After reading several really interesting posts from new members who describe themselves, their situation, their plans, etc, I thought how it would be good to have a thread where the existing members can put up a potted biography.
If you don't think it's a good idea, simply ignore this post and it will drop off the page into obscurity. If you do, then post something about yourself!

Here's mine:
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Boring stuff: Female, mid-forties, married, no children, no pets.
Location: Originally from South England. Currently living and working in North Italy.
Profession: statistician/data management.
Biggest career challenge: giving a 3 day statistics course in Inner Mongolia through an interpreter.
Nearly ditched it all in 2 years ago to become a singing teacher, but got the offer to go to Italy instead. Still have it at the back of my mind for my "final" career.

Main instrument: Voice
Dabbled in classical guitar as a teenager and got it to a reasonable level (grade 4-5 ish though never took any exams).
Keep meaning to take it up again one day. Want to play piano (would be hard to teach singing without) but haven't got very far yet (though I can play "In the Pink" )

Musical history:
Started singing in school choirs from about age 8 and never stopped. Choir member (though never soloist) all through school and Uni.
didn't sing for a year after Uni (finding jobs, moving house, blah blah).
Got into Amateur Operatics by chance (fell into conversation in a lauderette. Life's full of things like that)
Member of several companies from 1984 till I moved country.
Played in lots (lost count - more than 30) of shows, operettas and a couple of operas. Major or minor roles in a fair few of them (tend to prop up the chorus or dance in the modern shows and get something to do in the operettas/G&S)
Favourite parts: Elsie (Yeomen of the Guard), Josepha (White Horse Inn)
Also lots (double figures) of cabarets/sing for your supper/old time music hall/etc productions
Member of a quartet who entertained regularly for charity (we were a hit with all the local WI groups)
Competitions most years.
Singing lessons for approx 10 years.
Suddenly decided to do grades at the ripe old age of 40 something and did G5 theory, G8 and DipABRSM in 3 consecutive years 2003-5.
Biggest musical challenge: has to be the DipABRSM.

Since the move to Italy it's quietened down a bit. Joined a choir (back to my roots), get pulled out for the occasional solo.
Have been booked for a couple of local entertainment slots - some more beginning to creep in on the horizon as contacts widen.
Have started to give a few lessons - so far only ad hoc (hard to fit in round a full time job), to friends and not for cash. I take this as good experience for if/when I decide to do it properly.

Musical Future: After I took the Dip I thought: that's it. But I have to confess to looking longingly at the LRSM syllabus lately. Maybe in a couple of years...

-Name: Jenna
- Female
- Age: 19
-Hometown: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
-Occupation: YEAR 2 University Student @ Bournemouth Uni, studying Music
-1st Instru: Saxophone
-2nd Instru: Piano
-Career Goal: Professional Music Teacher + Session Musician

Musical History

- started saxophone at the age of 7 in primary school
- professionaly taught from 7 - 11, and was introduced to graded exams
- got into local jazz band/windbands while at primary school. Played at a local/national level
- did Music GCSE, 2004. Was getting into keys a bit more from here!
- got into local bands, and got a flare for live performance whilst gigging lots with mates!
- studyied at college to gain a BND Music Practice Qualification. Music Business became more of an interest.
- becoming interested in the theory of music, than just the practical from studying at Uni


FUTURE:

* continue with graded exams in both theory, and practical.
* looking to undertake a C&G Teacher Training course from September 2007, to start getting myself into the teaching profession.
* gain a BA Honours in Music in the next 2 years, and then leave full-time music study. Planning to gain Masters level when older
* get into a PGCE course after 3rd year graduation, and work towards teaching higher education students

Name: Brian
Age: 60
###: Yes (sorry I mean male)

Born and brought up in West Yorkshire. Local old style Boys Grammar school with corporal punishment !
Started piano lessons with local teacher at age 5 (January 1953) , she got me right up to ALCM at age 16, during which I entered a few music festivals. Active in Junior choirs etc and Methodist church. Started organ lessons at age 11 when I could reach the pedals. Had my first organist postion at age 13 at a small chapel, then moved back at 15 to be the organist at my own church.
Got to Grade 8 Organ in 1964, would have got a distinction if I hadnt fouled up Aurals, which I always used to get full marks for !
At school did all GCE O and then A level a year early, so already had done them before I applied to Uni to do chemistry. Left school Christmas 1964 and worked for ICI before going to Nottingham Uni in 1965. Graduated 1968. At Uni, formed a duo with a violinist from Hong Kong, played in concerts etc. Also in Uni choir (Music Professor was Ivor Keys !!) Highlight at this time was singing War Requiem (It was only 4 years old then)
Went to work (1968) in nearby Spondon (Derby), so continued social life at the Uni even though I had left. Met my future wife in this period in summer 1969, engaged 1970, married in Beccles Parish Church Suffolk 1971.
By then had moved companies and was working in Leeds. Daughter born 1976.
Company was taken over and had to move south to Selsdon Surrey in 1977, son born 1978.
Occasional organist at Selsdon and Coulsdon. Left company in 1987 for a job in Liverpool so moved to Wirral.
Subsequntly changed jobs for another Leeds company in 2002 , a chemical trading company (T/O £10 million) of which I am a Director. Didnt move back to Yorkshire., still on Wirral. Go to Leeds to work two days a week, staying over, and work other days at home. Thats why you get weather reports from Wirral and from Headingley!
Organist at a chapel in Hoylake. Most music is now for my own enjoyment.
Today is our 36th wedding anniversary.

Happy Anniversary F#Minor!

Name: Sally
Started piano at age of 6 with local teacher who wasn't very nice! Continued doing LCM exams to G8 when I threw a wobbly and packed it in. Came back to it after getting music O Level and continued to A level, recommencing lessons with lovely piano teacher who also taught our A level course, and subsequently took G8 ABRSM. Had a whale of a time,at sixth form - partying, clubbing and generally doing very little work so no great surprise to spectacularly fail A levels in 1983! During this time also played violin (badly) then viola (even worse, never really got to grips with that Alto Clef) with county youth orchestra, and managed to blag my way onto tours to France and Far East in 1983 / 84)
After scraping required A level in music contined to HuddersfieldPoly in 1984 to have a wonderful 3 years there. This was followed by a term of teacher training (can't deal with more than 1 child at once. respect to all of you who can), meeting future hubby and then 10 years in computer industry looking after spare parts. Had my daugter then moved on to working in motorcycle industry importing bikes into markets in Europe, Middle East and South Africa. Never got further than Italy (unless you count a short visit to Milwaukee USA to the warehouse when I couldn't cope with the jet lag and was asleep most of the time when I wasn't driking Cosmopolitans!!!)
Now settled back in NW England doing what I love most - playing and teaching, and DESPERATELY excited to be going to Chets on Saturday!!

name: easily forgotten, as it's a bit odd.
age: work it out

musical history: learned recorder a bit at primary school, also sang in primary school choir, learned piano right up to failed grade 7 level, and oboe to about grade 5. Stopped playing at university because everyone else was very much too good and felt self-conscious. Oboe then broke, and since I was broke too, I got a recorder instead. Then everyone told me that the descant didn't have as much repertoire, so saved for a long time and bought a treble, tried teaching myself and maybe got to about grade 6. If yer lucky.

Met a harpsichord museum curator, played a few duets and got married.

Stopped playing because was working 84-hour weeks, then had kids and was up all night for them as well .

Heard Piers Adams playing and started trying to play again.
Got lessons four years ago. Found myself doing exams a year later, now appear to have a diploma and be working towards an attempt at another .

STILL CAN'T GET MANY GIGS, tssssss.

rest of life: GP, wife, mum, and do a bit of ice skating, dressmaking, DIY, gardening, embroidery, knitting, drawing.......

Name: He Zongyi
Gender: Miss ;-)
Age: 16 going to 17
Country: Singapore
Education Level: Junior College Year One

Primary Instrument: Piano
Others: Choir
Current Level: LRSM in piano performance

Piano History:
Age 5: Enrolled into Yamaha Junior Course
Age 6: Enrolled into Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) School of Young Talents (SYT) Gifted Young Pianists Course (GYPC)
Age 8: Grade 4 & 5 Practical ABRSM Exam -Distinction
Age 10: Grade 7 Practical ABRSM Exam -Merit
Age 11: Stopped piano lessons due to National Exam
Age 13: Grade 8 Practical ABRSM Exam -Distinction
Age 14: Grade 8 Theory ABRSM Exam
Age 16: Diploma (ABRSM) in piano performance
Age 17: Studying LRSM in piano performance

Choir History:
Age 8 to 11: Alto One member or Pei Chun Public School Choir, won Silver followed by Gold award in 2 Singapore Youth Festival (SYF).
Age 12-16: Alto One member, Alto Sectional Leader, Pianist of Xinmin Secondary School Chorale, won Gold award in SYF 2005. Performed in Victoria Concert Hall twice. Went to Perth for a Choir Exchange Trip.
Age 17 (current): Alto One member, Alto Sectional Leader, Pianist of Anderson Junior College Choir, won Gold award in SYF 2007, Gold award in A Voyage of Songs-International Chorale Festival 2007 in Pattaya, Thailand. Performed in Esplanade Concert Hall as a chorister and pianist


My life:
Learnt Ballet, Drawing, Recorder
Learning Yoga, Hip Hop Dance

Name: Liz
Age: 14
Gender: F
Country: UK

Instruments: Piano, Violin and Oboe.

Musical history:

I started the Piano and Violin when I was 6, and I did....
grade 5 and 6 abrsm piano
grade 3 abrsm violin

I started the Oboe when I was 13, and I did
grade 5 trinity

I am in the school concert band and school orchestra.


Other things:
Swimming, Reading(?) and sometimes drawing

1966 Born.
1976 Took up guitar.
1977 Took up french horn.
1978 Gave up french horn.
1979 Took up baritone. Took up bass guitar.
1980 Gave up baritone. Took up tuba.
1982 Left school. gave up tuba
1984 Joined a rock band.
1985 Joined Durham Choral Society as 1st tennor. Sang Messaih, Elijah, C minor mass, Verdi's Requiem.
1990 Moved to midlands gave up everything
1997 Joined church music group as guitarist.
2004 Played tuba in school re-union brass-band concert (Bricey's Last Bash)
2004 Started singing for church music group.
2005 Joined Northampton Orchestral Winds (tuba).
2006 Started teaching singing and cornet.
2007 Joined Daventry Choral Society. Sang Mozart's Requiem.
2007 Started teaching guitar.
2007 Sang in opera 'Tobias and the Angel'
2007 Started my own wind band
2007 Got my first student through her grade 1 cornet (merit).
2007 Took my one and only music qualification - grade 5 theory.
2007 Convinced Jod to teach me to sing properly (What have I let myself in for?)
2008 Who knows......

Age: 15
Where I currently reside: outskirts of Edinburgh
Education Level: Going into S4 on Monday (arghhhhhh)

Primary Instrument: Piano
Second Instrument: Clarinet
Current Level: Grade 6 on both of them

Piano
Started playing at age 5 (lessons were my b'day present!!!)
At age 9 I did Grade 1 and remember not knowing what distinction meant (awww, I was so confused, I thought it was bad!!!). Went to high school being grade 4. This year I did Grade 6; justnow I am building up some repetoire!!!

Clarinet
Started playing at 11 after getting full marks on the test to get lessons (woo!!!). Skipped Grade 1, and did my Grade 2 when I went into primary 6!!! Went to high school being Grade 3, and soon caught up with my piano grade this year!!! My clarinet teacher hopes I'll be Grade 8 by the time I leave school!!!

Other Stuff
I like reading, drawing, playing golf, listening to music, reading some more, writing

Piano:
Started when I was 4, took grade 8 last March (merit). I do some accompanying and I'm in the piano trio at school

Flute:
Started in Yr 9, self-taught before that. About to do grade 8...! In flute choirs etc at school, and hoping to do DipABRSM after grade 8.

Clarinet:
Started in Yr 7, did grade 5 and stopped in Yr 8.... I still play the clarinet in orchestra and jazz group though

Other things:
I love to read, play tennis/golf and to sing in choirs

Name: Dstring
Location: The line between Violin and Viola
Pets: 2 cats 2 dogs, fish: too many to count!!!!!
Plays: Violin(Grade 5 abrsm Grade 6 Nov)
Piano(Grade 5 abrsm doing grade 6)
Viola(no grades)
Singing(Grade 4 abrsm)

I think thats it
Oh and Theory Grade 5 (abrsm)

Dstring

Name: chocolatedog (the real one.......)
Age: nearly 3 now.......

Hobbies: playing with my doggy friends, eating, sleeping (usually on the sofa), cuddles, dog class, saying hello to all mummy's piano pupils........especially the ones who bring me doggy biscuits!

Qualifications and awards: Bronze level certificate (Kennel Club Good Dog Citizen)
Silver level certificate (ditto)
several rosettes at last year's local dog show (missed this year as mummy said I had a slight eye infection.........


Mummy's name (not telling - and I'm not giving away her age either.....but she plays the piano pretty well and has lots and lots of really nice piano pupils! She's done concerts and things and occasionally goes out on a Saturday evening to play for wedding receptions at a local hotel (pays for the dog food, so I can't complain.....).
She also accompanies the local Christmas Gala concerts (looks very smart, all dressed in black......better than wellies.....) She says she used to play and teach the flute - I think that must be the smallish black case on her bookcase which she never seems to have time to get down and use. But I don't mind - if she had to practise on both piano and flute, when on earth would she have time to cuddle and play with me???!!!! She keeps saying she wants to do another big concert but I'm not sure I should allow her to do that, as it'll mean more time not paying attention to me.......at least she always remembers to feed and walk me - I think she enjoys me taking her for walks, especially after she's been practising for a while (she says something about blowing out the cobwebs, but I never see any spiders......... ) Anyway, that's us......

Victoria
20
Born and raised in Aberdeenshire, dad is from Preston, mum from Macduff.
I have a little sister called charlotte (14), and older brother called Tom (30) and an older sister called Kate(26 or so!).
I am a christian, a member of the church of scotland. I was baptised in a river in 2004 - wonderful experience!! Anyway, I dont take any credit for my musical gift, this is my spiritual gift from God and sacrifice alot of my free time to work with young (and old) musicians in the church.
Flute - DipLCM ALCM
Clarinet - Grade 7
Recorder - Grade 8
Piano - Grade 6
Trumpet and cello - about grade 4
Horn and Oboe - just for fun
Bassoon - play in an orchestra - woo!
Saxophone - Grade 6 ish
And the rest!

I keep chickens - 3 golden silkies, 4 Partridge silkies, 6 White silkies and 2 indian runner ducks.
I also have a dog - a black lab called meg. And a hamster called monty. My dad keeps several hundred bats in the wall cavity of our house and wont get rid of them, and also something much bigger which is in the loft. It breathes and scampers, but its bigger than a rodent, to scared to find out what it is!

I joined the army after having had my parents spend thousands on my education at a private all girls school. Got a heart thing, so was medically discharged. I now study music in Aberdeen whilst being a woodwind teacher and a poultry farmer.
When I grow up I want to be a forensic pathologist.
I like coronation street.

Name: Matthew (encase the username didn't give it away )

Age: 20

Location: Belfast

Occupation: part-time cashier/customer service rep in a toy shop (I am a big kid after all ). I am however a full time student, going into my 2nd year studying a BEd in Business Studies and Music on my way to being a secondary school teacher when I graduate in 2010 which seems ages away from now but I suspect the time will fly!

Music Background: From a very early age my parents knew I would be musical. As soon as I started to talk I started to sing and from about the age of 5 I battered away at the old keyboard we used to own. When I was 8 I started to learn the tin whistle and taught myself many traditional Irish tunes by ear. In 1996 at the age of 9 I started getting lessons on the Flute after wanting to play for years but I was told my arms were too short! Around the same time I began to teach myself the mandolin, accordion and guitar and in 1998 I bought myself a violin out of the money I received for my Confirmation. After a year or so of teaching myself that I began lessons with the string teacher in school and worked my way up to grade 6 before leaving school in 2004 when I also got to grade 8 flute. I began teaching myself clarinet around this time too but i've not been very successful with that.

During my time in school I was always found lurking around the music room every break and lunch time. I was in several school bands, the orchestra, choir and even did duets with the music teacher for many occasions including another teachers wedding. I also played Flute in the school of music's Intermediate and Concert Bands for a few years. I then went on to do my A-levels at a different school where I was also heavily involved with music. I began to work with some of the younger children during my free periods helping out in their music enrichment lessons whilst also being in the choir and other groups. In September 2005 I finally started to take piano lessons whilst continueing my flute lessons and got grade 5 by the time I completed my A levels last June. I then had my first attempt at the DipABRSM in Flute performance last July but sadly failed. After that and not doing as well as i'd have liked in my A level music I stopped playing for several months until I started uni and returned to Flute and Piano lessons. I also bought myself a cello and began teaching myself that. I then joined the flute group, choir and orchestra at uni, started the recorder more seriously and began to practice the violin again.

I just had my second shot at my flute diploma in July and I should be doing Grade 6 piano and putting myself through Grade 7 violin in November. I'd also like to do some exams on the cello, clarinet and recorder just for the fun of it.

Other Interests: Apart from music which takes up much of my spare time I like working with computers. I used to love building them and taking them apart although i've not done this for a few years now! I also enjoy going for long walks, reading and spending time with family, friends and my doggie.

Future Aspirations: I want to own my own music shop and have a instrument teaching facility in it once I have exhausted teaching in the classroom. I also want to be able to play and own every instrument in the orchestra!

Name: Sharon How Hui Shan
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Country: Singapore
Education Level: Secondary school, next year taking GCE O'level

Main Instrument: Piano
- 08 years old: birth of my musical journey with a private teacher
- 09 years old: switched to Cristofori Music School
- 10 years old: gr2 practical exam (130/150), gr1 and gr2 theory exam (97/100 and 98/100 respectively)
- 11 years old: gr3 practical exam (120/150), gr3 and gr4 theory exam (94/100 and 91/100 respectively)
- 12 years old: gr4 practical exam (135/150), gr5 theory exam (91/100).
- 13 years old: gr5 practical exam (133/150)
- 14 years old: gr6 practical exam (131/150), gr7 and gr8 theory exam (74/100 and 81/100 respectively)
- 15 years old: currently preparing for gr8 practical exam next year

Musical Future: well, who knows?


ShArOn

I always had you down as someone much older...

Best do my own now....

Name: 'Sarah'
Age: 16
Location: Stokei-sh on Trent-ish
Instruments: Piano, Sax, Trombone, Flute.

Age:

8 - Started piano
9 - Started trombone
11 - Started Clarinet
14 - Swapped Clarinet for Sax
15 - Started flute
16 - Preparing for Grade 8 Sax, Grade 6 Piano, Grade 6 Theory

Me

Name: Bernard Olivers-Uffant
Age: 30-something
Wives: 2
Children: Many
Location: Darn Sarf, UK
Instruments: Pf, Org, Clarinet (i.e. purchased one)

Age

7 - Started Pf lessons, sang in the church quire
10 - Started playing Org
12 - Finished Pf (gr5) and theory (gr5) and Org, left the church quire
15 - Started Pf and Org again, joined the church quire again
16 - Pf gr6, gr7 and gr8
18 - 22 University degree
24 - Married
26 - two organ lessons
28 - Unmarried
29 - kid 1, remarried
30something got me own quire and associated organ, kid 2, gr8 org
30something+1 DipABRSM, four more organ lessons, LRSM
30something+2 first half of ARCO, appointed organ scholar at Bangor Cathedral - position not taken up
30something+4 ATCL, second half of ARCO, ALCM, kid 3
30something+5 LTCL, LLCM, started OU Music MA, started clarinet lessons, finished clarinet lessons, gr6 theory
30something+6 gr7 and gr8 theory, FRSM, started singing lessons, finished singing lessons, gr8 prac mus, kid 4

Futures

Finish the MA, would love to do FLCM, FTCL and FRCO, perhaps an MMus, gr1 clarinet

Personal Credo

Never take things too seriously. Tease the pompous. Postnominals are good

Hi people!

I'm female, early 40's, separated with 4 children, 2 cats, one large dog, 20-something piano pupils, and a slimy thing that lives in a tank and eats lettuce. It was only meant to live for a year or two, but looks likely to outlive us all.

Started playing piano at about 7 or 8, but never did exams. Social life took over in mid-teens, but I went back to it as an adult when I found myself teaching the children of two friends. Quickly got a Grade 8 distinction and ALCM performance. Tried (too quickly) to add LLCM perfomance, but cracked up with spending every waking hour at the piano so never got as far as the exam - would still like to some day when the children learn to cook and clean , or when I win the lottery and can afford to pay somebody else to do same!

Somewhere along the line I found myself playing the organ, and thoroughly enjoy it, but wonder if I'll ever have the time to really focus on it properly. I've had a few terms of lessons, but had to defer for a while because of family commitments. I can get by pretty well as long as I only use the pedals once in a blue moon, or for something fairly simple.

Hi all,

Encouraged to post although as some might have already gathered I'm quite shy at putting personal details on the forum. Building my confidence gradually.

I'll start from Age 13 otherwise it will take ages! By the way I'm female.

Age 13 - went to a ballet boarding school in Kent - entirely at my own risk!
Age 16 - left ballet school in Kent and passed an audition for the Urdang Academy of Ballet and Performing Arts in London (lots of ex-dancers on the forums I've noticed)
Apprentice with London City Ballet for two weeks - second swan on the left in Act 11 Swan Lake. Totally over-awed me and almost fell over the wires and the side of the stage. Director leaping about in the wings telling me to move back, move back....got it sorted by the fifth night but.....the rest is history !!
Page 'boy' at Sadler's Wells Theatre in Northern Ballet Theatre's 'Cinderella' (bringing on the magic coach with three others - got picture in 'Dancing Times').
Meanwhile I passed loads of piano and theory exams - mainly LCM.
Age 20 - decided that the hard touring world of ballet was not for me and started the job I knew was right all along and still love today - piano teaching - following in my parents footsteps (or perhaps I should say fingerprints)!
Age 24 - passed the ALCM piano performance and decided to sit the AB Grade 7 and missed a distinction because of my aural.
Age 30 - got married and became a step-mother (not from Snow White).
Age 33 to last year - OU student from stratch. Grade 8 AB piano. Many piano courses. MMM, EPTA, Chets Summer School. BAHons -First Class. MA(Mus) Distinction (how I don't know). DipABRSM (PfT) - sat the day after my MA result. I got through because I was on cloud 9 and there was nothing the examiners could do to scare me!
Now - time to chill and decide what course to do next.....

Oh well, here goes:

Age 2 - started violin and piano
Age 10 - took G8 violin and started boarding at a Stage School in Herts.
Ae 12 - danced with Royal Festival Ballet in Nutcracker and La Sylphide
Ages 10-14 - learnt guitar/oboe/recorder and took various grades
Age 14 - took G8 piano; left boarding school of my own volition and went to local grammar school.
Age 16 - ALCM piano
Age 18-21 - BA Hons in Music. Quit Music.
Age 21 - joined RAF as a pilot.
Age 24 - Married
Age 27 - Unmarried
Age 32 - Married again (better this time)
Age 27-36 - spent FAR too much time in unpleasant hot, sandy countries.
Age 36 - Unquit music - got a piano teacher - started playing again - auditioned for Music College for MMus
Age 37 - took LRSM (waiting on results but not confident).....start music college in Sept!

Name: Matty
Age: 20
Home Country: Hong Kong
Education: Born in HK - Secondary 5; UK 6th form and university

Third year "engineering" student with business and finanace. 2008 BA (Hons), 2009 MEng, and 2011 a "free upgrade" from BA (Hons) to MA.




Age 4/5 - started piano lesson
Primary 3/4 - Grade 2 Piano
Primary 5/6 - Grade 4 Piano
Secondary 1/2 - Grade 6 Piano
Secondary 3 - Grade 7 Piano, Grade 6 alto recorder and Grade 5 soprano recorder. Then gave up recorder
Secondary 4 - Grade 8 Piano
Secondary 5 - Public exams - stopped everything

Left HK school for UK sixth form

Lower sixth - Randomly started learning teaching dipabrms, took grade 6 theory
Upper sixth - wrote the teaching dip essay in 1 week as i didn't realise the deadline was so early in Hong Kong... passed the exam.

Uni 1st year - Half given up playing the piano
Uni 2nd year - 2/3 given up playing the piano
Uni 3rd year - will not play the piano becos of the workload and projects etc


Aim:

1. Graduate uni asap!
2. Pick up learning the piano again and to force myself to progress further. Maybe re-start recorder again at least to grade 8 so might be useful when teaching in the future.
3. Will most likely be working in business sector, i-bank. Maybe some sort of engineering management, but not too likely. May do some part time teaching if I feel my daytime job is not tiring enough..
4. Earn enough money that I do not need to worry about the prices when buying things.
5 Work only 4 days a week with Sat, Sun and Wed off! Start work at 9am is too early - 11am would be cool.

Keep dreaming.................................

Hm! Nice thread.

Name: David
Age: 15
Currently residing in: San Francisco, CA, USA
Education: will be in 10th grade in 4 days.

Age 4: Started Piano
Age 8: Changed teacher to current teacher
Age 9: Grade 5 Theory (81/100)
Age 10: Grade 8 Piano (130/150)
Age 13: Grade 8 Theory (86/100)

And piano competitions, of course, from age 8. Lots of fun.

Hey, davidyko, we have the same quote at the signature!!!!!!

Removed

Name: Too many to choose from!
Age: Mid 40's
From: Kent
Family: Three sisters (one of whom is my twin). Mum and step-dad. Numerous nieces/ great nieces. One Nephew (Charlie!!)
Marital Status: Come on fellas, I'm not that bad!!!

Favourite Author: Thomas Hardy
Favourite Actor: Alan Bates
Favourite Film: One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest.
Favourite Book: Of Mice and Men
Favourite Composer: I think that might be Beethoven!!!
Favourite Colour: Red
Favourite place for holiday: Austria

Started piano lessons aged 12. Gave up piano lessons aged 13. Teacher moved away and I wouldn't go to anyone else.

Various jobs along the way, but for last 23 years caring/nursing/Manager for people with Learning Disabilities.

Started piano again in July 2002.

Piano Grades 1-6. Resitting Grade 7 next Spring. Hoping to do Grade 8 next Autumn.
Theory Grades 1-7. Grade 8 next Summer/ Autumn.

Diploma in Music (Open Uni) in 2005.

Started teaching almost two years ago. Have 16 students.

Started singing lessons in March this year. Took Grade 1 in July. Passed with Merit! Grade 2 this Autumn.

Future: Complete BA (Hons), do MMus, then concentrate on ultimate aim of Music Therapy.

-Name: Kiri
-Age: 13
-From: Lincolnshire
-Occupation: Student
-1st Instrument: Flute
-2nd Instrument: Guitar
-Career Goal: Forensic Chemist

Musical History

- Started Guitar and Flute at the age of 7.
- Grade 1 Flute with ABRSM at the age of 10.
- Debut Grade Guitar (Rockschool) at 12
- Grade 3 Flute and Grade 1 guitar at 13

Future:

-Continue with graded exams. I'd love to get Grade 8, or maybe even a diploma - eventually.
-Study either Forensic and Analytical Chemistry, or Music at University.

Name: starts with J. (I'm paranoid about being found on here)
Age:16
Gender:Female
Schooling: going into lower 6th waiting for my GCSE results.

Music
I play the flute, piano and sing. I love flute and singing best.

age6/7: started the flute
age:7-14:Worked my way up to grade 5 flute
age 15: Grade 6
Age 16: working towards grade 8 flute

Ive sung since like forever but
age 10: was in a young opera group untill it shut down
age 11: started singing lessons
age 11-15: worked my way up to grade 5 and passed it last year
age 16: took grade 6 singing in june for which i am awaiting results. Starting work on grade 8

age 14:started piano
age 14: grade 1
age 15: grade 2
age 16: working towards grade 3

age 16: took GCSE music to which i get results on Thursday

The future....
Well i'm hoping either
a) be an actress i'd love to go into west end. Have just send off an email to casting person at the sound of music at the palladium and they actually replied and its being forwarded to someone. But they no nothign about me!
b) maybe a psychiatrist.

I want to get to grade 8 singing and piano and hopefully grade 5 piano. I'd love to do flute and singing diplomas.

Name: Anna
Age: 15
Gender: Female
From: Hampshire
Education: Going in to year 11

Music

• Played recorder for a bit aged about 5 or 6, but soon gave up
• Started piano lessons aged 7
• Started violin lessons aged 8
• Always sung in school choirs where available
• Joined Andover Youth Choir aged 10
• Moved up to Andover Youth Choir aged 11
• Played with Andover Chamber String Orchestra for a while aged 11/12
• Went to Summers Cool for the first time, amazing week. Been back every year since
• Joined Andover Light Orchestra aged 14
• Joined the Wyvern Dance Band 3 years ago and became interested in folk music and dance
• Aged 13 joined the Caravan and Camping Club Folk Song and Dance division
• December 06 started playing tenor in the school steel band
• Aged 15, now been accepted in to HCYO string orchestra

Somewhere along the way I also started playing descant and then tenor recorders with my family and then with a small ensemble. Now grade 4/5ish standard. Now working towards grade 8 piano, grade 7 or 8 violin and GCSE music (pred. grade - A*)

Other
Apart from music I enjoy camping, cycling, canal boating, folk dancing and goat walking!! Currently working towards GCSEs in English, English lit., Maths, Science, Citizenship, ICT, Music, Geography, French and History

Future Goals

• To get good GCSE grades
• To get on to the Hampshire Specialist Music course at Peter Symonds College
• To become a professional musician or music teacher
• To re-visit Krakow, Poland, hopefully in 2010
• To joint own a canal boat with my cousin
• To continue to play folk music and do folk dance and to keep our folk section going and encourage younger people to join.

Well that's me!!

Who on earth would be mad enough to consider giving mrbouffant clarinet lessons?

Suppose it's my turn now, so here goes:

Name: Deborah
Age: Old enough to know better
Gender: Female
Lives: Monsalvat, Valhalla. Go straight across the rainbow bridge, you can't miss it. Oh, OK then, Surrey.
Marital status: Married for nearly 9 years
Instruments: Clarinet (passed the DipABRSM playing bits, probably failed viva again last month ), piano (Grade VII in 1993, now having lessons again), singing (for fun in Valhalla Choral Society and at Valhalla Parish Church), recorder (occasionally).

Music stuff leading into potted biography: Started recorder at about five or six (yay for The School Recorder Book 1), enjoyed it and wanted to learn another instrument. I wasn't allowed to learn the piano (too big and expensive) or guitar (school guitar teacher was full), nor the violin - parents were anti-violin as "beginner violinists make a horrible sound". Persuaded them that I should learn clarinet (ha! they didn't realise that beginners on most instruments make a horrible sound ) so clarinet lessons started when I was eight. My first clarinet was my 9th birthday present, and I still have it.

I had a vague idea about being a music teacher as a teenager, so piano lessons started age 14. A-level results were a bit of a disaster, so I ended up finding a place on a music degree course through clearing. Went off the idea of being a classroom teacher at university, but went through the motions of applying for a PGCE, didn't get a place anywhere, and so ended up experiencing the joys of office life.

In 2004, it looked as though I was going to be made redundant as the company was closing my office, but ten days before closure they realised I was the only person who knew how to do what I do. At the same time I was becoming bored with office routines, so it was agreed that I could work part-time and that I would try my hand at music teaching. It's not been the success I'd hoped for (i.e. I still have to sell my soul for the corporate shilling), but I feel I've got the best of both worlds - doing some music and still getting a regular salary, paid holiday, sick pay, pension scheme, other corporate fringe benefits.

Other skills: I toast a mean teacake!

And that's about it, really.

Name: Hadiya
Age: 17
Location: London

Musical History:
- given my first keyboard at about four, mainly listening and playing things I heard.
- started to play the recorder at about 7 or 8.
- sang in school choir in primary school, took part in a few productions including queen's millenium service (mum was very proud )
- started taking recorder grades in secondary school taking descant 1-5 and treble 1 between 2001 and 2005.
- carried on singing in school choir went on tours to Sweden, France and Barcelona.
- after four years of begging music teacher to let me have piano lessons he finally agrees (although only because he is leaving).
- September 2005 started piano lessons.
- 2006 started AS music at college, without having done music GCSE - got a C
- continued piano lessons at college with a fantastic teacher. Took grade 3 piano at Christmas and passed with merit.
- grade 4 piano taken in summer term, awaiting results along with grade 5 theory.
- hoping to take grade 7 flute in november to be able to study music at university.

Future:
- Hoping to pass my A levels (Music, English, Maths and Media) get into Southampton Uni and get a degree in music and English
- Hope to one day have piano as my primary instrument

Other: reading, watching movies, talking...

[repeat post]
apologies!

Name: I have the chinese character "music" in my name
Age: 30
Education: BA in Org. Communications

Age :
5 : Started Yamaha Junior Music Course-Electone Organ
6 : Done with JMC
12: Started back on Electone & ABRSM theory
13: G1 theory [oldest candidate alongside with my classmate's youngest sister]
14: G3 theory
15: G4 theory
16: Stopped music lessons
23: Graduated with a BA
27: Married! Started back on Electone and theory
28: G5 theory, G8 Electone [ their system start from G13 downwards]
29: G6 theory
30: G7 theory. Was expecting a baby, but pregnancy didn't last..
Next year: Working towards my G8 theory and G7 Electone exam

Hobbies: Blogging, scrapbooking, reading, music ( of course), sending and receiving snail mail,
writting funny poems about DC on forums etc...

Misc Trivia: I don't like olives/pickles. Diabetic since 14, but it hasn't stopped me from anything!
Used to own couple of dogs. Now just 2 hamsters named Salt & Pepper I adore kids.

Name: Maizie. Obviously.
Age: 31
S*x: Female
Marital status: Married for 4 years, we got married on the day we'd been together 10 years...
Owned by: One cat (Tigger - currently very ill ) and five rats (Hope, Ziegler, Segretti, Nixon and Kissinger [all girls]. They've had 13 predecessors since 1993).
Occupation: "Senior Programmer/Analyst" (in clinical data management)
Qualifications: MA(Oxon) Biological Sciences, CertAPS [Astronomy and Planetary Sciences - Open University].
Qualifications in progress: BA(Hons) Humanities with Classical Studies (Open Uni); BSc (Open Uni - no specific subject, but it's going to mainly be physics, astronomy + history of science). On current plans, these should be achieved in 2011 and 2013 respectively.

Ramble: Played the recorder for as long as I can remember. I had group lessons at primary school. I was probably about 9 years old when I got a tenor recorder to go with my descant. Went to secondary school and got individual teaching - first discovery was that there was this thing called tounging you were supposed to do! Joined the Monday lunchtime recorder consort - usually the only tenor player!
Also when I started secondary school, I had cello lessons - I'd never played a stringed instrument before. The first teacher lasted two terms, as did the second, and then there was no cello peri at my school. So that was the end of my cello tuition.
Carried on with the recorder, aquired a treble ('Make it an Aulos to match everyone else, not like your strange tenor' [which was a Dolmetsch Classic, I now know]). Took some exams between 1987 and 1991 - I think it was G1, 2 and 4 descant, with G2 and 3 treble. I did music GCSEin 1992, and played Treble I in Pachelbel's Canon in D as my performance piece. My composition was a canon for string quartet, built entirely by theory with occasional 'this is what it'll sound like' using my recorder For the recording, a friend of mine played the cello part (a six-note repeating pattern played nearly 70 times), and my music teacher played the three upper parts and did the magic to get them all playing together on a tape. Hmm, maybe I'll go home tonight and hunt out that tape and have a listen...
A-levels were science, and I didn't resume music lessons (I'd had them free with my GCSE in music). That was pretty much it for music.
I started university in 1994 and didn't really look at any of the music societies. I actually went and looked quite recently, and I've very glad to see there isn't a recorder group there as I'd now be gutted to know I'd missed out on that! My mum moved house while I was at uni in 1996, and as part of the clearing out I chucked out my music exam certificates/mark sheets - after all, I was never going to need them again.

When I left uni (1998) I got a job, and blew my first bonus in 2000 on an electric cello (to allow quiet practice). Almost no practice followed...
I started studying with the OU in 2000, and was immediately attracted to A214, a music course. I decided I would do it, but also decided to get myself to G5 theory first. To that end, I took G3 theory as a starter in 2003 (and got 98%). After much thinking, and discussion with my husband on our financial situation, I decided I couldn't afford to do A214 (as it has a summer school, it's expensive for an OU course). So I took no more theory exams. Music was gone again.

In 2006 life changed; my husband and I had lived in a flat since 1998. The flat was owned by my mum and step-dad. At the start of 2006, they split up, and my mum needed the flat to live in. So we were 'evicted', and at long last bought a house (with a garden! And an upstairs! And everything!)
While my mother was moving, she found lots of my junk in the loft. She listed things for me and I told her what to keep and what to give away. My train set had to be kept (I'd got it for my second birthday, it was what I'd asked for and I always adored it); my recorders could go.
24 hours later I phoned her back up - KEEP the treble and tenor, chuck the descant(s).
Between April and August 2006, I didn't manage anything other than looking at them. I found my local SRP, and contacted them over the summer hols. I didn't manage to make it to any in the first term, but I did manage it in January. I went to my first meeting with just the tenor, as I couldn't cope with treble fingering. By the time I was at my second meeting, well...I owned a wooden descant and I'd sorted out the treble fingering, so I had three recorders to play. In the six months since then - I've got a bass, upgraded from my old Aulos treble to a new Kung treble, swapped my tenor (which was being out of tune with itself) for a half-price new Dolmetsch Nova, and at long last arranged some lesson (which should start next month). I also have a positively obscene amount of recorder music that's going to be simply embarrassing when I meet my teacher (who will be coming to my house so there's no hiding it [except, maybe, in the loft!])
I got in touch with Trinity about those exams I took years ago - turns out that the microfiches that haven't been lost have faded in to unreadability. Nevermind - I found the 1990 G4 descant music on eBay and when it arrived I identified my pieces almost immediately! One, I was pleased to realise, was the unknown piece of music found so frequently in my head these last 17 years
I gave in and sold the cello, realising that having a house and thus space didn't miraculously make me start playing it more, which in part has enabled me to have recorder lessons. I've been very self-conscious about practicing with my husband home, but I am getting better and better at it - the more I do, the less scary it is. I can go home and pick up the recorder and play, something I never did with the cello and couldn't see myself developing either! Once I 'have' to practice it'll be great (the threat of my teacher telling me off will be more scary than the thought of my husband overhearing, especially when he's always telling me he doesn't mind and in fact barely pays it any attention!). So that's where I am now, looking forward to lessons, pondering G5 theory, and generally being, as my signature says, a happy recorder addict.

Wow Maizie, that's a very long bio!

Name: Wilma McKenzie-Smithson-Jones

Age: 20

Gender: Female (it's in the username, folks)

Education: Got fed up of all the pressure to go to uni so left education after A-levels. Consequently grew up.

Job: I work in London for a scientific publishing company

Live: Kent

Religion: Non-denominational fundamental Christian. Most important thing in my life by far. Baptised in 2006.

Musical History: Briefly played the recorder at age 9 for about six months until everyone got fed up with it, including me. Begged for piano lessons at age 13 but was told that we couldn't afford them. Started the piano at age 18 after I had money of my own coming in, and the violin at age 19. I took Piano Grade 2 back in March and passed with merit, but I now feel that violin is my first instrument and is the one I am most keen on.

Future aspirations: I'm saving up and hope to get married, God willing, in the next couple of years to my darling OH (who keeps saying he wants to learn the cello but keeps getting put off!). I would like eventually to reach grade 8 on violin and grade 5 on piano. I'd also love to play the cello so may start that too!

This is the "U" certificate version

"X" certifcate version by PM only, and then I'm choooooseee

Name: Stephen
Age: the same number as the motorway to Blackpool
Gender: the name says it all

Born: Taplow (Cliveden House, actually)
Parents: Both in Fire Service - had me late in life - Dad was 40

Early years in Maidenhead, Dad left Fire Service and bought a grocery shop in West Drayton
Went to School at St. Stephen's Infants and then up to St. Matthews Junior.
Attend Methodist Church opposite our shop/home and we think that it is there that I frist became aware of "the organ"

1960 - moved to Ipswich for twelve months whilst Dad n Mum looked for a new business. Went to school at Sidegate Lane Primary. Can't remember a THING about it!

Late 1961 moved to Ingatestone, Essex. Dad bought bigger shops which became shopS and I started piano lessons (REALLY wanted organ lessons) with Mr. Bugg who was an organist but would not entertain a "non-pianist" as an organ pupil.
Attended Ingatestone and Fryerning Junior School. Sometime played piano for school assemblies
Mr. Bugg was a waste of time so after 12 months went to Roy Wise - nice young man - super pianist and organist and remained with him for many years with piano and organ
By this time attending Shenfield Technical High School. Lovely music teacher Ann Jones. Other teachers were 'orrible.
Took "O" level music - REAL O LEVELS - and the A level - passed both with A's
By this time had taken piano to Grade 7 and organ to Grade 8 - all with distinctions
Left school wanting to work with "the organ" much to amusement of teachers and Careers Advice (**** rhymes with slap!)
Left school in July 1969 and by August of '69 had been offered a job as Assistant to Musical Director of the Hammond Organ Company at Edgware - accepted without hesitation. Spent next 2 years mixing with the stars of the classical organ and entertainment organ world.
1971 - was asked if I would like to be transferred to the retail showroom in Regent Street (Boosey & Hawkes) as Assistant Manager and demonstrator..YES....YES....YES, Please
Asked I would teach customers to play the organ - which is where all this teaching malarkey began. Pupils included Roy Castle, Anne French, the journalist, also the daughter of the Secretary to the American Ambassador, a diplomat from the Spanish Embassy, and a minor princess from somewhere in the Middle East.
By this time, having theatre organ lessons, and also playing at the New Gallery, Regent Street and Gaumont State Theatre, Kilburn.
1974 - moved to Blackpool to start Music Shop with J where we sold organs, sheet music and gave lessons.
1978 - bought second shop as not enough room in first one.
1984 - sold first shop as didn't need so much space
(2007) selling second shop as don;t need space at all !!
1992 - invited to play for Evensong at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral on my 40th birthday. This inspired me to re-study the organ syllabus (ABRSM!!!! ) and took all the exams from Grade 5 - 8 again. Distinctions once again, but a better average mark.
A few broadcasts on Radio 2, local radio

Teaching throughout week now, occasional concerts on theatre organ, electronic organ for various organ societies and churches

Really geeky hobbies like cooking, model railways and European travel.

Not married (well......) no intention of being so........never wanted kids..........the best thing about teaching them (bless) is that after an hour, you can send it home and get a fresh one.

That's all ya gonna get !!.......................YAAAAAAWWWWWNNNNNNNNNNNN.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz