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Extra-curricular activities

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

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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Icouldbeknitting · 04/07/2017 10:34

Waffle it will be fine. I put myself through hell over imagined scenarios, usually involving bullying on the school bus. After all my worrying the only problem was a week before his GCSEs started when the Y7s started picking on the Y11s (yes, really!) as they knew that there would be no retaliation because of the risk of exclusion during the exams.

Years 10 and 11 were the best for DS socially as he found his people in the GCSE music class.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 04/07/2017 10:40

Goo is particularly mature, so will be fine. I bet a lot of her old confidence will return once she's settled into Year 7, too. She was very wobbly today because of the unknown... and the lost booklet. We had another look for it last night, but I fear it's been recycled. I assured her that by Year 9, nobody is going to remember her as 'the girl without the book'! She is keen to throw herself into all the musical and sporting groups that she's allowed to, and it's a big enough school that she'll hopefully find a number of like-minded friends there.

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hapsburg · 04/07/2017 12:19

Thanks for the link waffle lovely to see all the DC's enjoying their music. Will try and uplaod or link some of DD when I have a minute.

LooseAtTheSeams · 04/07/2017 13:11

Hope it goes well Waffle - I get the impression schools are very good with Y7 transition days. It's an exciting time!
DS1 liked the sixth form college last night but was a bit miffed they don't do computer science A level. He asked to see the Psychology dept, which hadn't been on his radar before. He'd be fine for music if he chooses it. We'll look at a couple of other places in autumn.
DS2 did do some meaningful scales practice last night, more to come I hope...

stringchild · 04/07/2017 16:03

Hi waffle - hope it went well. I agree with Loose - dd and her friends had brilliant days at their schools- hopefully it is as good in sept!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 04/07/2017 17:08

Goo adored it and wants to start immediately! That's a big relief. It's an 8-form entry and although she is currently in a class of 36, most of whom are going to the same secondary, she's ended up with only one child from her primary in her new class - a little boy she has known since they were babies. She recognised one girl from a recent netball tournament, one from a sports leadership course, one from when she used to do ballet, and another (a grade 5 pianist) from a Year 5 gifted programme they attended together. She will be forced to make new friends, and I'm pretty glad she's away from all the other girls now. She is still friends with a handful, but isn't happy in year 6 at all.

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Minimusiciansmama · 04/07/2017 17:40

waffle well done Goo! I am glad it's gone well!

Happy mama here- took her clarinet to be fixed today and the lovely lady serviced it for free too. All set for the festival on Thursday now, phew

Trumpetboysmum · 04/07/2017 17:53

Great news Goo so glad today went well
So trumpetboy got a distinction for his grade 7 !! Trinity exam and a score of 89 needless to say he's very pleased and relieved. His teacher has promised no more exams for a while and I'm going to make sure he sticks to it this time Grin

Loueytb3 · 04/07/2017 18:09

Thank you for the welcome on the June thread. I have DS2 (10) who plays violin and keyboard (no grades yet – going to start piano lessons in the autumn). I am a lapsed pianist (and also cellist, but that is even longer ago). DS1 (also 10, they are twins) has been learning piano but he has SN and refuses to practice. It is very slow progress and I doubt we will ever do any exams. DS3 (6) is showing interest in the piano but quite frankly I have enough to deal with at the moment without starting him off as well!

DS2 had his grade 1 violin exam this morning. I think it went fairly well, I would be very surprised if he failed it. His teacher was beaming after he'd done his prepared pieces and said he'd done well. So fingers crossed. There was a girl waiting to do her grade 1 exam after him who was in floods of tears. To begin with I thought it was just nerves but then she said she didn't really know one of the pieces. Her mother was saying that she had sent her in for practice with a timer and what was she doing in there? The girl went into the practice room and it was apparent that she really didn't know one piece at all and one of the others was very unpractised. I suspect she is going to learn a valuable lesson about practising. It must be hard though for those children whose parents do not really have any musical ability – at least I can go in and sit with DS and badger cajole him into practising and point out what he needs to work on. I can help him with the sight reading. But if you are not used to reading music you are reliant on your child putting in the hard work across all the pieces/scales. I also work full time and so often I send him off to practice on his own but the past 2 weeks I have sat with him and it has really made such a difference. He has enjoyed it more as well (most of the time). The problem we have is finding time to do it – he doesn't get home until after 6pm from the childminders and then wants a snack. I really need him to practice before DS3 goes to bed or it disturbs him. So there is a very small window of opportunity.

I think I said on the last thread that I would really like to pick up the piano again. It is just down to time. We are moving next month so I may try and find a piano teacher in our new town, and also a violin teacher for DS2 as it looks as though he won't be able to do it in his new school. It also means we need to get him a violin…

Trumpetboysmum - well done to trumpet boy!!

Waffle - glad goo had a good day at secondary. It sounds very positive. It's all change this week for lots of children, visiting new schools and teachers. I'm sure the school journey will be fine once you are all used to it, although I know I am dreading it when we get there.

Greenleave – DS2 is also doing the 11+ in September. I've been feeling very sorry for him really. I will be very pleased when we get through that and get back to fun evenings which don't involve him doing tutor work. I have also entered him for a music place at another semi-selective school but the theory exam is the same day as the prep test for the 11+ so I'm not sure how that's going to work really.

LooseAtTheSeams · 04/07/2017 18:54

So glad Goo had a great day - I think at this stage they really do want to move on. Can't believe Y7 is almost over for DS2, it has gone so quickly!
Trumpetboy is simply amazing! StarCakeSmile

drummersmum · 04/07/2017 19:10

trumpetboy fabulous!
goo is so ready Smile

stringchild · 04/07/2017 19:34

Well done Trumpetboy!

Glad Goo had a great day - dd's yearcdef ready to move; they have gone from model citizens to detention-laden in matter of a few months! Head is beside himself.

Kutik73 · 04/07/2017 20:17

Trumpetboy StarStarStar

DS had a whole concerto recorded this morning. It was not the most organised arrangement. DS hadn't practised much last few days as we had a mad week/weekend (if you spotted a boy in footy kit at NCO's rehearsal it was my DS - he had to play a match straight after the rehearsal which involved miles of driving). But we thought there would still be a good few days ahead so all looked fine, until yesterday when we were informed that the date was moved forward to, today...

DS has a swimming lesson every Tuesday morning (and evening!), and the recording was set straight after the swimming. So DS rushed back from the local swimming pool, his hear was still wet, and had to play all the three movements at one go with the pianist he had never played together before. On top, it was taken place right next to the hall where Year 6 was rehearsing their end of term play so everybody in the hall could hear DS playing...

The result was FABULOUS. The pressure and nerves kind of sharpen his sense and he could give in 100% and no re-take was needed. The teacher was so happy that he hugged DS as soon as it's all over.

This is so typical of him. It's the same with exams, auditions and so on. He is so sloppy at home, and his practice always seems to be lacked with detailed work, and every time 'X-day' gets closer I would start wondering if he was up to the challenge. Then, he does it so well on the day. It was a happy-ending, but I wish I wouldn't need to go through this 'wondering feeling' every time he is up to something.

Perhaps boys are all bit like that (well, except minidrummers)? I think girls in general like to do well so they may show more diligence even in a relaxing setting (at home for instance), whereas boys are, more optimistic (or, immature)? Or am I idolising girls as I don't have one?! Grin

The music DS played today was one of his old repertoires. So he knew it inside out already - that helped a lot for today's success considering the lack of preparation.

troutsprout · 04/07/2017 20:28

Glad she had a good day waffle
Well done Trumpetboy .. great result!

drummersmum · 04/07/2017 20:29

Good for him kutik. He's pretty amazing. Sounds like a crazy schedule... Yes DS is day-to-day diligent but remember D-day is what wins wars!

AlexandraLeaving · 04/07/2017 20:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Doubleup · 04/07/2017 20:35

Excellent result for Trumpetboy!

Glad that Goo had a good day too.

Trumpetboysmum · 04/07/2017 20:40

Well done minikutik !! Sometimes a bit of pressure certainly helps to focus the mind ( ds is a bit like this too very unnerving fir me at times though!!)

Icouldbeknitting · 04/07/2017 20:40

Congratulations Trumpetboy for the G7, waffle for surviving the transition day and Kutik for the surprise performance.

Hello Louey. My husband went back to piano after leaving school with a G2 pass some thirty years earlier. He really enjoys it, except for the exam where he made a page turn and dumped all the music onto the floor. That was not a good day.

Mistigri · 04/07/2017 20:58

Well done trumpetboy and mini kutik.

Perhaps boys are all bit like that (well, except minidrummers)? I think girls in general like to do well so they may show more diligence even in a relaxing setting (at home for instance), whereas boys are, more optimistic (or, immature)? Or am I idolising girls as I don't have one?!

My two are the opposite, my DD can be a bit "it'll be all right on the night" (unless stakes are high and she's not confident) whereas DS is more diligent. It's not a maturity thing as DD is mature in other respects, her brother much less so - it's a basic personality thing. And to give her credit, she always prepares enough - just not as much as I would like.

Louey I am hoping to restart piano in September about 40 years after my last piano exam ;) Waiting to hear if I have a place.

Kutik73 · 04/07/2017 21:12

she always prepares enough - just not as much as I would like
Yes, this is my DS exactly. He does prepare enough to be 'acceptable', but doesn't push himself any further. Although he can be utterly hard working when he gets inspired by something/someone - this 'hard-working period' comes in like an unexpected wave so not sure when it'll be next time...

D-day is what wins wars
I need to engrave this line somewhere where DS can see everyday...

Fleurdelise · 04/07/2017 21:32

Glad all went well at secondary school Waffle and Goo found some friends already.

Trumpet fantastic result, well done! Star

Louey good to hear the exam went well, on the musical parents front I can say I cannot play a thing but I am sitting in dd's piano lessons which enabled me to keep up with the knowledge, I can read music and I know what is required of her in terms of practice so I can support at home. She's not Suzuki trained but her teacher always appreciated my input and support.

Kutik wow, recording a concerto for miniKutik that must have been impressive, well done to him.

Dd had her wind band concert today and they sounded amazing, I was so impressed and I am more excited now about moving dd to the music service lessons as her teacher will be the Band organiser and her first study is clarinet. I obviously have a video of them playing Mission Impossible but I won't share as it has all the band playing and it wouldn't be fair on the other kids but I kept playing the video quite a few times and felt very proud. Grin

Mistigri · 04/07/2017 21:40

kutik that's DD exactly. She taught herself to play guitar by playing 8 hours a day (not kidding) for most of our February holidays one year... Similar with piano, she went from zero to pop songs in difficult keys and one of those Einaudi pieces that teenagers like, in a couple of weeks, basically by playing for hours non stop. It never lasts, but with piano she has kept working enough to improve. It sometimes seems like she isn't doing enough to improve, but I have a video of the Einaudi from a couple of years ago, a Chopin nocturne from last summer and the Schubert impromptu and Debussy from this year, and the progress is very obvious when you play them side by side.

Minimusiciansmama · 04/07/2017 22:09

Well done trumpet great result xx

disorganisedmummy · 04/07/2017 22:15

Evening all-Trumpetboy what an amazing result. Awesome!!

kutik- recording a concerto sounds hugely exciting. How did that come about if you don't mind me asking?

Mini disorganised has been offered a place at the Centre for Young Musicians which is in partnership with Guildhall. It's a Saturday music school. They have a centre in London and one in Essex which is where we live. This is where he will go. We're very pleased as this is a really good bridge between the music school he's at now and Guildhall. He's feeling very sad to leave his current music school but his violin teacher says he needs to move on.

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