Spring 21 virtual music thread

[thirdfiddle]

New year, new lockdown, new virtual ensembles and digital exams - welcome to a new, virtual, all digital, socially distanced music thread.

This is a continuation of a very long running and friendly series of threads, dating from long before my time, and anyone with music learning kids from pre beginner to music college is welcome to jump in at any point. Thank you to our esteemed founder and to all the lovely knowledgeable folk who chip in.

PS success stories welcome too, we like a cheery post. Never mind the stealth boasting here, just boast, your kids earned it.

And just to introduce me and DC -
I have DS 11 who is approaching g5 brass and g4 piano, which are both starting to seem a little serious for his laid back 5 minutes a day approach. We'll see how that goes. Maybe actually taking an exam will kick him into action.
DD 8 practises rather more and plays violin and piano to similar respective standards. No actual exams planned thankfully.

Both enjoying virtual music centre and DD is very excited about her first music residential May half term, so everything crossed it's allowed to go ahead by then.

Popping on to thank thirdfiddle for her advice re practical exam recording. I might do a trial run tomorrow.

DD(13) did her grade 5 flute and theory about a fortnight before the first lockdown (phew!) then did music lessons on Teams for the Summer term. I wasn't sufficiently on the ball to spot that she declined to enter grade 6 this Autumn so we are entered for a practical this month.

She's never been one for practising, which is a massive shame, but at least she is finally worried enough to be putting in about 30 minutes/day over the Christmas break.

She enjoys orchestras/ensemble playing (sadly none of which has been available), but would much rather be swimming or playing cricket or hockey (also not allowed).

Bit of an intro from me

I have a dd (19) who is in her final year at musical theatre college. This year is all about agent showcases (more likely to be self taped showreels) & will she get enough face to face training to make her employable. She’s applying for postgrad too

Ds (16) in the first year of music Btec. Plays keyboard (started piano lessons 3 years ago) Struggled massively at school despite being very intelligent. He’s autistic, music obsessed and wants to play in musical theatre pit bands and programme keyboards. He hated school but is loving college. Can’t wait to get back. But he’s a late starter so who knows. Currently researching music degrees ready for next September applications.

Hello- I’ve been grateful for all the help I get here as am not a very musical parent!

I have dd1 (13) who plays violin and viola- both to grade 5 Ish standard. She isn’t the keenest practiser but today I heard her (online) working with the string quartet at her Saturday school who are all much more experienced than her and she sounded like she was getting it for the first time which was fab- she only joined in September and only picked the viola up last February so it’s been a steep curve.

Dd2 (11) just took grade 6 flute, and also has a bassoon - which is still quite a new thing, and cello. She really misses music in person, but Saturday school online gives her at least a little shot of what she needs- she was properly fizzy today after her first flute lesson since her exam. And we finally seem to have a full size bassoon that actually works, which has been an interesting lockdown journey...

Lovely to hear about the talented children on this thread.. and always so grateful for the knowledgeable parents

One of the most friendly bits of Mumsnet! Thanks for the new thread. We are preparing for a grade 6 piano performance exam and various classes for a virtual festival ( if the obscure and hard to source piece of music for one class arrives soon!)
Virtual ensembles and workshops, online lessons and the joy of homeschooling. At least the youngest will have plenty time for music theory as not much work from primary school.

Hello all -

mini that's fab DD1 is getting the grip of viola and quartet. How on earth do you work with a string qtet online?

comefromaway, interesting insight into the workings of musical drama college. Here's hoping by the time she graduates theatres are getting up and running again. And great that your DS is still thriving.

At least the youngest will have plenty time for music theory as not much work from primary school.

I spotted that opportunity too horseymum! Wondering if we can get dd through g5 next term. May depend how long lockdown goes on for, we flagged rather last term when she was back in school.

Please can I join? Fab to find other parents with kids who love music. I have DD (8) who plays euphonium (main instrument). She's been playing 18 months and is grade 4/5 standard. She is also G2 piano and a cathedral chorister. She is gutted that music opportunities in person continue to be limited, so I'm trying to get her into some virtual stuff to lift her spirits.

Back in lockdown one I registered my details with the National Children's Brass Band of Great Britain and the National Children's Orchestra (she can double on Eb tuba) and they both emailed yesterday. The NCBBGB are holding virtual auditions in February and the NCO an online course in March. Does anyone have experience with either of these groups? Thanks!!

I’m so grateful that Ds did his Grade 5 theory November 2019 as he will need it for applications and the March sessions were cancelled (though I see ABRSM are doing grade 5 online now.

Some of the places he will be applying to give lower offers if you have higher theory or practical grades. I was hoping he’d get grade 6 or 7 theory but that’s looking unlikely and He was studying for Rockschool practical exams.

No experience with those groups Polar but welcome to the thread.

Ds wants to audition as a musician for National Youth Music Theatre.

Thanks for the new thread.

DD (16) is a violinist doing A level music and wishes to study this post A levels. We actually did our first online open day for a Conservatoire today and she really liked it so it’s going on the list. Got another one booked for the 21st so will be good to compare with. Sadly her county youth orchestra Christmas rehearsals got cancelled but her Young musicians group has continued online. She’s also been playing piano for 3 years and I’ve entered her for the grade 6 performance exam and her recording is due February. Just needs to perfect her pieces and then the dreaded recording to do!

DS (15) plays drums and guitar for fun. Sadly the guitar teachers recovering from COVID and drum lessons don’t teally work online.

I’m completely unmusical but full of enthusiasm and do lots of research to try and help.

Hi polar - i know there are some NCO fans on here as there were long audition threads. DD was going to audition this year but not sure they have any violin places auditioning or that she'd want to do online anyway. She might try again next yr instead. What a cool instrument(s) your DD plays, she will be in demand!

Hello! I'm a reasonably long-time poster on these threads (although a relative newbie compared to some!) with two musical DCs. DD1 plays violin, viola, piano and sings. She's at a specialist musician school and is also very committed to musical theatre. DD2 plays cello and piano, and is about to start at one of the conservatoire junior departments. She's also an MT enthusiast but is phobic of auditioning and getting progressively worse so I'm not sure how that will pan out. A shame as she's had some awesome performance opportunities this far.

@doesanybodyhaveamap

Hello! I'm a reasonably long-time poster on these threads (although a relative newbie compared to some!) with two musical DCs. DD1 plays violin, viola, piano and sings. She's at a specialist musician school and is also very committed to musical theatre. DD2 plays cello and piano, and is about to start at one of the conservatoire junior departments. She's also an MT enthusiast but is phobic of auditioning and getting progressively worse so I'm not sure how that will pan out. A shame as she's had some awesome performance opportunities this far.

Dear Evan Hansen reference username ?

Hi All, thanks for setting up a new thread, thirdfiddle. I've got a dd (12) that plays violin and more recently, singing. NCO experience here, Polar 81! She loved the residential, possibly her greatest experience yet, but didn't enjoy online and won't be doing it this spring, sadly. She's just got a place in NCC GB and heartbreakingly the summer residential clashes with NCO. With so little live music it hardly seems fair. But there we are! Guess there will always be clashes. This spring we will start looking at junior departments.

@Comefromaway absolutely. And how I feel
Most days.... 😆

Thank you! I'm also not sure about online courses, but it's been so long since DD has been able to play in an ensemble that we might give it whirl.

NCO said their course only has spaces for a certain amount of each instruments anyway, so will wait and see if there are spaces for low brass.

The National Children's Brass Band have asked for x2 contrasting pieces to be uploaded and then an audition over zoom involving a fair amount of scales and sight reading. DD knows approximately half the scales needed from her grade exam, but it would take a fair bit of work to learn the remainder!! It's doable but depends if she wants this as a focus for the coming month.

@bostik

Hi All, thanks for setting up a new thread, thirdfiddle. I've got a dd (12) that plays violin and more recently, singing. NCO experience here, Polar 81! She loved the residential, possibly her greatest experience yet, but didn't enjoy online and won't be doing it this spring, sadly. She's just got a place in NCC GB and heartbreakingly the summer residential clashes with NCO. With so little live music it hardly seems fair. But there we are! Guess there will always be clashes. This spring we will start looking at junior departments.

What a shame that they clash when there's so few activities on!

Hello, I used to be a regular on here for many years but dropped off in recent years. Lovely to hear about all your DC still music making, albeit in moderated ways these days. Some familiar faces here too from other threads!

1 DD here in Y12 (17) still musically engaged as she can be, plays violin, piano and sax. I have to get my head around the rules of performance exam recording as she has to submit this month for G8 piano. Still not sure which is the lesser evil, but she does not miss the scales that come with this grade. It will be the end of an era once done and stops formal lessons, she’s been very fortunate to have had a wonderfully patient teacher who has worked wonders in 30 mins only sessions.

@Polar81 Lower brass is always in demand, especially for the younger years. So best of luck to miniPolar.

DS2 has been with NCO since age 8 and took part in virtual NCBB last summer for the first time. DS enjoyed virtual NCBB more than virtual NCO - because NCBB was concentrated practice and perform, whereas NCO was spread out over a few weeks and it didn’t have as much real performance.

Also have a look at The Brass Academy once things are back to normal.

DS loves attending all of the residentials. They make great friends, and the music world is small so they keep on bumping into friends at other events.

@Bostik - we have a clash between NCO and another Orchestral residential too. Hard decision for us to choose which to attend as both have really supported DS.

DD did a virtual course in the autumn. It was very well done and she learnt lots but it didn't really have the social aspect. Younger DD did a morning course too and it was good too but she is at the age where she needs someone beside her playing to get her confidence up so did find that a bit hard. They were better than nothing but nowhere near the real thing.

[quote Trumpetdad]@Polar81 Lower brass is always in demand, especially for the younger years. So best of luck to miniPolar.

DS2 has been with NCO since age 8 and took part in virtual NCBB last summer for the first time. DS enjoyed virtual NCBB more than virtual NCO - because NCBB was concentrated practice and perform, whereas NCO was spread out over a few weeks and it didn’t have as much real performance.

Also have a look at The Brass Academy once things are back to normal.

DS loves attending all of the residentials. They make great friends, and the music world is small so they keep on bumping into friends at other events.

@Bostik - we have a clash between NCO and another Orchestral residential too. Hard decision for us to choose which to attend as both have really supported DS.[/quote]
Thanks for the info! Is the NCBB like NCO in that they audition for groups based on their age, or is it just that they take the best players aged between 8-13? Brass Academy I hadn't heard of, so that's a useful tip.

I'm a bit worried about the costs of residentials (we are not a high income family)- would anyone mind sharing the cost of one of the residentials or PM me?

This is a new world to us and all info is much appreciated. Thanks again

The cost for NYOS ( national youth orchestra of Scotland) are all their website so it's clear before you audition, I think from £7-900 for an Easter course and a summer one, four days each I think. They do also say there are bursaries and funds you can apply for and send the information out automatically, hopefully other ensembles have something similar.

I'm a completely non musical parent and an new to these threads though I have lurked on occasion.

Ds1 is 12 and will be doing grade 5 piano and grade 3 rock guitar this year. His last grades were done in lockdown. Grade 4 piano was reviewed without me requesting it and was changed from a merit to a distinction-they contacted me to say there had been an error.
He really doesn't want to do performance grades again but it doesn't look like we will have a choice. He loves the whole experience.

Ds2 will be doing grade 3 piano and is thrilled if he never has to go to an exam centre again.

That’s great news lunar1. Exam boards of all kinds take extra beatings in these strange times, but to hold their hands up without being prompted is a positive story. It’s a new exam process that clearly has had early teething problems on marking. Well done to your DS.

@Polar81 NCBB doesn’t have age based orchestras. They’ve just had a change of administrator and going through other changes. Both NCBB and NCO extremely friendly so ask them any questions you have.

NCO costs c£900 for U10s 8-day residential (www.nco.org.uk/join-in/fees-and-assistance). NCO have rerouted their scholarships into bursaries. I don’t know about NCBB costs but would have thought comparable (www.nybbgb.com/help-and-support.html). But I expect both NCO and NCBB costs to go up as their finances have been decimated.

Brass Academy is a commercial enterprise so no bursaries unfortunately.