June Music Thread

[Fleurdelise]

Hello all and welcome to the June thread! Waffle did me the honours of asking me to initiate this thread as she has no access to Internet while on holiday.

This thread was first initiated by Waffle when Goo was 6 and now she's 11. It is a thread for all the musicians, big and small, to share their love (and frustrations ) during the long path of learning an instrument. I first joined when dd was 7 and in the process of preparing for grade 1 piano for moral support. If you read the ending of the May thread you'll realise I am still a nervous reck here we are now, two years later, Dd is 9 and preparing for grade 5 piano and grade 3 clarinet, the exams are in exactly 13 days. I also have DS 15 who is in the middle of his GCSEs at the moment, he has no musical interest.

As I couldn't leave Waffle without an introduction, below is a quote from the May thread. The only correction is that I believe Rara has now turned 9.

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!

Let's also not forget DS1 going to pieces in his grade 5 percussion exam. He completely messed up his scales, got into a mess in one of the pieces and absolutely tanked in his aural. I mean an unbelievably low mark! He still passed thanks to his nifty snare drum work! He has learned from this experience as well so it did turn out to be positive in the end even though at the time he just wanted the ground to swallow him and I was blaming myself for not rescheduling the exam.

Thank you all you did make me feel a bit tearful myself, thanks for all the support.

She loved band day and there's another concert on 4th July, can't wait to see that.

How to put a positive spin on it: I asked her if she'd prefer to pass with 103 or fail and get a high mark in Nov when she can only focus on piano. She had to think for a bit. She still prefers a pass (so do I, less of a confidence dent) but she said it doesn't sound that bad retaking it anymore.

She's getting part of her birthday present early, she saved some money and we agreed do up the savings so she can get herself one lego set now to cheer her up considering how hard she worked. So off to the Lego shop at the weekend.

And thank you for sharing your bad exam stories with me, I feel more positive now, I guess we will find out now if dd is one of those thinking the world came to an end due to a few minor mistakes or she can indeed judge correctly if all went wrong indeed. These will be the longest 3 weeks of my life.

She wants to learn Cool from the grade 5 list because her grandad and herself like it a lot, it may be more relevant to actually learn it.

On the subject of iffy exams dd disliked the G3 violin scales, got into a total state about them but got a respectable pass in the exam. She has taken on board that they cost her a higher mark and is paying a lot of attention to the G4 scales and they already sound great. Lesson learnt

Fleur - piano is a hard instrument. Slip ups and restarts are normal! It sounds like she needs to back off exams for a bit, it's a lot of pressure, and she has plenty of time.

DD played the Arabesque (that she prepared for her exam) at a book festival on Saturday and had to restart - circumstances not ideal (busy courtyard) and unfamiliar piano. It seems to take a lot more work to make piano pieces "bomb proof" than on other instruments.

Agreed Mistigri, my teacher said the same thing last Sunday after our playing that "it was good given its a more than a hundred years old piano and she never played it in the past". The examinor must have taken this into their marks. Other instruments we bring our own, which are much more familiar.

By the way Mistigri, all please can I ask you how to book a holiday home that guaranteed no cancellation. We booked 2 weeks in Frejus a month ago and I received a cancellation with a refund today without any explanation from homeaway. We plan to go by end of August and have booked everything including travelling.

fleur
My friends boy lost his nerve ( and his lip) during a trumpet exam (grade 4) and started again lots of times. Didn't manage to finish any of the pieces. It was horrible for him.
They spent a few weeks feeling sure it was a fail
He got a pass

I agree.. do not blame yourself.
It's so hard when something like this happens . Bless her-I hope she feels a little better tomorrow

Lego is our after exam treat too- and we get it before results to remind her it's the hard work and progress that I'm proud of, not what a single session of exam work says about her. I do think she'll pass. Hope you've got a nice glass of something yummy to calm your provably shattered nerves this evening xxx

Green - we have a house listed on that site; the owner can set the cancellation terms to whatever they want so you need to check the small print. Sounds v late notice but unless the terms say otherwise, then unfortunately they can do it without compensation. If i was cancelling so late (hard to imagine why you would unless you had sold the property or there had been a disaster), i would be looking to help the customer re-book somewhere, and making up the different they had to pay...worth a try?

You guys are so great! It seems it could go either way, quick search on google and there are people who restarted pieces, scales but got merits and low distinctions

I am still waiting for a fail or minimal pass but got used to it so did dd. She's looking forward to the Lego shop on Saturday. Milking it a bit now, wanted to go to bed late, miss school tomorrow and so on.

Minimama we reward hard work also not results and she definitely deserves a reward.

Mixed news Fleur, but hopefully the result will be OK.

Crap news here today as we were burgled We have a couple of motion activated cameras that record 10 secs or so of film and send a text alert and an e-mail. DH picked those up, called the police who were out in force as they like to try to catch them in the act. They caught 2 and have got some of our property back, but other stuff has gone. (Not the instruments thankfully!) Horrible! Had police here on and off for the past 9 hours.

Fleur, nice when you are milking it down, you will definitely be feeling better tomorrow. An early night definitely helps though.

Mine touched the violin for 10 mins tonight, if she doesnt start picking it up then she deserves a fail. (And I already cancelled last term exam).

Se22: I remember you asked us about your teacher last month and I wanted to say the same. Its so hard as I dont have any connection with her, I dont know how she does and if she is meeting the expectation, what she needs to focus on.

String: Its a no cancellation for us however cancellation anytime for the owner without any compensation even explanation. We have been so looking forward to the trip. I have shown the girls the villa's picture with pools over looking to the beach and we have made plans what to do in the area. There isnt anything available from both home away and airbnb with instant booking today with similar quality and near the price we paid. I am so gutted.

Double what an awful experience!

Green have you tried AirBnB? I've used them for the last couple of years and it is great.

Sorry cross post Green

Double - how horrible, and so glad they caught them!

Green....mine picked her instrument up not at all today with 6 days to go; i will have no sympathy as practice has been inconsistent at least. big lesson is summer of yr 6 is much too much fun/busy for exams....

Dd has "homework" assigned by the clarinet teacher, a Disney song but I told dd that she deserves a break this week so no practice or anything till next lessons, Friday and Saturday. Hopefully we'll manage to bring the passion back by then

doubleup I am so sorry to hear that, it's such an awful experience. I'm glad the instruments are safe and you have some of your property, I hope you get more. It's more the violation of my safe space that was the biggest problem, to me, I found. I hope you all can feel safe. Sending thoughts xxx

fleur showtunes and Disney were what my girl went on to as well, a nice lighthearted project. I really hope your girly can put them both aside and enjoy exploring some new things now. Mines now prepping for July festival, plus some Bach and Gershwin; she's very glad to have put her exam pieces away!

Double how awful hope you managed to get some sleep big hugs

Not much sleep last night. Had to try to clear up the mess, particularly in our bedroom and I didn't really want to sleep in there so late to bed and woke at 5am. Horrible to think they've been in the house. Could have been worse I suppose - at least no-one was hurt (although I would wish some serious harm on the thieving gits!)

No bassoon practice last night as there was so much disruption with police in and out at various times until after 9pm. DD2 doesn't like an audience either. There was a time when she wouldn't even play if DH was in the room.

Fleurdelisle, few months ago dc2 also thought she had failed but managed a merit. She is normally quite accurate h in her predictions. However the piano she played on was awful, could not get her dynamics right. Examiner must have taken that into account.

for you Double! Hope the police can get everything stolen back and you could have some more rest today!

So we have been trying to spend time with each other by going out once a month and we have Evanescence concert tonight. I really like some of her songs.

The piano is being tuned today as I was told over the weekend that its time.

Doubleup that's terrible - what an awful shock. I hope the police catch the other 2 very soon.

Dd had a bad night last night, she woke up a couple of times crying, bless her. She kept saying she wants mummy.

She is fine this morning still convinced she failed the piano exam but hoping for a distinction in the clarinet one, that would be laughable really, I'd rather she gets a pass on both.