December Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

Have a new thread for December!

This is an ongoing chat group for musicians, parents of musicians and anyone interested in music. We talk about practice, scales, theory, instrument hire and purchase, concerts, exams, auditions and loads more. Newcomers and beginners are extra specially welcome - yes, a lot of us now have children who are getting quite advanced, but we all had beginners once. I started the conversation when my eldest was 6 and working towards Grade 1, and we now have learners of all ages and standards on here.

I am a teacher of woodwind, and have two daughters. Goo is 12 and in Year 7. She loves her new school, and has grown up fast since she started. The first few weeks were overwhelming and confusing. She loved the challenge of new subjects, new faces, lots of different sports, etc. Unfortunately, she is a poster child for complacency, is now finding it all very easy, and doing the bare minimum again, sigh. She extends this approach to music too, putting in a bit of effort at the last minute, and often making an eleventh hour bid to change piece for important performances. She is gregarious, intense and obsessed with her phone. Oops, I forgot to say, she plays the flute and piano. Grade 8 flute is pencilled in for some time next year (teacher is campaigning to wait until train tracks come off) and she hasn't performed on the piano or taken any exams yet.

Rara is 9, and a completely different kettle of fish. She likes music, but she likes reading, art and making things even more. She's talkative, eccentric and highly creative. I have no idea how her mind works. She is in Year 5 at the village primary, and couldn't really care less about academics. She plays the cello (working at an early Grade 4 level) and clarinet. Some of her clarinet pieces are Grade 4, but she is having some technical problems at the moment, mainly due to her size and incorrect placement of her fingers. So the next exam she does will probably be Grade 3.

Both girls are members of South West Music School (Rara starting next month) and both auditioned for the NCO. Goo was very pleased with herself, but Rara had an absolute disaster. She bounced back within a day though.

for minimini and miniGreen!

At my usual haunt for whole weekend so reading but not able to contribute much more on the music side of things!

Very well done to little Green and little Mini with their piano exams! Always remember that success starts at the pass mark.

Mini, thanks for all the love! We are happy and proud that your are our friends too. xxx

Life is slowly finding a new normal here, after everything has been tipped on its head slightly with the NCO. I am pretty baffled by the recent turn of events, Rara is bemused and doesn't know quite what to think, and it's going to be a long, hard road for Goo in getting over this and not letting it define her. Lots of things are going to set her off throughout the year, so I've told her we won't be tiptoeing around the issue, and that if she can't be pleased for Rara, she can pretend to be. She adores the new SW conductor so I think she will have fun there. I am looking forward to matching little and large red skirts towards the end of next year! I just detected a spark of Goo's old feistiness and sarcasm a few minutes ago, which is better than her horrible depressed demeanour.

Have you got your flight rescheduled yet Mendingfences?

Thinking of Goo on NCO result, hope she feels better Waffle, on the other hand many congratulations to Rara, hope Goo’s disappointment hasnt overide with Rara success. And Taggie and Kutik who are similar to my daughter age and also play violin, so much to admire and look up, I love Taggie in his video for his enthusiasms and clearly enjoy/love of music. And many congratulations to Minimini and everyone else, sorry if I have missed.

We left the Barnes test centre( 5 mins from home so nearest to us) with dissapointment as on that day it was freezing cold and the very old piano in the test room didnt have very high and low keys worked properly. We will avoid this centre in the future at all cost for piano exam, its such a shame especially for A1 and B1 where we have to play many contrast keys. The exam fee was £75, it was too expensive to have that experience. Envying everyone who could do appointment exam at their chosen place(usually home or teacher’s home), so much better with a good quality familiar piano. Anyway, as usual I told her it was all on little practice, a low mark was expected by our teacher so she needs to learn to work harder for higher mark in the future. We will need to start on academic too Loose, so there is someone who will have to sit down this Xmas like your DS:)), we dont know what to do yet though, I just have bought loads of books.
We have guests coming today, full house, concert tomorrow, every single day concert, playing activities next week, then guests for Xmas the whole Xmas, then away for 4 short days then new year eve at my friends. That was what it says on the fridge for this holiday.

Mending, sorry you can't get back for the concerts. Is your DH allowed to film them? Good luck with the homeward journey

Waffle, I hope Goo continues to level out in time for Xmas. Nothing on the same scale, but when DD2 was asked to join the music service gifted and talented group and the double reed group that DD1 was playing in two years ago, DD1 was really upset, particularly being 4 years older. Now she is incredibly supportive of her. I should point out that it took a couple of months, not two years!

I have to repost the video again as last time I posted it with an error and it didnt play, no idea why. I have to admit I am rubbish with youtube. We have couple of other chances to play piano this holiday so if they are better, we will share it too(the last time the old piano wasnt open and she slipped when turning the page as there isnt a musuc holder for this 100 yrs plus piano).

Second last concert today - a solo concert at the music centre which DD2's teacher put her in for and which she is not looking forward to. Good practice for one of her pieces before the school scholarship auditions in January. First movement of Schreck's Sonata for Bassoon and Piano which can sound lovely ( but doesn't always here!).

Last concert is at school on Monday, but no solos. Just orchestra, recorder group, choir, Y6 piece and a dance that some of them performed at a music festival last month.

Re. schools and music, DD2 is at a very academic school with an academic and a music scholarship. They are very supportive of students who do music or sport etc, outside of school, for example allowing sporty pupils to miss PE lessons, but they do still expect them to do well across the board. DD is beginning to feel a bit of pressure now in Y10, although some of that is of her own making a she could do with being a bit more organised and methodical and needs to learn not to procrastinate!

DS's school is pretty relaxed until Y11 when it suddenly gets very full on! He's lucky because he does have a very good memory but I think the sudden clash of after school academic sessions with late evening music groups and lessons came as a bit of a shock! However, he doesn't want to cancel anything so it's really up to him unless he starts to become unreliable.
Green I so sympathise about the piano - apparently the one at our music centre is totally unsuitable for higher grades and there's a big fundraising push for a new one!

Kutik - you may find an independent school to be more flexible, but I suspect this is not a state/independent thing, as a head teacher thing. I would go and speak to the individual schools and see what they will offer. Don't write off the more academic schools. DS1's school is very very academic but also really flexible. They have supported national level junior sports and chess champions wonderfully (PM me if you want to know the name of the school). [note that DS1 is NOT a sportsman or chess player!]

Waffle - sounds like Goo is doing so well. You must be very proud of both your girls.

for minigreen and miniMini!
green you may find the next exam will take place at her secondary school where there will be a decent piano. For g7 and 8 ideally the child would be playing on at least a baby grand. The hammer action is different and allows for better thrills. For DS' G8, as it was with Trinity, it had to take place outside the school. We called up the nearest exam center which was a primary school and just with that chat about their piano we decided it was a no. So we went all the way to Guildhall. I feel Trinity are better at this as none of the ABRSM centers can compare with Guildhall in terms of equipment. Just an example: for Percussion Diploma, ABRSM asks you to provide (rent) the venue and all instruments! It needs to have a marimba, timpani, snare, multipercussion and they ask for a person positioned outside the door, and they ask you to organize and pay for the travel of the examiners! Whereas with Trinity all you need to do is show up at Guildhall... So if DS wants to do the DipABRSM it will have to be at school.

Kutik I think you yourself answered the question. It does not depend on independent versus state but rather on the academic ambitions of the school in particular. Whilst top sporting kids in DS school get time off to attend championships etc (we have junior Olympics and National gold medalists), they mostly finish y11 with a string of As. My guess if they must have tutors to make up for it. I don't think the school would be willing to sacrifice results. If it's an academically selective school then the expectations are going to be high as you're supposed to be there because you have high academic aspirations. Otherwise it would be like attending jd and not practicing or working on being the best musician you can be, they could say, why are you here then? What's the point? With DS, it's a mix of factors: one, his personality which propels him to want to achieve as best he can and gives him such joy when he gets a good result, two, the expectations placed on him by school and teachers (his scholarship, academic prizes, reports... they slowly give a child an image of himself which unfortunately becomes inseparable with his academic attainment), third, the atmosphere among his peers (the fact that it's cool to do well in his school). The reason I hate GCSEs is that not even as a relaxed parent you can escape the psychological pressure, so that I don't find it in me to tell him to stop working on his History essay for example and practice music. I can't do it. Because a little part of me says, well, don't GCSEs matter a lot? They matter to him and his self-esteem, and for universities conditional offers, etc. And at the same time I think they don't matter. It's a total mindf...

It's very interesting to me that so many BBCYM winners attend just perfectly normal state schools outside London where some of them have requested flexi-schooling and where they're treated as special cases. And then of course many winners attend specialist music schools.

The latest is that the school have told DS to consider somewhere like Harvard because with our earnings he would be eligible for a full scholarship. So I checked and they are right! If he goes to Harvard he finishes university debt free, if he studies in the UK he finishes owing 50K! Unbelievable. The scholarship covers accommodation as well! Turns out Harvard have a joint music degree with Berklee and Boston Conservatory the same way Manchester have a joint degree with RNCM. But I told myself: there's no way we want to send him across the pond he would want to be so far from home. So I asked him if he would consider a US university and he just replied: "oh yes, definitely."

Thanks for all the sympathy i've got as får as out nearest city now, and an doing some shopping before the vist leave in 2 hours. Dh is filming the kids and even better news - he talked to a retired bouble bassist from the symphony orchestra who not only said he would take on dd2 as a pupil, only a 30 minute ferry ride from where we live, he also went through the instruments store room at the culture centre and found a very useable bass she can borrow 😁 he couldnt locate a bow so i just popped into the luthier and he had one in stock so i now one a 1/8 size bass bow and dd2 is going to be soooooo thrilled with her extra Christmas present 😁😁 dh is going to try snd smuggle the bass home next week. Before them we're going to have to find a good hiding place 🤔

mending glad you're all sorted and that's fab about double bass news!!

Love the double bass story mending good luck with hiding it 😆

Drummersmum- the Harvard joint music degree sounds amazing!!!
I would go for that if I was your drummer- even though it’s far from home- it’s amazing!!!!

Sirius - another horn player here. Tracking a bit behind yours - he is 12 (year 7) and has only just taken his grade 5, having played for nearly three years. Also NCO, in the under 12s.

A lovely instrument - if only he grew enough to hold it properly!

Waffle, I'm very glad to hear how you and your DDs are getting on. Sounds so positive.

Green, unfortunately most exam centres are like that. The exam centre (church) where DS's piano teacher uses for her pupils also has the most horrible piano. It's impossible to play p or pp, or even mp. You have to press hard to make sounds! But the piano teacher has no intention to change the venue. Her philosophy is, you have to make it nevertheless the condition, and be able to make it on any piano is part of (very important) training! But as drummers said, your DD may be able to play on the familiar piano for G8.

Taggie, I suppose it's too late for me to know the name of the lovely school you mentioned as DS is already y6! Thanks anyway.

Drummersmum - I am intrigued, why do they need someone outside the door for a percussion exam? To help with the different instruments?

A couple more days left of term here. We have heard that DD will be starting cello lessons in January which she is excited about. And I have already told DS (who will be doing Grade 1 piano in the Spring) that we will be doing scales boot camp over the holidays which he is delighted about (not really).

I have a bit of a dilemma at the moment. DD (aged nearly 11) has just sat Grade 1 piano and I don't know what to do about entering her for Grade 2. She was a bit 'overcooked' for Grade 1 so to speak. I felt as though she was ready last summer but I didn't enter her then as she also had entrance exams for secondary school and I felt it would be too much. So, now, I think she could do Grade 2 in the Spring session. I think she is ready on 2 of her pieces, her scales are just about there and aural is ready I think. Piece 3 we haven't done much with yet.

My head tells me it's too quick between the grades but she was 'over-ready' for Grade 1 and she really seems to thrive on and enjoy the challenge of exams. The problem is because I'm her teacher, I don't have anyone else's judgement to rely upon - only my own. Any thoughts?

DD will also be sitting Grade 2 theory in February and DS will be doing Grade 1 theory so planning on some exam paper practice over the holidays.

japanese to act as a steward! This is what they say:
"If you are an organ, harpsichord or percussion candidate, the exam venue must be organized by you, at no cost to ABRSM. It should be quiet and well-lit and should contain a writing table and chairs for the examiners. Someone should be provided to act as steward outside the exam room. If necessary, you must arrange transport for the examiners, to enable the exam timetable to be completed within the most suitable itinerary. An invoice for transport provided may be sent to ABRSM."

minijapanese: sounds to me like she would be ready for Spring, as two pieces are ready and a third you can prepare from now to exam. Alternatively, you could go for June exam and spend some time with another fun piece or study. Do you feel she would benefit with widening her repertoire? As you know DH taught DS till g5 and this last one was his general approach. In between exams, he would give DS a home printed certificate signed by him when DS was playing a piece to exam standard. That kept him going, motivation wise.

drummers, I too think the Harvard joint music degree is a way to go for your DS!

Mending, sorry you couldn't make it, but what's happy news about double bass!

Japanese, how about skipping grade 2 and let her play lots repertoires then take grade 3 when she is ready? DS skipped grade 2 and 4. But he doesn't work for exams generally (zero exam on his first instrument). But I know exams can be very motivating for some DCs. If exam brings a buzz in her piano learning, then I think there is no harm taking grade 2 next term.

paulweller I know! But when you send your child to the US you have to be ready for them not to come back And so much in music depends on who you meet and the people you play with, if you don't stay in the same place and keep and build on those contacts, you're at a disadvantage. I know because I did my masters in NYC and most of my friends and hard-earned professional contacts were useless once I was back in Europe.
It's fine with me as long as he has a sofa bed for his mum and dad for when they visit and can't afford a hotel after paying for flight because of all the savings that went to music lessons and instruments and he's delighted to give the sofa bed to his old mum and dad and his girlfriend is delighted too of course

Ah kutik crossed posts

Drummers and Kutik - thanks for the advice. I think we're going to play it by ear (no pun intended) over the next month or so and see how she gets on with piece 3 which is a jazzier style (not DD's natural style at all). The deadline for entries isn't until Jan 19th so there's time yet - especially if I apply the same scales bootcamp to DD as am planning for her brother!

That's interesting regarding the set-up for ABRSM exams for certain instruments. Can a parent act as a steward or is that too nerve-wracking/not permitted under the regulations?

Wow, Harvard would be such an opportunity wouldn't it but I can see how that would tug at the heartstrings and I see the point about contacts, etc. But yes, also a great opportunity for visits. And maybe - regarding the contacts - Harvard could set your DS up for a fabulous postgrad in the UK and the opportunity to develop a great network both sides of the water!

drummers you are so right about contacts. Even for the kids i see how much being 'known' is an advantage and that must be hugely magnified by the time you get to the professional scale.

Although admittidly for the kids some of the being known is not about how well you play but also how reliable you are, im pretty sure that some of the oportunities my kids have had have been more about 'we can trust this one to show up and do a reasonable job' than 'this one is amazing' 😁

For whoever may be interested in the US route I should also add that applying to a US university is a strenuous long process during the sixth form, a time in which DS was looking forward to do more of what he loves most, music. It involves sitting extra exams (with previous practice and mocks), writing an essay, a proven record of community work and involvement --maybe they overlook that one at Trump's University , talking about an activity proving your "leadership" qualities, references, etc. Then if you want to actually attend the open day it's money of course. If you add to the normal application one for the joint course then you need to add the audition. And you have to accept your place before you know if the UK UCAS universities confirm your place here! On top of all this, music at Harvard involves two years of Liberal Arts degree to start with and you only specialize (choose your "major") in the Third year. The joint course lasts five years. Two years of Liberal Arts is really fun, you get to try lots of different subjects from Astronomy to Philosophy to Jane Austen or a political issue, and also of course you can take credits on music courses. But it may not suit DS if he's itching to go straight 100% into it rather than spend two years waiting for it to become full time IYKWIM.

how reliable you are
Absolutely on the nail mending. Every professional musician has told me that the two most important things in order to have a music career is:
1: you're a nice person to work with
2: you turn up in time.

Can a parent act as a steward or is that too nerve-wracking/not permitted under the regulations?
I don't know, japanese . The Diploma thing is something we have just started looking into as DS says he wants to take it before finishing school. One of the marimba pieces he's learning at jd is one of the Diploma pieces, so he's on that path so to speak.