November Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

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.

Woolley

Can't promise but I'll see if dd friend about, they have to do repairs themselves.
Keep eye on thread will post if I find out.

if you have the pad or it's half hanging out or split.
You need a bit of oil for the slit, but only little to soften.
Blu tac and tweezers, obviously making sure the tac is under the pad not oozing out on top.

Best I could do, but an advanced player.
Student said obviously get fixed after the concert.
Has also had to do this during a concert, student recommends a basic repair kit for Christmas.

Well ds3 has come in from ensemble tonight saying his teacher has asked him to do a solo when they perform on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in March (not as impressive as it sounds - the ensemble is part of the Triborough in London which has RAH as part of its area and therefore some sort of deal with them to us it). There is some major concert for all the ensembles and groups there in March (Convo? I think! I don't pay that much attention!). Anyhow, ds3 is over the moon. Ds2 (my real musician in the family) has also been asked to play a solo but is actually considering whether he can be bothered to take his main instrument (not the one he plays in this ensemble but the one they want him to play the solo on) to the concert!!

I do like that my kids are in boroughs that have major venues in them as it does have its bonuses! The borough we live in has Wembly in it so when they do the Young Musician of the Year competition, the winner plays on stage there!

DS is sitting his grade 3 piano exam soon, but already thinking ahead and is asking how much harder grade 4 piano is? The step up from grade 3 to 4 in violin was not huge, but piano seems a bit harder to learn. Is skipping grade 4 exam and going straight for grade 5 piano a bad idea? He skipped grade 2 piano (he learnt all pieces and scales needed in a few months and moved to grade 3).

I'm late to the thread this month! I mainly have DS2, about to be 16, piano, trombone, organ, singer. Welcome to all the new people.

Grade 8 piano is in 4 weeks, in the middle of 18 GCSE mock exams at school. I am currently drafting the letter in my head telling school he will be missing his mock Chemistry exam.

The Christmas gig madness has already started, DS2 is playing/singing twice a week at a local residential leisure centre as part of their winter programme.

I can thoroughly recommend Knittings t-shirt recommendations, I followed her advice a couple of years ago and it went down very well.

Raspberry that’s a crazy schedule good luck with the letter !! I’m sure I’ve got a few more of those to write while ds is at school !! At the moment things seem to be very busy but under control here , let’s see how long that lasts

Just putting this here as a distraction from the hectic schedules, practice battles etc etc! www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZdXoER96is
Fascinating to see these guys working together.

DD may need later on - I think she is about to annoy the swimming coach massively. She has piano lesson that finishes at 3pm, swimming gala that starts at 3pm (and from experience these always go on forever), rehearsal at 4.15pm (swimming will not be finished) and Italian oral lesson at 5.15pm (so rehearsal can't run late). She has asked, but rehearsals and lessons can't be moved. The only way for this to work is if she doesn't do the gala - which is the least important for her anyway. But - teamwork, blah blah, not letting others down etc etc.... all very important, but she simply can't be in two places at once.

Very exciting new for wiifit's DS3!

Hope everyone is coping ok with the juggling, etc.

Our mammoth exam week is over now thank goodness so just the long wait for results now. The DCs examiner this morning was called Paul Harris and when I showed the DCs a photo I dug out online we are now wondering whether it is the same Paul Harris of 'improving your sight-reading' fame. I am ridiculously and sadly excited by this possibility. The kids think am bonkers.

Yes, I think it will have been!

at waffle. It was DD who pointed out that it could have been the same PH but both the DCs are now totally bemused by my excitement about this. Anyway, they both said he was by far the nicest examiner they have had, kind, chatty, etc. I pointed out that a kindly & chatty examiner doesn't equate to a generous marker so they shouldn't be blind-sided by that!

That’s tickled me Melting; I think my DD would have been also star struck by the sight reading legend

Happy imminent 17th birthday to your DS Druid!

And good luck (and happy 16th) to your DS2 raspberry on coming out the other end of that crazy schedule!

One of the advantages of ds being away at school is that we are able to be a little more spontaneous. I was browsing the Birmingham THSH website earlier and noticed that 2 seats had become available for the Beverly Craven/Judy Tsuke/Julia Fordham show at Town Hall tonight, so I snapped them up. Not quite my cup of tea but I think DW will be happily surprised when she gets home later.

Thank you for the link Hapsburg - I am spookily listening to a Schubert Trio as I write! I think I've seen the documentary before but will happily watch it again.

DD also away at school - one of the benefits is that the scheduling crisis mentioned above is entirely hers to sort out!! Just got a text - she is practising not swimming!

Has anyone got any recommendations for a first saxophone? I’m thinking of getting one for DD for christmas as she already plays flute and clarinet and has been hankering after a sax for a while.
(Here’s hoping this is more universal than the niche Leeds orchestras!)

I notice most here do introductions. I’ve got five DDs (yes, it is mayhem!).
DD1 plays clarinet and self taught ukulele. Did grade 8 maybe 4 years ago now and has just been playing for fun ever since.
DD2 plays piano, did grade 8 last year and again just plays for fun.
DD3 plays clarinet (g5) and flute (g8) and is looking to add a saxophone to that. DD4 plays guitar and violin (g5).
DD5 is only 9 so doesn’t formally play anything yet but sings wonderfully and has perfect pitch (can play piano but not read music) so will probably opt for an instrument soon just waiting for her to ask...

Pancake, we were recommended to get a Yamaha YAS280 when DD1 started in Year 7. She’s now in Year 11 and about to take Grade 7 on it.

PancakeMum

Hello and welcome. I know a fair bit about saxes and know to recommend a Yamaha student model, you can't go far wrong, or failing this my dd and her peers play on Yanagisawa.

Aw, I grew up listening to Jackie Du pres, such a shame she was taken far too soon.