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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:
Fleurdelise · 27/04/2017 14:57

Well done to your DS drummers!!! Star

Every 6 months piano tuning recommended here also by both the tuner and the retailer.

Kutik73 · 27/04/2017 15:01

I need to decide whether DS studies both violin and piano at JD, or just 1st study (violin), and carries on studying 2nd study (piano) with his current teacher. I need to decide this very soon.

If DS learns both violin and piano at JD, the merit will be that he can have all the music lessons on Saturday so it will free one evening during weekdays. Plus, JD can see the whole picture of his music studying having both taken with them.

If DS carries on studying piano with his current teacher, the merit is that we can keep his Saturday as compact as possible (as less lesson). I thought it may be a good start as he will be still only 10 when he starts JD in September. Eventually he can take both lessons, may be in his second or third year? I also heard that the 2nd study will be pretty much pushed back at JD as the main focused will be on the 1st study (obviously). So if DS learns his 2nd study outside of JD, he can still receive a good attention from the teacher and also has more opportunity to perform (the teacher arranges concerts through a year).

Any suggestion or advice would be greatly appreciated...

gillybeanz · 27/04/2017 15:02

Kutik
I do this all the time, although honestly tongue in cheek, and knowing that you didn't mean it in this sense, but so many people do think singing is inferior musically and technically to playing an instrument.
I never miss an opportunity to point it out to people Grin

I think the constantly singing or humming is interesting and it sounds like most of our musical children suffer from this Grin.
I used to tell her to be quiet because it was never ending, constantly, even in her sleep.

PiqueABoo · 27/04/2017 15:07

Dd is in the choir and sings all the time

Snap again. Y9 DD does that too, but adores the Trinity not-singing test. She has moaned just a little about the 'Comment on...' bit in their aural, but I think that's because the answers are fuzzier than elements like a time signatures. The real test has gone OK.

Summary of Trinity aural tests for different grades are here: www.trinitycollege.com/resource/?id=7400

Kutik73 · 27/04/2017 15:07

gilly, I've never regarded singing inferior musically. In fact, quite opposite. Being able to sing is more of natural ability to me, so in a way more admirable (to me, who cannot sing!).

even in her sleep
We have similar kind of child. Grin

gillybeanz · 27/04/2017 15:07

Kutik

Have they said that they will allow lessons outside school.
I know some of them say definitely no, even if a different instrument. Some say no to same instrument but will allow others not studied at the school, and some just a blanket no.

If it was me and it was allowed I'd keep the outside influence if possible.
I know in the holidays that dd likes to visit her old singing teacher to get a different perspective, even if they don't actually do any lessons, just chat.
If the teacher outside is good maybe stick with them for a while and then look at changing to jd teacher with progression or if it becomes more practical.
The teachers t the jd are usually more experienced and/or qualified than a LA peri, but there are lots of variations in between.
I think you just have to go with your instinct.

drummersmum · 27/04/2017 15:53

kutik if you keep piano outside it will be easier to extend to 1 hour if you want in the future. RCM allow second study outside. Thank you everyone for bday good wishes Flowers Rushing off to drumming competition now... Hello gilly! How I would love to hear your DD play...

drummersmum · 27/04/2017 15:54

loose I will get back on future plans!

Trumpetboysmum · 27/04/2017 16:05

Drummers fantastic news Smile
Ds whistles tunes constantly ( I'm not even sure that he knows he's doing it) he can sing has a good voice and sings in the schools boys choir. He's also asked for singing lessons to help him out with future aural exams I think ( he's just waiting for a space at school) which is good really as ask him to sing back a tune for his aural and he suddenly sounds awful. got his trinity aural practice book today it will definitely need some workShock , it's always been ds's weak point and where it shows that he's not been learning for that long really.

Kutik73 · 27/04/2017 16:28

Thanks gilly and drummers. My first instinct was to keep the outside influence so to continue piano with his current teacher. I was going to go with it. But then thought I may ask opinion here before sending out the form. It seems it's the way to go.

Now, this is a more difficult bit... I'm also thinking to keep his violin teacher, at least the first year. DS enjoys being a school violinist but if he stops lessons with the teacher at school he won't be able to be involved any more. He will be year 6 when he starts JD. Wondering if JD let's him carry on until the end of primary school. We also had a special relationship with the teacher.

Kutik73 · 27/04/2017 16:38

DS is dying to study composition but first has to pass grade 6 theory. Then composition could be his 2nd study at JD.

MirandaWest · 27/04/2017 16:40

Got an email from the music centre with DD's exam result - she got a distinction in her grade 2 flute and is very pleased Smile.

Also got moulds done for her braces this afternoon - will get the braces in June. Anyone got experiences of twin block braces and flute playing?

drummersmum · 27/04/2017 17:09

Congrats *miranda"!!
Kutik I doubt they will allow outside teacher for first study unless it's a teacher in another jd or someone they know. JD will keep him busy re participation! Why would not having school teacher affect his participation? That's not right.

raspberryrippleicecream · 27/04/2017 17:17

Miranda, Drummers, double fantastic, well done to your DC.

Kutic that seems very odd with the school.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 27/04/2017 18:40

Well done to everyone on their fantastic results!!

Yes Miranda, my daughter Goo got her blocks last year when she was 10. I think she got them on March 2nd (same day as her theory exam!) and sat Grade 5 Flute on March 9th, so she had no choice but to get on with it. She was sore for a couple of days, and a complete trooper after that. We had to turn a key in the top one each week to widen her jaw, which seemed barbaric to us, but she said it never hurt. She's now 5 months into train tracks and hasn't had too much pain yet, but they are about to start closing some of her gaps, so it might get worse. When she got the train tracks, she couldn't play at all. She had to learn to reach her lips round the metal and blow in a different way, which took a few weeks. Her orthodontist is very proud of her, and told us that although they hand out special plastic shields (or something) to help flute players with train tracks, the kids who take one tend to give up, and the ones that don't just seem to find a way to carry on.

OP posts:
user789653241 · 27/04/2017 20:25

Hi, we just received grade 1 piano exam results for my ds. He has got 131 points, distinction!!!
We are so so so proud of him.
Thank you all for all your help, we couldn't have done it without your help.Smile

Fleurdelise · 27/04/2017 20:54

Well done Miranda and Irvine!!! You must be proud!

PiqueABoo we must have a copy and paste version of the same dd Grin

Dd is still working hard but we've had a meltdown last night and nearly one tonight. All to do with useless practice, she wasn't in the mood and Summertime is being polished and she is adding her version of it ignoring rhythms and dynamics because "it sounds better". Hmm So I ended up shouting "it says loud look!" and she stormed off.

It's going to be an interesting lesson tomorrow when she'll play her version of summertime to her teacher.

drummersmum · 27/04/2017 21:07

Irvine so glad for him, well done!
DS finished the day winning 1st prize in the advanced category of the drums competition. He will sleep sound tonight!

Kutik73 · 27/04/2017 22:13

Fab news, Miranda, Irvine and drummers. Too many super stars on this thread!!! StarStarStar

se22mother · 27/04/2017 22:22

Congratulations on the results everyone

Fleur we all have those evenings sometimes..... best thing is to leave it to the teacher to sort Gin

MrSlant · 27/04/2017 22:47

Wow a thread of amazing results, congratulations everyone, how fantastic and for every good grade for a child massive pat on the back for the parents who get them to lessons and make them practice.

My gang have had a week off doing music as they've been with their dad but fortunately that means DS2 is hungry for the piano, DS3 on the other hand is a massive drama queen every time I ask him to play. Ah, the joys! At least I got to frame our certificates and put them up on the wall then force everyone passing to look at them Grin.

Doubleup · 27/04/2017 23:04

Congrats to Drummers, Miranda's and Irvine's dc. Great results.

Waffle, with ABRSM aural, it's not just the singing back the melody that gets to DD2, it's the sight singing as well. It terrifies her, especially the thought of doing it with a stranger. The change to Trinity was her teacher's idea to deal with it.

gillybeanz · 27/04/2017 23:12

It's lovely to hear of such wonderful results, you all should be really proud of them.

drummers, likewise your ds. I'm sure they will meet sometime soon.
Mine is just a bit young for the national jazz ensembles and bands.
She looked at summer schools for Jazz too, and the ones that were any good were over 14, she's still 13.
I was secretly happy as want her all to ourselves in the holidays Grin

Greenleave · 27/04/2017 23:41

Yay for Irvine and Miranda: fantastic results!

Drummers: Many congratulations to your son, why I am not surprised though after reading here how hard he works and listen to his playing. And the 1st prize tonight, wow!!

Kitaro was great tonight, we heard Matsuri and many others in Kojiki, it was a small and modest concert though, Kitaro looks well.

Mine will be back home tomorrow, I miss her already, so looking forward to this long weekend as its also my birthday weekend!(25 minus few less days compare to you Drummers)

LooseAtTheSeams · 28/04/2017 07:48

Well done to Miranda, Irvine and drummers for yesterday's fantastic news! Star it's hard to keep up with these great results!
Fleur I agree, leave it to the piano teacher! I have definitely been guilty of playing my own versions, so has DS2! He's been playing his A piece beautifully as long as it's the slower speed his teacher set him. Last night I heard him trying to play at twice that and all the old errors came straight back. Sigh!

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