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!!

I took two languages, for ease I'd take french and spanish because what you learn in one can be applied to the other. We did Spanish O level in two years because it built on what we had learned in french.

They don't get to actually choose. Just to indicate a preference. The three Year 8s I have taught recently all got their 1st and 2nd choices. Goo's friend's sister is in Year 10, and ended up with her 3rd and 4th choices. Goo put: German, French, Spanish, Mandarin, in that order.

Great result Japanese . Well done Goo and a lovely opportunity to play at the Christmas concert if she chooses . Ds has been asked to play at his - which is a slightly scary experience I think in the sports hall ( i.e. Huge) and in front of over 200 people . Luckily he has now decided to play a beautiful piece that he can play well rather than the risky newer option so hopefully I can enjoy it

Busy week musically and otherwise, especially for DD1. She did her Grade 6 sax exam today (said it went OK), has been practicing for the school carol service next week (orchestra, choir and wind quintet) and is taking part in the National Concert Band Festival at the weekend with one of her music centre bands. And she's playing carols at her school fair too. Oh, and had parents' evening this evening! We're all exhausted....

And I forgot that she insisted on trying out double bass of all things at a music centre have a go evening. The teacher thought she was a natural. Not sure she could manage to fit in practice for another instrument, never mind the size of it for transporting around!

Well done to mini-Japanese! And congrats to those invited to play solos in Christmas concerts. That's quite an honour .

Well done to your DD1 for her exam, Double. Compared with your DD's heavy schedule, mine sounds nothing, but we have a bit of performance coming up too. DS has his orchestra concert in which he has a solo part. He told me this today and the concert is next week. He was also asked to play a duet with his former teacher at Christmas church service which is a couple of weeks away so plenty time to prepare for this one! Both are not so risky, especially for the duet which DS can sight read really, so I can sit back and enjoy the performance!

Waffle I did German and French at school, then added Latin later on. I think it's a good combination although agree with ICouldBe that French and Spanish would cut the workload down a bit! I think it's brilliant that Goo's school let them try out these languages - hopefully they will take notice of her preferences and she gets her choice!
DSs' school has a very utilitarian approach to languages. Y7 get either German, Spanish or French and that's it. DS1 rebelled when he chose GCSEs and dropped French to learn Japanese outside school. He loves it but seems to be using his skills to play computer games in Japanese. Sigh.

Congratulations to all with concerts, requests for solos, and exams safely completed.

I did French and German for GCSE, and French A level, so I'm pleased she is not wanting to do Mandarin or anything. She adored German. I can't remember much of that, but I can still read French.

New thread will appear when I've taken Rara to school.

So busy st Work so sorry not caught up.

Loose - learning Japanese to support gaming is so cool!!!! Although I am sure he is only gaming in japense to revise language etc 😉

Congratulations to Japanese's mini for a great result; green and double mini's for sitting, and to all those with busy concert/performances coming up.

Finding the language debate fascinating, especially how each appeals to DC in different ways. Mine just loves Mandarin, but can't wait to drop French, yet has been doing french in some form or other since junior school, and still doesn't gel with it. She has found Spanish much easier to pick up (from Y9) as a result though...

New thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extra_curricular_activities/3101514-December-Music-Thread

drummersmum thanks so much for the tip with musescore. The conversion of the score was fantastic. It pretty much failed at the lyrics but the score was really good.