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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

January Music Thread

634 replies

Wafflenose · 01/01/2018 00:21

Happy New Year!

This is the new thread for our continuing (6 year old) conversation about all things to do with music - lessons, exams, auditions, theory, scales, practice and whatever else you want to talk about.

I am Waffle, teacher of woodwind, amateur composer, and unpaid consultant watching and commenting on all sorts of woodwind videos that people send my way! I am mum to Goo 12, and Rara 9, who both play instruments, do South West Music School and NCO. Goo plays flute and piano, and has Grade 8 and Grade 5 pending for some time this year. Rara plays cello and clarinet - working within Grade 4 for both, but hasn't taken a clarinet exam since Grade 1, and wants to do Grade 3 this coming term. She's way behind with Theory, so it's theory boot camp again this week. We start back to school late (Jan 8th) so that's good.

OP posts:
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Kutik73 · 13/01/2018 12:04

You can see I am bored at a cafe. I forgot to bring a book...

Trumpetboysmum · 13/01/2018 12:51

Hope the exam goes well today Kutik - and well done to your ds for sitting them ( I think at 10/11 that's quite a lot to take in though I know lots do)
Folk I feel exactly like you do about dashing around - we only have Sundays free in this house. Fitting in practice is also tricky here at times but I am determined to help them stay on top of it this term !!
I think go and have a look and see what they think - dd would never give up stage school for anything ds was so taken with AYM he has happily sacrificed half of his school holidays for it , but currently doesn't want to do jd as with homework as well he says he would never get to see his friends at the weekend. Having said that he also talks about going to a jd in a couple of years maybe- I think they know and we have to be guided by them a bit as it's such a massive commitment on their ( as well as our) part

drummersmum · 13/01/2018 13:10

kutik good luck! You're probably in the same cafe I sat in five years ago!! Grin And that library is one of the nicest ever, truly.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 13/01/2018 13:46

Hope it went well, Kutik!

folk we looked around Cardiff last April. We have decided to wait until Goo is old enough to get there independently. All of them are 3+ hours door to door for us, we only have one car, and I can't afford to be out for 13-14 hours every Saturday.

I am happy to run Scales Boot Camp! For the right price, mind Wink. When are you bringing them all to the faraway south west?

OP posts:
folkmamma · 13/01/2018 13:52

Ah how cool would that be if they all ended up in Cardiff waffle!?

The other thing I didn't mention, which has partly prompted this... I'm worried we may lose DD1's amazing violin teacher next year. He's currently doing an orchestral masters with guildhall/LSO after which he'd be mad not to try and get a seat in an orchestra somewhere!!

So I'm thinking we go and look around, then maybe audition and see what happens. Apparently we can defer for a year...

drummersmum · 13/01/2018 14:06

waffle when Goo can make her own way, and feeling I know her quite a bit after all these years, I am sure she will love it.
Folk as DS is only doing one study at jd and the other two during the week, it hasn't freed up any time. In our case, it has taken away several hours and made our life harder. But I'd say instrumental individual tuition is not the main point of jd at all. There's a special atmosphere. They hang out with like minded young people. They feel like a true musician one day a week but without the worry of having to live off it! Everyone there, students and staff, are passionate about music and want to make music at the highest standard. And it's contagious. And it's beautiful because it's not utilitarian, it's not nothing else but the joy and beauty of music making. Like an oasis in the urban jungle. It's the closest I've seen to Howarts if you were to swap magic for music. That how I feel about jd!! The old gals in this thread know I was worried about the sacrifice and added academic pressure it was going to bring to DS' life. It was his decision. As with everything, DS knew best. And I miss him like hell on Saturdays

Trumpetboysmum · 13/01/2018 14:08

I'd definitely go and have a look folk. - even if it is just in case the teachet moves on ( how exciting for them) I remember this time last year not knowing whether ds's teacher would be around for this year ( and beyond) or not. Ds wanted to try for AYM where you keep your own teacher so it was a nervous wait . Luckily he's still around but Kutik's right finding the right teacher can be difficult ( and a bit of alottery at times)

Doubleup · 13/01/2018 14:37

Hope today's entrance test went well Kutik. You must all be so pleased to have finished. Common entrance still to go here for a local school on Mon/Tues. We'll have to see how DD fares in the science paper as they do very little at school currently a there are no facilities. Then perhaps one more music audition at the end of the month, depending on how today went. It's exhausting for all of us, but especially for DD - a very busy 10 days.....

folkmamma · 13/01/2018 14:43

That's a fabulous description drummers I will tell her that!! I kind of figure that once she is immersed in it, she will forgive me for losing theatre school.

If we do it, I really hope we can cover piano as well as violin, as part of my 'selling strategy' to DH is that it will take the pressure off a bit during the week. She's not as advanced on piano though....

stringchild · 13/01/2018 14:54

Folk - dd is in her second year at JD and loves it. It has def made our lives easier (esp as she is joint first study so too Ma y lessonsto fit in) and the chamber work etc is excellent. Her timetable is 9am until 5.45 with few breaks - again a joint first study consequence prob - so with travel a v long day but she wouldn’t stop now 😀

drummersmum · 13/01/2018 14:57

double best of luck with exams to your DD too.

Kutik73 · 13/01/2018 17:02

Good luck with exams, miniDouble!

DS was all smiling when I went to collect him. He said he did very well (of course....). Tomorrow is a much waited play date - he will have fun with his mates.

11+ exams are over but the auditions haven't been done yet. He has one next Wednesday. It's the fist slot on the day - DS would still be half-asleep!

Kutik73 · 13/01/2018 17:03

fist = first...

2ndSopranos · 13/01/2018 17:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Doubleup · 13/01/2018 19:12

Exciting 2nd! Is she on a full sized bassoon? I forget how old she is.

2ndSopranos · 13/01/2018 20:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Doubleup · 13/01/2018 20:47

2nd, DD2 doesn’t use a seat strap, but uses a spike that can be attached to the bottom. This then sits in a non-slip ‘Black Hole’ more usually used for cellos. I think it is a specially made attachment. You can get bassoon harnesses too.

Dd started on a mini bassoon aged 8, then a tenoroon after about 5 months and then a short-reach bassoon. Basically it was the same as a full sized one, but the keys and holes were a bit closer together to allow small hands to play and some of the holes were covered. She’s changed again to one with open holes, but still short reach and has only been using the hand rest since October, just before her NCO audition when her hands grew big enough. She’s 11.

2ndSopranos · 13/01/2018 21:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kutik73 · 13/01/2018 21:06

Waffle, if I lived in your area, I would be your willing PR! Grin

Do you run aural/theory boot camp for your pupils? They've never been my concerns as they are DS's strength, but I know plenty parents who would love to arrange one or two for their DCs, especially run-up to exams.

Doubleup · 13/01/2018 21:14

2nd - wait until she plays a low B flat. It sounds like a ship leaving port! Something to puzzle the neighbours with Grin

Japanese · 13/01/2018 22:06

Hope all the exams & auditions are going well for those taking them.

DD had her first cello lesson today which she seems to have enjoyed. DP took her as I was en-route back from a 4-day conference.

We are now looking to buy a cello. The Saturday school offer to make a purchase through them but I think we're going to get one online. Her teacher has suggested a half-size cello, DD is an average-sized 11-year-old and am thinking we will prob need to get her a size up in a year or so. The half-size cello we're looking at is about 250 pounds - do you reckon that sounds about ok or are we going to end up with a total dud at that price?

DD has to take the cello on the bus to her lessons - any advice on whether a hard or a soft case is better for public transport journeys?

Thanks for any advice!

Kutik73 · 13/01/2018 22:16

I don't know about the money side but I would strongly recommend a hard case. DS has a soft one but it's still OK as I'm normally with him when he takes his violin out of our house. But I would def invest on a hard case when he gets a decent full sized one or he starts travelling without me.

I sometimes see children put their violin case (violin inside) under the desk and rest their feet on it (just around where the bridge would be!). I always feel the urge to tell them not to do it!

Doubleup · 13/01/2018 22:30

Japanese - is your dd at a state school currently? The reason I ask is that there is a scheme where you can buy a new instrument through their school or music centre and not pay VAT. Has to be purchased through the school/music centre and change hands on the premises.

Xennialish · 14/01/2018 02:18

DD needed a 3/4 cello at just turned 12 and is petite. It does seem a particulay bad time to buy new. BassBags have been recommended to hire from but to be honest, we’ve always had good luck with ebay, gumtree etc plus fancy strings and a spruce up at our local place.

I think the bargain basement page of the Elida trading website has some good cello deals too.

folkmamma · 14/01/2018 08:11

japanese we just bought a new Prima 200 which is lovely but a lot more money. As she's starting out, I would think as long as you get it set up properly and change the strings for something a bit better quality you will be fine. A bad set up will hinder her though as it's quite hard to get a true sound from the lower two strings if not right. I'd be nervous of buying online, but if you do, perhaps take it to a good luthier for a bit of work? Hard case not necessary initially, they Are heavy and cumbersome and will cost you around £200! Our luthier advised against a hard case as people assume it will protect them from everything and take less care. Better just to fork out a few quid on insurance....