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.

mom, sorry I was not aware of that you were talking about Trinity. I have no experience with the exam board so not sure if my advice is of any use, though l believe benefit of listening to lots of music is great in any case. Thanks for sharing what you found. We usually just listen to Classic FM or any CDs/iTune we have (often just as BGM, then sometime discuss what we noticed when something caught our attention).

DS did up to G7 for piano and is doing G8 violin this term with ABRSM. However, the piano teacher is keen on Trinity so he may take G8 with Trinity if he stays with her. The same grade but with different boards may be interesting (and beneficial?).

NeverEver, probably no right and wrong of pedal/vibrato usage as long as the amount is sensible for each style? DS's piano teacher is big on achieving legato without pedal so she naturally encourages him to use less pedal for many pieces (though DS loves pedal for the dramatic effect so uses crazily when he is out of her radar! )

There are some pieces on the clarinet syllabus for ABRSM and Trinity which are the same and then there are pieces which are Grade 6 ABRSM (either current or previous syllabus) and are on the Grade 7 list in Trinity for example- so both consistent and inconsistent at the same time.

Wind I think you're right and the lists aren't always consistent and within exam boards pieces also move between grades a bit . It's also about how they are expecting a piece to be permed I think . Ds is currently learning a trumpet sonata both first and last movements appear on grade 8 syllabus for Trinity and Abrsm but the sonata as a whole is diploma level ( you would need a lot of stamina to perform the whole thing) the 2nd moment only counts as a grade 5 difficulty level piece but actually played as it was intended with very long phrases it's really quite tricky and beyond how most grade 5 trumpet players would be able to play it. Ds's teacher doesn't seem to be a fan of learning odd movements of pieces so he only really gets to play them when he thinks he can play the whole piece .

I don't think he is making good progress, at least no where in comparison to kids on this forum.
There are some extraordinary kids on this forum, that way lies madness. I usually reckon on a grade a year being good progress. So definitely doing well in my book

Mom I agree your ds is doing really well

Here, here!!!!

Also. I must add that we have to look at things in a bigger picture sometimes. The reason why our DCs started learning music, why they practise, participate exams/concerts/festivals, etc. No matter how fast a child progresses it would be very sad if he/she stops enjoying the experience and stops playing after achieving a certain milestone (often g8, moving to secondary/uni, starting work). The speed of attainment is such a small thing really. It would be wonderful if all the DCs on this thread keep enjoying their musical journey, like some of you here who's been passing the joy to their children/grandchildren.

mom17 Your son is 11 and is looking at Grade 5 stuff. That's amazing (and more advanced than any of the piano or trumpet that I've done).

Hi everyone. I'm a bit late catching up for the May thread.

I have mini-disorganised is 12 next month and plays violin. He's working towards grade 6 later this year and grade 5 theory obv before then.

He plays in 2 string ensembles where he is leader. 1 is a quartet. The quartet are competing in a local music festival next month. Think they are doing the Minature Quartet. He also is leader of the 2nd violins in 2 local orchestras and in the 1st violins in County Orchestra. He may audition for Junior Guildhall next spring but not sure yet. He's had lots of set backs so far this year so he's concentrating on his technique and then repertoire for this year.

Disorganised it sounds as though things are looking up though glad he's still doing the ensemble playing

Trumpetboysmum Yes I think Jung's are definitely on the up after a couple of unsettled months. He's settled down with his new violin teacher. He does seem determined to make mini dis into a soloist which is not what he wants but he does need to work on his "performance" for audition purposes. He still has major anxiety over County Orchestra because it is full on but he finds the local orchestras easy and they're generally left to play the music with not much instruction about bowing and so on. County is so much better!!

Yes but sometimes I think they like it when it's unthreatening !! ( and so that they don't have to think much ) Ds still goes to area bands and orchestra it's not at all challenging but his friends are there and they have a good tuck shop

trumpetboysmum Yes wrt friends and not at all challenging. It's like a comfort blanket!!

Sorry I have not been around for a while, I have dd 11 who is doing grade 2 bassoon this term, and working towards grade 5 clarinet, not this term. Main focus is our music festival the weekend after next at the moment.

She is adamant, or was, about giving up the clarinet which is very sad. This week however we had a practice session with her accompanist for the festival and she came out saying it was way more useful than her clarinet lessons, and she did sound really beautiful. So I have persuaded her to see the term out and then switch to a new teacher in September when she switches schools and see how that goes. Breakdown in relations with the teacher has also meant cancelling the idea of grade 3 theory this term.

I took the DCs to St-Martin-in-the-Fields tonight to a performance by the Belmont ensemble. We enjoyed it but flipping 'eck - the audience weren't half fidgety/phlemgy/general pain-in-the-necks...I always worry about my squirmy 9-year-old at concerts but I really needn't have worried compared to plenty of others who were old enough to know better! And applause in between movements? Is that a new thing now? Have I missed a new etiquette or something?

Apparently Proms director David Pickard thinks applause between movements is a wonderful sign of excitement and respect from the audience. He admitted he'd offended a lot of people by saying that...

I'm always ready to pounce on dd if she looks like she's going to clap in the middle I think it's often because people don't know the pieces well and so don't know when the end is . I often don't know the pieces when Ds performs - I just check the program
I'm dreading hiw wriggly she's going to be at the Young Muscician Final

I'm told that sometimes the movements were not even performed continuously in Ancient Times.

I did go to a small recital where the performers specifically said that their short pieces were put together to be a larger piece so please don't applaud in the middle. I think that's fair enough.

But at school performances we are told not to be too enthusiastic with our approval. They are a bit po-faced.

What really gets my goat in concerts is noisy eating and unwrapping. And I'm not talking about discreetly sucking a throat sweet! It bothers me in the cinema as well, but I know that I am in a minority there and acknowledge that I am a fussy old codger at heart.

Never that's a shame about the school concerts. I guess they don't want too much disruption, or children without their parents there to feel bad. At DS2's school, the children are incredibly encouraging of each other, and at times they can express that quite noisily! I think it's lovely, and means that every performance ends with a smile, however it went

Hi all! I was wondering if anyone had any experience with preparing for exams without lessons? DD stopped having I stopped forking out on flute lessons almost a year ago but has kept playing in ensembles and at home, and I’ve been buying her plenty of music. She’s been rehearsing the pieces for grade 5, and has just asked if there’s any way I could enter her for the exam. Does anyone know of children doing this? Also, how on earth would I go about doing it

Trumpet, I cheat by checking the programme too! But once DS's orchestra decided to omit a movement in the middle without any announcement. I got lost.

Tabby, hi! Yes I know a few who did exams without lessons. One boy even had never taken any lesson - but he was a violinist taking a viola exam so sort of knew the basics. As long as your DD plays at the standard and knows what she is doing or what she has to do I think it's totally doable. At least all the DCs I know did fine. But their mums/dads had to make sure all the syllabus were covered. I personally won't do it, just because I am a worrier and also have no clue so can't go any closer to them without pro's inputs/guidance! But I am sure there are plenty people who have done DIY without a problem.

I've recently entered DS for an exam by myself FIRST TIME. DS has done piano exams only so far and the teacher entered all her pupils always so I didn't need to worry about that side of the business. But DS's violin teacher asked me to enter (due to the complication of arranging an accompanist) so I had to do it. You have to register at ABRSM like druid advised above. The account will be open a few days later and you can enter your DD online. You can also choose whose name is going on the certificate. I put the teacher's name, but if your DD has no teacher you can put your name I guess.

Hi
I have been told to get musician’s earplugs for DD (trumpet player, age 9). Does anyone have any recommendations of which ones to get?
Thanks.