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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:
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Pradaqueen · 19/01/2017 16:16

Hello Paperbattles.... Thank you for the kind words. % discount varies. No London schools offer 33% (to my knowledge!) for academic or music (Gen free lessons and fab tuition) but some schools allow you 'stack' scholarships so 10-15% each for academia/ music/drama/art/dance/sports etc. Hope that helps...

Pradaqueen · 19/01/2017 16:17

Pressed send too soon!

Paperbattles - good luck to your DD

Besidethesea - fab news! Well done!

raspberryrippleicecream · 19/01/2017 17:10

Besidethesea welcome to the club! So exciting.

Alexandra how exciting. Well done the Boy.

Well done to the DC with results, sorry I've lost track a bit!

raspberryrippleicecream · 19/01/2017 17:16

www.nyo.org.uk/inspireday

Can I draw attention to this for anyone with DC 13 and over, and Grade 6+. Applications opened today on first come, first served for the next day in Widnes on March 19th. It's free.

DS2 thoroughly enjoyed his day last year and is doing the residential next month.

stringchild · 19/01/2017 17:45

Paper - don't know about london, a few of our very selective schools go up to 50% (i know this to be true from our own experience); DD has a 25% one from her prep school. Some of the scholarships include a mentor programme, a special music program for scholars incl sat school, and free lessons (to be taken anywhere). Be aware some schools (big name boarding schools often) offer far more than they advertise but many schools put you under a strict confidentiality agreement. And yes we got approached to apply for more than we took - it does happen but you still at most need to pass the academic exams first at most. Playing level requirement has varied for us, but 'lowest' was g4 and highest min was g6, but all have taken letters from teachers in lieu of grades certificates. Not sure if all that helps - but DD has loved being a scholar (which has been quite a commitment). i think the level of competition is very variable - at some only 4 dc were auditioned, others 30! Those that offer less fee discounts, and often just free lessons, will offer a lot of scholarships each time around, which is very motivating of course and means they get good cohorts for ensembles etc,

drummersmum · 19/01/2017 18:36

Welcome paper, there's a bit of everything. Some a very generous, DS had two secondary school offers in London of 25% music + 50% academic. Another school I know offers 40% to one music scholar and 20% to 10% for the remaining scholars that year...

AlexandraLeaving · 19/01/2017 18:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

drummersmum · 19/01/2017 18:37

typo.....are very

drummersmum · 19/01/2017 18:38

Grin alexandra

Original poster
Wafflenose · 19/01/2017 18:44

I am in the South West, and the school I work at (which my DDs do NOT attend!) offers anything from 5% to 25% for music scholarships, and 33% once in a blue moon - ie one child that I know of, in the ten years I've been there. 10% is usual. We specify that they need to be a minimum of Grade 4 on two instruments by January of Year 6, but that doesn't seem to stop relative beginners from applying.

OP posts:
raspberryrippleicecream · 19/01/2017 19:50

Alexandra Toy Story 3 did it for me too, not helped by the fact DS1 was leaving the next day on his first solo foreign trip. He was only 12 so not college age but still. ...

And then it was on TV last September just as DS1 was actually leaving for uni!

AlexandraLeaving · 19/01/2017 20:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fleurdelise · 19/01/2017 20:51

Congratulations all for the great exams results everybody (I won't nominate as I don't want to leave anybody out) and the boy's cup Alexandra.

LooseAtTheSeams · 20/01/2017 08:14

Grown men have cried at the end of Toy Story 3, Alexandra! Well done to the Boy on a brilliant result!
Lots of great exam - and chorister - results all round. Star to all.

NeverEverAnythingEver · 20/01/2017 19:37

Toy story 3 is designed to push all the buttons ... Grin

onlymusic · 20/01/2017 21:58

As some of you may remember we bought a new 3/4 violin last weekend....(Maidstone, 100years+, £100 for violin+case+really good bow). Our teacher tested it today and made a lot of fuss about it - basically the summary is - we got a real bargain and violin is superb and we have to cancel our Gliga order if we can as it will be waste of money and no where close to match the one we got from ebay.
I still don't like its sound but if teacher says....
Funny story, isn't it?

Pradaqueen · 21/01/2017 07:58

Ooh only - that sounds like a lovely bargain! Well done.

stringchild · 21/01/2017 09:29

Only - thats brilliant! i have heard of others getting some amusing instruments 'by accident'.

So for various too-complicated to explain reasons, DD has decided to audition for JDs RAM and RCM to test herself and them out; anyone else def going for one or both or others this time around?

Kutik73 · 21/01/2017 10:10

stringchild - Your DD sounds like a very talented young lady. Good luck to her with JD auditions (and also festival).

onlymusic - How lucky! Very envious!

Does anyone have any experience of 4/4 violin purchase? I assume people usually prepare to pay quite a significant amount for a full size. I was wondering roughly how much I should prepare when the time comes. I guess it's personal plus some luck would also be there but if I could hear any rough indication/guideline from some of your experience?

Kutik73 · 21/01/2017 10:19

Also, do you guys have any spare violin/bow? We always bought a spare bow at each upgrade but not violin! Someone I know said to me, once you move to 4/4 and if the child commit quite seriously, then you should have a spare set. I was also advise to buy a hard case. I just thought, adding two x violin and bow and a hard case, it sounds like quite a big shopping! I guess it's again personal choice and I am sure there is not 'must' in there, but would like to know general opinions on this.

drummersmum · 21/01/2017 10:51

only that's amazing. I love to hear stories of how people came to own their instruments.

string we may go for jd.

kutik you had a question about pieces for audition, unfortunately anything to do with violin repertoire escapes me. But my impression is that he still has time to polish the Vivaldi in two months? If he loves it, that's really important, it will show in his playing and talking afterwards.
Hard case definetely. I don't know any child with a "spare" instrument unless they've been given one after some achievement. Maybe if the family's very wealthy... But I don't think it's a must at all. You just have to include their instrument in the home insurance?

stringchild · 21/01/2017 10:54

Kutik - we have a spare bow (actually a bow we have upgraded from, so not bought specially to be a spare.) We do keep spare strings (i think this is even more critical for violins as they 'go' more frequently than cello ones?). Hard case has been pretty important as the bigger instruments just get knocked more.

we do have a much cheaper second instrument which will be used for secondary school - she will play most days so the instrument will stay there during term time. We know a lot who do this, esp if using public transport (small not completely with-it child+cello+plus rush hour + school bags.....??)

stringchild · 21/01/2017 10:56

Drummer - def not very wealthy! the second instruments we know about are very low cost, often second hand (not antique) passed around parents who have been in the same situation, and restrung etc

drummersmum · 21/01/2017 10:58

Ah, string , I understand but the spare in this case is of a lower quality and to be used in school. I meant a spare that can match the first one if for example got lost just before a performance? I just thought that's quite a luxury but then I may be wrong :)

stringchild · 21/01/2017 11:07

oh goodness no i don't know anyone who has one of those (imagine the cost!) - the children do moan that the instruments aren't quite up to their expectations, but the 'proper' instruments go in for performances.