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Extra-curricular activities

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

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Original poster

September 2018 Music Thread

905 replies

folkmamma · 01/09/2018 08:21

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....

OP posts:

Thread gallery

Trumpetboysmum · 04/09/2018 08:46

Good luck disorganised .
Fingers crossed for you - from enquiries that I have made at the guildhall they seemed to suggest that they sometimes hold individual auditions outside of the normal audition period don't know if it's the same for violin . Really hope it works out

disorganisedmummy · 04/09/2018 08:54

Thanks for your lovely messages. It has been a nightmare year really plus I really want the boys to move schools to one hat is more supportive of ds's passion but he doesn't want to move at the moment so we will sit tight. I'm waiting to hear back from the Head of Junior Strings as to whether they'll let him do it this term when it will be quieter. If not he'll have to do it in the Spring. For the first time he's started to believe in himself and that is thanks to his amazing teacher.

LooseAtTheSeams · 04/09/2018 09:33

disorganised that sounds incredibly hard for you and DS but I'm sure junior GH would make allowances. Glad you've found the right teacher. Good luck!
DS2 has headed off to school (with the usual minimal planning) in surprisingly chirpy mood. And his blazer still just about fits! This slightly offsets the eye-watering expense of his enormous shoes.
DS1 is still hanging around the house but at least he is now enrolled for sixth form.

Mendingfences · 04/09/2018 09:41

So good to hear that youve found the right teacher disorganised
Dd1 is loving jd, although not exactly loving the 5.30 wake up (She is 12 and plays violin at jd and piano outside jd)
Dd2 (10 plays flute and double bass ) was in the recording studio at her last flute lesson, not sure what she's doing but it apparently involves the peppa pig theme tune.....
Ds (8) is loving percussion group and has already done a performance with them. He looked tiny on stage (age range 8-18..) but did brilliantly. We've managed to rearrange his piano lesson to fit everything in (just!)

Original poster

folkmamma · 04/09/2018 10:41

Nice to see you back @disorganisedmummy!!! From a personal perspective, very much hoping you have good news from GH soon and DS gets the chance to reap the benefits of all his hard work over the summer. Hoping that one day we will both look back at this time from the comfort of a concert hall and reminisce over how stressed we were at the time!!!

Noo skipper of to secondary school without a backward glance this morning- can't wait to hear how her first day went.

Good luck to everyone with big changes this week! And indeed to everyone getting back on the treadmill for whom 'normality' resumes. The countdown to Christmas starts now 😘

OP posts:

Greenleave · 04/09/2018 12:51

Disorganised: no experience or info however wanted to wish you good luck!

Thanks all!

Alex: is it gcse this year? Awgggg!!!
Loose: miss your poshed shed activity news and hope the boys been good.

We have been taking couple of weeks break from piano. There is a plan for G8 Spring term. We will be getting the syllabus books this week!!

RomanyRoots · 04/09/2018 13:05

hello all.
it sounds like a new year and new challenges for all
I was talking to dh about since the dc starting school, many years ago, I tend to think of September the 1st as The new Year, rather than January.
i think it's the mentality of starting fresh, and most things being new around this time of year. new uniforms, boots, coats, wooly jumpers etc.

Well, dd is back at school now, I have only received texts but seems like she's settling in. I'm hoping she applies herself academically this year, I have lead the horse to water and really done all I can, apart from punish or cajole if the effort isn't forthcoming.

Music wise she has about 4/5 ensembles this year, and perhaps two or three grades. Two grade 8's and Piano grade 5, I believe.
There are about 6 concerts before Christmas too, so she's going to have to be good at prioritising her time.

Great to hear of the latest successes and I too hope to keep up with this thread

TaggieOHara · 04/09/2018 20:26

Lovely to hear about everyone’s awesome beginning of term experiences! I have been thinking of Noo today.

And lovely to see green and disorganized Back

disorganised. Very sorry to hear About the teacher troubles. I’m glad to hear that everything is slotting into place now. Do keep us posted about the GH audition!

green. We are in 11 plus/pre test mode as well at the moment! all round, I think...

DS2 goes back to school tomorrrow. My cunning plan of getting Nco audition out of the way before full term (and full chorister commitments) has backfired a bit. They have five concerts before term even starts! Oh well...

Wafflenose · 04/09/2018 20:54

Hello all, and thanks folk for helping out! We got back on Sunday, but have been busy with unpacking, tackling the laundry mountain, and then labelling, ironing and packing stuff ready for school. The DCs go back tomorrow, and I start work on Thursday. I have three little boys (aged 7 and 8) coming for trial lessons over the next few days, and just over 90 pupils on my books for the coming term - ranging in age from 6 to 70s.

I am mum to two DDs, and have been here almost since the beginning of the older one's musical journey. Goo is 12 and now much taller than me. She plays the flute and piano, and is thinking of going back to the recorder, which she played from age 3 to 11. Her piano teacher has just retired and there have been hysterics over playing to anyone else, but I have managed to find her a nice new one, who lives much more locally. She's carrying on with her flute lessons miles and miles away! After 2 years of piano lessons, she has yet to perform in any way, shape or form! She will do an exam at some point, but her first one is likely to be Grade 5 or possibly 6. And there will be no more flute exams, ever! Rara is 10 and entering her last year of primary school! She will follow Goo to the local comprehensive, so no worries there. She plays the cello and clarinet, is not working on anything in particular, and I've realised that for the first time in years, neither has an exam lined up at all. I have mentally pencilled one in for Rara for March, but if she isn't ready, she can do it next summer instead.

Both girls do SWMS and NCO. Goo is refusing to audition for anything ever again though. That's me told!!

Greenleave · 04/09/2018 21:13

Taggie, any chance you live in SW london too? I somehow remember your DS2 is in an Indie which goes straight to 18. In the past I was worried she could turn into too academic(just her nature) hence all swimming, arts and music thrown in, right now I am worried she isnt good enough to pass the tests awgg.

We had some violin practice this evening, the 4 yrs old didnt give us any privacy so it was rather chaos with her humping in and making the terrible screechy noise. Children have great tolerance for such noise, it doesnt bother them both at all, they laugh like mad but it really hurt my ears.

TaggieOHara · 04/09/2018 22:03

Green - we are in Oxford. DS1 is at a school that goes from 7-18 but he wasn’t at the junior dept. DS2’s school stops at 13. DS2 is trying for DS1’s school, but it is quite competitive (not as competitive as tiffin though!!). We’ll see how he gets on. Luckily there are lots of options

I think it is natural to feel jittery. The best advice I got was to pick three schools to try for: aspirational, likely and dead cert and then find something to love about all of them. That saved my sanity with DS1!!

bostik · 05/09/2018 08:49

Hello All, I hope your beginning of terms are going well! I can't wait to hear which pieces DS will be playing this term for different ensembles. Being non-musical I hear the piece for the first time, hate it and can't imagine why it has been chosen but invariably LOVE it come performance time. My problem is that I need to hear a piece about 10 times before the tune emerges for me - I'm so glad DS isn't the same!

Waffle have you heard anything from SWMS yet? Other than an emailed list of dates, we haven't had any real details yet. I understand we are supposed to see a mentor soon but time is marching on... I don't like to keep ringing up. :)

Wafflenose · 05/09/2018 09:32

Bostik this is our 5th year so I have learned to go with the flow. The CEO has just left and they are short staffed. Mentors get in touch all by themselves, but not until at least halfway through this term, in my experience. Remind me what programme your DC is on, and I'll try to be more helpful...

bostik · 05/09/2018 12:22

Waffle, ah, well that makes a lot of sense - I'm a bit surprised in a way as I thought they'd need to get in touch sooner to plan out the year in advance, but maybe it doesn't work that way and I'm sure all will be well. I am also getting the impression that they are a bit short staffed! Thanks for your experienced take on it! :)

Wafflenose · 05/09/2018 12:50

Nope, nothing is ever planned!

PatricksViolin · 05/09/2018 13:45

We got back home from holiday last night, and we received a violin this morning (what's a timing!). It's a replacement while DS's violin is sent back to the maker for some work required. It was supposed to be done before summer but we postponed until now for several reasons.

DS has to live with the replacement for a while so I was a bit worried about the quality of it. But worry not, it's the most beautiful violin DS has ever played. It's pure, bright, deep and warm, and DS said he could produce the sound he would want so effortlessly.

When we were hunting, it took months to find the one we were reasonably happy with. We learnt that it was near impossible, especially within our budget, to find the one that could offer everything we were looking for. Here seems to be the one appeared when we stopped looking!

Original poster

folkmamma · 05/09/2018 14:04

Oh dear Patrick!! are you able to swap??

OP posts:

elena7475 · 05/09/2018 14:29

My DS got his violin on loan. (His teacher told him who is doing this). We pay insurance only. Much better violin compare to his previous one.

TaggieOHara · 05/09/2018 14:58

Oh Patrick - that made me laugh. Like buses, these things come in threes. Next... the perfect bow

PatricksViolin · 05/09/2018 17:11

elena7475, is it Benslow? We didn't go down that route but I think it's a brilliant scheme for aspiring young musicians.

Yes, we can swap if we want. But I noticed the change of the tones of DS's violin in different location/climate, so need more time to give a proper judgement. At least DS can have fun with this lovely violin for the next few weeks or possibly months depending on how quickly the maker decides to work!

elena7475 · 05/09/2018 19:48

I believe it is Stainer violin 🎻

TaggieOHara · 05/09/2018 19:56

Ffs. This is DS2’s dominant A and E strings after 3 months of use and tbh the E was showing signs of wearing out a month ago.

The photos don’t do the issue justice, but the E string is meant to be covered with the wound material (no bare patches) and the A string is meant to be more or less straight, and not lumpy!

Has anyone got advice on better strings for DCs like this? We have tried tonica (lasted even less time and sounded awful).

Honestly - trust DS2 to choose acid fingers as his superpower