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.
Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.
Extra-curricular activities
December Music Thread
Wafflenose · 01/12/2017 09:11
I can't possibly name all the things he's playing for fun. He loves messing around with his violin (and piano) with any tunes he fancies! Yesterday we went to watch Star Wars so of course he was playing Star Wars today. 
I hope we can call it 'practice' but I now know we can't (his teacher would strongly disagree). Ha ha. He is supposed to polish up his Bach concerto during the holiday but he gets tired just after 10 mins whereas he could keep going for fun pieces. I think it's something to do with concentration.
Don't even think about starting any Star Wars talk with me as I fear my obsession may turn this thread into a Star Wars thread (until I get kicked out)!
DS admires Bach and loves the concerto but says it's tiring - no rest from the first note to the end! But DS has unbelievable level of stamina (since he was a baby, seriously) so it's not because of the physical demand that tires him but focus that requires to play the piece.
Can't believe Christmas is coming finally! Can't wait to open my presents see DS's face when he opens up his presents! Have a merry Christmas, everyone!
Hello, have been loving the stories about boot camps and festive jumpers. We're having a strange holiday, we dined with my family through Skype this year. We all have tons of work and DS is just revising for gcses and practising. He's off to give his occasional student a drums lesson now.
Great news from woolley and amazing rate of success from waffle 
DS realised that Santa couldn't be everywhere at the same night when he was 5 and I had to make him swear he wouldn't tell any of his friends at school!
Some interesting reading... www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/dec/26/piano-exam-test?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
The flugelhorn is lovely trumpet (I may be slightly biased, mine was a Christmas present 2 years ago
) such a gorgeous sound.
Thanks for the tip horseymum
The bass is being 'played ' to all our visitors most of whom are rather goggled eyed at the size of it .
yeah that could have been tricky- we stuck to using the front door 
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