Spring / Summer 2026 music thread

[northerngoldilocks]

Time for a new thread as the old one is filling up and think we can claim its spring now!

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.

And well done stuntnun's DS on knocking out that theory too!

Less of the 'just' @thirdfiddle - grade 8 is serious stuff. The aural? I have no idea how anyone does it.

I'm just preparing to record my grade 3 euphonium. Did consider face to face, but it's hard to get an accompanist etc for that, and hard to fit it round work. If I get through I'm looking forward to having 'my' certificate on the wall with everyone else's - in fact, if I pull this off I shall make sure it has pride of place!

Good luck with the grade 3 @achangeofnameisasgoodasarest - I think you'll need to buy one of these to make sure your certificate really stands out from the rest https://www.eventprophire.com/product/giant-gold-frame-3/

Best of luck @achangeofnameisasgoodasarest- you can do it!

Can someone please remind me of the good app for aural training for g8? Thanks.

Does anyone have a cheap mirror (not hung on a wall ideally) for posture checks etc? I had one leaning up against a wall and small person fiddled with it….

@678socks we got one similar to this for DS to use - though ours was from ikea - they seem to have discontinued it. Handy as freestanding:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NEZZOE-Frameless-Dressing-Free-Standing-Windowsill/dp/B0B6P7Q95Y/ref=asc_df_B0B6P7Q95Y?mcid=b128f167aa1b345f969cbebe524a99cb&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697179731904&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12952327104423279331&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9044962&hvtargid=pla-1746287142701&psc=1&hvocijid=12952327104423279331-B0B6P7Q95Y-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1

Thank you, sorry should have said we need to be able to see the whole body (seated).

@Londonmummy66 yes that- but with extra led lights round it…

😂

It's a long time since i've been on this thread, but its lovely reading about all the music stuff the DCs are up to. It's bern pretty busy here - ds has been in the studio, which has been fun for him and dd2 had a performance of Vivaldi's 4 seasons for chamber orchestra ans solo violin with some intersting additions (bagpipes, the old Nokia ringtome and barking musicians). I have to say the teenage musicians looked singularly unimpressed by the barking......
Tomortow they are performing together with a singer friend of dd2 which will be fun

@StuntNun yes trinity but rather dependent on the centre I think. With another centre we have had to wait until the Monday (exams done at the end of that week),

@QueenMabbythere is the ABRSM Aural Trainer app but we found it doesn’t have a huge number of exercises so the sight singing gets easier over time! I think you can pay again for more exercises. I got the old Aural Training in Practice books with the CDs from eBay which are brilliant but only if you have access to a CD player. There is a version with downloadable files as well but I haven’t tried that.

All the exercises from the old book are on Spotify now, they still seemed to match to our old book.

That’s handy @thirdfiddle My DS’s teacher reckons the books are the best resource.

Thank you. Will suggest both options to dd

The Paul Harris Improve your Aural books are good but do require a CD player. His Improve your scales and Improve your sightreading books are good as well.

Mine found the Paul Harris sight-reading books good for piano. Also playing at church and not getting up early enough to look at the hymns before the practice sharpens your skills!

Big news here. My kid has been asked to dep in an actual professional orchestra for a concert this week. Mixture of terror and excitement. They’re hoping it could lead to making their extras list.

How exciting.

Congratulations! excellent opportunity !!

How exciting sirius!

Congrats to all on such fabulous exam successes!

Busy time here for DD (13) with concerts, festivals and a musical (pit band). She has auditions coming up with a few JDs and I wondered if anyone who’s experienced these could advise as to dress code? Concert blacks seems a bit full on and school uniform a bit impractical (cello) and odd (school hols). Want her to be comfortable but also the appropriate level of smart! Thank you!

@CelloMumFlums congrats on the auditions. I'd just go with clean, comfortable and something they feel is 'them'. The dress sense at my daughter's JD is much more varied than you see in our town! On audition day, there was a wide range. Pretty sure mine would have worn jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt. She knew from her sister's experience that it's a very warm building so didn't want to be hot and bothered. Maybe allow for layers as it's not fun playing if you are nervous and hot.

@CelloMumFlums - when mine auditioned (cello and piano) she wore some comfortable wide leg trousers and a long sleeved fairly smart t shirt. It will be normal for a cellist to be in trousers and they also need to be able to move pretty freely so something like a smart tshirt would be fine.

Lots of excitement going on for musial types!

DS had three concerts last week, and this week's excitement is his singing ARSM diploma. He seems pretty well prepared, it's just remembering the lyrics that may prove tricky! He's hoping he can just wing it if he forgets the odd word, as the examiner won't have the scores. So he hopes!

I'm hoping for stellar score, to match previous singing exams, but am trying not to pass on my pushiness to him...

Choral scholarship ambitions continue - he's going to New College Oxford early July to have a sing there.