SplitSoul

Now the Spring Intensive is out of the way, do we think the waitlist will move?

I know quite a few people got an outright no.

Any movement on the WL yet?

Yes. It came yesterday I think.

Thank you everyone. The article on mirrors is very interesting.

My DD is 10.5 and developing breast buds. She is very angry about this. She doesn't want breasts and she says you can see it through her Leo and nobody else has it. The other girls in her class actually have breast tissue, so are further on than her. But she says that's different. She is inconsolable. Can anyone recommend how to deal/anything practical I can buy her to wear? Black is obvs best, but she says even then she can see them across the room in the mirror (I can't). Any crop top thingies that might help and not look obvious under her Leo?

Waitlist here. We are uk and got Spring straight off. My daughter will be so upset. Anyone got any tips on how to break bad news? I haven't done very well at this in the past.

Does anyone know whether getting the Spring Intensive impacts on your chances of getting Summer as well?

I know one non JA that was accepted for boarding off the WL.

My DD is year 5 JA and she got a place! Does anyone know how many children will be there?

My DD did EYB just last week. The audition was on stage and as described above. She was in the junior section though and I gather there is a big jump between that and senior. They definitely look for joy of performance, so whatever happens, giving your heart and soil will shine through. Miss Lewis just got and OBE. She is the most amazing lady!

Good news for my DD. Sorry for everyone who didn't get it, don't let it get you down xx

Within the week, they said

I have £1 riding on the Bham results coming out today. The day is more than half gone. I am going to have to raid my daughter's money box for £1, aren't I? (Replacing it with an IOU, of course)

Fingers crossed for everyone who auditioned yesterday in Bham 🤞

We didn't get any info in Bham until after the closing date.

Is this Oxford? I already got the Oxford link on Monday. Congrats to you DC. Its a wonderful experience.

My daughter is also for Yr 5. I have the same question as you!

Anyone auditioning for this in Bham? It's next weekend and we haven't had any information! Time, place etc. Does anyone have any feedback on the programme?

If you know the musos at uni, then you can also get gigs playing in the pit for the uni musical/G&S/operatic society. You even get paid for that!

Ah, flute is the worst for this! I would try and find out who the existing flautist are in the orchestra he wants to play. Offer to dep for them if they can't make a rehearsal, at short notice, whatever part. That way you build up the contact and make yourself first port of call. Eventually you get in, if you are reliable, well prepared and helpful. Same goes for amateur orchestras, and if you meet the right people there, you can really build up lots of depping contacts. Amazing how often a player is sick on the concert day! Good luck!

@Allwrongwhat dies he play? The amateur orchestra scene is not that hard to get into, unless you play flute or clarinet... having a bass or e flat clarinet can help, as can playing 3rd/piccolo when required.

Wow Beezie, I amnsonpelased to hear music is offered so widely in the US. It certainly isn't here! At my child's school, there was no choir until I started it. Instrumental teaching is very limited and definitely only for the well-off!

I suspect music has a wider appeal, because you can do it very effectively at amateur level, from pretty basic through to almost pro. It is also open to more people: age and physical condition being the most obvious. You can get immense pleasure from playing piano duets at home, right through to performing in a massive symphony orchestra or opera. You can't just ask your ballet friend over and have a quick dance in your living room for fun, in the same way as you can ask 3 other string players over and bash through some quartets. Many schools (sadly not all) offer music lessons of some sort. Sometimes free or cheap. No state school I have ever seen offers ballet classes. Not sure I have seen a public school that offers ballet (apart from voc or specialist schools). Re the availability of funds, I am guessing, but: The people who set up funds for educating the young are more likely to have had some music education and far less likely to have had ballet lessons to any serious level. Also, ballet is female dominated at non-pro level. Setting up trusts, raising funds, running charities etc is at best gender neutral, at worst male dominated. Their agenda is therefore more likely to be on what they personally like, value and have some experience of. Music is just more likely to be that thing, not dance, let alone ballet. Sadly.

I agree both dance and music are expensive, although for music it does depend a bit on what instrument you play. Some instruments are expensive to buy (like if you need family of clarinets) and bassoon reeds certainly don't come cheap! But then again, neither to pointe shoes. Music requires more 1:1 lessons, but I think there are more opportunities to participate in free stuff (like church or cathedral choirs), school orchestra etc.