January to March 2019 music thread (Title edited by MNHQ)

[CruCru]

Hi all

Here is the new music thread for January - I hope no one minds me starting it.

I am mum to a son (7) who is learning the piano and trumpet and a daughter (5) who is learning the piano and violin. I am having piano lessons and played the trumpet as a child.

Some of the people on these threads (and their children) are fantastic musicians. Some are more like me. All are welcome.

Thank you to Wafflenose for all the time she has spent managing these threads.

I will have an ask about, still in touch with dd old violin teacher. Should say past, she'd be mortified at being called old as is about 35

Neleus

it usually says equivalent, so they don't have to have done the exam.
I keep telling dd though, the more you have to offer if competition is high, the better. She is hoping that she won't be let down as she isn't academic. It says 3 GCSE's old A-C and 2 A levels A-E. Music included if possible. it doesn't sound much but she worries if it's down to two of them will the one with a string of A/B at A level and several 8/9's at GCSE take preference.
We are hoping not, but you never know.
I'll never forget her laughing at the professor from Cambridge, when taking her for a 6th former asked if she'd applied as they would be interested in her voice. She was y9 and not knocking her but academically she doesn't stand a chance.

Romany what they are interested in is future performers. If it's down to two of them then the one that has the most potential as a performer is the one that will get the nod. Clearly applicants have to be literate enough to turn in the odd essay on Mozart's impact on blahblah and get their head around music theory but if the institutions were bothered about A level results then their standard academic offer wouldn't be EE.

At the end of the day, the best she can do is the best she can do, there's no point her worrying about it. A bucket of nine's and a run of A's is not going to open any doors to someone who doesn't nail the audition.

Thanks for the reassurance.
I suppose it's better than her being blaze and thinking she'll get in no problem.
I do like that it seems fair to all, even down to not having the opportunity to have sat GCSE or A level music.
There are a few schools near us that don't offer music at all.

I guess also fair to overseas applicants who will have taken different exams or none at all.

I was talking to a friend who got into Guildhall from overseas 20 years ago. All he did was send in an audition tape and reference from teacher. No live audition (nor obviously Skype) and not even a phone interview. Incredible.

Reading the requirements with interest. If DS2 stays at his current school for sixth form (he is Y11) they may not be offering A level Music, though BTEc will defintiely be on offer. It is possible they may work with him to do A level music. Music teacher reckons all options would still be open to him with BTEC, I think we need to do some research.

He doesn't want to move to our catchment school as they no longer offer Further Maths, and he wants to keep as many options open as possible!

raspberry

They are very helpful if you need to contact admissions. On behalf of my dd I contacted several as at one point it didn't look like she would achieve GCSE maths/English. They said that they would accept functional skills at level 2, if she didn't pass. It transpires now that she should be ok, just
If the Btec is level 3 I'm sure it would count as an alternative to A level as it's set at the same standard iyswim. I would double check though, but I'm sure they do.

just a quick look at RCM
www.rcm.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/bmus/

Having been through the process fairly recently, if your school/college doesn't offer A level music then it doesn't stop you applying for music courses at uni or conservatoire. Some places don't specify that one of the A levels (or equivalent) must normally be music, one says G6 theory or above would be considered as an alternative to A level music. It doesn't take many characters in the personal statement to say that music A level was not possible.

I would advise anyone with an interest to look at entry requirements online and not rely on what well meaning people tell you because it is sometimes based on something a friend of a friend said once or their music teacher's experience from decades ago. I'm already two years out of date (but I have just checked that what I said still stands)

I knew you two would know how it stood! And I totally agree with you knitting about your own research. Music teacher 1 is an alumni of you DS's current location, he has checked with them, all good. (he is very keen for DS2 to consider this one!). Music teacher 2 did music at an RG uni and they would also be fine. However at first look DD's current uni don't accept BTECs, as they require 3 Alevels in whatever subject, plus theory and Grade 8 if not music.

We will have a more thorough look before September, He already has Grade 6 theory, and a practical Grade 8 with Distinction (piano) but not on his now First Study.

It would obviously help if he knew if he wanted Conservatoire, Uni Music Degree or Computer Science Degree.

In his sixth form options inteview, the Head of Sixth form asked him why he would even consider studying music over a potentially lucrative career in Computers!

"A level or equivalent" is the usual wording and BTec level 3 is equivalent. Some pupils won't have the opportunity to take either.

I will get off my soapbox now, DS had a big choice after GCSE as his school didn't offer music so it was stay put with no music or look elsewhere. That was the point where I found out how few schools locally offered music beyond GCSE and how little choice he really had.

I’m sure some of you will know about Awards for Young Musicians but thought I would post the link www.a-y-m.org.uk/how-we-help/getting-the-support-you-need/ as the deadline is March 8th to apply this year.

Zak, it would be great if the maker could provide you the list of the distributors then you could send a bulk email to all of them??

raspberryrippleicecream, I know someone who had a business degree, then went off to travel the world which lasted nearly 10 years! In his early 30's he decided to come back to the UK, did a master in computer science, he got a job in the field straight after the graduation and now in his 40's he has a very comfortable life. Do you think your DS could do music (college or uni) if that's where his heart lies, then maybe think of doing a master in computer science if he feels the need? I just feel academic study can be delayed while music could be less forgiven. Maybe not.

That would be helpful Neleus- I think the bows are pretty old (for carbon fibre) so I think they’ve all sold and then re-sold etc etc...

Depends on how much your DD wants the bow though if it was for my DS I may have sent a bulk email to loads of dealers asking about the bow. People bring their violin (and bow!) back to upgrade etc. So someone should have it somewhere ready to sell!!

Help! Off to see DD’s cello teacher later today after she had a mini-meltdown last night over not enjoying her lessons. She’s adamant that she loves the cello and wants to keep playing but finds her teacher nit-picky and overly negative. Not helped I think by the fact that her piano teacher whilst also a complete perfectionist is v lavish with praise and compliments so the comparison is stark. What’s the best way to ask her cello teacher to dial down the criticism and dial up the positive support without seeming offensive?! Thanks.

queenmabby could you phrase it as a comment on your DD rather than teacher? "Quiet heads up, DD is being quite negative about cello at the moment feeling she can't get things right - could you look out for opportunities to reassure her she's doing well?" I'd also be having a chat to your DD about how different people react. Piano teacher's response to her doing well is to say well done first, cello teacher's response is to go straight to asking her to do harder things and try to get every tiny detail right. Explicitly understanding this about the teacher's personality not her playing could help. A friend's DC has a cello teacher like that, it's become a standing joke that cello teacher is never satisfied and they don't take it personally just roll eyes at each other once they get home.

I think thats good service from fiddle. Ds has a pretty picky piano teacher but he always makes a big thing of saying he's being picky because ds is doing really well and has potential to make the piece 'excellent' (it should be noted we are talking about arrangementa og old Mac Donald here so not exactly masterpiece level )

Thanks both. I had a good chat with him actually. He did admit to being nit-picky with her but only because (as he said) she’s so good that he feels he can really drill down into the pieces with her as she picks things up so quickly. I stressed to him that she’s very self critical of her own abilities so she needs plenty of positive reinforcement and he said that he would make sure to tell her when he thinks she’s done something particularly well or has made good progress. She took her grade 1 at Christmas after only 2 terms of lessons and will likely take her grade 2 in the summer so I know she’s definitely making progress 😜 but she’s such a perfectionist she doesn’t see it herself! Fingers crossed this helps.
She played in a concert at school last night - with her cello in the strings orchestra and then a piano solo - and she just loved every second of it so i’m keen to keep her enthusiasm going!

A violist managed to get in a top UK conservatoire but dropped out later because of the lack of discipline and knowledge of how to practice. Being away from his super supportive parent was a problem, apparently. I am

I'm not surprised. It's not just about practice, they are learning about independent living at the same time. Turning up to a concert at the right place, at the right time, in the right clothes is different when there's not someone there saying "we're setting off in an hour", delivering you to the door and of course you don't have the magic wardrobe that delivers clean concert wear. You then have to get yourself home in the dark and if your planning skills weren't up to scratch you realise that you missed a meal.

The first disaster is a learning experience that teaches them about keeping up with the laundry and planning to fit a meal into the day. If they are used to having a roadie, chef, laundry assistant and logistics manager it hits hard when they have that support taken away.

(Does it sound as if I speak from experience?)

That's so true but sadly the importance of learning the basic life skills are quite often underestimated over achievements necessary to obtain a place at desirable destination... Possibly in the result of focussing on surviving the fireice competition too much...?

In this particular violinist's case though, his main problem seemed to be the sudden loss of the structure. He had such busy schedule juggling school work and musical commitments for many many years that his parent had to be his super PA. But being away from home and more spontaneous learning required at college meant suddenly he was given many 'free' hours which he had to figure out how to use and gradually lost motivation as he couldn't grasp the needs and priority. He expected the teachers would help him learn how to practise/prioritise but all they told him was 'practise!'. He had the desire to do well but just couldn't work out how.

I naively thought at that age they would know and be capable especially for someone who'd managed to reach such a level good enough to get in a conservatoire but obviously not. Some are naturally alerted and hand-on but some aren't so need extra support before being thrown into the real world.

Also being behind at the conservatoire (due to the lack of practice) from being a miracle in all his life until then demotivated him hugely. He switched his career plan so now works in a different field. He is happy but couldn't listen to some particular pieces without feeling a pain (so doesn't like to go to concerts).

I have heard of others like that. Somebody I know took a gap and practiced like crazy and got into in a leading conservatoire. She quit within 3 months realising it wasn't for her. Seeing others around her she suddenly realised her relative level and appreciated what would be required to become professional. Saying that this is not just confined to music. Oxbridge is full of successful clever people who when let loose on their own after nurturing environment of school and home can't manage their studying and life (as well as realising they are not as clever as they thought)