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!

Great achievement Mistigiri. Huge congratulations to her!

Being a music scholar has been a great experience for DS. It's not only about the free lessons. They're given extra opportunities and they feel part of a very special bunch of dedicated kids, and play in the scholar's concert, etc. Of course you can be totally immersed in music without being a scholar but for him it's been great. In our case, we couldn't afford paying privately for the lessons and time he gets anyway so it has literally made all the difference to his life now and if he continues wanting to pursue music, to his future! It does add stress to the 11plus though, because you have the auditions and the preparation...

Misti well done to your dd!

No advice/input on school here as dd will go to a state school. We would be able to afford private but DS went to a good state secondary and I would feel bad to send her somewhere else private. We have a number of very good selective state schools in the area so she'll try for those.

Kutik Well it's never going to happen, so who knows? I am very pro state schools though (I work in both state and private). If we could afford it, I might be tempted to try Goo out for music and academic scholarships, but not to the school I work at... there are very few girls in her year, and only one that I think she might hit it off at. She needs a large school with bunches of friends, and the one we're hopefully getting has 70 extracurriculars to choose from. She likes to be busy, and will do well wherever she goes. I think the large comprehensive is the best fit for her, although we will definitely look again at 16, and maybe even 14.

Rara would thrive at private school, with smaller classes, more attention and someone to push her along a bit! She is bright and enjoys art, but probably doesn't fulfil scholarship criteria in anything. With or without scholarships, it costs £££££.

*hit it off WITH!!

Kutik: mostly because I dont think I could manage both academic and music sides when she is this young to be honest and if I can handle 11+ stress along with music exams/auditions. This might (magically) change if in couple of years time(yr4 now) if I suddenly have someone just practises on her own and begs for more challenge(very unlikely) by then I might consider.

Loose, yes pls pls pm me for his details if he is ok with it. Thank you

Apart from music she loves chess(shame that both of us cant play so no practice), she was in a national chess workshop(but lost out) the other day, then the passion for painting(I have to set a budget for canvas and colour, they are expensive). To me, being a foreigner, learning other languages are equally as important as music. Until she tell me her def most favourite, its might be unwise for me to lead her to music(we cant play at all and do not know anyone plays). It sounds wrong when I say this in a musical thread. We love and appreciate that we are learning piano and violin now and be able to play a little and have other musical friends, thats enough for now. We did try NCO last year but failed, I was hoping she could have opportunity to have a week holiday/workshop/play music with other musical children. Thats all we aim for now, being an amateur however still practise.

We are hedging our bets too. I have no idea what route my DC will choose.

Well done Mistigris! How fantastic!

Green - can you pm me the details of the language camp? I reckon miniprada would love that.

Kutik- there are many factors to consider when choosing indie schools. It is not just the case that paying for it makes it better and Waffle makes a good point re: mix of pupils. In our area (outside London) the indies are full of white range rovers (and the like) and pupils at 12/13 who think it is normal to have a designer handbag as a school bag. You'd be better off with your child going to a good state or grammar to avoid the excessive materialistic and conspicuous consumerism. Marrying well is still considered a life goal for girls . This is why I have looked out of area. Having skills like music MFL art, drama, sport and indeed chess increases your child's appeal to a school who balance their cohort between academic ability and other achievements. It's a good reason to try but as Green points out, music may not provide any fee reduction and you are committed to using their teachers and there is an expectation to commitment to music within schools above other interests and there is an expectation of keeping up the standard. I honestly believe miniprada is more interesting to interview/ consider as a result of music but we've actually chosen the school where she won't be a music scholar as opposed to the others where she would've been as I think educationally it is a better fit. It is also the case that she was up against kids of G8/diploma already aged10 so not a surprise! She will however participate in the orchestra and ensemble opportunities available which she'll love. That's the best bit of being a scholar as well

Green - don't stress about audition prep. A good solid performance of a grade piece is sufficient in both studies. It really wasn't that onerous. Personally? I'd avoid a general 11+ tutor and go with someone who can fill in the gaps with weak spots you've identified going through bond or cgp. Stay away from other parents. Your child sounds waaaay ahead of the pack and reading widely is the key. One interview question for miniprada was 'you are walking along and fall into a hole. What do you do next'? Obviously no amount of tutoring can prepare for that! I would also find a practice paper session. Wallington Grammar (south west London) offer practice 11+ for less than £30 and well worth travelling to in order to gain a sense of test conditions with kids you don't know.

Sorry, that was Long!

Green will check and see who she knows!
I honestly believe MiniGreen has so much genuine interest in so many things that she will sail through 11+ exams, but I have known one very academic but untutored child not succeed only because they weren't used to the time constraints. One of DS1's friends didn't pass for the grammars and I just don't know why - very academic and had tutoring from a decent tutor. Ds1 and he have been friends since they were 4 1/2. They go to the same comprehensive and are both predicted very high GCSE grades - they are even doing the same GCSE options. DS1 is like Goo (without the amazing musical achievements!) in the sense that he is more comfortable in a large school where he can find his 'group'. So he hangs around with creative, manga-obsessed kids who behave nicely! The friend might have been better off in a good private school (as he's very musical and a bit intimidated by the size of the school) but academically it won't hold him back. As Waffle says, they can move on at 16 as well so there is that consideration.

Can someone remind me again why we send our children for music lesson? If I hear another Knight Rupert at top speed again I might cry ...

NeverEver I think it is so we can feel the adrenaline and that we're going crazy when they don't put any effort in it. Dd just had a lesson where she was looking at the walls while the teacher was talking. Luckly the teacher knows she still takes it in even if she has a bad day, I still felt embarrassed and reminded dd where we are.

All grade 5 pieces have now been officially started with the third piece today. She obviously changed her mind last minute and chose a Scarlatti piece over the Weber Waltz which I love. But hey ho, she'll have to practice it so her choice.

I was told to book here, there are few courses and for "French" children. Will pm you once I got their confirmation, reply and figuring out the logistic(www.sport-adeps.be/index.php?id=5876). My friend who live in Belgium has been sending both her children there every summer. My aim is for her to have a fun week with French native speaking children. Hopefully this helps with her French(only concern of speaking/listening rather than read/write).(funnily enough 70% of my current colleagues are French however I cant speak the language).

Thanks Loose.

Secondary---sigh! We are not wealthy and just be able to do it if nothing major change and both of us working. In the worst case scenario if during her school time we struggle then we have to sell other investments which we have saved for their future. My husband although young(ish)-35, has a chronicle illness which he will still be able to live full long life if he carefully manages his diet, life style and stress.(dont ask why I am stressed all the times and vent here). I have to take into consideration all these factors too. At 11, I still think its too young, mostly its the parents "helping""hands holding", 16+ def is the age where a child with great work ethic/attitude will stand out(for good).

Fleur I'm perversely pleased to hear that your DD does that. My DC have variously walked away , fiddled with bows, and examined air molecules, while the teacher talked. But when you ask them later they appeared to have heard.

I do try to bring them up polite, I swear!

Ah, funny that - just came back from a piano lesson that had a couple of moments of key pressing instead of listening. And he expected me to carry his music bag home!! I refused, naturally.
Once again DS2 has been reminded not to play at top speed and fudge the tricky bits.

Oh Never I found a friend. Dd even closed the book today twice saying "ok I get it, now I want to play something else" while her teacher was explaining her something.

Another time I could see the teacher trying to stop herself laugh while talking and when I looked in the piano reflection I saw dd pulling faces at herself in the piano.

The teacher is just amazing, I can feel my blood pressure raising when I see it, her teacher is able to bring her back in various ways without telling her off. When she was pulling faces the teacher started to do the same and they had a good laugh for a couple of minutes and back to the lesson.

Since we applied the sticker system these things improve. I see someone patiently waiting to be awarded a precious sticker after each lesson.

Apparently the new music HoD at DCs school has a really annoying habit of playing his guitar if a student goes to his room to ask a question, while they are speaking. DD said it's just so rude!

Loose dd has the "carry my music bag" setting also.

Oh and I do try to pull her on it but the teacher told me off last time saying she's more than capable to deal with it (and she is), they'll form their own relationship in time.

To be fair she's not always like this, she has the odd lesson when I could shout at her if I would be the teacher, but generally I'd say she fine. And dd doesn't care about stickers.

Her teacher bribes her with chocolate though, when it is very hard and she sees her close to tears from not being able to achieve something she gives her a chocolate and she's changing the mood of the lesson .

And she got her chocolates for participating in the festival. I love our teacher, does it show?

It is rude, isn't it! I'm so embarrassed!

xpost!

raspberry it is rude from a HOD. I mean dd use to do that also and it was cured by her teacher closing the piano to prevent her playing. After a few times she got it. She still does it sometimes and needs a reminder so I'd say every few months I see the teacher closing the piano.

But from an adult it is quite rude I guess. Can they hide the guitar first?

Dd also has different personalities with her teachers (not as in the diagnosed MP disorder). She's very comfortable with her piano teacher so she is at ease pulling faces and so on, with her clarinet teacher, who's in fact more fun, acting silly with her, younger etc dd decided to practice her selective mutism. So the teacher is asking every lesson "are we friends today? Are we talking?" Dd doesn't play up with her at all.

That's because she's considered new, even though she's been with her now for 6 months solid.

As her piano teacher says dd is weird in a quirky way. They're very attached to each other and I think dds personality is one of the reasons besides dd working hard to keep her happy.

Oh Fleur the personality thing is everything! DS2 has clicked so completely with both the piano and cello teachers! But I would say he is a different child with each. I think he behaves much better for the cello teacher - like a mini adult almost!
Green ahem! Stickers! Moi!

On a more serious note - I had a real crisis of confidence recently and considered giving up the lessons. Who was I fooling? And Ok I am busy. And then sometimes I think what the hell! I like it and I'm learning (and forgetting) all the time. Plus my teacher must be taking me seriously if she's going into so much detail to improve my playing. But funnily enough, reading about your marvellous teachers made me realise also that I am probably a much better teacher than I might have been precisely for going through this process. I had a terrible day yesterday because of one student until I talked it over with my colleagues and I realised just how special teachers can be!