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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

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!

OP posts:
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folkmamma · 26/04/2018 14:57

Get well soon Waffle. Will we see you on Sunday? Xx

TaggieOHara · 26/04/2018 15:15

Flowers waffle

Trumpetboysmum · 26/04/2018 15:28

Oh no waffle get well soon Flowers
The second - he did very well then Smile
Kutik really good of your gp to refer and given his ear history good to get advice . All ds's surgeon could offer though was swimming custom fits but luckily I think I might have found someone locally , which would be good but there are places in London so should be ok for you - I think custom fits are expensive though ( surprise surprise !!)

JugglingFromHereToThere · 26/04/2018 16:08

Well we had an interesting and pleasant couple of hours visiting Purcell today for DS audition.

DS said pieces went better than the musicianship test which was quite challenging, lots of intervals and questions about keys recognition which he was probably rather under prepared for.

And now dealing with some disappointment as we had feedback afterwards that though they can see he's a musical lad he isn't quite of the technical standard for them to be able to offer him a further audition or a place at the school :-(

He's coped with the whole day and the disappointment really well though so I'm still very proud of him for giving it a go.

Friends of his are rallying round to say they are pleased he will likely be staying at present school for sixth form. One even said she will choose Music A level if he will be staying on there to do it too, which was so sweet of her. I gather she was feeling kind of 50/50 about it so needed a deciding factor! Nice she chose for friendship to be that extra thing weighing in the balance!

JugglingFromHereToThere · 26/04/2018 16:13

Oh and just wanted to add that I had an interesting time there people watching inthe cafe and reading a good book, and DS has gone out for some roller skating on this nice sunny early evening - actually now he just got back in after catching up with friends coming out of school :-)

Doubleup · 26/04/2018 16:39

Waffle, I hope you feel better soon. Asthma can wipe you out, so take it easy. Flowers

Juggling, at least by auditioning you won't be wondering 'what if' for years. Glad he's dealing with it well.

JugglingFromHereToThere · 26/04/2018 16:46

Thanks Doubleup, hopefully it's all good life skills and auditioning/ interview practice too.

So many times we have to throw ourselves into things in life, and give it our best shot, not knowing what the outcome will be.

Nothing ventured nothing gained is an important thing to learn and practice in itself I think.

Trumpetboysmum · 26/04/2018 17:04

Juggling I think so too you have to try things to find out . Glad even if it wasn't the outcome he wanted it was a positive experience and he's coped with the whole experience well .

JugglingFromHereToThere · 26/04/2018 17:06

Thanks TBM!

AlexandraLeaving · 26/04/2018 21:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

catkind · 26/04/2018 22:02

Ah well done minithesecond and minijuggling. I think giving things a go is always a positive. You learn such a lot just taking part.

Music for youth sounds exciting Alexandra! I don't remember the banana smeared incident - whatever happened?

Kutik73 · 26/04/2018 22:17

Why did I forget the lessons start this Saturday?! ConfusedSo DS will be back to weekly lessons in two days not in 10 days! It seems rather manageable to keep his newly formed enthusiasm till the first lesson of the new term!

A big well done to Juggling's boy! StarStarStar

Kutik73 · 26/04/2018 22:18

And Alexandra's boy! StarStarStar

Kutik73 · 26/04/2018 22:25

By the way the recorder arrived but no new music yet. Last time DS played through book 1 alone so now we had two recorders and no new music, we played through book 1 from the beginning together. DS led and I followed with occasional nagging for not indicating the beat clear enough for me to read the cue. What's a joy!! We both love recorder and playing together is such fun! Can't wait for the book 2 arriving!

Japanese · 26/04/2018 22:47

Hope druid and waffle feel better soon.

And well done to second's and juggling's minis. Sounds as though the competition was really tough!

We have been to the Royal Festival Hall tonight to listen to the Royal Philharmonic. It was so lovely I may have had a wee tear. Someone who used to play in the same local youth orchestra as me as a teen was playing in the second violins. The DCs were quite impressed with that! Grin

TaggieOHara · 26/04/2018 23:53

Well done juggling for doing a good audition and for being brave about the outcome, and well done second. Great result against stiff competition!

Exciting opportunities for the Boy Alexandria. Looking forward to hearing all the details.

Lucky you Japanese! The absolutely only thing that makes me want to live in London is the concerts. I’m a country girl at heart!

kutik Maybe we ought to have a learner-Mums theme on the channel once you get your recorder music! There are quite a few adult learners amongst us!

Kutik73 · 27/04/2018 00:03

Gosh, Taggie! That would be too embarrassing! But wait, it may be interesting. DH plays guitar (badly) and I play recorder (even worse) and DS plays Irish violin (yes, his 4/4 is made in Ireland!), we can form a family fork band! Grin

Kutik73 · 27/04/2018 00:06

I meant FOLK. We are not cutlery...

TaggieOHara · 27/04/2018 00:16

Now you’re onto something kutik - a family fork band Grin

I am considering blatantly copying you and buying myself a treble recorder. I need something to absorb my nervous energy/stress. Playing the violin does not generally improve my state of mind!

TaggieOHara · 27/04/2018 00:22

For kutik (and maybe to cheer up druid!)

LooseAtTheSeams · 27/04/2018 00:22

Juggling your DS sounds amazing - and has lovely friends!
Alexandra Music For Youth is great news - but now you have to explain the banana reference!

Kutik73 · 27/04/2018 01:25

Now I should reclaim we are forming a FORK (and spoon) band. Grin

Taggie do join me - welcome to the recorder world. You will be a way ahead of me at lightning speed as you are an accomplished musician already. I will probably keep playing baby tunes for ages but it's sooo fun and I found recorder somehow relaxing. Maybe it's something to do with the nostalgic sound and also relatively easy to get on with. I speak like someone reborn but must remind you the reorder arrived today (or yesterday already) and I played only once (though did 10 or so songs from a baby music book). Let's hope my enthusiasm lasts!

JugglingFromHereToThere · 27/04/2018 07:32

Thanks everyone, you've all been so lovely, helpful and encouraging.

Fortunately DS has some other nice musical things coming up after exams ( to distract slightly) such as a couple of exciting music tours in the summer, one with school the other with his youth brass band - and they are also taking part in the Music for Youth concert in Birmingham, so it should be a good one!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 27/04/2018 08:35

Yep, we'll be there on Sunday. Wouldn't miss it for anything!

OP posts:
Kutik73 · 27/04/2018 09:21

Just got informed by jd that DS joins String Orchestra from this term (from tomorrow!). This means his day at jd will be slightly longer. But it's a move from Training Orchestra so kind of 'promotion'. Smile It was very good to be in Training Orchestra though, where kids are taught lots of unspoken rules and manners. These things can be taken long time to fully understand so they are so lucky to be nailed in early on.