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.

Hi 2ndsopranos! Welcome.

Completely forgot miniprada did her G2 musical theatre exam today. She hates singing but according to to school singing teacher it went well 😀

Hello everybody. I've been lurking on and off since last year's NCO thread. Hope that doesn't make me too creepy to join you .

I have 2 violinists. Daughter 1 (8) is an adventurous, passionate, challenging, quirky kid. Flashes through life but sometimes misses things (or knocks them over) in the process. She adores her violin but not always practicing it right now. She had a brilliant time in the NCO Training Orchestra this summer, and we hope will be back there this year as she was one of the youngest on the course. We were feeling OK about the audition as she's trying for the same orchestra and I was hoping she only had to be as good as last year (and she has made good progress), but not so sure now, as she insisted on one piece being a very tricky bit of a Vivaldi concerto and got her first serious attack of nerves right before . Like a couple of your's here she is definitely non-neurotypical. Loves science, talks like a poet, obsessive reader with a reading age of 8 at 3, but can't remember to put her shoes on in the morning and a lot of sensory seeking behaviour. She had a sad and bad time last year with a crap class teacher and bullying but is getting back on track now. I think the NCO really helped.

Daughter 2 (5) is also very passionate but rather a perfectionist. She's one of those kids who is immaculately behaved at school and in public, but can be a horror to us (and sometimes her violin teacher, who has the dubious pleasure of being so long a part of our lives she is treated like family). She is a little more reserved (and a lot more organised) than her sister and has great emotional intelligence, so sofar is better at fitting in at school. Also adores her violin, but hates getting things wrong so is prone to having meltdowns over her f holes. Both of them hate being told what to do, especially by me as I don't play anything

They do Suzuki (individual lessons, group and ensemble for the big one) and haven't done any grades but I think they are around grade 5-6 and grade 2 ish. They also play fiddle and sing in a lovely, slightly anarchic kids folk school, and school 'orchestra' (all 5 members of it ).

Hope I havn't overshared. As I said, I've been peeking in on you for a while and its so hard to put ones kids into a few words (or it is for me -I'm a bit rambly too). And it's been lovely to read about all the hard work you and your kids have put in to music and all their achievements .

Onlymusic we just got a Gliga gama 2 (thanks to some lovely music foundation awards). Its a really beautiful instrument, and despite being just a 1/4 has a proper full sound if you know what I mean. We ordered it from Elida violins and the service was excellent.

Welcome 2ndSopranos I hope the piano exam went well today, I know what you mean about being a big deal.

Welcome Monkey your DDs sound very musical! Good luck with the NCO!

DD has her exam on Saturday and she's going to an ice skating party tomorrow night!

Waffle and other nco-ers - seems first letters will be out at the end of next week.

Monkey - welcome!

Welcome to all the new people!

stringchild I read something like that in the email today too. That might mean they post them on the Friday though, and we have to wait until the following Monday or Tuesday. I'm still telling myself later... I suppose I don't really want to think about it! My little pupil is constantly nagging - aargh, I hope she doesn't end up disappointed.

2ndSopranos and MonkeypuzzleClimber welcome!

My dd8 violinist is not neuro typical either, so double welcome to you MonkeypuzzleClimber . Also thank you for the violin recommendation , Gama 2 is actually exactly what I am thinking of! Her 1/2 size is Gems 2 which we bought from Elida too, so yes, I know how good and helpful they are

Waffle and Stringchild a was that an e-mail from NCO?

Yes I was wondering that too but I haven't had an email yet either . I was hoping with a bit of time between the audition and finding out that he would be less bothered about getting in, but it seems not. Hoping he does as school music is frustrating him no end at the moment ( more his unrealistic expectations than anything being wrong😀) And so I think having something else music focussed to do would be great but we shall see..

I'm with Alexandra on the G+T! Over the years my experience of it as it's understood by schools has been fairly bizarre, but Waffle is right that it really means top 10% in that year. I'd say DS1 has a genuine talent for drawing, but to me 'gifted' is a term that shouldn't be thrown around lightly. I used to joke that he might be gifted and talented at school but at home he couldn't sit on a chair without falling off it - and Monkey you are not alone in having a child who tried to leave the house without wearing shoes!

DS was on the G&T programme in primary school as he was top of the class academically but I knew that meant their school selected top 10% and it had nothing to do with national ability. Fair enough, he got into a selective school but once in there he was part of a huge cohort (260 pupils per year) which meant he was one of many able kids and not a "star" anymore. He is still performing well but he's not a genius by any means.

I also find the idea annoying, gifted and talented means something else for me and it isn't found in all schools, the idea that only academic kids are G&T while the curriculum ignores arts, music, dance as these are not as important make me question the whole concept of it.

Hi it was in the NCO email newsletter that goes to current members and others who sign up for it (i think from memory you can also sign up to get it via the website) - said that first letters will go out for beginning of Dec. Traditionally we have got ours on the friday or sat but i think they batch post; the older orchestras get theirs around/after the Winter concert weekend.

Thanks Stringchild. DD2 was in NCO this year, but we Haven't had an email. Will just have to wait and see - and manage expectations. She did a late audition last year and got the letter within a week or so, so the waiting is new to us.

Hi all! Only just found this thread. We have had a quiet term so far; much appreciated after all the madness of NYO auditions. DD got a place in the violin section so she is very happy. She is also on the younger end of the spectrum and auditioned for the first time so everyone was very suprised! Grade 7/8 singing is next term (probably 8) and then potentially a piano diploma, so this is the lull before the storm. Hopefully enough practice will happen so it is not all last minute!! Fitting in schoolwork and practice will be a struggle.. :-/

Thanks stringchild for clarifying it was the newsletter (we havent got it yet), I was getting a touch paranoid . I'm trying not to care too much about the NCO result, as it wont help her, but I can't help it. She loved it so much and her NCO identity is so important to her, but time (and its managment) is another area that's a mystery to her, so thankfully she hasn't asked recently. Good luck to all of you and your kids!!

Thanks for the comradery Loose and would love to hear more about your quirky violinist onlymusic. Lovely to hear of others who are a bit different. I had a long and somewhat teary chat during a difficult time last year on the potential+ helpline with a lovely woman who really helped me see my girl as her version of normal. It seems her combination of abilities and difficulties/behavioural stuff is quite common amongst the uncommon.

I personally loathe the word 'gifted', and think if it needs to be referred to 'high learning potential' is much more appropriate. For one my older daughter's exceptional abilities in certain areas, and the awful frustration and resulting distress and behaviour problems it has caused (having to do basic phonics in reception when she had just read the lion the witch and the wardrobe) and similarly in year 3, when she had teachers who did not know what to do with her has felt more like a curse than a 'gift' sometimes.

In music I think it also doesn't recognise all the hard work they have put in to get to that level. That gift has been 'paid' for in hundreds of hours of practice!! We did tell her it was all hard work and practice, until she started asking if that meant those around her who could not do the same things were lazy. She now, if it comes up at all, she says she is 'just a fast learner'. We also point out that these abilities are no more important than others, like listening, following instructions and staying focused even when it is a bit boring and the other things she needs to work a little harder than some others.

The NCO was great for putting her abilities in perspective a bit too , she loved being around others young ones who were as good or in many cases much better than her, and I don't think she had much time or spare energy to get distracted or mess about!

Oh dear, just previewed and i've written another novel . Guess i have some stuff to get off my chest

Some children are truly gifted though(not mine), they do need different level of support, they have completely different level if brightness. Mine is normal bright(who isnt), and we know if we want anything we need to work hard for it. Still I wish state primary could do more so the bright and love learning can develop their love of learning better. I now understand that, similar to music, parental inputs are key, I need to learn and find ways to support her better too.

Good luck to everyone waiting to hear from NYO. I'm impressed by all the nyo/nco participants - I'm in Scotland and know of very few Scottish children who have been. Tbf though - I know of one or two who were offered a place but didn't take it as it meant travelling from Scotland to Southampton.

Were any of your children in the youth orchestra prom this year? Mine were in the NYOScotland prom and the NYJazzOScotland proms. How incredibly lucky are they - they had a fabulous time. My older one is past school age but the Scottish groups take people up to the age of 25!

Last year the older one went to china with NYOS!

I'm not keen on "gifted" either... DC are pretty fast learners, but not geniuses by any means. Especially DS2 - he learns things pretty quickly, but still have to put in an effort (which he doesn't want to ) to get things perfect.

"having to do basic phonics in reception when she had just read the lion the witch and the wardrobe" Haha! We are lucky that DC's school were not dogmatic about it. In fact I think they were decidedly half-hearted about it. Which is lucky, because personally I have NOT A CLUE what the whole thing is about. DS2 was quite happy to go along with what little they did despite being a rather advanced reader by that stage. Sometimes I think the boy simply humoured his teachers... They seem to like him ...

Regarding Scotland i May have got things backwards, dd1 went TO Scotland (from rural scandinavia) for the strings training ensemble this year and had a great time

I like your novels MonkeypuzzleClimber!

I can understand why people are not keen on "G&T" label - it is usually associated with smth glamorous, easy achievements, etc... Whilst in fact it is about bloody difficult children and hard work!

Results are in and DS got a Distinction on his Gr8 drumkit with 92% mark ! So that's done...
Wish I had less work these days but I can just pop in for a minute.

Wow- well done Drummersmum drummer!
That's amazing!

Congratulations, drummer!!!