balance between music practice and GCSEs

[jaws5]

How do other teenagers do it? DD's piano teacher is saying she should be practicing for two hours a day (piano diploma) but she is in Y10 at school and they're really gearing up for GCSEs next year, lots of homework, Art GCSE which takes up a lot of time, and there is another instrument and school ensembles, which she really enjoys. She is so stressed out as she just doesn't have two hours a day to practice, let alone experiment on the piano, compose, etc. which she loves. She goes to a mainstream school which is very music based too, they make a lot of concessions and let them miss lessons for music, but piano is outside school and her main instrument. I have no idea how to support her! What does usually happen at this age and this kind of situation? She wants to do well is GCSEs and is predicted As and A* but she still has to work...

2 hours a day at that age is just not doable, and actually, IMO, not necessary.
When I was at music college as an undergrad, a bassoon teacher there told his pupils that it is possible to do what you need to in 90 minutes, if you don't have any more time than that. I
Presumably, your daughter is able to manage longer at weekends? In which case, I'd encourage her to balance school work, practising AND downtime, not too much and not too little of each. ☺

I agree with Floottoot. Mine gets by on 1/2 an hour piano before school. She also plays 2 other instruments and sings etc. There is a lot of cross fertilisation between all her various musical interests. At that age and level a lot of development happens outside of practice so I don't think more is necessarily better.

Priorities! GCSEs need to come first unless the piano is some crucial qualification for 6th form choices. And yes, art GCSE does take up a huge amount of time!

Thanks! I have reassured her by saying there is no need to prepare for a demanding 30m performance exam at her age, and the important thing is to keep growing as a musician, enjoy her other instruments too, etc.

I will also speak to her teacher to explain that a 15yo simply doesn´t have the time -- unless she goes without food or sleep!.
I understand now the appeal of specialist music schools but I want DD to keep her options open and she is happy where she is. Agree that GCSEs are the main thing!

Yes it's tricky . Ds is no where near GCSEs yet do I wonder how he will manage . We shall wait and see but his coursess start next year . He always does music practice before school ( piano or singing) and trumpet ( main instrument) after school before dinner . This has now gone up to about an hour and a half a night - his choice - but if he's busy I encourage him to choose what he practices carefully to make it count . He always chooses music practice over homework though is good at getting that done too ( though makes a massive fuss about it ) I put my foot down about grade 8 this year so that he could enjoy music without the stress but he will no doubt do this and his diploma probably before 6 th form . I'm guessing the trick is to sit it when you're ready rather than work towards taking it ( if that makes sense) . Someone I know took his the other week and he's about to take A levels - but having heard him play I think he's been ready for it for a long time and used some pieces for his A level too

Oh and at the minute Ds can't see a future outside of music so yes when we get there I want him to do well but I think it depends on where your priorities lie so if keeping the music going at a high level for Ds means more 6s and 7s and fewer 8s then that's fine by me ( but we will be having serious chats about what he wants to do next so that he understands the implications ) He's a bit too young to grasp the concept of a plan B currently!!

DS2 is in Y11, so his GCSEs start in two months. He is then planning to take his Grade 8 clarinet a month after the last exam finishes. He is only managing 30 minutes of practice each day, although once he is on study leave he'll be able to fit in more.

The sheer never-ending coursework for Art GCSE is grim. My dd never found enough time to get everything done to her (or the teacher's) satisfaction, despite spending hours and hours a week on it.

Speaking as someone who was working at diploma level on one instrument and grade 8 on another during A levels and now being a piano/singing teacher for over 25 years, I would suggest that your DD concentrate on her school work. She has already reached a high level in her piano playing and only needs to do enough at the moment to keep up the standard. I would say let her enjoy her practice with no pressure. If her piano teacher is putting pressure on her to do 2 hours practice a day on top of gcse work then that's very unfair on your DD. Maybe she could look at sightreading popular music, relatively simple duets, working on chord work through lead sheets (a very useful skill in the real world) . Even keep her playing going through working through pieces at around grade 5/6/7 level? There's so much wonderful piano music out there which she could master at far less than 2 hours per day and would add to her musicality.

At my DS's school a fair number combine achieving the best academic grades and diplomas plus grade 8 on 2 or more instruments . Those who are diploma standard on entry at school continue with the next level diplomas. These are very bright and talented DCs and have developed an efficient use of time particularly with boarding school life but I very much doubt from what my DS says that they are averaging 2 hours of practice a day. However they are putting more practice time in during the holidays. They also have a lot of other musicianship time with ensemble playing and choirs. All that feeds into interpretation of solo pieces.

More generally the balance between academics and music depends what your daughter is aiming or keeping options open for .
If it is a soloist pianist career she is not going to achieve that with only 2 hours a day anyway. If it is as a musician, probably teaching after conservatoire or music degree then there is no rush to acquiring a certificate. She will continue to improve technically, acquire repertoire and mature over the next 3 years on less than an hour a day as she has the aptitude and motivation for music.

I was going to ssy, does she really need to do the diploma yet, so glad to see your update. She can do it next year, the year after, when she's 21 or 31 or 81...2 hours is ridiculous at this stage, if she wants to go to a conservatoire or do music at uni that will be a different thing but there's no point specialising at 15. She's clearly very talented if she's got to diploma already, I'd definitelyadvise her to take the pressure of yet another exam off for now, which you are, great.

Thank you all, very useful advice and along the lines of what we are doing. She would like to do Music/English/one or two languages for A Levels and then music at university or conservatoire, doesn't want to be a soloist -- thankfully as obviously impossible without going to a specialist music school already, she's talented but not a prodigy pianist. She is in three different ensembles at school with two other instruments as well as piano, and loving those.
Agree that Art GCSE is a soul crusher!

Too late now flor your DD but that is why it is generallly not a good idea to combine gcse in art with another arts gcse like music, particularly when the latter takes up a lot of extracurricular time.

Yes I agree slightly concerned about ds's choice of music and drama ( but he insisted !!)

Agree Art is hard work but worth it if you have DC who love drawing. Mine have both done it in combination with pursuing music privately. The younger one struggles to fit in her instrument practice but draws for relaxation on top of her school work most evenings.

They have friends doing music in combination with drama who have done very well.

I think for these sorts of subjects there is an element of them not being work if they are what the DC enjoy.

Howabout I think you're right . Music practise like drawing for your dd is seen as relaxing as is composition so hopefully that will make it all easier to fit in . But I definitely don't think you have to be piling on the pressure and working towards diplomas while you're doing your GCSEs . Music colleges are most interested in your playing ability and that you are at least grade 8 ( distinction) standard most applying will be way beyond this but won't necessarily have done the exams . Uni requirements obviously differ greatly but as with all courses some have very high academic requirements so it's good to keep up with the school work and do as well as you can - as I keep telling Ds

Howabout yes if both are all relaxation that is fine. I also think music and drama together are ok.

However it is quite a big ask to stay relaxed when fitting in a couple of hours music practice per day for say two instruments, other extracurricular activities and then keeping up with art portfolio (and some art teachers are quite excessive in their demands even when not necessary for GCSE) plus normal homework.
It does of course depends what academic aspirations are.

An interesting topic....

DS is still quite young so nowhere near GCSE but I do wonder how he would manage as he is already juggling lots things and he is getting more and more passionate about music (he wants to go to a music specialist school).

Part of me is celebrating his passion as it's always great for children to be so into something, get involved and work hard. I really believe this helps them get through the difficult phases of growing up (the sensitive teen era!), so I am happily supporting DS's passion 100%.

But part of me is hoping he won't be any more serious than now. His standard is already high enough to enjoy the opportunities he will be given in and outside school. He is starting a secondary school with a good music dept from this Sep. He will have such fun there. Keeping it as a passionate hobby would bring him lots of enjoyment and experience. And, knowing it is 'a hobby', there is no dilemma for us to prioritise school work/GCSE when needed. It's obvious school work comes first.

However, if he wants to take his music to the next level, then we will face to the dilemma and serious juggling, and I won't be able to stop worrying his future.... Obviously we will try to keep his option wide and open, but I am still not sure how much 'NO' is too much when his desire and drive are too strong to handle.

Kutik I think our dcs will let us know And it will all become clear . Certainly Ds can't see a future without a job playing his trumpet currently and school seem happy to support this ( and maybe be a bit more realistic about his academic targets if he's still doing lots and lots of music as he approaches Year 11.) Some manage it all though it's just about how you manage your time . Once in 6th form it's less of an issue and music students are allowed to practise in all of their frees as long as there's space

Ah, so I hope we will survive till 6th form then!

As your DS is a couple of years older than mine, I am interested to see how he manages things and what kind of solution you will reach to keep the healthy balance. At which point you will consider a specialist school seriously? Although I am willing to keep DS in a mainstream school as much as possible, I am aware of that it will be an option for us when things become too much. In some ways it will be healthier and less stressful.

I think now probably for 6th form . He's happy where he is with good friends and I think if we wait that long then he will definitely know one way or the other . Lots of the really good brass players in his school are now in year 13 so no doubt Ds will tell me that school music isn't enough when we get to September so we will have to see how it works out but will probably just look for more ensemble playing outside of school instead to satisfy his need for constant musical challenge and opportunities

Dd did Grade 8 at the end of year 10 & has since changed teacher. She is at a music school. Year 11's biggest challenge has been balancing school with various weekend courses etc. Teacher says diploma is not necessary for music college & would instead prefer her to start preparing for some big solo performances in year 12. She has also applied for some high profile holiday courses this summer for experience & cv points. Exams beyond grade 8 are not required by music colleges, they would prefer someone with plenty of ensemble experience.