Autumn 22 music thread

[thirdfiddle]

Hi all - I thought it was a while since we've had a new thread so how about one for the new school year? Would be lovely to pick up some new families too, all welcome at any stage of music learning from out of tune singing 2 yr olds to music college aspirants.

Team amateur here. DD wants to be a writer, so not even for the job security. Could they be pros? Personality wise I can't see it suiting, and they'd need to change gear massively.

But also, looking at my contemporaries, sometimes it didn't become obvious till mid teens. A couple of years of intense focus make a huge difference.

Well for us we have a mixture -oldest ds- talented but just likes his instrument as relaxation, hopefully will continue as an adult in a modest way if he has access to a piano. Dd 2 only became seriously into her music about age 11, now wants to be a professional. Dd3 - good but doesn't want to be a professional, will hopefully continue as an amateur adult. They all started at the start though, their interest just developed. I like the thread as most of my rl friends aren't that interested so it's nice to share and hear what others are up to, as well as maybe offer some advice as we've been there. I also think if more parents got support, more kids would stick at their instrument ( or find the right one for them). So many parents say ' I'm not musical, I can't help' when there is stuff they could do. Free lessons isn't the magic wand to keeping kids engaged with music, parents having some support and confidence around it is. I'd love it if more kids enjoyed playing for longer, whatever that looks like, whether it's exams, strumming a guitar in their room or playing in a concert.

Finding the right instrument is a big thing. Ds tried violin, singing and guitar before finally settling on piano. Many would have not let him try another after giving up one.

@horseymum the advice is definitely a thing for me. Neither DH not I have a clue about how to go about developing DD's interests, so I lean on friends and teachers and online advice... I tend towards researching opportunities, offering them and then facilitating the ones she wants to take up. Periodically I'll hit one of her teachers with a "if she were to want to take this seriously, what should we be doing now to make that possible?" but I've learned loads from these threads.

DS (13) and DD (12) are equally talented, but to put it simply, DD has more things she would rather be doing! Another who wants to be a writer.

DS has other interests too, but since starting secondary school, the time he chooses to put into music has increased a lot. It's definitely contributing to his social life - lots of ensembles! He has started to talk about music becoming his career, but he is still so young, this could change. His principal instrument is alto Sax (working on Grade 8), then singing (Grade 6), piano (Grade 6, self-taught), and he stopped violin 18 months ago at Grade 5.

DD is Grade 6 on flute and Grade 4 on violin, but unless the opportunities at secondary school start to have some effect on her enthusiasm for it, I can see her opting out soon, which would be a shame but no point if they aren't enjoying it. She definitely doesn't see it as a potential career. She likes being good at it and enjoys performing in recitals, but isn't enthusiastic about lessons or practice!

Literally no idea. I have two dds. The older one is amateur if anything - she doesn't do a lot of practice, sensibly picked up the viola as it gives her opportunities and I hope - if and when she goes to university - she'll think of music as a way to find nice friends and get her out of her 'bubble' of people. Ditto once she is working - singing in choirs has always been part of how I relax and find new social circles - I think orchestras may be like that for her.

We thought the same for DD2 who has had the same opportunities as her sister. However, she spends more and more of her time on music so we have to face the fact that it gives her something nothing else does. Whether she takes it further a job or something she does for fun is another matter. Certainly there are lots of people who know a lot more about music and children than I do who think she could do something with it as a career, but we always tell her that this does not mean that she has to! Lockdown certainly brought it home to her that it wasn't the most stable of options - her teachers had a miserable time!

For ds music is his life. He is autistic so does tend to hyper focus but once he found music, nothing else mattered. So he cannot imagine doing anything else for a living.

Also team amateur here.

Dd adores music and does an awful lot of it (including an introduction to the organ this week - will it never end??!) but academically her love of languages and science will be where she focuses come university time.

She loves the social side of music though so is likely to join orchestras, chamber groups and choirs where she can.

Dd1 is not planning a career in music, although she is still pretty serious with her violin. Dd2 is still pushing forward with multiple instruments but no plans to make music a career. They are both at a jd equivalent type program. DS identifies himself as a drummer but has no career plans at all as yet, but he's only 12....

So definitely team amateur here too

Hi, my dd did southwest music school for three years. First year foundation, second year PDP, third year Core. The organisers were lovely and it was great in principle as it encouraged lots of cross-genre work. Unfortunately my dd didn't really ever get into it and she never really clicked with her mentor, who I actually found quite negative in the end although the relationship started out more positively. (I have to say there are lots of very good mentors at the school.) I think they offer music GCSE and A-level too and a composing course. Feel free to pm me if you want.

@Comefromaway could have written exactly the same here for dd!

DS is a music specialist, but I can’t imagine him doing it professionally - I think he is more drawn to the sciences, which is fine by me.

He does love music though and I’m sure it will always be a big part of his life. He loves to play and has often said he can’t imagine not doing so.

also team amateur. we took advantage of a very long lockdown (living overseas) to progress music at home, as frankly there wasn't too much else to do, and i had the skills to be able to support them myself (being a very average amateur myself).

The children have progressed faster than expected – 10yo DD now preparing for g7 violin / g4 harp, and 9yo DS grade 6 cello, both at JD and with DS looking at music scholarships for 11+ entry.

its very hard to know how they will want to prioritise music once at secondary school - my aim for them was to get them to a stage of playing where music would feel a natural part of their lives (albeit not prominent) and they could join and enjoy ensembles as a hobby. which really reflects my own musical journey.

I really love the level of effort and support and enthusiasm (and money!) that you all put into encouraging children with music as a hobby. It's where I'm at, and I get a lot of raised eyebrows and "aren't you just wasting your time/ money when she won't end up doing it for a living?" but you all get it... she will be an adult with memories of a childhood spent working hard at something she loved, performing, gaining skills that will be useful whatever she does, and with an immensely portable hobby that will let her meet people and make friends. And if she does end up trying to do it professionally it will cost me a lot more for a lot longer so fingers crossed she doesn't!

Hello again all.

Interesting about the amateur/professional thing. I think DS has such a talent (but then I guess I would!) that it would be a shame not to do it as a profession. To find something you love and are good at is something many people never find, and if you can make money at it then bingo. But it's the 'if you can make money' bit that's the problem!

DS's plan is to get a choral or organ scholarship to Oxford, then become a Labour prime minister. At which point his singing, organ, piano, French Horn, viola and uke may have to go on pause!

For those of a singing bent, we have a date for screening of the semi final. of Young Chorister of the Year - 11.35, BBC1, 27 November!

Thanks for that @herbaceous - was just thinking of you and your ds the other day wondering what the air date was!

I think my dd may be aiming for oxbridge too but not sure any university offers classics with chemistry! 🤣

@Alakazam8 we have just upgraded DD's clarinet from a B12 buffet to an E13 buffet. She did her grade 4 last year on the B12 and it was fine. It had a lovely tone (I thought) but the new one is a whole new level. I was going to hold out until after the grade 5, but I bit the bullet when she left it at school over half term and couldn't practice. It was probably my most expensive panic buy ever! 😅

@herbaceous Oooo I'll be watching. I bet you are dying to talk about it!

I am! All I can reveal is that Aled Jones is really lovely. But Kate Botley is a bit annoying.

There's a web page now! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001fq6f

And a trailer on Facebook, but not sure whether I should share that, for some reason...

Oooh, are you one of the parents accompanying their child?!

Brilliant, will definitely be watching.

I can't find the Facebook trailer. Please share! Will definitely watch it.

Ooh go on then. Here it is. And yes - I'm on there! For about half a second, thankfully.

fb.watch/g-m1_eTQQv/

How exciting!