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.

@northerngoldilocks Amazing your DD could play from memory. Mine is just starting to do that. It's one of her aims this year to do a piece in a student concert. We've got grade 8 piano coming up so hopefully bit less pressure on oboe this term although her teacher wants her to learn some potential conservatoire audition material this year so if she gets any this time next year she will have at least made a start on some. Potentially looking at diploma next year too, which I know nothing about. Hopefully a festival in the mix too.

Hello, I am so glad to have found this thread. I want to ask/share with other parents without sounding boasty/pushy which seems quite difficult. Have dd 14 who has been playing cello since 8, just passed Grade 8 with 141. Started piano at age 10 and just passed grade 7 at 140. Joined county orchestra last year and moved straight up to first desk. Just starting GCSE music and is loving it - 100% in latest assessment. All things music make her happy. Doing some solo performances - cello teacher is v good and says best student ever, just let her be. Amazed by how quickly she learns. Piano teacher also full of praise and wants her to enter competitions.

Ambition seems to be to play in orchestra/quartet/ teach music or something along those lines. However, not seeing an awful lot of practising going on - variable by the day. I let her get on with it as firm believer in need to be self-motivated. I do take her to concerts when I can. I am just asking myself do I carrry on as is, or do I try to find out about Saturday conservatoires, summer music schools etc. or wait for her to do this? Any advice? I honestly thought it would just be hobby and now seems to be getting more serious.

Sounds like she is doing really well. The practice would ramp up quite a bit if she went to a Saturday conservatoire, there is the sheer volume of music - DD has orchestra, wind orchestra, lesson music and still plays in school/ regional orchestra. However, she does love it and never has to be asked to practice. It's a lot of money to spend if she doesn't want to be practicing and also being a little fish in a big pond ie going from maybe being one of the best in their school to being normal might feel a challenge.
I think 14 is young for her to be researching opportunities as she probably has no idea what's out there if she doesn't know people already doing these things, so I would do some yourself and chat to teacher if she has experience of getting children in to places. Then you can see what she thinks after you have found out costs and logistics etc. Competitions are fun but they always need to go in with an attitude that it is a great performance opportunity rather than thinking about 'winning' as they can be really fickle!

I'd also add that if you change to a JD then she would need to change teachers for at least one of the instruments. This may not be what she wants so worth considering. It sounds as though she's already doing orchestras so maybe you could look into some additional holiday options - either courses or non residential orchestras depending on where you are in the country.

I realise I sound a bit negative but I think they have to really want to do it as they do miss out on things being away all Saturday - friends birthdays, family days out. It's absolutely the best thing for DD however. Youngest one is good enough to get in but didn't want to change teachers, give up her Saturday or do the extras like choir and theory which are compulsory at ours.

I think that playing from memory is a whole new skill set - and some of it is getting confident without the security blanket of having the music there. I do think that often DD's playing is more expressive though when she doesn't read from music - its odd how she can play the same piece twice, once with the music and once without and it will be different. It can't be the familiarity with the notes, so must be something about how her brain is focusing on the sound rather than reading notes. Perhaps its one to work on for her. She does sometimes play public pianos when we're out and about in London and obviously doesn't take music for that - so that might be a way she could do more of it, rather than the scarier option of doing a concert without it. More trips to Battersea Power Station might be required as their public pianos are less busy than Kings Cross !

@horseymum really helpful thanks. I like the idea of a summer school as would help her to be amongst others much better than her and to have exposure to different teachers.

I also have a question around teachers - her piano teacher in school said to her six months ago that she needs to find her a "better" teacher as she has little experience of advanced students. From my understanding she graduated from the Royal Academy of Music so guessing is pretty good? My daughter says hasn't mentioned it again though - and there isn't another teacher at school. How important would it be to change teacher before Grade 8, especially given this is her second study? Any ideas about where to find such a teacher?

I do have a bit of experience on the 'better piano teacher point'. DD previously had a teacher who was fine at teaching the notes and whether they were held for the right amount of time, but was definitely not going to take her beyond grade 8. We've now moved to a local Sat music school with fantastic specialists where they have lots of experience of teaching more advanced students so can focus more on technique, phrasing, pedalling etc which was being overlooked before. I think in terms of 'where would you find a better teacher' it depends where you are in the country - but recommendations are the easiest approach. Having a trial lesson with any new teacher is also a good idea to check their style works for your DD.

Playing from memory is definitely a valuable skill set and one that I’m glad I learned young playing mostly jazz, blues and pop/rock. I do worry as I get older that my memory is going a little - we have about 2 hours worth of material in our current repertoire at the moment and I really worry about just mind blanking halfway through a song, especially ones with unusual changes or structure. I would do the old trick of taping charts to the stage (our singer does this with lyrics as a reminder) but unfortunately my eyes aren’t up to it!

@Iwilltrytobepositive we changed teachers straight before g8. One teacher had taught DC from beginner level and as with @northerngoldilocks she taught the right notes at the right length. But, we felt something was lacking. A new teacher gave a fresh perspective and new ways of teaching that set DC up well for the future. Some teachers specialise in higher level pupils and I think it’s worth finding one that does.

So much with music is down to the individual. With my two DCs both play well from memory. Eldest will not use music for performing as believes it confuses them whereas younger plays well from memory but likes having the music for reassurance. Similarly as @horseymum points out JDs suit some but not all. My two are equally musical but the younger couldn’t bear giving up a whole day on a Saturday and missing out on Saturday orchestra and friends and family.

@Iwilltrytobepositive we changed teachers just before Grade 8 for our younger one (she was then 13 so about the same age as yours). It was positive... she took an extra term before the exam, but the more experienced teacher gave her the ability to colour her tone that was lacking from the other one, who had taught her for years. But a lot of it is about rapport.

Has anyone's child auditioned for NCO this year? I was wondering when the results of the auditions are out and whether we are contacted either way, ie, to say they haven't got in (if that's the case) as well as if they had. Did previous successful applicants hear by post or email? Thanks!

There were additional late auditions ongoing with a closing date of tomorrow. Haven't heard anything yet. Know they said 'October' but I think it was 'from October' and they weren't specific about which date!

Hi Madrescuechicken (great username!) - yes DD auditioned, and has been in Projects a couple of previous years. We'll get an email either way. Last year was 17th-18th (yes I checked back), but as northern says looks like it may be a bit later this time.

Thank you! I didn't know about late auditions so that's useful.

They've just updated their facebook page saying that late auditions have now closed and that they'll review them and will 'soon be able to send our results to everyone who applied for a place in NCO 2024'

Its not specific, but does confirm that they haven't sent any results out yet so will be doing them all together.

In case anyone's DCs are interested.

I would be grateful for advice. My DS is 13 and plays the saxophone - about to take grade 7. ( and drums grade 5ish) We are not a musical family at all and so he just got on with things without much parental input but seems to love the saxophone especially Jazz. His school music teacher today suggested he applied to a junior conservatoire. I had never heard of these - I think it seems he could audition early next year. His school is a state comp with a very good music department but no other kids doing this type of thing. Any advice on which one he should look at ( I looked at junior Jazz at Guildhall and seems amazing), and would he need to practice skills beyond pieces. He does lots of improvisation and composition himself. We’re in Herts so can get to London, he does the local music service jazz groups and county jazz groups when they are on. Thankyou in advance

There is also the national youth jazz collective that might be a good option. They have something in King's Cross. The organisation is a bit 'jazz' though so found it a little difficult to really get a grip on what the schedule was and when / who they audition

nationalyouthjazz.co.uk/

Yes I see what you mean it’s hard to unpick exactly - it does look good-location and summer schools. Thankyou!

I did apply last year for DD and got a 'no space at the moment but we will be in touch after feb (or something like that) with an update- no update has ever come. To be fair I didn't chase so if you were more proactive it could work out, but probably one thing to consider amongst others rather than pinning your hopes on it

Excitement here as after much auditioning and call/backs, DS’s school production of Oliver has been cast! DS is Mr Bumble! He’ll need a fat suit…

@herbaceous what fun! Hope he's pleased?

I spoke to DD2 last night for the first time in about a week (I get a lot of whatsapps). That place really is changing her fast. She wants to know how many instruments she can bring on a canal boat for a four day break ('because I have to do things every day mum').

i'm saying yes to flute and not bassoon. We're going with friends and I'd like us to stay that way...In summer I think she'd have relished the chance for some time off.

She also has a trip to Howarths planned in half term with a friend to buy bassoon harnesses. Whatever happened to Claire's Accessories?

This conversation came with a soundtrack of someone playing songs from Frozen on the piano and a large selection of girls singing along.

Still - she sounds very happy!

@minisnowballs I'm so pleased that your dd is so happy and thriving - sounds like such a good fit for her. How are you doing?? I mean obviously fine in so far as she's so happy but it's been a massive change for the rest of the family too.

@QueenMabby I am mostly OK thank you - I am very much looking forward to having her home for two weeks though.

Sometimes it makes me very grumpy that in order for her to have all this I have to give her up for such a lot of the time - but conversations like last night's make it feel like a worthwhile sacrifice. It really is another world, and one she very much loves to inhabit.

I'm delighted that our Ukrainian ward is getting on so well with our older DD - so we still have two happy girls interacting and hanging out at home... and lots of music going on from both of them too.

Hope yours are doing well ?