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!).

Top tip-Woodhead’s sell excellent quality used horns. So his paxman was around half the new price. He’s got two years of conservatoire left so we’ll see what the future holds. It really is a great instrument- lovely to’meet’ another horn parent.

That reminds me of a conversation we had with DS earlier this year @Siriusmuggle after his teacher announced that the Conservatoire flute we bought him in year 8 was no longer up to the job and we needed to buy a Professional flute for our 16 year old (yr 12). To think I once thought that he could use his Child Trust Fund to buy himself a Conservatoire flute when he was going to a Conservatoire! I was quite clearly delusional. I have made it clear we are now done with buying instruments!

I nearly fainted at the cost of DD's flute @Pollyanna8234 . We spent her inheritance from her great grandma on it (and then some!) but then realised she also needs a bassoon and a piccolo.

Neither of which we yet own.

Praying she never needs her own contra. The Child Trust Fund can only stretch so far.

We won't be upgrading the flute like we'd hoped post grade 8 but she also isn't at music school. She'd love to try a piccolo but that also isn't happening unless it can be rented / a loan!

we used to borrow the school piccolo @GeneralMusings - it was a school with very little music but used to be a grammar and had had more music in the past - they dug it out of a cupboard and let DD have it for nothing while she was there. I did insure it for them though. The sad thing is it will probably now go unused for decades since she's given it back - the dust layer on it was very thick.

For selling instruments, we have only bought/ sold through the teachers, either one they have owned or from a pupil of theirs, then sold to pupils. Both instruments have kept their value thankfully. So sad when council instruments are not used, there's a beautiful mini bassoon not being used in our council.

@minisnowballs Hi, long time lurker here. DD is a singer but I’m a (lapsed!) bassoonist, I suspect I had the same teacher as your DD albeit MUCH earlier in their career! For the “bit broken bassoon”, hold fire on contacting Howarths, tell the school and let them sort it. It may not even need much fixing, many an issue can be sorted in-house. If it needs to be sent away, it can be and school can arrange a temp replacement. Basically, just focus on getting clothes and shoes!

@GeneralMusings maybe keep an eye on eBay for piccolos - I bought DS a Yamaha YPC 32 on there for £132. If he turns out to be any good I'm sure it won't be the only one I'll have to buy, but it's fine for him for now.

And gosh just reread and saw the stolen suitcase bit. Hope all is okay.

@minisnowballs @Pollyanna8234 may be worth seeing if Benslow instrument loan scheme or the Cherubim trust have any good quality loan instruments available? We explored this for DS as he needed an A clarinet - unfortunately they were all out on loan so we’ve ended up having to buy over the summer but it’s certainly worth enquiring.

@Ginanddiatonic hello! how funny! dd2 is actually changing teachers (not a big change or surprise but the long-standing bassoon teacher is off to do new things and his deputy has been appointed as the. Re one). She’s happy enough with this. Bassoon behaved itself yesterday so fingers crossed this continued. Meanwhile.. school shoes and haircuts

I am a French Horn parent too! DS currently playing in a holiday orchestra course... It's the only thing that really keeps him going with it. He's more into his singing and piano ATM.

But yes. He got a double Paxman horn a couple of years ago that apparently was a 'bargain' at two grand.

Oooh we got Newport!! Isle of Wight means a ferry trip.

Do people tend to go the night before? Arrive early?

Also anyone know about financial assistance - can we claim the ferry? And will that go against her wanting to take part in anything on future. Do I book the ferry now?? Thankyou cleber people

Ha just realised it's Newport WALES.

Goodness gracious. That's a trek.

Glad you checked 😂 I think they try to spread them out but actually sometimes it's easier just going to London as more frequent services there!

Yes London would have been easier 😂.

Another horn parent here *waves

More horn parents than I thought! Hope they all keep it up- mine is third year conservatoire and has had loads of fun opportunities with it.

I see people are hearing back from NYO auditions - anyone's sprogs auditioned for NCO?

Yup, horns seem to be pricey don't they. We got a reasonable full double for about 1800 but i dont know whether we'll need a better one at some point.

That actually does sound like a bargain. His current one was £5,500 second hand. A new one would be £11k. That’s why he can buy his own in the future!

Oh gosh @Siriusmuggle that's a lot, am assuming your DC is at quite a high level? Mine is only gd6 yet so i think we are ok on a lesser instrument hopefully

He’s halfway through a music performance degree. His previous horn took him up to grade 8 and then he got this one prior to 6th form at specialist school. It’s a professional standard instrument so I feel like my instrument purchasing work is done 😂

@Siriusmuggle that seems reasonable 😂

I think so @Thatmissingsock 😁 not sure my child agrees