Autumn / Winter 24 - music thread

[northerngoldilocks]

Feels like time for a new thread for the new school year!

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.

I’m always impressed when I hear of a school having an orchestra too. The music service run them though.

I say an orchestra - it is a massive school and the orchestra started with about 7 kids six years ago and now has about 30, heavily weighted towards grade 2 violins but the staff have done a great job encouraging it. They often arrange pieces specifically. It is another example of why inspire is needed because for the handful of grade 6 plus players, it's not the most musically satisfying experience but they do a good job of helping the sound and enabling the group to function.

DD2's old school had a 'collective' which was a lovely name for the handful of people who played about grade 4. I think orchestra might have been pushing it but collective can mean any combination I guess.

The gulf is vast between this and her new school of course -but she did like the collective too!

My kids school orchestra is run by the music dept. They do a great job in making it inclusive but limited kids mean it contains an electric guitar/ bass, sometimes recorders and a piano. They play arrangements mainly of popular stuff. It's nice but not an orchestra in the same way Indi / specialist schools have.

My children are very lucky that they both get to play in ensembles run by the peripatetic staff though and the school is trying to do some more traditional orchestral repertoire in a new chamber orch for gr 4+ this year. There has been a huge step up re music opportunities this year beyond guitar bands and it's nice to have the mix. We do supplement with private sat centre and holiday courses though as it wouldn't be enough on its own.

Morning, so my 9 year old needs to upgrade to a 3/4 violin. Playing level grade 5. Roughly how much am i going to have to spend?!? Want to ready myself before trip to violin shop so i don't faint with shock! 😁

@Bearyinlove I've got no idea as DS is still only on 1/4 size. He upgraded to a much better one not long ago and it's made a massive difference to his tone quality, compared to his old primavera. He said everything became easier. Playing grade 5 too. I imagine you need something nicer than the entry level ones but not over the top as it'll be grown out of very soon.

Wow I think we're really lucky with my daughters school. I'm low income but she's at a Grammar school and it's mainly becuas eof her group of friends she's got into music in a big way.

They have a junior orchestra that they all play in after school then the senior orchestra which is roughly grade 5+ stay after that. There's also a flute group a brass group etc that meet as clubs.

She also does our youth orchestra which was grade 7/8 plus audition for flute. Its lower grades for some of the other instruments though but they sounds really good. Better than the school orchestra and meet for 3 hours every Saturday. They had ensembles you can join at lower grades too.

She is incredibly lucky for a state school kid. I do know the plan b school we had doesn't have an orchestra at all.

Wow, everyone has been so busy! DS plays in a couple of school-based ensembles but doesn't play an orchestral instrument. He's put his music pretty much on hold for the last couple of weeks to focus on academic stuff; but, perhaps symbolically, this afternoon he will head straight from his Cambridge Entrance Exam to sing evensong. Oxbridge Exams are now contracted out so students don't sit them in schools, and the test centre is literally over the road from the cathedral! (But I'll cook him a special treat when he gets home.)

The state school I worked in until recently had a grand piano in the hall, plus some terrible out-of-tune uprights, many (slightly wonky) music stands, loads of ukuleles, choir, orchestra etc. It varies so massively. Probably not unconnected with wealth of the parents.

Minor problems here with the composition part of GCSE music. DS kept being scheduled instrumental lessons in the slots when they were studying composition, so has missed out on a lot already. They're now having the problem that the computers they're using for composition (via Sybelius) are Macs, and the school server is PC-based, so the compositions can't be stored as the two systems don't talk to each other. And the IT department is elusive, while the music department is charming but vague.

My duaghters worried about her gcse composition. She had a lovely inspiring music teacher who got them excited about playing music but didn't seem to teach them very much actual gcse syllabus it seems. The new teacher is filling the gaps but I know my duaghter is "leaving it til after mocks" now. I don't think she will do as well in that element at all.

Did I share this before @GeneralMusings ? https://www.icancompose.com - i don't know them but I did interview them for work once - looks like you can buy one course for about £13 - might be helpful?

That could be very handy @minisnowballs! According to one particularly hysterical mum on the dreaded WA chat, the deadline for entering their compositions is November!

@herbaceous at DD2's parents evening the teachers said February - but I guess they're all differerent!

I think nice 3/4 violins are a lot easier to find than both smaller and full sized. Smaller it's just hard to get a good sounding instrument per se. And full size everyone wants and doesn't grow out of so they move around less.

My first suggestion would be to find a local music parent network for people selling on/loaning outgrown instruments.

DD actually stayed on hers 3 years as it had a nice sound that was going to be hard to better in a full size without spending many more £££. It was said to be worth around 300, think 50% markup for a shop - but then we spent equivalent of the markup on refurbishment and a set of nice strings. Old but not old enough (or too battered!) to have antique value.

Oooh I'll show her maybe she could look at half term. Thankyou.

@Bearyinlove I spent around £100 2nd hand and the same again on a bow. Also put dominant strings on and was fine to around grade5. Problem is that's where you are now!

She moved to a full size just before 11 but has long limbs- tho was also cos she was outplaying the violin. We were also fortunate that we already had a reasonably good full size violin so made sense to use it.

I found second hand 3/4 quite hard to find as lots of kids borrow from school on fractional sizes but if you can get something better than the basic model will be ok ish. We have a luthier locally who has some 2nd hand, is there anywhere you could try? Otherwise stringers / caswell will offer trade in and have some 2nd hand too.

Thanks to those who responded. Violin teacher has said to go to Bristol or Cardiff violin shops. I rang one today and it seems I am looking at from around £400 minimum. No local second hand market that i can find unfortunately. I would hope she would get at least 2 or 3 years out of it but who knows! I wouldn't have a clue how to buy a decent one second hand either which is rather daunting.

@Bearyinlove I actually bought one for my DD on ebay on sale/return - it was a medio fino which is a decent late C19th early C20th century make - you should be able to pick one up for about £500 - buy on the basis that you can take it to a luthier to check it over and then return if not OK. I've bought both violins and violas (and a piano) this way. These might be worth looking at if they'll do on sale/return. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134071498585?_skw=violin&itmmeta=01JABGSCTAYPXVRVD8HY795PV4&hash=item1f3748b759:g:NI4AAOSwIZlkvoTr&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwHoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKnNmur8sg%2B698zcXCM3TK%2BPhzcJ6iIsw26huHMQxLkdegYpqTyNF930clT4SQhlOGNaXFjyOdeRaZt2Kqc5%2FxcfUrqlgcYwzkFr4PS%2FXZYr9TpeXMT2NhhtMFIM1sRgMKE5bq4UHwqWG8iX46i0xRRjGq7nVhzJh8GMf16mKoyeMmuRzyq0nFkM6F%2FcCq%2Bojapc2VW%2BaYRhOU5i6mysw0AlokyEMrOLerOyGsOx%2BdPcSg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5zN5fDSZA

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/156368707474?_skw=violin&itmmeta=01JABGSCTA19B8H3FH71GPA6TR&hash=item24684d1f92:g:ZmUAAOSwaaRmx1YL&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKk2mykHr%2FM61p0KIPxFlotJ%2FkABSVkX5tq0hLjHjPCnqoOAgltWy0o4Ni2kYoAGzGpPT2Y633DRzNcC%2FtLVeO7BPy2dokzq837fIyj2O7qqm1nP5GbFmqdC9SM43KKTufop2V25LbrE0KMBw3jjoF%2FeT9DTMek4sMNAWJao5DyW1mNcskPHvwlF%2BTgfs2pdxwS0qzONCVOu%2BQWuxaGmqqbcyRR8GCw0l830PSK%2Fqf4KBim4DbI0Wnqv%2BfkstK1c1uAtdKx%2BKIBT4DX5s8h1ZxoI%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5zN5fDSZA

Gliga are usually also worth a look
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256533320233?_skw=violin&itmmeta=01JABGSCTA57M26E07G3N668RE&hash=item3bba93d229:g:gIAAAOSwX-tmXpF~&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwHoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKkD%2BUuMEaL27m7OxLS41JwJtBFJnphvWsxcQr6P%2Bc9ktCFwZrc%2Fnua%2BkXeXiROU9AQLnTBZWyXlvYMrApZcaM2EUxVGSts9WkgCxaNTDvd4UmTrtv%2FJrXLJpms9mukroSFvFDcPGuOX0avSWtFZxdmK9Qn%2F1NrUlqKUm8fkHaaYeULD6Ivv6pk5bx1eGeRXMie1d16hyAMHNhpOPjY7McwYruDaU2P9%2FGITY6fEPj01HQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR6DN5fDSZA

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176243682762?_skw=violin&itmmeta=01JABGSCTA6CN1KMX90GNXN8C8&hash=item2908f12dca:g:NDcAAOSwpLpl0JGY&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKlZx2ypX%2B538ODrx4X2SDTALcGsCAqAuDgwHXCuTc63JfLzq%2BMQQ1ce9LVvVnFMOoPmJIHeaDITokuz5Ty%2BLWp2LwxBAXKtoVv4%2BhlwEUHDL6dbX5I50MZJNUAKGnxTdnn4dmBSXyygsYTC200xxrw6w9FENuQ%2FtBRQDfbMUTvMcgEVH2QFISUCMG%2BsCNM%2BBXJTstxhmvrUQmdCKpBSChrFLkpUFGjh0zzPQx3yXZeg8OFOohl5R3QNCISWlbN6sCWXzjyCCVdGml4hweN%2B9WWk%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5zN5fDSZA

If you can get to just north of London then Thwaites in Watford are worth contacting as they are very close to the Purcell school so often have trade ins from Purcellies going up to full size.

I haven't used this shop but they have some decent violins https://elidaviolins.co.uk/collections/violins-1

DD played 1/2 Gliga till grade 8 - the sound is not ideal and Gligas are not very loud generally, but they're OK for this level. I bought ours second hand for £200 or 250.
I came across some cheap Maidstones that produced a decent sound but antique violins can be tricky to buy online and you would have to play them for some time before they "settle in" after a set up. My DD actually preferred a decent (German?) Maidstone to a more expensive French violin when she tried them in a shop.
Modern Chinese instruments have a much brighter, louder sound - easier to play for a beginner/intermediate student but not to everyone's taste.

@Bearyinlove sorry quoted the wrong post, please see above.

@Bearyinlove Dd1's viola is a Gliga from Elida - her teacher thought it punched well above its weight in terms of sound quality. It will be fine for a grade 8 level university symphony orchestra for example- I should imagine they'd be a nice pick for a 3/4.

Goodness, everyone sounds so busy. DD is quite annoyed to be missing her first Inspire invite at half-term due to a school trip. Can’t be helped - it was only an hour away from us too.

Lovely to hear of DC enjoying their music this term. DD is a cellist hoping to take ARSM exam before taking GCSEs later this year. Has anyone in London made an application to the LSSO? We can't afford the NYO courses, so we're looking at this as a good alternative. Bit concerned we haven't heard anything yet though as thought the auditions were taking place during half-term.

Another state school with not so great music provision here, but DD very happy there which is great.

@stringseleven welcome! We've not heard yet either - though DD2 determined she'll stay in LYWB whatever happens so isn't too worried. I thought she should probably audition for the experience but it will need to be in half term for her if at all as she's boarding.

PS NYO inspire is free - just not the main thing.

and SLYO another cheap alternative if South London is accessible (because you can stay at home)..