Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

July Music Thread

626 replies

Wafflenose · 01/07/2018 13:27

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!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
littleladsdad · 25/07/2018 21:17

TrumpetVoluntary DS went on Brass/Wind/Percussion course at Wells Cathedral School last summer and it was excellent.

DS is now 3.5 days into NYBBGB course at Repton School and we haven't heard a peep from him. Assuming no news is good news!

TrumpetVoluntary · 25/07/2018 23:39

Thanks - will check it out.
Yes, I imagine not hearing from DC on these things is often a sign they are busy having fun!

LooseAtTheSeams · 26/07/2018 08:23

No news was indeed good news! DS1 thoroughly enjoyed the tour and was back more or less on time!

Trumpetboysmum · 26/07/2018 08:36

Great news Loose glad he had a good time .
I saw trumpetboy briefly last night to drop off his running gear !?! and had a quick chat after the concert . Felt strange coming home without him though . Mostly I don't focus on the fact that he's never at home anymore but from time to time it does make me feel quite sad . Though it's lovely to see him so happy with lots of mates doing what he loves Smile

Meltingwax · 26/07/2018 10:12

Not much music going on here either as we are mid way through a 2-week holiday. DD debated over whether to bring the recorders but changed her mind in the end. The DCs have no screens so did resort to playing with the aural app on my phone for a bit!

Hope everyone's DCs on tour/courses are having fun Smile

folkmamma · 27/07/2018 09:00

DD1 still sounding happy at PC. Although her cheap viola purchased to 'see how she liked it' seems to have given up the ghost in this heat so we will have to do something about that before GH.

Having a bit of a mare with DD2. No practice happening for weeks. Her mood had not been good due to the heat / lack of routine at school / anxiety over impending holidays. She doesn't seem able to be civil to me about anything (everything is my fault of course) and so I just don't have the tenacity to force the practice issue 😔

Doubleup · 27/07/2018 09:28

Just got back last night after a few days away where we managed to see a couple of DD1’s orchestra tour concerts. Great locations and appreciative audiences (although some were family who had travelled over like us). After being very nervous about it, she’s had a great time, but they are still making their way back - much to DD1’s disgust as she obviously wasn’t worthy of a plane ticket and we don’t care apparently....

Original poster
Wafflenose · 27/07/2018 10:25

Folk EXACTLY the same here with Rara, and Goo also hasn't touched any instruments since her Grade 8 two weeks ago... clearly she's feeling entitled to rest on her laurels. They are at my mum's but coming back today, so we'll sort something out!

OP posts:
cantkeepawayforever · 27/07/2018 10:30

I get DS back from an adult jazz course late tonight .. looking forward to hearing how he's got in in a totally unfamiliar environment.

folkmamma · 27/07/2018 11:15

Waffle our youngest girls are so very similar... Flowers

DD2 is now at granny's for a few nights and decided to take her cello with her, so we will see how that goes. Hopefully she will enjoy showing off to an appreciative audience and will at least play, even if it's not the most constructive practice!

I will be cracking open the wine tonight for sure!!! Wine

Trumpetboysmum · 27/07/2018 11:23

It's always hard to fit in practise when the school routine is out of the window . I imagine that Ds will be exhausted when he returns home tomorrow but seeing that he only had 10 days till he's away again I'm hoping he will just get on with some practise without too much nagging . It's great that he does all this extra music - but I know his teacher likes him to practise too !!Grin It's also kind of essential with auditions etc in the Autumn term !!

AlexandraLeaving · 27/07/2018 11:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Trumpetboysmum · 27/07/2018 12:20

Alex Ds came back from music tour with painted nails ( and plucked eyebrows !?!) apparently he sleeps very deeply on the bus and as the youngest player there ..... he took it well though !!

Doubleup · 27/07/2018 13:36

Trumpet - how do you sleep through having your eyebrows plucked?!

LooseAtTheSeams · 27/07/2018 13:42

Alex hope you’re right about Sunday - we could really do with the temperature down a notch or several! DS1 escaped the painted nails on his tour! Good luck with the gig!
DS2 hasn’t touched the cello all week. I may have to hold the computer hostage. He is being very teenagerish.

Trumpetboysmum · 27/07/2018 15:48

Loose I can relate to the ' very teenagerish '!!
Double I have no idea how he slept through it , (neither does he ) but I think his ability to go into a deep sleep every time they got on the coach ( he gets really travel sick and this is how he deals with it) has gone down in school music tour history !!

folkmamma · 27/07/2018 18:31

Merit in G3 piano for Noo! All things considered, this is a great result for her. Phew.

Meltingwax · 27/07/2018 20:13

Very well done to Noo! Star

ILovePandas · 27/07/2018 20:25

folkmamma congrats to Noo, that’s fab.

ILovePandas · 27/07/2018 20:29

Struggling here to get DD to keep ploughing through the theory books - plan is to finish the books by end of the summer hols.

folkmamma · 27/07/2018 20:58

@ILovePandas - sympathies. We got through with blatant bribery and the idea of having to take boring theory classes at JD in September instead of doing something else far more fun...

TaggieOHara · 27/07/2018 23:06

Ha folk - something far more fun, like grade 6 theory!

Very many congrats to Noo and to you. I know you really sweated through those piano pieces as well.

See you tomorrow xx

LooseAtTheSeams · 28/07/2018 06:55

Folk well done to Noo on a great result! Star

TabbyTigger · 28/07/2018 09:52

Massive well done to Noo!! What an amazing result. A great way to kick off summer.

Not much music going on here - DD3 (6yo on violin/ukulele/piano when she feels like it) is probably doing the most Grin although DH has started working on making another new guitar because 23 guitars just isn’t enough

DD2 is back from her almost six weeks of dance later today. She’s landed in Amsterdam (a connection flight) so just a few more hours before we see her again which will be lovely - and she can meet her accordion! Though it won’t be as good as the one she was using out in NY. Then she’s getting the train up to Leeds tomorrow (hopefully not too jet lagged!) ready for another week of dance. I’m imagining her schedule mirrors many of your DCs’, just with a different focus! Though after this week she’s done - we’ve got two holidays coming up so there will be little time for anything else the rest of summer.

Trumpetboysmum · 28/07/2018 10:27

Great news Folk . Well done Noo
Tabby that sounds exhausting even by ds's standards !! He's back after tonight's concert for 10 days then he's off again !!