Maybe parents and students find this subject more depressing than teachers do - most of the discussions to date seem to be in the teachers' forum. But it's just as real on the other side of the lesson room door.

Changes are afoot in the Ears universe, and none of them good. I guess it's no fun for teachers when students start dropping lessons, but it's a miserable business for parents too, to accept that your child is making a risky career choice, and then fail to even get them to the starting line.

I was very sorry to read this story, all ears. If there's really no glimmer of hope that Viohazard may still be able to continue with his chosen path, then I hope - and am sure - another door will open for him which will lead to an alternative, and possibly more secure, career and that his love of music will remain and continue to give joy to himself and others. A very disappointing knock-back though, I feel for you

A thought : are there bursaries in Japan you can apply for?

You sound very own at the minute, but there has to be an answer to this. Could he make any money from teaching beginners himself? Or is there any other means of making money himself to see him through? How confident are you that he's good enough to make it as a professional musician? If very, then is a loan out of the question - for you or him?

I was also wondering about bursaries, scholarships and things. The music schools depend upon up and coming musicians for their own survival, hopefully that would mean they have some access to funding to keep the flame alight for someone who is such a genuine potential candidate to come to them and pay several years of their tuition fees, in return they might be prepared to sub you for a while to bridge the entry gap. At least they might be some of the most likely people to know what's out there.

I'm seeing this same barrier very much so myself even just trying to get exam fees together and buy music. There's plenty of piano music in my local library but not a lot for the viola. I look at courses and they say £300 for a weekend non-residential, £2,500 for this one, £150 for that one but oh by the way you need to buy about 15 books and do another exam before you can enter this one, new strings, professional memberships based on you earning a full time income, it all piles up and up. I'd love to have all these qualifications, it doesn't mean I am not as good as the next person who has the certificates, just that I am not as rich! Without them I cannot get on the next course, and so it goes on. I was actually trying to think out how I could offer some voluntary lessons to people whose finances wouldn't otherwise stretch to it, but music books are just so expensive, I can't see how it would be possible.

I hope you find something, there is probably something out there to help, it's just a case of working out where on earth to look.

I was so sorry to read this, all ears. We know from your posts that finding the right level of teaching has been difficult, and now this. I would guess from what you've said about the Japanese system that bursaries or grants are thin on the ground, if they exist at all. Is the teaching idea - I mean Viohazard teaching - a possiblity?

All Ears, I am so desperately sorry to hear this - it must be a cruel blow for both you and for Viohazard. I really hope an alternative exists which just hasn't become obvious yet (and I wish I could come up with some ideas) - I have no concept of how possible it is to get a part-time job which fits in with school hours and homework in Japan, and I know from the Singaporean branch of our family that studies can leave little time for anything else, as it is so competitive to get into tertiary education. I did tutoring for more junior students when I was in the later years of school (and at Uni) - is this a possibility? Teaching of some sort, whether violin or other subjects might be one way around the money side of things - I know my daughter's first teacher and orchestra conductor was teaching violin while she was still at school herself. I guess this still leaves the difficulty of finding an appropriate teacher for himself - again, so hard to know what is doable in Japan. Most of our symphony orchestra members here teach, so the orchestra is a very good place to ask around (definitely a "who you know" kind of situation, but gets a lot easier once you break into the right circles).

I haven't been around as long as other folk, so don't know the whole story - is Viohazard shooting for a composition focus at uni? Or is violin his first love? Again, here you can do a degree such as law and pick up a secondary set of courses in music on the side - gives you a meal ticket but keeps the door open for that career in music if that's where you eventually head. Could be very different in Japan, of course...... I guess it depends on whether he wants that career in music (which it sounds like he does) or whether he is happy to have music as a second string to his bow and let it come to fruition down the track when he is in a position to support himself.

Will keep you in my thoughts and if any inspirations appear, will get in touch asap
Wolfnotes

It's so sad when it has to be all or nothing and the choices are imposed rather than worked out.

There are no easy options in this situation. I can totally understand how you must be feeling. The saddest thing of all is the waste of talent. You son by all accounts has worked hard and shown a great deal of committment to his music making. I don't think there is any system out there to support this.

I overheard a snippet of a football pundits conversation bemoaning the fact that big clubs are not allowed to sign talent at younger ages. He pointed to the fact the parents of budding musicians who always try to get the best teaching. I felt like jumping through the TV and shaking him. How little he knows about the costs financial and emotional.

Hope things work out for you.

So sorry to hear this, all ears. Is there no state schooling at all in Japan? If you were in this situation in the UK, and paying school fees, I'd advise you to move Viohazard to a state school and spend the current school fees on music tuition.

Any chance of grandparents or other relatives helping out for a couple of years? I'm sure you would pay them back when finances ease. Airman won't be at university for ever.

It's so hard not to be able to provide your children with what you feel they need. But if your son is determined enough, he'll get onto a university course at some point. He might need to earn some money first, he might not be able to go straight from school, but determination will get him there in the end. All you can do is your best.

Hope things work out somehow.

Very sorry to hear all this, all ears - it's not like you to sound so sad.

I do hope some solutions can be found...

I'm really sorry that things are not working financially for you.
It is a fear of mine that the children will get an opportunity that we won't be able to take because of the cost. So far so good but if one of us lost our job it would be hard to continue to say that.
How old is Viohazard?
If you can't make the original plan work can you see an alternative plan that might get you where you need to be even if it takes longer?
Hugs
Dora

I was so sorry to read this all ears - I really do feel for you and your family.

Will keep hoping something useful turns up.

We too have been much affected by the costs of music. It would be very sad for your son to have to give up music. What about charitable trusts to help you out. We have gained money from them in the past - I'm pretty sure there are international charitable trusts to help musicians of all ages. Good luck

I just wanted to add my voice to everyone's here.

So sorry to hear of your woes. I do hope that a workable solution presents itself soon.


I already have to make choices based on what we can afford. My children currently dance and show a keen interest in music and exhibit some early natural ability. I do so hope that when it comes down to it I can afford to give them the musical opportunities/tuition I had (Lesson tuition was free then - School peri system).

I too am very sad to hear this. The only thought I have is could Viohazard study abroad when he finishes High School, perhaps a U.K. or an American Consevatoire? Or even study music as a first subject at university here or elsewhere? I don't know how the rules work for foreign students here but I do know there are some. Just don't know how they go about it. Might be worth looking into it. I know our own students get grants which they pay off later once they reach a certain level of salary and I think our Scottish students have to pay for less but I'm not sure if I'm right on that even though I do live in Scotland. Maybe someone else on the forum knows?

Sorry to hear about your situation in Japan - as a mum of offspring who are committed to music (as well as a teacher) I really feel for your dilema.

Thanks for sharing with us.

I've lost track of Viohazard's exact age now. Is there any way within the Japanese system that you could effectively home-educate him for the non-musical elements of what he still has to do to finish normal schooling and channel any available 'education' money towards tutoring and mentoring his musical activities towards university/conservatoire entrance?

Alternatively, I know that most countries impose much higher fees for educating 'foreign' students at university but am I right in thinking that you have some New Zealand contacts? Is there any way that Viohazard might somehow be able to achieve his ambitions through the NZ education system rather than the Japanese?

Very best wishes to you all,
M

Scottish students get their tuition fees paid, but that is all. They don't get grants either, but have to apply for a student loan. But I have no idea how it would all work for a student from overseas - although when my son attended a Scottish university, there were some German students in halls with him.

all ears, I am so sorry to hear of your troubles. I do hope that something can be worked out.

Thanks for all encouragement. Just lost the entire response I'd written...probably just as well!

The future is still very unclear.

Thanks for the background information, all ears. It sounds like a very difficult situation. I can't offer any advice I'm afraid, but I hope some light appears on the horizon sooner rather than later.

It is not "the end of the road". It is a setback. Almost everyone has them. I am sure you'll find a way through it.

I'm so sorry that you are in this situation. I hope that you can find a way forward.

Have just read through this thread. Very sorry not to have any more to add to the suggestions already given. but I would like to say how sorry I am you are in this kind of difficulty. Try to remember that when some doors close others do eventually open. Best of luck.

hear hear ! hope you find some solutions very soon, this must be the worst part not knowing what is going to happen

So sorry to hear about this All Ears and hope that you find light at the end of the tunnel soon.

ET

Yup, Mad Tom, it's a setback. Actually, I might even go so far as to call it a "quite a setback" . But as you say, there must be a way through.

It's not the end of Viohazard's road, of course, but it's the end of what we as parents can do, and I feel that as parents we've been irresponsible to allow him to start preparations for a risky career, without being able to complete those preparations.

Please don't think this, all ears. At the time it must have seemed like the best thing to do, and I'm sure we've all made decisions which were right at the time but have turned out differently from how we expected due to changing external circumstances. You've done your best... you're still doing it... and you deserve the best of luck to succeed. Hope things work out successfully, even if not as you planned - and I know from experience that this is often the case. Keep in touch, won't you...

I entirely agree with skylark. You made the decision and have been supporting Viohazard in the best possible way. Also, it must have taken so much of conviction and dedication to for you to music, opting out of "the way it is in Japan" - to go to cramming schools juku's or home tutors kateikyoshi, to go to college of any sorts only because "everybody else does so". I know that it is not easy to do something "different" from others in Japan. It is disgrace that there is so little help to support talented young musicians in Japan. It is likely that you have already looked into this - Yamaha is accepting application for some grants from 1 Nov till end of January next year. http://www.yamaha-mf.or.jp/shien/subject/subject01.html. Would Viohazard be interested?
I keep my fingers crossed for you.

No no no!! You did the right thing for your son and that's what is important. No one can be blamed if economic forces put paid to plans. Your son is old enough to understand that you would support him if you could. We don't have crystal balls, all we can do is our best.

I assume you made choices together, as we do, based on what your son wanted at the time. Nothing you've done will be wasted even though it may look that way now. You have done a good thing supporting your child so far and something positive will come out of it.

The best of luck to you all.

Thanks, notmusimum, though I fear that brass is probably more useful than crystal in the balls department.


HanonMum, that is EXTREMELY useful information, I didn't know about it at all. He did check part-time work, but music shops told him that they never take high school or even university students even for part-time sales work.

Also nothing we learn is wasted.
He doesn't lose the experience and skills he's gained just because for now he may not be able to go the way you hoped. I hope that he keeps on enjoying his music even if for a while at least he can't follow the path he originally wanted.

This is not great news for you.

If Viohazard might be interested in studying in the States, I believe that there are a variety of programs at different universities, many of which have scholarships - including at least one which covers full tuition, room and board. The relevant foru is here: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/

Thanks for that advice plonkee, it is good to know that if he were able to get the needed tuition for the next two years, he would have some chance of getting assistance thereafter.

Sbhoa, I very much agree with you...although big changes are scary, we can't lose the past, really, unless we lose it ourselves through bitterness or anger. The music Viohazard has been given over his lifetime so far, by his teachers, and by so many kind and helpful people on this forum too, is his for as long as he keeps it alive.

Well, the other thing about the States is that there isn't the same level of academic music in schools as in many other countries - it's not uncommon for students to have no music at school, and that means that courses are pitched at a lower level to start off with (but move much more quickly). He still may get in, even without further formal work, if you picked the right place to apply.