Avid musicians

[Colleger]

I know there are a few HE kids on here who are passionate about music. I have just recently discovered that many schools, including music schools are willing to have talented HE musicians join their orchestras and choirs to boost numbers or add some input, especially if they play a rare instrument or are at a high level. Anyway, it's always worth approaching them if musical opportunities in the area are limited.

Thanks Colleger, I had never thought of this. We do take dd to the local ed music provision choir and string ensemble but as she didn't do anything at school didn't consider this. I'm not sure if there are many round here though and they all seem to go to the after school provision rather than in school orchestras etc.
I think it is also important to add that the LEA music services including all the ensembles, choirs and teaching provision is available to H.ed dcs. Well all the ones around here are.

Does your area have a Youth Orchestra or other youth group? Most do. Our area has orchestras, wind bands, guitar groups, jazz bands, string groups, rock schools at all levels, at very reasonable cost.

Also - I know you're Home Ed'ing, but are you using a music teacher?
Our sax teacher has formed her pupils into a sax trio and sax/flute/clarinet sextet and they perform in lots of concerts.

We have teachers for voice and violin in terms of technical issues. This was the same when we attended school though. The reason being dh is pro musician (sax) and educator and I myself can help up to about grade 5. The whole of the morning is taken up with music related topics and practice. Plus we use the local provision for choir, strings, vocal tuition. Piano she doesn't do formerly just tinkers and bangs out a few chords, scales and finger exercises.
Proud, your area sounds quite good and its great the sax teacher is forming groups, very important to give independance and confidence, I think.

Agree - we are lucky where I am.

My DD is now 15, and has gained so much confidence through her music. She's shy, and finds it really hard to (for example) stand up in front of her class to do a presentation. But she doesn't mind playing sax or piano in a concert in front of a few hundred people. She doesn't understand why herself.

Thats the power of music. My dd 8 is not so shy but before she started music and dancing would always be the last in the queue to try something. She is still like that when out of her comfort zone. But standing up and singing in concerts and competitions the child has no nerves at all. People comment on her confidence and I think, if you only knew. I don't understand why neither. Maybe its just what they are good at and enjoy that makes the difference.

My DD (15) says she can hide behind the saxophone.

My son is at an awkward age and level for the county youth ensembles. They all start at 13 - he's 12 - and they won't make allowances eventhough he is at the correct level. The orchestras that he would fit into ability-wise have an age range of 13-18 and are auditioned so he's competing with 18 year olds and they are either better than him, have been in the orchestra so have an advantage, or are just more mature. The groups he currently goes to are too basic for him so he doesn't get much out of it.