NCO2020

[Stringchild]

So my last time of opening this thread - a place to share 😊

Magna sorry if this is a dumb question but why is the decision down to the teacher? Do you/DS not have any input?

Why do you need a teacher’s permission?

Thanks madness. We booked fairly last minute too, so we have to travel quite a long way.

Boys, our input is that DS wants to do it and waiting for what the teacher says.

Cevapi, it never occur to me that we wouldn't need a teacher's approval. Maybe it differs from people to people how you see it.

Magna sorry, I still don't understand why you are waiting on the teacher's permission. If your DS wants to do it surely he should do it?

You wouldn't let a child take an exam without teacher's approval? A bit like that. Obviously the final decision is ours but we value the teacher's view. I understand some people are more flexible.

I guess it depends on your circumstances but teachers blessing is the ideal... unless the child is way above standard they're likely to need support with audition prep (some of the excerpts are really tricky). Teachers input is invaluable here, unless there is a parent that plays and can support instead.
A lot of string teachers are not that keen on lots of orchestral playing as it's not always great for technique - but most are ok with NCO because of the high level of training.
If the child really wants it, I would think/hope their teacher wouldn't stand in the way. But they may have good reasons for not wanting them to do it. Most teachers like the kudos that comes with having students in NCO. Standards are so high it reflects well on their teaching!
Personally I'm not sure what I'd do
If there was a conflict of opinion. I'm a string player so could help both DCs with prep if teacher wouldn't get involved. But on the other hand, we have great teachers that I trust implicitly and have super relationships with, so if they really objected then I think I'd have to listen as there would be good reason...

What do those of you with younger children think of the video auditions? I have a young friend who didn't get in last year but was close (the 'non standard' rejection letter) and I think would love it - still in age range for under 10s this year so would stand quite a good chance. But he doesn't want to do a video audition because he doesn't want the pressure he feels would come from having to do it over and over again until it's perfect, whereas with the live audition, it was just 'whatever happened'. (I'm not sure where he thinks the pressure for doing it over and over would come from - his Mum, I think, or perhaps teacher, or himself, but at any rate, he just doesn't like the idea). It's a shame, as I think he'd really love the opportunity, and if he knew what it was like, he might have been willing to do the video. I expect for some children, the video would be much preferable (it would have for me, as it wasn't in front of anyone and I knew I could re-do if needed. I probably still would have taken 100x to get it vaguely passable, though, as even videos make me nervous).

I kind of get what you're saying but if it's something your DS wants to do I'd encourage it and would hope the teacher would too.

It's not just for needing the audition prep but it just never occur to me to push something forwards without the teacher's acknowledgment and approval. The teacher reluctantly said 'yes' last year so we know it may not be 'no' this year. It's more like one door closes another one opens. So it's not all bad if he couldn't do NCO but at the moment he really wants to do it. So I'm hoping the teacher says 'yes' again.

On the subject of getting a teacher's permission, I think it's simply good manners.
The NCO application asks for teachers' details, if I remember rightly. As a teacher, I wouldn't want to be represented by pupils I don't think are ready/well-prepared - my reputation is at stake, and I know other teacher friends feel the same.
As Folmamma says, the relationship between teacher/student/parents should be based on trust; if a teacher is reluctant to give permission, you should assume there's a good reason (ie that it's not in the best interests of your child at that moment in time).

We were already told 'no more' back in April. We accepted it. But we asked her again after the summer course as DS really enjoyed it and wanted to do it again. She said she would consider it so we are waiting. If she still says no, that's no for us. But..., fingers crossed.

This is why I love the music threads on Mumsnet - they open up completely different worlds to me. My DS is strictly an ensemble player, no desire for a solo career, and as such his teacher encourages him to get as much orchestral playing as he can (believe it or not he'd even rather play in a symphony orchestra than on his Xbox).

But of course that isn't the case for everyone and my eyes have been opened by this thread. Thank you so much!

Ha ha. Mine has no desire for a solo career nor the teacher isn't discouraging orchestral playing, Boys. It's just that you can't take all the available opportunities and at some point someone has to make a conscious choice for a smart planning. DS is all about what he wants to do rather than what he can do as he always forgets he has only one body.

Indeed Magna. I'm not afraid to admit that I'm extremely jealous of all the opportunities my DS has. And yes, it's a balancing act, particularly in GCSE year ...

For us, we wouldn't do any musical opportunity without asking teacher. Aside from the fact JD insists on us getting teacher permission and then head of JDs permission for any external performance, workshop, audition etc and all external ensembles are listed in their training programs.

RE: video audition - I know the rule is "you can do it as many times as you like" but perhaps it would help young sir if they set a date and said "right, this is audition day, one shot". That adrenalin, buzz etc might be what he's looking for.

We're musician parents but we also always ask the teacher's permission for bigger things. 👍🏻
Re video audition: we've set a day where the accompanist is free and might do two takes. I don't think any more would be feasible, as they have to play it in one go and DS certainy can't concentrate that long! I'm excited but am also looking forward to new pieces...!

Yaaay, we've got a go sign from the teacher, at last! 😄

Glad you got permission!

Thanks for the comments re. videos. I'd forgotten about accompanists, and I suspect the child might have as well, hence his apprehension about having to do it over and over again might never have happened (I think it is his Mum that he is worried will insist on him doing it til it's perfect, but it's not my place to say anything). I might point it out to him, as he plays a potentially shortage instrument, so there may still be places if he chooses to audition. He'd love the camps I think, is very talented, loves all aspects of music, not pushed into it by his mum, but at the same time, can feel under pressure.

Great news Magna and best of luck!

Actually I think my friend's child would be under 11 this year if he's in Year 6, wouldn't he, though he's young for his year, only recently 10. And physically might find it hard to keep going/breathing/keeping energy and tuning to do a video audition endless times. He might be more interested in trying again in a year or two when it's live auditions again - very much a child who thrives on adrenaline for performances, I think.

Lurking with interest. We've signed DD up for a very long shot at u10s violin. So long I'm not sure if we'll get as far as actually recording an audition! She's y3 so next year or year after more likely to have a serious try. She does like the idea of playing in an orchestra with people her age. And, somewhat surprisingly to me, really likes the idea of a music residential - something to look into in the next few years NCO or not.

Hi, my Dd will audition for U12
She says that the audition excerpts are very difficult. I m not musical so I trust her. How are your DC getting on with them?

Lucky - DS1 is applying for U11 and DS2 is applying for U10 (different instruments). The U10 excerpts are fine, but U11 are very difficult, even though DS1 is at the upper end of the grades which are published on the NCO page, and DS2 is at the lowest level published. I guess it differs depending on instrument and which orchestra children are applying for.

Dd is a violinist and has found the excerpts okay apart from one.

two instruments here and the excerpts are ok also x