December Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

A new thread for December! Musicians and parents of musicians of ALL ages and standards are very welcome! I do try to keep up with the threads, but am struggling to remember who plays what sometimes. Might it be helpful to have a different thread where we could list them all (for people that want to?)

I am Waffle, teacher of woodwind, and mum to Goo (11) - flute, recorder and piano, and Rara (8) cello, recorder and clarinet. Rara has her Grade 3 Recorder exam on Monday, and I have quite a few other pupils entered, but no other exams for us this term. Goo has had a crap time recently, with a wrist injury, mangled fingers and now new braces, so I've pretty much written off any musical progress this term. We have the music festival at the end of January, so maybe she'll be all healed and ready to move forwards in time for that!

110 is higher than I got for any of my piano exams (Grades 1 to 5).

That's reassuring...everyone else seems to get nothing lower than a distinction

DS2's friend managed to get exactly 100 in one of her oboe exams. He was very impressed with her efficiency and what he saw as lack of 'wasted effort'.

Petra well done I know what you mean, DD was disappointed she didn't get a distinction in grade 3 piano but she is quite easily put off by a stern examiner and she made mistakes she wasn't doing outside the exam because she found him terrifying, I think he was being professional by her description but it put her off.

A pass is a pass so your DD shouldn't be disappointed, she worked hard and she can see what she can improve in her next exam. DD's teacher also told us that all her exam results were lower than expected in that session and she is very experienced, DD got what she predicted in her other exams including clarinet. It could also be that (a very tough examiner)?

Petra she got her grade 3 and she should be v proud. An exam is just an exam and now that one is in the bag just in time for the celebrations!

Well done Petra. Miniprada got a pass in G5 piano. She was happy. No one ever asks you what you got past a certain level!

Thanks all! We are big on "marks don't count as long ayou are having fun" and she adores her teacher/lessons so hopefully she can put it behind her. We are really trying to instill a love of playing rather than too much stress about perfection ...

Mini Petra and dh are taking their corners to play carols at Xmas lunch today...not sure how the family are going to react....

Cornets!!!!

Minipetra should know that all the best people get 110 in their grade 3 piano exam! I don't imagine I'll match that dizzy height again!
Well done and I wish her lots more fun playing in 2017.

Merry Christmas, everyone!!!

and Merry Christmas from me ; just been to (early) Midnight Mass and dd has new resolve to be a chorister. We will see :)

My chorister lasted ten minutes into midnight mass and had to rush out of choir stalls to be sick! Cassock and surplice currently in washing machine.

Very upset as it's his last Christmas as a Chorister, and I refused to even consider him going in the morning. At least he sang his last treble solo ok in the Carol Service earlier on Christmas Eve!

Happy Christmas to everyone though.

Petra well done to your DD. Definitely not all distinctions here.

Merry Christmas all and a speedy recovery to young Raspberry!

Happy Christmas all. I've been lurking on the music threads since September.
I had a lovely musical surprise Christmas present today. DD1(14) went off and learned theme tune for Game of Thrones (because she remembered me saying I love it) taught it to her sister, and both did a surprise performance for me after dinner, and then played several carols as a duet. Same child always threatening to give up orchestra and violin lessons.

It was such a lovely surprise. I was totally chuffed.

Prada: did mini Prada have her violin this morning? What was the reaction?
Petra: it could be because we over cook the pieces. We did with g1 and g2 when we practised for too long and she played it mechanically(not too sure a right word for it). Never mind, its a pass and its over. We could then plan for the next one. How was the cornet performance today? What did the family say?

Merry christmas everybody. Flute was a huge successes 😆 and dd1 and dd2 have played a lovely duet of silent night today while i was enjoying a mince pie. Last concert of the year is on friday and i think the duet will make the program. Soon we'll be need ingen av 2017 thread.....

I am going away for a few days over New Year, and won't have internet access. So if anyone else would like to start the new thread for January, that would be great. Thanks.

I got my Xaphoon for Christmas. It's fun, but very confusing!

Merry Xmas everyone! Sorry for not being present but have been chained to the effing cooker providing breakfast lunch and dinner for at least 8 since the 23rd...next time I'm coming back as a man to see what it's like..

So after much shouting at everyone involved, the violin did indeed arrive with the amp. Was very well received indeed! Will post a pic tomorrow after the neighbours have been for a mince pie and mulled wine...

DD is off to NYO tomorrow. It's her first time, she is very nervous. We are looking forward to the concert though!

Wow! I have been around on MN for yrs and didnt even know this place existed.

I am mostly on the SN boards though so I suppose that why.

I have 3 Dd's they have all done choirs and played instruments over the yrs but my youngest is the most passionate. She also has Aspergers and is currently home educated due to an horrendous transition to secondary. She is 14 should be yr 9.

She plays trumpet, mostly self taught and just about to take G4, she does have a teacher at the moment, he is a student himself and used to play in the same scout marching band as Dd3. She also plays alto sax and has recently bought a Pbone which she is enjoying greatly.

She is the brass section in a nearby folk group, which she loves and is also in a brass group at the local education music hub as well the scouts band.

Most of this wouldn't be possible if she was still in school as she was utterly exhausted and completely stressed by 3.30 everyday.

I dont know if I will keep up with the thread but I am glad I have found it

Forgot to say we recently had a very "proud parents" moment when she played the last post at 2 remembrance parades! She doesnt understand what we were fussing about but it was an emotional weekend.