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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

July Music Thread

999 replies

Wafflenose · 01/07/2017 00:12

I was celebrating the end of a VERY busy week with a glass of Wine and realised it's now just past midnight, and therefore July! Have a new thread!

The music threads are for ALL musicians, young and old, beginners and advanced, and every style of music!

I have two DDs, Goo (11) who is currently stropping and eye-rolling her way through her last few weeks at primary school, and Rara (9) who is funny and creative. Goo is working towards Grade 8 Flute, and has been playing the piano for just over a year. She is refusing to take any exams or perform on it though. Rara has her Grade 3 Cello exam coming up soon, and is just moving beyond Grade 2 Clarinet now. Both played the recorder from age 3/4 and got to a really good level, but other than helping out with my school groups, they don't really play any more - they are particularly obsessed with the flute and clarinet.

I am a teacher of woodwind - currently about 80 recorder pupils (many group taught) in two schools, plus two private flute pupils and six private clarinet pupils.

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AlexandraLeaving · 25/07/2017 07:35

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Greenleave · 25/07/2017 08:05

Hahaha, Niggle, that was brilliant idea. Mine wouldnt care about money either and I am sure she will forget( I keep all her pocket money and I dont think she remembers how much, I certainly dont) however she said "mommy, I might be filthy rich after the next 3 weeks", so I sense there is definitely some motivation in there.

Doubleup · 25/07/2017 08:57

String you made me laugh about the bass sound and the dog! Our cats see the bassoon coming and discreetly remove themselves from the room. They are never in the same room as DD1 practices her oboe in, so I'm not sure if that has the same effect Smile

se22mother · 25/07/2017 09:11

Our cat is similar. Will sit beside dd for violin but removes herself when the clarinet comes out

LooseAtTheSeams · 25/07/2017 09:27

I'm loving the motivation Green! I was going to suggest a kind of voucher system but sounds like you've got it all in hand!
Thanks everyone for the kind words for DS2! Cello scales are going to be the next nightmare. He is finding the grade 5 Ones difficult. I haven't a clue so I'm going to look on YouTube for some demos but if anyone has a particular recommendation, let me know!
Cello is the main focus of Summer holiday practice with me leaving him to decide what he wants to play on piano. That's leaving aside the fun playing on guitar!
Waffle I've been in that position - with DS2 the mere suggestion of stopping lessons would send him off to practise but with DS1 there was a point where I knew I was losing the battle over flute and we stopped. Goo is young enough that she could take a break and go back to piano, though.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 25/07/2017 10:19

Thanks, Loose. With Goo, I tried to pre-empt the need for theory and piano (starting at 7 and 10 respectively) so she didn't end up scrambling to do it all at 15, like I had to. She doesn't know how lucky she is. Anyway, she seems ambivalent, so I think we should stop wasting our money. DH reckons we should decide she continues, unless she asks to stop. We are going to try being extremely firm about her practice routine - ultimately it makes her happier - but we'll have to implement it right now, because trying to introduce something new or extra during the first term of Year 7 is going to be one change too many. Watch this space.

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Nigglenotes · 25/07/2017 11:01

MusicianMama, my younger D will also do things willingly for coloured stickers - particularly gold stars. I use the ones in the back of primary ks1 revision books that you buy at supermarkets.

Nothing like a growing row of gold stars to make her happy!

Fleurdelise · 25/07/2017 11:12

Hahaha Dd would also be happy with just stickers even though she'll be 10 in a month's time. It is her crazy mother who finds financial incentives for her.

Our cat disappears also when the clarinet comes out. During the initial months she'd literally pull her ears backwards and wouldn't know where to hide first. Now she knows from the start that when the clarinet is being assembled she needs to run. Grin

TheSecond thank you, I've sent you an email. Really appreciate it!

Waffle I have to say I wouldn't waste my money if there would be no practice so I agree with you. Music lessons aren't cheap. But maybe if you have a serious discussion with her to explain this it may work? Just stating that it is expensive and if she wants to continue with lessons she needs to practice X times a week.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 25/07/2017 11:16

I think the main issues are (a) laziness - she definitely is lazy - and (b) Goo has always needed an incentive to practice, and without performances or exams (self imposed) she has no reason to do it. But apparently she told DH last night that she DOES want to play the piano... he has tomorrow off, so we'll sit down together with her and discuss it properly.

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ealingwestmum · 25/07/2017 13:06

Just nodding empathetically here. I always have slight envy with those folk on here who's DC don't need any prompting to go practise, same as those of you that have avid book readers. But, I know there are up and downsides to extremes so I do need to be careful what I (silently, most of the time) wish for!

I am also the queen of procrastination, especially in my self employed line of work, so I need to take some responsibility of where my DD may get it from and stop preaching do as I say, not do as I do Blush

hapsburg · 25/07/2017 14:49

waffle I changed DD's piano teacher a year ago - it has transformed her enthusiasm for piano! With previous teacher she had no sooner sat down in a lesson than she would hear 'so when are we going to do this grade 8' or similar. DD has no desire or need to do grade 8 piano - both she and I had told the teacher this many times. I wish I had moved her earlier, but for various reasons didn't. I had asked the teacher to look at a bit of composition, structure, different styles, chords, just general musicianship - but she seemed at a bit of a loss without the exam framework to follow. It was a shame to go as she has given DD a really sound technical foundation but she needed a change. Went to new teacher and said from the start - we need piano to be fun, it is the third instrument but DD wants to continue as she (currently) thinks she may want to study music at uni or similar and it will be useful. DD has gone from not even wanting anyone to know she played piano (in case she was asked to perform, which she absolutely would not do) to accompanying choir at school, playing for carol services, playing in pop band type thing at school, she makes me play recorder so she can practice accompanying Blush She finds things online that she wants to play - and has looked at some lovely pieces with the new teacher. Last spring she was adamant she would only play instruments 1 and 2 in her school audition, but in the end asked to play piano as well and had a tough time chosing which of her lovely pieces to play.
It has since come out in conversation that she always felt she was letting the old teacher down by not really having any enthusiasm for what she wanted her to do. She says this always made her feel sad in piano lessons Sad as she liked the teacher.
Sorry Waffle if this is way off the mark.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 25/07/2017 15:00

We currently have (I think, and I'm not the only one) the best in the West, and Goo does constantly feel that she's letting her down. She's not... playing Grade 5 pieces within 15 months is really, really good. I will have a chat with the teacher over the summer, though, about piano being for fun. Maybe if Goo had more choice of pieces that would help? I do feel her scales are suffering from being covered very quickly - she is on to black note minors already, and fingerings are getting all jumbled. It might be a case of too much, too soon.

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hapsburg · 25/07/2017 15:15

DD's old teacher is very highly regarded around here, and has certainly had some very successful pupils - but not the right one for DD at all. I think it frustrated her that piano was not the first instrument and would never be given priority when it came to time management. I think it's a bit like chosing schools - what is best for one child would not necessarily suit another at all. She also had some very interesting views on the relative merits of playing stringed instruments over woodwind - but that is a whole other thread!!!!
I hope you manage to re-kindle Goo's enthusiasm. Will she accompany you at all? DD loves doing this with me - she tells me off for not leading as 'how was I supposed to know you were going do a rit'!!!

LooseAtTheSeams · 25/07/2017 15:20

Waffle playing grade 5 pieces in 15 months is absolutely amazing, let's face it! It wouldn't be at all surprising if she was torn between not wanting to let the teacher down and feeling overwhelmed at the same time. Maybe she's too stressed about what she can't do and has forgotten just how much she's achieved?
DS1 returns from his tour tonight. Apparently it's been quite wet in the Loire Valley so I'm just hoping he enjoyed it! Bass guitar exam on Friday, then he can unwind!

foundoutyet · 25/07/2017 15:34

Difficult issue about the not practising and whether to stop lessons.

One of my dc lost interest and asked to stop.
another doesn't practice , certainly not her 2nd instrument but doesn't practice, has not played at all in the holidays. However she doesn't want to stop, plays at school in a band, and , well, seems to enjoy it.

We both know progreess will be slow.

We (Fleur...) had a related conversation before, about people not practising at all at home. However plenty of children have recorder/ukulele/ percussion at school but don't bring the instrument at home and still enjoy it and progress enough to be able to give a little concert at the end of the year (but no, they won't progress to get any grades).

PS, of course I don't tell my dc this, lot of shouting by me that " if they can't be bothered to practice I am not going to waste any more of my hard earned money on their lessons, ever again!!!"

Trumpetboysmum · 25/07/2017 17:10

Found out your last comment made me laugh I say that a lot to dd about her piano lessons which we will continue with for now as she was really enjoying it until ds started having lessons and zoomed ahead of her ( but he is older and could already read music)
Waffle goo has made amazing progress I'm sure she does feel torn ( especially if she sees piano more as a fun instrument) my only reason for ds learning piano now ( and to avoid the situation you described yourself being in at 15 ) was for ds to be grade 5 ish standard by 6th form . It sounds like Goo is already pretty much there Smile so if she does decide she wants to do music her keyboard skills are already fine for music study post school

Original poster
Wafflenose · 25/07/2017 20:08

Spot on, Loose. Goo is such a glass half empty person, and so hard on herself. She is very lucky, and finds almost everything else easy, so does get frustrated with herself when it comes to the piano.

Hapsburg Lovely idea - we can get some beginner recorder or clarinet books out and have her play the teacher accompaniments on the piano. That might be fun!

Foundout and Trumpet I am perfectly happy with slow progress, and was expecting that Goo might wander up to Grade 5 by 18 years or so, with not a lot of work. Her teacher laughs when I mention it.

She had a good lesson tonight. I wrote in her notebook about her crisis of confidence, not enough practice... and also asked for help with some specific things, as I thought that was more constructive than going to a lesson utterly unprepared. Goo had practised twice, and was cross with herself. Teacher was pleased with her sight reading and exercises, gave her some help with her Bb minor scale, asked if she was happy to persevere with Le Onde, told her to revisit a couple of her old favourites this week, and gave her something new to learn, which she'll be able to sort out within a few days. Smile We have all agreed that Goo will try hard to practise when she gets up, even if not for a long period each day. Goo says she wants to continue, and will try to get herself into a routine immediately, because we all know that the autumn will be tougher and piano is likely to bear the brunt of her tiredness/ lack of time. I am SO glad she's not trying to do recorder as well now. We all love the recorder, but Goo loves the flute most of all!

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foundoutyet · 25/07/2017 21:24

How far do you lot travel for music residential weeks/days.There is an event (workshops etc) that dc would enjoy but it's only 1 day and over 2 hours to travel....Maybe we could combine it with visiting some family. Hm, undecided. Could wait till next year Easter when she could do a week, only 30 min away.

PS Don't look at all my embarrassing spelling mistakes. Sometimes in such a rush.

Icouldbeknitting · 25/07/2017 21:32

Foundoutyet DS has a day's workshop every few months that is just over an hour and a half away. It's not worth me coming home again so I take a book. The residentials are both about an hour and a quarter drive but I don't mind those so much because I only have to do one return trip in the day.

raspberryrippleicecream · 26/07/2017 01:20

We travel every few months for DS2 to do a workshop day, about 2.5 to 3 hours each way. But there is nothing that standard locally.

DH and I have some nice days out, he's there for about 8 hours

Trumpetboysmum · 26/07/2017 06:54

Well I've got a four and a half hour drive to near Blackpool this Sunday for NCOShock it was the same at easter ( I think they need to do courses in the east of England !!) normally an hour or two but we are a bit remote from the rest of the country here

Fleurdelise · 26/07/2017 08:56

How do you find residential and non residential music workshops? Google or is there a website listing them around the country?

stringchild · 26/07/2017 08:58

See you on the motorway (or beach) Trumpet😀

We travel a couple of hours each way to nco regionals about once a month; dd doing a proms day long workshop which will be the same travel wise. Yes books/coffee a must....

stringchild · 26/07/2017 08:59

Fleur - google, societies (such as LCs and the CASS), music specialist school websites, mommy network.....once they go to a few, the invites arrive....

raspberryrippleicecream · 26/07/2017 09:36

We live over an hour (on good roads) from any city so it's always going to be a travel to a national type event.

Fleur this year DS2 has done NYO Inspire, for which you have to be Grade 6 and 13 and NYJO which came up north to our area for a project but was still over an hour's travel (signposted by Music Service) and a Creative Jazz course also over an hour away (again signposted by Music service).

He was also given personally given a flyer for a workshop run by a local amateur orchestra, really aimed at adults. It was fab and only 15 minutes away! He was handed it at County Orchestra, it's getting out there and involved that helps.

We are very lucky that County Orchestra rehearsals are 5 minutes from our house, so it balances out a bit.