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Extra-curricular activities

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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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Schwanengesang · 28/09/2017 23:25

Thanks Waffle - he's starting on the sop as his grandparents saw me playing descant to DS, decided to give a recorder to grandson, went and bought one the "right" size for him, not realizing it was in f...

I'll chat to them about whether a descant would make more sense, as his birthday isn't for a couple of weeks so there's time to exchange it.

The treble/sop beginner teaching material would be very very welcome here though! I'll PM you.

LooseAtTheSeams · 29/09/2017 09:50

It's been a quieter music week in this house compared to normal. DS1 should be ok for jazz band rehearsal on Sunday - the young lady organising it has also been ill but she's got everything sorted!
DS2 is reasonably on top of practice and his guitar teacher told him not to bother with exams until grade 3. I told him he doesn't have to take any exams in his fun instrument but he appears to be quite keen, strange boy!

Kutik73 · 29/09/2017 11:48

Glad to hear that Loose's mini has been recovered well enough for the rehearsal. Mine was recovered also and this morning he had an audition for a music place at a secondary school. It's his 3rd choice. Every time we visited we had a good feeling about the school. But we also always quickly forgot the feeling therefore it's never been his first choice. But again, we quite liked the school, so very happy if he manages to get a place.

LooseAtTheSeams · 29/09/2017 12:11

Good luck to your DS Kutik! That sounds like a good position to be in - glad he's feeling better, too!

Pradaqueen · 29/09/2017 12:27

Well done minikutik!

Kutik73 · 29/09/2017 13:25

Thank you Loose and Prada!

DS has a science aptitude test, NCO audition and MAT at the school of his 2nd choice next week. We also have an open day to attend. So..., another busy week is awaiting for us...

But before then, DS is getting big treats this weekend. Jd on Saturday is a treat, especially it'll be his first day of spending all day there. And also we have a family outing at New Scientist Live on Sunday! Both are all day thing so not sure when DS can do homework (I can see a big pile on his desk...). But, I think he deserves to have fun! Grin

Kutik73 · 29/09/2017 14:44

It's so quiet here these days. I fear I may not get any response but anyway...

DS's violin teacher told me DS should avoid any top with a zipper when he plays violin because of the rattling sounds it can create. I just took the words and didn't think too much about it until, well when I realised most of tops DS owns has a zipper (hoodie, fleece and even woollen jumpers). If it's warm, he can just wear T-shirt, but for instance last week DS was wearing a fleece with a zipper because he felt a bit chilly (hence the advice from the teacher).

My question is, have you ever thought about it? Or has your teacher ever mention this to you before? How important is it? Should I go to get new winter tops for DS...? He's got a few tops without a zipper so he can survive with them for a while. But annoyingly I have ordered the JD hoodie with a zipper (it's optional and could order one without)....

hertsandessex · 29/09/2017 15:24

Not sure I would worry for lessons and practice but yes for concerts very careful about things like this (although my daughters play violin but don't think we have any tops with zips!) Shoes are another one as some shoes are very noisy on wooden floors if performing standing up and moving about a little.

catkind · 29/09/2017 15:35

Kutik, I do that, though no-one ever told me to. I worry about scratching my lovely instruments when holding them more than anything when I'm actually playing. Then I pretty much always play in a t-shirt, at most mid length top, so it just means I take off my jumper to play. So glad I'm not male, I would hate playing in a DJ!

Kutik73 · 29/09/2017 16:02

herts and cat, thank you for your thoughts/advice.

As long as I can remember, DS has never played in any top with zips for concerts simply because he usually smartens up a bit for the occasion or just wears school uniform. But the teacher meant not only for performance but daily practice as well as in her lessons. That would limit his clothing choice as I mentioned he has quite a large selection of zipped clothes! But I can accept that and save the tops with zips for other activities. And next time I do any clothes shopping, I can keep this info in my mind. But a pain is the JD hoodie. I should have chosen the one without zips... DS was going to use it as his JD uniform every Saturday. But it seems it's going to be his bedroom top!! Wish I knew before I made the order.... The person who was taking an order knew DS was a violinist but recommended to go for the one with a zip for the convenience which I agreed. He was a parent, and his child may have not been a violinist so didn't think of it. Or, may have, but I, the parent of a violinist, didn't know that so can't blame on him...

The shoes and being careful not to scratch the instrument with a zip are a good point!

Mendingfences · 29/09/2017 18:00

I dont think the subject of zips has ever come up - but to be fair dd1 usually strips down to a t shirt to play

Kutik73 · 29/09/2017 19:04

We had never been aware of this zip issue until last week when DS had his first lesson at JD - he turned up in his fleece top which had a zip on the front.. Before starting JD, DS's lessons happened at school so he was always in his school uniform and never in his own clothes.

His staple uniform for home practice is bathrobe. He is almost always wearing his bathrobe when he plays piano/violin...

LooseAtTheSeams · 29/09/2017 21:32

I love fleece tops! I like to practise in pyjamas. DS1 favours shorts and T shirt as being the most comfortable for drums.

se22mother · 29/09/2017 21:44

2 weeks before violin exam and we have a dead bow ConfusedShock. Dd spent 1@ minutes doing the same mistake (she doesn't usually make) I grabbed the bow in frustration at the wrong angle and it snapped

Greenleave · 29/09/2017 21:56

Oh dear Se22! If I could share the bad enough news then my new violin teacher just quit. I had to revise this poem for now.

September Music Thread
se22mother · 29/09/2017 21:59

Oh no green why?

Greenleave · 29/09/2017 22:04

She just moved to North London and cant travel. I wished she told us her plan earlier.

Pradaqueen · 29/09/2017 22:07

Green 😩

Minimusiciansmama · 30/09/2017 04:39

Oh ladies Shock not good news. se22 sorry you've got that to sort (and no doubt some guilt, but these things do happen, be kind to yourself). green id be the same, id prefer to know these things are a possibility. Very frustrating xxxx

se22mother · 30/09/2017 06:06

Yes mini guilt and I never want to hear B major scale again as it will always remind me. There will be a trip to the violin shop to get a new one today. That's a costly lesson. Does anyone know how long it takes to get used to a new bow?

Green so sorry to hear of the teacher moving away. Really bad luck

Mendingfences · 30/09/2017 06:54

Oh green what a hassle. And se22 what bad timing, hopefully mini can find a bow thats smilar to her old one.

Doubleup · 30/09/2017 08:31

Green good luck with finding a new teacher. You haven't had the best of times on that score.

se22 ouch! Maybe the new bow will lead to an even better sound? Good luck!

Nigglenotes · 30/09/2017 08:35

kutik, DDs teacher is very clear on no zips or tops that muffle sound. Zips can make the strings buzz in a not good way and thick materials can deaden the sound. I suppose it makes sense as the strings are all about perfect vibration.

Green! Unbelievable and very inconvenient. Poor minigreen.

drummersmum · 30/09/2017 08:49

Oh se22 and green the many obstacles on the road!
loose the drumming favourite dress code here is topless Smile
kutik you'll just have to invest on a few zipless jumpers! DS needs to wear stuff that can roll sleeves up. Other than that...oh yes, the shoes are very important for the pedalling. Have to have the right grip and plasticity.
Super busy here so on radio silence most of the time. DS just left for jd.
Good news from mending and prada Star prada it's great when your child finds the school for them.

LooseAtTheSeams · 30/09/2017 09:18

Green and Se22 I feel for you! That really is a pain about the teacher and odd they'd said nothing before.