Autumn / Winter music thread - 2026/2027

[northerngoldilocks]

Time for a new thread for the new school year!

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.

Thank you @northerngoldilocks. Getting ready for year 11 on Friday here.

Thank you for the new thread, northern. We are looking forward to a new school year. D in one of them someone dropped out and he had to learn their piece by himself in the morning for the afternoon concert. It was crazy but he did very well! Hope everyone have a great start of new term/year!

Thanks for the new thread. Year 13 starts tomorrow for dd. Her singing teacher messaged her today to ask if she would sing the soprano solo in Faure’s Requiem on Sunday so DD’s been practising it all day as she’s not sung it before.

Thanks for the new thread.

Trying to decide here whether (before the end of next week) to put DS9 in for an audition for a primary and intermediate school 350km away that has a specialist music stream. DS and I would have to move up there and leave DH here, organ would have to take a back seat to cello... but the cello opportunities would be amazing (really good orchestras, chamber music, vibrant environment, loads of good friends from Suzuki stuff).

Generally, I think better to stay here, with DH, in the house we already own, where both organ and cello are going very well (albeit with poor opportunities for cello and it being entirely on me to make any new ones as his teacher lives in the big city 800km away). But the utter awfulness of schools and paucity of music opportunities and friends here does make me feel guilty about that decision.

Not sure if I should still be here now mine has graduated. He’s attempting to make a living as freelance musician which feels extremely precarious. He’s currently trying to get a muggle job to pay the bills.

Please do stay if you can! I would really appreciate any updates, good or not so exciting, on how things are in real life for young professional musicians. We had a conversation with DD over the summer and she has very unrealistic ideas about her future life and work in an orchestra 😂 I think I need to start shifting her focus to teaching, but she hates the idea at the moment.
Best of luck to your DS!

Thank you for the new thread @northerngoldilocks

Definitely good to keep hearing from those who have older ones! Also I think they need to have an aim, but plans that go around it too. Mine have been fortunate to have been taught by teachers who do multiple things - orchestra jobs both freelance and permanent, teaching in state/ independent sector, tutoring on courses, chamber music etc so have a good idea of the variety required to pay the bills. Middle one made more from eBay selling this summer than her several concerts.

Is there room for another mum on your bench? I'm a conservatoire mum (and probably shouldn't be worrying about her 20 year old but music is such an exhilarating yet precarious life and it would be good to have some company)

This will be my son in 2 years I think. Although he is likely to be majority focused on live event sound and music production with a bit of drumming and bass playing. What instruments does your son play?

He’s a French horn player so not many jobs around. He auditioned for a part time job last week, they were seeing about 50 people. He’s doing the odd week in a pit orchestra which he’s enjoyed but it’s very sporadic.

I don't know if anyone on here is from the Liverpool region but there's a new opportunity for 13-21year olds who live/attend school&Uni/play in youth ensembles in the region to do a fully funded 1 year conducting pathway with one of the youth brass bands locally. Applicants should be from the Liverpool City Region or Warrington, approx grade 6 on any instrument, have theory knowledge around grade 5 level and some experience of playing in a conducted ensemble. They don't need to have any conducting knowledge ore experience. They get a year long programme of workshops, podium time, visits to professional ensembles - all fully funded by the Sound! music hub. All of the info is at https://www.shybb.uk/conductors. I know some of the organisers so if you've got any questions DM me and I can probably find out the answer.

I sympathise with the precarious career. DD has spent the summer running around Europe on courses to make connections, trying to organise concerts which are likely to pay peanuts based on door donations and interviewing for teaching agencies. The latter is likely to be the only thing that pays decentish money. Luckily for her she has a further year of masters to go.

Thanks for the new thread, signing in!

This term DD has a new teacher for viola (main instrument) and thinking about starting g8 work on piano, DS is supposed to be doing g8 and has pieces ready-ish but I'm not convinced he's even tried to learn the scales so maybe not. We're not usually this exam-ish, but they would both like to bag a g8 before school exams. In theory at least!

All this musical career stuff seems terrifying. DD would love to be a musician, but I don't know how she'd cope with that, networking is not really her thing. Maybe teaching will suit her.

Username change here - formerly Compsearch.

Kids back at school yesterday and straight into it all with extracurriculars as well - shock to the system as we had such a relaxing summer!

@QueenMabby what a beautiful solo and great opportunity for your DD - hope it goes well!

Most of the musicians I know supplement their income with teaching of different kinds - it’s great as can be very flexible but also brings in a regular income. For DH it’s now probably the highlight - though in his case (conservatoire) it must surely be one of the cushiest gigs, getting to listen to amazing musicians playing glorious music in beautiful surroundings! He’s done his fair share of teaching beginners too, when we were students and afterwards.

Mine went back to school on Friday but school music won’t start for a couple of weeks. DD straight back into her Saturday music as they’re having an odd break in the middle so starting early to fit in the sessions. So far the quartet is improved by DD being the only one playing her part rather than the weird doubling up from last year, but her duet partner isn’t back from holidays so she has a solo duet session (tho as she didn’t have music in advance it will be fine!).

DS doesn’t start back at Sat music for a couple of weeks but his timetable seems to be ready which is unheard of! Much better this year - might also be options to use his new found piccolo skills! He’s also supposed to be doing piano grade 8 this term but my plans for him to learn all scales over the summer seem to have somewhat fallen on deaf ears. His app building skills are much improved though!

have also signed them both up for LSSO auditions but slightly horrified to see quite how expensive it is. Actual fees not set yet but last year was over £2,800 so if they both did it would be super £££. For DD it’s a back up plan in case she doesn’t get back into NCO- but that won’t be a cheaper option really!

We are also having a bit of a gap between back to school and back to music. Worst of both worlds according to DC.

We’re very slowly getting back to it but getting into a new routine is really hard. Youngest at secondary school and fitting everything in feels like a challenge.

Back to school tomorrow, UCAS personal statement clutched in sweaty grasp.

And we have the first dilemma. DS has been recruited to play in a pit band for a local show. But the reheasal days clash with his school sung production of JCS, one of his favourite musicals, and in which he's pretty much bound to get a starring role.

Yikes! Maintain professional integrity, or have fun in last year of school...

Exam-wise it will be French Horn grade 8 this term. He's abandoned idea of doing FARSM piano diploma to add to his collection as it's a lot of work in A level year, and 'there's no rush'!

Hi
Has anyone’s DC done the second round audition for NYO this week? How did they feel about it ? My DD found it ok, but not very hopeful she will be offered a place and wants to forget about it. ( teenagers!).

Mine got it this week. At least they hear quite quickly. Hopefully it was a positive experience even if they don't get in. It's really hard to judge because there are so many variables.

Yes not too long of a wait. It’s her first time and I have said you may have to try a few times and also look for other courses as back up.

The timing of other courses also gets tricky though doesn’t it. Waiting for NCO here but conscious if she doesn’t get it would need something else but if she does can’t do both. So now prepping excerpts for another audition whilst hoping she doesn’t need them.

For NCO last year they mentioned late October as the date we would hopefully hear back, but this year they say ‘autumn term’ which might be the same just purposefully less specific but feels like it could be longer. Hopefully not and maybe it’s just for flexibility but conscious they haven’t announced late auditions yet either.

DD did NCO for 5 years and you always seem to wait a long time from putting your audition in and getting results. I think it’s towards end of October for results.

Yes, often have to prepare more than one set of excerpts. Mine will probably prepare for another two because of the dates of when you hear back. Not going to be a waste of time though, it's always good discipline.