May Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

Have a new thread for May... you all managed to fill the April one!

This is a place to chat about music lessons, exams, practice, aural, theory, performances and anything else you like. We have many regular and occasional posters (some of whom are learning themselves) with children ranging from complete beginners to very advanced. We do try our best to make sure everyone feels welcome!

I am mum to Goo (12) flute and piano, and Rara (9) cello and clarinet. They play in loads of school groups, South West Music School and NCO, although practice isn't going too well at the moment. Later in the week, all three of us are taking part in a big community concert, which will be lovely.

Waffle it’s looking like we might go to the same campsite...!!

Kutik as long as you’re happy sleeping in the shower

Have lovely holidays Kutik and waffle . Hopefully the holiday will help you feel much better Waffle . I love Cornwall too.
Tabby that's a crazy number of visitors

kutik Our DS is starting at a specialist school in September. He's currently Y8 & attends a prep school, so moving to a new school was all part of the plan. We hadn't planned on him boarding anywhere but to attend the school it's a necessity. He's an outgoing, sociable boy and is looking forward to it. He will be coming home every 3 weeks and the holidays are long - I'm sure we'll get used to it.

I hear the word 'driven' a lot but I wouldn't apply this to DS yet. He's just normal, loves to play but can be lazy! Good thing is that someone else will have to nag him in September!

DS can also be lazy, littlelads. Apparently Joshua Bell was a bit weak fighting against temptation and holds a bit of regret spending too much time on playing game in his youth!

Hello....I'm heading towards 50 and decided that I will take up music lessons again. Specifically learning the piano. Have found a teacher - anyone any top tips about length of lessons and also about buying digital piano? Thanks in advance. Am very excited but also a little bit terrified.

No advice really but how exciting . We have a digital piano ( but a discontinued make) I liked the Yamaha ones too when we tried them . As soon as my house is finished I am determined to learn the piano . I bought it for me so far both dcs can play but I haven't got very far . Half an hour once a week or an hour every couple of weeks would be fine for lessons I think .

Thank-you both. I am very excited. Haven't studied music for quite some years. Can decide whether to start with an hours lesson or if its too much. May not have my own piano till Septemberish. We are having some work done on the house which means there will be room. Am slightly scared too. Thank-you for your support.

NWQM - how exciting! I would go with the hour lesson if you can. My DD started cello in January with half an hour lesson once a week. It's different obviously with the cello but the amount of faff it was to get it in & out of the case really ate into the lesson! I had to persuade the music service a bit to timetable an hour lesson for a beginner as they usually reserve their hour slots for post Grade 5 students. But DD's teacher has admitted how much more progress they have been able to make now she is having the hour lesson.

Good luck! Very exciting!

Also we have a digital piano. We bought it from Gear 4 Music about 3 years ago. It wasn't the most expensive one they have - about 350 quid but it has weighted keys & has been fine for us.

Hello NWQM, that's wonderful you are re-starting the learning. I don't play so can't really give you any useful advice but I think an hour fortnightly sounds good for adult learners. We have Yamaha Clavinova. DS used it for his daily practice up to grade 5. We still have it as it would be useful for quiet practice but DS doesn't touch piano much these days other than messing around so it's been collecting unwanted dust. We are happy with the quality but if we need to buy another more reasonable digital piano in future I would consider Korg.

Hi NWQM! Yay, another adult piano learner!

I started my lessons in February 2017 and am really enjoying them. I have an hour once a week (my teacher charges £60 an hour or £45 for half an hour - he comes to the house) during term times. He is away next week (as every school in the world apart from ours seems to be on half term) and has given me lots of things to work on over the two weeks.

He was pleased with me today (I do a lot of practise but don’t always do a good job first time).

This is the digital piano we bought to begin with. However, we now have a secondhand acoustic piano.

NWQM yay! Lovely to see another adult piano learner.
I have a 45 minutes lesson - these days I find it goes really quickly and it's difficult to fit everything in. I might consider going for an hour next year.

So first hour long lesson booked & block of ten paid for. No turning back now. Peer support has been lovely - thank-you. I started to learn many years ago. Only a few weeks but so many people told me that I would do it I stopped. In fact I was good for age at the clarinet but got teased at school for leaving for lessons etc. Regret giving it up. Feel want a new challenge now. So have jumped in. Yeah! Need to find a thread now to lose weight before I am fifty

Not specifically music related, but exciting news for Noo today. She has been invited to participate in a project at the theatre where she has worked in Panto for the last two seasons. She, and other girls / women, will be interviewed about what being female means, and her feelings around gender equality (hilarious, given she is a complete tomboy!!). They will then use the audio from the interview recordings to create, with young female composers, pieces of music and sound art reflecting on the themes of the conversation. She will also have her photo taken by a portrait photographer for an exhibition to be held in the theatre gallery. The theatre is a very happy place for her and the project sounds awesome so we are super chuffed for her!

That's so amazing folk. That would be a nice starter for her upcoming challenge with jds.

I wonder how many of the DCs on this thread end up quite famous...

Glad to read you’ve committed NWQM! How exciting. Keep us updated!

And folk that sounds like such an interesting project! My sister did a similar project a year ago but mainly interviewed girls age 10-12 and it was really beautiful.

DD said something really deep and intelligent about what she’d change in the world and her biggest fear, then followed it up by saying her biggest ambition was either to eat an entire watermelon without any cutlery or one day be the tallest family member... she loved being part of it though, I’m sure Noo will have a great time!! and be more sensible

That's really funny Tabby! I am expecting a similar level of abstract comments from Noo tbh!

Got the exam date. 11th June. The first day of this exam season and just a week after we come back from the holiday. DS has a cricket match and athletics event to take part a few days before then too.

Typical!!

We got ours too. June 14th. DS in tears .

I am in tears

This means we have only one more lesson.

I am in tears partly because of the packing for the holiday. Haven't started yet... And I have started drinking wine. I'll be useless very soon.