November Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

New month, new thread! This is a place for musicians and parents of musicians, from complete beginners to experienced and everything in between, to talk about everything to do with music! Previous threads have covered exams, practice, scales, instrument hire and purchase, theory, composition, aural woes, auditions, scholarship preparation and much more.

I started these threads when my 12 year old daughter Goo was 6 and preparing for Grade 1. I never thought we'd still be going, 6 years later! I appreciated all the advice I was given back then, and try to repay that when I can.

Goo plays the flute and piano (she has been learning the piano for 18 months but has yet to perform - ever) and has no exams lined up at the moment. I also have Rara who is 9, and working towards her third Grade 3, on the clarinet. The other two were on the cello and recorder. She's more interested in art and reading, and currently swims five times a week.

I am a teacher of woodwind, and Wednesday is my day from you-know-where... full-on from 6.30 am until 10 pm, and about to get worse!!

Flying in weekly to our JD is something DH and I have discussed... Though who knows what will take DS' fancy in 10 ish years. It may well not be music. At the moment he is so, so happy when playing with instruments, or singing (he can sing very simple tunes correctly, and sings played notes back at the right pitch; one of his favourites is singing along with the dishwasher )

For dd JD is def about her friends there, the atmosphere, and the ensembles/orchestras - she has great school ones and of course at the moment NCO, but she def gets a huge amount from watching/playing with the very advanced kids on their way to Conservatoire’s etc. Dd has 9 hours on site this year and doesn’t have her main instrument lesson! So Waffle I am not sure at all we would do 3hr commute on top. I think we would wipe out sundays with fatigue! However lots do. If we didn’t do JD we would prob do county orchestra etc- we don’t do any how’butbi think that with the CAT schemes are comparable to JD without the intensity every sat.

I saw that documentary and had a similar reaction drummers! I think we can just about manage DS2's hour at the local music hub on a Saturday! Next week is concerts, then break for Christmas.
DS1 is off to an art session at school now. Mocks next week. He seems to have some kind of gig coming up next month but not sure when. (Aargh! Good job he is not planning to do this for a living - seems to be fascinated with psychology at the moment.)

Hello everyone, I have been lurking on this thread for a while so thought I would say hello.

My DCs are very much at the beginning of their musical journeys compared with most of you all here. They have been learning the piano for about 18 months. DD (aged 10) has just passed Grade 1 piano with distinction and has also just sat Grade 1 theory (awaiting results). DS (aged 8) has just sat the prep test and will be doing Grade 1 piano and theory in the next ABRSM session. I teach them both myself at the moment although there is a limit to how far I can take them. We are waiting to see if they want to continue and if they do then will look into 'proper' lessons for them.

DD is keen to learn the cello. We have been on the waiting list for a while for lessons through our county youth music trust but I have just tried to contact another provider at a Saturday school held locally to see if we could get her a place there more quickly.

We live in London and I see that the music colleges coordinate private lessons through their students but I think I would rather see if she could have lessons at a Saturday music school which would lead to ensemble playing.

I followed the discussion on the thread with interest about A-Level and university choices.

I studied music at university as an undergraduate as part of a joint degree with a language. But my postgrad studies took me down a very different path so I don't have much to do with music these days. But I am enjoying teaching my children and things are gradually coming back to me!

Japanese hello! I’m very impressed that you’re teaching your own children and it sounds like they’re doing really well. Totally recommend cello as DS2 loves it - the one drawback is that the cute mini cellos become full sized one day and still have to be lugged around. Worth it, though!
DS2 is only on the grade 2 theory book at the moment but he’s going to tackle each topic through the grade books so I have hopes of grade 5 theory being done and dusted in a year’s time!

Hello Japanese - nice to find another parent teaching their children. I teach my DS2 the violin. Beware though! It started as a stopgap until I could find him a 'proper' teacher and three years on I'm still at it. So far, we are both enjoying the experience.... and it sounds like your DC are doing really well.

Hi Japanese welcome 😀 I'm always impressed if people manage to teach their own dcs I try and ' help' from time to time but that always ends in arguments!!
Loose I wish ds would get on with his theory it's so stop start but I've told him he either needs to do it in the summer or next autumn there's really no reason other than his excuses for not getting on with it

japanese DH started teaching DS piano in lack of a teacher and ended up taking him all the way to g5. So you never know!
alexandra ow you must feel sad.I sympathize. Will watch asap

Japanese, hajimemashite.
Alexandra, just watched the clip. Wow! You must be very proud!! Thank you for sharing!

Alexandra - how exciting! How did you get involved in that?

We are all knackered here. Loads of choir for DS2 (and associated sitting in the car for me). They have five public concerts, along with several extra services and college stuff over the next three weeks. This is on top of the usual five weekly evensongs...

Instrumental practice is going to take a back seat for the moment, I think! He normally practises in the morning, but obviously can't if he is back at 11pm or later (and has to get to school)

Are there any other chorister families here? How do you manage at this time of year?

Hey, Alexandra, that is great! How come everyone else seems to be falling over famous soloists, bumping into them here and there (Green dined with one), and getting involved in memorable moments, televised or not? Not a lot of glamour in for us in East Anglia, sadly!

Regarding JD v self service - I think the latter can work if you are choosy, and know what you are looking for. Although obviously it helps if the 100 mile radius works for availability. DD is only just 10, and I would also fail the 4am test of dedication to get her to a London JD - if they even wanted her!

The exciting new music group I have booked for DD is 102 miles away, so I have booked a hotel for the night before. If it is as good as I think it will be, then will be worth it. In summer I would drive over in the morning, but I am a scaredy cat about driving in the dark.

Niggle, is that the Oasby Music Group? If so, I've recently discovered them after seeing a link posted by Nicola Benedetti' s FB page, after she'd worked with them. Looks (and sounds) wonderful and definitely worth the trio.

Trip, not trio!

Thank you for the welcomes everyone - you're all a very friendly bunch!

Kutik - I am not actually Japanese (I just had to Google what you wrote - and same to you! )

The DCs are enjoying their theory sessions with me very much at the moment but I think that's because it's still a bit of a novelty and also it's still easy enough at this stage. Not sure whether their enthusiasm will last once it gets a bit more challenging...

I have enjoyed the piano teaching so far - especially now that they can play little tunes it's not quite as painful!

Alexandra that was so cool! Lovely performance, and nice to see you! I am amused and impressed by Gary Lineker conducting!

Alex that looks like such fun! And lovely to spot you in the orchestra! Fabulous!

Japanese
Loose, I was wondering if your DS knows the meaning.
Taggie, your DS goes to school as normal after staying up until 11pm? That made me think...

DS has been fortunate to be in a programme which involves principal players from English National Ballet Philharmonic. At one workshop, DS sat next to the leading violinist Matthew Scrivener and played their repertoires together. Since then he is added to DS's list of 'the people I admire'. Apparently he has a magical hand.

As part of the programme, DS is given a chance to see their performance next month. DS is counting his fingers and is so excited about it. However, it finishes quite late, and DS has school next day.

I was thinking to ask school if DS could go to school a bit late next day. But am I being a bit too demanding? DS has a fair amount of late night for football matches. But he is usually back by 10pm at the latest. It'll be around 11pm for the performance.

Hello Japanese!

I cant immagine a JD or even weekend music school which our teacher has been telling us to try the last couple of years( Russian music school which he teaches in even though we are not Russian). We are happy as an amateur for now. Most of all I am tired and lazy and I miss her during the week. We would love to try a residential course/ music camp one day.
Alex, that was very very cool, thank you for sharing. I am having my coffee mug with me tomorrow to stay and will tell miniGreen to watch out for the Boy! I think I know him, otherwise def this term concert Alex!!!
We had a busy couple of parties the last couple of days for someone who turns 10 today so I have now collapsed in my bed and hope to have a relaxed day tomorrow.
I feel for footy parents, football till 10pm under this weather, couple of evenings a week that is alot of commitment and dedication. I am too lazy and selfish, I can do late home visit music lesson till 6.30pm, I actually try to organise everything before I get home, 6.30 is perfect ehich means I could catch the teachers just before they are leaving for any bits I need to hear. Mine needs to be in bed at 9 and passes out at 9.30, both of my girls slept in their room since young age and sleeps well(touch wood), none of them could wake up before 7.30 next day without someone physically shakes them to wake them up which means we never see them in the morning.

Taggie DS2 finished as a Chorister this year, although still does some singing.

It was Cathedral choir, no school attached and not quite as full on as yours sounds, he sang Evensong 2 evenings a week plus two services on Sundays. But he made up for that with other groups and ensembles. December is just mad, and Lent not a lot better. We very rarely had a free evening in December, or weekend day, I got organised in advance, cut out unnecessary stuff, which included a lot of practice! Midday on Christmas Day was a relief. I'll miss it this year though.

Green, no one would agree you are lazy. You work so hard outside, yet once you are home, you do your best to keep up with your DDs school/activities stuff, and on top cook lovely meals to feed your family and friends! You are a super-human. Happy birthday to mini.

But I have to say football is a pain... And DS is a kind of child who needs a long hours of sleep too. Normally we switch off at 9pm. Therefore I am concerned about this late night performance. Parents are not allowed to go, so I can't be there for him when he feels tired and sleepy. I hope he won't fell in sleep, and end up resting his head on a stranger's knees...

I have a couple of friends whose DSs are at a choir school. They told me Boxing Day became their new Christmas Day (family day) as their DSs are busy on Christmas Day so are allowed to spend time with family on Boxing Day instead. Some people seem to be shocked by that. But my friends seem to have no problem with the new family tradition. They are all very proud of their DCs.

Thanks All - DS2 could go in to school slightly later after evening concerts but it doesn't work for us as DS1 needs to be at school on time! I think we just need to accept that December for the next four years is choir month! Some of the other choristers have high grade music exams in the next couple of weeks. I really don't know how they do it (bet they all get distinctions too )