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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:
stringchild · 23/04/2017 10:42

HI - when we are renters by the JD we have their name not the teacher so I assume it is the person/organisation that enters you? But maybe you can specify?

JanetBrown2015 · 23/04/2017 10:46

Fleur I think it's based on who enters whom. I've entered my children myself sometimes and my name goes on if it's from my AB account. If their school enters them the school name goes on. If it's a teacher it's the teacher's name. It just depends who registers them and the name and details on the AB account that person has set up. So no the teacher will have no scope as far as I know to specify different names if the one teacher is entering both. If you want a different teacher's name on then that different teacher will need to make the application (that is Associated Board - not sure about other boards).

Kutik73 · 23/04/2017 11:14

Trumpet, wow, it's tomorrow. He will have a great time! I was thinking how lucky my DS was to be able to audition at all those wonderful places. The experience itself was a treat. Getting an offer was a bonus!

drummers, DS remembers your DS as a The Bumblebee Boy. He thinks it's so cool to be in the same JD as him!

Fleur, I think unexpected surprise has a magic! Your DD comes across less interested and very quiet but in fact has a strong willpower and passion inside and people are blown away when they see the side of her as totally unexpected. I like that!

Well..., my DS has his magic also... He is hyper-active, goes wild when he's bored, jumping and hopping everywhere all the time... I really think he can survive in a jungle... So people seem to be quite shocked when they realise that DS can play violin and piano well and that he is very academic also. I got asked many times that how he managed to practise. They just couldn't imagine DS has patience to learn a piece. Basically DS is totally opposite to your DD. Grin You won't believe how exhausted I always am....

Kutik73 · 23/04/2017 11:21

Surprise is always 'unexpected', hence 'surprise'. I just realised 'unexpected surprise' doesn't sound right. Sorry for my poor English but hope you understand what I wanted to say...

Greenleave · 23/04/2017 11:39

Didiplant: thats really nice, I only recently have "oh! This is so out of tune" on the violin, I just knew that it didnt soubd "nice", have no idea what else, I think I am also tune deaf.

Trumpet: all the best for today!!! I am keeping my fingers crossed for minitrumpet.

Fleur: just looked at our certificates and realised it was my husband who entered her for any exam since we did music. And if you ask him what level she is playing now then he doesnt even know, I am sure he knows what instruments she is learning now though hahaha. I dont think its that matter, your daughter name is on it then thats all it is. Eventually, it was me to say go ahead or stop(recently with violin) however I dont have my name anywhere and I dont care.

My daughter has the worst motor skill of any children that I know, she couldnt run properly until she was 8, she couldnt throw things far(they just managed to come back to her feet) etc. That doesnt stop us from learning violin and piano and she loves drawing and I entered her for any (fun) run we could do(with my work, with my husband, her school at least 3 times, 5 miles a year), we cycle every weekend and she swims very well. I just always let her carry on and encourage her to believe in trying and get better and never told her to stop (even she now still has a very weird way with bow and violin holding which need to be fixed etc). I always told my husband that I admire her inner-will, her determination as sometimes we wanted to give up on her behalf( we would have thought that when we were rubbish at something then we should just stop) and she just carried on and kept trying. She might never be really good for any of things that she is learning now however for us it doesnt matter, they are extra curriculumn and they always are supposed to be for fun, as hobbies to enrich her life.

Fleurdelise · 23/04/2017 11:41

Kutik I have a boy similar to your DS, he's almost a man now turning 16 soon so I have to say, I know what you mean. I used to wonder how does the teacher in primary school teach so many of them. Grin He's now calm down a lot. All the dcs have something special, I am convinced of that.

Thank you all, it isn't a deal breaker as I said, it is just that it would look like she's been taught by the same teacher, we obviously know the truth so it doesn't matter. Smile

Fleurdelise · 23/04/2017 11:43

Green I like your description of your dd, she sounds so determined. Smile

Original poster
Wafflenose · 23/04/2017 11:47

Fleur you can specify a different name!! Just ring them up, or write a note with the entry.

BUT this will be easier... get clarinet teacher to do the clarinet entry, and piano teacher the piano entry, then ring the board and get them to match them up and put them next to each other.

OP posts:
Fleurdelise · 23/04/2017 11:57

Thanks Waffle I'll see what they both agree on, ultimately if the clarinet teacher is happy with another teacher's name on the certificate that's fine, dd's name will definitely be on it. Smile

Kutik73 · 23/04/2017 12:06

Fleur, I hope DS will calm down one day like yours. A worrying thing is..., DH is still as crazy as his 9 years old. He is so super-active that if he didn't get enough exercise on a day he moves A LOT in bed (like doing cycling movements while perfectly asleep)... He ran London marathon this morning - his 40th or so marathon (he does marathons, cycling races, triathlons all over the world through a year). So he will be quiet in bed tonight... I see similar qualities in DS so was wondering if he would be always like that.... I sometimes think they may have some sort of conditions. Nowadays there is a name for any sort of unusual nature (hyper-active, hyper-sensitive, etc).

JanetBrown2015 · 23/04/2017 12:29

(In that case ignore my comment about AB entries above.....)
Congratulations to the Kutik husband on the marathon.

Fleurdelise · 23/04/2017 12:39

Janet it is tempting to enter her myself, never did an exam entry though, I'll see what the teachers decide. Thank you for your input.

Kutik wow he did the London marathon! Well done to him Smile

Fleurdelise · 23/04/2017 12:40

Sorry I thought miniKutik did, now I re-read it is Mr Kutik who did it, well done to him.

Kutik73 · 23/04/2017 12:51

Fleur, DS has done a few running/cycling races in and out of UK but all were kids friendly events. He has great stamina thanks to DH's genes. But not quite as strong to run a full marathon yet! Grin

Janet, DH does too many races so none of his family is interested in his effort today. Poor him.

PiqueABoo · 23/04/2017 12:58

Fleurdelise: "...quiet determination to achieve her best. She doesn't get in the competitive conversations..."

Sounds like she has some character in common with my DD. She's good at anything she sets her mind to, but the competition is an internal one and she's very quiet, modest and reserved about accomplishments in public.

This can confuse some adults who expect more noise and occasionally think it's lack of self-belief, but it has done her a lot of favours with peers who tend to respect her rather than resent her. The only occasions when we get significant competitive symptoms are when it's some kind of team, especially if it's girls versus boys.

Greenleave · 23/04/2017 13:23

Kutik, hope MrKutik will make his record today, and have a blast 40th birthday. I could see why you worry, I would just enjoy his success for now and go with the flow, sport will also be much more serious from secondary, either way music or sport, I think they are both equally great, you dont have to drop either completely though however being at the top for both could be really hard.

Kutik73 · 23/04/2017 13:42

Green, DH is a lot older than 40! We enjoyed 10 years of child-free marriage before DS arrived. Smile

I understand the hardship of playing the top in both sport and music - hard enough for one really! But not all people are made to aim the top. I see my DS as more of an all rounder. So I assume he will enjoy both worlds - sometimes more music, sometimes more sports, depending on the phase he is in. At the moment he lives for music, but I won't be surprised if he becomes more passionate about sports in a few years time.

But first, DS has to learn the skill of prioritising and balancing things otherwise there will be no fun. Look at miniealing! She is balancing both worlds so well!

Pradaqueen · 23/04/2017 13:43

Congratulations Mr Kutik!

Green - no we are going to take a year to do G7 piano. She needs more technical work. It is her second study so no rush really. She listened to the CD yesterday and has chosen three pieces one of which is on the secondary list. Not sure which ones they are though...

Fleurdelise · 23/04/2017 13:47

PiqueABoo you have described my dd. 🙂 She still has friends who don't know anything about her achievements in music. I think that was what amazed the clarinet teacher, dd is new to her, a year together in June, took all the half term breaks in terms of teaching so dd didn't fully warm up to her yet therefore all that the teacher can see is a quiet, silent pupil who doesn't show any competitiveness and doesn't voice her goals somehow sending a message that music is a hobby but she suddenly discovered that dd is determined to achieve grade 3 in one year and works hard enough to prove she's capable of it. She once said to me she's not used to pupils practising more than 2 times a week. Lol

Kutik73 · 23/04/2017 14:09

Green, DS may take G7 piano in the autumn term. He can play all the scales so can start learning the pieces any time really. However, starting JD in September may interfere the plan. There may be other things to be set to focus.

stringchild · 23/04/2017 14:14

well done MrKutik!

AlexandraLeaving · 23/04/2017 14:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Greenleave · 23/04/2017 14:38

Sorry, read the posts too fast as I am diving in the ironing job. MrKutik is a great example for your son to follow, many of my colleagues are the same and London marathon still always their highlights of their annual activities. Today is a big day. In fact, we heard of Richmond and moved to live here because many of our colleagues live somewhere between Wandsworth to Richmond train line where they can run in the park or row on the river Thames.
I dont know for sure if it will definitely this November yet, however we booked 2 weeks skiing and 2 weeks midterm going back to my home country next year so even delaying till the Spring doesn't give us any more time. This girl also needs to start picking up her academic side from next year so after Autumn term there could be less time for activities if she has so much to catch up.

Kutik73 · 23/04/2017 16:51

DH ran for a charity so he had a lovely reception after the marathon and came back home very happily. As usual he started showing us all the goodies and medal and stuff, then lastly he showed us a couple of photographs of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as well as Prince Harry on his mobile. Wow!

LooseAtTheSeams · 23/04/2017 17:01

Well done MrKutik! Sounds like a very good day indeed!
Thanks Alexandra! Apparently there is video of the dancing but I'm not allowed to see it! Although I reckon I can work on the best friend... and big sympathies about the booster injection for your boy! Glad he felt better today.