Spring /Summer 24 - Music thread

[northerngoldilocks]

The old thread was filling up, so here's a new one to talk about music activities. Come and talk about music lessons, choosing instruments, exams, auditions, specialist schools, orchestras or whatever other music activities are going on. Everyone is welcome, from those with total beginners to those whose children are studying music at advanced levels. Ask for advice or share successes or struggles. There's loads of experience across a wide variety of instruments too(though bassoon's are weirdly popular on here - you'd think that every second child plays one!).

Definitely complain. DD's school put in a complaint when the examiner put a comment on DD's mark sheet about sounding her consonants in the German when she was actually singing in Norwegian so if that merits a complaint then what happened to your DD's pupil definitely should. Sounds very upsetting.

Thank you - I didn't know about the recording - I'll definitely get her to ask for the board to look into it. I haven't put any DC into an exam since the days of paper mark sheets where it would be obvious there was a big gap where the third piece should be -perhaps it is less straightforward when its on screen.

I read somewhere that the marking is set to a certain number to start with - maybe 16 and then they go up or down from that. Maybe thats how they could possibly get confused and think they'd scored it?

That makes a lot of sense actually northerngoldilocks.

Gutting all round as this girl is very musical so DD thought she might get a distinction if she kept her nerve.

That is very true here too -

@londonmummy1966 that's awful - she should definitely say something -that would throw a much older child no matter someone of ten taking their first grade. Ridiculous ... the examiner really had one job there and didn't do it!

Thanks mini - I agree doesn't matter how old they are but the examiner knew she was in a primary school which makes it even worse...

@londonmummy1966 yes, much worse for a little one, agreed!

DS's Grade 7 flute exam finally released and was worth waiting for. He got a distinction so am very proud of him!

That's great news @northerngoldilocks. Well done your ds!

@northerngoldilocks fantastic news for your DS - well done!

@londonmummy1966 that’s dreadful, I would definitely complain about that. The examiner has a mark sheet to fill in as they are going along - surely she must have noticed that one box was empty?

@yodaforpresident that was what I thought but I think its now on the ipad and northern suggested that it might be set to a default mid mark so less obvious than the paper sheet would have been.

@northerngoldilocks excellent news! Some impressive exam successes on this thread this term - well done to all!

Fantastic @northerngoldilocks!!! Well done!

Morning al!
DS2 is starting as a cathedral chorister in September. Going into Y4. Any current / former cathedral chorister parents on here? He will be starting at the choir school and doing some boarding. Bjg changes all round...although he's done some flexi boarding at his current school already - just for fun. He's been dead set on this for a long while. Totally immovable on the plan! Just wondering if there are any others on here! Thanks!

Hi @ChoristerMum1, sorry no inputs about chorus school from me. Hopefully lots of others will be able to offer more advice. Just love your DS's determination!! Hope he enjoys it!

Congratulations to @northerngoldilocks DS and many others on the thread on great exam results! Well done all!

@ChoristerMum1 no choristers here either but DD2 (just finished Y10) is now at a cathedral school as a specialist musician so lots of her friends are ex-choristers both at her school and other cathedral schools where they had to leave at 13. She has friends in the choir too in the year below who will stop this year.

She sometimes says wistfully that she would have loved to have done it - they're a tight team of children who've learned so much from the experience. Some of her year are only now just about getting over coming out of the choir - definitely a bit of a grieving process for them.

But it is quite a structured life - not right for everyone. One of our godchildren left one of the most prestigious cathedral choirs as he was just miserable at 8 and the school's boarding really wasn't up to scratch - he is happy now so don't be afraid to stop if it isn't right. And don't be afraid to be pushy if you're not happy with the pastoral care - they don't own your child...no matter how they talk about the opportunities they are giving.

Sounds like if he's already boarded a bit he'll be more ready than some are! Hope he has a fab time.

@ChoristerMum1 I had 2 non boarding choristers who then went on to board - one at a cathedral school. It gives them amazing experiences but it is very hard wok and they have to learn to organise themselves very well. Unless its the Abbey they will have to learn to catch up on what they miss lessons wise when they are needed for special services etc. They do make great friendships and develop an ability to work "on the level" with adults at an early age.

The one thing I didn't do and regret is I didn't get to know the choirmaster before signing them up. This person will have a huge amount of impact on their well being for the next 4 years so make sure they are someone you are comfortable with.

Thanks so much for the replies. Yes it's definitely daunting (for me anyway - he couldn't be less daunted!) and I'm now starting to worry about how on earth he will go from my little 8 year old who has just done his grade 2, to singing all that complex music in a huge cathedral! I'm hoping he can catch on quick and master all the sight singing and other bits!
The DoM is fabulous, so I'm not worried about him and the school is well regarded and I know people who've been very happy with it. He's super sociable and really flexible and quite resilient so I think he'll be happy. He's also very organised and self sufficient. Nothing like my older one who would never have coped I don't think. Thanks so much for the support x

My DS was a chorister, and hadn't done any music exams when he started. They're after potential, musicality, discipline and a great voice. He will pick up sight-singing incredibly quickly, and that ability will mean his other music stuff will also fly.

It is hard work and a huge commitment, but my DS adored every second of it. The camaraderie and musical education will stay with him for ever!

Mind you, he didn't board, which probably made life easier!

Thanks @herbaceous - that's helpful to hear ☺️

If it's like DS's cathedral they have a year as probationers, where they learn singing technique, singing from music, and all the procedures you have to follow.

DS didn't have that year as he's done a stint in a church setting for a year beforehand.

I sang in a traditional church choir as a child and loved it. Nothing as fancy as a cathedral but I definitely learned a huge amount about music . I would still rather see all the parts when playing now though, instead of the single line you get in an orchestra and having to count. With choral music you can just see what everyone else is doing so no counting required. I miss singing in a choir now, our church has a music group which I do like but am a bit wistful sometimes.

@horseymum I'm exactly the same - learned to sing chorally in my college chapel at uni and then continued in my twenties in the local church. The one we are in now is all guitars and drums - I sometimes wish for a lovely anthem!

DD2 sings in the 'chapel choir' at her new school, with the cathedral choristers for school services and has learned a whole bunch of stuff very fast!