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Extra-curricular activities

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

Original poster

September Music Thread

665 replies

Wafflenose · 01/09/2017 01:01

Hello, and welcome to a new thread for September. This is a lovely, calm and supportive corner of Mumsnet where we can talk about everything to do with music lessons, exams, practice, auditions, and whatever else you like. Contributors of ALL standards and ages welcome. There are lots of experienced music parents on here, but we also have a steady stream of beginners, and the collective knowledge on here is impressive.

I'm Waffle, teacher of woodwind - mainly clarinet and recorder these days. My DH plays the guitar for fun. We have two DDs - sensitive, highly strung and accident-prone Goo (11) who plays the flute and piano, and starts secondary school next week, and laid back, funny Rara (9) who plays the cello and clarinet, and is also a reading machine.

There's not too much going on for us musically this term, apart from auditioning for NCO in October. My main priority will be getting Goo settled in a much bigger school, with a longer day, and she's getting there under her own steam, eek! Luckily for us, we don't have any music exams or secondary school entrance stuff going on, but I know that lots of you do. I am anticipating Grade 8 Flute and Grade 3 Clarinet next term, and Grade 5 Piano in the summer term. I've no idea if Rara will do any more cello exams after the drama of the last one! At the moment, she says she's sticking to the odd numbers. Nutcase.

OP posts:
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Original poster
Wafflenose · 12/09/2017 23:10

Bother! I would love that, but I am busy too. I'll be up at 6.30, working from 8.20 until 4.00, then I have to take Rara to the dentist and go to a meeting!

OP posts:
TheSecondOfHerName · 12/09/2017 23:10

DS2 has been invited to join a clarinet ensemble at school (the school partnered with the one miniFleur is aiming for). His first rehearsal was today and he felt it went well. A couple of the other players were also pre-grade 8 so DS2 wasn't too far out of his depth.

The director (who is also the head of music) offered him copies of next week's music to take home to practise. DS2 (who has ASD) replied "No thanks, I'm too busy. I'll just sight-read it." 😲

This to the teacher who will be making the decision about if/when DS2 will be invited to join the main school orchestra. I won't be holding my breath...

se22mother · 12/09/2017 23:13

Waffle she plays beautifully Smile. Very cute too.

Fleurdelise · 12/09/2017 23:19

That's so funny TheSecond! Grin

School relating what annoys me is that I know at my DS's school the highest level when dd will join would probably be grade 3 so it won't be very challenging for DD. On the other hand dd could become "famous" and they may make more use of an advanced kid, make sure she's in the main orchestra and so on which would help dd's confidence.

All in all it should be fine either way, I just don't think the selection process is right but I do get it why, state schools, not allowed to disadvantage on music ability (but they are allowed to disatvantage based on academic ability, mind blowing) and need to select on music aptitude. Which after months of listening to pure noise I doubt that it shows much aptitude but I may be wrong (and bitter hahaha). Smile

LooseAtTheSeams · 13/09/2017 08:37

Fleur that test sounds very confusing! I hope MiniFleur wasn't too rattled and I'm sure she did well!
Sounds like Goo has settled in brilliantly and I think Rara is adorable - that was a lovely video.
School ensembles don't seem to have started yet and the poor cello teacher is trying to fit lessons in around the fortnightly timetable. But piano and theory start on Friday and DS2 has his second guitar lesson today!
DS1 has seen sense and joined with the grade 8 drummer at school for the GCSE performance piece - and they seem to be agreeing on what to play!
Misti Huge workload for your dd, but she seems to thrive on it.

foundoutyet · 13/09/2017 09:56

I think I can beat the "learn the recorder in school". Imaggen d=dd and my surprise when seeing a group of children playing (at an end of year concert) the recorder, just using fingers from one hand....the right hand.

Kutik73 · 13/09/2017 10:15

We finally got a timetable of this academic year at JD. A mum whose son started JD at the same age as my DS told me her son was so exhausted and took two terms to get used to it. So We requested to keep DS's day at JD as compact as possible. We even dropped piano (so DS carries on his piano study with his current teacher during weekdays) to keep his Saturday short. They normally prioritise children who live far away for late start and early finish slots. We are a local resident (one easy bus ride) so I didn't really expect much but they did seem to have taken his young age into account - his day really is very compact! DS used to go to Saturday School which was only half day but because of the travelling time (Sat School needed nearly an hour journey one way), the difference of the time commitment for the whole thing is not huge. So it doesn't look so overwhelming - great.

However, there is not much break between. In fact, zero for the first 4 hours. He has to move from a room to another. How is it possible? How about when he is called by Mother Nature...?

Well, we'll find out....

Kutik73 · 13/09/2017 10:21

Fleur - I feel your pain. We are considering to apply for a couple of music places at state school. But what I heard from other moms who experienced the process only keeps my hope very low.... I don't think children with no potential (though not sure if such children exist) will go through the aptitude test, but I don't think most able or talented (no matter if the child has some experience or not) are not guaranteed a place. As long as you have reasonable sense of basic stuff, anyone has a chance to get through...

drummersmum · 13/09/2017 10:32

We also got the timetable for jd and there is no break whatsoever the whole day from 9 to 5 except for lunch. We expected this so it's fine. Mother nature will have to push in! However I hope he can do some homework when orchestra sectionals with the strings etc leave the percussionists stranded...Grin
Great start for goo and not surprising. And well done to minifleur.
Haven't checked videos yet.

Kutik73 · 13/09/2017 10:45

The same here - lunch break only and zero break before and after. His lunch break is 45 mins but it is now in a danger of shortening as the violin teacher said his 1-1 lesson has to be longer and is now in negotiation... At least I am glad his 1-1 lesson is not straight after lunch break. He won't function well with full stomach!

drummersmum · 13/09/2017 11:18

Ha ha kutik DS doesn't function well with an empty stomach! So he will have to swallow a mid-morning flapjack as he runs from onw room to another.

Kutik73 · 13/09/2017 11:47

drummer, I suppose a variety of mini snack is must for DS. He won't function neither full nor empty! Grin

By the way, DS is so tired everyday after school. Expectation is much higher in Year 6, and children have to work lots harder in the classroom. The class teacher is much more strict and they get daily homework now. It's quite a jump from very little homework up to Year 5... His football commitment eases down this term but he is still tired. He may have to stop all the after-school activities once he moves to secondary as he will be even more tired and needs space and time to find his own foot in the new environment. I think starting JD now rather than Y7 was a good move for us.

Minimusiciansmama · 13/09/2017 12:12

We still don't have DDs timetable and it's driving me a bit bonkers. She wants to know who's teaching her piano, we know her clarinet teachers name but not piano. I have to fit work around it so really could do to know!

waffle treble is a possibility, I have one at home. I need her to just put up a terrible first lesson then I can email the music teacher (who knows Katie's music abilities). They all have to do recorder from now til the end of y6 so it needs addressing!

Minimusiciansmama · 13/09/2017 12:12

*put up with!

stringchild · 13/09/2017 13:08

Kutik/Drummers - we had that sort of timetable last year and the coming one. We took lots of quick snacks meals in - JD kids seem to eat a lot on sat; they usually eat their first lunch at 8.30 before they start atnours. So be prepared is my best advice. Running around is part of the deal but we had to pretty much give up any sat night social life last year as we were all getting home well after 6pm completley shattered - tv and takeaway night becomes essential!!

drummersmum · 13/09/2017 13:09

Waffle lovely playing by Rara, very soulful for her young age and nice sound.
mini I was under the impression that you had added a video? I can't see it. Sorry if I'm wrong.

drummersmum · 13/09/2017 13:11

Thanks for the advice string!! Much appreciated. DS says he will do homework Saturday evening when he gets home Confused

Trumpetboysmum · 13/09/2017 16:20

Drummers I think ds will be going his homework on Sunday once he gets back from his AYM weekend !! He's currently doing a quick bit before jazz band and will need to do some when he gets back too but he hasn't grumbled - so far ...

TheSecondOfHerName · 13/09/2017 17:07

DS2 has been invited on a concert tour to Germany next summer. I might be slightly more excited about this than he is.

stringchild · 13/09/2017 17:34

Dd ha anew. Invited to one in Belgium next summer....ditto re excitement.....Confused

drummersmum · 13/09/2017 17:42

Ah string DS has been invited to one in Belgium as well! They may cross paths...

Icouldbeknitting · 13/09/2017 19:07

DS went on a tour to Holland this summer. It isn't a group that he plays with but their conductor also conducts the group DS does play with and he was asked to fill out the section. What that actually meant was all of the section going on the tour with their one trombone player. I was worried that he wouldn't know anyone and that was so far from reality that it was silly.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 13/09/2017 19:27

My kids have never been abroad. Goo should be able to go with her school at the end of year 8 though. No music trip this year, due to the production with age restrictions... no year 7s allowed!

OP posts:
Minimusiciansmama · 13/09/2017 22:06

We had a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to Australia when she was nearly 4 but haven't been abroad since. All our money goes on her expensive lifestyle - even "holidays" revolve around workshops/performances/shows.

First recorder lesson was better than expected- her teacher had her help her friends master B for this lesson, which she enjoyed, and after the lesson the teacher said she's going to bring some "proper music" for her to play for next lesson ("Mummy it was soooo squeaky and noisy all lesson....")

Greenleave · 13/09/2017 22:10

Wonderful new videos of Goo and Rara, thanks so much for posting.

And I really sympathy Drummers, String and Kutik Saturday music schedule and envy with anyone abroad music trip!

And loved to read Misti updates!

Fleur: fingers crossed for the best results to miniFleur, I always wish mine had a passion for music like her.

We started getting back to our usual routine too, 30 mins piano then small break then violin for 30 mins