Autumn 23 Music chat

[horseymum]

It's autumn term already! I'm sure there's lots of music going to happen this term. Welcome to anyone who wants to chat about your child's music activities, whether current or things you hope to do. It's a friendly group with experience at many different levels.( I've learned so much) No question is a daft one and don't be put off by chat about higher levels, all our children couldn't play a note once.
Come and ask about starting music lessons, which instrument to choose, exams, music festivals, specialist schools, orchestras and ensembles. We love talking music.
We also love to share music exam successes or struggles etc ( you can't always shout about these on FB!).
Feel free to do a wee intro if you want, although it's still public so only share what you want to.

Yes, I definitely do. DD has her first student concert on piano coming up and I'm sending DH instead, piano makes me nervous. Feels like there's always the potential to trip up. Good practice for her grade 8 though.
@Comefromaway hope he gets the show. We have a video audition coming up for NYOS for youngest which I'm sure will be a bit stressful. At least they can do the sections separately so excerpts/ piece.

Does anyone also get performance anxiety on behalf of their kids?
Ooh yes. Much rather play myself then at least I can control things e.g. not starting too fast! I also get waiting for results jitters on their behalf - they're much better at just forgetting about things till the result comes in.

Yes to the performance anxiety on their behalf here too - though as for @horseymum it feels worse on piano - no idea why. I have noticed though as is the case for them performing, the more they do, the less nervous I get. Suspect its the worry about how they'll react if it goes wrong vs knowing that they'll get through the performance ok. I don't get it when she's in orchestra but maybe if she had solos i'd feel differently.

Yes! I feel sick with nerves even if it's just an informal performance. Dd doesn't get nervous other than minor butterflies but I do.
She's celloing next week and the piece is not as ready as it might be. That'll make me worse.

Gosh yes - I hate watching DDs perform. I usually video it and then I can watch it back more comfortably later when I'm not terrified for them.

Watching orchestra is fine - though I do wish they wouldn't pull faces when they get it wrong, even though it's very funny.

Thank you @Comefromaway @minisnowballs @horseymum @thirdfiddle and @northerngoldilocks

Reassuring to know I’m not on my own. DD is at JD and it always feels that the other parents take it all in their stride.

I absolutely get the nerves too! Partly because I'm worried how they she will feel if she messes up, and partly I think because it's so not what I would want or be able to do, I can't quite imagine performing like that - if that makes any sense at all??

We don't take it in our stride, we just have to get good at hiding it a bit from the children so as not to make them worse! I think I hold my breath if it's something high stakes. Although DD did bomb a performance recently and it wasn't the end of the world. It actually helped her realise that there were some things she could do to mitigate next time eg always take a spare reed on and leave soaking. And some things she can't control eg double reeds will always be fickle so live with it.

I definitely hold my breath! And dig my nails into my palms.

A second here for the digging nails in my pains @minisnowballs! For DS's first few exams I went outside so I couldn't hear him as it was so stressful. When he did BBC young musician my chest was so tight and I had to keep using my inhaler during gaps between pieces. Orchestra/chamber groups are less stressful, except for solos. I am always worried that he will be happy with his performance

@horseymum I watched an LSO thing the other day where the first and second bassoonists were definitely having a silent 'damn reed isn't behaving' discussion between them when they weren't playing - it clearly doesn't get any better! I do watch orchestras differently now - I'd never even have noticed the double reeds before!

DD2 is poorly today - which is hard to hear from three and a half hours away. To be honest they'll probably look after her better than her harassed mother, but it is sad to get a call about it from a houseparent at 8am (I also feel sorry for the houseparent - what a job THAT is!)

@Pollyanna8844 - its singing solo I really can't bear watching. DD2 used to do this stagecraft class where she would have to sing (and act) a solo musical song once a term. She'd never put much time into learning it- sometimes she genuinely did forget the words so it was always a worry. Singing feels so incredibly personal as well, somehow more than a solo instrumental performance. Though I found being able to hear the grade 8 flute exam almost unbearable too. I cannot imagine how magnified that must have been for BBC Young Musician - I would probably have passed out!

I almost dissolved in my own sweat when DS was filming Young Chorister last year. And I even get nervous if I know he's doing something at school when I'm not even there! Awaiting his solos in the minster always got me het up too...

Mercifully I've never heard him do an exam, or I'd probably have a heart attack.

I've not heard an exam either @herbaceous. Nowhere near your DS's level but dd sang the Once in Royal David's City solo at our 9 lessons service last year and my legs were shaking so hard I had to hold onto the pew in front to keep upright! She was spot on though. Relief all round!

Apologies @horseymum, totally agree about hiding it well.

I have always left the building and waited outside when DCs have gone into exams. Paced around the car park for the duration.

@herbaceous, that made me smile. Think I nearly had a heart attack when DD gave a recital, dread to think what might happen if I found myself in that situation.

Thankfully I e not been able to hear the last few exams due to venue - much better for I blood pressure! I'm not a massive exam fan but I do think putting yourself under some pressure is not a bad thing, helpful to learn how to control nerves to a certain extent. Basically the more performance they get to do the better, although I can't imagine the pressure of the BBC young musician. It's good being able to speak to other parents who are in similar circumstances as you realise you're not on your own.

High levels of excitement in our house as DD auditioned for her school talent contest and got in. She's singing Taylor Swift's 'love story' and playing guitar. Obviously not any instrument that she's ever had lessons on - good good!!

Its a really cute thing that they do and I don't think the final is actually a 'competition' - more just a really fun end of term day for the kids.

well done to her @northerngoldilocks. The swifty teens will love it.

I am having a day of exasperation after we were told we had to pick up DD2 yesterday as she was so poorly (that's an eight-hour round trip). She then ate a McDonalds in the service station, got home and had a bath and a good night's sleep, and this morning she's baked some cookies, watched far too much gilmore girls and now gone out with her old school friends.

She's supposed to have a music masterclass on Sunday as part of some special double reed day thing, but I have no idea whether they'll let her back in the boarding house (matron said Monday)... but there is LITERALLY nothing wrong with her. Argh.

Hello all from the music thread! I was advised to ask my question here😉
I've try to catch up or find related Q&A, but couldn't manage. I am sorry in case if there have been similar questions...
My DD is now 15 and playing cello since 6. We live in Berlin and are moving to London next summer. Now we are wondering where and how the best he continue his cello in London.
German music education is not so structured and not so many choice! - no grades test, not so many conservatoires. My son has been at a private tutor from the beginning and now go to a local grammar school with a focus on music and playing at a school orchestra. He would probably go to the German school in Richmond. I have a feeling they don't offer great music lessons, but I may be wrong. He seems keen on studying cello at uni after that. What sort of opportunities are there for kids who may later want to study music in university? Do kids normally visit local music school? How do we find teachers? Should he go to conservatoires? I googled but too many choices and infos and felt overwhelmed😱Any suggestion much appreciated! thanks!

Hi MeeMinnie - think i replied on the other thread but nice to see you here. Good luck with that catching up, I think these music threads have been going about a decade 😅Jumping in with an intro and a question is absolutely the way to go.

You say your son is considering studying cello at university - do you mean in a vocational way, mostly performing? That would be called a conservatoire. Or there are university courses in music which are mostly academic music, but some have a smaller performing component to them.

For continuing his learning while still at school, London will be a great place to have lots of options. I could say some stuff but it's probably better coming from the posters who know the system better than me.

@MeeMinnie I keep starting an answer and getting distracted! He probably needs to look at the type of course a uni offers Vs a conservatoire. The uni I was at offered an MA (old Scottish uni so it an undergraduate, most will be a BA) and a BMus course. We did several of the same classes, the BMus did more performance and was auditioned.
I don't know London but my child goes to the junior department of a conservatoire, which will hopefully set her up well to apply for undergraduate at a conservatoire. You don't have to do that though and there are other things which support development like residential orchestra or string courses in the holidays. Chetham's do summer courses as do some of the other specialist schools and conservatoires. You can do an advice lesson at some places and some do audition prep courses. I'm just learning as we are a year out from having forms in but lots to research! There are plenty more experienced people on here.

On a side point, the instruments from our JD which got into NYO were bassoon, oboe (2), viola, French horn and double bass. Sometimes choosing tactically what you play helps! There are some really good flutes and clarinets who applied. ( At least a couple are objectively better than my child but there are more applicants for their instruments). Although you have to play what you enjoy, and there are not so many places for some of these instruments.

Yes @horseymum i often think that flute is probably the most competitive instrument (closely followed by clarinet) as it is super popular with very few orchestral spaces compared to say violin.

I play one of the instruments you mention and had amazing opportunities through my life despite starting late and coming from a very deprived and non-musical background. But I also absolutely adored it!

The good thing about many of the “endangered” instruments is that they can be started at a later age and/or transferred to from more popular instruments, so it’s not necessarily a decision you need to make at the outset.

Yes, I play double bass and had way more opportunities than when I played flute very badly. ( but I do need a decent-sized car).

Mine is a horn player- never short of opportunities to perform!

Does anybody know whether you need to play all the scales, arpeggios and pieces in one take for video audition for NYSO? I'm about to record DS this week but am anxious we may not be able to do all that in one go! Can I edit the video to link several together, or upload several video clips for the audition? Many thanks - this is all quite new to us!