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.

The bassoon is rather more, er, strident than the cello! I can see why they wouldn want it instead!

I forgot some exciting news. Last year, when still an angelic choirboy, DS recorded In the Bleak Midwinter for his agent (less high-powered than it sounds). It was to go into a music production library, and may or may not have been used.

Well, blow me down, we found out a few weeks ago it was used in a film new out on Disney+! Starring John Travolta! He even gets a credit at the end!

Sadly the film is tripe.

Oh dear @minisnowballs hope she's ok. Some rest at home will sort her out I'm sure. DD is playing her bassoon at church but older one has gone for a break from oboe and doing recorder instead.
@herbaceous that's lovely about the film, nice to be able to say.

It’s called The Shepherd. Worth watching if you’ve got Disney+ - he’s on right at the start after the credits!

Hello everyone.

Have any of your DC recently sat a face to face exam and found results are taking ages?

It’s been over 28 days and counting here… teacher has chased it but still no news.

Any reason this could be - does it mean the result is being moderated/disputed?

They are normally much quicker - less than a week so must be being moderated. Maybe just keep chasing. What does it say on your account?

Dd got a merit for grade 8 piano, think she was secretly hoping for distinction but scales weren't great. Got 30 for one of her pieces though, so happy with that. Now to learn a symphony for her first NYO residential.

@horseymum very well done to her 30/30 on a G8 piece is incredible - she must have played so beautifully. Hope she loves NYO. She should be so proud of herself.

We have dd2 home. After two days of being a bit floppy and tired she's now back to her usual extra self and has already disappeared off to make gingerbread with her cousin who lives an hour's train ride away.

She has a lot of practice to do though. Her school report (including all instrumental teachers) was wonderful so hopefully she now feels she's earned her place and can relax a bit. But she's an ARSM and a grade 6 to prepare for this year apparently- neither on her first instrument -which seems like quite a lot.

Congratulations to your DD @horseymum - exams are unpredictable and a merit is a fantastic result - also a 30 on one of her pieces is awesome!

Thanks, yes they are so unpredictable. The sight-reading was a bit of a train crash I think too- in 7/4 time, in c major but every note was an accidental. I think the comment was ' some accident prone notes' which she feels was generous! Happy with the pieces though which is the main thing.
@minisnowballs sounds like your DD will make the most of the holidays.
We just have some church services to go now, school finishes on Friday.

@PressedFlowers this happened to us last year.

It was because the results were being moderated. We had over 6 weeks of anxious waiting.

That's a fantastic result! Grade 8 piano is HARD, and especially the sightreading, so she's done brilliantly.

DS spent nearly 2 hours yersterday, marking in the bowings for that symphony! Not sure what your DD's part looks like but the cello part looks difficult!

He has his final concert of the year tonight, with his county youth orchestra.

After the horrible situation around his Conservatoire applications, he's had the fantastic news of offers from all of them, with scholarships for two out of the three.

@Alsoplayspiccolo amazing to get so many offers, and scholarships too! DD is playing cor and oboe so is having to make sure she has the right instrument at the right time. I can imagine the conductor moving around the piece a lot and her coming in on the wrong instrument and being totally in the wrong key!

@Alsoplayspiccolo - fantastic news especially about the scholarships! If he is thinking of RCM I know my DD would be happy to talk to him about it and give some tips on accomodation.

Brilliant news @Alsoplayspiccolo - you must be so proud too!

Congratulations to your DCs @horseymum &@Alsoplayspiccolo !

@Alsoplayspiccolo what a relief after the 'unorthadox' happenings earlier in the year. Brilliant that he was able to focus so well!

@Alsoplayspiccolo - congrats to your ds. Congrats also to this prepping for NYO/NCO events.

Dd finished now after a hectic term. Next term already looking busy with a school strings competition and a concert at a local music venue on top of the usual suspects.

Looks like we may be moving up to a full size cello in the new year. We always said to dd that once she got to full size we'd buy one rather than rent from school so better start saving. Anyone know what is reasonable to pay for a cello for a student who's likely to reach g8 level but who won't need an instrument for conservatoire/professional playing?? Thanks.

Looking at a thread of present hits and misses and realising my kids have quite niche interests. Hits with them are younger dds new bassoon case, which she is delighted with and can't wait to take out somewhere. Older dds recycled oboe key necklace went down well too. They do also like books and fluffy socks so not totally weird!
Any shiny new instruments drop down the chimney?

No new music gifts at all here. Very unusual. We did have crackers with bells in so much hilarity ensued as we all tried to play Christmas tunes with them!

I hope you are all having a lovely Christmas.

dd2 quite pleased with her new tuner- very pleased by lala land piano music. But no new instruments - don’t think we could afford any more right now!

Ds had a new amp to replace one that disappeared during a run of shows last summer, does that count?

and he had an SSD drive to store the sounds from his music software

All good niche presents!

Nothing music-y here, apart from a niche book about how the Beatles wrote their songs.

One of our geekier choir chums did get a tie especially for Midnight Mass with 'word' written on it, and the associated chord, for the verse of O Come All Ye Faithful that only gets sung on Christmas Day! That's niche!

DD got some new beautiful guitar picks and a 'Studio Ghibli' piano solos book. No instruments this year though.

An electronic drum kit here, quite a lot of new music and the Ghibli piano book too @northerngoldilocks

Very impressed with the sound of the drums.