July Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

I was celebrating the end of a VERY busy week with a glass of 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.

Thank you both, I'll get googling not for now but for next year it is good to know what's happening in our area (until we become addicted and end up driving for hours )

Trumpet we are coming from a totally different direction, but it will probably take us about 5.5 hours! We were very lucky with the last two - 50 miles away! See you there.

Our county music hub has the workshops it runs on its website, in addition the Saturday morning music centre has a table with flyers on for all sorts of things happening locally. The things that happen further away we've got into through recommendations from parents who have children already there, their children play other instruments so they might have been less inclined to share if there was competition for seats.

I'd echo what "Raspberry" said about getting out there and involved because one thing leads to another. Next month DS is going on tour with a group he doesn't play with because their conductor conducts another group he does play with. It turns out that he knows at least four of the players there from county wind band.

Fleur, maybe you can consider CYM holiday course? They seem to have courses for all ages and abilities. Initially I couldn't find any suitable course for DS within his age range on their website, but when I spoke to them they offered something else and I was happy with the arrangements and also the flexibility. In the end I cancelled at the last minute as it's clashed with other things. So we don't have any experience to tell, but we may consider applying in future. It's non-residential, full day x 5 days.

Waffle we'll both be the the really tired ones standing in the queue - at least I'm not driving straight back and meeting up with some family / dropping off dd to spend the week with her grandparents while we move house!!

Indeed, Trumpet. Goo and I are both 5' 2.5" and will be accompanied by my mum, who's slightly shorter. Goo will no doubt be wearing her bright green NCO hoodie.

Fleur, Information from mumsnet (=wafflenose.....) as it's an instrument she wouldn't really be able very easily to join a local orchestra so not much choice.

how far we travel? Normal lessons 30-90 minutes travel time, talent program can be 2 hours +, residentials, that'll be 2 aeroplanes each way... (but that's an active choice to have english speaking residentials and do some language training simultaneously..)

that's what you get for living in the sticks.........

Finding opportunities, a mixture of google and knowing people. Music can be quite a small world.

Waffle I'm sure trumpet will also be in his green hoodie !!

I'll get the little greens to look out for each other!

Waffle and Trumpet - DD will be in dark grey and we are all about the same height (actually Waffle knows us already:))

how do i upload to the youtube channel by the app please? can't find an upload button....

How far we travel?

Just 15 mins to lessons. 2.5 hrs to workshops in Dublin maybe 1-2 per year. And we like to hop on a plane for music summer camp, normally Bryanston. Next year we would love to do one in France, and DD2s dream is to do one in Japan!!

Waffle and string we'll look out for you all

Dd got a merit in g1 theory. Very pleased for her as she found some concepts hard. Hopefully this will motivate her to keep going,

Se22: many congrats to your daughter!

String: you can just click in the video and choose the option to upload( the same as via email and facebook). I dont have a you tube account so its easy for me just to log in the account Fleur created.

So envy of NCO people!

We havent got the violin result awgg!!!

green - thank you; dd finally let me video her trying out a bass clarinet today. Its pirates of the caribbean for all those Minis playing it this summer in orchestras :); adapting to the bass is still a work in progress so forgive the blips

and now short extract from a competition earlier this year added - my friend video'ed hence why it is so short!

I didnt have wifi so inly saw the short one, beautiful sound String!

Excellent! More videos to watch. Got DS2's cello report yesterday. Teacher is very happy with his playing but now wants him to take practice to another level by videoing his playing and analysing it himself. It will be a miracle if I can get him to do this but I will try.
She also mentioned the dreaded scales. He can do the chromatic scales so I've suggested doing those each practice then adding one of the others each time to build up confidence. DS1 is having tantrums about not being ready for his grade 8 exam tomorrow. I have offered to cancel and reschedule, then he backtracks. Grrr.
SE22 congratulations - that is a great result!

Hello we’re back! Had a great trip to Vienna and Salzburg, saw Schubert’s flat, Beethoven’s apartment where he died, Mozart’s childhood apartment and his first tiny violin. Attended and great concert by Igor Levit at the Salzburg Music Festival and had a candlelight dinner with Mozart arias played and sang by musicians in period costumes with period instruments in a baroque room. And Vienna has an interactive museum all dedicated to music. It was a great trip and it’s very doable with a tight budget (airbnb and packed lunches ). We – of course – did the Sound of Music tour to all the locations and sang all the songs in the coach karaoke… let’s forget about that

24 hours before flying back DS was emailed that they needed a drummer for a new jazz/funk/klezmer youth band being formed and rehearsal was today. Plane delayed last night, 2 am in bed and this morning he had to be up early, pack cymbals, etc with his mum (me) making him a pack lunch with whatever was in the house and he’s now crossing London on his own carrying all his cymbals and having had no sleep…heading for a 4 hour rehearsal. Ay ay ay.

Congrats to everyone with great exam results, concerts, experiences, etc. Impossibe to remember, had to rush through thread, did I gather miniloose did very well? Also, great result se22.
paulweller, for drums we did Rockschool all the way through grades 1 to 8. For orchestral perc he did Trinity.

string great videos, thank you. That was a beautiful rendition of El Cant dels Ocells, a song that's very close to my heart. She's very very good.

With all the tumble and we have a merit!!! The first time I feel so happy with a result less than a distinction. To my heart we might only deserve a pass.

Drummers: wow to the wonderful trip and to miniDrummers energy!

Luckily we didnt fail the aural this time as she just doesnt sing and refuses the singing part. She failed aural in her G5 piano and managed to pass for this violin exam. I am happy and feeling lucky.

Brilliant news greenleave

green wonderful news! As always, your DD comes up trumps against all expectations, teachers changes and your concerns about practice. Amazing.