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.

@horseymum I've previously done christmas decs featuring their instruments, but mostly it's just wine and heartfelt thanks from over here.

Meanwhile for the musical teen, I usually get something small and amusing for the bassoon for her stocking, but this year she apparently needs a £40 piece of kit that widens the end of the reed or something, a 'reamer'.

Teacher says this item will 'last a lifetime'. I'm assuming she's less prone to losing things than DD2 is. Worst stocking filler ever?

Could be worse though - her sister wants a portable poledancing pole. Might get her to ask her granddad....see how he reacts.

SOme useful bits and bobs on musicroom that could go in a teens stocking. (Best alongside a music order due to postage)This was a hit last year with an international student who composes.

https://www.musicroom.com/noligraph-bvpnoligraph?returnurl=%2fgift%2foccassion%2fmusic-teacher-thank-you-gifts%2f

and this is a bargain https://www.musicroom.com/notes-small-klein-hn8000?returnurl=%2fgift%2foccassion%2fmusic-teacher-thank-you-gifts%2f

Mine always ask for the music themed zebra propelling pencils as they are bright yellow so show up in the bottom of a bag/case and the eraser on the end actually works.

The Chord is good for novelty music gifts. Agree that pencils with good rubbers are invaluable!
A kalimba was a hit with dd a few years ago and one of her music teachers sent me a hilarious video of their Christmas lunch after I gave her some musical crackers with kazoos in for her Christmas gift!

Dh likes those magnetic pencils that attach to a music stand.

@Comefromawayagree the magnetic pencils are good. Would advise not getting black as they blend into the stand too much, ours gets forgotten!

@Comefromaway we also have magnetic pencils this year. DD2 will still leave them on the music stand - still smarting over a pair of lost Loop earplugs from her last course.

DD2 is all excited as she has her first 'professional' gig (playing for a choral society that's missing a bassoon for something). She's being paid, allegedly, and it's much more than she gets for babysitting.

However, she predictably wants us to come and see her do it, which would cost far more than her pay. The joys of 'musical child economics'

Pleased for her though.

Some good ideas, thanks.
Don't ever start adding up how much it costs to hear them playing, especially when they have been on a course etc! That way lies madness. At least it's not like ballet shows where you pay more to ' hire' the costume than it would for me to buy the fabric and make it. Then at least I'd get to keep it! Those days are long gone.

@horseymum - my dd does ballet as well. Tomorrow I’m replacing a pair of pointe shoes that she’s had for barely a year! Fortunately our dance school only does a show every other year but yes, the “privilege” of being in the show is costly.

dd’s school are running a summer music tour next year. This is likely to be DD’s last one as they also tend to be every other year. She’s very excited.

Woohoo congrats on the gig @achangeofnameisasgoodasarest ! 🎉

Yes, I should be grateful DD2 has two left feet. She falls over just walking sometimes so dance would be a terrible idea!

DS seems to shed loop earplugs. Think I’m going to buy a load of them on black Fri discount for him to lose throughout the year 🙄

Both mine did an informal music concert after school on Tues which was a lovely opportunity for them. Has been ages since DD performed solo violin and she said her bow was really shaking - think this means it was good for her to do it- plus it was mostly good. Few bits where her tuning wasn’t as good as normal but nerves probably account for it, she’s more confident on piano solos!

Yup. Tomorrow we are off to yet another amdram Ds s playing for (don’t mind too much as it’s his old company he used to be on stage within& I used to chaperone for.

and the cost of going to panto includes a hotel.

we did have to pass on Paris though.

A year is good for pointe shoes! DD’s worst was 1 week during a summer school. Generally she had 2 pairs n the go at a time and they lasted 3-4 months.

@Comefromaway- I’m very grateful that dd doesn’t dance seriously. Once a week only and yes a year is pretty good going. For “proper” dancers the costs must be astronomical!

How long does it take to get from grade 3 to grade 5 music theory? My DS has started preparing for his grade 6 piano with a view to doing the exam next summer but he’s only done up to grade 3 music theory with a distinction in the practice paper. I’m worrying he’s leaving it too late to get the theory exam done in time.

Hi everyone, I don’t really post on here but check in from time to time.

My DD has just completed her Grade 8 cello exam (last week) and I’m looking for something special to gift to her amazing teacher - female, mid 40’s. Her teacher has been with her for the whole time and has supported and encouraged throughout. We are continuing with lessons but wanted to mark this achievement and our gratitude.
Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas?

Thank you

I’d just start gr 5 theory work @StuntNun. DD did hers 1 year apart but she was young and her music school suggested 3 first. DS just went straight in for 5 but he was a bit older . Given timing you might be best with one of the intensive courses?

Congratulations to your dd! Teachers have such a special place in their lives, don't they. I made a bag from fabric I had specially printed with music mine had played with her teacher. It had their markings all over it! I included a photo of their instrument too. Was pretty easy to do on canva, then upload to the fabric printing website. Or you can make paper flowers with music, instructions online. A nice card with your thanks in.

@Worriedmum42 - this lady does the loveliest music themed key chains plaques and decorations - all bespoke. She is herself a music teacher so will have some ideas. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573440084630

Quick question about music copyright - I am trying to buy pdfs of various pieces of music (over 70 years old) for performing in the UK, but they are proving tricky to locate. I can find them on IMSLP - can I use downloads from there for public performance in the UK even though it's a Canadian initiative?

Copyright is 70 years after the composers death rather than 70 years ago. Generally if you are at that point then it is OK to use IMSLP. The only caveat to that is that there is a separate copyright for the page layout which is 25 years from publication. So if you have a 30 year old edition of Handel its fine, anything by Stravinsky won't be and a 20 year old edition of Byrd also won't be.

Thank you @Londonmummy66. It's Handel, Mozart and Grieg and I think two of them are Peters Editions but the Faber Music website is almost unuseable as the search function is so bad.

TBH I'd just download and play (in fact if you play from an IPad its going to be pretty well impossible to tell what version you are using.

Can you share the imslp link? Often times there’s a copyright notice somewhere in there, or a plate number that can reveal the publishing date.

This is one of them https://imslp.org/wiki/6_Songs%2C_Op.48_(Grieg%2C_Edvard)