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Extra-curricular activities

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

April Music Thread

999 replies

Wafflenose · 01/04/2018 11:13

Happy Easter! The sun is shining here (at the moment) so I'm hoping spring has finally arrived.

Here's a new thread for anyone who wants to talk about music lessons, exams, practice, concerts, aural, scales, theory, ensembles or anything else music related. Everyone is welcome, from beginners to advanced and also adult learners. I started these threads 6.5 years ago when I had a beginner myself. Her nickname is Goo, she is 12 and taking Grade 8 Flute next term. I think she's finally going to do her Grade 5 Piano in the autumn. When those are out of the way, she's thinking of taking up the recorder again and doing Grade 8 on that, because flute sort of took over and she never got around to it. Her sister Rara is 9, and is currently around Grade 4 on both Cello and Clarinet. She doesn't want to do any more exams for ages, so will probably do her grade 5s in a couple of years or so. Rara is a lapsed recorder player who will be performing on it next month, and she dabbles with piano, glock and accordion. Both girls do South West Music School, although I regularly go back on forth over whether this is still the best setting for Goo. We are pretty rural and hours away from any big cities.

Please can we all be extra careful to make sure that everyone is acknowledged and assisted where appropriate... I include myself in needing to make an effort, but I'm not around all day, every day. This is a lovely, calm, supportive corner of Mumsnet but I do receive a handful of messages from people who don't feel welcome because they or their children are less advanced, or they're not in a position to consider JD/ private school/ expensive instruments and feel left out, or they wonder if it's OK to post about certain instruments/ families. I did say I would try. Thank you all so much!

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Kutik73 · 17/04/2018 10:49

Waffler?? Waffle!!

TaggieOHara · 17/04/2018 10:52

Oh - and congrats to mini-2nd !

Kutik73 · 17/04/2018 10:57

Taggie, I am glad someone can see the prettiness of the table cloth like I do! DH calls it 'granny's table cloth'...

drummersmum · 17/04/2018 12:37

Ah, kutik you remember the lucky music top from the grandparents!? You are amazing. He wore it to every audition that year... Smile
That mug's cool. Your DS already drinks tea? I think tea is fabulous. DS has a caffeine free life, doesn't like Coke and doesn't drink coffee or tea. I offer him a cup every day but he refuses it. I even offer it in French because it's a running joke between us.
thesecond thank you for driving info. I think that's about the timeline DH has in mind.

Trumpetboysmum · 17/04/2018 13:21

Great news mini2nd Smile
Ds doesn't have many musical items really - though he loves all of his hoodies ( NCO and AYM) and was really sad to have to hand back his 10 pieces t shirt at the end of Sunday's concert ( having made a fuss about wearing it at first because he didn't think it would look very professional - this also made me laugh as Ds has got a lot to learn about looking professional when he plays !!)

folkmamma · 17/04/2018 16:03

We have a viola in the house! Eeeek!!!

April Music Thread
catkind · 17/04/2018 16:23

Yay, viola high five folk!

Kutik73 · 17/04/2018 17:37

drummers, I even remember it's not supposed to call 'lucky' top according to your DS's philosophy. Grin

Wow, viola! Beautiful! Have fun, minifolk!

I must say DS looked like playing viola in a nco rehearsal as most kids around him were playing tiny violins. I think he is actually still small for full size, though somehow he is coping fine intonation wise. Maybe piano fingers are helping. His hands are smaller than mine but he can reach piano keys more than I can. He's got stretchy hands!

PetraDelphiki · 17/04/2018 18:34

Did you get any viola music yet?

druidsong · 17/04/2018 18:35

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

TaggieOHara · 17/04/2018 18:40

Lovely folk sadly DS2 did not catch the Pro Corda viola bug (‘it was awful Mummy - no E string’)

stringchild · 17/04/2018 19:30

Folk - I am learning viola; only had one lesson 6months ago but working my way through some beginner books on my own. I dont think I will ever get out of 1st position but who cares :)

folkmamma · 17/04/2018 19:33

Petra, we did! Got the 'Quick Change' book you recommended (turn out one of the pieces was used in the session she did at Pro Corda!), a G1-3 ABRSM publication, some violin/viola duets and a scale book. She is devouring the Quick Change book and has played for about 2 hours this evening! Also, the trio piece we had planned for the 'Family Ensemble' in the forthcoming festival has interchangeable viola / violin 2 part so she has switched to the second part (Yay, Mummy gets V1 for a change!) and is playing it on the viola. For the five minutes before DD2 and I came to blows it was all sounding lovely....

Wafflenose · 17/04/2018 19:38

How lovely! I did viola from Year 10 until the end of my degree, and picked up violin in my 20s. I haven’t played either for many years since smashing my left elbow to bits, but maybe I will! So glad you also got around to learning, string!

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folkmamma · 17/04/2018 19:42

Yay to String!! I must confess, I will be 'borrowing' the viola from time to time...

AlexandraLeaving · 17/04/2018 19:45

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheSecondOfHerName · 17/04/2018 20:52

Inspired by gaining a place in the school orchestra, DS2 has decided to enter the school music competition. He's going to play one of his Grade 8 pieces. Doubt he'll win anything, but good on him for wanting to enter.

TheSecondOfHerName · 17/04/2018 20:55

I forgot to mention that I got through the three-yearly cull re-audition for the choir I sing with. I was very nervous during the audition and am feeling mightily relieved that I don't have to repeat the experience for another three years.

Doubleup · 17/04/2018 20:59

Love the sock Alexandra - but she needs two. One on its own looks a little odd Grin. Oboe socks would be quite similar I suppose.
I guess bassoon socks might work, although one would be shorter than the other, they would have to be joined at the feet and the person wearing them would have to have very long legs! Grin

Doubleup · 17/04/2018 21:00

Congrats to Second and miniSecond!

TheSecondOfHerName · 17/04/2018 21:05

Loving those socks...

Trumpetboysmum · 17/04/2018 21:12

Great news second and mini second !! How exciting about the viola Folk

folkmamma · 17/04/2018 21:13

Not DD's music paraphernalia, but mine...

April Music Thread
Japanese · 17/04/2018 21:18

Congrats to mini2nd

And how stressful having to reaudition for a choral place! Is that because voices change over time?

Very exciting about the viola folk!

And am loving the idea of bassoon socks.

Back from holiday now so trying to re-establish a solid practice routine.

Have asked the DCs whether they'd be interested in doing exams on the recorder and they seem quite keen so we'll see. Have ordered the music from the new ABRSM syllabus for 2018 as according to the website it starts from the next exam session.

Japanese · 17/04/2018 21:18

What a fab clock!

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