how to help my very musical dd?

[Akiko]

My Dd aged8 is very talented in music. She has been learning the piano, her teacher is very impressed in her progress, composing her own amazing musical pieces etc. The problem is, that I am not musical, cannot even read it and could not tell how good she is. She has chosen a second instrument, the guitar, I signed her in the school quire and m-tech after school. She will get individual voice lessons at school from next term. I would like to do everything possible to help her talent grow, but do not know where to go from here. Does anyone know a specialist teacher or classes for young composers? Your comments and advise will be very much appreciated.

If I were you I'd ask her music teachers, they're likely to know. Her Choir teacher, perhaps.

Ask around locally - her music teachers might know of what's available in the area. Or phone any music schools or colleges nearby - they often keep information on teachers and courses, or know someone who does!

Apart from that, just give her lots of opportunities to hear different kinds of music, so that she has a breadth of knowledge to draw on - it's like, if she was writing great stories, you'd make sure she read a lot to give her inspiration.

You can also get specialist music software which lets you compose and hear how it would sound with all the different instruments, which might interest her if composing is her particular interest - that way she can write more than one part and hear them played together.

and remember to support her in doing non-music things too - talented kids can get very lopsided

Brownies? sport?

DD is the same age and plays 3 instruments, I'm not convinced she's a musical genius but she definitely gets a lot of pleasure from playing and composing.

If you have a Mac, then Garageband is fun. Our local LEA sponsored music centre does composition classes as does DD's school. I'd make sure she's doing some theory as well.

I'd make sure she's getting some Music Theory too to help with annotation etc. Music Tech is good, but not really useful without any Theory.

Sibelius is fantastic software (both my DC use it to compose and help with arrangements and A level and GCSE prep) but expensive. Do they have anything like this at her school - are they using it in Music Tech club?

Do you mind me asking which area you live in?

We are in Battersea

The best musical education for early years is the 'colourstrings' method. There's a Saturday school at Roehampton university which is near you. Check it out. www.colourstrings.co.uk/

Lots of praise, little concerts in the lounge, she could write pieces for people's birthday...

Take her to concerts and dance in the kitchen!

Appreciating music is as important as playing. Tis something to be enjoyed.

Youth orchestras rock! This is a nice free notation website

My Mum was amazing - clapped even though she'd heard the tune a million times, drove me to concerts, practises, lessons etc. She also taught me that music is about putting on a cool choon to do the hooverin...