Spring /Summer 25 - Music thread

[northerngoldilocks]

Time for a new thread for spring!

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.

Congrats @Londonmummy66! You must be so proud!

@northerngoldilocks is your DD doing the London Benedetti sessions? I’ve signed DS up for them as well. One of the pieces is the same as in the saffron Walden one he did last year, but he’s going to learn a different part to spice things up!

He’s been doing Southwark choir as a probationer and I’m struggling to work out whether he is enjoying it - he complains quite a lot about going, but is also now singing constantly at home, and when I spied on his rehearsal this week he was very engaged - hand shooting up to volunteer to sight sing solo - so it’s hard to know! The main choir is a big step up in terms of commitment (for all of us as will be logistical nightmare) and I really don’t know what is for the best.

Yep- London sessions for DD. She hadn’t started playing violin last time they were in London (which was pre Covid) so it’s exciting she can join this time

Guildhall Young Artists - online or in person at Morley College (Centre for Young Musicians) - anyone with any experience or views?

DD is a talented performer who wants to be a Musical Theatre performer or composer/director. She’s definitely not a classical music buff currently, and probably never will be, although she does perform classical music with her school choir and is often heard singing classical music she’s come across on TikTok when she thinks we aren’t listening!

We’ve looked into the RAM Junior Academy Musical Theatre course, but this only covers performance skills, whereas we’re keen for her to get the full junior conservatoire experience, eg theory, aural, sight singing, composition, a good choir and ideally a group of peers passionate about classical music to encourage her to broaden her mind and her musical experience, even if her career will be in musical theatre.

@Londonmummy66 that's fantastic! I find it really hard to listen to mine doing solos so a whole recital and I'd be a wreck from holding my breath!
Don't know anything about guildhall young artists ( apart from getting lots of FB ads for it!) All I can say is online would be low down my list for teaching unless it was the only way due to finance or distance. For my child, the social side is massive.

@ChocolateNowPlease86 my dd2 did CYM, doing Stagecraft in the afternoons, which is the musical theatre bit. She loved it though - full disclosure - is not likely to go on to be a musical theatre performer.

However there were kids in that group who were in national theatre productions/ENO etc.

In the mornings DD2 did symphony orchestra, her instrumental lessons and theory etc. She then left to go to specialist music school as a classical performer, and very much sings MT and classical on the side. She adored it

Worth a chat to them at least. I agree that in-person is a huge draw so don't know much about the online side of it.

We’re also thinking of applying for NCO. Never tried before; pretty sure it’s out of reach for DD - and one of her pieces is far from ready (too many other end of term distractions & other instrumental exams/concerts getting in the way of focused practice on this instrument!) but I’m seeing it as something fun to aim for and maybe help us be more prepared for next year, if she wants to try again.

I think that as long as they wont' be disillusioned by not getting a place @Cheeseandquince then its fine. I've only selected U13 rather than projects for DD so that lessens the chance of being offered anything too. There have been lots of discussions on here and elsewhere of the benefits of projects but for us it just doesn't work out re timing and other things missed / add much more than other orchestral opps, but if we didn't have Sat music classes then I would have gone for that for DD too.

She’s actually quite nervous about the idea of a residential without knowing anyone so with her limited prep and an instrument she hasn’t played for that long (so not a backlog of pieces to rehash), I told her that I didn’t think there’s much danger of her getting the residential 😃. Would be interested to see if she gets Weekends, but that would mean missing her Sat morning music lessons/groups so we’ll see. Tbh we’re entering the process as having a focus to work towards rather than expecting to get anything out of it - and she’s totally ok with that - as she’s not done any grades in this instrument and if she gets positive feedback then that will be encouraging. She’d be the U12 bracket I think. Has your DD done NCO before?

No NCO here before - she auditioned last year but didn't get in. I think its unlikely she will get it this year too as there are some insanely good tween violinists around but its worth a go. She has made masses of progress in the last year and the free auditions means there is no disadvantage really.

Also worth noting that the weekends for projects are only 2 separate weekends so its not so much to miss - but for DD she has a 1 hour piano lesson (and piano is very much her first love) and other ensembles on a Sat so its a lot to miss..

interested in auditioning for NCO too for DS but also a bit put off by having to miss Saturday music activities. If it’s only 2 weekends maybe it’s not too bad…

My youngest did projects this year - same situatiom re rearranging things, esp piano! It felt worth it tho. She made friends and had the best time. Incredible staff and tutors there and she really liked both conductors.

I know I've said this one before - so apologies for repetition. DD2 did projects in its very first year.She applied for the residential and didn't get that but was offered projects. She took the time off from Saturday school to do it.

DD2 was older than yours - would have been under 13 that year I think. She enjoyed it musically and the tutor she had on that course is now her main teacher... just a coincidence, but it certainly helped!

The next year she reauditioned for both Projects and Residential, and was surprised to get offered the main residential orchestra.

Trouble was she was so surprised in fact that she had to drop out altogether as she'd already booked a holiday at the time off the course and didn't want to miss it. That ended her NCO career as she was then too old the next year.

I'm still a little sad she didn't take the Main Orchestra place up as I hear the residentials are amazing and we do get the odd raised eyebrow even now for 'turned down the NCO'. If you apply for both projects and residential you only get one - so you can't turn down the residential place and take a projects one instead if you see what I mean.

So perhaps learn from my mistakes on that one and check all the dates before applying !

Some years ago, mine auditioned for NCO just for audition experience. He ended up getting into Main Orchestra! He loved it and is still in touch with a lot of the friends he made there, some are at conservatoire with him. Conversely, he auditioned for NYO after the covid break and didn't get in. It's weird hoe it goes, but definitely worth going for- just be prepared to get accepted.

My DS applied for NCO twice and was unsuccessful both times, but went on to get into NYO, so there’s really no way of knowing what may happen!

Has anyone sent kids on the Rodolfus courses? My DD8 is going this summer. I felt so bad for her nearly-but-not-quite becoming a cathedral chorister that I agreed to it, even though it's a ridiculous amount of travel. I've just had the course info, and apparently she needs concert clothes: black trousers or below-the-knee skirt and white shirt. Which sounds very straightforward, but now I'm asking myself whether I have to buy a school-type shirt that will never be worn again, or can I get something with short/puff sleeves and/or couple of ruffles that she might be convinced is everyday wear? I'm generally not someone who worries too much about clothes, but I'm conscious she'll be a long way from home and will probably not want to be the odd one out.

Is everyone else caught in a mad rush of musical things stuffed into the last few weeks of term? DD has a school dance show the night before a recorder exam, just to make things interesting.

we have the white shirt issue every year for LYWB. DS doesn't need shirts for school - they have a school polo, so end up having to buy white shirts that are worn only for the courses. Thankfully a 3 pack of school shirts isn't too expensive!

DD wore a 3/4 length revere collar blouse to Rodolfus so that it felt less like school uniform - I think we got them from M&S or John Lewis. Sadly, not going this year as it clashes with other things.

All finished for school music here with a cello exam last week, but summer music is just about to start 😁

Hi @TreeAtMyWindow. Ah Rodolfus course sounds perfect for her. I’d say maybe follow them on instagram and look back through last year’s pictures and videos to see what they all wearing?

…and yes re music stuff - choir tour done and now piano and clarinet exams on consecutive days for my DS2! Eek.

Over here dd2 has finished GCSEs (hooray!) but music continues and the poor kid has her solo lunchtime concert the morning after her prom (and after party) … I hope she’s at least a bit sensible!

musicy parents who know about saxophones… anyone got any ideas how someone who was self teaching sax might move on when they’d finished abracadabra (which I think is about grade 3/4?). Dd2 can’t afford any more music lessons- and is enjoying teaching herself this one.

She already has grade 8 in flute and bassoon, and I realise describing sax as a kind of mashup of the two isn’t quite right but there is a crossover so she’s quite quick. But she wants to be able to do jazz… no idea how you self teach that!

any good books/tik toks/ YouTube channels?

@achangeofnameisasgoodasarest - this might work as its designed for Grade 3+. https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Play-Jazz-Saxophone-Bennett/dp/0571541402

@Londonmummy66 that looks excellent - jazz scales etc sound really useful. Will purchase! Thanks

Thanks for the Rodolfus advice. There aren't many pictures of the younger singers in concert clothes, but I think the 3/4 sleeves are a good idea - it will be the height of summer, after all. I'll keep an eye out on Vinted.

DD came out of her recorder exam smiling today. She's chosen to play one part of a duet as a solo for a concert in a couple of weeks (and won't listen to me on whether that's a good idea!) so I guess now is the time for her to practise that. I won't miss the exam pieces. Hope the consecutive exams go well, @Legoninjago1 .

Grade 5 cello done today, so now waiting for results. I would have given him full marks for pieces last night and I am pretty tough but definitely not today 😢 and obviously I have no idea how the scales etc went. He didn’t come out bouncing and was definitely nervous going in (but he said that went when he started playing). Keep your fingers crossed, he will be disappointed not to get a distinction and he worked his socks off. Thankfully my bit was fine 😂 but I now need a few hours off (but sadly everything else needs to be crammed in before pick up!)

On a side note, next year my just 9 year old cellist will be well on the way to grade 5, good enough for NCO? Working at grade 4 now aged 8 but felt probably not good enough for this year?? I did NYO but never tried NCO.