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?

Hi everyone, I used to post sometimes here but changed my name slightly.

DD1 plays violin and DS plays viola and violin. DD2 is still a preschooler and I just started teaching her violin by myself.

DS starts same JD with DD from September. Sadly JD is mainly online in this term.

DD1 starts piano at her secondary school. I am a bit worried that her teacher is a guitarist and piano is her third or fourth instrumentbut it is face to face lesson, so I hope it will work for her.

thirdfiddle I honestly think she maybe more of a viola player. She's hardly touched the (very nice) violin since she got the (ropey) viola. It's clearly more tiring but she loves the sound.

Anyone thinking of taking the ABRSM's online theory papers might want to check Twitter today before they do so. My dd2 got through her exam but my GOODNESS what a shambles...and no real apology.

mini, that's fantastic, it is a lovely sound isn't it? Nice viola time soon?
I like to keep a foot in both camps I'm afraid. Violin has such a great repertoire. Some composers write fab viola parts, others it's all a bit third fiddle, hence the username.

I am very proud of DD(18). She was due to do her singing grade 8 (Trinity) on 17 March- cancelled 24 hours before. Plan was to do grade 8 piano and grade 8 theory in summer term and then grade 8 saxophone in autumn. Well covid meant no A levels, so she threw herself into her music- continued lessons on Zoom and has managed to achieve 3 grade 8 exams in a period of 5 weeks! Merit in Sax and piano and a distinction (96%) in singing

Three grade 8s in one term Very very impressive. In normal circumstances I'd say at least she was in practice with the aural tests, but guess that doesn't apply!

The ‘adapted’ exams were certainly an experience! Trinity a far better one than ABRSM- which was very stressful....not helped by poor admin and appalling instructions! Certainly tested my tech skills to the limit!

That is an incredible achievement Swarskid2184!
How amazing that your DD made something positive out of what could have been a very anxious period for her. I hope the A-level outcome was also good and that she has exciting plans for next year now.

Dinasaurinmybelly her A level grades mean that she is going to her first choice university to study music and maths....but she feels that her grade 8’s were hard earned, but her AAB at A level were due to being lucky enough to go to an outstanding comprehensive school..::

Huge well done and very best wishes to you both as you make plans for a new adventure. I'm seriously impressed with her commitment to music. She will go far!

Well done to (not so) mini swarskid
We've now restarted lessons on all instruments and teachers all seem happy with the summers practise, which is good. Ds har followed dd2s lead and added instrument number 3......

Just to pop in to say hello to everyone. NC and rarely posted in the previous thread but used to be a regular. I can recognise many of you.

I have a boy who plays the violin. We had a seriously quiet summer musically. No plan at all for the new term, and indeed, for the whole academic year, so the quietness may continue for I don't know how long! hopefully we'll have some exciting moments along the way though.

Waves to mrsriceball. I think I know who you are.

Brilliant news today that DS2's Cathedral Choir restarts next week, with first Evensong in a couple of weeks. Not been so excited since DS started as a Chorister nine years ago!

Raspberry take a hankie. I was the waiting driver at a fully risk assessed socially distanced car park band practise last week and I cried in the car. It wasn't because of the sound but of what it represented. It was the first one in nearly six months and it was a sign that life is beginning to return to something that looks normal.

(Long time poster with multiple name changes, DS is 20 now and the extracurricular is now his higher education subject)

Waves to raspberry. Nice to hear about your DS2. No choir at my DS's school for now. DS isn't a chorister and he isn't particularly missing it so he's fine but I am sad. His instrumental lessons will stay online. He's gutted and feels discouraged.

Knotaknitter I've been a bit teary already, especially when I put it into my practically empty Google Calendar!

Hi everyone I use to be on the spring board and I thought I will join the Autumn one now.
Does anyone have any children who are going to attend primary academy at RAM? I had an update a couple of weeks ago to say it’s still going ahead in September blended learning. They said we would receive a timetable and fees and more info at the beginning of September. I haven’t received anything as of yet and just wondering if anyone else has received info. I don’t want to bother them as I know they will be very busy but just wanting to get more info on what’s happening and finding it so fustrating as you can’t ring them. I’m just hoping it is still going ahead.

So lovely to hear of some groups getting back together. In Scotland so thinking it will be even longer here. DD does extra music at school and I know how frustrated the teachers feel about no ensembles or wind or singing. Virtual just doesn't compare.

Ds started his BTEC music course yesterday. After years of schoo l hell he is finally happy. He loves college and his coursemates. He's been put into an ensemble and they had a great time yesterday devising and performing their own baroque rock arrangement of Stand By Me ! (It involved giving it a 3/4 time signature and the use of a harpsichord introduction apparently.

Hi Mickey, hope info turned up in time.
Comefromaway, that's lovely to hear, sounds like he's found his crowd.

Mickey we are joining when they start in person fully

Hi
Squintsoftheworldunite is it their first year at primary or did they attend last year? Do you know if you have to keep re auditioning each year?
We are going down on Sat for an introduction but parents can’t go in, which is a shame as you can’t really ask any questions.
I’m just finding it hard this year as you don’t know what to do for the best.

Hello. I'm new here, just wondering what's going on with ABRSM. Anyone know?

My dc's piano teacher said she isn't sure either, and suggested skipping grade 4(being practicing for over a year, meant to have done the exam in March but cancelled) and start practicing grade 5 instead now. (We just started normal 1-1 lesson this week.)

Is there a big jump from grade 4 to 5? Is it ok to skip grades? What about theory? Dc(12) never done this before. Any suggestion/tips very much appreciated, I have no music back ground.

Hi past! I think skipping grades is fine. My dd plays piano and has done 1-3 (took 3 in July 2019), has not done 4 but is intending to do the grade 5 performance exam online next month. She has her four pieces ready “but not quite distinction ready” according to her (perfectionist) teacher!
She also does cello and did grade 1 but not grade 2, was supposed to do g3 in March but it got cancelled and will now probably just skip to g4.
Your DC’s teacher will advise. As to theory - my DD’s done bits as she’s gone along but not much formally. Her teacher’s confident though that with a bit of a push she’ll be ready for g5 theory in November so it must be doable.
Maybe have a chat with her teacher? Here’s the latest guidance from abrsm if that’s helpful?
gb.abrsm.org/en/latestupdates/

Thank you, QueenMabby.

I would say it it definitely fine to skip.