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!

Just ordered a bass recorder....dd saved up for it and will now have a family of 4.

Alexandra I do hear from trumpet boy but only in response to my reminders about drinking enough and putting on suncream !! Oh and of course to ask for more data for his phone !! Apparently the course is brilliant !! I will in fact see him tomorrow as I'm going to the AYM leavers concert - I'm expecting to be largely ignored as he will be with friends

Thanks @TabbyTigger for your info :) It is Trinity Laban (I'm a bit confused with the names), the environment there is so beautiful, we all love the place. I can see Trinity has Dance depratment too, do you know if they have early age program as music which started from 3 years old?

Thans SE13Mummy, I can see all positive towards JT :)

@folkmamma, I was thinking of Guildhall for my DS after finished RAM, but we missed the application and audition deadline, so was pleased to get an offer from CYM, which I heard it was cheaper and more relaxing environment compare to GH. The Tinirty audition was few weeks later, I didn't keep too much hope to get an offer. You are right, we should go with his preference :)

Alexabdra, she got the Yamaha. She is still a beginner and also likely to drop it....The other 3 are also Yamaha and she liked that idea, of having all 4 of the same make...

AACB it looks like in the music world it’s referred to mainly as “Trinity” but in the dance world referred to as “Laban”, just to cause confusion

I know my DC both did a few classes there from a young age but we’re more south London so ended up doing more classes at Rambert/LCDS/another local studio when they were younger. I seem to remember there being a family dance class where parents could go with toddlers but that was 10 years ago now! DS chose to make the journey out to Laban (rather than LCDS which was far more convenient) for CAT because he just loved the feel and the style of teaching and the building. He doesn’t regret the decision at all which I think speaks for itself about the place as a whole

Just catching up on the thread!

aacb welcome! I’m glad you found your way here. The DCs are all levels and ages on this thread, from 5yo beginners to 18 yo conservatoire applicants. Looking forward to hearing much more about your musical journey!

alexandra well done on the communication breakthrough! DS2 is doing well with phoning me from Pro Corda every morning, but only to speak to the cat . Hope Noo is making more sense!

Ha! Yes @TaggieOHara she is being much more forthcoming with information this time!! Sounds like they are having a great time 😊

Taggie DS sounds like DD - she’s found the time to FaceTime us just twice the four weeks she’s been gone so far, but I was talking to our teenage next door neighbour who said they’ve had a FaceTime from her almost every day to say hi to their dogs

Glad everyone’s loving their activities so far!! I’m so excited that DD will be back soon and then off again the following week

I've heard nothing from DS1 but I'm assuming they're bringing him back from the tour today! He's assuming we'll collect him from the music centre...!
DS2 has been enjoying his absence. He's been using the computer to compose bits and pieces and then puts a sort of hissing/crackling gramophone effect on top!
Then he plays a lot of games that involve destroying things. Ah well!

Both of mine like it when the other sibling is away ( though I think they secretly miss each other) dd has been enjoying a week practising the beach sports that Ds likes to dominate !! So more beach tennis today then - though it's been a relief not to have to play hours of beach cricket so far . Next week will be strange as we get Ds back but dd is away - I suspect he won't want to spend time with me but will be doing lots of composing ( and destroying things whilst playing computer games !!)

Trumpetboysmum yes, I did offer DS2 the option of us doing something together today but he very politely declined!

Thanks a lot for pointing me the right direction @TaggieOHara, I definitly found a lot of help in here :)

TabbyTigger that explained the name confusion :D
Thanks, I may try to look in to Rambert, which is closer to us.

Hi I'm new here, wanted to introduce myself. I have a DD 8 years old plays violin. She has just taken her grade 4 which was her first exam. She loves music and seems to want it as a career option. However, she's 8 so this may change. She's been studying suzuki method...problem is her sight reading, is simply not as nearly developed as her playing. She said she really struggled with the sight reading part of the exam. Her teacher is not interested in addressing it, as she feels it should come naturally through orchestra, ensembles etc. I'm itching to change teachers - but she's got such a good relationship with her. Has anyone got any sight reading tips I could try with her at home?

Hi @owlm, your DD done really well and it's so great that she love music so much and want it as a carrer option. My DS is 7, and he has the same problem with sign reading when learning by Suzuki method. During the summer holiday, I'm trying to make him play a short new piece every other day, and encouragae him to write his own music on manuscript paper. Finger corss it will work :)

Thanks @AACB, I will start a search online for some music. That's a good idea. I'm glad it's not just me feeling the sight reading is hard She wanted to audition for NCO but I'm reluctant to let her as she's only about gr 2/3 in reading.

Same here travelling a lot so not following the thread well and no interesting news related to music from us but saw many happy news so just wanted to drop a quick hello and well done!

Enjoy your travels Partick and Drummers .
Owlm it's usual for sight reading not to be as good as regular playing standard . Mostly I think your teacher is right and it will improve naturally with lots of ensemble playing - Ds was fairly hopeless at it aged 10 and managed to sight read an entire band set on Saturday - just 3 years later . It's just takes practise . I wouldn't think it should stop your dd auditioning for NCO just practise betweeen now and then . I will still get Ds to practise anyway before his audition even though he's much better at it now Also they really don't have to do that much for the younger orchestras

Owlm - the violin sight reading is quite easy for NCO. Also, DS2 didn’t do particularly well at it and still got into U10s on the violin. I’d give Nco a go if your DD is keen. They are mainly interested in quality of playing, rather than sightreading ability.

It is really common for advanced young children instrumentalists to be behind on sightreading, regardless of teaching method. I think that It is because they cognitively find it hard, and they tend to play a lot from ear. DS2 (10) is much better now, but it is still his weakest point. I didn’t do anything to help him improve; he just matured (not helpful, I know!)

@trumpetboysmum, yes you are right she has time to practice. I think, being non-musical I am a little dependent on her teacher. I will help her with the reading over the summer, as best as I can.

@TaggieOHara, if it is quality of playing she may stand a chance in NCO. I think with the reading, it is the amount of things she has to consider at the same time. And she is a perfectionist, so one wrong note and she's thrown. She loves playing by ear it is definitely her preferred way to learn a song.

Thanks for the help, I feel a little more confident to mention NCO to her teacher now