted too early!

We just bought a 3/4 size. We went for the next step up from a "standard" but we got a pretty cheap one because DS2 liked it and it actually did sound better than the more expensive ones.

I was told not to spend too much too.

Thank you NeverEverAnythingEver. Teacher also said that one of his students has good 3/4 Primavera and she is going to sell it. But teacher also said that dd's 1/2 Gliga is good too..... Grrr....

Only: we too are looking at larger violin. Would go for mid-range, not basic, but not too pricey as wouldn't want to be worried about it being left in the school music block. We are looking around £600 mark

Only - I was told categorically by our Russian teacher that we had to spend money on the 3/4 size to take her to G5+ We had previously a stentor conservatoire model for the 1/2 size with improved bridge and strings. It 100% improved miniprada's sound which became effortless which led to her going to practice without being reminded. I now need to think about a full size after the G7. We went to Woodbridge Violins who offer all of the money spent on the previous model as a p/ex against the next one. They have a full range for all budgets. Maybe give them a call and chat through?

Fleur - it is called 'young gifted and classical'

That reminds me - has anyone change violin strings themselves? Or do you let the teacher do it?

Happy violin shopping!

Goo hasn't been seen by a doctor - I didn't fancy another Friday night in A&E but would have gone if I'd thought it was broken. It's not, and it's getting better every day. She played some very easy pieces on the flute this morning (Rara's recorder pieces!) and is fine, but it looks horrible!

Reading posts on violin shopping with interest here, we were told that its not needed yet until at least another 6 months(on 1/2 side now, may be because we have short arms). I planned and already budgetted for it, its super tempting. And def need a new string, or rehair our strings.

Fleur: we werent told that we are not ready ever from our teacher so I really dont know. I cant even tell if her fingerings on the scales are correct(hopeless, I know). Your exam is this weekend I remember, all the best to miniFleur. Thinking about you and miniFleur in middle of 11+ as I now need to start thinking/planning of 11+ too, thinking of joining 11+ forum

Waffle good to hear the finger isn't broken, I wish Goo a speedy recovery!

Thank you prada on the info about the TV show.

Don't know anything about violins but I know I love instrument shopping. Seeing that I don't think will ever change the piano being an acoustic one I am looking forward going clarinet shopping when the time comes. Which will probably not be for a looong time so I will virtually enjoy your instrument shopping.

Green the good thing with the scales fingering is that nobody will watch over her in the exam so if they sound good she'll get a good mark anyway. The fingering can be fixed as you go. DD's teacher doesn't abide by this advice and will not tolerate DD's wrong fingering but it doesn't really matter for the exam. Thank you for your good wishes, DD is ready for the exam this Saturday however arpeggios could be a hit and miss based on her mood. Last night they were perfect. The night before she restarted G major 3 times (playing the wrong notes). Oh well, as long as she doesn't do the sqeaking mad noise she should be fine.

We keep postponing the 11+ thoughts, still doing some work here and there but not as much as we could/should.

Waffle: glad to hear things slowly back in order. I love this forum where I can moan even just about my flu, its really a sharing and supportive one.

Regarding to sight-reading, we think we are ok with it now after theory grade 5 last term. It might be true only for grade 5 and under and I expect the challenge to come back with above grade 5 level. Although I have someone completely felt in love with theory and asked for grade 6 and above exam. We wont do it yet though as it adds cost and it consumes time and we need to catch up with practical on both of the instruments first.

Thats the thing with practical, we can never go back the moment the note was played incorrectly or not nicely while with theory we could always check. I would never have confidence in practical exams, it can really go either way. We just have to believe in them Fleur and worry a little (less).

I dragged myself to a friend for dinner on last Saturday as they pitied on us were all sick like dogs. They asked about our plan for secondary and we said we will go private. Then they said its no worry then as paid selective schools are easy to get in. Well, I really wanted to say that it is actually not true, many selective private schools are not easy to get in at all. And I am saying it from a parent with an above average performed child perspective.

Thank you for advice ladies!
Prada we already have full size violin, so part exchange will be unnecessary unless ds2 will carry on playing too, but he is only 5 so I would not risk :) Dh wants to buy 600 one (oh these grown up boys....), to be honest I wholeheartedly support his decision but being a practical female....

Only, most expensive violin will project a good sound and it's good for every player. It might be necessary for competition. However, I doubt it is necessary for G5 or upper to update to an expensive one. DS took g7 exam with his 1/2 violin I bought from eBay at around £50 and still got full marks of two pieces.

Dd2 has a hindersine violin, but it has been setup by a violin luthier with new easy tuners, better strings, bridge etc. It sounds good- according to violin tutor.
Once they get into full size I'm hoping it will be easier to find good violins that are second hand.
Dd1 had a 1/2 size westbury antique- that sounded very good and it was only £400/ but again had replaced bridge, strings etc.
But she has a 3/4 now.

Rara has a 1970s cello, which is one of several that her teacher has in 'circulation' among her pupils. We bought it for £100, and paid £50 for a decent bag for it - we can sell it on to another pupil when she gets too big for it. At 8.5 years, she's showing no signs of needing a 1/2 though. When she was tiny, she had a 1/8 size, but we didn't buy it, we hired it.

I sat in on her cello lesson today (I don't usually, because she is reluctant to speak when I'm there, but the teacher wanted me to). She's a bit behind on scales for the level she's got to, but the teacher worked hard with her on half a piece, then said they'd got it to Grade 3 Distinction level! I was really pleased for her. Teacher doesn't like exams, but Rara needs motivation to practise more than twice a week, so I might ask if she can take Grade 3 next year. I think the last cello exam she did was Grade 1, and it was a long time ago.

In other news, we finally got the report from her September school testing. We'd been given utterly wrong information before. It turns out her IQ is on the 96th centile, processing speed a little low, vocabulary very superior... and she has word finding difficulties. Add in some sensory seeking, anxiety and the fact she's painfully shy, and we're starting to get a better picture of her needs. Whenever she's given an instruction or asked a question, there's a lag. She takes for ever to finish a sentence, is unable to give the 'short' version of events... but when she does finally get her words out, they sound like a work of literature, and she's also extremely funny. I doubt we'll ever work out how her brain works - she's very eccentric! - but her teachers are giving her extra time to formulate her answers, we are all learning to be more patient, and apparently her confidence has gone up a bit.

Hello eliphant if you are still around? I am going to pm you.
If you are unable to locate i.e are new to Mnet, come back on and someone will help.

Sorry, have been working and a bit busy.

Just catching up - sorry I missed your query on violins only but most of what I would have said has already been covered. Whatever you get, worth checking it by (especially if you are able to test-run some) your teacher/an expert to validate if it has good strings, bridge, finger board etc like Paulweller has mentioned, as these can get 'down-graded' for sale in the less known violin retailers and can add cost if not in good nick. We upgraded similar time to you, but DD was already on 4/4 primavera in Y5, to a 1900 german one through to Y13. Bow was changed at the same time from a carbon fibre to a pernambuco and both made a huge difference to her playing, even if it was psychosomatic! £800 and £400 respectively. Big ouch at the time but now I think, it was well worth it. Good luck!

waffle, good to here you are able to work with the new information and that you are seeing changes for the positive in Rara's confidence. That in itself is the key to change so much...

Paulweller11 I have heard hindersine viloin-it is indeed good!

Wafflenose, join Parenting High Potential group on fb - it is very good and very supportive-basically pretty much like this thread. Plenty of advice on Rara's issues you described

Thank you for advice ealingwestmum and NotAMusician

In case anyone is interested NCO Open Rehearsal at The Barbican on 11 Dec. Concert in the eve, but rehearsal might be interesting for younger children who might be thinking of auditioning next time.

Only - we now always take instruments on trial so DD can have a good play in different moods and settings, and her teacher can have a go too! seems v usual to do this. Re cost - for the full size cello we splurged a bit, didn't take it on trial, and DD never got comfortable with it. We ended up persuading the shop to take it back if we bought another (Cheaper one) from them; we lost a little money but better than a v expensive instrument hanging around unused. Was an interesting lesson in the price tag not being everything...

Thank you stringchild
I know expensive violin will be good-Gligas are very good Romanian make (and Romania is very traditional fiddler's country :))). It is only cost really that makes me doubt.... It is like - oh, does she really needs it, she is only a child, not a virtuoso... But on the other hand it made me feel better when I saw dd playing "proper" antique looking Romanian violin as opposed to to a cheap glossy Primavera

Glad to hear Rara finally got the report after all that waiting, Waffle! It is really interesting to hear about her vocabulary. It sounds like she is a very creative person, and I'm so glad school is giving her more time for tasks as I can only imagine it is stressful to feel rushed. I am sure over time she will get faster anyway.
DS2 has been invited to play a cello solo in the school Christmas concert. Something festive or classical is requested. I think he's going to have to ask his teacher to make the final decision or there'll be a lot of dithering and not a lot of rehearsing!