Autumn term 2019 music thread

[thirdfiddle]

September is looming, the old thread is getting full - I think it's time for a new music thread. This is a support thread for parents of children who are into music or indeed just thinking about giving it a try.

Perplexed about starting the piano? Experimenting with ensembles? Concerned about college applications? All welcome here. Huge thanks to those lending their expertise and sage advice and particularly wafflenose for starting the threads.

So, new school year, what's new with your mini musicians?

Sorry to hear that Juggling but as others have said a reserve is still really, really good. It shows he's the right standard to get in, only there were more kids at that standard than places. That in itself is a major achievement, the vast majority of applicants for Conservatoire are straight rejects. There is inevitably movement once all the Conservatoires make their offers and then the acceptances/declines come in. You just have to hope that others on his instrument decline their places! Best of luck with the waiting game.

Thanks everyone, you are such a lovely lot!
I guess we'll try to stay hopeful as that's a much more positive way to approach things especially with a few other auditions coming up between now and Christmas.
Birmingham next week (and driving test the day before)
Then two London ones, Trinity and Royal Academy on two consecutive days in early December which could be handy as we can stay with my parents.
Hopefully he may end up with an offer somewhere by next Summer (including after A level results as it mentions on UCAS Conservatoire page regarding reserve offers)
If doesn't quite make it this year then plan B is do it all again next autumn and try to make a gap year as interesting and purposeful as possible. Maybe another try at joining National Youth Orchestra next Summer or other similar musical opportunities.

Congrats to Truffle DD on her offer, what's her instrument?
Good luck with Scottish and upcoming Birmingham audition (maybe we'll see you there?!)
DS has his next Thursday

Hope he's getting on well at his Youth Brass competition at The Sage today - I'm off to see if I can find the free live streaming.

Thanks Juggling. DD plays clarinet.

She did Birmingham yesterday and feels happy with it. Bit of a saga as she travelled up on Thursday, got to Bristol and trains cancelled due to flooding, got sent to Reading and then the trains from there to Brum were also cancelled. Then they were all told to go to London. Luckily DH works in London during the week so she stayed at the flat overnight. Had to get the audition rearranged to the afternoon, caught the train up and back, finally getting home about 9 last night.

So she's done three and three to go. Guildhall, RCM and RAM on the 10th, 12th and 13th. Luckily she can stay at the flat.

Going back to reserve offers, one of DD's friends has just started at the Scottish. She had an offer from them and a reserve from the College. She waited as long as she possibly could before firming the Scottish place, as a result they kept offering her larger scholarships. She actually ended up with a full scholarship.

All the best for the rest of your DS's auditions.

Thanks truffle
Fingers crossed for all the musical Mumsnet DC

My daughter is 8 and has just taken up playing the violin after about a year and a half of asking and she is in love with it so far (only a month in!)

As a teen I played clarinet to grade 3 but can remember absolutely nothing and have zero experience of string instruments!

She is having a 30 minute lesson once a week on a Saturday at a local community music centre, I have been sitting in the lessons this far which has enabled me to hear what the teacher is saying about positioning, bowing technique, notes etc which allows for me to aid her in her practice. Did other parents sit in on lessons? If so for how long?

Thanks

I've never sat in on a lesson, even when DS started age 3. My DS has a book for each instrument and the teacher uses this to record what he should work on during the week. I do have email chats with his teachers outside lessons regarding taking grades and stuff, mainly to manage workload so they're not all trying to book him in for a grade exam in the same term. And I have far more in depth chats with his Principal Study teacher to top and tail his weekly hour long lesson as there's a lot going on at the moment. Again, this helps to manage my DS's workload and be sure he's on the right trajectory.

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer, it's what works best for you as a family.

I sat in on my son’s first two violin lessons as the teacher asked me to... he was quite young (7) and I think she felt there is an awful lot to take in at the beginning with the violin, posture, bow hold etc.. After that I felt my presence was distracting him so now I wait outside and she briefs me at the end of the lesson. I didn’t have the opportunity with my other kids as they had their first lessons at school but I did read the notes from the teacher when they were younger.

I'd ask the teacher what they prefer. It can be really helpful with a beginner as two of you are more likely to remember how teacher wanted her to do it than one, and some things like straight bow are easier to see as a spectator than a player.

I sit in with DD (7) violin, which is a big help as I play too and can help her practise. Left to her own devices she tends to just play through her pieces rather than try to improve things. I've never sat in on piano as that's at school. I don't sit in on DS's second instrument (started at 9) as teacher prefers not, but the teacher tends to mention what DS is working on when I pick up - so in theory I can see if DS is working on the right thing, in fact he won't listen to me anyway.

As a child I had a (non-playing) parent sit in on lessons till 10-11, then new teacher preferred not.

I sit in on both DC's lessons. DD12 violin, G8ish, DD9 cello, G4ish. Even for DD12, sitting in is still helpful as i take notes and then we make her practice plan together. Also she still occasionally needs to be pulled up during the week on a specific technique issue or practice point (usually out of carelessness....). Both teachers very happy with me being involved. But as others have said, it really depends on what works for you 😀

Thanks for the replies the teacher doesn’t seem to have an issue with me sitting in and as we are complete novices me being able to hear his instruction does help me aid her practice at the moment. I guess I will continue for the time being until she is more confident and then ask the teacher.

I sat in on DS's piano lessons until recently (he's been playing 3 years). The teacher was happy for me to do this and it was very helpful in understanding what he needed to work on. I also played a (very) little bit when I was younger and I've learned so much from sitting in. We're now at the point where it's stopped being practical or useful for me to sit in but I do catch the last 5 mins, which is useful for a summary/planning etc.

Hi berrypie, great your DD is enjoying her lessons, I think sitting in is fine if everyone is happy, there is loads to learn. My dds have their woodwind lessons at home so I don't need to sit, just wander past room occasionally and can obviously hear the music. I get a chance for a quick chat at the end too which is perfect. I know friends whose DC gave lessons at school and there is almost zero communication as the teachers have so little time, they find it very frustrating and quite a few have given up.

Hi all - not been around for a while, during which DD2 (10) has gained a mini bassoon to add to her instrument collection - and is enjoying the selection of duck noises she can make!

Sounds like everyone else has been very busy!

Your discussion on the sitting in on lessons or not has prompted me to actually email new teacher and ask which she would prefer. I realise we do about half and half between my two dds lessons - don't think progress is better or worse one way or another as either way I'm just following what they write in the practice books. But then I'm not a musician so I'm reduced to reading phrases out of the books.

G4 violin (DD1) and G3 cello (DD2) this week. I'll be glad when they are out of the way. Also grappling with music theory as DD2 has a grade 5 scheduled for next term. It's quite hard at 10, isn't it? Or maybe it's just me - she seems to find it easier than I do!

DD had great news yesterday as she got a lovely email from the head of department at Birmingham offering her a place which will be confirmed on UCAS in the next couple of days. After the stress of the travelling to get to the rearranged audition on Friday it's a huge relief.

And she passed her driving test this morning so she has a big grin on her face today!

Wow - well done not-so-mini-now-Truffle - driving test also a huge milestone!

Well done to truffle s DD and good luck for the exams minisnowballs you sound busy!

@Trufflethewuffle congrats on both counts. It’s been interesting to hear your updates as this might be DD in a few years time as she’s set on pursing music.

I’ve never sat in on lessons as DD had them during school when she first started and then I assumed that was the expectation.

*pursuing

Congratulations Trufffles DD, I'm also watching the conservatoire processes with interest, ready for next year, though DS2 seems to be swinging towards Maths and/or Music rather than Conservatoire at present. He is 17 next week so will also start the driving lesson journey!

I sat in on DS2's piano lessons when he started at 6, and stopped at about Grade 5. I am not a musician myself and by then any didn't paino teacher suggest ... did not tend to go down well. Though occasinal shouts of 'slow down' still happened. We tend to be wrapped up very warm at this time of year! I used to take him to trombone lessons and sit in the room next door, and get a rundown at the end. Now he is at JD 100 miles away he takes himself by train and I have no feedback at all!

Organ lessons we have to sit in on as they are in the Cathedral and they have a strict chaperone policy, the church where he practices also insists on u18s being accompanied. Singing lesson is at school and the older DCs lessons were all at school too, so nout much feedback there either!

Double congratulations Truffle, there must be lots of smiling faces in your house at the moment. From memory it took quite a few days for UCAS to update, so much so that DS was worried that he'd somehow misinterpreted the offer of a place. He didn't really believe it until he saw that it had updated.

I used to sit in on lessons because I'd driven forty minutes to get him there and it would have been cold and dark sitting in the car.

Congratulations to your DD Truffles!

Grade 1 harp looms on Friday for my DD(8). I’m so nervous, you wouldn’t think I’d done loads of ABRSM exams!!!

Brilliant truffle's DD! How exciting.

I sit in on lessons where it is practical and the teacher and child in question are positive to me being there.

I am also finding the conservatoire conversation interesting, we're not there yet but time does seem to fly

Minisnowballs, we love the mini bassoon in our house, much amusement to be had but it can also sound beautiful. Love hearing DD and her teacher do duets. Have videoed them a couple of times but never shared them as I think teacher would not appreciate it. So many keys to get your fingers and thumbs around. Only disadvantage with the mini is it transposed so ends up in tricky keys when playing with others. ( Or just sounding weird if class music teacher doesn't realise this when she ask children to bring instruments in to play in class!) 9 is quite young to explain this to the teacher!