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.

Hello everyone! I found this discussion from the NCO thread. Nice to see lots of familiar names over here! Hope you've all had enjoyable holidays so far. Ours has a been busy and fun, so can't complain.

I am a music teacher, mainly piano, theory & musicianship now, with a mini violinist, (age 8), who also has singing and piano as 2nd & 3rd instruments. He recently auditioned for NCO and got associate membership and is on the reserve list for the national orchestra. The reserve list news has left us feeling a bit in limbo as we're not sure whether he'll end up with a place or not! I see that the deadline for applying to NSSO is 31st Dec, so we have a dilemma...sit it out and hope for the NCO place, or move on and apply for NSSO!!??!! We have a day to ponder over this

Anyone else in a similar position? Any thoughts on this will be gratefully received!!

Our Festival classes go by age not standard and are very specific under 10, then 11&12, etc so if you are say 9 you can't enter under 10 and under 12.

Once you are at Grade 7/8 standard you can also enter the Open for each category, and the overall Recital class.

Our festival classes go by age and we also have grade classes. It works well as it gives more children a chance. As they get older we also have open recital classes too.

Ours are all grade classes for woodwind, not necessarily for others though. The recital classes combine two grades though. I think grade 2 for bassoon will be fine, she was doing grade 2/3 pieces before doing her grade 1 preparation.

Will encourage her to do the grade 4 class as well as recital, but we will have that chat after exam time 🙂

violinistmum, I would plan summer without NCO in mind if I were you. Simply because I don't want to rely on uncertain promise which may cause unnecessary disappointment if it didn't happen. I would rather like to plan something for sure so I have something to look forward to it. IF a place in NCO becomes available, yes it's a pain if you have booked something else, but in a way of a joyful pain. You can then consider the choice? Do you know the cancellation policy of NSSO?

Dd enters a festival that’s mostly age and under categories, so the same children sometimes enter all of them! Graded classes can be entered separately.

Just noticed the video wasn't uploaded for some reasons. I re-loaded again now. Hope it works this time!

Festival sounds fun. Sadly we've never done so no experience...

kutik, still unavailable. Do you press "publish" after it has been uploaded?
The previous video is also unavailable - anyone?

Oh what's a shame. I finally uploaded something (as it happens to hide DS's face so was perfect!). drummers, have you tried Creator Studio?

Yes, creator studio. I can access settings, everything, when I play it, it says unavailable. Did you click publish?

If you press the image it says not available, however if you press the linked title it takes to the edit page, then you can just press 'play' on the image. No?

I didn't press 'publish' but pressed 'done' as that was only option I had when I uploaded...

kutik I was going to try that but the video is gone from the list

Thank you for checking, drummers. But I gave up! I don't know what's going on with the account... Anyway, I've uploaded onto my personal one and PMed you a link. Hopefully it works?!

oh - that's a shame Kutik. I'd have liked to show DS2 your DS playing, to give him something to aim for! From your posts, I think mini-Kutik is a year or so older and quite a bit more advanced.

If you upload it, you can view it via creator studio if you press edit, then press play. You need to be on a laptop though. Doesn't work on phone/ipad.

Thanks for the advice Kutik. DS said he would like to try NSSO and if he gets NCO too he'd like to go to both. That sounds like a lot, but I think we'll apply and assess the situation nearer the time.
I see that there are videos mentioned on this thread. Where do I find them? It's nice to see other musicians and how they're getting on...a real community!

This Christmas holiday has been good for my piano practice - no one else gets up at a decent hour except me and the cat! (Having said that I have gone back to using headphones while I practice as I'm still making a lot of mistakes!)
DS2 has done cello scales practice in grudging exchange for computer use. DS1 is practising drums in the shed - I admire his enthusiasm given the temperature and he is wearing shorts!
DS1 is very funny when computer gaming - there's all kinds of violent mayhem on the screen but he plays very cool, rather mellow jazz as the soundtrack!

Ahhh, Taggie. I must film DS when he's polished better if you say you are going to show your lovely musical boy what to aim for!

violinmum, I like your DS's enthusiasm!

Loose, you are a perfect role model for your DCs by waking up early and practise daily!

Taggie, just had another go at uploading the video. Hopefully it works this time round? Not polished one as it doesn't exist yet.

Thanks Kutik - that worked! Your DS plays beautifully. He has a wonderful tone and legato, and plays so musically. Well done to the pianist as well! Awesome sightreading.

How much practice does your DS do? DS2 generally does very little, although we have had a pretty good week, now that he is on holiday.

Loved it Kutik, well done for persevering for us! He plays beautifully.

Happy new year everyone! For those especially who've had a really tough year (you know who you all are)...to better days ahead

New thread here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extra_curricular_activities/3126677-January-Music-Thread