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!

Crazy it's both hands starting on Ab, both hands starting on D and so on. But they can still just ask for separate hands.

folk, enjoy gigging tonight! I'm sure Noo and Mr folk will survive (but then they'll appreciate you more after going through today without you for once)!

I started tidying up DS's primary school stuff last month. When I casually looked them through, I realised how much I didn't know what he was doing and learning at school. His essays and answers showed me the interesting side of him I didn't know. So I decided to take time and read them slowly and thoroughly before putting them away. I read them for 10 mins or so while I'm having my morning mint tea. It's nicer than reading newspaper.

Today's finding: he had to list up essential items to sustain himself (in science book) and he wrote violin and piano above food and drinks.

What is FOMO folk? Enjoy it!

Thanks Patrick! I am exploring all different options and give it all to her if she has choices. I will stay fair and neutral as much as I could.

My 10 yrs does composing too, Patrick, if that was what you meant, since yr3 when she did her g5 theory, I havent appreciated the pieces she wrote but I try to encourage it. She asked for gr8 theory, we will do it the coming summer.

Got to feed the soul too Patrick!

FOMO - fear of missing out Green

Thanks Doubeup, so I got it wrong! Is there a way your husband can record it, some of it?

Got my clarinet out whilst dh was away, long story
Opened the case and was nearly knocked out by the smell.
We cleaned the clari up and I've just cleaned the case with zoflora (rose) my favourite and dh said, he will do it up and sell it.
So, I was until he walked in and gave me a new one, far better sound and much better.
He couldn't just leave it though, said see if you can get passed G major this time I have a habit of picking it up for a few weeks and then not bothering again.
Patricks
I remember doing this with all 3 of ours, don't forget to keep some of his wonderful work.
I made a box for each with early age greetings cards, a bit of school work, etc. Wish I hadn't started collecting performance and show programmes, and have a huge box full of old dancing costumes.
I will have to have a cull.

... when you get the pick up time wrong for your littlest boys’ music theory class and you get told off by the lady who runs the music centre because they’ve been dancing through the corridors to the music of the youth band and distracting the teenagers ... although DD did say it brightened up the rehearsal....

Ooh Romany, new shiny clarinet! No excuses now.

Double

Green, I meant the school work so science, maths, writing and so on. All the work books done at school were handed nearer to the last day of primary school and I am reading them through now. But yes DS loves composing and that's another reason why he so wanted to go to his current school as composition plays a big part in their learning there. I keep all his composition done at home both written and audio. I have no idea about things he's doing at school but like primary school I guess I'll have a chance to see them at some point.

Romany, I'm a compulsory collector so I already have a huge collection for someone who's been around for only 11 years (luckily I have only one child)! I even keep most of his artwork (or you can call them scribbles...) since he started holding pencil. I keep them digitally which I am going to make a book to hand him one day, maybe when he is 20 or so. I have his first footy boots, beavers and cubs uniform, baby books and toys...

In fact I have massive scrap books which keep everything DS did, like tickets and programmes for footy matches, concerts, theatre, leaflets for courses, Merit certificates from school and so on. He also has a social blanket his grandma bought him when he was a baby. He buys a badge from the cities and countries he visited and I sew them on the blanket. He can see where he's been and visited by looking at those badges on the blanket.

Social blanket? SPECIAL blanket!!

This is a badge he bought from his last holiday. It's going to be sewn on the SPECIAL blanket (hopefully very soon...).

Oh Patrick it's amazing how much you gather over the years.
Ds1 is the first to leave and I finally gave him all of his things.
I'm waiting on ds2 leaving so I can get rid of some more I don't think he'll be too much longer tbh, he and his gf nearly have their deposit together.
I never dreamed I'd still have one at home at nearly 24.

Catkind

It's not new but will be nice when cleaned a bit. My dh doesn't really do new instruments. This is the same make that Benny Goodman used, I said can you not get the same as Artie Shaw played as I prefer his playing.
I'm pretty sure their abilities had little to do with which model they chose.

Patrick, you sound super organised! I mean to keep things for the kids, but they end up in piles around the house and just get lost. I am trying to keep a spreadsheet of everyone's musical peformances. I hate when I do that "I'm sure I've played this before - or was it no. 2? - and when?" thing.

New to you counts romany! I'm currently looking for a new to me car and possibly at some point a new to me violin, they're unlikely to be new new either. Lol at the same model as famous clarinettists. Now if only I could have the same model as famous violinists

cat, I enjoy these things. I used to do it for my stuff, but now I don't know where mine has gone and just do DS's instead. DS stuff is more fun actually as the clear development as a human is so visible. You can also see a tendency and phase he went through at a particular time in his drawing or writing for instance. Really interesting.

Catkind

You mean you don't have the money for a strad in your back pocket?

Patrick - we did that with DC1 especially for the first few years. We have an immaculate collection of everything including personalised photo albums that cost an arm and leg made custom made in a Japanese department store. Then DC2 came along and ruined the calm. For DC2 we had the personalised album made but it is still empty 15 years on and we have a box with a few things chucked in. Few DC3 we didn't bother with the album :) We might have to hide the album for DC1 to avoid signs of favouritism.

Must have slipped down the back of the sofa Romany.

heats, DH is very committed to daily exercise and training and does quite a few challenging races through a year. He loves recording his progress and setting new challenges. He sometimes leaves his medals and tickets on my desk, hoping I'll start organising his stuff like I do for DS. But so far I've been ignoring his wish as I know I won't be able to keep up for two people! I am actually wondering when I can stop doing this for DS!!

cat, I hope I have 'something' to slip down the back of sofa...

I 'wish', I mean...

Sent DD1 off to do a practice hike/camp expedition for D of E this morning. It has rained all day and has now got rather chilly, so I'm feeling rather sorry for her . The weather is due to be drier tomorrow at least.....