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Extra-curricular activities

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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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Wafflenose · 07/04/2018 08:53

Shout out and request on the radio for Rara and her friend, as I did the same for Goo last year.

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stringchild · 07/04/2018 09:04

Waffle - what s nice idea, did Rara get to heat it?

hertsandessex · 07/04/2018 09:20

For those commenting on specialist schools after seeing BBC strings final wait for next week - only 1 out of 5 percussionists this year.

Wafflenose · 07/04/2018 09:39

Yes she did!

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Ninabellina · 07/04/2018 09:52

Petra

April Music Thread
AlexandraLeaving · 07/04/2018 11:22

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

se22mother · 07/04/2018 11:32

Hope you enjoy the concert today folk and taggie.
I look forward to hearing all about what the children thought of the week. We will be there in about 7 weeks and dd is counting down already.

drummersmum · 07/04/2018 13:30

Hi all, haven't been round here much. Trying to focus on work and supporting gcse revision...

waffle my money was on S as a winner too. Personally I loved the guitarist. I didn't see you in the audience but we did see DS' friend who is on next Friday.

Of the last three winners, Laura, Martin and Sheku, only Martin was at a specialist school. Although Sheku's house is like the Menuhin school lol.

hertsandessex · 07/04/2018 14:36

Drummers and the jazz winner last time Alex Ridout but your point is still valid. Interestingly I’ve realised specialist schools perhaps restrict or at least discourage entry until older and lots of the overseas pupils which is 50% don’t or can’t even consider applying.

SE13Mummy · 07/04/2018 15:03

We noticed the specialist school thing (esp Purcell for at least sixth form) when DD1 took part in an NYJC thing a few years ago. On looking up the leading lights, they were either the home-schooled children of musicians or they attended a specialist school.

I can't find the post now but someone asked about the Trinity jazz course... DD1 went a couple of years ago, feel free to PM me if you'd like me to send you a link to something she wrote about it.

drummersmum · 07/04/2018 15:44

Yes herts indeed I forgot about the jazz award. And you make a good point about age although re overseas students I think you don't need to be a uk citizen, only a student in the UK (percussionist last time was from Eastern Europe).
The secret is of course efficient and constant practice, dedication and the right teacher. Some people can better achieve all of this at a specialist school and it's not hard to guess why.

hertsandessex · 07/04/2018 16:27

I was thinking more about logistics to take you to auctions, finals etc possibly with instruments, stay overnight etc, if no parents or extremely willing friends around to help especially for slightly younger ones. Lots of the overseas children participate in far less outside of school. Our children don't know how lucky they are having our help :)

Trumpetboysmum · 07/04/2018 16:28

Well specialist school has where Ds has yet again announced that he wants to go especially when he realised that Alex had studied joint classical and jazz at the Purcell though I think she only went for 6th form . Realistically that's all we can afford to support and by Year 11 I'm hoping he will have a clear idea that that's really what he wants ( to decide by Christmas this year for year 10 entry seems too soon for me ) though he will always say no that's what I want to do !?! I've decided already !! Certainly on brass they don't have to put in the practice hours yet we shall just have to see how the start of year 9 pans out

Trumpetboysmum · 07/04/2018 16:48

Currently he's happily dispatched at NCO so I doubt I will hear from him all week. I'm not sure I'm ready for him to go away to school either Hmm he's already away a lot and although we've got used to it it's a different kind of normal to the life of his friends at school ( and what I imagined if I'm honest )

drummersmum · 07/04/2018 17:25

Our children don't know how lucky they are having our help

Ah yes! We should embroider a cushion with a reminder and have them sleep on it every night!!

folkmamma · 07/04/2018 18:56

Well, we've got our girl back and she has had the most wonderful week! Hasn't stopped talking and quote: “mummy, I HAVE to play the viola” 😂

Was lovely to spend time with Taggie, and Noo and Mini-Taggie have made firm friends!! Will pop some videos on our Channel when I'm back home and on WiFi.

Trumpetboysmum · 07/04/2018 19:10

Folk so pleased that she had a good week Smile

TaggieOHara · 07/04/2018 21:32

Yes - It is lovely to have DS2 back from Pro Corda! It was a fantastic experience for him - very inspiring. There were some terrific young musicians there. It was also great to meet folk and Noo Smile.

trumpet I will be trying to spot mini-trumpet on the NCO social media feed! I hope he has a wonderful time

waffle I spotted Rara in the audience of young musician. It was during the applause after the cellist. You had amazing seats Envy!

Wafflenose · 07/04/2018 22:17

We took the kids out of school early and drove 3.5 hours to get there Taggie. Well worth it. I have photos of Goo and Rara that someone took of their telly! Someone else said they saw me for a split second.

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Trumpetboysmum · 07/04/2018 22:39

Waffle I will have to have another watch and try and spot them . I would have loved to take Ds to the brass final ) I'm sure school would have let him leave early ) but unfortunately it was a day I was working.

Musicdoc · 08/04/2018 01:41

I've had a few days off this thread and wow, people have been up to so much!! I missed the string final but have heard who the winner is... sounds like some excellent performances so I will try to watch it on catch up.

I've had quite a week with my two. My DD played with NCCO and loved it. My DS is in Chineke! Juniors and was asked to join NYO and played Bernstein's Mass.... he's had an amazing experience and the performance was phenomenal. I was totally overwhelmed and so was he. He now is aspiring to be in NYO in a couple of years.

But first NCO U13s with minitrumpet... we're starting a day late. I've driven half way to Port Regis and arrived at 1am this morning - will finish the journey tomorrow after breakfast 😱

Trumpetboysmum · 08/04/2018 06:36

Safe drive musicdoc the NYO concert sounds amazing

folkmamma · 08/04/2018 08:16

Wow music doc, what an exciting couple of weeks! Trumpet I hope the rest of your journey goes smoothly and DS has a great week!

Well, bit of a curveball thrown here... I haven't slept all night. I sent my post-course 'Thank yous' off to the Pro Corda team and it seems Noo made rather a good impression! Got into a dialogue with the course director (who is amazing!) and he suggested we should reconsider our plans for her as departments that I thought were beyond her are apparently not.... but we have missed all the application deadlines and given the situation with her current teacher we can't afford to wait another year. Plus, whilst it is all very flattering I'm still not confident she stands a chance.

I have also just ordered her a viola. How does the song go? "What a difference a day makes..." Confused

folkmamma · 08/04/2018 08:17

Trumpet? Music... lack of sleep already taking it's toll. Blush

Trumpetboysmum · 08/04/2018 08:56

If he'll let her apply late I would go for it - how exiting. I always think Ds doesn't stand a chance but put him in for stuff anyway and so far it's paid off !!

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