i love singing and i started at 14 and did my grade 8 when i was 16...haha..what about u...

I started singing in choirs when I was about 10, but did not have lesons until I was 31. I did Grade 6 within a year. Now I've got another teacher, I'm not sure what I'll be doing, but she thinks we can make quick progress. Grade 7 before 8 though - exams too scary for the likes of me! But I've always liked singing, even though I lack confience.

One of my earliest recollections is singing a song on my own at Nursery school - and I've been singing at school, church and in choirs ever since. I finally managed to gather the courage (and cash) to start singing lessons at the beginning of 2003 (aged 35), and passed Grade 8 with distinction in March this year.

Cheers

Katyjay

QUOTE (katyjay @ Aug 7 2004, 12:30 PM)

One of my earliest recollections is singing a song on my own at Nursery school

Me too! My mum always tell me the story of singing Twinkle, twinkle little star with two older friends at the Nursery Nativity Play - except the others stopped singing and I had to sing it solo! I was much less self-conscious then!!!

The trouble is she always tells the story at embarrassing moments...

What are you doing at the moment, Katyjay?

hey katyjay...are u going to be a professional singer or something... i mean it...although i passed my grade 8 at the age of 16...i'm 17 now...it's still a bit young to be a professional...just wondering what u ar doing at the moment..

QUOTE

although i passed my grade 8 at the age of 16...i'm 17 now...it's still a bit young to be a professional...just wondering what u ar doing at the moment..

I'm in the same situation.I haven't actually done the exam but only because i haven't done grade V theory.I'm doing that in november.But I feel i'm too young to dedicate everything to going pro.

i know it's hard to be a professional singer at the age of 17...but i'm planning to go to music college... singing isn't my major instrument...piano is.... organ is third...reeli wanna learn harpsichord...

voice is my 1st instrument, although flute is rapidly catching up and piano is on the level to flute but needs more work.

hey MCB_Tiger...ar u planning to do a diploma then...i think i will do one... although it's hard...

yes i am next year i think though because i have too much on this year

QUOTE (MBC_Tiger @ Aug 10 2004, 08:35 PM)

yes i am next year i think though because i have too much on this year

wow that's great...but i don't think i can do it that quickly.....as my singing teacher wants me to get away from the "bad habits" first....

Hi everyone!

To answer the questions in order:

Emma C - I'm still working towards ATCL, planning to take it at Christmas (I know, DavidMusic will say this is an "easy" exam but it's hard enough for me just now). Glad to hear that you're getting on well with your new teacher.

LiebeKlavier - I'm a chartered accountant who sings for the fun of it. My husband jokes that I work to finance my singing habit. I admire people who have the abilities and dedication to pursue music professionally, but I couldn't be one of them.

The one thing I do think is important is that people don't decide that music can only be done professionally or not at all - have a look at the "Making Music" website (Making Music is the brand name for the National Federation of Music Societies), to see that there are thousands of amateur musicians in Britain - most of whom will have ordinary jobs like mine, and will have music as a very absorbing hobby which they can pursue to as high a level as they wish.

That's not to say that if music is the thing you do best you shouldn't go for it as a career, but rather to say that music as a fulfilling hobby is still worthwhile.

Enjoy your singing, and if it turns into a career that'll be a bonus. If your career takes a different direction you will still have the music too - aren't you lucky!

Cheers

Katyjay

QUOTE (katyjay @ Aug 14 2004, 02:01 PM)

That's not to say that if music is the thing you do best you shouldn't go for it as a career, but rather to say that music as a fulfilling hobby is still worthwhile.

that's what my mum has been telling me all the time...but i'm not reeli interested in other thing except music...

QUOTE (katyjay @ Aug 14 2004, 02:01 PM)

(I know, DavidMusic will say this is an "easy" exam but it's hard enough for me just now).

Do I know you?! There's no need to be so rude - it's a ridiculously easy exam on woodwind instruments, but that doesn't mean it's easy on Voice.

Sorry David, I didn't mean to cause you offence.

I was merely admitting that an experienced professional like you might not have the same view on the difficulty of a diploma as someone like me who is (a) new to this music lesson and exam business and ( fitting practice and research for programme notes into a very limited time left over from a full time job that's completely unrelated to music.

I misunderstood your comment on the Diplomas board to mean that all ATCLs were easy, and was simply pointing out that from my point of view (amateur and beginner) that's not the case.

Katyjay