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!

Interesting experience this weekend as DS deputised in an (adult) brass band competition. About 15 bands from all over the country especially from "up North" including old colliery bands. Reminded me how many wonderful musicians there are out there outside the mainly classical/formal jazz world that tend to experience with my children. I also learnt there are even four formal divisions for brass bands nationally and a bit like football. It gets taken very seriously.

hertsandessex - I come from a brass-banding family and spent many a happy afternoon at brass band concerts as a child. To this day I find the combination of a brass band and a male voice choir very emotional .

hertsandessex DS2 also deputised in an adult orchestra this weekend (for a concert rather than a competition). His comment afterwards: "I think that counts as my sight-reading practice for today." 😆

Brass bands are excellent for sight reading . Ds plays in an adult brass band and had a concert on Saturday where he had to sight read all of the music !! He said that they hadn't covered any of the repertoire at the rehearsals that he'd been to !! I'm slowly learning about the brass band world divisions, competitions etc - I love the sound so looking forward to ds staying involved

DS left this morning for a week long away - it's less exciting than those who are touring because it's nothing to do with music but a long waited seaside school trip. I'll miss him terribly.

I saw the judge's detailed comment sheet. This was a national division one band and sounded wonderful but the comments were brutal. I have been imagining if there were similar national leagues for orchestras or string quartets and similarly brutal assessments :)

I know I’m a bit late but well done raspberry’s DD! And well done to all of those in the MFY. cant it sounds like your DS handled the situation with real maturity - I’m sure in a few years he’ll look back and see that too, and you’ll all laugh about it.

folk the sunburn bit would really annoy me! I think in these very hot weeks very few children are doing much practise though so I wouldn’t worry too much about Noo re practise. I know mine are just with friends and going outside at every opportunity.

DD3 loved her first violin lesson so I’m looking at renting her a 1/8 size violin as she’s quite small for her age. They’re so tiny they look funny!

Meanwhile I’ve bought DD2 some clarinet and cello arrangements of Ludovico Einaudi as a treat for when she gets back because she’s worked out most of his tunes on the piano as she loves his music (often dances to it when given the chance). They look very easy but I think she’ll find them fun! She’s still loving her dance camp and isn’t at all homesick which I suppose is good. We’re Alli DD2-sick though and just want her home!! Three more weeks...

DD1’s been doing a bit of music here and there, preparing for a small end of year school (exclusively music) concert. Their school does music tours every year so they did Holland last year. Not sure where they’re going next year yet! Hope everyone going on tours has an amazing time.

Fully agree with you on the sight reading Trumpet. Good for stamina too! Principle cornet of the NYBBGB, Thomas Neilson, won the Radio2 Young Brass Musician of the Year 2018 and the chap who sits next to him in the band, Will Thomas, gave a good account of himself in the brass finals of BBC YM 2018. DS is currently a classical trumpeter but we encourage his involvement in brass bands. Which leads me on to..

Today is decision day on the NCBBGB for us and we've decided to accept, regardless of the Germany trip. We are still toying with the idea of flying out to Berlin after the course and joining the tour two days in and maybe extending by a few days to make it more worthwhile. DW & DS are keener on this that I am!

Exciting littleladsdad
Ds started off on cornet and then decided to play trumpet to play jazz and in orchestras .
The band he now plays with are an adult band who always encourage talented local teenagers to join them too - gives the band extra players and is a great opportunity for the young players . Ds has gone straight in at the deep end playing solo cornet ( though not by himself ) - it's very good for his concentration he doesn't want to let them down

He even missed the football on Saturday without complaining to play with them - so I'm guessing that means he likes it !!

Good for him! DS & I are going to a concert together on Wednesday evening. I'm sure that there's something else going on.

Ds has a concert in Germany with school on Wednesday I think it's early evening and with the time difference they might catch some of it - good luck to the teachers keeping control of that one !!

Trumpet I also packed DD off in the middle of the night to Germany but then had to go back to the school 2.5 hours later to drop DS on his school trip. Feeling pretty tired now after a days work too.
Thanks for all the thoughts on spare strings I took the advice: cut nails short, inspected the strings which looked ok to me and have gone for the hope for the best option. Fingers crossed.
Sorry if I’m being a bit thick but what is MFY?

I love pandas do our dc go to the same school ?!? I know of others who had to go back so that their dcs could go on a trip to Holland !! MYF is music for youth - a big music festival/ competition I think

DD did her first ever Trinity exam last week - G4 recorder and wow! What a difference.

Learning by rote is tough for her & she’s always struggled with scales & arpeggios. She’s done well in flute & recorder ABRSM exams before, but only because her pieces have been excellent & she’s bombed on the rest.

Trinity such a revelation! Perfect or near perfect scores on aural, sight reading & technical exercises which is a first. She got distinction which she was v happy with.

But the deal breaker for me was that she came out of the exam smiling. This has happened never. It’s usually cast down eyes and a wobbly lip waiting for the car journey home to burst into tears.

Her flute teacher is reticent to allow her to do Trinity over ABRSM but I can’t see a negative for her. I very much doubt she has a musical career ahead of her and our priority and hers is to enjoy playing.

Any thoughts? Or suggestions as to how I can talk her flute teacher round? She’ll be doing G4 flute next year.

Trinity is fine - ds's teacher still thinks that some music colleges prefer Abrsm but if you look at the entry criteria they state either board- and if she's not looking at doing music then surely it needs to be a positive experience .

DS did Trinity for Trumpet & does ABRSM for Piano & Singing. Again I agree with Trumpet, nothing to choose between the two in terms of challenge/rigour.

A totally different topic, sorry, but I would love to hear any advice/idea. DS is very soon leaving his first piano teacher who taught DS from scratch to G8 standard. We had ups and downs in the past but really we are grateful to her from the bottom of our heart. DS couldn't have any lesson this month due to endless school events then she offered a makeup on Sunday which is her only day off. She's been kind to us till the end. Anyway, it'll be the last lesson so DS is going to hand her a thank you card but I would also like to give her something nice but no idea what to buy. Flowers? Chocolates? Something she can use daily? Any idea...? We gave her a piano themed coffee cup for Christmas last year.

A small piano themed gift specifically from your DS2 is appropriate alongside the more adult flowers/wine from you. But (speaking as a lecturer) what might mean most to her is a letter from your DS expressing his true appreciation of what she has done for him and what this means to him. It might seem a difficult thing for a 10yo boy to write, but he might surprise you. DS2 and the other year 5s at his school wrote some beautiful words for their much loved, departing head of music.

I’m so glad that you managed to see through the rocky times and end the teacher-pupil relationship on a happy note .

She will also appreciate occasional updates from you all.

Sorry - that should be DS not DS2, Patrick!

Patrick, my dad makes beautiful one-off pens and has some with a music themed pen clip. We have given these as gifts to girls music teachers and they went down very well. I can show you via PM if you like, but no pressure!

Folk could you please pm me the pen details.... I think I've mentioned before but DD's teacher leaves at the end of this month. He was adored

Thanks Taggie. Writing a letter is not DS's thing usually but I'll encourage him. He wrote some beautiful message to his violin teacher the other day (as he's leaving her too) so he may be capable than I think!

folk, yes please, pm me. We need something for this Sunday though. Hopefully it's not too short notice...?

Ok I couldn't PM photos so will post one here! This one is made from ancient bog wood (certified) which I like as it looks like ebony piano keys! But he can make them (quickly) from any wood or a huge range of brightly coloured acrylics. He has a Facebook page (pennarboypens). Or I can act as a broker 😂. It's a labour of love, not a commercial enterprise.