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Extra-curricular activities

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March Music Thread

626 replies

Wafflenose · 01/03/2018 10:56

Welcome to the new thread for March! I am typing this from home rather than having to go to work - snow days all round. We currently have 1cm, but there are red warnings for wind and for snow later today, so it's going to be horrendous.

This is a place to talk about all things musical, whether you or your DCs are learning. We have lots of followers, from beginners to advanced, and everyone is welcome!

I am a teacher of recorder, clarinet, flute and saxophone, and have two DDs. Goo is 12 and having a fabulous time at secondary. She is Grade 8+ on the flute but not taking the exam until braces are off (and I think her teacher is holding out until she thinks Goo can get full marks or something) and around Grade 5 piano - no performances or exams yet and terrified of anyone hearing her, so that's getting to be a slight problem. Rara is 9 and between Grades 3 and 4 on both cello and clarinet. She's taking Grade 3 Clarinet this term so that when she goes off to the NCO in the summer, she doesn't have to tell other children that's she's only done Grade 1!

OP posts:
folkmamma · 24/03/2018 10:59

Ooh Taggie, which pieces is your mini doing? We have Mozart Menuets (1,2&5) and Telemann for 4 violins, no. 2 x

TaggieOHara · 24/03/2018 11:31

ditto on both Mozart minuets (violin 1) and telemann (violin 3). Maybe they are in the same groups? It would make sense as they are a similar age and level!

Or maybe everyone is doing those pieces!

folkmamma · 24/03/2018 13:26

Ooh that would be amazing if they were in the same group!! Nok has 2nd part in both 😊

folkmamma · 24/03/2018 13:26

Nok, who's Nok!? Noo... 😂

LooseAtTheSeams · 24/03/2018 14:02

DS2 is doing a Spring concert this afternoon but DS1 is missing two due to vomiting bug.
He's hardly eaten for two days and I don't think his greenish pallor would be very welcome!

Doubleup · 24/03/2018 14:17

Loose I hope your ds recovers soon and that nobody else comes down with it.

LooseAtTheSeams · 24/03/2018 21:49

Thanks Doubleup - he managed some breadsticks so I'm hoping tomorrow will be a lot healthier!

LooseAtTheSeams · 26/03/2018 08:50

Well, DS1 only just back to normal but DS2 had a lovely afternoon yesterday practising all three instruments and downloading extra music for all three. Is this a good omen for holiday music practice, I wonder?!

Trumpetboysmum · 26/03/2018 11:36

Loose glad your ds is on the mend still another week of school for us - can't wait till Friday Ds especially is exhausted

Kutik73 · 26/03/2018 11:56

We have another week of school too. No interesting update nor news on music as jd finished a week ago and no lesson till late April. No holiday course nor workshop related to music is planned during the holiday neither.

Yesterday DS aced football matches, winning 5 games and scored a winning goal for the final. He was on top of the world. Later he asked me to let him do more exercises during the holiday. He felt out of breath during the matches and didn't like the feeling so wants to be fitter.

Supposed a human is allowed to be out of breath for playing 5 games in row. But anyway it seems like he will have more sport oriented holiday (swimming, golf, tennis and running!), and hopefully it will contribute gaining solid stamina to play a concerto in the next term maybe!

Doubleup · 26/03/2018 12:40

Kutik DD1 used to do club swimming and as a result has an incredible lung capacity, great for oboe playing.

We are having trip to the Ollivanders of the bassoon world tomorrow to look at bassoons for DD2. Taking her teacher with us for advice. DD2 is more than a little excited!

folkmamma · 26/03/2018 12:42

Counting down to the holidays here too.. mine break up on Thursday. Noo and I are playing in the spring concert at her future secondary school tonight - I'm sitting on the desk behind her. Weird! we are playing Finlandia, Bach Double, an original piece by John Triall and the Organ Symphony.

DD2 was given Harry Potter cello music for her birthday on Saturday and proceeded to serenade the person who set up her party with 'Hedwig's Theme' yesterday. I'm not sure the poor girl knew quite what to say....

In other news, looking forward to going on Pro Corda course with Mini Taggie and Salut D'Amour is coming along very nicely :-)

folkmamma · 26/03/2018 12:43

ooh, how exciting Double!! Instrument shopping is just the best fun ever...

Doubleup · 26/03/2018 12:55

Yes folk, fun, but also very stressful with the price tag! Horrendous!

Kutik73 · 26/03/2018 13:23

instrument shopping - tell me about it!! Grin Off to a violin shop now. Wink

AlexandraLeaving · 26/03/2018 15:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

se22mother · 26/03/2018 15:12

Folk/taggie I'm sure I read somewhere on the pro corda instructions that the children need a mute? Is this correct?

Interested to hear how you get on.... dd is really excited for her May course.

catkind · 26/03/2018 15:37

We break up Thurs too.

Having great fun post piano exams learning 6 hands pieces for music festival. They're playing with their respective classmates but the notes are super easy so they can play each other's too. Which means we can have our own practice trio at home. Love it!

DD has also had a resurgence of interest in violin, which makes me happy as it has lots more ensemble/orchestral potential and she's actually better at it. I'm taking her through Fiddle Time Joggers for sight reading practice, it seems to be working touch wood.

drummersmum · 26/03/2018 15:56

Alexandra s boy congrats! StarStar

LooseAtTheSeams · 26/03/2018 16:15

Oh that's great news Alexandra - well done and congratulations to the Boy! Star
DCs break up Thursday lunchtime - still some music lessons this week then the teachers get a well-deserved break!

Doubleup · 26/03/2018 16:36

Congrats to the Boy Alexandra!

ealingwestmum · 26/03/2018 16:51

Star Star for TheBoy!!

ealingwestmum · 26/03/2018 16:54

And to everyone else’s DC for continuing to juggle, compete, be examined or audition. And for those still trialling prospective instruments... Grin

No news here, just plodding on, adjusting schedules here and there (not to every music teacher’s approval) but nevertheless, trying to keep most plates spinning...

Wafflenose · 26/03/2018 17:01

Wonderful news for The Boy!

We broke up on Friday, and I'm glad - last week was completely crazy with concerts etc. We spent the weekend chilling out a bit. Rara had her 2nd swimming competition yesterday and did well. She swam in a relay for 9 year old girls ando her team finished 2nd out of 5. At the end of 45 events, our club won the competition!

Hopefully we can now get back into a good practice routine. Cello and piano done so far today.

OP posts:
TaggieOHara · 26/03/2018 17:10

Se - not sure about the mute. I would rather not as I hate the little rattly ones that are permanently attached and I can imagine DS2 yanking his bridge off with the other type! They do say to bring one though so maybe I’ll tuck one away in his case, somewhere where he won’t get distracted by it!