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.

Congratulations to mini @herbaceous sounds like lots of work but good fun too. @minisnowballs so glad the two at home are getting on well, it would be quiet otherwise. My wee recorder pupil proudly announces she was taking her recorder on holiday, I'm sure her aunt and uncle will be delighted! My dds would love to visit howarths, maybe one day! Might make it for some conservatoire open days and include it.
Any good music shops in Cardiff anyone know of?

@minisnowballs - dd is doing ok thanks. In the throws of drama production this week and we'll ALL be glad when that's over! Congrats to mini @herbaceous for his casting!

There is Cardiff Violins, which deals with all string instruments and is the string equivalent of Howarth's. Otherwise there is Gamlins, which is more your typical general music shop.

@Alsoplayspiccolo love that there's a Howarths for strings too. We have a trip booked to Marylebone next week so DD can try some bassoon harnesses. Her former teacher (who I still see at her sister's saturday school) gave me quite the detailed lecture on them last week, so there's clearly a lot more to them than I thought.

Off to pick up my baby tomorrow. Can't wait to have her back for two weeks.

@horseymum I am horrified that a child would take a recorder on holiday. My older DD used to call the recorder the 'rock horn' when she was little... made it sound far (even) cooler, but just as loud!

We're off to school for the symphony orchestra concert tonight, minisnowballs, and staying over - nice hotel, afternoon tea and the pub after the performance...The perks of having a child at boarding school!

Just...how...do you bite off the corner of a mouthpiece?? At least it brought a continuous hour-plus of arpeggios and pentatonics to an end, so that was a blessing.

Well, we have also taken the oboe and Cor away as she's got a lesson so will be having a practice in the air BnB ( not too early and not too long).
Anyone with older ones who could share useful questions to ask on the tour of the music department at Royal Welsh college? It's her first visit to a conservatoire she's considering and needs to sound interested! ( as interested as a teen can!)

@Alsoplayspiccolo nice!

Must admit I'm glad she's not in symphony this term (teacher keeps uttering 'next term' at her, but she wants to do Silver DofE too so she's not pushing it- and they do now have a plethora of bassoons) as we're doing the same for the school production in December - could all end up very expensive, especially since we have two other girls to bring with us...

and @MelodiousThunk that makes me wince just to think of it. Surely that can't be good for the teeth?

@minisnowballs he over bites, we're working on it. We are using mouthpiece patches but he obviously managed to bite down right on the corner where the ebonite is really thin. And of course broke the reed in the process. Luckily you don't pay the "classical music tax" with a sax so relatively cheap to get a new one.

@MelodiousThunk glad to hear it's not expensive.... At least you can't do that with a bassoon (plenty else to break!)

@horseymum re conservatoires I'd ask things like who the tutors are/how they're allocated, what performance opportunities can they expect, structure of the course etc etc

Hello - I tend to lurk on this thread as my DC are both out the other end of school now - one at conservatoire and one at uni.However I thought someone on here might have some ideas on where to look for help with funding to enable DC1 to attend an international competition. They have made it through the preliminary rounds but the final is in Europe and the competition offers no funding for travel there or accomodation. It seems harsh if the only people who can take part in the in person final performance round are those who can afford international travel and accommodation.

NCO U12 and U13 results are out - good luck to all those who’ve been waiting

Oh my, I've just seen my DD has got U12 nationals. She's never auditioned before so I wasn't sure what to expect. Now just to raise the money on a limited budget....

That's exciting @Madrescuechicken - what instrument? My DS has got London projects on flute u12

@londonmummy1966 wonder if something like the rotary club or similar might have funds. I googled and you can get extensive lists, though not sure how many are outdated:

Funding for musicians: music grants in the UK | Bandzoogle Blog

She plays tuba and we're based up North. I just can't believe it as she's never done anything like this before. She's currently working towards her G7 tuba.

Big congrats to your son!

Congratulations!
NCO offer bursaries 😊

Thank you - yes, I'm looking through in more detail now and I think we'd qualify. Good luck to everyone else's kids too.

Well done to all with nco success (at whatever level).

Congrats madrescuechickenDD, that's great!
DD also in to U12 on viola.

londonmummy1966 congrats to your DC, very impressive. Can their institution/teacher help at all, or at least advise? Otherwise as well as national orgs you may be able to find more local charitable trusts that include the arts in their brief for allocating grants.

Thats brilliant news @thirdfiddle - congratulations to her.

I think that you mentioned she had done projects in earlier years - wondered if you had any insight as to what it involves apart from the 2 non residential weekends of face to face 'activity dates' as the rest of it seems a bit vague.

There is some reference to 'looking forward to a refreshed year of online activities' but wondering in reality what these will be? My reading is that for £350 you get 2 weekends of coaching /playing together and then everything else is online. Assume there might be a 'mini concert' for parents at the end of each weekend to share what they're working on.

If he takes up the place it would mean missing 2 weeks of Sat school which given he has 2 different individual lessons there is quite significant so just trying to work out if its worth it for him.

Thank you for that @northerngoldilocks I've had a look and contacted a couple of charities that look hopeful. The real problem is the turnaround time as the results of the preliminary rounds were only out last week and the competition is the end of next month.