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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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Pradaqueen · 20/05/2017 17:49

Ouch Doubleup!

Thanks for the good wishes everyone. Exam was ok. A major slip in the Gershwin. Not sure what happened but sounded like she lost concentration which is not surprising given the amount of medication she's had today. Scales sounded ok. Maybe one or two errors. Aural and sight reading - who knows?Grin

Fingers crossed!

Wafflenose · 20/05/2017 18:07

Doubleup, Goo manages to hurt herself every time something is coming up. I think it was Loose (correct me if I'm wrong) who told me it's the law! I hope your DD will be OK soon. We had to pull Goo out of County auditions last autumn, with her suspected broken wrist, which turned out not to be, but was debilitating anyway.

I'm sure MiniPrada will have done well.

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Doubleup · 20/05/2017 18:12

Prada, well done to her for doing the exam when feeling under the weather. Hope she gets a decent result. Cake for miniprada and Gin for you Smile

Trumpetboysmum · 20/05/2017 18:13

Oh no double hope it recovers soon
I think I might just wrap ds in cotton wool on the run up to his grade 7 Grin

Doubleup · 20/05/2017 18:16

Is that Goo's law Waffle, or just a general one? Need to campaign for a change in the law Smile

Doubleup · 20/05/2017 18:20

Thanks Trumpet. Bubble wrap is my padding of choice Grin. Just didn't think that it had to be for DD1!

LooseAtTheSeams · 20/05/2017 18:41

Oh no, poor MiniDouble - that made me wince when I read it! Hope it's better soon!
Don't know if that was me, Waffle! I do remember when we were referring to exams as Voldemort, though!
I think MiniPrada was very brave today! Star

Wafflenose · 20/05/2017 19:09

I think it is a general law!

Oh yes Loose, Voldemorts!! I do remember that, but haven't got a clue how it came about.

Not much practice around here lately. I've asked the girls to do two lots each tonight, which should take Goo 60 mins if she cuts corners, and 40 minutes for Rara. So what are they doing instead? Playing Exploding Kittens!

Ohhh... was it "the thing that shall not be named"?

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LooseAtTheSeams · 20/05/2017 19:21

That's the one, Waffle!Smile

LooseAtTheSeams · 20/05/2017 19:32

Waffle I'm impressed with the practice schedule! I did about 30 minutes piano this morning but I sort of feel I did cut corners. DS1 spent about an hour on his drum kit - basically he plays until his leg hurts too much! He's doing some complicated bass drum pedal thing and if he's not actually on the kit he sort of twitches his foot in a complicated manner to practise!

Fleurdelise · 20/05/2017 22:09

Waffle and all thank you for listening for my whining about the ear ache, mystery solved, dd started having a sore throat and sniffing and complained that her ears hurt without any music practice tonight so definitely a virus. Phew!

Double I actually felt sick when I read your update, it must terribly hurt, poor child! Fingers crossed about quick recovery in time for the audition.

When do the Abrsm dates start coming out?

Wafflenose · 20/05/2017 22:13

Ah, Fleur, at least she should be OK within a week! I hope so.

Loose Rara does 20 minute practices, hence 40 minutes for both. Goo tends to do about 30 for piano and 40-60 for flute, but I said half an hour would do. To cut a long story short, they hardly did any this week (it's been quite a busy week with optional SATs and Rara's birthday) so I made them do both tonight. Rara procrastinated, but was then as good as gold, and sounded fab. Goo has been horrendous - lots of backchat and whining, so she is on a screen ban until she has done some proper practice tomorrow.

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Wafflenose · 20/05/2017 22:16

Exam dates come out about four weeks before your date. So I hope that nobody hears anything for a good long time!

We only have Rara's Grade 3 Cello this term. She could have done Grade 2 Clarinet, but theres no need - she is going to do Grade 3 next Spring instead. The cello exam is likely to be July 12th (Trinity, with a pre-booked date by a posh school several miles away... we picked this venue because of the late date).

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Fleurdelise · 21/05/2017 00:04

Waffle I am willing to bet that Rara will be ready for grade 3 before next spring. I predict November.

Dd will have to practice without blowing, sounds silly but I need her to still practice the clarinet if the exam is in 4/5/6 weeks time so fingering without proper blowing should do, shouldn't it?

Wafflenose · 21/05/2017 00:14

Yes, that will be fine.

Timing for Rara will all depend on whether she restarts recorder. She is determined to do Grade 4 at Christmas, despite having hardly played for 3 months. I am not going to push it along, but will wait and see what she does!

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Minimusiciansmama · 21/05/2017 07:23

trumpet well done! Star
prada hope she feels better soon, but good job on getting through it! Fingers crossed for her
double ouchy Sad I hope she manages ok for her audition

I find it fascinating reading through all the 11+ and entrance exam stuff. We haven't a grammar option locally, though I found out yesterday that one of the two private schools offers 100% scholarships so we will be looking into that nearer the time (my monkeys only in y2). I wish we had a grammar option.

XXX

RapidlyOscillating · 21/05/2017 08:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

stringchild · 21/05/2017 08:23

Fleur -am glad the mystery is solved (but hope it clears quickly)

Prada - sounds good and what a trooper when unwell

Trumpet - well done 😀

Waffle - good luck with fingers!

Sorry if have missed anyone - lots of updates to catch up on.

We have our exam date - it's in 4 weeks which feels very soon....

Doubleup · 21/05/2017 09:13

And this morning, the whole nail has gone black and the finger is swollen. Taking her to the local walk in centre which is close to the theatre where DD2 is doing a workshop and concert with a major orchestra this morning. Hoping she can get seen before the concert. Not sure if she will make it to/through tomorrow's audition. Even painkillers might not be enough! Sad

Fleurdelise · 21/05/2017 09:32

Oh Double that sounds terrible... can she move it? Did you keep it in ice for a long time? Such bad timing also.

String sounds like you guys got the first week? Gosh I really hope in this case we don't hear for another 3 weeks which would take us to the first week in July. Dd could take it earlier but you know that stage when everything is fine but just messy, the scales are fine but sometimes she's restarting the odd one getting mixed between major/minor, pieces are fine but there the odd tempo which needs adjusting and bars where she suddenly stops. I'd rather she gets July for her exam.

Fleurdelise · 21/05/2017 09:35

And thank you Waffle I'll get her to pretend play as a practice Smile

Any clarinet books recommendations past grade 3? What is everybody learning after this level?

Trumpetboysmum · 21/05/2017 10:03

Oh no double hope it starts to feel better soon maybe they will let her audition at a later date

Kutik73 · 21/05/2017 10:15

Prada, thank you for your advice on my JD/Open Day dilemma. I really appreciate your kindness to share your thoughts.

I know scholarships in general are not worth financially, but still those free tuition and 5-10% off the school fees would be a help. DS loves every opportunity of musical commitments so it's a bonus coming with the award on top. Unfortunately we are not eligible for bursary - we are a borderliner.

We decided not to go to the scholars taster day but will attend the open day for the state school. This means DS will miss the few hours on his first day at JD, but as DS is Y5 now, not Y4, it's the only chance he can see the school before applying.

I'm hoping to fell in love with the state school we are going to see, then there is no more financial worries, however if he can gen in the state school is another concerns! We are not close enough to be sure for a place.

stringchild · 21/05/2017 10:27

Kutik - every school is different re fees for music scholarships, and range from 'free' lessons to 65% non means tested (our highest offer but i have heard of 100%); often the figures are higher than those published. Its really the scholars programmes that are worth looking at too - DD's next school has a full scholar programme for all types of scholars, incl monthly mentor meetings, special visits, free accompanist practice etc etc. So worth looking at the package - having non musical parents, i feel dd will get some independent input that we can't give

Kutik73 · 21/05/2017 10:32

Double, poor DD, I'm so so sorry to hear that. It made me remember what happened to DS a long time ago.

He got his finger caught in a HEAVY door before his piano lesson. Unaware how bad it was, I took him to the lesson. But he couldn't play as it was too painful, and the worrying piano teacher suggested I should take him to A&E, just to check if it's not broken, so I did. They did x-ray and it was not broken. We were told that it would heal naturally. HOWEVER, the finger started swollen and discolouring a few days later. Someone said to me it looked like infected so I should take him to A&E again. So I did, and yes it was infected. DS had to remove the whole nail of the finger. He was too young for local anaesthesia so put to sleep. I was told young children tended to get confused and panicked when they came out from under the anaesthetic so I should be by his side to comfort him. It was not a life-threatening surgery, however as I was watching him being put to sleep, and when I was dealing with the confused child screaming and crying and grabbing me for security, I really wanted to cry!

I really hope your DD's finger is not like that. But yes, take her to see the doctor asap just in case!

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