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October Music Thread

995 replies

Wafflenose · 01/10/2018 22:17

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!

OP posts:
Doubleup · 15/10/2018 11:19

I’m sure he’ll be fine Patrick! At least he wasn’t in tears which is what we’ve had with DD2 before. She enjoys playing in orchestras and ensembles, but hates solo performances as she feels so exposed.

Her teacher sent me a message with a couple of last minute points for DD to go over this evening. I replied saying that after the audition I think she needs something fun and not too taxing for a while and the teacher agrees - phew! The teacher is very driven and DD doesn’t want to let her down which adds to her stress. DD is not very good at verbalising her angst and it then comes out in stroppiness and stubbornness at home which helps no-one. Looking forward to a quieter (and happier) half term Smile

Trumpetboysmum · 15/10/2018 11:23

Double I feel for your dd ( and you !!) we’ve been there many a time . Ds was so happy yesterday to get stuck into learning new stuff without all the added pressure of performances , though he actually has quite a lot coming up in one way and another - though I’m not reminding him yet !! Hope the audition goes well tomorrow.

Doubleup · 15/10/2018 11:35

Thanks Trumpet. DD2 is what my dad would have described as a swan - looking all serene, but paddling like mad underneath.

TaggieOHara · 15/10/2018 11:51

patrick - it is the worst time of year for new Y7s wherever they are and whatever they are doing. Half way through the longest term and still a long way from Christmas. I'm sure that mini-patrick will do very well with his performance, as he always does.

Flowers also to mini-double. Very best of luck for tomorrow!! I'm glad that the teacher is being flexible.

PatricksViolin · 15/10/2018 11:55

Good luck to miniDouble2 for tomorrow's audition. People admire swan for the beauty and the hidden efforts. Smile

I also hope after NCO audition DS can just work on studies and pieces without any exam/audition/competition looming ahead. His last two years contained U11 NCO audition, JD auditions, youth orchestra audition, state school music scholar's tests, independent school scholarship audition, JD solo performances, music festivals, G7 piano, G8 violin, music school audition, NCO residential, then now the intimidating recital at school and another NCO audition coming up... And there were numerous low key performances between all those challenges. And before then he had almost no challenge as he didn't do any of them so it's quite a jump and condensed two years for him.

It'd be nice to stop for a bit and have time to work on techniques and skills steadily without too much of time pressure.

PatricksViolin · 15/10/2018 12:03

Thanks Taggie. I hope he'll do fine as he always did. But is it only me who has a DC who somehow always manages to come out okay after dramas and worries yet you kind of expect it's time to run out the luck each time your DC faces new challenges? It's not the end of the world and whatever happens I'm sure we can laugh about it later. But still I feel for him and feel the time for him to experience the bitterness is coming! Oh dear, how sad I am!

Doubleup · 15/10/2018 12:11

DD1’s oboe teacher is being pretty flexible at the moment too as she realises all the other pressures on her, but we’ve always had a good relationship with her since dd started lessons in Y4. DD1 has her music scholars performance this evening which is usually a good event - and another thing ticked off her list.

littleladsdad · 15/10/2018 12:30

DS tells me that his two solo slots at the open morning went well. He sounded very relaxed and confident about it all - he was always this way but seems even more laid back at the moment. I think it's the effect of being at his new school and the other kids that he's around.

He has an NCO audition at the weekend. I need to go and check what he needs to be doing. I'm pretty sure that the two pieces he's planning on doing constitute a very loose definition of 'contrasting'. I may be back with questions!

Good luck to minidouble!

TaggieOHara · 15/10/2018 13:49

Patrick - DS2 is similar in that he always puts me (and himself) through the mill before every performance.

He was always fine apart from one time, a little over a year ago, when he didn’t play well and didn’t enjoy the performance. Ironically, he was well prepared that time and playing an easy piece. He just had an off day, made a mistake in his piano, then got in a strop and carried through his bad mood to the violin. And it really showed!

But he learnt so much from that episode in terms of being mentally in the right place to perform, and that playing badly doesn’t mean the sky falls in (his friends were super kind and supportive). And in fact, a school informal concert was exactly the right place to learn these lessons.

I don’t imagine for one moment that mini-Patrick will have a mishap this week. But if he ever does, his teachers, his peers and you will help help him use it as an experience to grow from.

PatricksViolin · 15/10/2018 14:06

Thanks for sharing your mini's experience, Taggie. We all know we learn from mistake. Yet it's quite painful to observe it happening for your own DCs, isn't it? I must be toughen up too!

I wasn't worried when I was told he was performing because I thought the teacher wouldn't put him through this if he wasn't ready. But DS told me the teacher did say it's a bit of a rush and that made both of us see the forthcoming performance in a totally different light!

I've never performed solo like all the mini musicians on this thread. I am in awe of their bravery. Seriously.

PatricksViolin · 15/10/2018 14:08

Very well done to littlelads's boy! He sounds he's in his element!

Trumpetboysmum · 15/10/2018 14:45

Great news about the performance littleladsdad Smile I think as long as both pieces show off different skills / perhaps from different time periods your ds will be fine . Well that’s what ds has always done anyway !! Good luck for the weekend Smile

littleladsdad · 15/10/2018 15:12

Thank you Patrick.

Thank you Trumpet Could you please confirm when the summer course is, if you know, & how many trumpet seats are available?

TaggieOHara · 15/10/2018 16:47

Absolutely Patrick- it is tough for the parents to watch DCs struggle. A year on I can admire DS2 for his resilience, and I can see that he needed that experience, but at the time I was so upset for him (and angry with myself!).

I’m sure mini Patrick will be fine this week. He has worked hard and is playing within his range. But sooner or later, all of our DCs will mess up! And that will be ok too.

druidsong · 15/10/2018 17:00

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

folkmamma · 15/10/2018 17:58

Gonna leave this one here...

October Music Thread
Trumpetboysmum · 15/10/2018 18:12

Folk Grin
Littleladsdad there were 6 in under 13s 5 in Main this year I think
The summer course dates are 3rd to 10th August

PatricksViolin · 15/10/2018 18:20

Taggie, yes thankfully the pieces aren't out of his depth and apparently the teacher was impressed with the speed of him memorising them all. So if it doesn't go as well as we hoped tomorrow, I'll emphasise what he did well and remind him the positive things the teacher said to him. Then I'll leave the teacher to be a baddie...

druid, so you are confirming this feeling will stay almost always... Oooh...

folk, how do you know my DS?

littleladsdad · 15/10/2018 18:28

Thank you Trumpet. With only 5 it's going to be a tough nut to crack, I think. Surely existing players must be given priority?

littleladsdad · 15/10/2018 18:29

Thank you Druid.

se22mother · 15/10/2018 18:42

Folk that is an accurate portrayal of my daughter Grin

cantkeepawayforever · 15/10/2018 18:44

yet you kind of expect it's time to run out the luck each time your DC faces new challenges

Further evidence that my people are on this thread! That is EXACTLY how I feel, every time :-)

Trumpetboysmum · 15/10/2018 18:51

No I dont Think so littleladsdad otherwise ds wouldn’t have got a place a couple of years ago . Good luck to your ds for the weekend Smile

druidsong · 15/10/2018 19:46

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

Lotsofmilkonesugar · 15/10/2018 19:55

folk 😂
We instituted a “sweets for scales” program for the younger 2 DSs tonight..., all scales done within 2 minutes!! Desperate times call for desperate measures...