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Extra-curricular activities

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May Music Thread

784 replies

Wafflenose · 01/05/2017 15:59

Hello, and welcome to the May thread. It's a public holiday in the UK, but my school is open and I had to work today, which is why I've only just got round to it! This is a place for parents of musicians of ALL levels, and adult learners, to chat about lessons, practice, scales, concerts, exams, and whatever else they'd like to! We have lots of regulars, some occasional posters, and sometimes people who just pop in to ask a question. It's a friendly place.

I have two daughters. Goo is 11 and in her last term at primary school. She's working towards her Grade 8 Flute (some time next year) and playing from the Grade 4 Piano book (currently refusing to take any exams, and putting off the first proper performance!). Rara is 8, may or may not be doing Grade 3 Cello this term, and is approaching Grade 2 Clarinet.

Both of them played the recorder for years, starting as preschoolers. They reached Grades 7 and 3 respectively, but sadly neither has really played since the music festival a few months ago. They are obsessed with their Flute and Clarinet, and really enjoy Piano and Cello. There won't be many opportunities to play the recorder at the secondary school they will attend, so much as I love it, it's probably a good time to quietly drop it. Recorder has given them both lots of opportunities, confidence, reading skills... and festival prizes!

Goo does NCO and South West Music School. Rara isn't that level at all when it comes to music, but is gifted with her hands. Instead of practising the cello and doing her school spellings today, she completed a lovely sewing kit without bothering to look at the instructions, and also made a lovely crafty construction from card and coloured paper. Both girls are keen on drawing and playing computer games. Rara swims and Goo plays sodding netball and dodgeball, which have both been responsible for multiple injuries over the past few months!

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Witchend · 02/05/2017 17:53

Trumpet as long as it's his left hand, he'll be fine. Dd2 only has one hand and she plays the trumpet. You can shove your left hand through and just about play with only a left hand but it isn't ideal.
You can also get one-handed recorders.

Dd2's very happy because she's been moved up a section in orchestra. Which means she gets to tour with them. Smugness dripped off her for about a week after she'd found out.

Trumpetboysmum · 02/05/2017 17:56

Oh no waffle poor Goo . still waiting to be seen ... so we shall see
If he's out of action for too long we will put back the grade 7 pieces are great but it's quite a last minute decision so lots of other stuff to work on I wouldn't mind but when I picked him up school were very excited that he was down to take grade 7 and as it's organised through school had already put the cheque in !!

Greenleave · 02/05/2017 17:59

Irvine: is there a local music festival near where you live? You can enroll him in any and its very cheap. He can see everyone else playing, learning from them and performs himself and learning performance experience, he can enroll in 1 class or various different classes. He will hear everyone else's feedback outloud for everyone and also himself' performance. Few things abrsm does well is asking for variety of things: 3 different styles of pieces, sight reading, aural, scales. You can still learn toward their requirement however you dont have to take grades exam. In fact this is what I am thinking for my second child after learning my experience from my elder daughter. We might just take g5, g7 and g8(if she does any instrument). We will do loads of feativals for different styles of classes. You never fail, you can only win and I love the big fact that I can see and hear my child playing, to me, thats all matter.

I met my piano teacher yesterday after a long time. There is one good news: less scales after g5, they are there however we only have to learn half and they are asked in different style. There is a bad news, that we love Chopin Nocturne in C# minor piece in the book and my teacher said we probably are not matured enough to do that piece. There are other pieces in the Romatic category that she can do better. We love the piece though, absolutely felt in love with it, the first time since we learned piano more than 4 years ago. We will need another 3-4 weeks for the pieces we are learning half way. We will start with the exam pieces in June.

Helenluvsrob · 02/05/2017 18:02

Hold by hand wonderful team..... last ever school senior concert tonight for dd2 . Not only that it'll be the last ever school concert full stop and after 14yrs at the same school with 3 kids heavily into the music there it'll be very emotional.... how will school music continue 😂

It's also a bit upsetting that we've lost both of my parents since they were both their to see ds at his leaving concert 😥... still the inlaws are here .... off we go.

onlymusic · 02/05/2017 18:13

Just remembered that there is a time for a new thread!
Thank you Waffle for keeping us all together!

I have dd9 who sits grade 5 theory this term and ds6 doing grade 1 violin. I am tempted to leave the theory exam till November as so much going on, but I feel it is a bit risky though there are no immediate plans for grade 6 - we decided to concentrate on technique. Dd's teacher suggested to start learning diploma's scales too-have no idea what for though....

For those who remembers - dd started piano lessons with a new (Russian) teacher - I am totally in love with her (surprisingly, as I am not a big fan of Russian teachers), and ds had his first lesson with an English teacher (the BEST around, which is reflected in her fees too Shock). The idea was to transfer them to the one teacher eventually, however I found myself in a most both bizarre situation - both children started with different teachers at the same time but I absolutely cannot see my dd going to her brother's teacher now and vice versa. I am an adept of the idea that there should be a perfect match between a student and a teacher but I never thought it will work that..... literally :).
So I feel a bit relieved for the time being as both children are finally fully packed with the music teachers and with the best available ones too. I can breath out now though it is a lot of work to do! No surprise I I don't have time to follow music threads in spite of my best intentions!

onlymusic · 02/05/2017 18:14

sorry for mistypes, did not check before posting

woolleybear · 02/05/2017 18:25

Hello, I have dd, 10 who plays clarinet and bassoon.

Today she was with her school choir at our local music festival, they got an Outstanding but just got beaten, they are all very happy.

Saturday we have our first experience Woodwind section of the festival so will see how that goes. There are 16 in the grade 3 class that dd is doing, and only 6 in grade 4 which is interesting.

No exams for us this term, school work really ramping up to prepare for entrance exams at the moment. Plus we need to make a decision as to whether to continue with bassoon when our year of free lessons is up in the summer.

weegiemum · 02/05/2017 18:26

I quite often follow on here, though my children aren't as musically gifted as some of yours!

However, I'm really proud of my dd2 who is sitting National 5 music on Thursday (GCSE = in Scotland). She's only in S2 (Y8) but was judged good enough on her piano and violin to sit for it 2 years early. She's a bit nervous but its great for her, she's 13.

Fleurdelise · 02/05/2017 18:55

Great to hear you are happy with both the piano teachers only!

Woolley well done for the choir outstanding mark and good luck with the wind part of the festival. Do you hire accompaniment for the festival or is she playing without? I don't know how the wind festivals go and I think dd will try it next year.

Weegie welcome, your dd sounds very musical considering she is taking the exam two years early, good luck to her on Thursday!

stringchild · 02/05/2017 18:59

Hi all and esp to Trumpet's DS - good luck with the hospital!

festival for us too this week - only time to do two classes (woodwind) but should be fun

stringchild · 02/05/2017 19:01

Fleur - jumping in: DD will be playing unaccompanied as too difficult to arrange (last minute decision to enter). I am confident she won't be the only one, and while it would be lovely to have an accompanist, i think clarinet can sound equally lovely without.

W - dont suppose you are at 'C' festival?? anyone?

raspberryrippleicecream · 02/05/2017 19:48

Helen thinking of you. I've yet to have the last senior concert, but the last Junior school concert I sobbed all the way through. That was 9 years of heavy music involvement.

Senior won't be as bad because when DS left last year most of the music staff left with him, it's like a different school now.

ealingwestmum · 02/05/2017 20:14

Flowers Helen. Hope tonight lived up to the memory of your folks, but that the in-laws were able to take up the mantle in some way. I know it's not the same though.

AlexandraLeaving · 02/05/2017 20:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fleurdelise · 02/05/2017 21:01

Helen that must be hard, I mean I am getting nostalgic that I won't be buying DS school uniform in September, I can't even imagine how it must feel not to go to the school concerts anymore... I guess I'll know when I get there. Hand hold from here also.

Thanks guys I guess I'll put dd in the festival next year without accompaniment next year if that's possible, I didn't want to become a burden on dd's piano teacher on top of exams to ask her for festivals also. However dd has a friend playing the piano, maybe I should talk to her mum and they can play together.

Trumpetboysmum · 02/05/2017 21:08

Well back from the hospital they don't think it's broken but have strapped it up . He's very pleased as he's left handed and they've asked that he rest it for a few days ( so no writing !!) though strangely he thought he could try holding his trumpet I said no !! Hopefully it will start to feel better soon but sprains can take ages so we shall just have to wait and see thank you for all the well wishes

Greenleave · 02/05/2017 21:08

Helen: have a wonderful time tonight!

Hopefully all injuries are being recovered real soon!

Great advices on no accompanist for none piano performance! Infact, we couldnt arrange an accompanist last time then we couldnt come to already paid festival.

Greenleave · 02/05/2017 21:12

Oh dear Trumpet, it must be very stressful for you all! Hopefully minitrumpet will recover real soon.

Icouldbeknitting · 02/05/2017 21:53

Tis good news that it's not a break Trumpetboysmum but if it's swollen and/or bruised it is going to be painful for a while. He may need to experiment with cushions and pillows at bedtime to find a position that's less uncomfortable than another.

Helen I hope that you've survived tonight, it must feel like an ending but as one chapter finishes, another begins.

DS is 17, a brass player and at the stage of thinking about post A level choices.

TheSecondOfHerName · 02/05/2017 22:04

Well done Waffle for keeping the monthly threads going.

DS2 is taking G6 clarinet this term and sings in a choir.

DD is taking G4 flute this term and has a lovely voice but little confidence. Currently having occasional singing lessons to boost her confidence.

I sing in an auditioned choir.

Witchend · 02/05/2017 22:50

one-handed trumpet see about half way down the page.

A stand so you can play the trumpet one handed. Although dd2 doesn't bother with the stand and just holds it up with her right hand while playing, she found the stand too much of a faff when she tried one-but she had been playing for a few years when she was asked to try it out.

Pradaqueen · 03/05/2017 04:57

Thanks for the new thread waffle!

Miniprada is y6 (11yrs) and is doing G7 violin in a couple of weeks time Shock and working towards G7 piano (not started pieces yet, still doing technical work).

Going to try and keep up with this thread!

Trumpetboysmum · 03/05/2017 06:52

Witchend thanks for that that's great! Ds has already had some ideas about holding it in a slightly different way for a bit ( he just needs to rest it first!) and his teacher usually has a plan for most things thank goodness
Hi to missy, sitting and weegieSmile
Helen I hope last night went well and wasn't too overwhelming. I felt moved watching the upper 6th pupils play their last solos at the end of last term so goodness knows what I'll be like when ds gets to that stage !

LooseAtTheSeams · 03/05/2017 07:24

Wishing a very speedy recovery for Minitrumpet and Flowers for Helen - that must have been a very emotional evening. (I was a a bit teary when DS1 did his y6 primary school assembly!)
Well done Rara with the cello and good luck with grade 3!

Fleurdelise · 03/05/2017 09:03

Get well soon minitrumpet!

Feeling like it is all about music in this household, dd has been invited to an all day wind band day organised by the LA, we've submitted the form to the headteacher at her school as she has to authorise the school absence. It will be interesting to see her reaction as the school doesn't go out of its way to support music, in the past I have been told they don't offer music peri lessons as it would take away from the academic time Hmm