February Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

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).

now allowed = NOT allowed!

Waffle how wonderful! Very well deserved and all the better because you weren't expecting it. It's great that all your hard work was recognised! Brilliant results for Rara and it's a huge compliment to Goo that she was asked to step in as Flute 1. That's an amazing English grade as well!
ealing I don't know what to say - I supposed I can play my three pieces hands together but there is a lot of work still to do!
Kutik that does sound tricky and not what you need when you're feeling poorly!

kutik gosh - what a dilemma! is it that you felt the school was too specialist? I agree that, as an adult, you need to have the final say and take responsibility. After all, mini-Kutik is only 10 and quite understandably does not have the judgement to balance family/financial/long term career goals against an exciting opportunity for year 7.

All schools have multiple entry points, so you are not shutting door, if mini-Kutik is still 100% sold on being a violinist in a couple of years.

Note though that I have no specific experience of specialist schools vs jd. These are just uninformed thoughts!

waffle where do you have all the medals and trophies collected over the years??!! So happy for Rara and you, and also for Goo who is doing brilliantly at her school.

kutik it's like showing a child a chocolate fountain...

Kutik if it helps, Noo's teacher went to Purcell. He is adamant that it is better to go later (and he is still young enough to remember the experience very well!!!). When we were having secondary school dilemmas he was very firmly of the mind that if we didn't get the school we needed (thankfully not an issue now) then we should leave Noo in the catchment state school (even with NO music department!!) until at least 14 and then go for specialist school. Or even wait until 6th form. With mini-Kutik already doing JD and NCO, I would say he really is not going to gain much (if anything) by going right now. Perhaps talk to his teachers at JD?? Xx

DS got up and has gone to a party now. He has JD tomorrow, NCO on Sunday, and we are hosting a star gazing party in the evening. I hope he (and I!) can go through....

Hi everyone, just checking in for February.

Many congratulations to waffle - how very exciting! So wonderful to have such lovely recognition for all your hard work & effort. You must have been chuffed!

Hope you and your DS feel better kutik.

I think I sort of dropped off the last thread. Have started a new job so it's all a bit manic at the moment.

I have DD aged 11 who is about to sit Grade 2 piano, Grade 2 theory and and has just started learning the cello (had 3 lessons so far). Also have DS who's 9 and is about to sit Grade 1 piano & Grade 1 theory.

The dates came through today from ABRSM for their piano exams and they both have very early exam dates . Oh well, what will be, will be...

Re, when to start specialist schooling, I suppose it depends on the child, environment and the goal you are aiming at.

I think the main benefit of the specialist school route is time (for us). No more juggling with school work and other commitments. Much needed independent practice time is scheduled nicely and you can devote more time to what you love. As soon as DS starts secondary, constant fights against time will also start. So I am not sure if he can wait till 14 if he really really wanna go.

However, DS has never really expressed that he would like to be a violinist, actually. He loves it and loves it now. There is no link between now and possible future careers.

He already has a tool to enjoy music. I think he should embrace it and use it to fulfil his enjoyment and social life, and focus on school work. Full time music specialist schools are for others, but not for DS's. I know I am breaking his heart though.

Drummers the trophies go back every year, but they each have a shelf in their bedrooms for the purpose. We have a variety of hooks for medals. Goo has 40 on one of hers and has asked for a new one.

Kutik I am so convinced of what is best for Goo that I won't even go and look at Wells, which is not far away. Everyone else thinks she should go there; I am not sure she would get in, her mentor says going as a specialist musician to that particular school at 11 is rare, and we feel that she needs a large, very academic school. She still gets to play lots of netball, is thriving academically though not exactly busting a gut, and the music dept is doing very, very well by her. 5 months in, she has played solo in the winter concert and auditioned talent show, joined 6 ensembles and now the production. Trust your instincts!

Kutik I was going to say the same as waffle!! I won't take ds to his music school of choice to look around as I know it would be like opening Pandora's box and he would definately want to go. He may well end up going but not yet he's too young and could change his mind and is thriving at high school ( although he moans about it quite a lot!!) his teacher is also adamant that he shouldn't go yet - and not because he wants to keep teaching him ( we have already had that tricky conversation!!) Mini kutik looking around is probably a bit like ds after an AYM weekend - lots of music which they love but none of the real life reality check !! He always recovers and is fine about life and not doing music full time by Monday night

Thanks for the new thread waffle and congratulations
Brief intro from me, dd1 is 12 plays violin and piano, dd2 is 9 plays flute and has just started double bass and ds is 7 and plays drums and piano.

I dont have any school choices to worry about and i think on balanse im glad about that although it would be nice to have these great oportunities. I think you are right though kutik the choices don't have to be made when the kids are so young still.

I am currently pondering transport challenges, our ferry crossing will be closed for å couple of 10 day stretches, which of course correspond to me needing to get kids to music things on the other side of the fjord....... alternatives are being discussed but are not great- a small ferry going a few times a day adding 30 to 40 minutes to the crossing time and 30-40 minutes extra driving time (plus being so small theres a real risk of not getting a car space) or a bigger ferry that will add well over three hours to the driving time each way..... perhaps i can charter a helicopter

Slightly trivial interlude... anyone watching Requiem on BBC1?? Terrible fake cello playing!! 😂😂😂

I'm watching a live feed from DS1's uni, with him playing in a couple of his bands. Really lovely to see him!

Waffle many congratulations. What a lovely compliment. And Rara is glowing!

DS2 was meant to be playing in their school musical next term, but we've just found out he has a GCSE Geography field trip on one of the days, so not sure what that will mean.

DD has taken a friend to her first classical concert tonight, for her 18th birthday present. Apparently friend has loved it and is converted!

raspberry how lovely. I was at a concert with a music/maths theme (very very accessible and down-with-the-kids) with DS1 last week and the average age was still about 45. At 'normal' concerts, in the major university city where I live, the average age tends to be 60+. Great to hear about concert tickets being given as an 18th birthday present!

folk I had to switch requiem over, although fake cello does not bother me as much as fake violin/piano!

Taggie it's the same here mostly we go to lots of concerts at Snape but ds will often be one of a handful of young people in the audience . He often comments on the age of the audience - and then says but at least they are turning up because they will be paying his bills for him in a few years

Morning all,I have ds who is 11 and plays violin. We're planning on him auditioning for JD in April but 2 massive spanners have been chucked in the works and now we're unsure what to do. Re specialist Music schools- we have had similar thoughts to all of you. It isn't the right environment for ds at the mo. We feel he is better doing all his orchestras/ensembles and either our local Saturday music school or JD.

Our dilemma is this;dad's wonderful tutor is not well and we have no idea if or when she will be returning to teaching. Ds has his audition mid April. We found another teacher who is prepared to help in the interim and comes v highly recommended and even better,lives down the road! The issue is that he listened to ds play (ds has a short cast on left wrist as he fractured it) and has said he doesn't think he will be ready to audition this year. Ds then just burst into tears. He needs to work on his technical skills,incl bowing and posture all of which I agreed with. I feel quite disappointed that we've been led to believe that he is ready and able to audition o my to find out that he is lacking in some basic technical skills. Ds has now buried his head in the sand and I'm left wondering what the hell to do.
Has anyone been in similar positions and could advise? 😩

Oh disorganised! How tricky... would the JD perhaps do a pre-audition consultation? They may give you a steer on whether they feel it's a step to far at this point??

When we went to Cardiff recently I asked if Noo could play for the head, just to see if we were wasting our time, and they were very helpful. They may also share what they are looking for so DS can focus on those things in the time he has. I'm not sure if this is even possible, but maybe you could plead for an extra few weeks in view of the cast??

General musicianship and potential are also very important don't forget, technique can be fixed. Which JD, can you say? I believe some are less competitive so may be more likely to look past any current little quirks for the sake of the bigger picture...

Just ideas, others will probably be better informed than I...

Thanks for your advice Folkmama. The JD is Guildhall. They do say on their website that they are looking for potential which is great and yes technique can be fixed so that is a positive.
Ds has decided that he would like to have lessons with this teacher and I think we will still audition in April but with no expectations. I think the experience will be v good for him.
It's so hard isn't it. They don't come with a manual these kids!!

I would go for it - if I remember you have already been for advice audition ( last year ?) and they were keen then . If they say no at least you will get constructive feedback on what they are looking for. All teachers have different perspectives and it's good to take these on board but also to remember that they are still children and very much learning. Ds's teacher is very hot on technique sometimes it sounds like ds's playing is a total disaster and then when I really quiz him about it he'll say oh it's just about moving his mouth a mm!! or something like that . I also know that he talks to other teachers about ds and that they have said to him but you need to remember he is only 12 what did you do when you were 12 !! ( I know this because he tells me!!). I also know that he doesn't want ds to go onto study somewhere else in a couple of years and have his technique ripped apart ( it often happens) so maybe this teacher wa thinking along those lines but that doesn't mean he shouldn't audition or won't get in - he just might have to work in these things when he gets there

Disorganised - if your DS has technical problems, they may be more likely to take him younger when those problems can be sorted out. I suggest discussing very frankly and carefully with the new teacher what your DS should play to really show off his potential. For example, he does play with nice phrasing and good facility - so find pieces that show that off.

Also (and I speak here as mum of a musical 12 yo with Aspergers)... I would try to have conversations about your DS with the new teacher, without him there and then present decisions calmly as a 'fait accompli' - e.g. 'We have decided that you will play x rather than y because says the jd need to see more of your great vibrato'. This may lessen your DS's anxiety, and make him less likely to react stubbornly or hysterically (both anxiety responses in aspie boys ime)

Please forgive me and disregard, if this is obvious, or irrelevant to you! I am of course, mainly thinking of my DS1. And feel free to pm me about the asd side of things!

Hello everyone, I completely missed out on the threads since the end of December and January. I am mum to miniprada aged 11 who is currently a music scholar and plays the violin (working towards g8) and piano (working towards g7). She is living the music at school where music is really celebrated - there have been so many opportunities to participate in some really wonderful events. Before Xmas her choir backed Lesley Garrett at a charity event and then sung at some beautiful concerts - including her first paid gig ( all the choir earned £5 each but how lovely). This term has seen one concert where she was in the school string ensemble - absolutely beautiful and some amazing talented girls and we are working towards other school music events, and are taking time off grade exams, festivals and she did not audition for NCO which she may do next year. Participation in various orchestras has really improved her sight reading (large weak spot) so I am thrilled for her. 'Big' School has been a fantastic experience so far, lots of like-minded girls where being bright is cool, so I couldn't ask for any more.

I am going to re-read the Jan thread to catch up on everyone's news and to discover Goo's heart's desire! And of course huge congratulations to waffle on the amazing music festival success. How wonderful for you. Kutik - I hope you are not too bruised by the 11+ experience! What a tricky decision for you to have to make. Miniprada has decided she would like to give up dancing in favour of a JD so I am going to see about looking into that. Her 12th birthday looms so I am going to look into 'cool' stuff to do now. I have a major build project on the go right now so my focus has been on that, hopefully I can come up for air post Xmas soon!

Prada - hope you enjoy reading back through the threads. The short version is that Rara got full NCO membership and Goo got reserves!

Kutik, that IS a dilemma.
It does sound like minikutik has a good situation going on with music at present and for next year. My friend's daughter is an incredible violinist, already working professionally in her 2nd year at music college, was leader of NYO, despite only joining 2 years before at the back of the 2nds etc. She went to Purcell for 6th form, from a state secondary, with JD on Saturdays.
That said, I got into a school that I desperately wanted to go to at 11and my parents chose not to send me there...and the disappointment stayed with me for a very long time. I do feel my life then would have been very different, had I gone.

The specialist schools generally have very good academic standards, so I wouldn't worry that minimum is going to miss out, educationally - perhaps see the music as more of a bonus than the only thing the school has to offer?
And, if course, plenty of children to through specialist schools from 11 to 18 and then study another subject entirely at uni.

Minikutik sounds like he's very bright all round, and will do exceptionally well, wherever he goes. Try not to worry about career goals, but look at what each school feels like to find the best all round cut for bim.

fit for him