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.

What summer course is he attending Neleus?
Encore by any chance?

Lurker and occasional poster. DS 11 is a woodwind player and has just starting to look at G5 pieces. Our 30 year old electronic keyboard has well and truly given up on life and we would like a new one. Any suggestions? It's useful for aural test practice, but mostly it's for messing around on. Prices vary hugely, not sure where to start.

Hi LinksEche. We have Yamaha Clavinova. It was the right investment for us as DS used it as an alternative to a real piano. Now we have an acoustic piano, so we would be very happy with more cheaper models in Roland or Korg as a spare. I found their keys are not too bad for the price, and certainly good enough for just messing around. However, I am not a pianist so hopefully, someone more experienced will step in soon.

Zak, Encore is so impressive and expensive. Having said that, DS's dream summer camp costs roughly £5.5k excluding the flight. It won't happen any time soon I need evening and weekend jobs...

Thanks. Yes, we definitely don't want something as an alternative to a piano. Firstly it needs to live under the sofa, and secondly we would see £500 as an absolute maximum!

Who is your insurance with Neleus? Allainz?

Once I considered getting Korg for our holiday home (= my parents' home abroad). It was under £500 and very slim and had lots of positive reviews. I can't remember the model name - sorry. DS played on a Roland at an exam centre for warm-up and we thought it was pretty good. DS's ex piano teacher favoured Kawai always, but I guess it's a bit expensive.

Zak, yes Allainz. I didn't know they would cover for items up to £250 for free, so I promptly removed a shoulder rest from the list for this year which saved me £9.

Hey, a warning about Alianz, check what you are covered for, dh has just changed ours as instruments aren't covered if unattended.
You are less likely to have anything go wrong whilst you are with your instrument than not.
So forget your car, stage, back stage, school locker etc. if you aren't with it the insurance is void.

We use a broker, Musicians Insurance Services; they are really helpful when you speak to them.

Meant to say that with them, instruments can be left in a car as long as it is locked.

The standard policy doesn't include some of the services you may like to include. Leaving in a car or international cover can be added with extra cost. I am not sure about other unattended situation such as school, stage, etc. I must check that.

Romany, who does he use now?

I haven't a clue, I'll ask him. I did think after posting, do check, it might be ok for kids.
Mine checked with them after they didn't pay out a colleague whose instrument was stolen.
It does sound daft not to cover them when left as that's when damage or theft would occur.
Have a good read through the terms or call them, it might be different for students than pro's playing all the time.

Happy Sunday to have DS back from NCO! It seems he had another wonderful time there and is already looking forward to going back to the course in the summer. It had such a pleasure to meet some of the lovely posters on the thread too. Hope everyone got home safely.

I found an interesting article. It was actually on the radio this morning so looked for the article to show you guys!

AI to train violinists

Romany, I'll check with them tomorrow. DS's violin is out of our safe home all the time so better to make sure that! Thanks for bringing it up.

Neleus, they were sounding so much more mature in their playing that last summer and DD2 seems to have had a ball and been more confident than in previous years. She told us something that she had learned at school that she had shared with her section after someone was getting frustrated at not managing to do something first time. "The difference between a master and an apprentice is that the master has failed more times than the apprentice has tried." A good thing to bear in mind.

Indeed, they sounded so much more mature, didn't they? They've grown so much as a musician, but also as a person. The longest days DS had been away from home before the last year's summer course was 5 days with the people he knew (school trip) so he was a bit teary at the drop-off. This spring, we had a child who couldn't wait to go and a mum who was less worried.

I like the explanation of the difference between master and apprentice!

I meant..., the longest he had been away from home WITHOUT US. Obviously, he'd been away longer than 5 days as a family...

After last week's euphoria over RCS, I've just got DD's grade 6 singing results (5 weeks to the day - grrr) and she has just scraped a merit. Feeling very disappointed for her- I know she will not be happy with herself..... :(

That's still good though, I always think the singing must be so hard, and much more prone to nerves as you are producing the sound entirely yourself. I hope she can see the strong areas as well as those for development.

Nicely put horsey.

DS1s orchestra played at a concert last night. Only 2 weeks now to Grade 6 exam. He feels ready but his teacher isn't so sure!

Still hoping he will sign up for double bass week in Germany but not pushing it.

We heard DS2 passed his audition but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll get a place.

Nearly at the end of the music year for us.

Aw cocopops, it's hard when they set themselves such high standards. Merit is a good result so well done anyway!

Mitsouko, remind me what DS2 was auditioning for? Fingers crossed for that and grade 6!

Next big (for us) music thing here is DD going on a string day in a couple of weeks. I'm sure she'll enjoy the musical side but mainly hoping she will be brave enough talk to the teachers and fellow students! Her regular orchestra conductor is great at jollying her out of shell. They have said parents can stay if we want but I feel like that would make her less likely to talk not more.

Hi all, I am mum of three children. DC1 and DC2 are violinists and DC3 is still a toddler.

DC1 and DC2 auditioned one of JD in London. We have received yes to DC1 in one week from the audition but nothing about DC2 yet and spending stressful waiting time...

DC1 plays violin at NCO U10. She is far advanced than DC2. Hopefully DC2 can also get a place!

How old is DC2 pippap? If DC1 is under-10, DC2 must be quite tiny. Sure their time will come even if it's a no this time. Congratulations to DC1!

Hi thirdfiddle, thank you for your comment. Actually they are twins (DD & DS). So, it is hard for us if one can get a place and the other one not. They are 10. DC1 is grade 8 whereas DC2 is grade 5. DC2 added viola recently and played both instruments at the audition. He said he played pieces well at the audition but the sight-reading was disaster.