Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Extra-curricular activities

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

Original poster

February Music Thread

525 replies

Wafflenose · 01/02/2018 22:06

Have a new thread for February!

This is a place for our ongoing conversation about music, instruments, lessons, ensembles, scales, practice, exams, aural, theory and whatever else you'd like to talk about. Everyone is welcome - new and older members, beginners and advanced.

I have two daughters - Goo (12) flute and piano, in a bit of a slump at the moment, and Rara (9) cello, clarinet and recorder (yes, she's picked it up again) on a roll at the moment. I teach woodwind and have my own little clarinet group called the B Flat Blues, who don't rehearse together regularly, but played in a festival this week.

I also have quite a bit of news, mostly good, but am so tired that it will have to wait until tomorrow now. Hopefully it's worth waiting for (and before anyone asks, no, Goo didn't get the desire of her heart).

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Kutik73 · 24/02/2018 20:48

I am also guilty of sub-standard rosin! And, we are also considering a puppy! Prada, how do you manage his daily exercise? He must need A LOT for the size of the body. Do you have a dog walker?

Pradaqueen · 24/02/2018 21:04

Green / Kutik - we have a giant breed. They need less exercise Wink but my house is totally white so he has his paws wiped a lot Grin we love him though and walking him is like taking out Hugh Grant. Everyone wants to stop and ask about him.

February Music Thread
Pradaqueen · 24/02/2018 21:05

No we don't have a dog walker but we do have a lot of land for him to roam in

folkmamma · 24/02/2018 21:18

OMG... Prada he is fabulous! Our fur baby is also a bit of a local celebrity, he actually smiles! We can't go anywhere without people fussing over him. Although he was not popular in this house earlier, as he rolled in another dog's 💩 while he was out on his walk and came home totally reeking... 🤮

Pradaqueen · 24/02/2018 21:22

Thank you folk. That is my worst nightmare with my Dog's coat - he goes to the Groomers every fortnight as it is 😱 Tomato ketchup I am reliably informed gets rid of fox poo. Luckily this breed can't be arsed to do anything. No chasing or hunting 😂

Greenleave · 24/02/2018 21:23

Prada, I’d prefer to walk with him more Prada, he is truly handsome!

folkmamma · 24/02/2018 21:25

Don't be fooled by the tomato ketchup myth.... fox pop is nothing short of nuclear disaster! That's J's usual favourite cologne - it's so greasy it's a nightmare to get out. Although the dog poop stank to high heaven, at least it washed out easy enough. Fortunately he's also just been cropped at the groomer or it would have been far worse 😂

Pradaqueen · 24/02/2018 21:32

Aww thanks Green. Hope you've had a good weekend.

Kutik73 · 24/02/2018 22:18

I'd been dreaming about having a puppy so much that I'd started seeing an imaginary pet dog at our home (serious)! But the prospect of fortnightly visit to the groomers and rolling over fox's poo have brought me back to the reality a bit... I've already discussed about getting a puppy with DS so it's too late to cancel the idea though! He wanted a little brother but settled with a puppy... Can't break his heart again.

Prada, he is so adorable. And I like your whitie home. I think you both work daytime? How long can he be alone at home? Is there a little door for him to move around the garden and inside? Or do you just keep him indoor while you are all out? Sorry for the questions. You can see how seriously I'm considering about a life with a dog! I may have to start a new thread...

Xennialish · 24/02/2018 22:35

Any door that amazing creature could get through would allow burglars in and all but the widescreen tv out I am sure! What a dog Shock

Original poster
Wafflenose · 24/02/2018 22:37

Prada I love your dog! We used to have a Samoyed - for 11 years actually. He was quite a talking point too. He died when I was pregnant with Rara, so the timing wasn't right to get another dog. We tried to adopt a Podenco cross last year, but the specifications from the rescue were unfortunately insurmountable. Goo says we have to get a dog next summer holiday, or she is never speaking to us again!

OP posts:
Kutik73 · 24/02/2018 22:50

Xennialish, a good point. Cat flap wouldn't work for the size, would it.

Taggie, I'm amazed that your DS's friends (presumably 9ish?) know Heifetz!

DS's teacher has an adorable old dog. He loves listening to violin. He quietly comes in and sits down to listen (...or sleep) whenever someone starts playing. I think he is very musical!

TaggieOHara · 24/02/2018 22:54

kutik most are from very music oriented families (and they've heard a lot about Heifetz from DS2!) Smile

Kutik73 · 24/02/2018 23:16

I can't wait DS having friends at school who can talk about Heifetz and alike. I carefully selected his senior school for this reason.

The other day his school friend pointed at his mark on the neck. DS explained what's for. The friend said, 'are you mad?'.

Another time DS was telling his gamer friend that too much digital would be unhealthy so he should reduce the time he spends in front of the screen. The friend backfired at DS saying DS shouldn't play violin to the level he gets the mark, that's just insane. DS then told him, 'but doing lots of digital is not good for you, while doing lots of music is only good.' Obviously non of his school friends agreed with DS...

folkmamma · 25/02/2018 07:04

Ugh. 6.30am on a Sunday is just rude.... the things we do for our kids!

London bound for Pro Corda audition today. Wish us luck!

Mendingfences · 25/02/2018 07:07

Good luck!

Mendingfences · 25/02/2018 07:32

Love the heifetz grade 0 story taggie
I know dd1 has been asked what grade she is on music courses in the uk when she said we dont do grades in Norway the other kids told her she was lucky Smile. But i do think having some way of 'labelling ' someones current standard is useful from a practical point of view, dd1 still has a very dim view of the summer school conductor who judged her on some age/years playing matrix and gave her frere jacque to play Grin.

As for rosin dd1 has several (lost and found after new has been aquired) but her favourite appears to be the evah pirazzi gold stuff she got with her full size violin (to match the strings...). Dd2 only has 1 bass rosin....
No dogs here, too many allergies so nothing to add there Grin

se22mother · 25/02/2018 07:35

Good luck folk! Sure she will be fine, they are a sweet bunch

LooseAtTheSeams · 25/02/2018 07:52

Oooohhh! Love the pup photo, Prada!
Well, I will order some new rosin and given the cost it had better make a difference!Smile
Good luck with the audition folk though I'm sure it will be fine!

disorganisedmummy · 25/02/2018 08:11

Wishing you all the best of luck Folk. Make sure you come back and tell us how it went.

Major drama here. Ds is having a monumental meltdown about going to county orchestra today. He says it's too far away (45 mins) and doesn't enjoy it as doesn't know many kids. He has 3 good friends,all girls that go. Not sure how to handle it tbh. He's in 3 Orchestras, 2 local and 1 county. We've been told that county is the most important. I can't bear to see ds so upset. This is where his Aspergers really affects him. Has anyone been through similar? Do you make your kids go even if they don't want to? 😬

TheSecondOfHerName · 25/02/2018 08:24

DS2 has Asperger's and can be very reluctant to try certain things. I try to compromise by suggesting he try it for a term and then can leave if he still hates it.

Once a year, his choir sings in the chorus with a county opera society, which involves rehearsing at weekends. They're expected to take part unless there's a good reason. He likes being in the choir but doesn't enjoy singing the operas. I made him do it for three operas, then excused him.

Mendingfences · 25/02/2018 08:28

We have har the occasional trauma about going to something. For both dd1 and dd2 there is usually something other than what they are vocalising that is the real issue. For dd2 the common denominator is usually not knowing what is going to happen, so discussing strategies like 'if you are not sure what you should do you can ask X and they will help you, you know X is always happy to help' often sorts her problem (although she will rarely tell me that is the problem itswim). Dd1 is more hormonal atm and sometimes i just have to tell her she's made a commitment and i expect her to honour it.

In these cases it hasnt been a prolongued wish to stop something, more of a one off thing. If it was more prolongued then i would probably be thinking differently, however objectively important something is if the kids are having a negative experience it's probably time for å rethink

Icouldbeknitting · 25/02/2018 08:34

DS hated his first county wind bad rehearsal. Couldn't do it, terrible, never going again. At this point he had G8 and was in a national auditioned ensemble so it was a surprise to hear him say that he couldn't do it. It turned out that he'd been playing a piece which had a lot of rests and much counting which he wasn't used to and he'd struggled. I did make him go to the next one, I said he had to tough it to the end of the school year (four months). Five years later, he's still there.

ealingwestmum · 25/02/2018 08:44

Prada; he is one handsome boy! I cannot imagine our tiny terrace being adequate for him to roam in!

We have a mixed breed called a cavachon.

green; I have to get her fully trained if I ever want my mother to stay with us again. I know so few Asians with dogs or cats so I am hoping she'll break down a few of our heritage traits and win her over with cuteness!

TaggieOHara · 25/02/2018 08:47

Good luck folk ! Mini-folk sounded great on the channel yesterday and I'm sure she will be fine!

disorganised do you think it is a confidence issue at heart? Normally with my two I am quite brisk and business like about making them go to these sorts of things, but then loiter around keeping a close eye on them while they are there. However, with all your DS is going through, I'd be tempted to give him a break today. He may be more likely to join in willingly in a few weeks when he is feeling better about the violin.

Swipe left for the next trending thread