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Extra-curricular activities

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March Music Thread

999 replies

Wafflenose · 01/03/2017 07:36

Here you are - a new thread for March! I can't believe we are now up to 700+ posts each month. Thank you all.

I am Waffle, Mum to two girls. I have Goo (11), short for Kajagoogoo, which is 'short' for Kaj, which means... well, that would be telling! Her younger sister is Rara (8) - Rara is what she used to call herself when she was learning to speak. Goo plays the flute, recorder and piano. Rara plays the cello, recorder and clarinet. We have Grade 7 Flute and Grade 1 Clarinet booked for the end of this month. I think we might have Grade 3 Cello and Grade 4 Piano coming up next term. Goo is off to secondary in a few months, and I really don't know if she will ever manage to fit in her last couple of recorder exams. I'm all for saving money though.

I will try my best to read everything and follow this month. Last month's thread moved so fast!!

OP posts:
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Pradaqueen · 01/03/2017 16:22

For the violin.doh!

stringchild · 01/03/2017 17:03

Prada - love a heartfelt Meditation on the violins and always makes an impact at concerts we have been too

drummersmum · 01/03/2017 17:27

What grade is Schindler's List?

catshavestaff · 01/03/2017 17:39

Icould - cello playing friend always takes cello when buying a new car so not the only one. Glad my largest instrument is an Alto sax!

Greenleave · 01/03/2017 18:06

Drummers: what a schedule? Can us come to this charity event(please)?

Prada, String: I love meditation too

Eyesight: everyone around me at work is wearing glasses, I know I have to accept it, its just she is so young. We thought of a period last year with our previous nanny which she was allowed to read in her room(while our nanny tending her baby sister), it is possible that there wasnt enought light. However you are right, it might not be because of her reading. She doesnt read terribly much to be honest. In the past we always out and about at weekends and she doesnt read after dinner(we have dinner late around 7.30, after that its mostly brushing up, getting change and ready for bed). She has 3 free afternoons however there are playdates(not too many) or always out with the nanny and her baby sister somewhere in the playground.

We have violin lesson today, I am "excited" to catchup with our teacher if any progress made. The exam is in 2 weeks.

Kutik73 · 01/03/2017 19:15

Drummers string Yes, ds is probably auditioning three JDs and one is RCM.... One of them has just confirmed me the date of the audition and it's only two weeks away. I filled the form yesterday. I didn't expect they would come back so fast. It's a totally last minute decision so we haven't even decided which pieces to play. We are seeing ds's teacher this Friday so we will discuss and decide then. I will PM you when I know the date for RCM.

Kutik73 · 01/03/2017 19:17

I think Schindler's List is g7. Both Schindler's and Meditation are very nice.

Pradaqueen · 01/03/2017 19:18

Thicko here - who is Meditations composer?

Kutik73 · 01/03/2017 19:23

Jules Massenet

Paulweller11 · 01/03/2017 21:37

I think schlinders list is an old gr8 piece.

ealingwestmum · 01/03/2017 21:44

I think Remembrances was G8, Schindler's List was G7....both from past syllabi (but I'm not 100%)!

Pradaqueen · 01/03/2017 22:38

Thanks everyone!

NeverEverAnythingEver · 01/03/2017 22:44

Hello!

We had confirmation that DS2 will go to the same school as DS1, just down the road. Phew! Grin

Though DS2 said he wants to take up the trumpet when he goes there ... Shock

Fleurdelise · 01/03/2017 23:42

Well done NeverEver! And good luck with the trumpet.Grin

Had long conversation with dd's piano teacher tonight, she praised dd so much that she left me speechless. Sometimes only when you hear stuff like that you realise it is worth the effort. Funny enough had a similar shorter conversation with the clarinet teacher about how musical dd is.

I am starting to believe that if there are two teachers saying this there must be something in it (very reluctant to fully believe previously). Or maybe all their other pupils are completely rubbish 😂

Fleurdelise · 01/03/2017 23:43

*the conversation with the clarinet teacher was at the weekend not today, I promise I don't just sit around calling dd's teachers to ask for praise Grin

Greenleave · 02/03/2017 07:46

Fleur: I would love to hear that too. I was only be able to catch our teacher at the end of the lesson and the usual question was: did she practise? As usual I said I am sure she did, might not be as much. Then I had this lesson again. I appreciate our teachers passion though so I know they care. I said dont worry we could cancel it and take it next term, if she is bored, we can learn other pieces. She said all the sketches are here, only the finishing bits are not to be seen, its nearly there. (They dont speak the musical terms to me which I appreciate)

NeverEverAnythingEver · 02/03/2017 08:24

Fleur DS1's piano teacher is always saying he is doing really well, but not his cello teacher. Grin I sometimes do wonder if the other students practise. Especially when they were beginners and shared lessons. I took them out of group lessons quite early ...

I must admit that sometimes I am impressed with DS1's playing, both on the piano and the cello. He played one of his pieces so well once that I nearly cried. Grin But mostly I shout "SLOW DOWN"...

EnormousTiger · 02/03/2017 09:55

Well done to Goo. Getting the right school is never easy. We are at the end of that now - only 1.5 terms to go for the last two.... Concert tonight - a kind of solo final of finals at school which I suspect will be rather long as all winners get to play at all levels in all instrument categories... so I joked to my son I should bring my book but I am sure we will politely listen instead or may be he will be back stage except for his items - mock A levels are next week so it's pretty unusual to continue with music at this stage for most even musical children. I leave him to get his own balance. He turned something down the school asked him to play in yesterday because of the impending exams. I think he might be in a concert next week (mock A level week though - hard balance to get right between revision and hobbies).

I practised with him yesterday - for once the piano accompaniment he wanted me to play is not dreadfully hard although it requires some more than an octave stretches for me. And then there was a nice surprise for me as he wanted to practise the bass line of a choral piece he will sing in the choir of (which I'm in too) at school. He's pretty musical but never sung bass in a choir; never sung an under neath part and never sung bass cliff - his instruments are all treble clef so that's 3 things to grapple with. I bet there will be good basses he can just follow however in the choir. I said just shut up on parts you are not sure about.

Enough wittering on from me. Good luck to those with exams coming up.

Kutik73 · 02/03/2017 10:35

Fleurdelise You must believe your DD is very musical if two people in the industry tell you so! I agree with her teachers by the way by having heard her lovely piano. Flowers

Never You are lucky that at least one of his teachers says something nice! Both of my ds's teachers are not particularly complimentary. However they are those who give ds challenging tasks such as NCO and JDs, so I take it as a compliment. I suppose they wouldn't suggest such things if they think ds is not good enough. When my ds said that his teachers never appeared 100% happy with him, this was what I reminded him. Tough it would be nice to hear some positive words sometimes....

disorganisedmummy · 02/03/2017 12:46

Hi everyone,sorry I haven't been on the thread much.

In answer to Stringchild's question we have decided to leave the Guildhall audition till this time next year so if he gets in he will start SEpt 2018 and he will be 12. I don't feel that he has the emotional maturity to cope with it. He still gets very tired by the weekend and really needs his downtime still. However he is as passionate as ever and will continue in all the orchestras and string ensemble he's in.

I'm really enjoying reading about everyone's secondary school offers/scholarships and the like. Very well done to you all.

Fleurdelise · 02/03/2017 13:15

Kutik I said here before, I believe dd puts in the work when needed with my support, not sure what to believe regarding musicality, I think it is something you can acquire with practice. Saying that dd was exposed to music and singing since she was a baby (FIL is a musician) so maybe that trained her ear.

Dd's teachers praise dd when hard work has been done, they do praise the effort rather than musicality which is my preference. They talk to me about musicality and talent when she's not present on the phone or when she leaves the lesson to go to the car and I am held behind a bit.

As I said the it's hard to believe feedback like that, I usually take it with a pinch of salt as I do think it depends how much work she puts in.

Kutik73 · 02/03/2017 13:31

Maybe I should see the teachers when ds is not around then they may say something nice! Grin

Anyway I agree with praising efforts rather than something they got naturally. However, the head at a JD who said lots of nice things about ds said he loves the fact that my ds is so musical as it's something very difficult to teach whereas technique can be teachable (as long as the child has a good work ethic). So you can still secretly celebrate your DD's musicality!

Fleurdelise · 02/03/2017 14:57

Kutik maybe they're saying nice things just to get rid of me. Grin

(I'm joking, I swear I don't ask for feedback at all, they start the conversation generally).

Fleurdelise · 02/03/2017 14:59

I am having a tough time in my personal life at the moment and I swear dd's music keep me focused and brings a positive thing in my life. Luckily nothing wrong with the immediate family but still stressful and depressing.

musicathome76 · 02/03/2017 15:58

Threads moving very quick!
I have three DC. DS1 (13) will be taking his Grade 7 horn on Monday(! lots of practice this weekend), he also plays guitar and his teacher wants him to sit Grade 8 in November as the syllabus changes; he also will be taking Grade 6 piano in June. Very busy for him.
DS2(9) is taking Grade 4 piano end of the month-he is almost there with it all. He also plays cello, his teacher does not do exams till Grade 7/8 so a while yet :).
DS3 (6) plays Suzuki violin and is now making good sounds on the little 1/8 violin.
Fleur lots of hugs. Your DD is progressing very well and am sure she is very musical as her teachers say.
Prada well done to mini, relax now after the school marathon. I have this coming again with DC2 next year-he is currently year 4.

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