Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
ACMEinc · 17/01/2017 11:40

Thanks for the music store recommendations. I rang the Edinburgh one and they were really helpful. We could get there on the train... might be an excuse for a day out!

raspberryrippleicecream · 17/01/2017 12:13

They were lovely. Let them know you are coming, they had a selection out for DS to try (Inc second hand) in a little room, brought us coffee and left us to get on with it

Fleurdelise · 17/01/2017 17:37

Loose the ensemble sounds good, I am coming slowly to the conclusion that the wind ensemble DD goes to was the best move I made in her music development. Her friend joined also and I believe they can now see how much fun you can have by playing with other likeminded children.

Waiting for them to come out now.

drummersmum · 17/01/2017 18:22

green don't know if you're still hwre but I wish you the best in the next six months and very good of you to disconnect Smile

BeBesideTheSea · 17/01/2017 19:26

Thanks all. Still no news on choristership, but he got a Merit in his G1 recorder. I assume that is better than a pass but not as good as a distinction? His recorder teacher was v happy anyway.

Fleur - if you are going to obsess over a peice, summertime is a pretty good one Grin

NeverEverAnythingEver · 17/01/2017 19:38

DS1 and I looked through the grade 5 piano list. Did anyone choose the Kabalevsky novelette (list C)? Such a masterpiece!

Trumpetboysmum · 17/01/2017 19:58

BeBesideTheSea great news on the grade 1 result Smile

Fleurdelise · 17/01/2017 20:51

NeverEver DD was choosing between Kabalevsky and Summertime but Summertime won. DD is doing Waltz by Weber, Slow Air, Summertime. Slow Air is quite challenging, so is Summertime but hopefully because she loves it she will push through.

BeBeside that is a great result. Merit/distinctions are so much depending on the day that I wouldn't worry. I always thought it would be great for DD to get a merit or distinction and that is what her teacher is preparing her for just in case she has a bad day and she can get at least a pass. You never know what happens on the day.

Yes, I love Summertime, ask me again in 6 months time though. Grin

NeverEverAnythingEver · 17/01/2017 21:17

I am now obsessed with the Kabalevsky and have played it about 100 times already ...

LooseAtTheSeams · 17/01/2017 21:18

Fleur someone at Abrsm really loves Summertime - it's on the grade 5 cello syllabus as well!
To be fair, if that turns out to be DS2's third piece I will be delighted. However, as you say, give it six months and I could feel differently!Smile

woolleybear · 17/01/2017 21:22

Well done Bebeside!

Anyone who can assist with some clarinet advice? Dd having panics over her high D, if she plays it in a scale, or in continuous play she is fine, but she cannot securely play it in one of her pieces that has a rest before it?

And also a bassoon query though it may also apply to other lesser played instruments. With grades, you cannot buy the cd/book for the grade, is there anywhere other than searching YouTube to hear all the available pieces?

Thanks

stringchild · 17/01/2017 21:29

wolley - dd asleep so can't ask re the D, but on hearing pieces - go to the ABSRM site shop, and input which instrument/grade and you can download all the pieces for each grade/instrument; and you can just chose the ones you want and pay for just those.

Doubleup · 17/01/2017 21:35

Woolley We tend to listen to them on YouTube, but that can be difficult as you can't find all the pieces and the quality can be a bit variable. I just go with what DD2's teacher tells her to do and buy the music accordingly. The teacher does seem to pick pieces to suit each pupil's style as they rarely seem to play the same pieces even if they are at the same grade. Same issue with oboe as there is no book with the pieces in one place. Can get quite expensive buying all this music - let alone the reeds.....

raspberryrippleicecream · 17/01/2017 22:27

Well done mini BeBeside. Fingers crossed for the Choristership. My DS is valedicted on Sunday, and has loved it.

Think we've sorted a church and organ for DS to practice in, which is great.

He is entered for 5 individual classes and a piano duet in the Festival, and around 5 ensemble classes with school.

I'm usually the one looking ahead, but DH has just pointed out he could enter the organ class next year!

BeBesideTheSea · 17/01/2017 23:24

Thank you all. This is a whole other world for me and I would be completely lost without you guys!

raspberry I hope the church is convenient! Not quite the same as having it set up in the bedroom I guess Grin Was mini-ripple 'head hunted' for the organ or has he had a hankering?

ACMEinc · 18/01/2017 08:27

Well done on the recorder exam. We finally got clarinet G4 result - a good merit! Just let down by scales but we were expecting that as she had a mind blank on the day with c minor. Hopefully this will make her practise scales more, something has to!

AlexandraLeaving · 18/01/2017 08:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LooseAtTheSeams · 18/01/2017 09:11

Congratulations to MiniBebeside and MiniACME - fantastic merits!
Totally sympathise on C minor - that was the one that let me down in my grade three piano exam - had a total brain freeze going up but got it right coming back down! Normally it's the other way round- but the whole experience did make me determined to get to grips with scales properly!

Drivingmadness · 18/01/2017 09:17

Ag, AlexandraLeaving. dd has the same problem but on treble recorder. I will talk to dd about not "think "aaarrrggghhhhh!!!!!" and clamp her jaw".
She is supposed to do her grade 2 exam in a few weeks but I feel she isn't ready, especially struggling with high A and C#.

Fleurdelise · 18/01/2017 09:23

Well done ACME!

Thank you Alexandra for the detailed exercise, I have taken a screen shot for future reference, DD is not struggling as much as initially with the high notes but still sqeaks sometimes and you can see it is psychological as she has a pause before playing and then tightens her lips more resulting in a squeak sometimes. It is getting better and her teacher is not worried, she said it comes with practice but DD gets quite frustrated when this happens.

Piano grade 5 scales almost done, as in learnt all but need to be faster and she is doing group 2 contrary motion which are giving her a bit of a head ache.

She's entered in 3 festival classes and I am a bit scared of what her reaction will be on the day as I understand she's meant to introduce herself and her pieces, she'll probably freeze. Any advice?

stringchild · 18/01/2017 09:36

Fleur - deep breath and keep it very simple , have seen children start explaining all sorts of stuff; not needed at all and not helpful for the child 😀

Kutik73 · 18/01/2017 10:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kutik73 · 18/01/2017 11:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

raspberryrippleicecream · 18/01/2017 12:30

BeBeside he had a hankering, but we kept it til he finished choir. His choir doesn't have an attached school. He's just passed G7 piano so it's a good time. The church is about a mile away, not too bad.

Fleur do get her to practice without making a huge deal of it.

At ours, they go up and put their music on the piano, check the seat height and distance, play a few notes including trying the pedal if relevant. Then they stand up, smile, say 'Goodmorning, I am going to play ........'.

Tell her to take her time settling herself back down, and start when she is ready

Fleurdelise · 18/01/2017 13:31

Kutik not audition experience but DD's teacher always lets DD chose her pieces based on what she likes for exams and now the festival with a view in mind that if she like the piece a lot she will interpret it better and put more effort into it. The teacher then obviously is guiding her but there is a lot of "how do you think that bar sounds better, this way or that way" conversation. Good luck with the audition.

Thank you string and raspberry, we've started practising the introduction as this is her first festival, with an emphasis on starting when she's ready. She has a bad habit of sitting down and launching in playing it without being ready so to speak so we're working on settling down, breathe, look at the keys, put your hands down take your time and then play. Hopefully it will work till then and she won't forget it all on the day.