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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Summer 21 music thread

183 replies

squintsoftheworldunite · 25/06/2021 07:49

Hello peeps....

Decided (on a grey, drizzly late June morning!) that it was time for some summer music thread fun....!

My DC is coming to the end of a first term at specialist school, just had first public concert and was reminded of the absolute joy of public performance. We got a couple of exams out of the way before the new beginning, a theory exam coming up this summer but that's all. Some exciting summer music, including a solo performance at a "grown up" concert and some music courses to keep said offspring busy. Excited to see NCO auditions return, even if they're recorded only... Hoping for actual courses next year!

Thanks to those who paved the way in times gone by with the music threads!

OP posts:
minisnowballs · 22/08/2021 16:05

Sorry to hear about the braces mendingfences- that must be frustrating!

Doesanybody, dd is first study flute, and the instrument her teacher wants her to audition is bassoon. My theory on this is that though there are fewer bassoonists, those that there are are very good- and dd is v small and summer born so has only had her short reach since January (mostly in lockdown) so is at a distinct disadvantage. She also has a cello- until recently that was her second instrument but it appears to have been overtaken…

Still - It’s nice the teacher is enthusiastic and she is state schooled and there was a distinct ‘widening participation’ slant to the nco emails so we will see.

Mendingfences · 22/08/2021 16:28

thanks minisnowballs, it is frustrating but at the same time its a relief that she decided on double bass for the talent program. I suspect things with the flute will improve with time as she gets used to things.
I know dd was definitely "wanted" on double bass and I suspect bassoon is even more desired

thirdfiddle · 22/08/2021 18:44

DD is going to have a go for NCO projects; I'm dithering a bit about recordings, I have a reasonable one, she is continuing working on same pieces so they should be better after a couple of lessons, otoh they asked for auditions in the holidays if possible and it would be quite nice to bat it off and not have it hanging over us when term gets busy. She's not too fussed, it would be exciting to do but it's only a couple of weekends.

SE13Mummy · 22/08/2021 19:04

DC2 is keen to audition for NCO again having really enjoyed this year's online offering and what they got to attend of the 2020 regional orchestra. I can see the dates for the Projects weekends on the website but can't seem to find the dates for the National courses - we've already booked our summer holiday for 2022 so if it clashes with the relevant residential, there would be no point in applying for it.

Trumpetdad · 22/08/2021 21:59

@minisnowballs Apply on both instruments (or all three). There’s no harm since it’s free to audition this year, and your DD will get feedback if not successful.

@SE13Mummy No dates for Nationals yet unfortunately. But drop them a line and ask when they’ll be able to confirm dates.

horseymum · 23/08/2021 08:33

Bassoon will definitely be more in demand than flute I would have thought. My dd did a NYOS (Scottish) wind training course, and was one of only two bassoons. There were about 20 flutes and 7 clarinets. As it was online, they won't have been worried about balance, which suggests no other bassoons applied. It's not an auditioned course, the first level of NYOS is teacher recommendation that they are at the appropriate level.

minisnowballs · 23/08/2021 08:42

Thanks everyone- I just shouldn’t imagine they will want a lot of bassoons - I find a little goes a (very)long way…

bostik · 23/08/2021 08:56

My dd loved NCO probably more than anything else she has done. She'll apply for the mains this time around - fingers crossed.

Wrinklyeyes · 23/08/2021 09:07

Mini - as long as she is not a child who would feel not being a offered a place as a devastating knock to confidence then I reckon there’s no harm in having a go on any of the orchestral instruments she plays.

It’s possible that some NCO ‘regulars’ may be prioritising other commitments this year or things may have changed for them in terms of their engagement with NCO since Covid. What I mean is there may be more gaps to fill - even on popular instruments - than you’d think.

minisnowballs · 23/08/2021 11:32

Thanks. She's not particularly 'crushable', so poss worth a try. I am a very lazy/busy mother though, so the thought of extra recordings makes me want to cry. Perhaps I'll see how her orchestra week goes this week and whether she enjoys.

Apropos of that it was cheering to drop her off for orchestra this morning and see children streaming in with their instruments for the first time in forever. Particularly loved the family I saw where the dad was cycling in with a cello on his back, on a cargo bike, with two young children in the front, one with a violin. Made me feel very lazy taking DD2 on the bus!

Wrinklyeyes · 23/08/2021 14:59
Smile

The first time I dropped DC1 off at a much-reduced orchestra rehearsal after the first lockdown had ended, I waited outside for a bit & loved seeing all the kids arriving with their instruments. When I picked her up later that day and could hear the music from outside, I had a wee tear. This was back in the winter, it was freezing & I was bundled up in layers, hat, mask. I must have looked ridiculous crying away to Jupiter Blush.

minisnowballs · 23/08/2021 17:05

Aww lovely - I completely understand why you'd cry, after they've all missed out on so much. This course has an actual concert (so exciting). I shall be in bits listening to them.

Amusingly enough, after all my whinging about them asking for a piccolo which she doesn't have , DD2 appears to have spent all day learning to play one - having never picked one up before. I think it's probably quite difficult from what she's been saying.

Original poster
squintsoftheworldunite · 25/08/2021 06:11

wrinklyeyes the first time I heard my kiddo perform since lockdowns, first in an ensemble setting and then as a soloist, there were definitely tears.

minisnowballs at DDs last national nco course before covid, there were 4 each of clarinet, flute, oboe and bassoon. So yes, the odds overall for bassoon have to be better numerically. I agree with the previous suggestion of putting an application in on each of the others too though. Plenty of time to do one instrument, submit it, leave it behind and do another. All the best to her - and all the others auditioning.

OP posts:
horseymum · 25/08/2021 07:26

My DCs have still not played live in an ensemble yet since covid. The youngest never has. They did some trios with their teacher at the end of last term but no school / council ensembles we're back last year and they don't usually start till October anyway 😟

minisnowballs · 25/08/2021 10:45

horseymum that's so sad. Fingers crossed soon. DD2 managed a few year group bubble ensembles last year and some flute ensemble stuff at her Saturday school, and DD1 had some quartet rehearsals.

DD2 is blown away (and more than a bit intimidated) by her first full orchestra experience.

"It sounds amazing mum and they're just SIGHTREADING everything. And then the conductor picks up all these mistakes but I can't hear them at all. And his baton cost £700..." and so on, and so on..(how can anyone pay £700 for a baton btw, is it from Ollivander's?)

I'm looking forward to seeing her play on Thursday.

horseymum · 25/08/2021 11:06

How lovely! I can't wait to hear her first rehearsal. She is joining a JD but it is mixed online and live to start with 😔. I play in an amateur orchestra and our first play through is usually pretty ok. After that it often gets worse as people overthink!! We get to start next week after our last concert in March 2020.

chocorabbit · 27/08/2021 09:13

Can I ask some theory questions?

Is the grade 5 online exam exactly the same format in style and number of questions as the one you can try? Also, I finished one but it seemed that a question could have been correct on two different clefs (my answer was marked as correct). Is it possible that there might be two correct answers on scales and clefs and as long as you have chosen one of them you are alright? They don't say whether it is harmonic or melodic so I have no idea if a 7th sharp would be a melodic sharp or part of the key signature. Could they also have presented a natural?

Also, I have the theory in practice g5 book which has lots more terms than the official list by ABRSM. Have they reduced them with the introduction of a new curriculum?

chocorabbit · 27/08/2021 09:25

Oh, I forgot my most important question! I have read that you must be in a room without any books and you scan the room the show this. Is this true? Our desktop is in a study room full of billy bookcases.

thirdfiddle · 27/08/2021 10:23

Choco, just done theory with DD so I might be able to help there.
Yes you have to scan the room, but there can be books as long as they're closed.
I don't know about exact number of questions but from what DD said it sounds like format was very similar to the practice one.
Doesn't seem likely there would be two correct answers. Which qn on the practice paper, I can check for you if you like?

thirdfiddle · 27/08/2021 10:27

Oh and yes, they reduced the list of terms fairly recently.

chocorabbit · 27/08/2021 12:08

Thanks thirdfiddle!

It wasn't a proper paper that I did but the practice ones. I did one on a mobile where I couldn't drag and drop and then another on a laptop where it worked fine. I mean could it be that there were two correct answers depending on it being melodic or harmonic or natural and as long as you choose one it's fine? I really can't remember so that's not much of help from me. Is it meant to be a melodic, a harmonic, a natural or any of them? I only lost 2/15 marks from the scales/clefs section so it's ok but I was wondering as at times I can't seem to get a proper clef unless it is a natural (from practice I've had at Victoria William's website).

chocorabbit · 27/08/2021 12:39

And congratulations to your daughter thirdfiddle!

Good luck to everyone's children on their new ventures. It's interesting they are having so much fun!

yodaforpresident · 27/08/2021 16:21

If easier, you can cover up books etc with a sheet when scanning the room and doing the exam. They need to be totally covered.

yodaforpresident · 27/08/2021 16:22

I was quite relieved that DD got to do the theory exam online at school. We had to do the room scanning for a different online exam and it was a total pain as the room we used was full of books.

thirdfiddle · 27/08/2021 19:45

Ah, not the official ABRSM practice paper then? I'd be really surprised if they used an ambiguous one in a real exam, that'd be mean. Syllabus only goes up to 6 sharps and doesn't mention natural minors, so they may be assuming you won't consider those.