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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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Trumpetboysmum · 21/01/2017 11:37

Great news on all the achievements and exam results. We don't have a spare but ds takes his trumpet to school everyday so far it's been fine but I have wondered about getting him a cheap one to leave at school for practice I know one of his friends does this. No jd auditions for us but he's going to a taster day for Aldeburgh young musicians next week and if he likes it he might decide to audition ( the deadline is early Feb though so he will have to decide quickly if he wants to try out this year )

Kutik73 · 21/01/2017 11:46

My DS takes his violin to school only once a week and I usually go with him (coincidentally it's my day to volunteer at school) so it's less likely to get damaged or lost. I will get a hard case when he starts secondary school - thanks for the advice.

Our spare bow is not as good as the main one. We had a shocking experience with a bow in the past so since then I always get a spare for emergency. Luckily we haven't needed to use the spare so far...

I am not sure how often my DS will need to take his violin to secondary school ( may not at all) so will think about getting a cheap set if needed. Again, thanks for the advice!

I am leaning towards missing JD auditions so no preparation for us for now. All the best to those who are going ahead!

LatinForTelly · 21/01/2017 11:47

Hello folks, I hope it's ok to crash into the thread, if not I'll start a new one but thought you experienced folk would know.

This is the problem: I forgot to enter DD into her piano exam, closing date for entries last night online (ABRSM). Is there any process at all for a 'late entry' or have I completely messed this up? Thanks for any help you can give.

Fleurdelise · 21/01/2017 12:15

Latin give ABRSM a call, I think they can sort it out.

Fleurdelise · 21/01/2017 12:19

Good luck with JDs audition string!

only how amazing to buy a "cheap" instrument and discover it is worth more than expected and it is better than hoped for.

DD's clarinet teacher told us today that DD is moving really fast, she said her beginners are usually prsctising a couple of times a week but she can see DD is practising (and she's not used to it Grin) and asked us to look at a mouthpiece and move to a size 2 strength reed as 1.5 is too small for DD's hard blow.

She was so complimentary about DD's progress that I was blushing. Blush

LatinForTelly · 21/01/2017 12:23

Thank you. I notice there is a 'late-entry' system starting tomorrow, so if I do that tomorrow morning, hopefully that would be processed at the same time as one done at 11pm on Friday [optimistic]! Though I guess with mine, they are not bound to give my DD a slot. I'll give them a call on Monday (not open at weekends) to see what they say. I am a complete idiot. Thanks, Fleurdelise.

Fleurdelise · 21/01/2017 12:54

I am sure they can fit her in Latin! Good luck! Feel free to stick with the thread and tell us more about your DD Smile

Original poster
Wafflenose · 21/01/2017 13:12

A day late is definitely not a problem for ABRSM, but do ring them.

Rara moved to a no. 2 reed quite a while ago (after about two months of learning). She and her BFF have just been entered for Grade 1 Clarinet. She sight read a few of the pieces to pass standard yesterday, and is in love with one, so that's good. I urged Goo and her teacher to take more time over Grade 7 due to braces and various competitions, but they weren't having any of it, so we will have two exams in March.

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Fleurdelise · 21/01/2017 14:00

Waffle great to hear about Goo's and Rara's progress. Which pieces is Rara playing? Good to hear moving to a size 2 reed is a good idea, I wonder if I should first change the reed and then the mouthpiece or is it ok to change both at the same time?

stringchild · 21/01/2017 14:25

Hi waffle - braces hit us hard as you know, so dd has stalled quite a bit - so teacher now decided we have hovered at g6 long enough, and to skip the exam and move to g7 later. Fine by me as we need another braces adjustment soon - need to time them so we don't have one near the NCO courses; also is ready for the bottom set to go on but we will wait until mid April. Sounds like Goo is managing well with hers - bless them its not easy being a young instrument player is it?!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 21/01/2017 14:37

Usually no need for a new mouthpiece until Grade 5 - I got a Vandoren one at that point, and get my pupils to do the same. I have a 9 year old pupil doing Grade 4, and the mouthpiece thing hadn't occurred to me yet... whoops. It won't matter when you get a new one though - it will sound better, but won't take any getting used to as such.

I hope the next set go more smoothly for ministringchild. Goo got both lots at once in November, but she'd already tolerated the blocks for 9 months, so has mostly been fine. She survived a tightening without too many dramas. Next appointment is March 17th, but if that turns out to be the week before her flute exam, I'll move it.

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Original poster
Wafflenose · 21/01/2017 14:39

Fleur Minuet, Synco-Rock and List C not looked at yet. Her friend is doing the Welsh one (like everyone else!!) and Synco-Rock. Rara knows her scales, friend is getting there. Friend has done ABRSM aural before; Rara hasn't. Both are excellent sight readers, so hopefully no problems there.

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Fleurdelise · 21/01/2017 15:28

Thanks for your advice Waffle we'll do the mouthpiece and reed this week and then hopefully I shouldn't buy anything else except books till grade 5/6.

Fleurdelise · 21/01/2017 15:28

(well and reeds) Grin

LooseAtTheSeams · 21/01/2017 15:49

Quite exciting - I contacted Stringers in London for a possible cello for DS2. They recommended two - one is far too expensive but the other one seems reasonable given it includes a hard case! So when they have one in he can go and try it.
I'm in a good mood with him because he should have all three piano pieces learned by half term leaving masses of time for everything else. On the other hand I shouted at DS1 for demonstrating an utter lack of initiative or even basic common sense but as it wasn't music-related We Shall Not Dwell On It!

raspberryrippleicecream · 21/01/2017 16:11

We had a lovely evening last night, as mentioned before DS2 did a workshop with NYJO, and last night was the performance.

DS had a lovely trombone improvisation solo, very proud.

Second half was the NYJO Big Band, who were amazing. They performed one piece written for jazz recorder!

onlymusic · 21/01/2017 23:11

Thank you for your comments, ladies, just to clarify - violin is obviously a bargain, but it is not that its real price would be a fortune, possibly in a region of £200 as opposed to £100 we paid for that. Google says Maidsones were the Stentors of the time, so I guess it is good only because it is old and was played on a lot!

drummersmum I have another story for you :) We have fool size old violin too. I bought it in a charity shop few years ago, less than £50, absolutely destroyed, the label was saying 200 old Italian make. We restored it, it turned out to be German make (100-150 yo), but now when it is done it does sound beautifully. Estimated price £1500 (restoration cost £500). Cannot wait when dd starts playing it.
Well, this is my give away real life story Shock

Kutik73, yes, I try to have a spare instrument (not a bow though as it is easier to buy and we have a local violin shop). The old 3/4 I just bought was supposed to be a spare one, and the main one would be Gliga which we now cancelled (which seller kindly agreed to do). As our new/old 3/4 viloin will be the main violin now, I will look for some Stentor or Primavera as a back up. This is for holidays (last year we had a holiday few weeks before the exam, so no way I would let dd to take a week off practice before the exam-it takes ages to return her into practicing mood). Then occasional problems with strings, then we had a problem where dd could not tune her violin as peg was stuck, etc.

But I am also curious how people buy full size violins.... As I have two dc and only one full size violin :)

AlexandraLeaving · 21/01/2017 23:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mistigri · 22/01/2017 09:01

Sorry, not around much, but need to ask about hand-health for pianists.

DD is supposed to be playing at a concert a week on Monday. She's due to play a Schubert impromptu which has a lot of very fast passages with reaches and a page of repeated chords. She has very small hands and much of this is a stretch for her (physically). After a long practice session on Friday she now has pain down the outside of her little finger and the outside of her palm when she stretches her fingers out.

I've strapped the little finger to the ring finger and given her ibuprofen, and told her not to do anything that hurts. She can play simple pieces with no big chords without pain; writing is fine as is playing guitar.

Any advice?

ealingwestmum · 22/01/2017 11:35

Poor girl, I would do exactly what you have done mistri, keeping the ibuprofen going after you untape the fingers. Some RSI exercises may also help to counter stretch the area post inflammation.

ealingwestmum · 22/01/2017 11:38

...And placing hand in ice bath (ballet feet injuries cure) intermittently for as long as she can hold!

ealingwestmum · 22/01/2017 11:40

(sorry for bad spelling)!

drummersmum · 22/01/2017 16:25

mistigiri she should rest her hand for a couple of days at least. Hope she feels better soon.

only I loved your story Flowers

NeverEverAnythingEver · 22/01/2017 17:20

Ouch minimisty. :( Hope it gets better soon.

Trumpetboysmum · 22/01/2017 19:57

Mistigri hope your ds recovers soon
First regional nco rehearsal today which ds enjoyed Smile

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