May Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

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!

only great marathon ! I will pm you

Kutik73, my DD is very happy with our JD. If she agree to try another JD, just because we want to know if she can reach that JD's requirement.

Pradaqueen, thanks. Good ideas. I will talk about this with her and let her choose by herself. I don't need worry her sight reading. she is really good at sight reading.

Greenleave，My DD spends about 4-5 hours per week to pracise except for Saturday JD lessons and NCO orchestra.

Nothing to report on my side except the fact that both teachers are now very laid back, they went from "you may need some extra Sunday lessons before the exam" (piano) and "I am not sure you'll be able to do grade 3 this term maybe we'll do it in the autumn term" to "all is great, your dd is the one I have no worries for with regards to exams (piano)" and "we'll stop playing the exams stuff now and have some Disney fun, we'll pick the pieces up again a couple of weeks before the exam".

So I stressed for the last two weeks and nagged dd to do exorbitant amounts of practice and it wasn't really needed

Green and ICouldBe i have so many bits of work in different places I have to make a timetable for myself each week. But I am a great list maker as well. For DS2's practice I basically write down exactly what I think he should be doing down to bar numbers. I don't police homework apart from using it as a bargaining tool when asked for computer time!
DS2 has had an afternoon of cello rehearsal and seems pretty happy!
Have just had the results of DS1's Y10 GCSE mocks and his predicted grades. If he can pull off the predictions I will be a very happy woman but I think he needs to be doing more maths practice. The crafty so-and-so has of course been doing masses of music practice, quite possibly in the hope of distracting me! He is pretty good at keeping up with things but he's also good at keeping a low profile when it suits him!
As for music exams, DS2's teacher wants him to do the grade 4 this term and he is acting a bit non-committal. I think I've decided he's doing it - he's going to be sick of the pieces if he waits until November and I'd like him to be able to focus a bit more on grade 5 cello next term.

Green, I am not brave enough to uncover how little DS practises despite of the declaration of his love of music...

It's all due to the heavy commitment of the other activities he does. He is reaching to the point where he really needs to tidy up what he does and narrow things down a bit... I'm sure JD won't be happy otherwise! I'm just letting him carry on enjoying the other activities this term because we have already paid for the fees, then we will re-think for the next term's schedule over the summer. Hopefully we will find a better balance.

I don't sit with him for home practice, but I'm usually in the same room doing my stuff. He doesn't like me to interfere (apparently I'm only confusing him) but likes me to listen to him, or give him some positive comments. DH puts his headphone when he happens to be in the same room. DS seems to be feeling slightly sad about it, so I try to be his audience whenever I can (and I love listening to his music anyway).

Music festival here this morning, dd got honours in both classes and came second with her bassoon in the beginners class.

Her biggest criticism in both classes was the lack of accompaniment, especially with the clarinet. It felt a bit harsh as it was unrelated to her playing but we have certainly learned for next time.

I fell like now we have learned it would be good to try again before next year but I don't know how to find other festivals.

I was surprised by the standard in the grade 3 class, dd definitely one of the better ones and may have won had she had a piano playing with her.

DS enjoys playing for fun whenever he finds time though, like learning some tunes he found on Youtube and stuff. Very often I have to make him stop as it's time to go or have tea or shower or whatever. But apparently playing for fun shouldn't be counted as practice according to his teachers...

woolley, sorry, x-posted. Congratulations on her achievements in the festival.

Oh, ladies, you all missed the point, it is not a marathon posts - I was missing you so much that I made it my mission to read all your news

Thank you for pm, will read through the posts with the view of this info

Kutik I probably didn't express myself clearly (and it was quite late too :)), I actually agree with your opinion about JD and private lessons, I was only trying to say that sometimes poor teaching closes the doors to the JD, but on the other hand you are right- with good teaching JD is not that essential....Takes years and fortune to figure out....

violinandpiano and other JD mums, in your opinion, what would be deciding part of an audition process - the quality of performance or aural skills? We had an interesting discussion with one of my friends and it appears that her statistics based on her friends is that aural skills are more important (not quite sure about Guildhall though - they seem to be quite relaxed about their intake)

Icouldbeknitting, oh this is so sweet... Imagine, in few years time you may give interviews about your ds - so take writing his biography seriously-it can be a rehearsal before you are interviewed about him! :)

Pradaqueen very interesting about style of playing-mine is very quick and smth like allegro suits her the best! Her teacher chose Vivaldi A manor concerto (or is it major?... not sure, but it is pretty quick ) for the forthcoming festival and this would suit her better than some adagio (which I would personally prefer)

Greenleave we practice together, yes (ok, my choice, super controlling mother is detected ).
We usually start with scales/arpeggios, then studies (if we have any) and then pieces. To be honest at this stage I would love it to be 1-1.5hs practice but life is not that easy therefore it is usually 30-50 mins, and then depends on her mood- sometimes we add about 30-45 mins of "negotiation" (few days ago more than 1 hour, but that was after the long break as she had severe cold recently) - I don't feel well, I am freezing, I want to go to the toilet, my heart hearts, I am tired, I want to sleep, I hate you, I hate violin, why do you always make me to play violin - don't you agree that playing violin is some sort of occupational hazard as it causes so many problems . It became quite rare nowadays though but still happens from time to time.

About keeping eye on schedule.... I do feel absolutely useless when I read about your schedule Green, however.... In spite of not working (I only volunteer once a week), I struggle to organised everything.... During the week I am on my own with the children and therefore need to keep their activities going, then dd has some therapies like osteopath, massage, etc- I try to do those during school time as much as possible, I keep finding myself out in a situation where there is a, say, class assembly but I only remember about it the day before. I forgot about parents evening once....Costumes, crafts for school-I hate it-so difficult to fit. Fortunately we don't have much homework not to mention I hardly ever remember about it - so we often ignore this. Also, luckily both children are doing well at school even without doing homework . My greatest worry is that though they are also bilingual I don't have time to maintain it. Both speak and read in second language but reading can disappear without regular practice and I absolutely don't have time for writing. (big sigh)
Interestingly when dh is at home it is like I have even less time though he is supposed to help me with dc.....
I am soooo looking forward to my retirement years

I try to keep diary, electronic, or paper-not very successful....Keep forgetting to check paper diary and keep forgetting to make entry into electronic one... Grrrrr

drummersmum looking forward

Fleurdelise always admire your teachers!

LooseAtTheSeams - well done to your mini re GCSE mock!

Btw, deadline for on-line exam application is 12th May (which made me think I had to find out about ours....)

foundoutyet I soooo envy my friends who literally dedicated their lives to one dc. Private school, million of activities- sooo many possibilities for a child and so much easier for a parent.... I guess I should not complain as you have three!

Hello all, wow this thread moves quickly.
Hi, to all the new ones that have joined over the past 6 pages

Well done Woolley on your dd performance in the festival.

Mine is at home after we spent the afternoon shopping.
Two distinctions for Classical and Jazz assessments.
They award in levels not grades, although they do these as well. It's their own curriculum, so not the same criteria as ABRSM or other music boards.
I have no idea why. I think it was level 3 but not to be confused with level 3 on usual framework.
Has been asked to join the chamber choir too, where she will be the youngest by a few years. She didn't want to do it before next year as she said she felt a bit out of place as all are Y10- Y13, mostly years 12 and 13.
Now cuddle up on settee with Midsomer murders, she has strange tastes.

Onlymusic, just curious about the examiner you mentioned. Dr ML?

Well, despite electronic calendar, things do go pear shaped at times. I usually work school hours, but had 2 evening work meetings. So there was not much music practice this week, although I suspect we have 2 music exams this term....

onlymusic，I think JD maybe like potential DC. But in my opinion every DC can prepare polished pieces, so good sight reading and aural is more important.