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.

I love how popular the recorder is on this thread!! I don’t know anyone in real life who plays one.

DDs are taking a few language GCSEs/AS/A levels early this year (we speak 4 languages at home and are fluent in a fifth) so revision has also gone mad in this house. There are flashcards and posters everywhere... the bathroom door has assessment objectives stuck to it!! I swear DD1 is making flashcards for words she knows and uses in every day life... Still haven’t got music exam dates for either (grade 5 flute and grade 7 cello). Hopefully they won’t be too squished in with the other exams!!

Good luck to raspberry’s DD for A levels!! I don’t envy you (or her)...

Double I don't envy her being in a tent last night!! I love thunderstorms but from the safety of my own house.... Glad to hear she is enjoying herself though.

Kudos to Tabby and gang for the multi-lingual lifestyle! I dearly wish I had stuck with Welsh and French post-school as it has all deserted me now (but for a few road signs).

Littleladsdad we do have a 'Cluster' channel which is like facebook but totally private. A few of us from this thread are on there - we share photos, videos and posts can be 'liked' and commented on in much the same way as FB. If you'd like to join in then pop me a private message and I will send you the link. Same goes for other regular posters in this forum

Wow Tabby - that sounds fab - how lovely to be so multi-lingual as a family.

DD has just started a distance-learning Latin course (& I am tagging along with her on it). I have always wanted to learn Latin & the school DD will be starting at in September is one of the few in our borough which doesn't offer Latin. So have signed her up for the Cambridge distance one - she's enjoying it so far.

Good luck for everyone in the middle of GCSEs/A-levels.

Have had a morning of trying to convince DS to do scales practice. Like pulling teeth.

double - I love Shostakovich 5. It will go well with the thunderstorm . Hope your DD enjoys.

Japanese, she says that the 2nd movement is her favourite. We'll get to hear it tomorrow afternoon hopefully when we go to pick her up.

folk, she was fine in the tent - it was just loud. No leaks - unlike our house! . Flat roof with shonky repairs done by the previous owners. DH has spent most of the morning up there removing old seam repairs. Now off buying supplies - hopefully before the next thunderstorm!

Oh no double!! That sounds like a pain.

Ooh I love Latin!! (Obviously not a language we speak at home... but one I’m well acquainted with). It’s great your DD is giving it a go japanese - it really helps with studying English texts and understanding other languages. folk Welsh?? I’m guessing you grew up in Wales?! (If not I’m confused...)
We’ve got an odd mix here - Russian (me, from my dad), Dutch (me, from my mum), French (me, from studying French and living there and in Luxembourg and Belgium), Farsi/Persian (DH, from being half Iranian) and then ex-H’s first language is Croatian (he grew up in Croatia), so DD2 and DS are fluent, and I became fluent when with him! This year both DDs are sitting(/have sat, they only have a few papers left) Persian and Russian GCSEs, DD2 is sitting French AS and DD1 French A2, and they both did Dutch GCSEs two years ago. Don’t think they’ll bother with the A level, it’s quite a lot of work even for a native speaker.

Our next guests are due in about an hour... the house is definitely filling up! We now have a designated “revision room” (DD1+2’s bedroom, conveniently in the attic). Two of our visitors are doing A levels, one AS levels (though he says they’re just internal exams) and one GCSEs, plus our two doing a few. I’m quite proud I’e managed to assemble study space for them all i’ve also made them little signs saying “shh” and “do not disturb” to put up outside to remind the littler ones.

Neither the flute nor the cello are getting much attention... we’ll see how these exams go is anyone feeling prepared ??!?

2nd this really doesn't sound very fair - especially if DD doesn't actually WANT to play her bassoon in the concert! I can appreciate they may want to champion a less popular instrument. But if they are going to only allow her one solo she should at least get the choice??

I would definitely talk to the head she should be allowed to play whichever instrument she wants

Completely agree

I think so too!

Applications are now open for the next 2 NYO Inspire days.

NYO Inspire

I've mentioned them before on the threads, DS2 loves them. They are for 13-18 year olds playing Grade 6 and above, and are free.

They will also give any spare places to 12 year olds a couple of weeks before.

Ugh, getting "it's too hard" dramatics from DD about piano at the moment. If she spent half as long practising as she does falling off the piano stool in despair I suspect she'd have it nailed by now. This is good for her, right?

2nd, what would happen if you just let them know she doesn't feel ready to perform on bassoon and will play the violin instead?

Ha! cat - your DD could give our DS a run for his money in the dramatically flinging off the piano stool malarkey .

2nd - that's bonkers that the school is 'allowing' your DD to play a solo but are dictating which instrument.

Cat it could be worse. DD2 actually flung the piano stool onto my unshod toes one time. Broke my little toe. I kid you not.

Hang in there! X

Text from DD1 this evening - more lightning, this time accompanied by hailstones the size of marbles. Oh dear.....

A postcard from Cornwall.

We had storms and sunnies on way to Cornwall but once we arrived it was all sunny and lovely. Phew!

I didn't take a roll up piano as I thought we wouldn't have time for playing. But when we were sitting at a dining table, DS started tapping the table with fingers pretending playing the piano, then asked me where the roll up piano was. He got a bit grumpy when I told him I didn't pack it. He kept playing the 'air piano' for a while, then stopped. I don't know what he wanted to play so badly but I regretted I didn't pack it. Well, he quickly forgot about it though. So many things to do here!

That's a shame Alexandra. I'm hoping DS2 can't go to the Leeds one in September because that is the weekend we would be taking DD to her first choice uni.

Rasberry thanks for that I was also wondering about the Leeds one (though it's a long way for us) I'll ask I'm when he wakes up !!