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Extra-curricular activities

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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).

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AlexandraLeaving · 12/02/2018 23:36

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raspberryrippleicecream · 12/02/2018 23:40

Ashokan Farewell fun? For weddings?

It is beautiful but for me it is associated with funerals. Our friend who died in the autumn had chosen it for his funeral, (along with Nimrod and Danny Boy).

Original poster
Wafflenose · 12/02/2018 23:58

Niggle I had to grab a signed one before they all sold out!

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AlexandraLeaving · 13/02/2018 07:34

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LooseAtTheSeams · 13/02/2018 08:21

DS2's birthday is coming up - a Sheku cd (albeit unsigned!) sounds a great idea. At the moment he's getting headphones and some guitar-related stuff (such as socks!)
It's a tricky thing with my boys between pushing them to put the time in practising the non-fun things like scales and not putting too much stress on so they refuse to do it at all! I ramp up the scales meanness as we get closer to exams and it seems to work now.

catkind · 13/02/2018 08:48

raspberry I'm sorry about your friend. Perhaps fun was the wrong word, I think fun to play and jolly to listen to is not the same thing in my head. (Clearly not given my list of suggestions also included Schindler's List...) Yes people do play it at weddings, not just my friend, it's on lots of wedding suggestion lists.

Trumpetboysmum · 13/02/2018 08:55

Loose I'm in exactly the same position as you with ds, though now his teacher has mentioned the dreaded grade 8 word ( against everything he has always said was his plan for ds) I've told ds he has to get on with scales ( and theory) I'm not having a repeat of last years grade 7 prep in 2 months and I have said no to grade 8! In this school year !! So we still have time - though reckon n we will be doing trinity Grin

disorganisedmummy · 13/02/2018 09:09

I'm feeling your pain too! Ds's audition for JD is in 9 weeks which seems a long way away but it will go so fast. I'm so stressed about it as his new teacher doesn't think he's ready but we want him to do it anyway for the experience but ds has been put off by the new teacher so we're battling that 😩. Can't wait until it's all over,whatever happens!

disorganisedmummy · 13/02/2018 09:16

Would anyone be able to help me wrt the kind of questions JD's would ask on musicianship and what hey are looking for in answers please? Ds has Aspergers so reciprocal conversations are quite difficult for him. They are aware of his condition but they will still need to ask him questions and Ds tends to come across as very aloof and indifferent. I need to prepare him as much as possible.
Thanks in advance.

raspberryrippleicecream · 13/02/2018 09:23

Catkind it's fine. I just hadn't thought of it like that, but categorised it as remembrance music in my head, so was surprised. I'm the non-musical one in our house and hadn't really heard of it before. Though my DCs informed me they'd played it in concerts (conducted by the friend).

DS2 is currently doing Schindler's List on piano as his 'fun' piece!

2ndSopranos · 13/02/2018 10:33

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Original poster
Wafflenose · 13/02/2018 11:43

Goo's Grade 8 has been put off indefinitely (she only dropped 7 marks in her Grade 7 exam a year ago), mostly because of her tone, which can't be helped at the moment. It doesn't really matter if she doesn't sit it until she's 18, does it? Instead, her teacher is making her learn all the pieces on the syllabus... I wish I was exaggerating!! She's also just been given loads of nasty scales beyond grade 8, so is going to be busy. I'm sitting in her lesson right now, and she's sight reading the other Mozart Concerto - not the one she played for the NCO. We also have Rutter, Bach, Vivaldi, Hindemith, Quantz, Clark, Goddard and Telemann pieces to work on. Ho ho.

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Trumpetboysmum · 13/02/2018 12:22

Waffle that sounds a bit like ds's practice at the minute he has loads on the go . I was really surprised by his teacher saying he could do it I think his playing has gone up a level which is nice so he felt it would be fine . I also think he wants it out of the way for future auditions etc where it might be helpful to have grade 8 but I still put my foot down😆

JugglingFromHereToThere · 13/02/2018 13:04

How old is your trumpet player Trumpetboysmum?

Trumpetboysmum · 13/02/2018 13:34

He turned 13 last week . Which is why there is really no rush for grade 8 . If need be his teacher can just write in his reference that he's playing at that standard or above ( I'm thinking of NYO applications for example but even that won't need doing till the end of year 9 and with so few trumpet seats I'm still not sure that he would stand a chance - who knows!!)

TaggieOHara · 13/02/2018 19:00

Hope everyone is enjoying half term! DS2 is singing evensong tonight and they have a big event tomorrow - so loads going on.

Slight dilemma here... DS2 has been offered a place on the Primary pro corda course, despite only being 9 (so preparatory age). I requested this because he can't do the preparatory level course because of the timing. However, now I am a bit worried. DS2 is very confident and friendly, and used to older children through choir, but he has only been on school residentials. Has anyone been to pro corda? It looks like a terrific programme, but is it dominated by sophisticated 11 year old girls? This is what the video looks like - but they might have just been the more articulate ones, chosen to be filmed. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Trumpetboysmum · 13/02/2018 19:57

I know a boy who goes who's lovely he's a bit older ( 10 or 11 ) not sure which course he goes on but he loves it

TaggieOHara · 13/02/2018 21:53

Thanks trumpet!

Kutik73 · 14/02/2018 07:12

I knew the tunes of Ashokan Farewell but I just didn't know the name. Now I know what you are talking about cat! I can also confirm that it's a very popular choice for weddings but I can also see it to be used for funerals. It's a beautiful piece and a bit different from usual classical standards. I think DS would enjoy playing it. He had a fun with Boys Paganini. Smile He said it's very catchy.

disorganised, I understand your worry but I can only reassure you you can relax and let him be just 'him'. There are quite a few quirky ones at DS's JD. I am from art background and there was lots of quirkiness also at school and in fact it was very normal to be 'different'. I assume music or any form of art environments would be the same. So being indifferent won't be their concerns and in fact they must be used to it! It's not 11+ entrance interviews. I don't really think they expect any sophistication in presentation, especially for younger candidates. Even more so for your DS if they know his condition.

My DS is not particularly sophisticated, and he lives in his own world... At the audition, he was asked WHY he would like to come to the JD. He replied because he loved composing. He applied to study violin, and violin only. There was a pause apparently and they had to double check if he knew he applied for violin. DS replied 'oh, yes, I like violin'. Confused Very confusing.... But it's nothing new to me. He often says something very confusing but everything makes sense in his own head (but just cannot explain well). I thought he failed to show the enthusiasm by 'forgetting' what he applied for, but he still got a place. Smile

Kutik73 · 14/02/2018 07:39

Taggie, I know a few parents whose DCs were and are in Pro Corda. They are 10 now so they were 9 last time. I am not sure which course they went but they are scholars at prestigious institutions so assume they may have joined in the senior groups like your DS. The parents talked about it very highly. They seemed to think it's more beneficial than NCO musically as it's smaller so more attention but socially they praised NCO more. They turned down NCO places this year. It's only their view though. Needs and fits would be varied depending on what you are looking for I suppose. I am interested to hear your thought and experience at pro Corda.

Kutik73 · 14/02/2018 07:48

DS is also confident and friendly, and used to older children (and also VERY happy to play with younger ones - he is young at heart Grin). If your DS's experience with Pro Corda is positive, we'll think of it next year. I can see our DSs forming a little gang and have fun together. Wink

folkmamma · 14/02/2018 07:56

Taggie - Noo has her audition for the same course on 26th!!!! If she gets in, we could always travel down together and they can get to know one another on the journey....

folkmamma · 14/02/2018 08:04

Ps Noo is ten and definitely not sophisticated! Much happier scrambling around in dirt and climbing trees with boys 😂

disorganisedmummy · 14/02/2018 08:28

Kutik thanks for saying that,it has put my mind at rest.
Ds is hopefully having his cast off today so please can everyone keep their fingers crossed!! If it does come off then we can really get on and focus on practice. He is really struggling with lack of confidence at the mo after his new violin teacher told him he thinks it's too soon for JD (this year). I was really cross about that. Ds was playing a piece that was too hard really and with a cast on. We've changed the piece now which is more his level. His technical skills really do need work though. 😩😱🔫

disorganisedmummy · 14/02/2018 08:31

Re Ashokan farewell,does any one know roughly what grade it is? Ds played this in a recital a couple of years ago. He really loved it. I might dig it out as a fun piece for him.