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November Music Thread

764 replies

Wafflenose · 01/11/2017 21:58

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!!

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ealingwestmum · 26/11/2017 06:16

green; happy birthday to your mini for yesterday! alex; LOVED the commercial! And I know I need to catch up on video channel this week, but just about to spend my whole Sunday reading a book in a sweaty pool somewhere in Herts...last session warm up is 6pm; it's gonna be a looong day...

LooseAtTheSeams · 26/11/2017 08:08

Green happy birthday for yesterday to MiniGreen! Hope you have a relaxing day today!Cake
Good luck for today ealing!

Trumpetboysmum · 26/11/2017 08:23

Happy birthday ( yesterday !) mini green ! Good luck with the swimming today mini Ealing !

Japanese · 26/11/2017 08:36

You are all so busy with everything!

The DCs had their theory lesson yesterday & then we went to the Hyper Japan Christmas event.

The DCs have their piano lesson this morning & then we are off to see the Harry Potter exhibition at the British Library. Am still in bed at the moment though - need to get moving...!

raspberryrippleicecream · 26/11/2017 08:39

Happy birthday to Minigreen for yesterday.

Taggie, I think it is a bit easier when they are older. And yes, thinking about it DS2 did Grade 7 piano this time last year, and did get distinction. They get used to being busy.

In fact, now Choir doesn't take up as much time, I'm finding DS2 appears to have less time. Certainly less is getting done!

Currently though he has a proper reason not to practice trombone , he had a surgical procedure to remove a tooth from the bottom of his gum on Friday and is very swollen and sore. It involved removing a piece of bone to get it. And it's his birthday today.

Doubleup · 26/11/2017 08:57

Happy birthday to miniGreen for yesterday and to miniRaspberry today. It's DD2's birthday today too. She's currently on her way to play hockey, but seems quite happy about it. There is likely to be little bassoon practice going on today...... Smile Cake

Japanese · 26/11/2017 08:59

Happy birthday to all the birthday children this weekend! Cake Cake Cake

Trumpetboysmum · 26/11/2017 09:00

That sounds painful raspberry Shock wishing your ds a speedy recovery and a happy birthday.
Japanese busy just is ds's normal though at times I wish it wasn't!! Anyway today I get to sing with my choir for a Christmas event so that should hopefully spur me into thinking about Christmas I'm really too busy to consider it at the moment Grin

Kutik73 · 26/11/2017 11:39

Flowers to raspberry's DS2.
Happy birthday to all the Sagittarians!

Choristers are almost set to be successful in life. They learn to be time-efficient, focused and attain great organisation skills. It's like a first class life skill camp with beautiful music.

Kutik73 · 26/11/2017 11:44

By the way, have you started Christmas shopping? Have you decided what to get for your DCs? I have more ideas for girls than boys but unfortunately we only have a boy....

TaggieOHara · 26/11/2017 12:27

Thanks Rasberry and Flowers for your poor DS. Kutik I hope so! I am in awe of the year 8's balancing music exams, CE, music scholarship auditions, alongside their choir commitments. Hard to believe that my exhausted little DS will manage all that in a few years time. We'll see...

I have started thinking about Christmas shopping, but I am quite disorganised about doing it usually. DS1 and 2 seem just to want computer games, lego and sweets. Probably more in DH's expertise than mine!

Happy birthday to all the birthday children!

LooseAtTheSeams · 26/11/2017 12:47

Cake happy birthday and get well soon Miniraspberry!

I'm trying to pretend Christmas is a lot further off. No idea what to get dcs apart from usual extras such as snuggly pyjamas!
DS1 is at his Japanese lesson at the moment Kutik but I will test him when he comes back!Smile

drummersmum · 26/11/2017 12:49

So many birthdays! Happy ones to all the children.
Raspberry was the tooth impacted? I wish him a speedy recovery.
Alexandra that was a great video...Seeing hi conduct made me laugh Grin !!!!

Nigglenotes · 26/11/2017 12:56

Floot, yes, that's the group!

Happy birthday to the mini musicians!

Wafflenose · 26/11/2017 13:44

Wow, happy birthday everyone!

I have just sat and done our DDs' Christmas presents - all online, fab! I will need to go shopping for other family members, but my two were easy. Rara's main present is a mini accordion (oh dear... but she was insistent) and Goo's is art stuff. Goo is getting some clothes and phone accessories to go with that, and Rara is getting a game expansion and little bits of tech.

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raspberryrippleicecream · 26/11/2017 13:51

I think impacted was the correct term, Drummers. It was a bottom canine tooth, that was lying horizontally at the base of his gum. It had crossed the midline and angled itself nicely to come up the other side. We need more appointments now for a plan for the future.

He is missing out on paid work, he plays with a local group at a leisure park on Sunday afternoons. It was folk music in November and they gradually add Christmas music!

Trumpetboysmum · 26/11/2017 14:05

Oh that's a shame raspberry ds can't wait to sort out some paid work ( busking is what he's got his eye on I think) . Waffle I have also just about sorted my 2 online now off to snape to pick up ds and hopefully do some shopping in the lovely shops there before hand

Greenleave · 26/11/2017 14:24

Happy birthday to miniRaspberry and Double DD2. Hope he is feeling better today Raspberry and especially beibg kept busy with his day! Double, do I remember correctly that yours is also 10 today? She is then only 1 day younger than mine.

We dont have any belief however we stayed in London this Xmas and I had a day off on Friday for her party so I put the Xmas tree up, it might be too early however I will have no time off till the week before Xmas so I thought I got 1 thing done. I havent had time to finish the decoration yet, hopefully after the dinner tonight(with a large glass of wine).
Just dropped mine at her Sunday Orchestra and walking to get a coffee then will hop back with hope to have a peak of their rehearsal and might be able to spot the Boy.

November Music Thread
Doubleup · 26/11/2017 14:30

She has just turned 11 Green - so 364 days older!

Hope miniraspberry is feeling a bit more comfortable now.

Greenleave · 26/11/2017 14:34

Haha, Double, fair enough, I am dreadful for the teenage years ahead!!!

Minimusiciansmama · 26/11/2017 14:44

Happy birthday Minis!

Welcome japanese

Christmas- I am kind of in denial but my girl is having two dance things she'll love (a course at central school of ballet and an insight day with the Royal associates) and some music of course. Everyone else is looking less likely to be achieved by the day! Wink

LooseAtTheSeams · 26/11/2017 15:27

Cake and happy birthday minidouble!
DS1 was a bit surprised when I tried my new Japanese phrase on him but he understood!

LooseAtTheSeams · 26/11/2017 15:28

That is an amazing tree Green! Beautiful!

drummersmum · 26/11/2017 15:31

green what a gorgeous tree.
DS makes quite a nice pocket money now and if he had more time he'd make more. His main gig is teaching drums to a younger boy, and he gets small amounts for playing jazz at certain events. He's just been asked to play timps at a carol service in a local church and they will pay him what they call expenses. We're not Christian and it's quite amusing that so many music opportunities in this country are linked to churches and cathedrals - he enjoys them all though!

Japanese · 26/11/2017 16:06

What an amazing tree! And it looks so realistic. Makes ours looks like Rudolph threw up on it. I think ours will be going up next weekend.