Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Extra-curricular activities

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

Original poster

Spring 23 music thread

970 replies

thirdfiddle · 09/01/2023 16:50

I saw some sunshine today so it's officially spring! Here's a new thread for all things musical.

With a nod to those who started the series, well before my young folk picked up an instrument or I braved the vipers of MN. This little corner is for support only, and bragging about your young folk's musical achievements is positively encouraged.

How are things looking for new year? Anyone new want to join us for a chat? Any lurkers want to delurk? All welcome from pre beginners to music college and beyond.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
Dynamix · 30/04/2023 13:52

Yikes... I've just read that DD needs to read tenor clef fluently for nationals. She reads treble and bass, but hasn't come across tenor clef yet. Her tuba is also in Eb so I'm not sure if she'll have to read tenor clef + transpose 😬 This is why brass bands are so lovely- all in the sweet sweet treble clef 😆

herbaceous · 30/04/2023 16:16

Tenor clef's OK - just a matter of practice. You get tuned in quite quickly.

Not so sure about transposing at the same time though!

DS sang his final treble solo last night in lovely school concert. We did Vivaldi's Gloria, with the school senior choir and the 'community choir', made up of parents. He did a duet with a fab soprano in the Laudamus Te. Have to say, he did struggle a bit.

This morning in his church choir he joined the altos. Farewell choirboy! He did however get the keys to the church to enable him to practise the organ whenever he wants!

PinkGrapefruitSorbet · 30/04/2023 19:15

Absolutely agree auditioning with an outside chance isn't a good strategy for all DC. I would have found that really stressful as a teen, but DS is much more chilled than I ever was (not sure how much of a good thing this will turn out to be!).

My Ds had grade 5 bassoon when he auditioned for NCO @Dynamix so very similar to your DD. He auditioned for projects and got offered under 13s which he accepted. He was so motivated after attending the residentials last year that he zoomed through grade 5 theory, grade 6 practical, changed teacher and is now preparing for grade 8. So it's really been a turning point for him. Good luck if she decides to go for it!

Dynamix · 30/04/2023 19:53

@PinkGrapefruitSorbet that's great! How lovely that your DS had such a good time. We'll give it a go and see what happens.

Original poster
thirdfiddle · 30/04/2023 22:16

northern, I think g5 is well worth a go for NCO Projects violins, DD got in with g5 pieces last year, there were plenty around her standard and she found the parts much easier than her local youth orchestra. I think they say g4+ for violin and they do mean that. From there it's more about playing musically, in tune, well in control of bow etc. Age groups I think are much more competitive, but Projects is very approachable.

We have both times taken audition recording quite casually anyway, it's only a couple of weekends of playing, we weren't going to rearrange her plans for the term to prepare for that. Going to put a bit more effort in this time as she may want to try for U-12. Though she's currently undecided as to whether she even wants to, which certainly helps with making it low pressure if she does decide to try.

OP posts:
minisnowballs · 01/05/2023 08:27

Definitely worth trying for nco- though our experience is that it very much depends on the instrument. Dd2 has variously got into projects and mains- but only on her second instrument- flute is crazily competitive but bassoon not so much… it’s been a lesson to her that it isn’t always how well you play but what you play and how many other people play it!

we are now staring at the nyo forms and feeling ridiculous for even thinking about them. Dd2 was eligible for inspire but will be no longer as she moves from state comp to specialist school in September (though there does seem to be some tiny amount of leeway as she’s funded by the dfe).

Wouldn’t bother even looking at applying with her but one of her new teachers for sept has already asked if she’s got the nyo form in yet and if not why not. We don’t want her to think we are rubbish before dd2 even starts.

suspect her current flute teacher would think it was more than a little forward of her as she delayed her grade eight exam until July so doesn’t have a certificate!

She could probably pull two grade eight pieces out of the bag on the bassoon for it as well but that would be a real stretch- doesn’t seem worth the stress as she really isn’t quite there yet and needs to get the flute exam out of the way first. And I’m sure those who get in are at much higher levels.

And I’ve got her big sister taking GCSEs so lack the energy for recordings. There’s always something!

Trumpetdad · 01/05/2023 10:00

@Dynamix Lower brass is in demand so excellent chance with both NCO and NCBB. NCBB will be full on playing of brass band repertoire whereas NCO will have more breaks / counting bars in orchestral pieces. DS has loved them both and has made good friends through both of them.

Dynamix · 01/05/2023 10:41

Trumpetdad · 01/05/2023 10:00

@Dynamix Lower brass is in demand so excellent chance with both NCO and NCBB. NCBB will be full on playing of brass band repertoire whereas NCO will have more breaks / counting bars in orchestral pieces. DS has loved them both and has made good friends through both of them.

Thank you! DD plays in a brass band atm and absolutely loves it. As you say it's full on / decent parts for all brass instruments and the bass section are really valued as the backbone of the band. The treble clef reading is also nice 😁

Pollyanna8844 · 01/05/2023 16:06

Minisnowballs with the NYO auditions, whilst the pieces are important, it is all about the excerpts. They really want to know that you understand your part in the context of the whole orchestra and that you know what is happening before and after the excerpt (and that you can play it well)!

Original poster
thirdfiddle · 01/05/2023 20:59

Doesn't hurt to try minisnowballs; it's good practice to get familiar with the process if nothing else.

OP posts:
minisnowballs · 01/05/2023 22:07

Thanks @Pollyanna8844 - I must admit that my heart sinks at the thought of trying to get her ready for an audition… she’s 13 and would definitely need help. She really isn’t ready and her life is about to change so drastically in September anyway…

but obviously I worry that they have to try before they are ready to get in when they are- if you see what I mean .. perhaps I’m just being defeatist but sometimes being a supportive mum is very tiring!

PinkGrapefruitSorbet · 02/05/2023 13:22

@minisnowballs I feel exactly the same way about the NYO application process - I lack the headspace to sort it all out and work out how to fit in all the necessary stuff alongside all the other things in life that are happening at the moment (D of E expedition kit list shopping, homework, etc etc etc). It seems like a huge amount of work and time commitment for something that's unlikely to come to anything. But DS is working hard on his answers to the questions on the application form, and his teacher is keen, and I don't want to be the voice of doom. Solidarity!

minisnowballs · 02/05/2023 13:38

@PinkGrapefruitSorbet Yes, yes on the sodding DofE! And another child taking GCSEs. And, you know, my own job!I think we will honestly just leave it this year. The new school can sort her out from September....they ought to know their stuff after all.

horseymum · 02/05/2023 14:11

@minisnowballs I didn't worry too much about DDs answers to the NYO inspire, they weren't very full and she still got accepted. I don't know how much they place on the answers compared to video for the full orchestra. I agree it's lots to fit in just know. We have hopefully managed to persuade the school to put DD in the earlier d of e group so it doesn't clash with her grade 8 ( for which we don't actually have a firm date !!) Although she better not trip and break an arm or anything!! I thought last term was the crazy one but this one is getting that way too.
I don't think she will suffer by not applying yet though, plenty of time in future years.

minisnowballs · 02/05/2023 14:23

Yes Inspire was fine on some really sketchy answers for us too @horseymum - I don't know about the full one... She really really hates orchestral excerpts, and I suspect lacks the maturity to really do them well.

We don't have firm date for grade 8 either as is through saturday school, but should be after D of E (hadn't occurred to me she might break anything though- it's only bronze and they are out in the wilds of, er, Kent...) Her other teacher wants a concert out of her before she leaves saturday school, and she's got a lead role in the school musical. Thank heavens year 9 isn't an important year for anything else.

I just don't want to be in trouble with the new school and new teachers before she even starts. Hopefully you're right in that she has absolutely years to think about this stuff.

horseymum · 02/05/2023 15:28

Yes, I don't think youngest DD will have much to say on the inspire form, I'll probably need to make something up that sounds like a nearly 13 year old who can be enthusiastic when she's actually playing but hardly says a word in lessons! Bronze d of e isn't very adventurous round here either, probably somewhere they actually walk with family anyway. It would just be our luck though!

minisnowballs · 04/05/2023 10:21

@horseymum I wish DD2 would hardly say a word in lessons. I believe she is 'very chatty' - particularly if she doesn't want the teacher to know she hasn't practised. She always seems to know an awful lot about her teachers' personal lives after a half an hour lesson - though some are clearly better at deflecting her distracting questions than others (!)

We had her last parents evening at her current school last night (still online). Really weird to be saying goodbye, especially since her sister goes into Sixth Form too so lots of changes...

georgedawes · 04/05/2023 17:57

She sounds a natural performer mini! Love it!!

QueenMabby · 04/05/2023 19:46

@minisnowballs - it's lovely that dd2 feels comfortable enough with her teachers to be so chatty.

It was how I knew that dd was not happy with her cello teacher - she just clammed up in her lessons. In comparison with how she was in her piano lessons she was like a different child! She's much happier (and chattier) with her new teacher!

minisnowballs · 04/05/2023 21:19

maybe I should see it as a good thing @queenmabby - she's clearly comfortable with all of them. i'm just terribly grateful that the teachers put up with it!

LauraKopsbun · 08/05/2023 20:33

Grade 5 theory query if anyone is able to help?!

Are we able to use an iPad to do this? Struggling with our rubbish laptops at the moment!

LauraKopsbun · 08/05/2023 21:56

Can now answer my own question, that we can't use an iPad!

northerngoldilocks · 08/05/2023 21:57

No - i don't believe you can use a tablet or phone, it has to be a laptop for the ABRSM online theory exam. Its also really important that you can download the software for the exam and run a system check to ensure that the proctoring software works.

horseymum · 18/05/2023 10:11

Well in Scotland we are rapidly hurtling towards the end of term, I know others have much longer to go. School exams finished thankfully, giving more time to practice. This is good as we have one exam, one competition, three JD concerts and a school concert! So glad to have a full programme after so much disruption in previous years but it's still busy. Oh and the NYO/ inspire applications. Just a reminder if you are dithering about it, my DD loved the wee bits of inspire she did, so youngest is now applying too).
Hope everyone has some end of term music to look forward to and exam preparation is going to plan for those sitting exams. Youngest has managed to get teacher to jump to trinity so she can swerve grade 5 theory, so getting to grips with that next year.

horseymum · 18/05/2023 10:13

End of term always feels closer as our kids go up a year group at the start of June to start new courses. And holiday starts end of June, so six weeks feels like no time at all.

Swipe left for the next trending thread