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?

Well done Truffle dd I bet that's a weight lifted.
Mine keeps changing her mind where she wants to go, although has gone off the Germany idea. I doubt she'd pass the language tbh, she's dropped it at school now and only doing 7 GCSE's.
The latest is Berkeley, no idea about funding though, doubt she'll afford it.

Coming back now I'm not reading on tiny phone screen to say good luck to margia's DD and minisnowball's DDs with their respective exams. And anyone else.

DS is off today for another audition.
Wish us luck!

He's going on his own by train but at least he's been before a couple of times (Open day and consultation lesson) and met some lovely people there so that all helps a lot.

Good luck to Juggling's DS!

DD still waiting to hear from Scotland. Fingers crossed 🤞

Wanted to add my good luck to all those with DCs off to auditions for conservatoires/further education.
Also wanted to pop on to give a virtual squeal as have just had through the post a letter inviting dd to an audition for a music scholarship for a local secondary school! Am so excited for her! (She also got an invite for interview for an academic scholarship too but that’s not for this thread really - just mentioning it as there’s nobody here to tell irl until I’ve told dd!!).

Mabby, that's exciting. Lots of auditions and exams just now. Ds has just been accepted on a jazz course next year which will be great for him as he loves improvisation so will be good to learn from professionals, his teacher is not that confident at jazz. He'll have to go by train himself which will be a learning curve ( fully aware loads of 14 year olds could get across London independantly aged 11 but he has never had to go into our nearest city solo!)

@horseymum how bizarre I've just logged on to the thread to ask if anyone has heard of the National Jazz Youth Collective, how competitive are places ? . Is this the one your son will be going to? DD late starter to music but a Grade 6 singer working towards 7 really wants to give Jazz a try i've only just come across it after a bit of a google.

Hi all waves DD is in her final year of GCSEs most likely doing music at Uni . We are not a trained musical family at all but thanks to mumsnetters have managed to work out if she wants to continue with it theory exams , piano etc are very useful.

Wow -exciting times queenmabby -- we also have a Y6, but she's my second and will be staying firmly in the state sector (sister already there and we know we're happy with it) so we're done with 11+ and music aptitude stuff, thankfully. Good luck to her!

Horseymum mini bassoon sounded like a musical instrument for first time this morning - she's already on the first grade one piece (after two lessons - but I guess it's her third study and she's already a flute player)- so that was exciting - I'm struggling with even the simple transposing on piano required to help her with pitching the notes- but she won't need that for much longer I think.

G4 violin done. OK, apparently. She picked some piece that, according to her accompanist who also basically runs the exam centre ' no-one ever picks' - it's fiendishly hard and doesn't even sound that nice. Tango Ballade, anyone? Some slips on that, and apparently on an arpeggio too. Just looking for a pass. Fingers crossed.

DD2 has chosen to play quite new and v difficult grade 5 flute piece for her great grandma's funeral next week. It's a nice choice in that it's suitable - but I'm worried about breath control, given she'll be a bit stressed and sad. Fingers crossed for that too. Guess everyone will be forgiving anyway as she's 'playing it for nanna'...

Hi Mini - my dd decided to play for her granny last year; it was difficult as they were so so close but if she felt wobbly she looked at her dad who grinned at her the whole time (odd but right thing to do); a toddler tried to sing along and the priest gave a big whoop and applause at the end. All a bit surreal but it was her choice and it felt like a private moment between her and her gran. She did play something relatively easy thorough she had played many times - Ave Maria. Best wishes to your dd

And we are done! Grade 1 harp appears to have gone well, DD reports a mistake in sight reading and one wrong note. Now I think I need gin, I’m much better doing the exams myself!

Exams are definitely more stressful for the parents! At least I will have an objective opinion as DDs piano teacher is accompanying her oboe exam.
The jazz course my ds is doing is a central Scotland thing, they just had to say they wanted to do it and if there was space for their instruments they got in. Other jazz things I've seen asked you to say what you liked about jazz, what you listened and played rather than a specific grade.

Ds has an interview next week for a music tech Btec at college. Only issue is he’s had composers block recently but he’s taking along a piece he wrote last year. I think he’s being too perfectionist. He’s also had a meltdown because it’s the school show next week and his Mac hasn’t got enough RAM so keeps freezing on Mainstage when he’s playing. Dh sent for some but only paid next day courier so it’s arriving Monday instead of paying the extra £8 for Saturday delivery.

Comefromaway Is it a state college he's looking at? If so the interview is just to see that he's making the right choices for the path he wants to take, they are not allowed to use the interview as part of the selection process. This means that he doesn't need to worry about his composition, it would be a talking point but would have no bearing on the outcome.

There are various exemptions for standalone FE colleges. Performing arts courses are allowed to audition especially as GCSE results are often not relevant as to suitability.

Or rather they would t reject someone completely. Everyone who applies to the college is allocated to a place on a course. But the tutor told us at open day they rejected a “guitarist” who couldn’t play from the Level 3 Btec music performance course and instead suggested a more general Level 1/2 all round perf arts course.

@Comefromaway good luck with the Btec interview. DD going to look at the music performance Btec next month but still pretty adamant she wants to stay at current school for sixth form instead and do A levels but still going to check it out.

@JugglingFromHereToThere how did the audition go?

@minisnowballs & @MargiaStevens glad exams done. DD has violin and piano coming up. So that they weren’t on the same day her piano teacher booked her in at another one of her schools and the date came through as the same date as DDs school had put in. Grrrr.

Hi everyone, just looking for some violin advice as I know there are a lot of string parents on this thread! DS needs a 1/2 size, I’ve been asking around for second hand ones..but no luck. DS has been playing for 18 mths and is working on grade 2 stuff currently, goes to the starter string orchestra and enjoys playing. The only local shop has either a primavera 150 for around £150 or a divertimento for approx £100 more, or £120 more if they put dominant strings on it. Which would you go for of those? I appreciate there are other brands around but I don’t think it’s worth our while travelling too far just for a half size especially as he’s not that far on yet! Thanks!

If he's fairly committed and is enjoying playing then I would say that within reason, go with the best quality instrument you can (appropriate to standard, of course). Even for relative beginners it is far more rewarding to play a nicer sounding instrument which will give more tonally, and this helps develop DCs ear. Obviously not suggesting you go out and buy a strad!!! Dominant strings a very good idea IMO and whichever instrument you go for will make a big difference. Will the local shop be likely to supply you with a good selection of 3/4 and will they allow you to 'trade up' the 1/2 when you do? Also worth asking. It's quite difficult to get your money back on fractional student violins.

Thanks folk that’s really useful.. no he doesn’t buy back the factory made violins, only the more expensive older ones which I don’t think I’d consider at the moment. It is a bit annoying not to be able to trade in the 1/4 size, but it wasn’t very much and did get dropped quite a few times in the early months so I suppose we’ve had our money’s worth out of it!

Violin Case - recommendations needed please!
My daughter is diploma level on violin and really needs / wants a lovely case for her lovely violin!
She likes the polycarbonate cases and I have been looking at the BAM and Gewa ones in particular. I think it needs to be rectangular shape as I have seen the other ones aren't often big enough to house the shoulder rest 🙄.... Looking ideally at something less than £300.
So, can anyone recommend their case?
Thanks!

We have a Tonarelli which is funky and cost around £200 but quality wise is inferior to the Bam and Gewa cases. When DD gets expensive full size will be investing in a Gewa I think...

We have a Gewa and are very happy with it. We have the shaped one not the rectangular one. And as you pointed the space is very limited but as we travel a lot with airplanes we wanted have a really compact one and no regret so far.

We considered BAM too but after a lot of research I really recommend Gewa over BAM now.

Thank you. I'm looking at the rectangular Gewa Pure I think.