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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

April Music Thread

970 replies

Wafflenose · 31/03/2017 13:38

We've managed to fill up the March thread, so I give you April's, around 10 hours early. Don't use it all up at once!

The music threads are for learners of ALL ages and stages, including beginners and adult learners.

My kids Goo (11) and Rara (8) break up from school today, thank goodness. Rara is off sick at the moment, in any case, but they both need a break. They did their music exams this week. Goo got a distinction for her Grade 7 Flute, and we are awaiting the results of Rara's Grade 1 Clarinet, plus a couple of my pupils. They will probably come on my birthday - the ABRSM ones often do.

Next term, we have a big community concert at the local high school - all the feeder schools take part. Goo could do Grade 7 Recorder and/ or Grade 4 Piano, but I don't think she wants to. Rara is doing Grade 3 Cello. My Year 6 Recorders have been asked to play in the local Festival gala concert, and I'm sure there will be primary school leavers' performances too.

OP posts:
raspberryrippleicecream · 06/04/2017 18:03

DD did Photography GCSE last year, which is still pretty much Art. We are both still recovering.

Most schools round here are limiting to 3, though some are starting 4 and dropping one after Christmas. Others are doing the AS in the subject that will be dropped.

DD's school has gone for all AS anyway, and ridiculously she is doing five. When she is getting stressed she remembers the Photography portfolio work, and feels better!

Paulweller11 · 06/04/2017 18:20

Thanks Drummersmum I'll have a look with little dd

Paulweller11 · 06/04/2017 18:47

Took little dd to see The Who last night- she was amazed by Zak's Starkey- the drummer!

BeyondThePage · 06/04/2017 18:56

Loose - DD16 is planning English, Geography, Art and Music for her A levels. I'm already going grey at the thought!

Doubleup · 06/04/2017 21:22

Have everyone's DC finished school for Easter now? DD1 finished a week ago, but DD2 only finished this afternoon. Not quite in holiday mode yet.

BeyondThePage · 06/04/2017 21:28

nope - DDs finish end of day tomorrow here.

raspberryrippleicecream · 06/04/2017 23:14

Another day here too, for DC and me.

Icouldbeknitting · 07/04/2017 07:38

Today is our last day. I say "day" but it's one lesson of two hours so he goes in late and finishes at lunchtime. A levels are a whole new world after Y11, 4.5 hours tuition per subject and most students take three subjects.

Icouldbeknitting · 07/04/2017 07:38

Should have been "most students here take three subjects".

woolleybear · 07/04/2017 08:12

Dd had a great time at the music course, they did 4 pieces, one of which was "Let it go" so she was very happy with that. She said it was more challenging music than last year too, and a surprise that her junior band leader was leading it, and 3 school friends were there that she didn't know about.

Her biggest achievement was probably sharing a room with 5 strangers with no fuss whatsoever.

Next year she will do this course with her bassoon if she is still playing or the senior course with her clarinet. I would like to find something similar for the summer holidays too.

NeverEverAnythingEver · 07/04/2017 08:43

Been away.... NO hope of catching up on thread!

Kutik73 · 07/04/2017 08:52

DS has been to music course only a couple of times, and each was only a couple of days so nothing heavy. He was always off to a sport camp. But as his interest in music is getting greater than in sports these days, I am thinking to arrange some musical activities in summer instead of sending him to a heavy weight sport camp. Something more than a couple of days would be nice. Do you have any recommendation suits to a 9/10 years old violinist G5+, apart from NCO?

Fleurdelise · 07/04/2017 08:55

DS's school is limiting A levels to 3 unless very high achievers and they insist on doing 4.

Dd is prsctising every day as we can't afford a break but I may suggest we don't have a lesson next week as she knows what she has to practice, just so she feels she had a break. That's from piano, she's not having lessons on clarinet during the Easter break.

Trumpetboysmum · 07/04/2017 09:18

Kutik why don't you look into pro corda ? I think they do string and piano courses ( all ages but for those who are into music ) I think the courses are based at Leiston abbey near Aldeburgh in Suffolk. Ds hadn't been on one but I know others who have.

LooseAtTheSeams · 07/04/2017 09:40

Beyond eek to that workload!
If anyone has any ideas for music-related work experience let me know! School insist on doing it in y10 (so not 16 yet) and in last 2 weeks of Summer term. DS1 has three days in a studio for week 2 but then goes off on music tour! Trying to think of something for week 1.

Fleurdelise · 07/04/2017 09:55

Loose could you find a teacher that teaches in a school to offer to take DS on for the first week? DS did work experience in year 10 also, I think it is because Year 11 is so busy you wouldn't want them to miss school for a long period of time.

drummersmum · 07/04/2017 10:00

kutik I was going to say procorda too

RapidlyOscillating · 07/04/2017 10:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Trumpetboysmum · 07/04/2017 11:40

Loose I was thinking work alongside a music teacher or music/ arts admin ( I know the musically minded around here try and get work experience with local concert and arts venues ) ds has also worked out that his school music tour will be during work experience he says thats perfect for him as he wants to play in an orchestra and so is proper work experience!! It's not for a while yet though

Helenluvsrob · 07/04/2017 13:07

Ok. Doing lots of music makes kids a bit ... strange , but in a good way 😂
Offered the 17yr old a day out to London on Saturday. She can't go because get boyfriend has tickets for them to go to the CBSO concert ! Aww.

Helenluvsrob · 07/04/2017 13:14

Beyondthepage that's a huge load to take to A2 level. They are all very time consuming subjects. Be aware that 4 Alevels is never required for uni admission ( unless we are talking about maths / further maths or similar ) . They are all big essay type subjects and A level art takes a huge amount of prep time.

If she's pushing herself to do it then by all means try , but if school are pushing for it I'd have a head to head with the form teacher as to why. Better A/A* grades x3 than dropping to B or lower. Does she know what she wants to do at uni?

So glad this is my last child doing A2. It's been tough with the change to terminal exams in the essay subjects. Music , even being her " easy" subject has had agony with composition - but that's done now.

Kutik73 · 07/04/2017 13:18

Ok I will look into Pro Corda. Thanks Trumpet and drummers. Would be great to hear from those whose DCs has done the course?

Icouldbeknitting · 07/04/2017 14:00

Ds did his work experience with the council's arts development officer. It wasn't all music, she was commissioning new compositions and sculptures in the week he was there.

Fleurdelise · 07/04/2017 17:01

Dd is having a proper melt down in her piano lesson today, her teacher is pulling apart all her scales and arpeggios picking on every little thing, hand position, wrong fingering in a couple, too fast, too slow, I think she's already panicking about the exam (the teacher not dd, dd has not stress) and feels she need to push harder. I think my dd is about to cry soon, oops 🙊

At least no lesson next week so she has two weeks to fix it all hopefully.

BeyondThePage · 07/04/2017 17:02

DD did her work experience in Cafe Nero. They have already asked her if she wants summer holiday work now she is 16 and have said they have a presence at many Unis so she will always have part time work available through whatever course she decides on.

I think she made a brave choice.

She is already playing in the theatre mini "orchestra" at the weekend shows for pocket money, so thought a "solid" part time job option for the future was good.