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.

At least if you are prepping for two grade 8s, the aural will be the same! I don't think there's any usual length of time. Middle one had been dipping into lots of potential grade 8 pieces for a few years alongside loads of other repertoire probably above and below so was definitely well above standard when the exam came round. Youngest can technically play a few grade 8 pieces but will probably wait until it's not feeling like a stretch. Sorry that's not helpful! Depends if grade 7 was comfortable or a stretch and how much they've developed in between. Some people literally just do 3 grade 7 pieces then launch right into next exam pieces.

Hello everyone
I have a DD who is doing Gr 3 Piano and Gr 3 Trumpet exams in March (great planning....)

She's a very reluctant practiser, but musically fairly natural and rhythmically great.

I would like to help to increase her 'musicality' as sometimes she's a bit ploddy rather than light and artful iykwim - explaining that to a 10yo is difficult and she is also stubborn and doesn't like doing as she's told (totally my jam) so I can't pester her too much about it.
Any tips on getting younguns to 'get' musical performance rather than just whacking out the notes?

I have never seen this type of thread on here before, I expect you'll all be very useful as I'm tearing my hair out when she's older...
Thanks in advance.

Welcome! It can take a lifetime to master being musical I think! I'm happy myself if I get a majority of the notes out! Have a look at the criteria for the exams, there's a lot of marks to be gained by being accurate and following dynamics etc. Obviously the aim is to develop musicality but that often comes gradually. Maybe get her to think what the piece is about. One of our piano teachers used to act things out etc to get them to think. Also listening to other performances, especially live. Good luck, exams are stressful for everyone concerned!

@StuntNun glad it worked - there is a lot in there!

@QueenMabby I wouldn't say there is a fixed length of time to get to Grade 8 as it depends on the child and the instrument and even the instrument for the child, if that makes sense. DD did Grade 8 singing after two terms but needed three for Grade 8 piano (though she now isn't that bothered about taking the exam) when moving up from Grades 7 and 6 respectively; it will have taken her three years to go from zero to starting Grade 8 on clarinet, while cello has been a very predictable grade per year, so tricky 😂At least you have the bonus of preparing for Grade 8 aural at the same time!

@QueenMabby my DS is preparing for his grade 5 SFMT as well. He was supposed to do grade 3 last year but his teacher messed up booking it so he's doing grade 3 next month and planning to take grade 5 in the winter. He found the selection for grade 5 a bit uninspiring too so he's ended up choosing two from Moana. One is originally sung by Moana and one by Maui so I think it will work okay. He's also doing They Can't Take That Away From Me but it isn't a song he's hugely familiar with. He still has to choose an unaccompanied song but he might choose one from one of the performances he's done recently.

I'd love some advice similarly, I have a DD9 who is preparing for SFMT3 and Gr1 piano and whilst she never stops singing, piano practice is pulling teeth and she just loses her sh!t when I try to help her (even when she's expressly asked for my help) 😬

I've also got DS14 sitting gr5 piano and gr5 trombone next month and he's so laid back about it he's horizontal. Suspect two passes/low merits incoming but he could do so much better if he actually practiced regularly...

Hello all. Marking place.

I can't remember how long it took for DS to do grade 8. A year I think, following g7? Piano, that is.

We had a very full weekend of singing here. A bring and sing of Bach B Minor Mass on Saturday, then a church service and then singing in our city's cathedral for evensong! All rather special. DS and I both did all those things, and it's lovely to share it with him.

He's been asked to join a local opera company as a tenor, and I may go too as 'jobbing second soprano'...

Thanks for the g8 input all. I suspect that dd will do performance grades for both so we'll need 4 pieces for each.

Last piano grade was g6 in 2022. 2022 was last cello grade too - g4! She's come a long way in 2 1/2 years! She's just been having fun playing lots of repertoire so hopefully she won't have to slog away for too long.

Fortunately her favourite thing is learning a new piece so she's been playing loads over the last few days. The new Mozart piece (I just remember it from Dynamite Dan when I was a child!) is already sounding pretty good.

@DontBuyANewMumCashmere
We watch a lot of YouTube videos of the best performances of our current piece to help with musicality.

Quick question: Can anyone advise on potential questions in a music degree interview? Particularly for Liverpool.

Thank you ☺️

@Flippinec That sounds like a lot of exams for one household to have at one time, you are brave! I think you need to have a chat with the older one to see if exams are right for them. My eldest is very musical and has lots of potential, but for him, music was a wind down in the evening after studying, rather than a stressful thing with exams. The younger one maybe needs for guidance on structure for practice, it's hard for them to know what effective practice looks like unless they are shown. Most kids just play through the pieces.

Yeah it's interesting - with piano, he hates learning the pieces but once he has the notes down, he enjoys the finessing. Trombone he enjoys ensemble playing but practicing at home is tough for him. To be honest I also play both brass and piano and felt exactly the same at his age so I have to be careful as it's clearly just the circle of life coming back to bite me 🤣

Rather than start my own thread, I thought I'd jump on here for advice. DD age 14 is playing a solo in a competition at the weekend. We hadn't realised she had got through, so it is very last minute and she doesn't have anything suitable to wear. For the earlier rounds she wore school uniform, but I don't think that will cut it. Any ideas for a suitable dress? Smart, sophisticated, pretty, not too fancy, age appropriate. Also not too expensive!

Mine has a black jumpsuit, used as concert wear and smart occasions. Can't go wrong with black and it can be reused for subsequent concerts.

And congratulations on the competition!

Yes concert blacks are a good option. Our top tip is to just make sure it is comfortable for playing the instrument (raising arms, positioning, etc).

Something like this?

https://www.lindex.com/uk/p/3004201-80-black-dress-with-flounces?hl=en

https://www.lindex.com/uk/p/3003188-80-black-sleeveless-dress?hl=en

This jumpsuit is comfortable but I bought one size down as it's quite long and the neckline is low cut.

www.lindex.com/uk/p/3003395-80-black-jumpsuit-in-velvet?hl=en

Whatever they feel comfortable and confident in will be best. School uniform is generally fine for weekdays competitions, especially where the school is being represented but feels strange for weekends, unless it is specified by the organisers. Sometimes to try to limit over competitive dress buying I think as otherwise it can get out of hand!

Thank you all. Facebook is now kindly sending me tons of recommendations following my late night slightly panicked scrolling. To add to the complications, she also has an audition (musical theatre) the same day and a key on her clarinet has gone skew-whiff so needs repairing. Currently practicing with the mouthpiece on her old instrument.

It's like instruments know when you have something important coming up. Hope you get everything sorted.

@ilovesushi DD2 wears this (https://www.pullandbear.com/gb/fitted-midi-dress-l03397316?cS=800&pelement=662021386) as her concert fave. She's 15 now but tiny. It ticks the boxes at school as allowable in terms of sleeves and works with a bassoon harness - poss not a problem for yours here though! It is a steal at £18 and washes beautifully.

Otherwise she wears a black silk shirt (from vinted) and trousers. I prefer this but she likes the full length black

And congrats on the competition! Sounds like a lot going on

Hi All! I haven't visited for ages but used to pop in regularly. DD now at music school for Sixth Form, previously at a local comprehensive. It has been a challenging transition, but she has been happy (socially) from the minute she arrived. Coping with rules and the timetable has been the difficult part. Now at the stage where she needs to start thinking about what happens next. She's not sure. Maybe a pop music course, or maybe a BMus, possibly with some contemporary options/modules, but almost certainly a conservatoire as opposed to university. She visited RNCM last week, which was great and she's also thinking about TL (thanks to great advice from some other music parents ;)) and possibly Leeds. Any other suggestions? Thanks to anyone who can help. x

Well done to your DD on the competition @ilovesushi. Concert blacks are hard to find - we went for a skirt and blouse for orchestra and a dress for singing. School has quite strict rules so it is tricky to find something they will also actually wear!

Charity shops are great for concert clothes! I get a new outfit every few years from our local. Maybe a bit harder for kids though if there are strict rules about chiffon or sleeve length etc.

@ilovesushi if you can't find anything with sleeves that she likes then you could get one of these to go over a strappy dress - loads of musicians I know have a blackone. www.amazon.co.uk/Ladies-Sleeve-Womens-Bolero-Cardigan/dp/B005MFOBTY/ref=sr_1_18?crid=1NAOMCOT4E570&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kO6H8he4fvN6bRRXyTSha4zpheOf7T8UvO4OILtxTgQ9TMBPseUCQeF4q5Odm6FOwjpxDe_pVcSiaxBpSyyr6B8Katdl95uXvhY4BEov_8-3ADPCijC-50waT4Edu9tGtbsJ6lBpfb4c9-FxezAjhmxKqpTZ8oFOF-4Wtx0VZddzu-m3a63YxEukzM8F1uYZn8oOirZk-PhYn5zRrs5VI_9kEz6v28Df_BrgGvtPlbvwxjr2uQ_Cu2gI4lajydAKtIcyTJ_2gUs4UScltSqISt8GltYBB2nD6O7uNKY2GpRVO6EcPde1hohqlVWxVtkP4fX2DfTWZVnUrWYlzcCRujEYbuEnst0RLZQySH3C8retAG5o_DIFzrWcUvvdllAPPUPzMq2mHBR85xvD_qxQYCrQf2jm1DmyO8RmZXabXX_OtHl7G8qG9QlGQ7UnBD2f.ltteDMVo0OtXCA2UrYFLQBBCE18MLBhriVCyYOrLcuo&dib_tag=se&keywords=black+bolero&qid=1740491166&sprefix=black+bolero%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-18