Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Summer term 2019 music

855 replies

thirdfiddle · 01/04/2019 14:50

A new installment of the long running music parent threads. Everyone is welcome from complete beginners to grade 8 and beyond. Thanks as ever to the lovely waffle for starting the threads up and looking after them for years. What are your plans for the coming term? Any exams, auditions, festivals, new instruments? Please come and chat.

OP posts:
Alsoplayspiccolo · 21/04/2019 11:53

I'm talking generally, boys!
The idea that a child who is no grade 8 at a certain age has to compete with someone who is, or that a child who didn't get grade 8 until they were 15/16/17/18 is somehow less able than a child that got it at 9/10/11 is something I've come across a lot, as a teacher; parents wanting their DC to take exam after exam after exam, as if it's some kind of proof of their superior ability.
Certainly, not being grade 8 standard if you want to audition for NYO is a non-starter, but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter whether reach reach grade 8 at 8 or 18 - that's what I want to reassure people of.

(DS has had a fantastic orchestral playing career...and hasn't got grade 8 😉)

Boyskeepswinging · 21/04/2019 12:28

Thanks for explaining Also. That makes perfect sense. Thankfully it doesn't raise its ugly head on this thread!

DS plays a less popular instrument and doesn't want to go to Conservatoire so I suppose I'm not really part of any super competitive music parenting circles. I have no doubt they are out there, though. We just bimble along at DS's pace.

I suppose it's the same in all super competitive areas of life, though, isn't it? If you think music is cut-throat think yourself lucky your kids aren't in Football Academies! Now that really is something else!

Mendingfences · 21/04/2019 13:02

One of the advantages (and disadvantages) of living in a very small place is the distinct lack of competition. Easy to be best when you're the only one Wink
But now a serious question, where can i buy violin strings in central London on wednesday?? I need to pick up an evah pirazzi gold a string... should have organised this before i came on holiday but suddenly realised this is needed the day after we get home.....

NeleusTheStatue · 21/04/2019 13:25

If you think music is cut-throat think yourself lucky your kids aren't in Football Academies! Now that really is something else!
Can't agree more...

Original poster
thirdfiddle · 21/04/2019 14:39

Right, statistical hat on!

insane to think that a child taking grade 8 at 8 is a better musician than a child taking it at 15, or is destined to be so in the future

I'd be very surprised if it wasn't true that on average children who are grade 8 (standard) at 8 end up better musicians than those who are grade 8 at 15. Not least because the majority of both groups probably still don't do music as a career so the typical 8 year old will have 10 years of post grade 8 lessons and the typical 15 year old only 3 years. But also early achievement is not uncorrelated to talent/musicality/degree of enthusiasm/having good teachers and other stuff that does build long term good musicians.

Of course in terms of numbers, grade 8 standard at 8 is a tiny group. So when it comes to counts, I'd expect there to be more professional musicians who took grade 8 at 15 than at 8. (Also kids who are grade 8+ standard at 8 are much more likely to be on a track where they don't bother taking the actual exam.)

And averages doesn't say anything about what any individual child can/should/will do. It's not out of their control whether they live music (sic), practice for hours, lobby parents to find better teachers etc.

OP posts:
folkmamma · 21/04/2019 14:45

Chimes near RCM??

folkmamma · 21/04/2019 14:47

chimesmusic.com/latest/kensington-chimes/

NeleusTheStatue · 21/04/2019 15:24

I think what piccolo wanted to say was we all develop differently so no need to feel discouraged nor compete against somebody else. Keep focusing on your own music learning, and don't get disturbed by the thought of you must reach X and Y by 10, 14, 18 etc. Music isn't and shouldn't be a race. It's a marathon. Think of The Rabbit and The Turtle. You never know who will reach the personal goal eventually.

Mending, I can list the shop name such as Chimes, Stringers, JP Guivier and more. But perhaps it's easier if you google a music shop near where you go or stay and you may find one in a few mins walk. Luckily getting strings in London isn't that hard.

NeleusTheStatue · 21/04/2019 15:28

Alternatively you can order online and get a next day delivery to home or where you stay in London?

TaggieOHara · 21/04/2019 15:34

Love it @thirdfiddle . It seems like a Bayesian problem at heart... ‘what is the probability of becoming a professional musician, given that you have grade 8?’. This is a nice explanation en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayes%27_theorem

But, when you apply the reasoning to the small group who have grade 8 at a very young age (say, 7 or 8), it becomes an extremes calculation, which might might be more difficult. I’ll give it some thought. Nice bank holiday problem Smile

folkmamma · 21/04/2019 15:41

YES Taggie!!! We need to figure out the prior odds.... 😘

Mendingfences · 21/04/2019 16:08

Thank you folk and neleus
Chimes looks like it could work well Smile

NeleusTheStatue · 21/04/2019 17:03

You get a discount if you buy 5 strings at Chimes. Smile

horseymum · 21/04/2019 17:40

What I passionately want for my children is that they still get joy from music in their 40s, 50s etc throughout their whole life, whether playing for fun, listening, learning, teaching, performing, whatever they choose. I'll be happy I've done a good job then. Music has brought me great joy and many opportunities in church and community choirs, school/ regional/ uni/ community orchestras, trips abroad, been on TV, loads of friends. I want to still be doing this for years to come. (I have grade 2 recorder btw- I think, can't remember if I did any others!)

Original poster
thirdfiddle · 21/04/2019 19:42

Hear hear horseymum! Or indeed, if it isn't music, for them to find whatever their thing is that will give them joy.

OP posts:
raspberryrippleicecream · 21/04/2019 20:18

I've mentioned before on these threads about my brass playing DS1 who is having whale of a time at uni playing in multiple groups. He is going back early next week to play in the uni musical. He isn't studying music. His first brass teacher, from when he was 8, counts him as much as one of her successes as those who have gone on to Conservatoire.

Congratulations on all the many lovely exam results and audition succeses on the thread! I'll add my own, if I may. DS2 has a place at JD for September.

The main thing for him now this term will be GCSEs!!

Lotsofmilkonesugar · 21/04/2019 20:58

Well done to your DS raspberry great news! 🙂
Also agree with everyone’s hopes that their children simply enjoy their playing .. I didn’t study music but had a fantastic time playing in brass bands through university and now sing in a choir. That was really my only aim with the kids’ music lessons... DD is taking it more seriously than I did but that’s very much her choice.

SwayingInTime · 21/04/2019 21:37

Very inspiring stories from the parents of older children, thank you Smile.

LooseAtTheSeams · 21/04/2019 23:31

Raspberry that's great news! And good luck to DS2 with his GCSEs!

OneLovelySister · 21/04/2019 23:53

Jolly well done, raspberry’s DS2! Smile And it’s good to hear DS1 is throwing himself into things both academic and musical.

TaggieOHara · 22/04/2019 07:53

Well done Raspberry DS2! And lovely to hear the update on DS1 Smile

NeleusTheStatue · 22/04/2019 09:19

Wonderful news, raspberry! Smile

We have not so wonderful news here. DS had a medical treatment last week so he has to avoid certain activities such as swimming for 3 weeks or so, which is a bit nuisance as he usually swims 2-3 times a week. But it was a planned treatment so we knew what it would be like after the treatment so we are OK with it.

However, DS came back from his golf holiday with a hand injury last night. Luckily it's nothing serious but at the moment he can't even hold a paper, never mind a bow!

I remember reading frequent injuries on this thread. Mine is definitely the one who gets injured every school holiday...

Alsoplayspiccolo · 22/04/2019 09:49

Congratulations to raspberry's DS - wonderful!
Commiserations, Neleus. How long will his hand be out of action for? Longer than a week? I guess injury is always a risk, but it's great he is enjoying other activities, after what I'm sure must have been a pretty intense term at school.

SummerComing · 22/04/2019 10:04

Congratulations to raspberry's DS2! Sorry to hear thatNeleus. Hope he is getting well soon!
My DC will join in JD in September. I understand the course will take place on Saturdays. However DC will take 11+ exams from September and most of the exams will be on SaturdaysConfused, will JD allow DC to do that? How should I communicate with JD if It happens? Any one has similar experience? Any advice much appreciated! Thank you!Flowers

Lotsofmilkonesugar · 22/04/2019 10:24

Sorry to hear about the injury neleus hopefully he will bounce back quickly