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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

June Music Thread

925 replies

Fleurdelise · 01/06/2017 08:00

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 Grin) 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 Smile 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. Smile

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!

OP posts:
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stringchild · 05/06/2017 18:49

hi Waffle - yes i guess so, unless they get promoted to the orchestra above; DD will also be sad....but i assume that it will be harder for them to get into u13s given there will also be children repeating their time in that orchestra plus new auditionees a full year older than our two. Have told dd to cross that bridge in Dec....no guarantee that she will get a place in any orchestra!

stringchild · 05/06/2017 18:52

Trumpets - yes from the info they sent out this year, most of the u12s were mostly yr 7 so i guess the u13s were mostly yr 8s. I can see why the change makes sense, as its always seemed odd given children often start learning instruments at the start of a school year; but i suppose there may a blip this year as the change is made

LooseAtTheSeams · 05/06/2017 19:02

Well, I take it back - DS2 did French revision and solid practice on piano this evening!
Fleur sounds like Minifleur is timing things just right for piano!

Wafflenose · 05/06/2017 19:18

I have applied! For Goo, obviously, not for me...

Original poster
Fleurdelise · 05/06/2017 19:32

Can somebody please repost the link where it says it links into the school years age? I can't find it.

Loose I hope so...

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Doubleup · 05/06/2017 19:33

Don't remember applying so early last year. No doubt will have to get DD2's teacher to co-ordinate all her pupils' applications so that she can get them all on one day again.

Wafflenose · 05/06/2017 19:33

Goo would kill me if I didn't apply on the very first day!

stringchild · 05/06/2017 19:36

Fleur - if you go on to the link i posted, all the details are there on the audition details tab

Doubleup - we have restricted times we can do, esp as don't want to do during a school day as we are entering new school/yr 7, so applying now (but looking back was same time last year). Our teachers don't do entries unfortunately

Wafflenose · 05/06/2017 19:37

Fleur your DD would be Under 11s for next year, under both the old and new systems.

Kutik73 · 05/06/2017 19:45

DS's teacher just contacted me about the NCO application. Not sure if DS is allowed to be entered by him this year though... DS will have been attending JD by the time he goes to the audition....

hapsburg · 05/06/2017 19:52

DD is in Main orchestra this year and could be again under both old and new systems, but does not really want to do another year. It's quite sad really, end of an era, she has been in since she was 8. She has really loved it; it has been so good for her in so many ways but she has other musical commitments already piling up, not to mention new school and all that goes with that. She's had such a fab time with all her friends at NCO particularly the last 2 or 3 courses, she says it just won't be the same without them - they are all 'too old' for next year. Sad

Trumpetboysmum · 05/06/2017 19:53

Hi,
I think we have to fill the form in as parents, but we give teacher's details (unless of course teachers are coordinating for accompanists). DS will have to have a day off school for this one as they are all so far away and we need to keep weekends free for AYM plus half term. Not that he's complaining!! DS will just have to play unaccompanied this year as the accompanists we know all teach in schools in the week! But it says it doesn't matter so we will give it a go

Doubleup · 05/06/2017 20:09

It was the co-ordination for accompanist. We filled in the form, but the teacher sent them all off together to get them one after another. No doubt we will get something from her this week.

Kutik73 · 05/06/2017 20:20

The teacher filled in and sent out the application last year and he is going to do the same this year. But it's a bit tricky as DS is leaving him and start with a new teacher at JD from September. The deadline for the application is 31st August. JD hasn't started yet. Perhaps we may have to miss this year.

se22mother · 05/06/2017 20:22

Kutik can't you just write you are changing teacher?

Trumpetboysmum · 05/06/2017 20:23

No not at all Kutik it must happen all the time I'd fill the form in and put down your current teacher- you can always email them the details of your new teacher once you have them. I don't even think they contacted DS's teacher last year. I've had to fill it in with my current address and i'm seriously hoping that I might have moved by the end of the summer I'll just send them the new details when I have them.

stringchild · 05/06/2017 20:32

Kutik - we are changing teacher but don't know the name of the new one; i have put the current teacher down. Our teacher hasn't been contacted in the 4yrs dd has been in the nco, As others have said, changing teachers in the autumn will happen all the time. Please don't not audition because of it. I don't see why it is an issue if you want to let the teacher do the form if they will accompany - they can still accompany ds if thats what you want

Wafflenose · 05/06/2017 21:22

As others have said, it doesn't matter at all! I was never contacted about my pupil who got into Under 10s (and subsequently dropped out). I'm sure lots of things happen between filling in the form and doing the audition - people move house, change teachers, change schools/ CAT providers, go up a grade from the one they specified... who cares?

Original poster
Fleurdelise · 05/06/2017 21:36

Thanks ladies, not sure dd would be the right standard as she would have just passed grade 3 on clarinet (hopefully passed even though tonight's practice is back to horrible so god knows if she'll pass). I assume she could prepare a grade 4 standard piece, does she need contrasting pieces?

I'll talk to her teacher but I somehow doubt it she'd get in.

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Wafflenose · 05/06/2017 21:57

Yes, contrasting pieces. None of us will be sure if our DCs will make the cut until December. Grades have NOTHING to do with it, although that's still hard for me to wrap my head around. What I do know is that it's better to play a comfortable piece well than to play something shakily. We always go down a grade for auditions and competitions, although I realise that's an unpopular strategy. It works for Goo, who is a drama queen and a stressball!

Kutik73 · 05/06/2017 22:17

Oh I see. I thought it ought to be applied via teachers.

However, our situation may still be a bit tricky. Last year DS played one from his old repertories and another specially selected for the audition by the teacher. Earlier today, the teacher told me in his email that he selected a special piece for the audition again like last year. I haven't got the music yet but apparently it's a rare piece in the UK as it's brought from his native country. The teacher said it's so special to him that he hadn't handed anyone. DS would be the first pupil to learn and play the piece. I really appreciate the honor, however I'm not sure if DS should play such a piece for the audition which is taken place when the teacher is no longer his teacher. DS would show the piece to his new teacher at JD in September and would get some inputs from her/him before the audition. Somehow I feel bad about it. Or am I thinking too much??

Wafflenose · 05/06/2017 22:20

I do think you are thinking too much! I can't think of a single reason not to audition, if he is keen? He can pick any two pieces from his repertoire, come August/ September time (or however long it takes him to polish one), or work on one big piece and pick up an old, safe one, or a fresh new one nearer the time. Once we cease to teach a pupil, what they do or play really doesn't have anything to do with us any more.

Kutik73 · 05/06/2017 22:24

Waffle, I didn't know it's an unpopular strategy. DS's violin teacher would agree with you. He dislikes advanced pieces played badly.

stringchild · 05/06/2017 22:27

Kutik - Waffle is completely right. Sounds very generous of the teacher to start your ds with this piece, whether he auditions with it or not. Being inquisitive (as we are in similar situations) - does the teacher intend to keep giving your ds lessons until the last moment (when JD starts)? i am resigned to dd having 3 1/2mnths off lessons on her main instrument which seems an incredibly long time at the moment.

Kutik73 · 05/06/2017 22:39

OK, I may be thinking too much! The teacher openly told me that he wouldn't want DS to leave, and also clearly stated that he was giving this special piece for NCO audition (not just for study). Therefore I kind of hesitated grabbing the generous offer....

string, the teacher teaches term time only as he teaches at school. So the last lesson would be early July. DS will miss JD a couple of times in September for secondary school open days. So it's not great really. This is another reason why I thought we may miss this year. He won't have much chance!

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