July Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

Hello, I have just realised it's time for a new thread! Feel free to discuss anything musical here - any level at all, from total beginners to advanced, and adult learners are welcome too!

I am a teacher of woodwind, currently limping towards the end of term (July 24th... can't wait!) and have two DDs. Goo is 12 and plays the flute and piano. At the moment, she's doing the bare minimum, but she has won the Y7 music attainment award at her enormous comprehensive secondary school, so we get to go to an awards ceremony next week. Her piano teacher is about to retire, so we're looking for a new one. Rara is 10 and I would say is now a joint first study cellist and clarinettist - it doesn't come easily and she's progressing at an average rate, but a good Grade 4 on both. She spends most of her time reading, drawing, doing origami and swimming for a club.

I have so far managed to get through 27 music medals this term (6 still to go) and 4 Trinity exams (1 ABRSM still to go) and about half of the concerts!

What a fab photo folk!

DS has taken 5 practical exams between two instruments and we never brought photocopies. But I can see Alexandra's point so we may as well next time.

folk, I was there tonight too!

Patrick I thought you were unable to go!! We could have met up in the interval....

I stupidly bought too many tickets so had to sell some. I've kept ours safely. But I wasn't sure if I could go until today as I've been pretty weak.

Also I was having exciting interval queuing up for bathroom...

Which one did you enjoy most?

Us too!

string you must have been very near patrick!! I couldn't say what I enjoyed most, Nicola Benedetti was wonderful, but I also love the piece for 4 cellos, 'Gershwinicity', Saint Saens and the Mussorgsky was brilliant! (Can you believe DD2 slept through those chimes and the organ...?? 😂)

It's hard to choose one, I agree! Obviously I enjoyed Nicola Benedetti and the cello piece. But I also loved Gershwincity and Saint Seans. DS played The Great Gate of Kiev last year so it was nice to listen to the professional version too!

Bless your mini sleeping through the piece. Bet she had an interesting dream. DS usually goes to bed earlier but he survived. He couldn't stop talking about the concert this morning.

By the way any news on the pen? Wondering if I could get one by this Wed....

Well, Noo just had her G3 piano exam. For the first time, I wasn't with her as I had to be at work so DH took her. Didn't go as well as she hoped so she is a little disappointed. BFF's mum (ABRSM examiner) listened in for me and said her first piece was good, a little stumble in the second and a few stumbles in the third but recovered quickly and was all very musical. Noo reckons she totally mucked up her scales (which were really good yesterday ) But aural and sight reading were easy, so hopefully she made a few marks up there. She will have passed, but it won't be a distinction this time. Although on the back of everything else she has done this term, that's totally fine (she just might take some convincing of that!!).

Patrick, pen is on it's way to me so I will forward it on tomorrow. Will email you!! (Dad actually had some Ebony!!!)

Concert sounds amazing very jealous. We aren't making any this year as Ds is far too busy most of the summer playing- we are managing a concert at Snape though so that should be good - though I'm convinced dd is going to wriggle through it
Folk I'm sure Noos exam will be fine - Ds has never played perfectly in an exam yet but his marks have always been more than fine !!

So jealous of everyone at the proms - sounds like it was amazing! (And looks like it was too)

I’ve fallen a bit behind with exam results/performances but I’m yet to see a fail or disastrous attempt yet so that’s wonderful!!

DD3 has now had 3 violin lessons and I’ve rented her a tiny quarter size violin to practise at home! I forgot how squeaky it is when they first begin though meanwhile DD1 played one of her grade 5 pieces as a solo in a lovely tea time concert and DD2 has informed me that she’s taken up the accordion out in NY!! The oldest sister from the family she’s staying with (who’s like 20) is a very good accordionist so has clearly been letting her try it.
A quick look at the prices tells me I won’t be investing in one unless she displays some serious commitment, although we have an old slightly battered one she can try out

Hi everyone, it’s me, thistly, a very occasional poster. My dc are not in the same league as most of your dc, and I’m much less experienced as a music mum, so mostly don’t have much to contribute. However I do have a theory exam question!

Has anyone whose dc sat the recent theory exam logged in to see if the results are up yet? By my calculations it’s 4 weeks now, but I can’t login as my dd was registered through her music school. Just wondering when to expect an email from them! (And fx for my dd gr5!) (and everyone else’s results too!)

Hi Thistly!

The ABRSM theory results came out on Friday just after 5pm. Fingers crossed for your DD!

Hi,
do ABRSM really take 2-3 weeks to get results. Only waiting on Grade 1 results but was organised through our music service.

Thanks

Hi worried - our ABRSM practical results across 3 different sessions have taken between 9 and 11 days to come through. But lots of people report waiting longer than that - particularly for results through a music service or a school.

Thanks

Thanks melting wax! Well I shall email the school tomorrow.
Hope everybody’s dc has passed! I know there were quite a few sat exams on this thread so fx for you all!

We've never taken photocopies of the music to Trinity exams, including last weeks Grade 8 and it's never been an issue.

NCO Audition applications open guys! Xx

Currently having a mini meltdown here re nco auditions . There are no venues in the east of England at all ( there will be some in Cambridge but last year they were at half term so Ds couldn't go to those) which means Ds will have to have a really long drive before his audition don't know which to choose Grantham 2 and a half hours away or Guikdhall - probably closer but will have to drive as there are no trains on a Sunday into London ?!? This one would also be after a week away tired lips and no audition practise- I think I've answered my own question - Grantham it is !!

Percussion venues have also changed.....now an hours drive away rather than 15 min walk... can you believe RNCM are not offering percussion auditions for NCO.....

Makes accompanist issue more of an issue

Luckily we have already picked pieces that either work without or are unaccompanied because the venues are never close enough to use our accompanists !! Dh's solution is to hire a holiday cottage for the weekend otherwise Ds will have to do the audition after a very very long drive which hardly seems fair to him especially as they only get a quick warm up when they are there