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.

He's 12 @Compsearch He got a distinction in his grade 2 last year and is already working towards his grade 5 plus came off the back of some fantastic performances in Matilda the Musical the week before the exam so he was feeling very strong and well prepared going in. His teacher said he only lost one mark in each of the sightsinging and aural tests which means he's dropped the bulk of the marks in his four songs.

Marking pieces can be very subjective. My DD is very reserved and her piano teacher was constantly trying to make her play in a much more expressive, "extraverted" manner. He succeeded but ABRSM examiner didn't like that! 😂🤦‍♀️

Interpretations are often a matter of preferences, taste, personality so it's not like your DS did something wrong.

Thanks @Ubertomusic I've tried to tell him that's the nature of exams. His grade 1 was the same - he was really well prepared and seemed to perform well but he was disappointed with a 125 for that one. His piano teacher is much more reserved and only says "you'll definitely pass" rather than predicting a pass/merit/distinction.

In case it helps I did combined science (because I wanted to take more subjects at gcse, including music, whereas triple science would have taken one of those choices). I did biology and chemistry A Levels, a Natural Sciences degree at Cambridge, a biology PhD and am now a biology professor. Looking back I can't remember really remember at any point in my A levels feeling behind from having done combined at gcse (but I am glad I did the other gcses which have all helped me at various points in my life!).
I don't think your daughter needs to worry if taking combined is better for her with all the instrument practice.

Thank you @NeedSomeComfy ! I was reading another thread on triple science and it looks like DD should be fine with combined.

Another thing I recalled DS had some problem with different exam boards for chemistry. If I remember correctly, AQA syllabus was not as rigorous as Edexcel. It may have changed though.

@bendmeoverbackwards Sounds like a wise decision, I always think it's more important to be proud of your own playing than rush through exams. An embouchure is a delicate set of muscles that need time and training. By the way the 'on the darkside' book on the grade 6 syllabus is quite good. My husband plays from it a lot (but he hides it in his cornet case so it doesn't get absorbed into my pile of music that doesn't get put away) - it always makes me nostalgic for Jonathan Creek when he's been practising.

@MockCroc Definitely do it! I took up piano as an adult when braces meant I couldn't play cornet. It had a been a dream for years. 2.5years later Im working at grade 7 level. My lessons are the shortest 45mins in my week - everything else in my head disappears when I'm playing. If you want a low risk start, lots of brass bands have learner groups that were started to attract children but ended up attracting as many adult learners. Many will lend you instruments.

For those in the London area with players at Grade 6 and upwards looking for summer activities I understand Thames Youth Orchestra are looking for some extras for their tour to Salamanca. Mine went as extras one year and loved it and then the one who wasn't off to board stayed on for a couple of years as a section principal. Especially good for winds as they have a jazz group where a lot of the winds get to play sax. https://www.thamesyouthorchestra.co.uk/tour.html
Even if you can't join the regular orchestra afterwards mine used to get invited back to do fun things like the Boat Show and busking at Victoria Station etc

Thank you @hidingmystatus, DD is Year 9 so we are just at the start of the planning stage, and is considering a joint science/ music degree. I know that the US route is long and I have just started reading around the extra-curricular requirements.

@yodaforpresident Plenty of time, then. We didn't decide on the US route till after GCSEs.
To give you an idea, though, DD had G5 piano (hated piano! but some of the US conservatories require a certain level, around G5/G6, of piano specifically), G8 oboe, G6 musical theatre, classical singing and Theory. Plus a lot of choir and musical theatre. GCSE and A level music provide far more knowledge than the USA expects.
US Universities will mean that your DC only does about 1/3 music and 2/3 other stuff (compulsory). US Conservatories are about 80% music, but you must do some general humanities stuff (DD did historical things) to have an accredited degree. There are also requirements in theory, sight singing, and often musical dictation.
Cost is an issue. Before any scholarships, you are looking at $75,000 per year, plus flights, pocket money, etc. Scholarships can range from 0 to around 50% at the conservatories. Visa - F1 student visa - about $600 or so plus the cost of getting to the interview in London. You can't work for your first year, but it takes months to get a social security number without which you can't work either.
Happy to answer specific questions!

@hidingmystatus If you don't mind me asking too, what are job prospects for orchestral players in the US?

Unfortunately, my DD took Theory and Composition (undergrad and now Master's) so I'm not sure. Singers, it's hard. If you're a talented orchestral player, I think there are a fair few options, and some conservatories are linked to the city's orchestra. But I'm really not sure because it's not something DD is going for!
Happy to answer/try to answer any questions about the USA, though I won't promise I can be really helpful.
One thing I forgot - they use a different set of language for theory. I don't know what it is, but I'm sure it'll be on Google! I know DD had to get used to different terminology very quickly.

I feel your pain. We have grade 3 cello, 2 piano and 4 piano all happening this session. How do you all managed to organise the music everywhere? The piano room has a chest of drawers which no one uses (even me) so we end up with piles on top of it, on the piano and the floor and then any rooms used for cello practice permanently have cello music on the floor or on a stand. Wondering whether to get something for each room to put the current books in which could also be moved about from room to room, any ideas?

This was for @StuntNun and everyone else

@Happydaysandhappysmiles I have a letter rack by the piano with one tray for each person then the music that isn't being used regularly goes in upright magazine files.

Thank you @hidingmystatus, that’s really helpful. When you say it’s harder for
singing, do you know why this is? DD’s first instrument is voice and she spends a lot of time on it (classical and MT) with a lot of extra curriculars.

@Happydaysandhappysmiles I bought a laptop bag for each set of music so everything was in there and then when it was lesson day it was a case of grab and go. Mine came from Paperchase ( miss that shop) but you can buy brightly coloured/patterned laptop bags for about £4 each from Amazon.

We use trays and folders in different colours for each instrument and ensembles.

@yodaforpresident There are just more singers. The US's singing tradition is apparently (so DD tells me) different from how choir, etc works here - something to do with vibrato (or in Britain, lack thereof - but I am not a musician so I don't know if I've got that right) in choral and other singing. I am also told that women's voices don't necessarily become fully mature till later, so there's a sort of gap or break between finishing your undergraduate degree and your voice being ready for classical roles - I should say I know nothing about musical theatre or jazz singing. So it's this gap that makes it hard, and all of DD's singer friends seem to have had to take a break while their (female) voices settle into full maturity.
However - that may be a quirk of the US system, and I may well not have understood the niceties! If you need to talk in detail about it, then if there are specific things you want to know I can ask DD and pass it on. DD is an alto and even for Composition/Theory students there are "ensemble" requirements, so she did singing/choir to meet that.

Hi everyone. I’m new to the thread. I have DS9 just taken grade 3 Classical guitar and DD12 on grade 6 piano and just starting Grade 7 Singing for musical theatre. For SFMT she’s previously done the Abrsm performance exam so not done aural tests before (only in her piano exams) but her new teacher is suggesting a practical SFMT exam next time. I don’t think she’ll find the aural tests easy so we will probably start by looking at the requirements from a lower grade first and work up. Does anyone have any other tips for practising these aural skills?

Welcome @hedwigsbeak ! My DD does some singing exams - the sightsinging definitely the hardest bit for her. I always recommend this free app https://ellaapp.io/ - it is quite clever.

Otherwise the ABRSM app for the standard aural tests is pretty good I think. But most important thing is to just be confident and say/sing something. They have to give you marks even if you're completely wrong.

@achangeofnameisasgoodasarestOoh thank you. I’ve just downloaded that app and it seems really good (and a bit addictive!) That’s just the sort of thing we need!

I see there are choristerships here for anyone London-based and interested in the choristership experience without going away from home! Now open to girls as well as boys.

Becoming a Chorister - Temple Church

That’s funny @LoveToSingABC - I actually contacted them about their taster day this week but DS is still too young.

I posted in here a while back that he’d stopped singing when he started school, having sung constantly as a toddler. In the last few months though, now that he’s reading music confidently, he’s suddenly started again and (I’m obviously biased here) his voice is beautiful.

I know loads of former choristers and it’s such amazing training, but at the same time couldn’t contemplate boarding school at 8 for him so maybe this is good option, though also seems a huge commitment. Will see next year I guess.

Southwark Cathedral might be more relaxed commitment wise (but doesn't have the City Boys connections). The incoming director of music is lovely and very good.

based on our past experience they were not relaxed re commitment