October Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

Welcome to the thread for October, which is open to ANYONE who wants to discuss music lessons, practice, exams, auditions, instrument hire/ purchase or whatever related issues you'd like to. Newbies are especially welcome, and we have some each month, often with beginners. All of our kids were beginners once.

I have two DDs. Goo is 12 and plays the flute and piano. She can also play recorders and the piccolo, but doesn't. We've just moved her to another piano teacher because the first one retired, so it's nice to hear her practising again. She has been learning for about 2.5 years and hasn't done any exams... nor is she intending to. On the flute we have extended range scales, the Chaminade Concertino and Bizet's Carmen Fantasy at the moment. She plays in 7 school ensembles and does NCO and South West Music School, although she's likely to be leaving both at various points during this academic year.

Rara is 10 and plays the cello and clarinet regularly, and recorder sometimes. She's vaguely working towards Grade 5 on both, but it might end up being 4 on the cello because of various aspects she's behind in... we'll see. I am still teaching her the clarinet and am currently super fed up because however kind, patient and helpful I am, she behaves in such a horrible way. We can't afford lessons. Ho hum. Rara also does NCO and SWMS. Under 11s will be beyond her, but she'll carry on with SWMS for now.

I am a teacher of woodwind!

Floot the concert was very moving, particularly the second half which was the Great War Symphony itself. They had sold out of programmes, but as far as I could work out there were a number of war poems set to music and they had screens on either side of the stage showing footage from the build up to the war, through the various stages of the war itself, through to the unveiling of the Cenotaph and then modern footage panning over the huge cemeteries. Louise Adler did sound stunning, although I wasn't quite so taken with the tenor. I think it is broadcast on Classic fm tonight at 8pm although it would be a different listen without the screens.

That sounds like a very moving concert. I'll try to catch it on Classic FM, although as you say, very different without the visuals.
Some years ago, I performed Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man, with Karl conducting, and behind the orchestra and choir was a huge screen showing images of war and soldiers from all over the world, throughout history. I'd just had DD and was feeling very emotional anyway, but the images finished me off.

I forgot to say Floot that they also had a drum corps from the Marines, trumpeters from the RAF and the bands of the Household Cavalry, along with the Invictus Choir as well as other youth choirs. One of the most moving sections was the counterpoint between Louise Adler singing and an RAF trumpeter playing the last post - and then there was the release of poppies from the ceiling.....

Double and Floot, that sounds so moving...

did a wonder last night and I am feeling good today.

I have no complain about the school and parents - they are doing their job fantastically. It's more like whether what they offer matches our needs. When I hear something I didn't dream of happening, then I seem to slip into this little guilty world of failing to show DS other options before jumping into it. Also, while DS is having great time there, he's missing out great deal of things he may have enjoyed or have done really well at regular school. So, although we decided to have a go for a couple of years by letting DS lead the choice, I still hang on with this little doubt. I'll probably have it always no matter where he goes, it's probably one of my sad personality...

Aside from whether the right choice has been made Patrick, a demon I guess you and some parents will always wrestle with, is that the level of parental intensity is still there in Y7 as a result of the build up from junior years, which schools to apply for, what's needed to prepare etc etc, but this will diminish as he settles and gets older and knows his own mind as to what he wants. It is so difficult to find one institution that 100% ticks all the boxes, and as PPs on here keep saying, nothing is set in stone, if later you still feel this way...he can move.

Competitive parenting or those that make non-musical parents feel bad (even if inadvertently) will always be around, It's how we react that we can control.

Last night at DD's school scholars' concert, a parent asked what DD would be playing. I answered I didn't know, and received a raised eyebrow.

4 years ago I would have felt awful - a bad parent for not being more 'on it', and very insecure around the parent group. In reality now, I still do care, but just cannot be invested as I was (I WOULD have actually known in Y7) with a DD who leads such a busy life and does not want me as involved with the day to day detail. And I know better to not rise to the eyebrow, as it was more about their own DC than mine, because I no longer feel the need to justify why she's a scholar if she doesn't go to JD/want to be a prof musician/study it at HE etc.

Good tonic is definitely the !

Patrick

My apologies, I didn't read your post correctly. The list I gave was from the school, not what we or any other parents expect.
I suppose the main difference is that musical parents aren't shocked by the amount of practice and dedication required at these schools.
Saying that though, both dh and I have been surprised at some things, so some surprises for us too.

I totally agree that there are many routes into music and I don't know anyone else who went to music school, apart from the odd pupil my dh has had who have said they have been.
Looking at the entrance to conservatoire I have found that only about a third of applicants come from the music schools, I thought it would be more tbh.

If it doesn't work out this time, you could always apply when he is older, at dd school the largest intake is 6th form and they make up half the school. Add to this those entering for GCSE, not as many as 6th form, but still higher than the other years intake, you'll find there aren't many younger ones.

He might be fine though, it's still very early days, and my advice would be to see what happens.
Is there something particular that's worrying him, as I've said before it doesn't have to be much.
There is a lot of homesickness at dd school atm, it's not the new boarders necessarily, I've heard of experienced boarders struggling atm.
Obviously, I can't give details because it's other people's children, but needless to say, something quite trivial can set them off.

DS isn't worrying but it's me who is worrying if he can cope with such intensity. Then start thinking if he would have been better at regular school, etc. As earling said I am probably going through those Y7 things (and I am a worrier so it's worse!).

I am not sure how homesick he is. He is delighted to see me and says he wishes to see me everyday, but then he hardly calls me when all his work is finished and can enjoy free time. He almost always chooses to play with friends rather than calling me!

I met someone who started boarding at DS's age but couldn't last and switched to day after a couple of months or so, then re-started as a boarder from the following academic year. So there will a solution if we decide against boarding.

I'm glad you can see the solutions Patrick.
I'm not sure if your school is the same, but dd and her peers follow different pathways, e.g apart from visiting dd has never been to an orchestra rehearsal, her friends in the orch have lots of rehearsals.
They have never played in a big band or jazz combo.
Some are driven and will be in a practice room as soon as opened, mine will do this if there is something she needs to master or special coming up, but will not usually do this if it can be helped.
My point, that I'm not putting very well, is that they all settle to their individual programme, find their practice routine, and their own level of commitment.
Just because some seem to do more, doesn't mean that yours isn't doing enough.
The example I gave above about dd practice during the hols. Those only doing 2 instruments would need less practice so 2 hours first study and 1 hour Piano.

4strings - good to see you back . It sounds like your DD has a good chance, based on her standard and the advice audition. When will she audition?

Double that sounds very moving indeed.
Ealing very wise words. I remember the worries about DS1 and Y7. Of course, by DS2 I was possibly too laid back, but he's been fine!I think your concert comment was actually pretty spot on at this stage! Hope the concert goes well for dd, she is very talented!
Patrick I think this is a case of no wrong choice, just choices! You are a really supportive parent. Mini sounds like on the whole he's doing really well.

So, DS1 enjoyed helping the music dept at open evening last night and met loads of dcs he knows from the borough music service. This meant I had to rearrange last night's music lessons. DS1 got DS2's guitar slot, DS2 had the slot after that and DS1 then headed off to a drum lesson. Tonight DS1 also has concert band rehearsal!
He's joining the concert band and jazz band at school as well. I'm not going to try to keep track of those!

Hi all

Sorry to jump in. Ds age 8 has been playing clarinet for a year & I'm looking at buying one rather than spending £50 on another year of hire. I know nothing! I need a B flat and his teacher says yamahas are good. Does anyone know if a Yamaha Advantage CL1 is good enough? Or a 26i or 23N or YLC26?

Many thanks

My DD is away on her first orchestra camp with the council, she was quietly really excited about it. It is only till Friday though so not too long. It will be the most playing she had done so she will be tired by the end. She has a private teacher so there won't be a teacher there who really knows her and no double reed teacher so hopefully nothing goes wrong with reeds/ oboe during the week. We get to go to a concert on Friday which will be good.

Hi @buckeejit! Welcome!!! There are a few parents of clarinettists on here. I'm not one, but did get through G8 clarinet on a good old Buffet B12!!! Can't go wrong with one of those I reckon....

DS also got as far as G8 with a Buffet B12..

Aw thank you loose. Both your DS’ sound like they are really enjoying their music right now. We had a dinner conversation tonight on the back of your Ds1’s love of his A level syllabus that went very positively, so thank you for sharing that too! It was on the back of discussions of working options to supplement money with such orgs like Camp America etc. And how music/swim skill sets add value whenvlooking at temporary work options!

Sounds like fun horsey, hope she enjoys it!

Hi buck my DS2 has also been learning for a short time and has a buffet B12 that we bought second hand . The clarinet teacher said her son also got to grade 8 on the same model!

Thanks all! Will see what I can find on eBay 😁

Buckeejit

Just asked my dh and he reckons that Yamaha are great and you can't go wrong, they do exactly what they are supposed to do.

A note on saxes though was you are better off buying a 10 year old Yamaha than a 2 year old one.

Great thread! I have a grown dd who plays piano (7) violin (8) voice (diploma) and has taken up the bassoon - driving me and the dog mad! It's a horrible sound

How long has she been playing annie? I can asssure you it gets so much better and becomes less of a 'ship leaving port' sound. Try googling Mozart Concerto in B flat major for bassoon - beautiful and melodious and so much more than just the base line in an orchestra.

And annie, our cats can even stay in the same room now when the bassoon is played