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!

Thanks for the recommendation Petra. Having followed these threads for a while I want DS to do his theory alongside his practical grades so it is not a giant OMG before G6.

(learn it, not take exams in it)

good to hear all went well BeBesides! That was our plan also regarding theory, we wanted to keep up with it however DD skipped from grade 1 to 3 practical in one year and now skipping from 3 to 5 practical in another year.

Which basically means that DD is around grade 2 (solid)/3 (just beginning) theory after 3 years of piano which sounds fine but by next summer she'll be grade 5 practical (if all goes to plan) but only around grade 3 theory. To be fair that still sounds ok as I am sure we can cram in grade 4 and 5 in a couple of terms seeing minigreen doing it all in one term has inspired us.

Talking about theory we've just finished our theory homework DD is so on another planet, honestly.

Drummers: thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, I was thinking about it when I draw my weekly schedule following your advice. I need to decide which schools first and know their requirements. It will be my new year resolution I guess. Fun time on the mountain planning for 2017.
Mad: we are thinking of 10+ too
Petra: MiniGreen found my musictheory notes are easier to read. The pink book isnt the most children friendly. Will borrow you this if she takes her grade 6-8 in the future
Bebedside: best of luck with the result. I will do the same to my second if she plays any instrument, Introducing theory early along with practical.

Hi Green, no meltdown here, crossed wires I think! But thank you anyway xx

I agree also with drummersmum re:11+ you don't need to do loads, but I would recommend a long distance running approach rather than a sprint, the stress levels are significantly reduced all round plus you discover gaps earlier. It might be that VR is a weak spot or God willing, no weak spots at all

Fleur, we found theory very interesting and whopped it in 1 go from Zero. The whole 3 months that summer term we were more nervous about violin as she skipped a grade. I have to confess my sin that knowing nothing about theory helps great deal as I have no idea what she is facing, doing. Our piano teacher just said every time he marked her past papers that she made no mistake so just carry on. She loves maths and is good at it if it helps. Sometimes all we have to do is to trust them and let them try.

I'm sure she'll get it done, we just need to get past next September and then it will become no 1 priority.

In other news DD started her notes in the clarinet register, for the clarinettists you probably know what is going on in my house. Let's just say that if my neighbours don't complain now then we can say we have the best neighbours.

Last night during practice I was desperately trying to hide somewhere and I am dreading tonight. Though there was an improvement last night by the end of the practice session, either that or I became too familiar with the squeaks and didn't notice them anymore.

Waffle sorry to hear that. Wishing him a speedy recovery and good luck to Rara for her exam. Hopefully everything will be back on an even keel for you all well before Christmas.

I wouldn't go straight to this book from nowhere (you want "take 5 and pass first time" for that)...depends how old your dc are and their basic standard of theory/playing. We had been working through the abrsm workbooks which are fine for me (adult, good at passing exams) but don't have any real explanation of what is going on! This one is much clearer, far more/better exercises and better for dd(10 tomorrow!!!) to learn from - she doesn't like me explaining things!

Plus it seems this series of theory grade 6-8 is way better than the abrsm theory workbooks! Fabulous website too www.mymusictheory.com/

green the pink book is a nightmare to learn from!!! Every time I try to find something out I end up more confused!!!

Thank you Petra I've noticed that the same author has grade 3/4/5 books also so we'll give grade 3 a try and see if it fits.

Waffle - so sorry to hear about DH; hope he is getting better quickly. and hope exam went well today.

Green/Fleur - so we didn't tutor dd at all (about which many 'friends' were very rude to my face!) , but i did spend this summer with her and worked part of every day. She is bright and keen, but she is def not top of her school at all - does too much music and is also pretty laid back; still this week we have heard she got into the most selective private school (in top 10 nationally) with a ratio of 10:1 applying to places. My point is - you need to do what works for your own child; we couldn't have managed any tutoring without destroying her soul, and the tiny bit of family life we retain. But more of my time and support were key to her, and i feel confident that whichever school she goes to she will cope fine. We know many with 3-4 tutors, and whilst they may be fine, experience shows that many need their tutors into secondary school as they lack confidence without them! Anyway, as i say no right or wrong in all this but don't feel pressured to do something that doesn't work for your child :)

stringchild wow well done to your dd! We're not tutoring either and we are probably not doing anywhere near enough academic prep for 11+ but I (or DD) am not willing to put everything on hold for it. Music is pretty much up there on the priority list together with academics so if it's not meant to be (getting into a selective school) is not meant to be. We're not trying for private schools, just grammar, pretty slim chances but we'll give it a go.

If you can schedule your time and you could tutor your child yourself then you have saved travelling time, cost, stress in dealing with tutors, ruling out possibility of crap tutors and more flexible with your own circumstances, you know your child strength and weakness the best anyway. I have a friend who took 6 months of for each child in the final months to tutor them herself(2 years external tutor before) then the last 6 months with their mom. They both went to one of the best grammar school on London. She said tutoring them herself was so much better than leaving them to tutors. Others help alot at home and they still have tutor/tutors: 1 failed, the rest past. The thing is I cant tutor her(English)and wont have the choice of leaving my job or doing less than 10hr/day as its almost impossible to have it back especially in this market condition(investment banks). We live in SW london, its only Tiffin for girls where children are heavily tutored. So tutoring her ourself isnt an option for us(my husband also works in the city and does long hour). I am worried and havent found the best way yet, we are planning for Indies however few great ones for girls are truly competitive too. We are now doing some maths, however not 11+ maths related, I filled my house with books and she loves writting and is good at it(last year English standard score was 137). So the actual plan is not mentioning anything about it while she is building her knowledge around it then get a private tutor(save travelling time) to build the exam skills by mid year 5. Probably to move to beg of year 5 now as it doesnt look good enough taken your advices. In the mean time distracting ourself with activities.

Fleur DD did Grade 5 jazz sax (Trinity which doesn't count) and hated it, mostly because of the improvising. DS2 prepared Grade 5 jazz clarinet. Then skipped it and was working towards Grade 6, am not sure what is happening just now, but anyway he loved it. They both just had their teacher accompanying them.

I really wouldn't stress about the Theory though, with DS it seemed a long haul to 3 then he whizzed through 4 and 5. He actually did them simultaneously, teacher marking 1 workbook each week while he was working in the other.

Stringchild: sorry I missed your post, for some reasons my phone refreshed the thread without updating yours, many congratulations on the brilliant news, its time for treats and celebrations!

Thank you raspberry for putting my mind at rest, it took 3 years to get to grade 3 theory, even though to be fair it has been hit and miss, some weeks she'll work on theory a lot and some weeks it would be forgotten, we can't afford another 2 to get to grade 5. But you are right, I guess once it becomes a priority and a must we'll go through it at the speed of light.

And breathe, DD got a lovely distinction for her grade 1 clarinet, the teacher just texted us. Within 5 points (more) than her marking and she was saying how accurate it must be as it was moderated. DD is asleep so she'll be over the moon tomorrow morning.

Wow well done mini Fleur

Well done mini Fleur!

waffle hope to hear good news about your DH soon

Well done to minifleur!

Well done mini Fleur, good news to wake up to.

Great news mini fleur well done

Well done ministringchild and minifleur! Fab news!

Dd is tackling grade 1 music theory at snail pace. She is not a pianist , not sure if that makes it harder to grasp some of the concepts. Can anyone, whose musical child doesn't play piano, please share how their child learnt please?

Well done mini fleur on the result