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Extra-curricular activities

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

Original poster

NCO 2018

991 replies

stringchild · 23/08/2017 19:07

The new annual thread for those interested and/or auditioning! Ask questions, update your news - lots of nco parents on board and those hoping to be :)

OP posts:
SunsetBoulevard · 12/12/2017 09:23

Sorry to hear your DS didn't get in either Chocolate. To get to the point of NCO audition in just 2 years is an amazing achievement. DS sight reading is definitely one of his weak areas and we have worked on his by just picking a line from a piece DS hasn't seen previously during practice and having a go at it. I've found the 8notes website really useful as you can find loads of music on there for all instruments and skill levels and print out the music completely free (it's all pieces that are out of copyright). You can also play back, I think 3 pieces a day for free, so once you've had a go at the sight reading you can listen back to it to have a listen and see how accurate you were.

Eroica · 12/12/2017 09:26

Not sight reading, I'm afraid, but my two have AS, and we have found that being seated for the aural tests is the only way they can concentrate well enough (DD was spending so much effort on standing still she couldn't recall the questions!).
They both get really high marks on the questions in grade exams (usually full marks on those sections) so it's definitely something to consider next time an exam comes round (you write the request on the sheet that you put the pieces on).

TaggieOHara · 12/12/2017 09:32

Sorry to hear about those who didn't get in. You must be proud though for the good feedback; how far they have come; and how maturely they have taken the news.

Still waiting here... now pessimistic. DS2, having previously said the sight reading was 'easy' - yesterday, added on the news, 'apart from the bit where I played crochets instead of quavers'

If there is any pattern, it might be in order of audition? Obviously not instrument/orchestra.

Original poster
stringchild · 12/12/2017 09:34

Has anyone heard of any ‘yes’ results yet? Seem to be all no’s do far

OP posts:
Minimusiciansmama · 12/12/2017 09:39

string I have heard of no's from a few places now but nothing else.

double I don't think it's littlies first, my 7yr old hasn't heard xx

WindMum · 12/12/2017 09:44

I've only heard of those unsuccessful and for U12s too so not just the younger ones.

GI76 · 12/12/2017 09:47

Chocolate he has done very well to get to this point with just 2 years playing! For sight-reading being part of a band or weekly area orchestra has helped my DS a lot. My brother-in-law is a musician and he has dyslexia. I know reading in general (incl. sight-reading) was a struggle for him when he was young and not much know about it. But he says that having different colours also helped him.

SunsetBoulevard · 12/12/2017 09:55

Don't know about patterns but DS is close to beginning of alphabet but one of the later audition dates.

snowbellina · 12/12/2017 10:09

I know of siblings who auditioned on the same date for different orchestras.
They have had a 'no' for the dd (training orchestra on violin) and not heard for the older dd (under11 on violin) yet. We're waiting still too.

TaggieOHara · 12/12/2017 10:38

Snowbellina - the scientist in me likes that example, as it simultaneously controls for born surname (presumably) and audition date.

Still snowed in here with too much time for checking mumsnet/email...

Wafflenose · 12/12/2017 10:39

They said there was no pattern. It won't be all no's released first, or all younger ones or anything else. As someone said to me the other day, you really would try to be as random as possible, to avoid people drawing the wrong conclusions just because they might be last to hear.

Nigglenotes · 12/12/2017 10:43

Surely we should have our first yes sometime today?

TaggieOHara · 12/12/2017 10:46

Thanks waffle - I'm sure that's right. Just human nature to look for patterns, I suppose.

Wafflenose · 12/12/2017 10:48

If I were them, I would completely randomise the whole set of names. I bet they do.

Eroica · 12/12/2017 10:53

If I were them... I'd just send them all out at the same time! Grin

Wafflenose · 12/12/2017 10:54

I think they will work towards that. Must be an organisational nightmare to get to that point though.

Original poster
stringchild · 12/12/2017 10:56

whatever way they are doing it, would be nice to hear some yes's :)

OP posts:
Radiodependent · 12/12/2017 11:06

Nothing here and ds is both youngish and near end of the alphabet. The silver lining of doing the audition was that he used the same piece for a festival and got a silver with it. He has also only been playing for just over two years so was really auditioning for experience.

TaggieOHara · 12/12/2017 11:06

There are solutions (DH does a lot of this type of thing). I wouldn't do it by email. Better to have each user register, and make a private login space for them on the web server - like the 'parent portal' at DS1's school, which contains all his reports, detentions etc. Might be expensive though!

CrazyMamaOf2 · 12/12/2017 11:19

tick tock refresh....

Wafflenose · 12/12/2017 11:19

Radio my younger DD had been learning for 13 months at the time of her audition, and hasn't had any proper lessons yet. Just sort-of supervised practice with me. She should have done well, but messed up. So that is probably the end of that. I think she's forgotten all about it.

Radiodependent · 12/12/2017 11:22

Yes I think if they haven’t done it before they are not too worried about the results!

Wafflenose · 12/12/2017 11:24

I am not looking forward to dealing with the fallout in our family though - we are waiting for THREE results, of which at least one HAS to be a no, due to there only being two children.

Radiodependent · 12/12/2017 11:40

We will look at either the local summer course ds did for the last theee years or possibly Fantasia Music School if it’s a no (which is what I am expecting having heard most of audition).

Floottoot · 12/12/2017 11:58

If it helps, our surname is early in the alphabet and DS auditioned at the end of the dates, for the U12s.
It was a relief to wake up and not have to stress about checking emails this morning, even if the news yesterday was disappointing.