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Extra-curricular activities

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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.

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2ndSopranos · 04/01/2018 13:01

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Xennialish · 04/01/2018 14:21

I wondered about this, dd1 is dainty for 12 but definitely slowed down on the growing. Her 3/4 looks biggish on her. I was also thinking when I watched the kennah-mason documentary that Sheku’s cello looked so tiny on him, so I assume a full size covers most adults.

Xennialish · 04/01/2018 14:27

Way to state the obvious Blush

Musicdoc · 04/01/2018 16:33

Happy New Year everyone! I took two weeks off over the festive period and am so relaxed by it that I missed the start of this thread... I can't believe it's been going 6 years!! My children weren't even playing instruments then....

I have DS (12) - cello, will be doing G8 this summer; he will be in NCO for the 4th year this year.
And DD (10) - violin, slowly starting on G8 preparation; and passed her G4 piano in December. Having been in NCO for 3 years she got an associate membership this year, but also playing in NCCO.

For the first time in what feels like forever, we have no music exams this term! But we do have to look for a full size violin - I spoilt my DD with a lovely 3/4 and now we're struggling to find a full size that matches it. I sense a trip to a big violin shop to try and find something appropriate.

stringchild and trumpetboysmum how lovely that your children are so enthused without the pressure of exams! Hoping to get there soon.

Original poster
Wafflenose · 04/01/2018 17:11

I think cello size can depend on length of limbs and size of hands, as well as height. Rara's teacher (and I) are both around 5'2" also, and Rara will be similar. Goo is already 5'4"!

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Trumpetboysmum · 04/01/2018 17:21

Musicdoc he still has to do his grade 8 but I think the plan is that rather than being something to work towards he does it when he's more than ready !
I can't remember where you are based but Woodbridge violins is very good

Original poster
Wafflenose · 04/01/2018 17:24

That is our plan too, Trumpet. Goo's teacher has said no to doing it this term, even though she'd (probably more than) pass. Goo is a bit sulky about it. She's determined to do it aged 12... goodness knows why. It's not going to matter when she's 17, is it?!

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Musicdoc · 04/01/2018 17:41

Re; G8 - my sons teacher is happy to work towards his G8 having had some time working on repetoire (and audition pieces!) after his G7. My daughters teacher wants her to do her G8 when she is more than ready.

We're based in the East Midlands but often go to London and Cambridge so will probably do that for violins - but thanks. There is usually extra-curricular stuff on on Saturdays so we may save it for half-term/Easter holidays.

Trumpetboysmum · 04/01/2018 18:04

Waffle they do like to get ideas in their heads sometimes!! For now though ds is really enjoying just playing so hopefully he now won't be taking his grade 8 until at least year 9. He's had this teacher since he was 10 and I think he has always known that ds would get to around grade 8 standard quite quickly I remember him talking to me about grade 8 just after he had started teaching him and saying "but he won't be doing it until he's at least 14 and more than ready" - at the time I was like ?!? he's only 10 why are you even thinking about it- now I know why

Xennialish · 04/01/2018 19:28

I do think they perceive the teenage years to be an amorphous whole that lacks the wow factor of a pre teen achievement, which is obviously ridiculous. Encouraging them to place their achievements in the context of their own journey and circumstances is a constant battle!

folkmamma · 04/01/2018 20:02

Phew.... just got DD2's piano exam results. Despite totally freaking out in her sight reading (proper freeze!!) she got 127, so a good merit!! I'm shocked but hugely relieved. She got great marks for her pieces. Mega chuffed!

TaggieOHara · 04/01/2018 20:12

Oooooh - well done mini-Folk! What a great mark! Do I remember rightly that she didn't even attempt the sight reading? Sounds like your DD1 isn't the only talented one in the family Smile

Paulweller11 · 04/01/2018 20:12

No exams planned this term here.
Dd violinist teacher doesn’t like exams,
And dd percussionist has just done gr2 piano and gr4 drum kit.
Congrats folkmamma and any others with recent exam results.

folkmamma · 04/01/2018 20:25

That's right Taggie!!! She totally bombed!!! Shocked 😊

Trumpetboysmum · 04/01/2018 20:37

Great news folk Smile

Original poster
Wafflenose · 04/01/2018 20:39

Excellent, mini-Folk. Well done to her!

Goo only dropped 7 marks in her Grade 7 flute exam (and Grade 6 two terms before that, and Grade 5 a term before that!) and has learned half a dozen pieces from the Grade 8 list. She should be more than ready now, but teacher has announced that she wants braces off first. Mentor (professional saxophonist) came round today and said that they can actively help a clarinet or saxophone embouchure to open out - eventually - and apart from pain with mine, I think they did help my playing after a while. Goo obviously plays the flute and struggles to form her embouchure around them, especially for the top notes. They're just in the way (as were large, prominent front teeth before) and I now wonder if her tone was the reason for falling down the ranks in the NCO this year - which is how she looks at it. I have no problem with waiting; she's just not used to a year+ between grades!

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Trumpetboysmum · 04/01/2018 21:18

Waffle I'm sure she's more than ready . Smile It must be really hard with the braces and she's coped so well with them . Ds hasn't learnt that much grade 8 stuff yet some pieces which are on the syllabus but other things as well. Last term kind of ran away with us ds had so much other music stuff going on which his teacher helped with . It's taken a while to adjust to his extra commitments but now I'm hoping for a term where he can focus more on the music that his trumpet teacher sets - fingers crossed

Doubleup · 04/01/2018 21:21

Yay - another bassoonist in the making 2nd!

And well done mini-Folk!

Kutik73 · 04/01/2018 21:35

Well done to minifolk!

Musicdoc, we've got a full sized violin on our shopping list also. Exciting though not a great timing - our wallet is almost empty after Christmas and all the payments for this term's clubs/JD/NCO fees!

The solo performance for this Saturday is now confirmed. The piece the teacher instructed DS to play is not ready yet. Sigh... And DS has his first 11+ exam early next week so he's supposed to be revising than preparing for a performance... Sigh...

Kutik73 · 04/01/2018 21:55

And, school started yesterday. It's only day two, yet DS has brought back tons homework already... Supposed it's part of SAT preparation but utterly unnecessary for my eyes. I'm tempted to tell DS to ignore them only this week due to 11+ coming up, but DS would consider it cheating which he hates, so he'll do all the homework no matter what....

Kutik73 · 04/01/2018 21:57

Grrrr!! And footy is starting!!! The first match this year tomorrow!!!

folkmamma · 04/01/2018 22:39

Thanks all!

DD1's teacher has a very pragmatic take on the 'when to do G8' question (not that we are anywhere near just yet!). His attitude is basically that no one is going to give a monkeys whether she does G8 at 12, 14 or 16 when she's at music college... (and this coming from someone who did G8 at a pretty young age, then went on to Purcell, RCM and is now doing a Masters with Guildhall/LSO). #howtodealwithaneuroticmother

catkind · 04/01/2018 22:41

Hi and happy new year!
Still lurking mostly as my two are in very early stages, so all this NCO and grade 8s and stuff is way off our radar and very impressive!

I have DS (8) who's working on Grade 1 piano, and DD (5) who's towards the end of suzuki book 1 for violin and just started piano too last term. DS is highly resentful that practice is required to get from dots on the page to playing nice music, but enjoys the playing bit once he eventually gets there. DD is very enthusiastic, seems to "get" practice and is generally a happy bunny.

1/4 size violin here! DD started on a 1/10, it was super cute.

AlexandraLeaving · 04/01/2018 22:43

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TaggieOHara · 04/01/2018 23:16

Gosh - you have a busy few weeks ahead kutik. For 11+ much of the homework will be good preparation in itself? Maybe getting him to do it (or parts of it) in timed / quiet conditions would help. Even if it is project work, he could do the written parts a bit like an exam. Of course, homework may be to build a power station out of cereal boxes, in which case that is pointless advice Smile.

I'm sure the teacher knows what they are doing with the performance! If it is as good as the spontaneous Christmas one on the channel, he will be more than fine.

I am envious of you all going full size violin shopping! DS is only just growing into his half size! He still can't quite reach the point of the bow...

Welcome catkind!