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!

In my local Festival, piano pieces are set in the age class, so everyone is playing from a choice of two. DS2 played the 9 and 10 piece very nicely at age 9, I think he was Grade 3 ish at the time, and then a 10 year old working towards her Diploma played it and it sounded like a different piece entirely! (DS did come second!).

However, that same year DS2 also played in the 17 and under Jazz class, free choice, and played a very short piece very well and came second against much older DC with more complicated pieces. You never know.

I'm trying to remember his pieces for this year. I think he is playing a Grade 7 piece in the Open - 'Meadowbrook'. He got a good mark for it in the exam, but he played in a Masterclass organised by the Festival last week, with a tutor from RNCM. There is an amazing amount to still work on, so he's quite enjoying the extra challenge.

Incidentally same tutor was talking to DS at the end and told DS2 to not rush to Grade 8, but enjoy the journey, play lots of repertoire. He was 16 when he took his Grade 8 piano.

Fleurdelise I think it is good to treat festivals that way. Dd's teacher was very critical of festivals (obviously there are some fair competitions, but not all of them), telling stories how more able kids were passed by on the grounds that they are so able that they would have another opportunity to shine but some less able children got prizes because they would not have another chance + would not take loss easily.... The competition I watched recently was a bit like that-there were super talented kids but they got so many prizes in various classes that judge tried to even it out with the less important categories like duet for example. On a piano class judge's decision was clearly based on his sentiments- two top places in one of the classes were rewarded on the grounds that kids were playing the piece which judge introduced to the current piano syllabus, in another class the piece that won was the piece which he and his future wife played together for the first time, etc
Friend's dc recently took part in the festival and got second place because judge didn't like how last note was played (don't remember details, but either teacher's interpretation was forte but judge's was piano, or the vice versa).
Also, if you have a chance to see various classes - it is a very exciting exercise to do! Occasionally you would come across some children who absolutely stand out and it is such a joy to listen to them! I am now watching our local competition for a third year in a row and remember some children from previous years - it is very interesting to see how their proficiency is growing over the years and some are sooo talented that it makes me feel depressed
And another exciting part of any competition is mixing up with other parents and listening gossip

Thanks everyone. Two more weeks to go....

I've just re-read my post which I wrote when tired so it did look negative. I would add that miniprada has used festivals to enjoy performances and to get ready for auditions rather than concentrate on winning (although that is always nice). Festivals are ace for that reason. I am also grateful for those who have given up their time voluntarily to ensure they happen every year. Playing a piece from an old syllabus is a great idea.

Great news about the school place Prada hope there are more offers in the post in the next few weeks. I love that collection of medals and trophies waffle they must be so proud of themselves.
So ds went to band last night to discover that he has now been promoted ( for the time being at least) to playing in the orchestra I had queried whether this was a good idea mostly from the social aspect he has lots of friends of a similar age in band but will be one of the youngest in orchestra but also because he will now probably play in that orchestra until the end of sixth form !! Hopefully he will still get to see his friends at break and it is a great opportunity for him but as he's missed half a term of orchestra rehearsals he now has lots of music to learn over half term hopefully all of these exciting musical adventures that he's having at the moment will make rather than break him !!

I would second that Prada ds is very competitive but I just emphasise the taking part and having the chance to perform ( and having a reason to polish pieces beforehand) ds is playing pieces from the trinity syllabus for his competitions next half term so hopefully they won't be as popular though I have now found out that ds and another boy have opted to play the same piece in the school music competition. They both have the same teacher the teacher has now suggested that ds change his piece if they both get through to the final !?! and this piece definitely needs more work ( so a busy half term holiday practicing I think)

Hello,

I have dd10 who plays clarinet, grade 3 coming this term, and bassoon.

She is playing one of her exam pieces at a school concert next week so a good opportunity for that. She is away at her dads this weekend so no instrument practice at all.

We have a local music festival that dd has done speech and drama in before but never music.

She is keen to enter, the classes are graded, should she enter grade 3 even though the festival is 2 months ish after her exam, or grade 4, in which case we will have to focus on just one new piece after exam in preparation. She also wants to enter the beginners class with the bassoon.

Dd is in year 5 and we have an appt at school very soon to discuss entrance exams etc. I am unsure whether to enter her for a music scholarship or not. Most schools round here seem to ask for Grade 4 on 1st instrument and grade 1 or 2 on 2nd. She should be quite capable of that within the next year, however, I know of at least four better musicians in her year at school alone so wonder if its better to save the additional stress!

Oh Prada, what are you going to do after all this "fun" time!!!???

Just wanted to come back then will dive for some more time to say that I went and spoke to my neighbor this morning and she said it is ok if we tell her what time during the day. I braved myself and asked for Monday 1hr(the unavoidable lesson), and 2 other days 45mins and we are ok with Sunday for 1 hour. That is great for now as I dont expect more from her anyway and she is ok with the headphone on if its needed.

She is on chess tournament the whole day today, to be honest because both myself and my husband cant play so we know she has no chance(she surprisedly earned a silver in the Olympia section a month ago after learning it from a chess club at school 45mins a week, I'd thought she was lucky). Never mind whatever activity she'd like to participate then we will support her with a full "wallet"(might have to find someone to "help" her if she progresses with chess.

We have festival next month although in my mind its completely for fun, its not as important as the violin exam which I am worried today as just realised she missed a lesson last week when she had a party and will miss another one next week as we have booked an event to go. Trying to arrange another date for next week however havent got my teacher confirmed.

Woolley did you get the reed supplier info I posted on the last thread?

Yes, thank you DoubleUp, I will be in touch.

Wooley, I would read terms and conditions for the festival. Sometimes rules are very precise re grade classes.
I would also enter your dd for scholarship as better musician is smth very subjective.... Say my dd is not the greatest performer but her aural skills are amazing and you never know what is a particular school after. My friend's dd is a better performer but her aural skills are ordinary.

Well, the new cello has landed! It needs new strings and a possibly a slight tweak to the bridge but our cello teacher was very pleased when she had a go on it. I do feel a bit guilty for taking it away from its previous owner but DS2 has promised to bring it to visit and do a mini concert for her some time!
DS2 loves it.

We have borrowed a nice 1/2 size cello for Rara to try. It's looking good!

Sorry it may be slightly off-topic for many of you but I really like to ask... How many of you have children who are quite serious about music also take part in sport fairly seriously? Those who play sport fairly seriously , which sport do they play? How much commitment is expected and do you think those expectations are rightly met? Or do you rather feel you are constantly juggling to find a balance and just dealing with it day by day? Or did any of your children used to be like that but eventually stopped or cut down the commitment in favour to focus on music? I am talking about things they commit 'fairly seriously', so weekly casual commitment such as swimming and cubs are not counted. Or am I only one who has this kind of issues on this forum (hope not)?

Hello new cellos
Prada excellent news re offer. Brace yourself for more.

Kutik,

I'm not a regular here but have posted in the past under another name.

DS, at 7, was playing football for the local professional team's academy (twice a week training, 1 day at the weekend matches, plus 1x training + 1x matches for his own team) and didn't do music at all. Shortly after that, he t. At 10 (end of Y5) he was dropped by the professional football academy, and simply in order to fill what seemed a yawning hole in his summer, I found him a cricket club and enrolled him on a 4 day long jazz course.

That was really the beginning of the music journey - he started to have lessons outside school, took the odd exam, worked his way up through the levels of the county jazz setup, took up a second instrument that is more mainstream 'jazz', spends 3 hiours every sat morning at a music centre. Alongside all of this he has continued to play football at least twice a week in the winter, and cricket at least 2x per week during the summer. He's the only member of his school's orchestra to also play in the first sports teams (except rugby).

Tbh, it's only this year - he's 16, in Y11 - that the balance has swung definitively towards music. He does in-school music groups 5 days a week instead of joining the football boys at playtime. He plays outside school at least 3 days per week, including at senior county level, and his ambitions are now musical not sporting. It has, however, been a long hard balancing act!

Missing chunk
"shortly after that, he took up a musical instrument, starting with in-school 20 minute group lessons."

Prada well done to Miniprada - and I am willing to bet there is more good news on the way!
Waffle - that's very exciting for Rara! There was a bit of cello trading going on in concert orchestra this morning between children of different sizes, apparently.

Hi all,
Does anyone know what yr abrsm had Czardas as a gr 8 piece?
Was it 2005-2007.
I want the piano backing track.
Thanks

LooseAtTheSeams congratulations on new cello! I am gradually falling in love with our "new old" 3/4 violin from ebay.

I am up to new challenge-making my 5yo practicing.... He is really struggling with his new piece - good to have older helper in a house!

Kutik73, "luckily" my dd is ABSOLUTELY hopeless in any sport so we don't have this sort of dilemma. But I think sport is very important (finding time for everything is another matter of course)

cantkeepawayforever, thank you for sharing your experience. It's so encouraging to hear such a story... My DS was always considered sporty rather than musical so this dilemma only started when he suddenly told us that music was his first and most passion last year... Since then he has kept proving his words to the point where even his reluctant father became supportive towards his passion in music although he still tries to persuade DS into sport now and then! DS still loves sports of course, just not as much as music. So we don't have any intention to drop sport completely but somehow finding a healthy balance between those two ares is so hard (stopping completely would be easier). DS says he wishes there were 48 hours a day or 10 days a week so everything he loves would fit in the schedule. But I'm afraid our day is made to be 24 hours...

RapidlyOscillating, that's exactly how I feel - HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

onlymusic, I agree sport is important. As a parent, setting up a daily routine to do exercise when they are still young will be a lifelong gift for them to lead a healthy and happy life. You don't need to be great at it, and you don't need to be committed seriously. Being able to enjoy exercising and being able to take it as part of their life are what it counts.

Does anyone understand why dd would have been allocated her G4 a and c pieces when she will take G3 this term. Finding it hard to convince her to mainly focus on the G3 pieces when she has shiny new G4 pieces. Just nit understanding the logic behind this

Is it for exam se22mother? Some teachers do that - they teach more complicated pieces than those for exams. Quite popular thing to do and works well too