Autumn 2020 music thread

[thirdfiddle]

Oh go on then, let's have a new music thread. Spring wasn't good.
What's going on music parents? Are they going back to real live lessons? Is it all virtual for Autumn? Have they sustained interest over lockdown? Any new starters want to join us - or new departures for established musicians?

@horseymum , thanks it looks great.

Anyone else just had an update from ABRSM? Practical exams cancelled for session 1.

My Y13 DS2 was intending to do Grade 8 trombone this session. He's had a rough couple of days with no A levels and now this. Although I guess no A levels means he will be less busy at the end of June ....

Yep - all my faffing about scales for nothing! Well not really - very helpful in practice. Really feel for your DS Raspberry

Yes, we had decided two days ago that DD would do her G6 piano as the performance one, had already started a fourth piece in case of this scenario, now the choice is made. She still can't believe there will be no aural tests! They would be really hard to prepare for over zoom anyway so glad about that. Much tougher if grade 8 though, to postpone or magic up another piece.

Does anyone know anything about either ACM (ds attended an online open evening last night) or ICMP.

They certainly seem to talk the talk. Do they walk the walk?

DD is supposed to be doing her grade 6 flute performance exam this month.

Has anybody else tried to do home video? I am a bit worried about the sound quality on an elderly phone.

We think we might have to go down the "unaccompanied" route.

Any hints and tips gratefully received and keeping my fingers crossed that her (virtually empty) school would let her go in to film there with her teacher.

I think don't worry too much about recording quality madcats - ours was crap and DD still got distinction. If you have, use a camera device which doesn't try to auto-adjust stuff. My ancient phone actually works better than newer devices which keep trying to filter out sustained notes as background noise and auto-adjust volume to get rid of all dynamics. But I didn't realise that till after exam and they seemed to work out she was sustaining and doing dynamics anyway.

we should have a new thread shouldn't we... back shortly... unless someone already has?

How's this?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extra_curricular_activities/4130735-Spring-21-virtual-music-thread

I have noticed a lot of questions over the last couple of months about the new performance grades. My daughter and I are new to music and have been learning violin together for the last few months (and now piano). As I don't have a background in music, I looked on Youtube to get an idea of whether we are making decent progress but most progress channels are for total prodigies who are practising many hours a day and videos only show completed pieces as opposed to showing a more realistic 'work in progress'. So we started our own channel. We have also been showing our performance grade results with full mark breakdowns - we can't show the actual recordings as it is not allowed but we show rough recordings which is usually a little worse because we're obviously not trying hard - it will however give people taking performance grades at the lower level who have never taken grades before a rough idea of level and what progress looks like for normal amounts of practice on cheap instruments. We have completed grades 1 and 2 in seven months. The link is here:-

www.youtube.com/channel/UCC8zsmOrNdYIz52TYLIQBXw

Exam results playlist:

Did anyone see the instrumental masks taking the mickey?
They had a hole cut out for wind instruments.

Well, hoping that live auditions will take place and visits to the colleges. I know they can do them online but when they are used to auditioning in person it's not the same.

So far (unofficial) unconditional from all the ones she wants, except Berklee and still working out how on earth she'd fund it, before she applies.

The time goes so quickly, I remember being on here when dd was 8 and still playing violin, she got to grade 5 and realised it wasn't for her, and it's been saxes and vocal ever since.

I recognise some names still on here, seems years since we all started.

@snowpan

He knows some children at school with grade 5 or going for grade 6 and they are his age. So he doesn't feel confident he said others are doing higher grades.. maybe I am not that good, he was told that grade 2 was easy.

So I have had to say please don't compare yourself. You have not been playing a long time so just give it a go.

Grades mean absolutely nothing. Grade 8 you are beginning. Not accusing you, but some parents want their kids to collect them like badges, the proteges don't bother with them nor those wanting to take music seriously. It's fun, grades can come later. Some poor kids, you ask them to play you something, anything and they can't unless it's an exam piece.