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.

She used to do Scouts and tbh didn't love the hiking... but could it isn't completely unfamiliar if she does!

My dd did church cleaning and serving at community meals for her volunteering. It was the only thing she could fit in, it was useful and she did learn a bit about service not always being glamorous! It's hard to fit things in around music but it's also healthy to.

Application is open for NYOS ( national youth orchestra of Scotland) if anyone lives in Scotland or has a Scottish connection.

DoE volunteering - DD helped in her school’s prep school at lunchtimes. DS would have helped in the junior school music department but then he saw a post looking for volunteers at a local aviation museum so he did that on a Sunday.

We "wimped out " a long time ago but it is much more effective with practice supervisors etc than a mother "making suggestions". Hope your dd is really happy

@se22mother heaven forfend I make a suggestion! Dd is definitely not receptive to those. Not really suggesting specialist school is the ‘wimpy’ option- just that I understand how hard it is to fit it all in otherwise!

I definitely second practicing smarter not necessarily longer. It really helps when teachers leave good notes and the pupil reads them before each practice. It also helps that both dds get some time to practice at school just now during class music. That will change as they do more listening, composing, groupwork but at the start of the year the teachers let them work on their own thing. For younger dd, the majority of the class is working on playing the keyboard with one finger and working out notes so the teacher is Happy for one less person to help with this!

Great that your DD is able to practise in school time @horseymum - mine got very fed up of leading the djembe drumming in music classes.

Extraordinary drop off with DD2 at new music school yesterday. Took all day, and just so, so hot. She is happy (I think) just wanted everyone to stop making speeches and offering tea on the lawn so that she could get on with this new stage in her life. We were quite outside our comfort zones as her parents but people were nice and kind.

Now just got to pray and hope it works out for her personally and musically. The opportunities are just so immensely different to what she's used to. And so odd to see 'practice' on her timetable for last period today - she's worried she won't know where to go but I'm sure someone will help her!

Wow sounds very civilised and lovely 😊

Ah, minisnowballs, it's only like that on moving in day for new pupils, don't worry.
DS and I arrived at 1.30pm, dropped the first of his gear to his new house, scooted across the lawn to the 6th form centre to grab some food and drink, caught up with his house mistress and tutor, and then finished moving him in - I was back on the road again in an hour and a half.
He was happy to be back and is looking forward to pre-term football training tomorrow afternoon and a full day of symphony orchestra on Sunday. 😀

@Alsoplayspiccolo thank god. I thought DD was going to explode by the end of it - she'd shaken hands with lots of people and said 'yes, bassoon' a lot and 'yes that is unusual' and listened to so many speeches on being kind to people.

Looking at today's timetable it seemed like another morning of the same so I hope she has not actually run away!

Glad you have had a successful if lengthy drop off mini! Even with normal secondary school DD was drooping by the time they'd done summer term visit, summer holiday experience X 3 days, plus two off timetable days at the beginning of term, and just wanted to get on with some lessons. By the end of it all and given the weather this week she reckoned the ice was not only well and truly broken, it had sublimed. (And if she managed to drop that little gem in at school she has given her new classmates and teachers maybe more insight than intended into how her mind works.)

@thirdfiddle she sounds amazing!

It is too hot for back to school, it really is...

@minisnowballs I'm glad drop off went well albeit rather drawn out! I'm sure she'll soo get into the swing of things. Must be so nice to have practice timetabled in. My dd would love that!

Hello all, lost you on the new thread! Infrequent poster here, but love reading everyone's updates, especially as a non musical person myself. Good luck to all doing NYO auditions and how exciting to be starting specialist school @minisnowballs
Hope she's settling in, I reckon she'll take it all in her stride.

I'm not the most knowledgeable about opportunities, but can't recommend NYO inspire enough for children playing at grade 6+. I know most here know about it, but it's been so impactful for DD. It's free, and just such a different world to playing in a state school, with very little music provision. She has a great music centre but school is really not supportive or encouraging, I've tried to (very politely) ask if DD can do extension work, individual practice etc in school lessons but it's been a firm no with the implication we're tiger parents etc etc....it's just a waste of an hour really and putting her massively off GCSE music. On a more positive note, she's starting JD this term and can't wait!

@georgedawes I completely get it - although you might find that after a while the school realises your DD is 'useful' to the music department. DD2 was hauled out of her lessons to do the recordings for all the GCSE students' ensemble work (as a singer) - I guess because they knew she was a safe pair of hands. She was also asked to organise concerts. We had a few years of the 'tiger parent' bit first though (and we really, really aren't).

Good luck with JD (when does she start?)

DD is settling in, but dealing with a huge number of music lessons that clash with one another and with ensembles and with her academic lessons. This will be sorted but she's having to be a real self-starter making sure she tells all of the teachers what she'll be missing while the timetable is fettled.

It feels like a deluge of information at present but sure all will become clear. I do feel very far away though.

Meanwhile she's acclimatising to Saturday academic lessons (ha!) and so much SPORT. She seems to have signed up for badminton and climbing - I'm not sure she knows how to do either - has an entire day on Monday learning how to stage fight (GCSE drama), and had already developed a slightly posh accent when I spoke to her on the phone yesterday. She's a real mimic and has been sounding very South East London for years so this is very funny.

Wow @minisnowballs , sounds exciting and different and a bit scary (in a good way!) just as an adult to hear that itinerary! What an experience, and from everything you've said on here, I'm sure she'll thrive on it. I have so much admiration for the young people on here and that we meet on our various musical outings...they seem to just blossom under the pressure and it's admirable and inspiring to watch. I know I would crumble at half the things they do, on a weekly basis!!

DD starts next week, all very exciting, a bit nerve wracking too, but taking the "it's a privilege to feel the pressure" approach. She needs organised music back in her life, summer has been far too long for her without it.

School is a weird one, one music teacher is as you say, realises that DD is 'useful' and is actually pretty encouraging . The head of music is pretty new and a tricky character by all accounts, doesn't seem to be interested in orchestra/ensembles at all. Sadly virtually all of the ensembles are gone or going and it's choirs only. No dig at the choirs from me, but that's all school want to offer these days. The tiger parent thing is funny to me too - I've gotten a bit more sharp elbowed these days as realised DD needs it, but god, I'm far from a tiger parent. I can't be for music anyway - I know so little!!!

In contrast, minisnowballs, DS messaged at 10.30pm last night to say that he was having trouble with the Netflix password and could we help? 😆
When we asked how everything was going, he replied that her had no lessons, just an admin day, and no lessons today either - just football training this afternoon.

He didn't do any extra activities last year - no time, so don't be surprised if your DD drops climbing etc. In the words of DS's previous matron, the specialist's timetable is "brutal".

@Alsoplayspiccolo DD2 was wondering what to do in prep as she didn't have any - but I'm sure she passed the time.

Specialist timetable does look brutal indeed - but the climbing etc seems to be her PE activities - I think they're compulsory until Sixth Form? She's trying to negotiate her way out of RE for more practice periods which should help.

Prep is done in house, so I’m sure she’ll have been told how to spend the time.
I think U6 have to do games but that’s all - DS did basketball, gym and football last year. I think it’s a reasonable request for musicians not to take part in contact sport.

DS is not someone who’s on the go all the time, by nature, (he’s more than happy to spend a lot of time doing not very much!) but he says the timetable is fine - I think they get used to days packed with rehearsals. He insists on one no practice day a week - Sunday - which is healthy, I think.

That was one of the hardest bits of specialist school- no sport. His primary and secondary were really sporty and he was A team hockey goalie for his year group all the way through. Seems hockey isn’t recommended for musicians, I understand why.

Just signed DD up for another year of hockey club training - oops! Still, she isn't a 'specialist musician' so should be fine 🤞🏻

DD could definitely have done hockey - but since she wouldn't have a clue how to play it I'm not sure she'd have been a lot of help on any team! She has chosen the 'sporty' specialist school though. I know the others aren't very into it.

Correct - we get a rather chaotic PE lesson once a week. A huge contrast to the schools she went to earlier...,.