Tell me again that it will all be ok

[Helenagrace]

I just watched my DD play the cello in front of 500 people in the theatre at her prep school.

It's the one thing I can't give her by home educating her isn't it?

I wrote the car off today as well so I'm an emotional wreck.

Please hold my hand / slap me / tell me it will
be ok.

Of course she can still play the cello in front of an audience :)

Not quite sure how because opportunities vary depending on where you live but plenty of out of school opportunities to join orchestras and thus perform.

All will be ok honestly - you may have written the car off and be an emotional wreck but you will be ok.
I was a wreck when I first took my two out of school (and that is without a car crash! I hope it wasnt too awful)

Of course she can. My Dd played her French Horn in front of about 200 people just the other week. In fact dd does far more performing and has far more practice time now she is home ed. It's one of the things she loves about it.

It's so very nerve wracking when you take them out isn't it. I was utterly terrified. I occasionally still get moments of doubt, but for the most part I am sure I am doing the right thing.

Are you ok after writing the car off? Hope you came out unscathed.

Big MMMMMMM! My son is leaving one of the most famous music schools in the world and I think he's going to be a better musician because of it. I'm not boasting but I just want to make the point that you can give her what she needs and more. PM me if you wish and we can discuss music and opportunities - a subject I won't shut up on!

I have been comfort eating this week - maybe I'm a wreck too but didn't realise it!

MY Dd has been performing live to all sizes of crowds, bigger and smaller than that since she was 14.

Hope you are okay after the crash.

I'm with Colleger on this one- there are many, many more exciting performance opportunities to be had than a school concert, and you'll have the flexibility and freedom to explore these now. Plenty more practise time too, which is possibly more important at this age.
Please try not to worry! (About DD or the car!)

I did all of my music performances outside school. Our orchestra toured Spain and Germany while I was lead violinist.

If DS gets through the auditions he will be touring with two opera companies in the next six months. There are junior conservatoires, county orchestras, music festivals that your child can enter for performance opportunities. The comment about practice is right too. Even at DS music school he doesn't get to practice as much or as well as he needs to. During the holidays he develops at a faster rate. Plus, there are so many orchestral courses that run in the holidays. DS is going on three but there were 12 available to him and that was only for one of his instruments!

I don't know if your dc has lessons through your local LEA or privately. We do a mixture of both for dd. The LEA have said that we can still access the lessons, orchestras, ensembles and choirs (in fact the whole service) If we decide to HE. It is worth approaching them if you live in an area where there is not much available in the private sector. Here we have a decent LEA and good private opportunities. Colleger is right about the development rate during holidays, with HE you will have as many hours practice as your dc will want/need. This is the main reason we are considering HE.
Hope you are ok now and not too shaken.