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.

@Teapotkitten is it worth getting in touch with the other county's music centre and explain your situation? They might be okay given that you're only 4 miles away! There's nothing to lose anyway.
Luckily our music centre is quite close to us but I don't see anywhere saying the pupil has to live in a certain area! Maybe each one runs differently so it's worth a shot.

We are near the border of another London borough and I enquired about DD joining their orchestra and they said it would be fine. Can't recall if there was some priority for those in borough but otherwise no issue (we didn't take it up in the end but may do in time!)

Sorry- realised I answered half the question - in terms of whether the teaching is better in a music centre vs private it's impossible to tell until you're comparing individual teachers but I do agree that with a local authority music service you lose a bit of control over the lessons that you can retain more privately.

For both my kids we moved to their sat centres for piano but esp for DD, only once she did a trial lesson and we had met the potential teacher, which differs significantly from how the process would work at our council music service where you'd be allocated. My son's sat centre is somewhere in the middle whereby they allocate teachers but I've swapped them when they haven't worked out (and am now v happy with both)

@Teapotkitten

Where we are there seems to be a bit of flexibility about where you live in relation to the music centres. We have one close by but many of the people we know seem to travel to one of the smaller ones in the county due to personal preference, class times etc.

As regards teaching quality etc, it varies by teacher. Some of the best local music teachers seem teach at our music centre. Spaces are limited though due to the ensembles which all happen on the same day.

The drawback we found with the music centre was that lessons are only on Saturday term times. So, at the moment there is a 3 week gap for half term. However, I do think that some people make private arrangements with the teachers at times like this.

So, I think there’s no hard and fast rules. We’ve always taken the view that we find a teacher that fits and then work out the logistics from there. ----

Hope everyone who did NYO activity recently -unite, inspire, open etc had a good time. Mine enjoyed Lancaster yesterday. Youngest just enjoyed being surrounded by other bassoons. Middle had a good workout playing cor anglais all day. Was a good chance to meet some other parents too.
If you are interested in taking part but think your child isn't experienced enough, look at the NYO open activities, I think they are run for local youngsters in the local area where an NYo inspire is taking place - I think it may be any level of player ( but probably still teen-age, not sure of that).

@horseymum glad your DDs enjoyed their day. DS had a great time at the Brighton one. I believe the NYO Open events are grade 3+ which opens it up to lots more kids as Inspire is grade 6+

NYO unite is also open to 11-18 year olds so it's a wider range than Inspire as that starts from 13

So glad all enjoyed the NYO stuff. DD2 was only offered a day when we were on holidays so sadly missed out. Shame as it looked fab. However, she did get to do the double reed day at RAM yesterday, which was most exciting. Nice that she got to play in ensembles with adults (plus a few people she knew from Inspire last year who are now at RAM) - and she now has a correctly fitted bassoon harness to try (thank you Howarths) and a shiny reed box that holds the newly prescribed nine reeds..

She was too shy to offer to try the contrabassoon in a workshop front of everyone - and I was a bit disappointed to see the teacher noticed every young boy there and not the young girl when asking who else wanted a go but she wasn't exactly putting herself forward. She's going to have to play on in SLYO 1 apparently so really wanted to try in advance - at least she got some tips from watching!

My favourite thing though was the entrepreneur who had been a RAM oboe student for a year and then studied aeronautical engineering. As a result he's set up a business making 3d printed reed making equipment to order... a brilliant example of how to mix different interests and strengths, as well as very environmentally friendly as the knives take standard Stanley knife blades. I have no need for any of these things but thought it was so clever.

Do any parents of older musical children have a dedicated social media presence for them eg a webpage or FB/ insta? I don't know if it is necessary or helpful? DD has had a couple of small grants and they have asked to be acknowledged, which I would do if I can. I know a relative has a FB for her actor child. I'd rather not but also thought a webpage might be somewhere to keep a record of things. I really need to write down specific achievements somewhere as whenever I apply for a grant or something, I have to remember dates etc.

Ds began his own around the age of 15.

My youngest had her own page on my FB account from 13 as she was a harpist and started getting work for background music for parties. We'd post together so I knew what was going on although it was her page. It also meant that I got the messages inviting her to play and could take a view on whether or not to pass them on......

I kept a separate word doc for each of them on what they'd done as it was way too much to remember. Came in really handy when applying for sixth form scholarships for the younger one as I could attach it to the music scholarship applications.

Thanks for that. She doesn't need it for work as not really gigging yet ( any extra stuff she does is through me/my friends eg church carol services etc so not even paid!) but just thought when I've been asked to acknowledge grants it might be an easy way. I think I might hold off for a wee bit and just keep a file of things I need to remember as we will have college applications etc next year. I even forget what year they started playing and have to look back at photos!! She's not on any social media yet which I'm happy about so not in a rush but trying to think ahead.

I set up an instagram page after DS was on telly last year, as thought that if any impresario wanted him for fame and fortune, they'd need a way of finding him. It's still there, but pretty inactive now!

I also made a Youtube channel, linked to the insta page.

What do you do when you are offered an amazing opportunity but it clashes with other commitment.

It happened before for ds with NYMT. After he played for their concert they asked him to play on Chess which was a fantastic opportunity, however it clashed with a wedding background music gig. He ended up doing NYT and send dh to dep for him at the wedding.

But this is a bit different. He is supposed to be conducting an amateur show in December (backing tracks not a live band though) but has been offered an incredible professional opportunity that clashes.

In his position, I would contact whoever fixed him for The amateur show, explain the opportunity he's been offered and ask whether they would release him. He can tell them that he wouldn't ordinarily renege on a booking, but that the other offer is obviously an amazing opportunity.
If they say ges, great, but if not, he will still make a positive impression on the organisers of the other work for honouring his commitment.

I will say, though, that loyalty doesn't always go very far, so he should bear that in mind and think about what works best for him in the first instance.
Amateur work will almost always only lead to more amateur work...

Gosh that's tough comefromaway. I take it the professional opportunity is one day that isn't flexible in any way? I have no idea what to do, but sure alsoplays has given good advice. Your ds sounds like he is in demand!

The professional opportunity is 4 dates in different cities) plus a rehearsal.

He thinks he is going to have to turn it down. He is gutted (even if you haven't heard of the orchestra you will have heard of some of the stuff they have been involved in) but I guess this is the life of a freelance musician.

Oh that's so tough!

That's so hard @Comefromaway ... hoping his loyalty will be rewarded in all sorts of ways.
I'm a freelancer myself (not music!) so I understand the stress...

That sounds like a hard choice @Comefromaway - hope he's found a solution he's happy with.

We're just finishing up half term so not much music here. We did take a trip to stringers though for a new violin case and chin rest and found them really helpful -especially the fact that when DD tried shoulder rests they had suggestions of ones that might work, but then said she was still too small to swap and should come back when she had grown. Made me feel like they weren't just trying to sell- instead giving advice on the right option for her now. She's delighted with her new hard shell case though - it's much lighter and has backpack straps so she can carry it much more easily.

He’s had to turn it down. He’s gutted but has had to accept it.

yesterday brought home to me the importance of keeping our local music shops open. This can only happen if we buy from them online.

Twice now my son’s band has been bailed out on the day of a gig by our local shop. Several months ago a keyboard stand was stuck in another city on the day of a gig and yesterday someone’s cello string snapped during the rehearsal.

@Comefromaway I;m so sad to hear that- may he receive many more even better opportunities in the future!

@Comefromaway I'm very touched by his noble choice of honouring his commitment instead of snatching the best opportunity available. This shows the quality of him as a person, besides as a musician. I hope more and better opportunities will come to reward him in the future 👍.

Can I ask if anyone has advice on ABRSM Diploma vs. ARSM performance Diploma?

DD is preparing for the first but will only find out exam date 2 weeks before the exam. She’s just been let down by her usual piano accompanist and we’re struggling to find someone who will commit with such vague timelines.

School can book an ARSM Diploma and piano accompanist and have even offered to pay for both 😮which is amazing.

Our cello teacher feels that the present exam is much more rigorous and highly regarded. Also DD very keen on the “tougher” exam.

I would value any wisdom from this forum and apologies that I am a very infrequent poster!