March Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

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!!

string, I am assuming your dd goes to the jd where my ds received an offer. The decision to go for it was rather impulsive, so we haven't done much homework hence really uncertain about the place, people and teachers.... I'm relieved to hear that your dd is still happy with her jd, and it sounds like you don't really hold any negativeness towards them...

Waffle, I really hope you find the best solution for your family. Although I do half agree with drummers that earlier is better, I think it depends on individual situation. Goo is very fortunate to have a musical mum and that she has access to more challenging environments such as NCO, so starting 14ish doesn't sound 'too late' or anything. In fact, I know some people say starting late works better (more mature, more independent, more aware of the purpose). So I guess you can follow your instinct - you know your family best.

Kutik - no negativeness at all :)

JD is a long day, at least with our timetable - dd is busy from 9-5 with very few (short) breaks; but on the way home today she reminded me that she will not be free on a saturday until she is 18 as she fully intends to stay at a JD until she leaves school - 7 more years!!! We will see if she feels the same once secondary school starts in sept.

The thing that worries me most is the 2 hours' travel time either side of that. Goo's new school also has a particularly heavy timetable in Year 7 (four languages, and four homeworks per night, although that eases off in Year 8) so I don't think the timing is right for us. I'm going to go and have a nose around anyway!

DS has been to a Saturday school (in my language) since he was 3. So he is used to be 'busy' on Saturdays. It's a pain for me that he is about to stop the school (because it's my language!), but it's his life, not mine. He will have more free Saturdays at jd actually, as it runs only 10 weeks or so per therm. He will also be free from heavy homework (he has to follow the same curriculums as full time schooling kids in my country so gets lots of homework). So we don't feel jd will be that huge commitment (other than the possible pressure to keep up the expected standard).

Waffle, homework can be done during journey? We used to do it on a tube (not very good, I know)!

I feel, if you go there, you may end up applying for the following year. Or you may feel it's right to wait for a couple of years. So yes, you should definitely go and have a look!

We do a lot of home work on the ferry and in the waiting area for the ferry.....

Car journeys are more problematic. The talent program dd1 is in at the moment suits us quite well, its one full weekend a month which leaves more free time, the disadvantage is it moves around the region for the meets and that can mean a lot of travel.....

The whole travel thing is why we have looked into AYM instead. Some in our neck of the woods do travel to London each week but many seem to leave it until year 12 when they can get there independently ( if the trains are running at the weekend which hasn't been the case this year) and are probably more certain about the decision to study music post 18

Waffle FOUR languages!!!!

The travel was why we didn't do JD at the time that his teacher was suggesting it. I put it off until he was old enough to take the train himself, turned round twice and then suddenly he was 17 and that boat had sailed.

I know time just seems to wizz but like waffle with year 7 homework this year and all the travel me and his teacher actually thought it might put him off he would literally have no time to himself so I think we will just have to wait and see what he decides he wants to do in a few years ( if he gets into AYM ) he can stay until he's 18 anyway and being whole weeks in holidays and some weekends will probably suit him better But getting in is a big if !!

Yep, they take French, Spanish, German and Mandarin in year 7, and later drop to two. I teach lots of kids who go to that school (I always have) - it's very academic, very strict and they give absolutely masses of homework from day 1. I would prefer to get her through year 7, see how she's coping and what her grades are like. I think we could manage music all day Saturday and a good rest on Sunday IF she is diligent during the week. I can't stop thinking it through!

I am also feeling upset about upsetting my pupil yesterday. The best outcome would be for her to decide to withdraw. All was going well between grade 2 and 3, but she just hasn't made the expected progress recently. Better to find that out now than by failing the exam.

What age can they travel to the place on a train on their own? I thought it is 12+ as I see loads on children on the train on Monday morning early train and late Friday afternoon train(must be one of the boarders). My neighbors children def taking buses daily from Spring term year 7. And then train fare is cheaper for them only isnt it. I have to admit, we will never be able to commit it, if she wants to do it then it must be waited until she could travel on her own.

Im sure locally from age 11 or 12 I think for ds to travel to London independently I would want him to be 14 or 15 I remember being fairly independent by 15

I would be happy for her to get the bus into town soon (she's 11) but JD is 80 miles away and involves changing trains, so maybe 14-15 years old for that.

Kutik73, congrats. Your DS should have both huge potential and high levels, so he can get offer from JD and orchestra. Is it RCM or RAM?

Congratulations to all DCs receiving positive outcomes from recent auditions. We're waiting on exam results from nine days ago (last year's result was here within ten days) which I'm keen to receive but am also aware that DD1 wasn't happy with how most of it went.

She started at JD in September, just as she started Y7. We're very lucky in that it's a 10-15 minute drive from home or a bus ride from the bottom of the road. It's just as well really as her first session is just after 8am! Although we were a bit apprehensive about her taking on JD at the same time as starting secondary school, it's working so far. As she was having instrumental lessons at her primary school, we knew we needed to sort something for Y7 anyway so that's what promoted looking at the JD. She enjoys having everything happen on a Saturday and being free during the week to take part in lots of sports teams. As she's a 'music scholar' she is expected to participate in school music too but, to date, everything is fitting in.

Oh, and DD1, like most of her friends locally, travels around on buses independently. She's started catching the train into London recently e.g. for the Alison Balsom workshop and loves the freedom of being able to do so.

SE13 my ds wouldn't manage that yet but that's what happens when you grow up in the country. Is your dd doing the NCO course this Easter?

I think where you live has a lot to do with the age- independence question. Dd1 is 11, she takes the ferry alone and has done for several years (30 minutes crossing) but the only bus she has taken alone is the school bus - we dont have any other busses! Dd2 is 9 but hates choppy seas and is not ready to take the ferry alone.

Waffle for what my experience is worth: It sounds as Goo will be attending a very academic school with a good music provision so it made me think of DS and our situation. You have to take into account that Goo will want to join school orchestras, ensembles, rehearsals, etc. These will mostly take place after school and lunchtime (DS can't usually advance homework during lunch because of music). The reality is that to see DS walk in through the door before 6pm has become a rare event. Then he has to fit in a quick snack, homework, music practice and dinner. I usually make him stop at 10pm - this is without having had any free time (no TV, no reading, no games, no relaxing). 10:30 pm is the usual bed time, one hour later than it should really be for a proper rest. He has a concert every two weeks on average, into the night. The homework that can wait gets inevitably pushed to the weekend. Party because of this back log, average weekend homework is 5 to 6 hours now in year 10, sometimes more. Don't even ask me how he will manage if he starts jd. So, basically, a good rest on Sunday is something we don't know in this family during term time. I really don't want to dampen any plans, on the contrary, but if Goo starts jd I would brace myself for a busy time. That doesn't mean she shouldn't do it! Just that it's a commitment that needs to be taken up with full knowledge of the consequences.
Maybe I should just shut up with my experience. Just feeling a bit low and slaved by DS schedule today :(

Thanks for sharing your experience, drummersmum - it's good to hear it all! Super academic as it is, the school insists that the children only take 9 GCSEs (or 10 for top set Science - which Goo won't be - because they do triple science). They like them to make 4 old style levels of progress rather than 3, during KS3/KS4. There are quite a few music groups, but mostly junior and senior of everything, so she can't do them all at once - luckily! I just wonder how much of it she is going to outgrow by Year 8 or 9.

violinandpiano, DS is planning to audition three JDs in London so I will leave you to guess which one he got an offer!

I cannot comment on his potential as I have no clue. I can see he is quite musical, and he gets commented like 'he feels music' or ' he plays as if singing'. But if he has 'huge' potential..., not sure. The JD where DS got an offer complimented his bowing and also left hand skills (they called it 'left hand with killer fingers'!). But I don't think his violin teacher agrees as his bow hold and left hand skills are on-going issues the teacher and DS have been working on. DS may have some good skills but def not 'high' or anything. The orchestra he got an immediate offer was a good level but not super high nor very competitive to get in compared with some other places. Your DC may have tried somewhere with much higher standard.

DS may be a bit stand-out among his non-musical state school, but I can honestly say that he is nothing exceptional (I know quite a few seriously exceptional children). The offer was a surprise really.

Kutik73, I still think we got the JD offer just because DD was lucky.

SE13, string, violinandpiano, are you totally happy with your JD? I have quite a few people around me who are slightly negative towards JD... More specifically, towards the teachers at JD, and how it works. Some said to me that those teachers may be a brilliant musician but not always a good teacher. They know how to play instruments but no clue how to teach. Others said to me it can be quite unsettling as they may change teachers against your wish, or quite rigid, for instance you wish to change teachers but it's not always possible. Today another person advised me to turn down the offer if the JD didn't allow DS to keep his current teacher. Very confused. Anyone has any opinion on this...?

violinandpiano , I suppose 'luck' plays a huge part in this kind. Simply because they don't have enough room to take all the good musicians, so there must be some 'luck' needed to go through. To be honest, I think being lucky is quite important! So we should be celebrating!!!