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Extra-curricular activities

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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:
Busyspinning · 23/10/2018 12:08

A question ( I’ve name changed !!) those that travel to jds what time do you have to leave on a Saturday morning ? Currently trying to work out if it will ever be achievable given that the trains never run properly at a weekend .

Currently looks like we would need to leave the house by 5 am ( because of train issues ) and I’m not sure that this will be sustainable long term . Feeling defeated on their behalf . It’s also not only for jds but other music opportunities that might suit that only happen at the weekend and only happen in London . I feel at a total loss for them 🙁

Rainie130 · 23/10/2018 12:13

Floottoot, no, we're based in Lincolnshire

cantkeepawayforever · 23/10/2018 12:18

Busy, are you sure it has to only be London? I do know someone locally who travels down to London each weekend ... which does seem a little more than needed since a completely bona fide conservatoire with a good junior department exists 45 mins away by train...

Busyspinning · 23/10/2018 12:20

No that’s the closest and so yes it does . There are other options but it depends what direction the music goes in !! If it goes one route then it definitely has to be London . We have a test run in the next couple of weeks when the trains are at their worst !! So if it’s awful then we will have to have a rethink but not sure what . It would be an early start anyway but the train issue is adding an hour to the journey !!Shock

RomanyRoots · 23/10/2018 12:26

Good grief, you leave this thread for a few days and can't catch up.
It sounds like some holiday downtime has ben in order for most of our kids.
Even mine had a day off Shock, not like her at all.

Welcome to all the new blood Grin, lovely to hear what everyone is up to. After our recent new arrival we are getting back to normal now, so about 4 hours practice again.
Mine has decided to do the grade one challenge for charity, I think she's decided on flute, should be funny.
No auditions coming up but currently working on grade 5 Piano pieces as would ideally like to leave school with grade 8.
I'm not sure if she'll manage it as wants to take Diploma in Singing and Saxophone, and that will take up so much time during GCSE's and then A levels.

littleladsdad · 23/10/2018 13:18

Hello & welcome Ranie & Busy.

Busy Last year ds was at B Conservatoire JD. His lesson was at 8:30am, so although not really far away, we had to catch the 7:00am train. I was setting my alarm for 5:45. Over the course of the year I became adept at sleeping on a stool without falling off.

This year ds is at a London JD & he travels there by train from school. His day doesn't start until 10am, so he sets his alarm for 7:00. Luxury!

In my experience jd's will try to be accommodating, so you may not be faced with that 5:00am start. The advantage of arriving early, if you do have to, is that you get to nab a spot to park yourself for the day. We've tried to have lunch with ds at jd a couple of times this year and it's hopeless - there is nowhere to sit!

Busyspinning · 23/10/2018 13:37

Thank you for that littleladsdad. It’s going to be a very full on day in a couple of weeks time but that’s because of trying to cover a variety of musical interests !! I don’t think it will always be that full on. The trains are hopeless though . Under normal circumstances you could definitely get there for a 9 am start and not have to set off till 6 or 6.30 which is early - but fine Smile
Grade 1 challenge sound fun Smile

Busyspinning · 23/10/2018 13:39

Also I’m hoping that if we do decide to go down the London jd route they will be old enough to get themselves there , once I’ve shown them how !! Multiple changes between train bus and tube doesn’t really help things - but i guess you just get used to it

CoffeeTeaChocholate · 23/10/2018 14:58

Hi catkind, I will try that practice tip, it may just help DD (and DS!) focus a bit. I am happy I am not the only one having to yell “slow down”Smile.

Busy, we levave home about 7.45 on Saturdays. I used to feel sorry for myself, but it seems we are among the lucky ones having a relatively “late” start. I pack breakfast to eat on the way and if DCs are asleep, I wake them up about 15 before we have to leave (bag packed evening before). It helps a bit....

CoffeeTeaChocholate · 23/10/2018 14:59

15 min

Mendingfences · 23/10/2018 15:19

We leave just after 6am. Dd1 sleeps in the car so she's not too bothered. We shall see how it goes in winter because thats a bit early for the snow ploughs on a saturday.....

hapsburg · 23/10/2018 15:59

We leave the house at 7am on Saturdays, so not too bad. Could get away with 7.30 if we could guarantee no delays. Also, DD likes to arrive early to catch up with friends as she has virtually no break once she gets started for the day at 9am.

Busyspinning · 23/10/2018 16:17

Thank you everyone . So 5 am is a bit crazy !! Let’s hope I can get it closer to 6 if it’s what they decide they want to do !!

hertsandessex · 23/10/2018 16:20

All these early starts - you are all -bonkers- incredibly committed. One of the reasons we decided against trying.

hertsandessex · 23/10/2018 16:20

oops experiment with strikethrough didn't work bonkers

cantkeepawayforever · 23/10/2018 16:26

So glad Nosebleed Boy is a jazz person they don't do early mornings and has come to all this quite late, at an age when he can be wholly independent .. so he catches a train just after 9 [don't shoot me]

Has his first UCAS Conservatoire audition tomorrow (bites nails). Again, he's off on his own on the train. Dreams meet reality for the first time.

Lotsofmilkonesugar · 23/10/2018 16:33

Good luck to nosebleed boy! And in awe of all your early starts.... we might consider JD for sixth form when not-so-mini could get the train herself but it is a 2hr plus journey to London from here so we shall see...

Busyspinning · 23/10/2018 16:34

Good luck for tomorrow nosebleed boy !!
And yes that’s why we have waited till now so they can sort it out by themselves ( once I’m sure that they know what they are doing !!)

hertsandessex · 23/10/2018 16:43

Good luck at the Conservatoire audition. As you say meeting reality head on. Not looking forward to that in two years time.

littleladsdad · 23/10/2018 16:53

On the first day of term ds & his older friends conspired to take over an hour and a half to get from the mainline station to JD. It's a gentle 20 min walk. Apparently they took the tube and got lost. Grin

RomanyRoots · 23/10/2018 16:57

Good luck to nosebleed Boy, I hope it goes well.
It's great he's going on his own, too many dc rely on parents at this age and it can look a bit Sad. My ds1 went to his uni days by himself.
I think I'll feel left out if dd decides to go it alone, but I'll know it's her choice.

Floottoot · 23/10/2018 17:02

All the luck in the world to Nosebleed Boy! So exciting,but I can imagine it's incredibly nerve wracking as parent.

cantkeepawayforever · 23/10/2018 17:12

too many dc rely on parents at this age

DD - a couple of years younger - is dancing in a competition in a town some way away tomorrow... with 2 of them and only 1 of me, someone has to go it alone, and at least DS doesn't need complex hairstyles, makeup or costumes...

(Nor, as far as I know, does judging of auditions involve all candidates standing in a row on stage, holding numbers, with their best 'game faces' on, while they are judged and have prizes awarded [or not]. Not an aspect of the dance world DD or I enjoy...)

RomanyRoots · 23/10/2018 17:32

I think it will be fine and he will be fine. I think it's great that he can do it alone, I imagine dd will be like this and me and her dad will be sad. Grin

Just whilst I'm here does anyone know anything about the german/Austrian Conservatoires? Somebody told me they spoke German in all lessons and that the test for overseas students was kin to undergraduate level.
Just wondered if anyone could advise.

hertsandessex · 23/10/2018 17:36

I saw an introduction to Vienna by one of the teachers and he said yes you need German but don't need much to get in and you can learn while there. He also pointed out that the fees were ridiculously cheap compared to UK/US so you could afford a lot of German lessons before and during. I'll try to find the clip.

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