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!!

Rudolph threw up on it

Nigel Kennedy on BBC 4 now

Missed him . Catch up

I saw him live a few years ago and it was unforgettable.

He’s amazing! Violinist dd adores him

Paul, thank you for sharing the info. So nice to hear your little violinist adores him and can appreciate such a programme. Mine wanted to watch Robot Wars instead...

We missed it too I will watch it on catch up later

Hello all - been reading for a while but this is my first contribution!

Went to a JD visit day on Saturday and left disappointed, wouldn't be worth the 2+ hours trip in EACH direction). Looking now at other opportunities besides NCO (fingers crossed for results of this years audition) for orchestral playing at Year 6 (year 7 in Sept 2018). JD only had 'wind sinfonia' until year 9 (or so). Local music centre doesn't cater for year 6 kids who are playing at grade 6 level on 2 instruments either, all advanced ensembles are for 13 years+ locally. Any ideas of other full orchestras for 11 year olds who are playing at grade 6 standard (will be taking in the spring 2018). DD plays with the local adult orchestra but needs to play with kids her own age (and she'll have to repeat NCO U11 again, we think, because of the change to the age banding and therefore the promise of the NCO U12 Easter course in addition to the summer course and regionals - should she get in again- has gone for this year). Thanks all for your help!

I would enquire again about your county advanced ensembles and orchestras etc . I know that if ds wasn't auditioning for NCO ( the dates clashed) even though he isn't old enough yet they would have let him audition. In fact a friend ( who's the same age) auditioned and got in ! Both were also encouraged to audition last year - year 7 . I also found it's worth asking about progression in other county run ensembles if you have them . sometimes you just need to ask and then they are happy to accommodate younger students. Certainly ds has been playing with much older players since year 5 . It is tricky but hopefully there will be many more opportunities come year 7. Last year Ds also did some work with the National Youth Jazz collective it might be worth looking up their regional courses there were younger players involved with that last year including clarinet

Sorry I've made a massive assumption about clarinet. there were also flute players last year as well as saxophone -though nyjc wouldn't be much good if you played bassoon

Hello WindMum, welcome! Sorry to hear you were disappointed by jd. While it's worth flying for some, it's certainly not for everyone. But hopefully you can find something more suitable to your DD very soon. Have you contacted the local youth/ensembles aiming at 13+? DS's youth orchestra was originally for teenagers, but they allowed DS to join when he was 9. Recently I noticed they changed their intake policy from just teenagers to Y6+. Currently there are two primary school players inc. DS in the youth orchestra. You may be surprised how flexible those places are?

Oh, just read Trumpet's post and basically I was repeating the same suggestion - sorry!

•Windmum* don't have any obvious ideas (although maybe if you hint at your location it might help somebody) - something like Aldeburgh Young Musicans or one of the CYM (like Saffron Centre for Young Musicans) if you are close or something similar in your area? Howeverr, I would say plenty of time and no rush. Your DD is going to get lots of chances in the coming years and lack of extent orchestral playing right now is not going to make much difference.

windmum

Our county level ensembles have no lower age limit, entrance is by audition and they say it's a minimum of G6 standard but depending on the competition for places it could be effectively G8 standard. Saturday morning music centre groups are also age blind. I would ask someone at your local music partnership what they recommend for young advanced players.

I can't see why there should be an age cut off of 13, I could understand one at primary/secondary transition but 13 seems very random.

Icould I think our auditioned ones do say from 13 though like I said they are flexible if you ask. I'd also thought of Centre for Young muscicians ( I also from re reading your post windmum realise that NYJC might not be what you are looking for - though ds had little idea what jazz really was till the start of year 6. Then he got into it) AYM is great if you're in east anglia but as I said earlier in in this thread it's not just classical music and they don't have an orchestra so you would still need to find that elsewhere .

windmum are you familiar with this: cym.org.uk/about/
Apart from the usual Saturday program they have lots of Holiday Courses.

Thanks Drummersmum - this sounds like it might be right for DD, we are on the South Coast so a couple of hours from London but might be OK- unless they are strict on London Schools.

Thank to all - I'll go back to the local Music Service and see if there is any flexibility on the criteria for the Area and County Orchestras.

mini2nd; well done!

Great news mini2nd well done !!

Congratulations to mini2nd! Especially with such a nerve-wracking pre-exam experience!

ooo; I've just managed to catch up with the channel! Lovely music playing from Goo&Rara; minidouble and minitaggie. And the tribute clips from Manchester, featuring Gillybeanz' DD!

Well done Mini2nd that is amazing
Will catch up with the videos ASAP!