August Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

Welcome to the new music thread for August - a place to discuss anything you like to do with learning instruments/ singing. We have child and adult learners on here, and all standards from toddlers experimenting with music to the very advanced.

It's coming up to 7 years since I started the first thread, and I have been flagging a bit lately due to a long illness. When I started the first one, my daughter Goo had just turned 6 and was about to take her Grade 1 recorder exam! She is now 12 (13 in two months), has done her Grade 8 Flute (result currently under appeal), is thinking about Grade 8 Recorder next year (having not played since Year 6) and is learning the piano. Piano hasn't gone well this term. Her teacher has been going on lots of last minute holidays and also has another job now, so Goo has only had two piano lessons since Easter. Teacher has now decided to retire from teaching, so we need to find a new one. Goo has never, ever performed on the piano and hasn't taken any exams either. She has been learning since she was 10, and was recently learning pieces by Bach and Chopin, although I have no idea what she is practising at the moment.

I also have Rara (10) who plays the cello, clarinet and recorder at a good Grade 4 level. It doesn't come naturally to her at all, but she's more inclined to work at things... when it suits her. She plays the clarinet most, but swears she's in love with the cello. Her bass clef reading definitely seems stronger. We have started and stopped theory three times. I think she is more than capable of doing it, but she's distractible, longwinded and feels the need to reinvent the wheel. I have decided to wait until she's ready to do the whole lot in one go... hopefully when she is a bit more mature and developmentally ready. Goo had it done and dusted at the same age and I find it hard not to worry about Rara at times, but in many ways she's just as able... but on her own timeline.

I usually have 80-90 woodwind pupils on my books - mostly recorder these days, although I'm a clarinettist really. I currently have a clutch of little clarinets, a couple of flutes and a good saxophone pupil, so plenty of variety.

Also does anyone have scale/ arpeggio cards for grade four piano already done so they can pick them out of a jar? I would love to just print out a document and chop it up. Otherwise will do it myself! Anything to motivate ds!

Hi horseymum - Can't speak for NCO but for NCO/NCBBGB they don't ask questions about anything general - it's all about your DC's performance on the day. I do imagine it's the same for NYO.

horseymum meant can't speak for NYO!

horseymum do you know about the Scalebox app? (I'm sure there are others, that's just the one I've heard people talking about). It has the scales and arpeggios for the grade exams for the most common instruments (not for mine, unfortunately!), and you can get it to randomly ask you them. You can mark whether it's secure or not and it will change the frequency with which it asks you that one again.

Seeing as NYOS has the option of recorded audition i suspect like you said that there are no questions that 'count' for anything iyswim
Good luck to your dd

Thanks for those answers, I just want her to go in and enjoy it and hopefully get some useful feedback! The scale app sounds good, although I do get him to leave his phone elsewhere when practising so it is not a distraction! Will try it out

With thanks to horseymum for her advice, I am trying a post in this thread in a case any of you have any advice. This looks like such a helpful and useful music thread generally although I have to admit I am only partly through it.

I have a DD who plays a wind instrument and piano and a DS who has recently started on piano and even more recently (April) started on French horn.

I was hoping for advice for my DS. He has started French horn early - he is six - mainly because he has been pestering us to do so since he was three and his teacher said we could give it a go and see how he got on. As it turns out, He has really taken to it and is making real progress and more importantly, really loves it.

The issue is that one of his front teeth has just fallen out and the other is not far behind. There seems to be a lot of conflicting advice about whether it is best to stop until front teeth are fully through or carry on. He seems happy playing with just one tooth and says he feels no difference. On the one hand he loves French horn and firmly says he does not want to stop. On the other hand, I don’t want to risk longer term damage to his adult teeth.

Have any of you gone through a similar decision? Do you have any advice? I would be very grateful. Thank you.

Don't know about teeth I'm afraid but hi tichey, my DS started horn at the same time as yours and also plays the piano :) Mine's 9 though so already has adult front teeth.

DS claims to be enjoying it too but the amount of actual practice resulting is small - sometimes think he plays more in lesson than the rest of the week put together I've no idea about brass instruments so no idea if he's making normal progress or not. Some notes and tunes happen, also a fair amount of gargling noises!

I also have DD (6) doing violin and piano who does actually practice.

Hope someone can answer the teeth question! (Or maybe they already have given the rate I type...)

I think the general position with brass instruments is that there is no need to start too early. Look at any leading players and you'll see that the majority started when they were in the age range 8 - 11. DS didn't start until he was 8.

Neither did my Ds I think the county music lessons wait till 8 because if the front teeth issue . However because your ds loves it so much I'd see what his teacher says it seems a shame to stop when he's enjoying it so much .

Thanks so much for helpful replies. Yes, on hindsight littlelad and trumpetboy, it would probably have been best to just wait until he was older before starting. We gave in too early! As it is, his teacher is leaving it for us to decide as he himself says there is contrary evidence. If there is to be an issue, it is probably going to be when the teeth start coming through so maybe we stick with it when there are no teeth and just delay the decision until one starts to push through, Catkind, great to hear of another pianist and French horn player. DS is doing about 15 mins a day practice on each at the moment although he won’t manage daily practice on both when back at school. At the moment, the goal is just that he enjoys playing and practising, which he does! He is currently mastering “give me joy in my heart” so simple tunes 🙂

Hi, I’m in need of advice. I have a 9 year who plays the trumpet (grade 6) and flute (grade 5). He’s played with the NCO under 10s for the last 2 years and is very much into music. He auditioned for the RAM Primary Academy for the last two years with no success. I don’t know how much of it is age related or ability. From what age to junior departments tend to take trumpeters? I don’t really want to put DS through another round of auditions and rejections if his chances are so little.

New September thread here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extracurricularactivities/3352572-September-2018-Music-Thread?watched=1

Before moving over, I will quickly answer @Shah31. Firstly, Hi!! Sounds like you have a very talented DS! I don't have much first hand knowledge of RAM, but I believe it is a much smaller college than other JD's and is therefore harder to get in to. Did they give you any feedback on previous auditions? if not, certainly worth asking.

What about other JD's? Some are harder to get into than others, but that doesn't mean the others are 'not as good'. All offer quite different things so I would suggest (if you haven't already) looking around at RCM and Guildhall if London is a preference, and booking in for advice consultations, which are really useful to get a steer on how far off they are (or not) but also give you a feel for the place and whether it will work for your DS. Of course, you may have already done this and have your hearts set on RAM! In which case, another way in can sometimes be to try and get in with an RAM teacher outside of RAM IFSWIM. They usually take private students and will then work with you to get him in further down the line and will have a first-hand insight as to when the right time will be.

Good luck and keep us posted!!

Shah DS is starting at RAM this term. He's 13, G8 Distinction and will also be attending specialist music school. Your DS is making fantastic progress and is definately ahead of the curve in terms of grades. Auditions are always a bit hit & miss but I'd definately keep trying. We always select pieces that are well within DS's capabilities. My very personal view is that musicality, lyrisism and tone make more of an impression than technical fireworks.

I second what littleladsdad dad says !! Ds got a place on a CAT scheme having only taken grade 5 . I think it's about playing pieces well - not necessarily a high grade and having what they are looking for ( in Ds's case a musical creativity and being prepared to think outside the box) . Maybe see if you can get a consultation lesson so you can find out what this is

Thank you all for your advice. We asked for feedback but unfortunately none was forthcoming. We will definitely ask for a consultation meeting with the others JD’s where available to understand what DS needs to work on.