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.

Thank you for the welcome messages, and those brilliant tips @Alsoplayspiccolo and @chickentikkasalad. We're encouraged to do daily practice and I'll definitely have to supervise her, I'm expecting her to resist sometimes as it can be a struggle to get through the basic tasks of the day. And I have a 16m old who I'll need to supervise at the same time.

Hi rusticrose! Your daughter sounds very musical 😁 sorry I can't help with the courses.

Well done to all the NYO auditioners! When do they hear? Can I ask was it a whole day (my daughter wants to try next year). Sounds a cliche but they've done so well to get to this point, whatever happens now. Fingers crossed for everyone!!

@georgedawes it is a whole day assessment of which the audition forms one part. They also do things like an instrumental workshop and creative and ensemble skills. Auditions end on 17th Sept and results are due 'by 27th Sept'

Thanks @Pollyanna8844 Sounds intense but potentially fun too . I'm guessing it's run really well as it's NYO. Best of luck to everyone having a go.

At the audition they asked quite a few questions about the excerpts so they need to know what's going on with other instruments around their part well. DD was asked what the violins were doing at one point - she could do the rhythm but didn't know it was 'col legno' ( with the wood of the bow). Her teacher had them write in in pencil briefly what was happening so she was prepared but you can't anticipate every question!

You absolutely can't @horseymum

Hello @rusticrose! I also have a 5yo, just started year 1. He is desperate to learn the violin but is doing the Guildhall Kindergarten programme which is 2 years of Kodaly and Dalcroze (Reception and Year 1) and then some of them are selected for an instrument in Year 2. Seems a long time to wait for someone who is so keen!

And there’s also very little info about how they select the instruments for each child so I’m slightly concerned he will be offered something else, so I have been wondering about alternatives for next year if it doesn’t pan out.

If anyone has any intel on the guildhall course, or any recommendations for anywhere else in London where he could have instrumental and muscianship lessons on a Saturday I’d be keen to hear!

Lovely to hear that everyone is settling back into school and music things.

Hi @SweetforOrchestra CYM is an alternative (though of course run by the same people really) - their primary years programme certainly contains children who haven't continued at Guildhall for whatever reason. They are very, very friendly, but it definitely isn't quite as glam as the others. Mine both started much later so I can't really comment on the primary years but the Prelude Strings ensemble that DD2 did there for a bit was excellent for tinies.

Oh yes - CYM has been mentioned by Guildhall as an alternative. Can you start there as a complete beginner?

I feel relatively confident that DS will be offered a place next year based on his reports last year, but my worry is that they will tell him he has to play the trombone or the harp or something (which are great instruments but just not what he wants!). I’m sure the violin will be one of the most popular and they’ve been very (I’m sure deliberately) vague as to how they allocate kids to instruments. Still some way off obviously and hopefully they will provide more info this year.

I guess I hope I’m not doing him a disservice by not starting him sooner, since he is so keen right now, but think we will stick with it and see what happens.

Grade 1 sax question - how to help DS improve his phrasing for the solos. His note choice is excellent (he's hitting all the chord tones and even sticking some sevenths and ninths in) but it does rather sound like he's just running scales and arpeggios rather than coming up with musical ideas. He has a block about repeating notes it seems, so if he's played one note he'll always move on to another so his solos always sound scalic. I've tried showing him on the guitar, but it's not really sinking in. Or is what he is doing enough for grade 1? Teacher seems unconcerned at this point so maybe I'm just overthinking it.

So, the full NYO application process is a written application (with some quite in depth questions to find out more about what music means to you etc) and a video submission of 2 pieces and some excerpts.
If you’re then invited to the final assessment day, you’re put in a group of the same instrument. (So on a violin day, there may be 4 groups of 6 violinists). Each group does the same sessions but at different times in the day from each other.
The day starts with introductions and warm ups, and then includes things like creative workshops, sectional playing (where each person the the group takes a turn to lead one of the excerpts), and an actual solo audition and interview with a panel.

Its such a worthwhile experience, regardless of whether you are offered a place, and this year NYO have created NYO Unite, which is a day offered to everyone who made it through to final assessments.

Thanks @Alsoplayspiccolo ! Sounds really worthwhile, whatever the outcome. DD could have skipped the first round this year due to being on the tour, but decided not to apply as felt she's not quite at the required standard (and I think feeling like she's a bit young). She really wants to give it a go next year though, and of course probably won't have the advantage of skipping the first round like this year!!

Best of luck to your son!

Do you mean she was invited to the final assessment days, georgedawes? In which case, she is definitely the right standard!

When you say she was on the tour, do you mean she’s already been on one of the NYO residencies?

Our experience has been that NYO really nurture potential members once they’ve spotted them, so it’s a great sign if they’re already making offers to your DD.

She went on the NYO inspire tour, she'd only been to one day before so I think someone might have dropped out so she was offered the place. NYO gave all the inspire musicians who went on the tour the opportunity to go straight to assessment days, which was as you say, incredibly encouraging for everyone that went. I think most took up the offer, but I think it was a bit different for dd, she was only 13 and felt it was just a bit too much this year.

Playing a rare instrument definitely helps!

Ah, I understand. Well, that’s brilliant and she should definitely apply next summer!

Hello all - fingers crossed for all DCs waiting to hear back from NYO. My DS went to the NYO Manchester audition day on Monday and doesn't really know how he thinks it went. Apparently one of his bassoon keys got stuck on one of his pieces so he had to restart, but other than that he had nothing concrete to report!

He's young to be trying for it, so we are really viewing the day as good experience, but of course he'd love to get in. @Alsoplayspiccolo you mentioned the NYO unite day and I wondered if you knew whether it mattered if people can't attend? The one that DS has been invited to is in Lancaster and is the day between him returning from a school trip to Germany and us going on a family holiday to Italy. We are in the north east, and the thought of trying to get him to a day in Lancaster in the middle of all that seems just too much. But I wondered if NYO would view that poorly in future years. Probably they don't care or wouldn't notice and I'm overthinking....!

I'm sure they won't mind @PinkGrapefruitSorbet , they're really lovely. My daughter couldn't make the first unite day she was offered (county residential same day) and they offered her another day which she can do. Of course they said it's not guaranteed etc (which we completely understood) but they will try to accommodate changes if they can, more than anything though they'll be lovely I'm sure.

Thanks @georgedawes , that's reassuring. I feel quite out of my depth in this arena and don't want to accidentally disadvantage DS!

I get it, I really am too! One kind poster here said to email them to ask if dd could join inspire when she was 12, saying they were lovely. I would have worried I was doing the right thing, but she was right - they were really lovely and did invite her to a orchestra day which led to the tour.

The staff on the tour were superstars, I think dd was one of the youngest there and they went out of their way to look out for her, knew everyone's names before they arrived etc...they also seemed really passionate about getting the inspire kids to go for NYO too, which I thought was ace.

I don’t think not being able to manage anything they offer has a negative impact on future opportunities, don’t worry.
It’s really more about NYO trying to provide as many experiences to as many young players as possible.

As for pastoral care, they even went as far as to have a resident osteopath on the summer residency, and individuals could book a session with him - DS had one, as he has mild scoliosis of the spine and hyper mobility, and he said he came out feeling amazing afterwards.

That does all sound brilliant @georgedawes @Alsoplayspiccolo , thanks for the info. DS has been in NCO for a couple of years which is similarly well organised and staffed. It's great that these opportunities are available!

Aha! Have only just realised there's a new thread!

I shall do the customary intro.

One DS, age 14. Ex chorister, on the telly at Christmas as angelic choirboy, is now a tenor and may sink further! Got to g6 singing, and wondering about choral scholarship to Oxbridge! Sings in five choirs, of between four and forty members.

Also plays piano. Just got g8 distinction, and loves playing all sorts. Came on in leaps and bounds in lockdown. Plays in a piano trio and various recitals.

Also plays French Horn, around g6, for school and city orchestras, and is being invited to 'grown up' ones too. Plays in chamber group as well.

Also loves musical theatre. Is playing Lawrence in local production of School. of. Rock. His school is doing Oliver, and he's hoping for a decent part, despite broken voice.

Oh, and he's learning the viola!

I worry sometimes that he does no other hobbies, but he does love his music so!

Hi @herbaceous wow how talented your son is! And extremely busy! Hope to hear more about him on this thread!

Has he thought of combing the two loves of music and musical theatre and auditioning for the NYMT band for one of their shows next year? I can highly recommend.

That's a thought, Comefromaway! He's wondering about brushing up his horn for a crack at NYO too...