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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!

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Knittinganewme · 04/07/2018 19:58

Littleladsdad first come, first served. Let the CB know he has got another playing commitment and forget about it. If he's not aged out he can audition again for next year.

TabbyTigger · 04/07/2018 20:31

Trumpet DS was like that but with dance - 20+ hours a week of dancing from the age of 11. DD2 does a similar amount of dance to him plus trampolining plus music plus netball plus musical theatre. DD1 dabbles in every sport under the sun (well - swimming, football, hockey, netball) plus music. I found DS’s schedule much easier to remember Grin

DD3 has been excitedly babbling about her “mini guitar” lesson (we thought she wanted to learn the ukulele for about four weeks before she explained properly) all night. I hope it lives up to expectations...

TabbyTigger · 04/07/2018 20:32

Glad to hear you’ve calmed Japanese!! I think we’ve all had momentrs like that.

littleladsdad · 05/07/2018 10:48

Thanks all for the input - still chewing it over. We paid almost the combined total of both for a course at Wells last summer, currently using that as justification for perhaps foregoing the Germany trip.

LooseAtTheSeams · 05/07/2018 10:48

Glad you're feeling better/calmer Japanese! Smile

folkmamma · 05/07/2018 12:39

Noo has gone off for her secondary school induction day today. I have this bizarre combination of mixed emotions. Where did the time go? 😢

Trumpetboysmum · 05/07/2018 16:14

Can I just check in case I've missed something are we still waiting for NCO audition dates ( and potential course dates for next year ?)
Date clashes are potentially going to test my negotiating skills to the limit anyway but in the absence of firm dates soon my job is going to be even harder !!

TheThirdOfHerName · 05/07/2018 16:25

Trumpet DS2 only has one clarinet (we part-exchanged his first clarinet when we bought this one) so it will be going with him on the coach to Germany.

Trumpetboysmum · 05/07/2018 16:48

The third I'm sure the schools etc have thought of that and the instruments are going to be fine . Mostly I didn't want Ds to take his new trumpet because I knew that if something happened to it he would be devastated and it would ruin his trip - and he's not the most organised so that definitely increases the chances of something happening especially when they are lugging them around a lot . I don't let him take the trumpet into school either !! ( I remember only too well the state of the instrument cupboard from my school days !!)

littleladsdad · 05/07/2018 17:09

I haven’t heard or seen anything about NCO yet Trumpet. Not certain about our interest yet - do you need to attend the regionals if you are in a main orchestra?

littleladsdad · 05/07/2018 17:21

Trumpet we have a musical instrument insurance policy for DS’s Trumpet/Cornet/Flugelhorn and use Protec cases to protect them. Due to this we are happy for him to use his ‘best’ instruments all the time. I used to worry about it a lot!

Trumpetboysmum · 05/07/2018 17:27

No if you get in you can just do main orchestra - if Ds gets in I reckon that's what he'll do next year !! We have insurance but I know that he would be gutted if he did something careless with it and then he didn't have it for the summer's activities ( where having a really good instrument is more important)

Knittinganewme · 05/07/2018 17:34

Trumpetboysmum We don't save things for best. A good instrument repairer can cope with a brass instrument that has been reversed over by a car and that is more serious than anything they are going to do on a day to day basis. DS has had someone put a chair leg on the bell and sit on it and (most recently) had someone put a huge crease in the bell at Saturday morning music school. I'm not entirely sure what happened there but for the massive cost of £140 it will be returned as new. I'm not even going to bother claiming on the insurance. If it had been a woodwind instrument or a violin I might feel differently but brass instruments are hardy.

Trumpetboysmum · 05/07/2018 17:47

We don't really save it for best he takes it to everything else !! But the school music cupboard is something else !?! and yes brass instruments are hardy I started to reverse over a cornet once- Ds ' forgot' to put it in the boot !?! Luckily the case saved it

littleladsdad · 05/07/2018 18:02

Ah I see, thanks Trumpet. DS may audition if that’s the case.

In other news, DS is playing at Birmingham Symphony Hall tomorrow - he’s very excited about it! It’s also his last performance for the Birmingham Conservatoire JD so a small tear will be shed. He’s had a wonderful time there this year.

ILovePandas · 05/07/2018 18:07

TheThird that’s great news!
Well done also to mini Trumpet
Awaiting DDs piano result but she’s nicely occupied about the music tour leaving on Monday.
Any thoughts on whether I should purchase some spare strings to take with her? She’s broken mainly the violin E string (twice in the last 6 months). I’m assuming one of the teachers would take some but haven’t really thought about it till now

TheThirdOfHerName · 05/07/2018 18:09

Have just checked and DS2's clarinet insurance is still valid when he is abroad. He has the Buffet hard case that the clarinet came in.

He is going in the third week of July and we haven't received any info yet about what else to take (other than the clarinet, obviously).

I've seen on twitter that they've had tour polo shirts made (probably more sensible than a tour hoody in this weather) but no one has asked DS2 for his size.

There's a trip meeting for parents (and pre-tour concert) a couple of days before they leave; perhaps they'll give us more info then.

stringchild · 05/07/2018 18:49

ilove - dd would take Strings (but not be able to put them on) but I imagine they will have spares?

Little dad - v excited for MFY tomorrow; think we will watch some of the afternoon if we can. Re braces - alas private; dd was on a 2yr+ waiting list just to be seen so given she had 180 turn on one tooth we decided to take a deep breath and go for it. Hope you find a sympathetic Dentist.

Trumpet - no dates as yet it seems. And I agree re the school instrument cupboards - we have to have two cells as no way could dd carry it back and forth on the (full) school bus with everything else.

Doubleup · 05/07/2018 18:51

Third, DD1 goes on her school tour on Tuesday, but we only had a meeting about it two days ago. She goes with the county orchestra not long after that and the meeting for that is at the weekend. No idea if they do any tour clothing, but we haven’t had anything through if they are doing it. She’s a stand in, so they may have done something earlier....
In other news DD1 has had confirmation that she is in the county orchestra for next year, and is excited (and so are we!) that she gets to play in the Royal Albert Hall Grin

TheThirdOfHerName · 05/07/2018 19:03

Doubleup that's good news about the county orchestra.

catkind · 05/07/2018 19:58

Little DD has negotiated herself a violin performance at school tomorrow! For those that know Suzuki, the Brahms Waltz from book 2 :) loving her confidence, she really wants to show her friends. Just hope she can negotiate tuning on her own. I've been slack and been doing it for her too much.

catkind · 05/07/2018 20:09

Ilove, def a good idea to carry around a spare set. Someone may have a spare but it's hassle and probably doesn't match and then you need to pay them back. What strings are you using though? I'm not used to strings breaking these days, I thought they were stronger than when I was young. The sound goes dead long before they break. If it's not the strings, make sure there aren't any sharp edges e.g. at bridge or nut that are wearing them so fast. They really should last longer than that even with lots of playing.? Sorry if I'm sticking my beak in...

Doubleup, RAH is really exciting! Well done her!

TaggieOHara · 05/07/2018 20:52

Great news double.

cat. DS2 goes through strings like crazy (dominants and pirastro tonica/piranita so far). He hasn’t snapped one, but they have been very very close. His sweaty little fingers are to blame! They corrode strings like acid! Any suggestions for durable strings welcome Smile

Japanese · 05/07/2018 20:59

Fab news double!

Long day for DD today - Year 7 transition day at her new secondary school and then a rush from there to her first orchestral public performance on cello. Some great ensemble playing from primary schools across the borough as part of the festival. I really enjoyed it - pity it's so hot that was the only downside.

catkind · 05/07/2018 21:07

Where and how do they go taggie? Fingernails kept short? Wipe down strings after use? Even when I was playing multiple hours, inc orchestra courses etc I used to get a year out of dominants, and they're supposed to have got more durable since then according to teacher friends. Tho they tend to go for pirastro over dominants for value for money.