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.

brilliant news @Londonmummy66 - she's so talented!

Thank you for sharing your experience. Good to know exams are not that important!
Congratulations for your DD's offers @Londonmummy66. She's amazing!

Those are some amazing stories and results!!

We went to a school concert yesterday, "A Night at the Musicals." DS said that he was involved, but he hadn't really told us that he was in backing groups for three numbers (keyboard, guitar), plus played guitar in a lovely duet with a singer... and then led the "just for fun" male-voice a-cappella sixth-form group.

He's never been too fussed about grade exams (although he'd like to do 2x grade 8 before his A-levels) but loves being a part of the music scene. (And now he can concentrate a bit on his forthcoming Oxbridge STEM interview...) I really hope that he continues playing/singing at university.

Thank you all - I mentioned it to demonstrate that exams aren't that important in themselves - the benefit is in doing the preparation and the experience of controlling the nerves on the day - rather than the piece of paper.

Wow @chickentikkasalad that’s an amazing result - congratulations to your DS! He should be so proud. I remember I got a merit in my grade 5 (when I was about 12!) and was absolutely gutted. I literally cried for days. In the end I had scholarships to all of the London conservatoires so it didn’t hold me back 🤣.

Diplomas in particular are a total joke and just a money spinning exercise for the exam boards. At least grade 8s get you some ucas points. My DH always tries to dissuade his students from doing them but most of the time they’re just on the exam treadmill and feel like they should move on to whatever the “next thing” is/their parents do…music is about so much more than this.

Huge congrats to @Londonmummy66’s DD too!

JDs and specialist schools don't care much about the grades - some JD teachers find grades structure easier to follow, but they are by no means necessary.
Being a soloist has nothing to do with grades anyway.

Yet another concert at school, this time 'unplugged', which basically meant rock, jazz, pop etc. Some fairly painful renditions of previously liked songs, and some utter bangers.

DS was in his rock band as vocalist in Hotel California and Everlong, sang Autumn Leaves and Don't it Make my Brown Eyes Blue with his barbershop, and an obscure Divine Comedy song with orchestra! Oh, and played his French horn.

That sounds fun @herbaceous . We had the school fair this week - there were steel pans bands for each year which are fab and then 'student led bands' - so basically singers and bands playing and the standard is honestly so good. Neither of mine are involved in any of this but I love going to hear it - I can't imagine how nerve wracking it is to stand up and sing in front of your school, but they seem to have a culture of it being a normal thing to do and everyone is lovely and supportive. They normally do the music as a single concert and this is the first year they've split it out but i'm glad they have as i'd also like to go home and sleep at some point and it would be an epic concert otherwise.

Well done to your DS @chickentikkasalad - that's a fantastic result! I agree with the chorus above about exams. My DD(13) is a bit of a mix with exams - she did the classical singing grades from 3-8 and was awarded a distinction last year when she was 12 and is currently working on her diploma. For clarinet, she is working at grade 7 and has only ever done one exam in 2.5 years; two exams for piano and then back to lots of exams for cello. I don't think that she would have made such quick progress on the clarinet if she had been on the exam every grade path and she has played a huge variety of music and really understands what her instrument can do.

We are in full end of term concert season here - I got to hear a wonderful evening of orchestral music on Monday and am now back this evening to hear the choirs, another two next week and then the carol concert - I feel exhausted for them.

I was just thinking about grades and recalled that pieces may differ a lot in difficulty within the same grade. Teachers and parents often pick and choose depending in the goals - do they need a better mark for 11+ scholarships, for instance, or develop a particular technique or explore a different style.

DD's teacher made her study Tchaikovsky's 2nd movt despite it being one of the hardest pieces in the grade as he wanted to challenge her. We vaguely planned to audition with it (and did in the end) but were not desperate for places and had plenty of time. DD's friend who is the same age were not allowed to do it because they needed a high mark within a very tight time for the most competitive school.

It's a bit similar to GCSE - some exam boards have easier syllabi so the subject grade itself is only an indicator, not a 100% proof of knowledge gained.

Having said that, DD shouldn't be allowed to play it either, Tchaikovsky does not deserve such a bad treatment by young children who cannot even understand what his violin concerto is about 😂

@yodaforpresident that's a lot of instruments your DS is playing and singing. She must be super busy even without the concerts etc. it's impressive!
@Ubertomusic my DS loves the Tchaikovsky after he heard it in bbc young musician final on tv. His teacher promised she'll let him try the beginning of the 2nd movement one day. He's super excited.
They're now learning the Handel D major and ladies in lavender. I love them both and feel lucky to be able to sit in his lesson and listen.
Repertoire exploring is much more fun than taking exams!

Could anyone recommend any books on composers/musical periods etc that would be fun for teens?

I'd have thought that the Classic FM books would be a good place to start

We've not had much going on musically here, but on Friday we got an email to say our daughter was being offered a waiting list place at Chetham's, starting in January. To say she's excited is an understatement! Now we are scrabbling around trying to get her ready to go after the Xmas break. DH has a very badly timed jury duty scheduled, but we will make it work. DD is asking how comfortable the beds are, so if anyone happens to know the answer then it would be appreciated!

Wow, congratulations to her.

Congrats @mustardrarebit!

Congratulations!

@mustardrarebit - great news for your dd. Well done! What year will she be going into?

Dd has done a summer school there and says the beds were ok.

My dd is supposed to be playing in a concert tomorrow but she's poorly. I'm ladling medicine into her but she's coughing so much. She'll be devastated if she has to miss it. Fingers crossed.

Thank you @QueenMabby She will be in Y7. Your poor daughter though. Hope the meds and a good rest will see her through the concert. I feel like my kids always pick up a bug at the worst possible times.

@mustardrarebit that's so exciting! Well done to her. No idea about the beds at Chet's though DD2 takes a mattress topper to her school which makes a difference - I don't think the beds are wildly uncomfortable but could be better. Toppers aren't pricey.

@QueenMabby hope she feels better soon. DD2 has school musical and advent service this week so was coughing like crazy, of course. So much sickness in this term.

DD2 is getting excited about A-Levels (have to get through the GCSEs first DD2) - she's been offered an academic scholarship to go with her music one, and is delighted to be 'taken seriously'. She texted me yesterday to say she'd bought a shirt for sixth form from a charity shop - the sixth form round here is just normal clothes but at her school it is all shirts and suits..

I can't believe she's even thinking about all this yet!

@mustardrarebit how exciting! Big changes ahead.

Congratulations, @mustardrarebit!

@mustardrarebit that's awesome! Well done to your DD!

Congratulations mustardrarebit and minisnowballs - wonderful achievements!

Congratulations @minisnowballs and @mustardrarebit