Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
drummersmum · 05/07/2017 18:12

Masterclass with Maxim Vengerov live starting now

I can't watch because of work but enjoy!
Fleurdelise · 05/07/2017 19:06

string well done to ministring! Star

Nigglenotes · 05/07/2017 19:11

Hello, I would like to join your lovely group. I have a DD violinist who is 9 and did her grade 4 exam on Tuesday.

DD is going to NSSO summer school for a week on Sunday, her first trip away from home and her first orchestra. Very exciting. Have just bought her first concert outfit - the normal black skirt and shirt (didn't know that!).

She cried before the exam, because she was worried about the aural and her teacher was asking a few example questions, but ate a few chocolate mini eggs, and felt better. In the exam I think she may have not spoken very much or expanded on the musical character question, but she has a diagnosed stammer, which has been quite severe this week and she doesn't like talking in front of new people because she finds it embarrassing. I think her teacher asked the examiner to give her more time to answer as it can take a while to get the words out, and I am sure this happened, but it was probably as brief as a few words.

I am hoping the NSSO is a wonderful experience for her and wonder if anyone else has had any experience of this. She will be in the youngest 9 to 13 orchestra.

stringchild · 05/07/2017 19:41

Hi Nigglenotes - dd did young NSSO at 8 (!) and it was a wonderful experience socially and musically; it is small enough that they can take real care of them, which means the wide age range is less important. They did some lovely days out too. Musically - the music is def challenging, but they are really supported to try out new techniques etc. The concert at the end was amazing and we still have the cd. I hope she enjoys it - we would do it again but it clashes with other things now, but i can well imagine dd will return at some point.

Nigglenotes · 05/07/2017 20:18

Thank you Stringchild. I'm glad it won't be overwhelming and is small enough for the younger children. DD is Y4 in a very small village primary and is not terribly confident socially because of her speaking. Confident enough at school, but then she has known everyone since nursery.

We have a new more senior speech and language therapist, but have only just started with her and she said with more time DD would have been able to take some strategies to help.

Musically, she is working on grade 5 now and should sit g5 theory in November - we have the date stuck to a wall. Playing with others will be a steep learning curve though, as only ever played with an accompanist. I can imagine she might sit waiting for everyone else to start first and miss the opening notes!

woolleybear · 06/07/2017 06:18

Well done string! Amazing achievement.

Trumpet, AYM sounds amazing. We have had to give up the idea of dd ever doing a Saturday music school due to her dad not supporting it, so I may look for something similar if it exists elsewhere!

Trumpetboysmum · 06/07/2017 06:36

I guess it probably depends where you are in the country Wolley I know that children travel from all over east anglia and from London to attend AYM as its focus on composition is different to the jds. It's worth looking at a list of the places that are included under the CATS scheme and then looking each one up as they are all slightly differently

AlexandraLeaving · 06/07/2017 07:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

troutsprout · 06/07/2017 08:22

Congratulations ministring.. that's a great achievement
Welcome Niggle- your girl sounds fab
Have caught up with stunning vids on the channel. Amazing talent!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 06/07/2017 09:09

Thanks, Alexandra!

Welcome Niggle.

Goo had an amazing two days at secondary, made a new friend, and didn't want to go back to primary for the last 2.5 weeks. Oh well! We've had massive drama this morning, and I was feeling wrung out by 8.30. She has been asked to play one of her Grade 8 pieces at her primary school leavers' service and has agreed, but got in a real state this morning. She was meant to be rehearsing with an accompanist who's going to be in anyway, but was panicking because she hasn't practised the piece for a couple of weeks. So we had a run through before school (I would rather watch her in the leavers' service than embarrass myself by playing the piano very badly, but will do that if it's the only way to get her up there). There are 3 bars she needs to work on, but in her mind, it's appalling, she can't play the piece, and nobody is allowed to hear her. She's refused to take her flute to school, and I've had to go and explain to the head of music and the accompanist that she is very tired, very emotional, cripplingly perfectionistic and going through a bit of an odd phase. I really did try, but she wasn't having any of it. Sad I might well get a phone call if someone manages to talk some sense into her!

OP posts:
Doubleup · 06/07/2017 09:22

Well done miniString! Great result Star

Waffle a to be honest, I'm surprised that I haven't had that reaction from DD2. She has to play one of her Grade 7 pieces in the school concert tonight, but getting her to do any kind of run through this week has been very difficult. Her tricky bars have become tricky again even though it is only a week since her exam. I think she's had enough of the piece and her heart isn't in it. Hopefully she'll rise to the occasion this evening, but she has to wait until the second last item. Hoping she doesn't get the wobbles before then.

drummersmum · 06/07/2017 11:36

Oh Alexandra that's some serious clarinet playing and he gave that Summertime so much soul. Thanks!!!
Who's the golden hair "mini" dueting with teacher at piano? Sorry, I get lost... she's so sweet.

hapsburg · 06/07/2017 12:24

End of term concert here as well this week - I have lost count of the number of things DD is playing. I have the opposite problem with her though waffle - 'yes, yes it's all fine - no I don't need to play that bit a few times - yes it was all fine with the accompanist....muuuum...stop going onnnn...' Hmm I will just have to leave her to it I suppose!

Trumpetboysmum · 06/07/2017 14:47

I don't think ds will agree to play his grade 7 pieces for a while either ( though he may need to dust 1 off for his nco audition it depends how his new stuff shapes up over the summer. I do think they get sick of them . I feel for you waffle ( and for Goo as ds can be very similar not about performing but about exams - apparently performing is ok as you get applause anyway !! )

Minimusiciansmama · 06/07/2017 15:54

My wee girl (7) just won "woodwind 11and under" at festival with her first G5 piece. She was gorgeous. And I'm a bit extra proud because for the first time ever I accompanied her- and wasn't totally terrible Wink

Trumpetboysmum · 06/07/2017 16:02

Great news mini ( and well done you !!) Smile

Doubleup · 06/07/2017 16:23

Well done Minimusician and her mama*!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 06/07/2017 16:57

Aww, well done MiniMini! What piece did she play? She is stunning!

OP posts:
Minimusiciansmama · 06/07/2017 16:59

waffle she played Puppet Theatre from the Trinity list A.

stringchild · 06/07/2017 17:01

Well done MiniMini - yes which piece? Is she In the nco - if not she should audition 😀

Original poster
Wafflenose · 06/07/2017 17:09

I think she will be principal next year, actually!

OP posts:
Minimusiciansmama · 06/07/2017 17:53

string she's auditioning in autumn but waffle I'll be thrilled if she gets regionals never mind u10s!

Nigglenotes · 06/07/2017 18:53

Trumpetboysmum, I think we may be in the same part of the country. AYM would be our closest music centre, but we are not the same standard! Somewhere like AYM would be somewhere to aim for in the future though, if DD wants to.

All these end of term concerts sound fab - are they mostly at private schools? Our school has done no music concerts all year. When the nice director from NSSO came to audition DD they had to do it in a storeroom without accompanist, as the piano sits in the hall under a cover all year. Haven't ever seen it used.

String, I have read some of the previous posts and grade 8 is amazing by the end of primary school.

I've been looking for tips about how to be a good musical mother, and sometimes in this thread there is a thank you from someone about a recommendation months back.. so I'm thinking I will have to trawl back for this nugget, but with an internet connection in a village superfast broadband forgot.

Minimusiciansmama · 06/07/2017 19:15

nigglenotes that's such a shame. my DD is at a state school but they put a big emphasis on music. They have 100 kids in the school orchestra, every child from y3 up learns the recorder and they have three choirs. They do a summer concert with the orchestra & small ensembles, then the choirs and recorder groups then at Christmas they do a big orchestral concert with lots of solos and mini ensembles, plus a big choir and recorder concert in the big parish church. It also means that they're very supportive of DD when she needs time off for festivals, exams, band days etc.
I am not sure I am a good person to offer musicmama advice; we are very early on in our adventures and I still feel I'm flying by the seat of my pants a lot of the time!

drummersmum · 06/07/2017 19:42

Who said go-karting was safe? Huge blister across palm from steering wheel friction, open and oozing. He can't stretch hand, bandaged right now. Grade 8 piano this weekend Confused

Swipe left for the next trending thread