Autumn / Winter 2025 Music

[northerngoldilocks]

Time for a new thread in time for the new school term!

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.

Any introduction courses for Y5 G4 string players? All of these look great but probs too hard/advanced/expensive for my musician

@rainycoldbooeso youth looks like it would be perfect. They do non residential too

Also @rainycoldbooif you say which area people might have more recommendations

@northerngoldilocksthanks - sorry what is youth. I’m in London

There are confusingly 2 eso- English schools orchestrate which is gr 8 plus and eso from bromsgrove school / Malvern. They are different organisations (I think).

if you are south London I have recommendations though

@northerngoldilockswere in west but can travel a bit

I really like SLYO for strings at that age- they have a lovely progression system and are v encouraging and their first 2 ‘orchestras’ are strings only (confusingly they count down so 3 and 4). Applications for more beginner strings are full for Xmas I think but worth checking for places at Easter if of interest. It’s in Dulwich though so might not work. 4 days and includes lunch which may be one of the reasons I love it!

dulwich youth also an option- half days and easier to get a place on!

both run Easter, summer and Xmas hols.

Thanks @northerngoldilocksill have a look at both!

Also interested in choral ones - found Rodolofus (sp?) but very expensive!

they also do a wind bend now for younger wind player…. Def recommend Slyo as the higher standard of the two. DD has done both

Agree @se22mother that slyo is a higher standard and better development particularly on strings

DD started in 4 and it was perfect for her at that stage - they’re also really good at mixing them up. DD now in 1sts in SLYO 2 but also think more chance of her getting into SLYO 1 sooner than DS even though he’s better on his instrument- there are just more violin spots to fill! Also in Dulwich apparently everyone plays cello…

DD has done 4-1 on one instrument, then a couple more years on 1 on the other instrument . She also did DYO on both instruments at a younger age.
Dulwich definitely has a thing for cellos 🤣🤣

@rainycoldboo The Gloucester one I linked to is for age 8+ and standard from Grade 1 to Grade 8 - they group by ability. Mine went when they were quite young and enjoyed it.

If he doesn't mind church music the Royal School of Church Music Bath residential is good (my daughter did staff on it recently).

SLYO is pretty grim for cellists too - too many of them so they end up with boring repertoire that is too easy for them - it was fine for the violinist here but not the cellist.

Thanks @Londonmummy66and @se22motherkeep the suggestions coming!!

@Londonmummy66its even worse for woodwind. All the SLYO 2 flutes are gr 8+ but there is no where to go and the concert band is gr 4+ so not really a viable option

Well, it depends on the woodwind of course - flute a problem, bassoon not so much (DD2 is probably the only person to have done cello, then flute, then bassoon and contra in various SLYOs - though she's never done 3)

It's great if you're lucky to get a spot in a section that you;re happy with and it works for you. DD2 is back in SLYO 1 for December.

Elswhere, Wells has residential courses available for those at a variety of grades - they are residential and take childcare vouchers etc. DD2 does NYCGB, which she loves for choral music - have heard great things about Rodolphus too.

Yeah- as I was typing it I was thinking ‘perhaps not all woodwind’ and really I mean flute!

DD loved wells holiday course but without childcare vouchers it’s quite ££- though good value for what they get

DD absolutely loved Chetham’s orchestra course during the summer

I'm taking notes for next year when NCO no longer an option.

The piano course looks like it might be an option for my DS. There don’t seem to be so many opportunities for pianists as for orchestral instruments. He is in year 8 in a state school with only one music teacher for all seven years so, apart from getting wheeled out for the Christmas and summer concerts, there isn’t much for him to do at school.

@StuntNun - only downside is it isn't residential so you'd have to book somewhere nearby and stay. Nice area though! If you can afford it I'd recommend the Wells one - Joe Tong who runs it taught DD1 and is a lovely guy.

DD had to be convinced she could do both wells piano and NCO next summer as she loved the Wells course so much. Her piano playing noticeably improved after a week too as it’s a really full course with daily individual lessons, duet and group lessons plus a masterclass. The only disappointment was her duet partner was rubbish at the duet despite being good on paper but this is often the way and hopefully wouldn’t happen again!

Thanks for the recommendation. It looks like the Wells course is already full though.