September 2018 Music Thread

[folkmamma]

Hi all! Our lovely host Waffle is away at the moment and has asked me to start this months thread.

Here is a place for us to share stories, ask for advice, and generally support one another through our DCs (and in some cases our own!) musical journeys. All are very welcome, from the early beginners to the very advanced. Some people have been regular contributors for years, but we also have a lot of newcomers and love welcoming new contributors to the MN Music Thread team. I became aware of this group about 9 months ago via the NCO 2018 thread and I now spend more time here than on Facebook... .

Over here, I have Noo, just turned 11, violinist, violist and pianist. She is playing at aroud G7 standard on violin (first study) and is starting JD this month, eek!. Noo is also an associate member of NCO and this year joined the Pro Corda ensemble training programme, which she loves above all else! She is also very into musical theatre and regularly performs in professional and semi-professional shows - it is a challenge to juggle it all, but somehow we do. This month is a biggie for Noo as she starts secondary school as well as JD.

DD2 is Moll. 8yrs old and plays cello and piano. She is a very different kettle of fish to big sister - every bit as able, but some self esteem issues, together with a slightly quirky personality, mean her journey is not often quite so smooth (and mine completely turbulent!). Working towards G3 cello this term (although she doesn’t know it yet) and will go for a consultation at Noo’s JD sometime this term also.

I’m sure Waffle will drop in to update us on Goo, Rara and her own musical self once she gets back from holibobs.

Good luck to everyone with back to school, changes in school, new routines and audition prep! I predict September will be a busy month on the thread!

Over to you....

Good luck to all those starting and returning to JD today!

Best of luck everyone going to jd! We just have normal music centre and even that will be a shock to the system after the summer break!
DS1 has been asked to join the choir at his new school. I'm not sure they've actually heard him sing. He's more enthusiastic about the concert band, which apparently needs a bass player.
Like mini Romany I have a hacking cough. It's no fun. I hope doing the revision cards is a restful activity for her. By the way - I reckon English lit appeals to her creative, ideas side. She has time to get to know the texts and think about them. English language is more formulaic, you only see the texts in the exam and it takes a while to get it.

Ah. Train plan totally awry - 90 minute delay...so DS and DH currently on the motorway. It's one of those journeys that takes MUCH longer by car so it will be touch and go whether he makes it on time even so.

At least it is DH who took him to the station. I wouldn't be able to navigate the city part of the journey at all, whereas DH can, so there is SOME hope Nosebleed Boy WILL make it...

Good luck Folk, hope all is going well.

Made it. 4 minutes to spare, apparently! (On time train would have given 34 minutes,...)

We are back to jd today too. DS comes back home on Friday instead of Saturday to make it possible. It's nice to have him back one night extra but I was not sure if it would make his life too manic. But DS said it's so nice to have the extra night at home and he was so happy to see old friends at jd this morning.

He's having the first piano lesson at jd at the moment. Apparently they are going to discuss how to handle the two piano teachers situation (DS got some messages addressed to the piano teacher at jd from another at school). Interesting to find out what they decide!

Good luck to all those starting and returning to jd/music center!

I used to attend DS's 1-1 lessons. Now I haven't even met his new violin/piano teachers at school and I missed the time I spent in the lesson rooms. I thought at least I could still attend lessons at jd. But his new piano teacher at jd said no. So I'm sitting by the window, reading a book. Feel like the time of independence came earlier than I wished!

Good luck at JD for those starting today

DS's guitar teacher who is a pro jazz musician has set up a project with his music school to create a jazz/blues/rock group that will aim to perform 1-1.5 hour shows three times a year and also do some recording. DS has been invited to play guitar and keyboard. He's the only non-adult participant and I'm thrilled for him.

Good luck to all returning to JD today. This thread is a really interesting read 😊

Wow mistigri, that sounds really exciting!

Now I'm intrigued as to how JD works. Had rather naively assumed it's like school and you drop them off at the beginning and pick them up at the end. Do parents stay with the younger children and ferry them between lessons? Do they have to sign up to extra things apart from their individual lesson or does everyone do the same?

Seems to depend on age Cat. The very little ones seem to have parents in tow most of the time. We are taking Noo from place to place today until she makes some friends and learns her way around but I can see it won't be long until I'm only 'required' during her break times! And I intend to sit in on lessons if allowed.... the older ones seem to be here on their own, there were a group on the train this morning travelling in together, and there are packs of teenagers sitting in groups between lessons. It's all very lovely actually....

catkind, it's exactly like how school works. You can drop off and pick up or older kids can do all the journey alone. But some younger kids may need a bit of help for the first few weeks as they have to move from one to another very swiftly and the building can be like a maze. Kids with large instruments need sherlpa... I attended ds's violin lesson last term and sometimes choir, aural and orchestra but it's not because ds needed my help but because I wanted. Many lessons are not open to parents, like his piano lesson today!

folk, it may be very soon that you won't be required even during break! Enjoy while you can!

Exciting news for your DS mistigri!

Good luck to Noo starting JD today and to everyone returning after the summer break.

DD also has her first cello lesson today since the end of last term. I think she's feeling a bit overwhelmed trying to fit in music practice with the volume of homework from starting secondary - 7 different pieces of homework this weekend and none of them are short.

DS also brought a lot of homework for this weekend. He's meeting his friend tomorrow afternoon so better finish them in the morning!

Putting the volume of homework aside, I'm a bit concerned about some comments DS made on their academic studies, especially Maths. It's his favorite and strong subject and school told us he would be challenged and stretched and it's possible due to the small number in a class. We discussed about their academic side quite a lot prior to starting the school as it was one of my concerns. I was made to think it's all good. But DS moaned he had to wait a lot until others finished (he usually works really quickly) and some challenging work was given at the very end of each lesson so he felt a bit bored. He's been there only for two weeks so I assume it's still getting to know phase for the teacher and hopefully it'll be more personalized later on. Or not?

Should I address this concern to the school before it gets a major problem or it may be too early to conclude their lessons are not challenging enough so should wait for a few more weeks/months?

Cat we are definitely not required during JD day - I think DD would be mortified, although she is 14 so a little older than some on here.
The only extra thing she has signed up for is theory, although there are other optional things too - choir for example. So she has an hour lesson on each instrument, an hour chamber group on each, orchestra, theory and General Musicianship.

Druid DD also has 9-4 with only 15mins break. I send food, but she has a choice between going to the loo and eating!! Bacon and eggs at 6.30am, eat a banana on the way in the door - then eat at end of day!

Hope everyone enjoys their returns to JD today . Yes if Ds decides to go to JD at some point then after the first couple of weeks I don't expect to even travel with him ( he certainly won't want me around) and will just go into London if I fancy doing something or meeting up with friends . This is part of the reason for waiting there's no way we could have been fair to his sister, work and sort out the building work with one of us going to London each week . Right off to do some painting now

DD is over the moon to have got through the first round of NYO auditions. She heard yesterday she has got a final round audition next Saturday so she is excited and flappy all at the same time!

We're not getting our hopes up as there is a lot of competition for the places but it's been a good experience so far.

Patrick definitely too soon to worry about maths - it's quite normal in Y7 to go gently to half term and then it all changes!
Alexandra lovely to hear the Boy's first day has gone so well - but what were the chances of a pool table being there??
Truffle - and good luck for the next round!
Misti well done to your DS - he's clearly flying with his music!!