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November Music Thread

688 replies

Wafflenose · 30/10/2018 22:09

Welcome to all musicians/ parents of musicians, young and 'mature', beginners and advanced, plus everything in between. This is one of the nicest corners of Mumsnet and the music threads were started for my older daughter towards the beginning of her musical journey, 7 years ago. Everybody on the thread was a beginner once!

I have recently seen "we're not a musical family", "I'm not musical" on here quite a lot, and would like to gently challenge that... perhaps you may not have found the right instrument/ teacher yet, or have no desire to play, but I think that everyone is musical. It's not a special something that is limited to certain individuals, although of course everyone's aptitude and natural ceiling varies. I have had the pleasure of teaching almost 1000 people to read and play music now, ranging in age from 3 to 96 and incorporating a range of additional needs, and I think they all got something positive from their lessons! What our young musicians most need from us - whether we play ourselves or not - is lots of encouragement, time and space to practise, and of course the constant taxi service and financial support we give to their lessons and ensembles!

I have two DDs, Goo The Energy Conserver (flute and piano, lapsed recorder and picc player) who is pretty lazy and complacent at the moment and just wants to enjoy her life, and Rara The Awkward (clarinet, cello, recorder) who tries hard... when it suits her! We have nothing special lined up this term, but possibly piano and clarinet exams for next term. Goo claims she wants to dust off her recorders and theory books to get another couple of Grade 8s before she leaves school. I'll believe that when it happens.

Over to you.

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Lotsofmilkonesugar · 24/11/2018 09:56

Good luck to NBB and anyone else with exams/auditions coming up. We’ve got 3 exams between the DC in the next couple of weeks. Only 4 weeks of term to go!

hertsandessex · 24/11/2018 16:26

Shameless sharing for a friend with a new band. I love it and hope they find success. (FYI singer was an opera singer I believe :))

folkmamma · 24/11/2018 17:58

When a fellow poster comes up to you in the JD cafe and says "are you folkmamma?". Noo, who was blissfully unaware of this thread now thinks we're all nuts and keeps calling me folkmamma 😂😂😂😂 lovely to meet @ZakStarkey IRL 😍

Wiifitmama · 24/11/2018 18:15

That is so funny! We need to have a Mumsnet Music Mothers Meet-up. Oooo, look at that lovely alliteration!!

littleladsdad · 24/11/2018 18:21

This made me Grin.

littleladsdad · 24/11/2018 18:22

herts Love it!

ZakStarkey · 24/11/2018 18:40

Nice to meet Folkmamma today 🤣

ZakStarkey · 24/11/2018 18:44

DD violinist also met a friend she had made from NCO u11’s in the summer- which was nice.
Small world this music world 🤣

folkmamma · 24/11/2018 18:46

Ah lovely Zak!! There's quite a few U11's around the place....

SwayingInTime · 24/11/2018 18:50

I did do that to a forum friend in my babywearing days in a shopping centre very far from home, our husbands definitely thought we were mad!

Mendingfences · 24/11/2018 19:09

Love it lillteladsdad
I always giggle when they give the safety announcement on my commuter boat in English - apparently my lifejacket is equiped with a flute Grin (they mean whistle but a flute would probably be more fun)

TaggieOHara · 24/11/2018 20:19

Oo - how fun to meet up! I think I saw Zak from a distance at U10s but was trying to repack DS2’s suitcase in the car park, so couldn’t say hello. I didn’t manage to spot anyone else.

Harder to spot me and DS2 amongst the hoards of violinists....

druidsong · 25/11/2018 18:21

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

horseymum · 25/11/2018 19:47

Night before exams here in the horsey house, think I'm more nervous than them! Then followed by audition the next day. Not much school this week ( or work for me!) Then we get to start on Christmas carols! I will be glad to say goodbye to these pieces now.

Trumpetboysmum · 25/11/2018 20:25

Good luck for this week horsey

Wiifitmama · 25/11/2018 20:27

Good luck horsey mum! Ds has an exam this week too - grade 6 piano on Friday. He has two 1.5 hour lessons this week to make sure he is ready. I am nervous for him.

Crazygirlmama · 26/11/2018 00:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MeltingWax · 26/11/2018 06:43

Lots of luck to all the exam sitters!

Trumpetboysmum · 26/11/2018 07:06

Good luck to everyone doing exams in the next few weeks Smile This is the first time in ages that we haven’t had anyone doing practical exams here - just multiple concerts instead this term !!

LooseAtTheSeams · 26/11/2018 08:03

Good luck all who are preparing for and taking exams!

horseymum · 26/11/2018 08:09

Thanks! They seem pretty calm which is good. Definitely ready and need to get on with it. It's so hard judging when the date isn't known till nearer the time. We also have a few exciting concerts coming up too which is nice and will take our minds off waiting for results. Dd1 is singing ( in a choir) in a concert I'm playing in which will be lovely. I love this time of year!

Alsoplayspiccolo · 26/11/2018 08:27

Sorry I've been out of the loop recently. My sister died on Friday, after being diagnosed with cancer in August.

DS has his first piano exam, grade 2, on Friday. He's worked hard for it, but I feel like I've taken my eye off the ball in the last few weeks and I'm struggling to find the energy to motivate him.

Good luck to everyone taking exams this week too. I hope the multitude of germs doing the rounds stay well away.x

Wafflenose · 26/11/2018 08:43

I am so, so sorry about your sister. Thinking of you all at this sad time. Try not to worry too much about your son's exam - if he has worked hard up to now, he will be fine. Look after yourself. x

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Doubleup · 26/11/2018 09:04

piccolo, so very sorry about your sister. Take care of yourself - the exam will be fine, I’m sure.

Alsoplayspiccolo · 26/11/2018 09:06

Thanks, Waffle. He's only been playing a year and had to change teacher at the start of term, having to learn a new piece and all the scales since then. He was tied up with preparing for grade 5 theory and cello performances/NCO audition until a couple of weeks ago too, so it all feels too rushed. I just want it to be a positive experience for him, as he wanted to give up before he changed to the new, super-encouraging teacher.

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