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Extra-curricular activities

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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.

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RapidlyOscillating · 02/02/2017 11:03

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RapidlyOscillating · 02/02/2017 11:16

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RapidlyOscillating · 02/02/2017 11:18

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drummersmum · 02/02/2017 11:59

Great results waffle!!
Hope he enjoys it trumpet.

Fleurdelise · 02/02/2017 12:23

Rapidly we have different teachers for piano and clarinet, piano is DD's main instrument currently and I wanted a specialist piano teacher rather than a woodwind specialist with piano as a second study if that makes sense. If DD would have picked violin as a second instrument we would have got the same teacher as DD's piano teacher studied and teaches both. She recommended a clarinet teacher for us as she is collaborating with her accompanying her students on the piano during exams so it works perfect for us as DD's piano teacher can support with that side.

On the student teaching side I would definitely give it a go till about grade 1 level as I don't think much "damage" can be done in early stages and if you are on a winner you can continue or swap later if you feel the dc is not getting the best teaching method.

Regarding the digital DD's teacher taught DD on a digital for the first year as she didn't have enough space for an acoustic, she later on swapped furniture around and got an acoustic which again I think it is important at higher levels, not necessarily at home but the pupils need to be exposed to an acoustic even if they have a digital at home. But in the early stages I was more than happy with DD being taught on a digital and I couldn't see an issue, grade 1 exam was achieved with high marks (138) considering she played an acoustic in the exam and never played one beforehand.

I hope this helps.

raspberryrippleicecream · 02/02/2017 12:26

Hi Rapidly.

We have different teachers for everything, but I don't think any could double up anyway. . Our piano teacher did do sax with DD til Grade 4.

RapidlyOscillating · 02/02/2017 12:30

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Trumpetboysmum · 02/02/2017 12:30

Mine have different teachers for piano and trumpet we met the trumpet teacher through the music service ( ds was really lucky with all of these teachers he's had 4 in total and he's not 12 yet!!) piano I went to a local music centre as it gives us a bit of flexibility piano teacher is great and if either of mine played violin too ( her first instrument) I would definitely consider using her I know others get her to teach both. she also is starting to do some piano accompaniment. Dd started piano with a younger less experienced teacher and that worked well for a beginner it depends what your needs are and what level the child is at. I guess if you double up teachers you have to decide if your children would be able to concentrate for that long ( a lesson on 2 instruments ) and swap instruments during the lesson

Fleurdelise · 02/02/2017 12:31

Oh and if the flute teacher teaches piano also I would give it a go. Again first few grades till you establish if she is the right teacher. You can measure this by using various methods, such as exam results, is she teaching other material also outside the exam curriculum, is she familiar with all the technical requirements etc.

A friend of mine had her DD taught piano by a cello teacher who could obviously play the piano also, after grade 2 though she did realise as piano wasn't her main instrument it was time for a new teacher. Again no "damage" done, it was just the technical requirements needed more emphasis at higher levels which the cello teacher was honest and admitted she could not provide.

RapidlyOscillating · 02/02/2017 12:32

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raspberryrippleicecream · 02/02/2017 12:36

Sorry, lost the rest of that post.

It all works well, but does need a bit of negotiating around exams, if you don't want them at the same time.

We only have the piano lesson at our house. DS was fine in digital til Grade 4. If we still had a digital lessons would all be at the teachers house now.

ealingwestmum · 02/02/2017 12:41

woah, great results so far waffle!

Rapidly, I will try and answer some of your questions from our own experience, but not sure there's a right nor wrong way, as a little gut feel is also required (and a leap of faith maybe)?

DD learns piano as 2nd instrument, since age 7. At home, 30 mins a week during term time, now G7 level. Takes 35 mins each singing and violin lessons at school, plus a supplementary 1 hour violin at home. All different teachers, different CVs.

Piano teacher is young, but experienced with main school peri work and private, very busy. It's a bun fight negotiation each Sept to get a slot that works for both. Already too much in-school schedule juggling to fit another lesson there - they do have to catch up on lessons missed at secondary.

I have known many local parents (who are not musical at home) go into our RAM and place their requirements on the notice boards. The students supplement their living this way. I would absolutely do this, if we hadn't got lucky, but continuity is not guaranteed, and maybe for younger learners they need to know they can develop a relationship with their teacher. I used it once for DD's auditions for 11+ and needed an accompanist to practice her pieces with her...it worked a treat.

I'd therefore have no issue in trying in the absence of getting a good, longer term teacher (with availability to come to my home,) as instilling a love of playing as well as developing basic technique would be a key consideration. Piano-playing parents often start this way.

Bit of a fluffy response, but if the talent's on your doorstep, albeit not officially teacher qualified, why not give it a try. Value is a tricky one to measure, but you could just find a gem...

Fleurdelise · 02/02/2017 12:45

We're a bit worried about exams here also, I know the piano and the clarinet teacher are planning to coordinate their exams to be on the same day going forward so the piano teacher is not losing a lot of time, she can be at the examination centre for her students' exams which she always attends plus the clarinet teacher's exams for the accompaniment.

This means that if DD keeps on track she will potentially take grade 5 piano and grade 3 clarinet on the same day.Confused

Trumpetboysmum · 02/02/2017 12:53

Fleur not sure that my nerves could stand 3 exams in one day !! But my children are often much less nervous than me Smile

Trumpetboysmum · 02/02/2017 12:53

That's supposed to say 2

Fleurdelise · 02/02/2017 12:57

Trumpet when I asked DD how she feels about it she just shrugged it off and said she doesn't mind, it is my nerves that I am worried about. Grin

RapidlyOscillating · 02/02/2017 12:59

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Trumpetboysmum · 02/02/2017 13:14

Ds's musical commitments also always threaten to overshadow everything else too so I know how you feel rapidly. Luckily dd also has her fair share of interests and is also very tolerant of driving ds all over the place and at the moment everything works fingers crossed it stays that way for a while !!

LooseAtTheSeams · 02/02/2017 14:24

Just catching up again - well done and wow! to Waffle, miniWaffles and associated students! The group of 44 must be amazing!

Wafflenose · 02/02/2017 16:24

... and it's all over for me this year. I put in 32 Festival entries. Of the 31 that materialised (well, they all did, but one has now gone to another teacher), 22 were awarded 1st place, 6 were awarded 2nd, one was awarded 3rd, and two ended up in the middle of the pack in classes of 10+ entrants. Goo has 11 x 1st places (6 individual, 5 duet/ group) and Rara has 8 x first places (including one solo title outright, a couple of ties for first place, some duets and groups). Every single pupil played fantastically, and I am so immensely proud to have the best job in the world, working with so many fantastic children.

Goo's haul:
Woodwind Solo 10 & Under (Flute)
Woodwind Solo 12 & Under (Flute)
Descant Recorder 10 & Under
Treble Recorder 10 & Under
Treble Recorder 12 & Under
Any Recorder 10 & Under (Descant and Sopranino)
Recorder Duet 10 & Under (with Rara)
Recorder Duet Open (with me) - 1 mark below 'Outstanding'
Recorder Consort 16 & Under (trio)
Family Music Making (quartet)
Group Tuition 11 & Under (Year 6 Recorder club)

Rara's:
Woodwind Solo - Beginners (tied for 1st with BFF!)
Woodwind Duet 10 & Under (with BFF)
Descant Recorder 8 & Under (outright)
Treble Recorder - Beginners (tied for 1st)
Recorder Duet 8 & Under
Recorder Duet 10 & Under (with Goo)
Family Music (quartet)
Parent & Child Duet

Very pleased! Will start a new thread tonight.

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Wafflenose · 02/02/2017 16:27

Forgot to add, the Year 6 group was given 1 mark below Outstanding too, but Goo was playing a sopranino solo over a gentle treble accompaniment by the group (I wrote it just for them) and was singled out for 'an outstanding sopranino solo'.

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RapidlyOscillating · 02/02/2017 16:55

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raspberryrippleicecream · 02/02/2017 17:35

Wow Waffle.

How lovely they won a duet cup together too!

LooseAtTheSeams · 02/02/2017 17:57

I think the duet is the loveliest thing on the list as well! But my goodness Waffle, what a triumph! Do post photos of the triumphant winners with their prizes! Star Star
So great and cheering to see this news! I was on tenterhooks today in case Ofsted sat in on part of my three-hour class. I had loads planned anyway but you always worry something untoward will happen. And then they didn't come to my class at all so I had a tension headache for nothing. Never mind, just off now to see Amadeus on live stream at local cinema as a treat!

drummersmum · 02/02/2017 18:20

Waffle what a sweep!!!!!!!! Star

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