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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.

OP posts:
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Greenleave · 14/01/2017 19:15

Oh nice! Hope it will bring much joy!

Pradaqueen · 14/01/2017 19:30

I bought our white grand piano on eBay Only... Many a bargain to be had Wink

Kutik73 · 14/01/2017 19:37

Fleurdelise - I like your teacher's sensible approach! DS was fine with G5 scales to begin with, but a problem started to appear when he realised he was not playing them at the required speed (he'd been doing like G3 speed). He sweated a lot to play them accurately and precisely at the required speed! If he studies G4 scales beforehand, he didn't need to work that hard perhaps!

Pradaqueen · 14/01/2017 19:37

Loose - no I'm a million miles away from doing Dry January GrinCurrently sinking the best part of a bottle of Rioja reserva as we speak....Hic!

We are at the end of the first round exams. Hurrah! One call back so far to the super selective London indie. Another interview with a boarding option and waiting on answers to two more. My liver will need rescuing at the end of this!!

Entered miniprada in to G6 piano and also G7 violin for this term. Clearly I need multiple stress channels in my life!!!

Greenleave · 14/01/2017 20:03

Prada: it is the deadline this weekend I think, welldone for regustering before. Good luck with all the results. I bought a couple of Armagnac bottles during my holiday and I am having a taste. The last 2 weeks were very tough with work piled up, tube strike, both the girls were having cold with temperature and the coughing seems never stop in this household. They are now both in bed and it was a productive day(French lesson, some maths, some violin, some piano and the whole "in the night garden" and 1 hour in the playground near us. Tomorrow is only Orchestra rehearsal and that is the highlight of our weekend so we dont mind.

Pradaqueen · 14/01/2017 21:06

Get well soon minigreens! 😷 For mummy!

Paulweller11 · 15/01/2017 00:09

Only - I've read that book about Dorothy Delay- great book.
I wasn't reading it for an insight into the music world though, but for an insight into Delay's teaching of the violin.
Very interesting though...

raspberryrippleicecream · 15/01/2017 00:09

Organ lesson was a huge success. I think we may have to stop the school clarinet lessons, as lessons on five instruments is A) ridiculous, B) unaffordable and C) not enough practice time. Oh yes and D) just plain stupid!

I was however told today about a small bursary available for organ lessons which he should get, it will pay for about five hours worth.

Until this term his singing lessons were free as part of his Choristership, plus a sum towards an instrument lesson, so we needed to absorb extra costs anyway.

It feels slightly wrong stopping lessons on an instrument he enjoys though!

I was thinking about scales, DS2 jumped from Grade 1 to 4 and certainly didn't do all the scales. He played masses of repertoire. His teachers has a huge selection of books and lends them quite happily. He also did Trinity Grade 4, he was the teachers first pupil for that board as she wasa ABRSM devotee. He just missed out on Distinction

He has done every grade since so they are a regular item now.

Also his trombone lessons don't seem to involve many scales either. Again lots of repertoire and technical studies. No exams, totally trust his teacher, (has 2 children playing in national orchestras).

It's a long time since we've had a new teacher and instrument, interested to see his approach.

Trumpetboysmum · 15/01/2017 08:13

I think for trinity you do different ( and certainly in the higher grades less) scales it's just a different approach . I think ds may do trinity grade 7 as we haven't got round to the theory yet 😬and his teacher thinks it would be good to try something different. His opinion is that the trinity exams are better for brass although looking forward he will probably do Abrsm grade 8 as some universities specify that board ( though this is a long way off).

Icouldbeknitting · 15/01/2017 08:46

Trumpetboysmum with DS being nearly 17 I'm starting to think about university (I wish he was). The admission documents I've seen that ask for G8 are asking for ABRSM or equivalent, the one course that wanted entry at diploma level was again ABRSM or equivalent. In the same way that it shouldn't matter what exam board gives then their English GCSE, it shouldn't matter what board gives them your music grade exam/diploma. There are places that I haven't looked at because I started with what they offer before looking at what they want and if they had nothing to offer a non-orchestral instrument they were out of the running from the start. I'm sure DS will do a more thorough job of research in time (no, no, I'm not)

He went instrument shopping with his father yesterday and we now have The One against which others will be compared. If he could have done he would have brought it home but the grumpy parents have insisted that he play all the alternatives before making a decision. We'll probably be done by half term.

Hello to the new joiners - I don't log on often enough to keep up so when I do come by I get overwhelmed with pages and pages to catch up with.

Trumpetboysmum · 15/01/2017 09:11

Oh thanks for that Icould it's such a long way off I haven't really looked into it it's just what others have said so it's good to know as I wonder if he will ever get around to sitting grade 5 theorySmile

Icouldbeknitting · 15/01/2017 10:05

Trumpetboysmum DS took G5 theory two years after his G8 instrument. It really was worth doing, he needed it to take his diploma and to sneak onto the music technology course as an extra A level. When we were looking at sixth forms some of them asked for G5 theory as an entry requirement for A level music (although at least one of them that said it was necessary didn't actually require it)

Fleurdelise · 15/01/2017 10:08

Has anybody heard from Waffle? She's been missing for a while, I hope all is well!

raspberryrippleicecream · 15/01/2017 10:11

Icouldbe is right, no need for ABRSM, we know someone with Trinity Grade 8 just gone to Conservatoire who did the research.

Grade 5 theory or not is a different matter. My older DC, with Trinity Grade 8s haven't, though they've both studied it a bit. DS2 did a couple of years ago.

Interestingly, ABRSM don't insist on theory for their new Diploma.

Fleurdelise · 15/01/2017 10:26

Quick question for clarinettists: I am thinking of changing the Buffet mouthpiece to a better one as I was reading online it improves the playing and it makes it a bit easier. Before I ask the teacher if she has any preference I'd like to narrow it down to a couple, do you guys have any recommendations?

TheSecondOfHerName · 15/01/2017 10:32

DS2 is still playing his beginner clarinet but upgraded the mouthpiece about a year ago. I don't know which one he has; we just went to our woodwind dealer/fixer to ask what he had in. He listened to DS2 play and then chose one for him, for which we paid £75. I think it's a good compromise if you don't feel ready to upgrade the whole instrument.

Fleurdelise · 15/01/2017 10:39

Thank you TheSecond that is our plan also, the clarinet is fine but I think she'd benefit for a better mouthpiece. Don't know where to go in our area, I could go to Howarths in London or I wonder if they do trial by post.

TheSecondOfHerName · 15/01/2017 10:46

We're really lucky as we have two great woodwind dealers/fixers within a mile of our house, and also a good shop (Prozone) within a few miles.

Your daughter's teacher will probably be able to recommend some people/shops local to you.

Trumpetboysmum · 15/01/2017 10:46

Thanks for that everyone about the theory I'm sure it will be beneficial to do it I just wondered if I had to make him do it Grin or if he could do it when he was ready we've still got plenty of time

Fleurdelise · 15/01/2017 10:52

Woah TheSecond seems like we are pretty close to each other if the Prozone shop is the only one. Smile I'll pop in to visit them after I discuss with the teacher. Was it them who fitted the new mouthpiece?

TheSecondOfHerName · 15/01/2017 11:02

It was Dieter Hester that sorted out a new mouthpiece for DS2. m.mcl-media.co.uk/department.aspx?category=TOOLS&bolFriendlyURL=true

But the guys at Prozone are also v.helpful.

TheSecondOfHerName · 15/01/2017 11:07

We asked Dieter because he's very close and he knows DS2, but I think that Prozone will have a wider range of mouthpieces for her to try.

Fleurdelise · 15/01/2017 11:08

Thank you TheSecond I'll send you a PM. And if you have a chance would you please take a picture of your mouthpiece, I just wonder what they fitted you with just to ask the teachers opinion. Thank you!

TheSecondOfHerName · 15/01/2017 11:20

Here you go...

January Music Thread
Fleurdelise · 15/01/2017 11:45

Thank you! It was the Vandoren B40 and B45 I was looking at I just need to run it past the teacher to ensure it is the right one for a beginner.