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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

January Music Thread

769 replies

Wafflenose · 02/01/2017 22:24

Happy New Year!

Sorry I'm a bit late starting this thread - I've been away for a few days without internet access. Anyway, this is our monthly thread for musicians and parents of musicians of all ages and all abilities. It's a great place to chat, or to ask questions about lessons, practice, exams, auditions or anything music-related.

I have two DDs: Goo (11 and in Year 6) who plays the flute, recorder and piano, and Rara (8 and in Year 4) who plays the cello, recorder and clarinet. I think we have Grade 7 Flute and Grade 1 Clarinet coming up this term, and also the local music festival and Junior Young Musician competition for Goo. Grade 7 Recorder and Grade 3 Cello are tentatively pencilled in for the summer, but we'll think about those nearer the time. Goo is also in NCO, and lives for it... it's all she talks about, she loves writing to and texting all the friends she's made there, and she is in Under 12s this year. I am a teacher of woodwind and have a little clarinetist who's just got into Under 10s. I hope to have a few more trying out next time.

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onlymusic · 13/01/2017 18:55

I keep thinking-what is about arpeggios?? There plenty of them too! But no one seems to worry about those except me ;))
We are playing about 28 scales and arpeggios for gr5 right now

Congratulations Thesecond!

woolleybear · 13/01/2017 19:28

Well done The Second, I'm starting to feel like that about the grade 3 pieces at the moment!

So, having agreed that dd could do alternate weeks at junior band on bassoon and clarinet, she took her bassoon yesterday, and they said they want her to try the senior band with her clarinet. I think partly they just liked having the bassoon there!

She's a bit nervous at the prospect but as much a bout the age of the other kids there as the music!

Kutik73 · 13/01/2017 19:35

onlymusic, sorry I lost the track. Are you talking about piano or violin?

drummersmum · 13/01/2017 19:38

theSecond many congrats to DS2!

onlymusic · 13/01/2017 19:47

Kutik,violin ;)

Kutik73 · 13/01/2017 19:52

olymusic - Oh I see, OK I'm on the track. Thanks.

TheSecondOfHerName - Nice to meet you and many congratulation to you DS2.

Fleurdelise · 13/01/2017 22:06

Congrats thesecond that is a really good score!

woolley that must feel serious but I am sure she will raise to the challenge.

DD has homework this week on piano: to identify if there are any scales or arpeggios she doesn't know out of the book. We're talking 12 majors, 12 minors, 48 in in total. Plus contrary motion... I don't know how such a little "thing" can learn and memorise them. Smile

Kutik73 · 14/01/2017 08:42

I have never joined any forum before - this is a very new experience for me. I have already received lots of wise advice to my JD and scales questions - all different, and all helpful. Could I ask one more question? Sorry it may sound very ignorant, but I am quite ignorant of the music world so please forgive me....

Which one do you think harder to get a place - NCO or JD? The competition is pretty the same? Or they are totally different fields hen incomparable (one is orchestra so more for attainment and one is school so more for potential, for instance)?

AlexandraLeaving · 14/01/2017 08:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Trumpetboysmum · 14/01/2017 09:01

I think they are definitely compatible and offer different things though any sort of orchestral playing opportunity is great for young players and they learn loads . we are new to nco this year ( and if I'm honest I really didn't expect ds to get in) there's a grades list on the website which will give you a guide as to whether your child is ready or not it's different for different instruments. Ds doesn't go to music school or a jd but I am expecting that lots on his nco courses this year will do ( which will lead to him pestering me to let him go no doubt )😆

woolleybear · 14/01/2017 09:18

Wow, Fleur, that's lots of scales! Dd is looking forward to a scales learning free term she says on her clarinet!

One of her friends at school has got into NCO this year on French Horn so she is a bit more interested now!

Fleurdelise · 14/01/2017 09:37

Just to say I do know my maths, 48 in total as in 24 scales and 24 arpeggios, it sounds like I said 12+12=48. Grin

Don't think she's ever meant to take a break from scales...

stringchild · 14/01/2017 09:58

Kutik - think it will vary by year/instrument etc but DD would say NCO was harder for her (there are a lot at JD not successful for nco/not each year and may be just a matter of how many places there are in each?). They are also quite different audition processes and some dc will favour one approach over the other and respond better.

onlymusic · 14/01/2017 10:12

Fleur, there may be 24 scales and arpeggios in total but they should be played both/right/left hands and therefore it is still A LOT. If we take violin that would make 54 s and a - separate notes and slurred :(

onlymusic · 14/01/2017 10:19

I may be wrong and don't have experience in any but I would assume JD would be more hard to get, because there are only a few places? And yet it depends on school too, RAM would certainly be the more difficult to get in than Guildhall.
I mentioned before, I have a friend who provides me with the stories about JDs from other parents. So far the conclusion was that quite a few children don't get children from first attempt. But then again, emphasis is on RAM and RCM. And yes, there are children who got into NCO and Guildhall but did not get into RAM. I don't personally hold this view but quite a few parents rank RAM and RCM higher thanany other musical colleges.
Again, not my views, just repeat rumours I have heard

onlymusic · 14/01/2017 10:20

Don't get places from first attempt that is Grin

onlymusic · 14/01/2017 10:21

Ps my friend mainly talks to piano and violin parents, may be different for other instruments I suppose

Kutik73 · 14/01/2017 10:26

Very nice to see you to those who I haven't greeted yet.

Trumpetboysmum - Congratulation to your DS. It's also the first year for my DS too though he is on the reserve list so not practically in yet! So do you think your DS has a better chance to get in JD as he is capable to win a place in NCO? Or, the competition of JD is much higher than NCO?

Re, scales: I was quite shocked how many scales and arpeggios to learn in G5 (piano) but then it may be because DS jumped from G3 to G5 so even more I may have felt so. He certainly did worked hardest ever. When his piano teacher started teaching him G7 scales, I felt for DS as I couldn't imagine how he could work even harder, as I expected it would be much more demanding than G5 which DS sweated a lot. But actually he is finding G7 scales somehow easier. He said he already learnt many of them from G5 so they were not that overwhelming. So my point is, G5 scales may look scary, but once you master them the rest wouldn't be so scary even though obviously higher grades demand more input. This milestone could be differ from people to people. G5 seems to be the one for my DS, but it could be G1, G3 or G6, and so on for others. Those who are finding their current scales quite overwhelming, it may be because your DCs are facing to their milestone and once they are over it the sky looks clearer and bluer.

I may be talking a total rubbish, as those words are from my very limited experience.

hertsandessex · 14/01/2017 10:35

Onlymusic I would agree with you about junior RCM and RAM vs NCO. Not so sure sure about Guildhall although probably right there as well. (More generally I think a lot of teachers and professionals rank RCM and RAM above Guidlhall and definitely above Trinity for post 18 studies.) NCO doesn't seem super hard (well in the context of musical children) - I know in theory it is national with a lot of people to choose from but I think a lot of good players (well players' parents!) are put off by the travel and commitment and with all the age groups and regional orchestras they seem to have a lot of people. Different story with NYO once kids are older.

hertsandessex · 14/01/2017 10:37

(I should I apologise for a very South East/London centric view and I have no idea about junior studies at the other conservatoires in Birmingham or Manchester for example)

Kutik73 · 14/01/2017 10:48

Ranking JDs sounds similar to ranking super selective indies to me. St. Paul, Westminster, Kings College, all are a good school, and an able child will thrive and be pushed to their maximum in any of those. However there are those who favour one to another for more personal reasons (distance, connection, reputation, school's tradition...). I am sure all JDs names here are all good.

Thanks for your thoughts on NCO vs JDs. I would hope to hear more opinions on this. By the way, I don't find NCO is a huge commitment. It's taken place only during a holiday and one week only, and regional's rehearsal is less than one a month. On the other hand, more serious commitment is needed for JD.

Trumpetboysmum · 14/01/2017 10:55

I'm not sure if ds would get into a jd or not he's above the required standard so it would be worth a shot later on if he's still doing well and interested in a couple of years maybe. Regardless of ranking we would look at guildhall first because of it's location. I think it's better to look around any that you are interested in and then decide as it's probably a bit like schools they will all have a different atmosphere / offer something different. Currently we are exploring aldeburgh young musicians as it's closest to us but it's totally different set up to the jds though is still focussed on talented young musicians.

Mistigri · 14/01/2017 10:56

Ranking usually only tells you how selective they are, not how good the teaching is ;)

hertsandessex · 14/01/2017 10:57

Kutik - no so much which JD is good but which is harder to get into especially vs NCO which was your question.

Mistigri · 14/01/2017 10:57

DD does basically no scales or arpeggios at all. Different system, no exams, much more emphasis on using pieces to develop skills.

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