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.

Best of luck to him

Thanks @Londonmummy66 for the tips on JD audition dress. DD has two coming up for voice and we thought it would be a bit full on to go for concert blacks! Linen trousers and a smart top sound like the way forward; now just the logistics of transport from Easter camp and back again to deal with for one of them!

Congratulations all round for all the exam results and other endeavours!

Congrats to your DS @Siriusmuggle !

Somewhat inevitably the JD question has now reared its head. My feeling is that unless you actually live in london or Birmingham it is a total nightmare?? Also feels maybe like it would be better at secondary age? No pushiness was intended just an enquiry about whether it is something we are interested in.

Ours was closed in Wales. RWCMD axed it to save cash. A few go to London but train fares make it prohibitive for most people.

When we were at the RCM open day, they spoke about how people travelled from quite a long way north, as well as flying in from Ireland every week. I think RAM mentioned something similar and that they tried to design schedules in order to accommodate the long distances being travelled in some cases.

There are people travelling from afar at JDs but you would need to ask what time your orchestras/ensembles would be @678socks as these are often inflexible. Some start as early as 8:20 but it depends on the JD.

This is a bit off topic but the reason the RWCMD JD was closed was because the MDS scheme only exists in England.

MDS is government funding that pays for the tuition on a means tested basis at both full time schools and JD's (or CATs in the case of dance)

RWCMD had run a JD scheme without MDS funding for many years but it became untenable.

There is also a campaign at the moment to allow Welsh students to undertake vocational degree training at specialist drama/dance colleges. They used to be able to but it has been stopped due to various convoluted funding based reasons. It is really not fair on those from Wales.

@Comefromaway that is really unfair! Poor children.

Thanks all, guessing also not really a must do if the child is showing signs of wanting to pursue this as a career (today at least 😂)? Would be easier if we still lived down south!

Whereabouts in the country are you? As well as Birmingham there is Manchester then similar MDS funded schemes not attached to institutions in Sheffield, Leeds & Gateshead.

I didn't know that @Comefromaway and it's really sad to see what's going on with arts funding in general. I've seen on FB council arts funding has been halved since 2010...

@Comefromaway midlands….will have a look then.

Not a must and from what I can see those aspiring to be soloists don't bother going to JD at all :)

On the other hand, our former teacher was on a bus from Wales to London every week in their late teens to study with a particular teacher.

https://www.gov.uk/music-dance-scheme

Music CATs
NameLocation
Aldeburgh Young Musicians Suffolk
Centre for Young Musicians London
Guildhall School of Music & Drama London
Royal Academy of Music London
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Birmingham
Royal College of Music London
Royal Northern College of Music Manchester
Sheffield Music Academy Sheffield
South West Music School South West England
The Glasshouse Gateshead
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance London
Yorkshire Young Musicians Leeds, Hull

Leeds Conservatoire also have their own JD scheme that is fee paying but with bursaries for those with a household income less than £42,875

I didn't know that @Comefromaway- what a very short-sighted policy.

It really was heartbreaking for the kids and handled in the worst way possible. Quite a few families left for England. The rest of us are basically muddling through! Some provision has improved, some has tanked. I don’t think a JD is necessary as such, but a good one would be a phenomenal experience I think.

In Scotland you have to pay the full fees for RCS juniors unless eligible for some bursaries or scholarships.
I would say it's not a must do if you want a career but you would then need to seek out other good opportunities for ensembles etc if none locally as that is a big draw for many. Some of the JDS do occasional sessions for instrument families as well, like double reed days etc. Also not all those going to ours want a music career. Many are there because their parents believe it helps their academics, or they enjoy playing in higher level ensembles.

@chocolateisnecessary I remember when that happened, so sad for everyone.

@horseymum @Londonmummy66 thank you so much for the super helpful advice! Re the “interview” component of the audition, we have discussed the usual points re instruments chosen, repertoire, experience, why that particular JD and future plans but wondered whether anyone has been thrown a curveball of a Q that we may not have anticipated?! Thank you!

So sad re the Welsh JD. I recall signing a petition at the time as it all felt so unfair and short-sighted..

We've had a crazy March so far... with lots of concerts, three days of MT and a solo moved two months earlier so really half baked... with chops bleeding from an allergy and a blocked nose on top of that 🤦‍♀️

I keep telling myself that it's a good preparation for the life of a musician 😂 but it certainly feels less than ideal.

As the workload is only going to increase, I wonder if it would be better to keep all options open for the sake of versatility or start prioritising and focusing for more advanced and nuanced performance. DD has been stagnating for a while and the solo was particularly disappointing.

@CelloMumFlums - our curveball was how much practice she did - it was very little compared with her peers so they pulled a lot of faces but she pointed out that she had got to where she had by practising efficiently rather than extensively..........

@Comefromaway thank you, we are in a dark spot and everything is miles away (but at least in the same country).

But we do have an amazing youth orchestra on our doorstep.

I think mine got asked about what music she listened to, other than classical. I also wouldn't stress too much as as I can't imagine she gave more than one word answers and was fine!

DD has one of her busiest weeks of music for a while. She has the school concert including her chamber group and orchestra, a piano solo at her Sat centre and then heading to her NCO residential on Sunday.

She fell down the stairs a week ago and her wrist has been twinging since and had been suggesting skipping practice to give it time to get better. This weekend she slipped on the stairs AGAIN and now her wrist is swollen and painful. Have bandaged it and hoping it improves quickly 😬😬😬

I assume her extreme clumsiness is cos she’s growing - but her timing couldn’t be worse!