Summer term 2019 music

[thirdfiddle]

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.

letsgooutstiiiiiiide your son sounds absolutely fascinating. There might be more outdoor music making you can explore through the summer months - perhaps looking at drums, build boxes or pipes or find logs to tap and listen to?

Your description of your local cathedral sounds sad - have you / your group of acquaintances potentially got the skills to plan for restarting some sort of children's choir? Or can you plan to move in a few years' time to be in range of better opportunities? Mind you if you've got access to a decent Suzuki teacher that's a great start (doi Suzuki trained / teaching myself).

To what extent can you get him access to explore the organ further - I imagine he would be fascinated by the mutation stops.

I am intrigued by your descriptions partly because I have a what may be an older (age 13) version of your son - fell in love with the organ by the age of 4, fascinated by maths and harmony, instinctively understands the harmonic series, and when he's improvising at a keyboard clearly follows the whole harmonic structure of what he's doing. I can make up a tune easily enough but, talking with him over the years to try to understand how he tickes, his brain seems to work on an entirely different level! A large part of this holiday has been taken up working on a deeply contrapuntal composition that has evolved from a two piano draft through string quartet to chamber orchestra scoring.

By the way, when ours were little there's no way we would have considered boarding school appropriate. But the eldest wanted to sing in a "proper" choir from the age of 5 and we ended up letting her board age 10 in order to do so. So don't completely rule out the possibility that that may be in your son's future.

Enjoy the ride!

Lots of practicing going on here for Grade VI double bass exam.Fingers crossed. Practical this week. Theory next week.
End of music year after that. Hoping DS1 will do summer school abroad, we'll see.

DS2 preparing for concert then he will be on hols music wise too. Would like to enroll him in a summer school too but not in the budget at the moment.

@Pythonesque thanks for the glimpse into the future!

The cathedral is kind of in a bad way, but there are people around who have previously been in the children's choir, who definitely have the skills to re-start something, at least...

Arrived!!

Hope your DH has fun Neleus!

Ooh we've got those neleus hope your dh has fun (I can sort of play the ravel bolero in the back of the book 😉)

Thanks Double and Mending! Borelo would be cool!! I had a quick blow (a typical impatient beginner) and managed absolutely no sound. 😂 Must read through the instruction. DH might be put off by the look - it looks like a bit too primary school... But if he refuses it'll be mine then. 😁

I've learnt to play D, E, G, A, B, C and high D on the fife and had fun playing a few simple tunes. I'm so loving it! I somehow managed to make a fife friend (yeah, already ) and she showed me a snippet of a professional flautist playing a Vivaldi concerto on the fife. I was . It's amazing how much you can achieve out of such a tiny cheapy thing in the hand of a great musician!!

neleus, and how is your DH getting on?

Oh DH hasn't been informed of its arrival yet...

I think you're going to have to splash out and but your dh his own...

When I tried it casually I couldn't make any sound. I thought DH could be put off by the look (he wanted a wooden one) and even more so if he couldn't make any sound at all. So I thought I would learn how to produce decent sound and play some simple tunes before handing it to him so I could convince him it's worth a try.

I ended up convincing myself it's brilliant to try.

DH liked it so now I'm a fifeless... 😢

Clearly you need another one so you can play duets neleus

Duets might be interesting, thirdfiddle. DH and I are polar opposites (he's an athlete and I'm an artist) so it might be time to have a shared hobby.

I've ordered another fife. I picked Aulos this time. Yamaha seems to be easier to play (and hold) but couldn't resist the curiosity of checking out a different model! I'll post a review of the comparison if anyone is interested...

A new instrument is always exciting! Hope you enjoy your fifes. We have a new addition here too, DD has been able to borrow a mini bassoon and had her first mini lesson today. She was a bit nervous as after looking forward to it for ages she was worried she wouldn't be able to do it straight away. However, she was fine and has 3 notes to practice! It takes longer to get out and put together than practice.

How exciting, horsey. Hope your DD enjoys her mini bassoon.

I've been also trying to learn the piano for a while. It's a slow process as I'm currently studying and working so my free time is very limited. Also, I've recently started learning a bit more challenging piece so more patience is required... When I have 10 mins to spare I tend to choose the fife over the piano. I think having only one clef makes me feel it's easier and more accessible.

Sadly I don't have my fife yet so I've got to do more piano for now. I'm going to have a fun time playing the fife in the bath when it arrives. It may sound crazy but someone suggested and I thought, why not!

Ooh exciting horseymum! I think we have a few little bassoon players around, such a lovely instrument.

Meant to say good luck with the bass mitsouko! Is that grade 6 practical and grade 6 theory separately, or is it a different exam that has aspects of both? From the ending music year already I guess you're not UK based?

Yay another bassoon mum! It's a great instrument. DD1 particularly loves playing in a concert band because it's a complete contrast to strings. She's on a short reach bassoon but will be moving up soon.

Well- just given notice today to DD’s singing teacher and her piano teacher that she’s stopping lesson at school at end of this term. Sad about piano as we love her teacher and she’s been with her about 7 years. Not so sad about singing teacher due to debacle over g7 exam and way she handled it. However I am so so conscious that it’s an end of an era and all her music lessons will be out with school from now on 😩. She’s growing up 😢

Cheer me up ladies !

Ah Cocopops think how exciting to going to be on this new adventure in September!

I felt the same, even though DS2's trombone teacher had been very keen for him to have this opportunity. His piano teacher is expecting invitations to hear him play at JD!

Happened to fall over this thread and it sounds like you all might be able to give me some things to think about.

Background- 2 mathematically inclined parents, I can read music and "dabbled" in recorder, flute and piano.

DS is 8, loves maths, plays recorder (19 months) and piano (5 months), really enjoys both - probably recorder more but then the songs he can play are more exciting as only just starting piano. Do we keep going with those two, any other instruments to consider? Any general advice?

If you can manage it both financially and timewise, I'd consider an orchestra/band instrument. So many opportunties for different groups! Ideally give your DS the chance to try different instruments rather than 'choose' one for him .

@SunshineWalk recorder is often used by woodwind teachers as a precursor to other instruments once they've grown a bit. If he's enjoying recorder, personally I'd stick with it for now and look to switch (or add in!) oboe, clarinet or bassoon when he gets older. Certainly good oboists/bassoonists are very much in demand!!! And yes to keeping piano going too - very useful. My DD has been on 2 instruments since she was 6 and manages fine.

Didn't meant to leave our flute - another great follow on from recorder!!!