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.

Hello @Charlottesweb82 - I have one DC who's just left JRNCM, and another currently there. Both are single study woodwind so I can't help with piano specifics, but that kind of grade level would be fine for woodwind. There are prodigies there, and people who enter competitions every month, but the thing my DC love is that the atmosphere is really supportive, non-competitive and fun. TBH my DC do pretty minimal levels of practice and are at the bottom end of the ability/achievement/whatever you want to call it range, but are still valued members of their orchestras, quintets etc.

Honestly, it's such a lovely place and my DC have formed really close friendship groups there. I'm actually bit regretful that we didn't start DC1 there until Yr11, as for a long time I wrongly thought of it as Not For The Likes of Us. DC2 got involved in some free outreach activities and everyone was so nice and encouraging that she felt right at home, and that's what led to both applying.

IIRC correctly applications open in January, open day in Feb, and auditions in March.

Can anyone recommend an anthology for clarinet on G8/ diploma level? We have the Schirmer and Chester ones but looking for some more.

I have a Schott one that had some slightly less obvious repertoire for that level. Also the backend of Thurston & Frank has some challenging but tuneful studies.

My child gets lots of music from imslp. I think by that level books will mostly be single works unfortunately, so more expensive! I also look on Facebook marketplace and have had some bundles of music that way - if someone is giving up . Have a look at the syllabus to get an idea of levels. Getting some free/ second hand helps balance out the more expensive more modern pieces.

@Charlottesweb82I think you should talk to JRNCM and I’d say your son has a good chance of being accepted there. Three of my kids had mostly good experiences of their time there and more recently my students gave there and loved it.

What are you planning for secondary school? If you’re thinking independent then MGS has a super music department. State provision varies depending on area.

I’d agree that it will basically be single works by this stage. We have got some on ebay, scribd and imslp

@BartokRules we’re keeping an open mind for secondary schools. I just had a look at MGS website and was pretty wowed by the facilities. They have Steinway pianos! Poor DS during his piano performance at current school, when he’d practiced his piece with such pride, had the schools old digital piano lose sound midway and he also told me the keys were sticking 😥 We live around Northwich though so potentially we might need to relocate.

This is so encouraging to read thank you. The nurturing pastoral element is so important to us and clearly JRNCM has this in spades. DS has not a single other ‘peer’ in the musical sense in his school and I’d love for him to find some new friendships. I think we’ll definitely give it a shot for 2026 entry now that I’m reassured it’s not all musical prodigy Mozart’s who gain entry.

Hi, this might have come up before but how long do digital exam results for ABRSM take these days? Been told “it may take longer than usual” 🤷‍♀️

Thank you @Londonmummy66 are they these ones?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Clarinet-Vol-1-Clarinette/dp/B000ZGCK9S?dplnkId=3d6b404e-2df1-4c69-b499-9bed96f4bfb4&nodl=1

https://www.thomann.co.uk/schottclarinetlibrary.htm

Thank you @horseymum and @se22mother for the tip on imslp - what a great resource that I had no idea existed. We are starting to build a stock of music and also have access to a wonderful charity bookshop which sells secondhand music that has been useful too.

Has anyone any experience of the Hal Leonard/ Alfred Concert Band books and what levels these equate to? We heard the end credits from Driving Miss Daisy a couple of weeks ago and DD is looking for more music like this too? She is in a wind band at school and they have played pieces including Red Rock Mountain and El Cumbanchero this year - both of which she loved - so more modern.

@greenbeens we have only ever submitted one and it came back in 23 hours - with the longest feedback comments that I have ever seen.

@horseymum - yes they are but I had no idea they were that expensive!!! T&F has been going a long long time so you can pick a cheap secondhand one up eg this one for a tenth of the price. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/277281208606?_skw=the+clarinet&itmmeta=01K0MJVY7HS088STFGJ37XM0GM&hash=item408f3f791e:g:4aIAAeSwXXdoboBX&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1cOcfT%2Bi8h%2BEI7REwTQZn2gyrKM5qzADokr2q%2F0psDnmkhNmKtoRDWEn4C9mJ%2BDGikfxW38x8UhGLoC%2BSJdOa8OhiLcGjgZVSVdm3OxPV9LZ%2B9yGYvq6PO2BTDR3SeQksnXeB4xAaFQ%2FBH2i%2FQybHHGcTMW91g%2FKNKobaBbEincVOus3nXsDXF5pylDA7TV6XCA3nUt1ODMaQ9Rhhjssf4nX0dgjgEv%2FGuiuOql7jAK7eMZM3sjFNkIJ1gKg73tuGGVQYJd4L5ckbvDIrBQBtwqKZeA5Qb4gmEFWsJWJVtYAA%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_jj75KFZg

It also has a lot of the main clarinet orchestral solos in so is worth it for the excerpts I think.

I'd ask the teacher about the Schott before shelling out for it as the music is not that mainstream.

Earlier this month it was 10 days for G8 Piano. I think it might vary a lot, though!

Thank you @Londonmummy66!

Thank you @yodaforpresident and @PhotoDad

Does anyone have a recommendation for a keyboard to take to uni for use in the student's room? Music student, but not a pianist. Will obviously have access to practice rooms, but finds playing keyboard and working out songs relaxing and so needs one on hand.

I'm pretty sure mine won't have enough room for one but some might! Probably easier than getting practice rooms. It's a shame as she'll miss playing as it's not what she's studying but is good and enjoys it.

Well it wouldn't be full-size, we don't even have that at home 😀 We have 61 keys, but it's really deep and heavy. Just wondering how basic and small to go.

@Yingbread sounds like it might be overkill for what you need but DH is a pianist and he had a YDP Arius as a student and still recommends them to his own students now.

😂 Crikey!

You might want to just check Facebook Marketplace @Yingbread if it is just for noodling about. DD2 has asked for one for her birthday - got a weighted one with a metal stand (casio but a relatively decent one) for £140. She just wants to be able to play with headphones so no-one can hear her. It really isn't that big at all

Hi I hope it’s ok to jump onto this thread but I was wondering if any of your children have done LSSO or National youth strings ? What was it like and ate they hard to get into? Thanks

DD did NYSO and enjoyed it. I think Camerata and Seniors were really good, Sinfonia was decent and for younger ones they do lots of Kodaly and Dalcroze. They have excellent tutors for Seniors, definitely worth going if your DC is that age/level and wants some high level teaching and advice.

Some (but not all) children are from JDs and specialist schools, also from Colourstrings as it's Kodaly too. Socially it was healthy, at least DD didn't notice any "competitive elbowing" but she was only 2nd violin :) She auditioned at 10 with grade 8 pieces played with roughly grade 7 standard technique. I don't know much about other children's level but DD said they were a mixed bunch, not all grade 8/diploma and above. They managed to make a good sound and it was enjoyable.

I don't remember what DD said about sectionals or activities but she generally enjoyed the experience.

@Yingbread we have a Yamaha P45 that we got for DD when she first started lessons - we kept it when she got a new piano and it still gets played where it’s located now elsewhere in the house. It is 88 weighted keys but you can get a travel bag with it and the pedal works well too. We have the wooden stand but I think there is a collapsible one available. It is a decent sound for an electric piano and you can use headphones.

We use Yamaha P45 too, the collapsible stand can be a bit wobbly but OK-ish.