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.

Take her to see the National youth orchestra concerts over new year if you are nearby! I'd recommend the things above, then Star wars ( anything John Williams actually) film music in general, The planets, things that have 'suite' in the title as often a mix of the best bits from films, musicals etc or just shorter in general than a symphony. Live music as often as you can! Local brass band, symphony orchestra, fiddle group,whatever you have. Enjoy finding out together what she likes.

Yes the pops style concerts can be great.

We took my son to a CBSO Star Wars concert when he was about 8 or 9. He loved it.

https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/le-carnaval-des-animaux?fbclid=IwY2xjawOw3ZtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFtODdkRUhJeGNuRjRTQUo5c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmU84eddwlVfskWkB5KxY-e9pRQduEWEwHNasSLErPIk37PKpBi4t7MDGj2__aem_M1Z1t5FlaaX4ZbggIl9NRg - it was here but you will probably have to hunt for it as I don't think the link to the full recording is working anymore.

There was also Melody on Cbeebies which DD loved which linked a story to a famous piece of music.

@musicadvice Tchaikovsky's ballet music and Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet.

How to build an orchestra https://www.lso.co.uk/learn-and-discover/digital-activities-and-resources/how-to-build-an-orchestra/

DD was also obsessed with operas even if she's not a singer, hummed tunes from The Magic Flute for example so maybe worth exploring too, not just instrumental.

Mozart and Vivaldi are an obvious choice.

Great call, we are nearish the Barbican and National Youth Orchestra is a great call. I did NYT as a kid and still hadn't thought of it!

Oh then LSO Family concerts are great.
St Luke's has re-opened, they may have something for children, too.
Bach to Baby concerts.

@yodaforpresident This recording is beautiful, thank you so much.

@Ubertomusic Thanks - all of this is very useful. I'm ordering How to Build an Orchestra and see they do individual instrument books too which will be great for my eldest. Will check out LSO.

Thanks all, you've been so generous with your recommendations. I will hang around this thread in future!

Guildhall students play lots of concerts at Milton Court, I'm sure they'll appreciate wider audience :)

www.gsmd.ac.uk/whats-on?event_category=110&event_type=713

@musicadvice she'd probably quite like the Story Orchestra books - and you can follow up with good recordings of each of the pieces.

Dunno if your household is into baroque music at all, but the Netherlands Bach Society's All of Bach project on youtube - i.e. professionally recording everything Bach ever wrote - is just fabulous. Have spent many hours down that particular rabbit hole since DS9 was a baby and he is now playing many of the pieces on there.

I hope your DS has a fab time doing the crib service - a fun first 'gig'!

And yes i agree about 9yo boys, though mine makes most look pretty organised, self-contained and sensible...

@BurntOutParent that Bach sounds amazing - I will check it out!

@musicadvice does your DD have a yoto player? I have a 7yo and he loves his - they have really lovely versions of a lot of the pieces mentioned here - Peter and the Wolf, Carnival of the Animals, the Nutcracker, and they have “my first violin/piano/classical music” albums that are full of bangers. I’m a huge fan of the Christmas one as it has lots of interesting choral music. We are also big into CDs and let the DCs rifle through our old collections. The compilation type ones are their favourites - “100 classics” or the classic fm hall of fame double CD special - these pieces are famous and popular for a reason and easier to listen to one movement of something rather than say a whole symphony.

Good to hear your son is now managing. I do worry about future independence... even if we know where the niche is likely to be. So many skills to acquire yet...

@horseymum yes that's my aim too. The idea of a career has only emerged since he's moved exceptionally quickly on organ, while everything else looks increasingly like exec function challenges are going to make everything a challenge.

@musicadvice if you're able to play CDs, there will be loads around in charity shops. Because there's just so much to sift through - looking at the recording label can help, eg EMI for the very traditional recordings. I recommend Channel Classics as a label - they produced really amazing recordings in the 90s and 00s by the likes of Pieter Wispelwey and Florilegium - as well as Gimell (the Tallis Scholars' label - they recorded the second ever CD recorded in about 1980,and everything they've done since), Coro (the Sixteen's label), Pentatone...

For a real banger, try The New Dutch Academy's Corelli Concerto Grossi CD. Highly recommended for inspiring budding violinists!

A lot of ballet schools would love a piano accompanist - if only they could find one.

Vocational schools like the one my daughter went to sometimes struggle to recruit pianists. It is a particular skill though, there are courses you can do.

They're unenlightened where we live... oversupply of willing and able pianists and total lack of interest from the two ballet schools!

My son & my husband do a lot of accompaniment work. The main thing he s that you have to be a good sight reader. They work for am dram societies, community choirs & musical theatre colleges.

Yes, I think this could work for DS9. He can sightread at a level way above his age/ stage, as long as he's allowed to have one run-through first (his sightreading is better than his visual scanning skills). He's also happy to transpose to any key, which is a useful skill when accompanying choirs.

When he’s older perhaps he could audition for NYMT pit band. (It took my son a couple of attempts to get in). Gave him a leg up in musical theatre & led to various opportunities.

At school & college he sought out the drama teacher & offered to play for rehearsals etc

his old piano teacher runs several community choirs including a couple of military wives choirs & that led to accompaniment work for my husband.

@musicadvice - as you are in London it would be worth looking at the Royal College of Music Sparks programme - a range of activities for children at various ages and levels with quite a bit in half terms etc.

Sparks programme looks brilliant, thank you.

No Yoto, we are getting a CD player instead. Thanks for the album recommendations, very useful. I should add a good Christmas one to her library.

Hi, we have had the provisional trinity exam mark sheet back hut apparently it's not final until checked and a certificate issued. Has anyone known a mark change? (Really hoping it doesnt!) Thanks!