February Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

Overdue again, this time due to our local music festival. I put in 32 entries, and am now finished for this year, but haven't had a lot of sleep recently!

I am a teacher of woodwind - mostly recorder and clarinet at the moment - and have two DDs. Goo (short for Kajagoogoo in case anyone was wondering - and no, that isn't her actual name!!) is 11 and plays the flute, recorder and piano. Rara is 8 and plays the cello, recorder and clarinet. We are heading towards a half size cello soon, and I think we might have found a suitable one. We're going to try it out this weekend.

The girls have been entered for Grade 7 Flute and Grade 1 Clarinet this term, and I am really regretting it, as they are so under-prepared. But hopefully after a slightly quieter weekend, we can all get back on track.

Please jump right in, ask questions, moan about practice/ scales/ attitude, tell us about your DCs or your own learning... and new members/ beginners are always welcome!

Amazing results, Waffle - you must have been thrilled for your pupils, and Goo & Rara.

We're in good spirits. Off to hear DS1 (bassoon, cello and tenor now!) in concert on Saturday, and then to haul the harp to Surrey for DD1 on Sunday for a rehearsal (Concert at Menhuin Hall in March if anyone's local?!) . She's finished her music auditions for 11+ and I'm now stalking the postie - the London results come out over the next week. DS2 and DD1 taking Gde 5 Singing this term and Gde 5 theory next so they can take the Gde 6's on their main instruments (his, violin and hers, harp). DS2 also taking Gde 3 oboe. Meanwhile DS3 (6) is working on his Gde 1 piano and Gde 1 theory, both for next term.

Ah, and DD1 has taken up French horn as her second instrument, our first brass instrument. She had a 15 min trial lesson last week which she loved and has been blowing ever since. Question: when you blow French horn, a G for example, are you meant to be able to play every other note in the octave around it like a sliding scale or is she doing something very wrong? (Whatever she's doing, it's very loud - we have 'the goose' (bassoon), 'the duck' (oboe) and now, the elephant (horn)!)

Some people seem to prefer choosing unusual/uncommon pieces for the exact reason of what only said which I understand and it can be a tactic they choose. But at the end of the day, JDs are looking for someone who is suitable to and benefit from their programme. I am sure they will see through what's in there, not what they play...? Having asked many people for ourselves (a while back I was thinking of JD option) I concluded that it's best to let them play what they like and want.

Thanks for the new thread. Will try to keep up more!

I have a musical DD15 who plays piano and guitar (and occasionally sax and bass) and a non-musical DS13. I also play guitar (badly - feeling a bit discouraged atm) and piano (not well, but less badly).

No exams for us this term. Think DD is still supposed to be doing a national piano competition (in which she has zero chance) for which she has to play pieces by Chopin, Debussy and a modern composer. Next term she will do her final exam for the "second cycle" of the French conservatoire, roughly equivalent to G8. She will probably play a Chopin nocturne and Schubert impromptu both of which are already done, plus one obligatory piece which she will have about 6 weeks to prepare.

She only has one guitar gig coming up, but I expect she will get a lot of bookings for local festivals in spring and summer. She likes performing and these are much less stressful than piano recitals!!!

disorganised - i wouldn't worry about the pieces being popular - it is actually quite interesting to see what different dc get from the same piece, and the panel are very expert as looking 'beyond the piece'.

Thanks Stringchild. I'm told that ds has great musicality if that's the right word. He does like to do a bit of improv on his pieces too. Not sure if that's allowed!

Oh sorry disorganised didn't mean to scare you but rather to share info so that your ds may pay a particular attention to it? I attended one of the music competitions recently and examiner was commenting on how often it was played since introduced into exam syllabus, I, on the other hand was amazed how easy it was to compare the quality of playing when it is played one after another! (three or four children out of 6 were playing it)

So many posts already! I will read them properly later - just about to take Rara to a party. Here is a picture though...

Fab photo...well done to you and the girls waffle

Love the pic waffle. Where are you going to put all that??!!

Some trophies are shared, so will go home with other children after I've had them engraved. After 8 years of sharing, the girls now have their own bedrooms, so can put their respective trophies up there. Goo has 9 new medals and Rara has 7. Some classes had trophies, some had medals, and some had both. I have lost track of what's what.

That's quite an engraving bill Waflle. And quite an organisational feat.making sure right names on each trophy!

Lovely photo

What an amazing photo Waffle!

That's a fine haul there Waffle.

Intro - brass player DS is nearly 17 and I am hoping will learn to drive this year so I don't have to do so much driving of the musical taxi. I don't mind the driving there and back, it's the bit in the middle where I hang about for two hours I'm not so keen on. No exams for him, unless he decides to take some on the second instrument which is possible although unlikely I would have thought.

That is a seriously impressive clutch of trophies Waffle! I'm trying to think of a collective noun for a lot of trophies!!

A trophython?

Love the photo, Waffle, you must be so proud of your amazing girls!

Waffle, do you have to polish all that silverware? Rather an impressive haul!

They are beautiful Waffle and Goo is turning into a stunning young lady!

Well done the waffles!

Fleur/Green as I renovate houses for a living atm, I could write a book on parking wars and boundary disputes . I find that getting the kids to go outside and kick a ball around near cars usually works. Parking wars are why I now live in the middle of nowhere with enough parking for a wedding party and the nearest neighbour is an acre away . Some people are just ignorant.

Miniprada is booked for G6 piano this term and G7 violin (although it would appear that the violin teacher has been a bit remiss with the entry form so trying to get to the bottom of that)...

11+ entries are going well so far. Called back to all 4 applied for - for both music and at (the non London lndies), academic scholarships. One offer (yay!) the rest are out this week coming and half term. I am very proud of her.

Agree with the comments re: music festivals and the same pieces. Although in November, miniprada was lucky and played better than the other candidate on both occasions. I would also caution against getting hopes up when the kids are young. Aged 10-12 the kids are up against other entrants playing anything from sub G1 to G8. There is more opportunity to nail a G2 piece than a G6/7. It is often noted that the adjudicator has favourites but this is not the case in every festival.

Congratulation with having an offer Prada!
I was thinking a lot about secondary schools and decided to stay where we are and not to try our luck with grammars.... Which makes my life a lot easier as no house movement will be needed (there are no grammar schools in our county), no exam preparation etc....
Huge relief

Btw, did anyone ever consider home education? I do wonder sometimes...

Well done miniprada with the 11+ offers and great to hear one is in the bag.

DD is doing an old curriculum grade 4 piece (2014) in the grade 4 class so hoping that she'll be able to stand out by not doing the current syllabus pieces, an Haydn for under 10 and a Beethoven sonatina (I think it is the one minigreen is currently learning) in the Sonatina class.

I don't want her to win (though I'd be happy) I just want her to have a performance opportunity, I expect there will be quite a competition considering that there is one specialist music school on our door step and they are known for entering their students in the same festival.