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!

miniprada really well done! Hope you're enjoying holiday x

knitting that's what we decided too x

Yay prada that's great - be proud!

Wow! Miniprada! Fantastic result!

What's a star! Well done to miniprada!

well done MiniPrada!

Well done miniprada big cheers here!

string, sorry for being so nosy, but is your DD not going to audition with cello? I assume she is more advanced with cello than clarinet (must say it's very impressive to be able to be in with the 2nd instrument)?

kutik - she was a cello in her first year, and then clarinet. They told us a few years ago that it is harder to find wind and brass players who can keep up (orchestrally speaking) with string players who tend to have started a lot earlier; this is esp so in the younger orchestras since many people don't start until 9 or later. Quite a few of the clarinets we know are in on their second instruments for that reason - they progress really quickly (to begin with at least). I know an amazing oboe who is actually also a really amazing cello player (1st instrument) but amazing oboes are rarer than really amazing cellists it seems....DD doesn't mind which they choose; she just loves being part of it all

Thank you for taking time to reply to my rather nosy question. I didn't know the lack of good players in certain instruments but it really makes sense as you say those instrumentalists normally start later than string players. I've learnt something in the music world today!

miniprada!

Kutik, DD2 got into NCO U10 last year having only played bassoon for 16 months. There aren't many young bassoonists on a full size instrument at that age, so proportionately easier to get in. She did her G4 exam in the same week as the audition in May last year.

Yes I heard there were the second round auditions for rarer instruments in May this year too. I understand it may be easier to get in with those instruments at least for the younger orchestras. But I recall your DD is g7 bassoonist? I know grade doesn't matter, but it indicates she is advanced enough even to compare with violinists who have more likely achieved higher grade at young age. Very impressive!

Kutik all 3 bassoonists from last year's U10s auditioned in May last year, and all 3 got in again this year auditioning in October. There is another one with them in U11 this time.

Double, was it you who was talking about the possibility of stoping bassoon lessons a while ago? Forgive my short memory if it's not. But if it is, wow, she shouldn't stop it!! She sounds amazing!

No, it was Woolley. Although sometimes I'd be happy to....

Woolley did you sort anything out about bassoon?

Congrats miniPrada x

This may be of interest. You just pick your level and it gives you a range of ensembles to join (in London)...
ealingmusicservice.com/ensembles/

Thank you drummers, that link looks good, I've saved it.

Last piano lesson today and hearing her teacher saying she has nothing to worry about made me feel better. She said to me she's expecting at least a merit for her but as usual it all depends on the day. I am overexcited at the idea of moving on, we'll order the Kuhlau sonatinas, she's getting dd to start working on two duets with one of her other pupils whom we've never met and dd is excited to form new friendship as they'll have to practice together. This is for next year's festival, I know it sounds like a long time away but there's the summer holiday to consider, then Christmas break, before you know it it is festival time again. She'll also do more classes as well individually and we may enter her on clarinet as well.

Tomorrow is the last clarinet lesson before exam also, roll on Tuesday (and next Friday when the GCSEs are over) and I, my lovely ladies, will be a relaxed and happy woman no matter the outcome. At least till GCSEs results day (end of August) and 11+ in September.

Well done to miniprada and good luck to the fleurs both big and mini. Nearly done then time to relax!

Musical fortnight here, exam stress over but tonight DD played piano as accompanist for the first time and I know she was a bit stressed because since Monday (when she learnt the piece) she has done at least eight hours practice . It paid off as she did very well tonight - turns out she is a good accompanist (this doesn't surprise me as she has a lot of experience of playing with other musicians, though not on piano).

Tomorrow she does another turn as accompanist and is also playing some Debussy. Then next week she plays at a local music festival, her own songs this time.

My DS is being given the opportunity to try an instrument in year 5

Neither DH or I are musical and so have no clue.

Would welcome any advice. Thank you.

That's a great link, drummers!
DS2's piano exam is July 11, which is pretty good. He's got some work to do on the scales still but the pieces are at the polishing stage, which is better than the run-up to grade 3! The poor cello only gets played three times a week at the moment but as soon as the piano exam is out the way he can focus more on it.

Oh that's a good amount of time away loose. ds's exam is on 1 st July which is the date I wanted as it gives him time to recover from a really crazy week the week before . I probably shouldn't jinx it but it was all sounding pretty good last week and he's more confident about sight transposition now ( even if this is far from perfect ) so that's good.
Welcome big biscuits. I'd say go for it ds got given a cornet in year 4 . I would never have picked a brass instrument for him and it turns out that he loves it and it has led to so many amazing playing and social opportunities so you never know where it might lead . Even if the instrument they get given isn't their " thing" just starting to play something can lead them to take up a different instrument and inspire a love of music . Hope they enjoy it

Bigbiscuits go for it. My son started at primary school in Y3 and he is still playing. I don't have a musical clue but that doesn't matter at all at the beginning. If you can make the time to listen to him practise and support him that's a good start. If he doesn't like it, it doesn't mean he's "not musical" (how I hate hearing that) but that he started on clarinet when he is cut out to be a brass player.

Our county music service has open days in October and January where you can roll up and have a go on whatever instrument takes your fancy.