I have done my grade 5 violin and im doing really well in Music at school. But most of the people in my form tease me because im the only person in the class who takes music seriously. They always muck around and they jusy wont stop making fun of me such as names like "nerd" and "geek". Its really upsetting me! What can I do?!

And another thing is that my music teacher in skool forced me to go to the orchestra which i must admit is horrible! Do i have to go!

Queen of She eba

No your not a geek. Your doing what you enjoy and if that's music then so biet.

It's difficult I know but take no notice of people who call you that, you have something in your life that you enjoy so embrace it whatever others may say.

My thing at school was football, I was never a very good player but I could always coach and referee the sport well (I am now a qualified referee) and enjoyed every minute of it, but dispite that I was picked on for being a girl who like football (before it was fashionable for women to play and attend matches)

Enjoy your music whatever others say and if you really don't want to get involved with the Orchestra then tell your teacher so. Teachers cannot force you into anything you don't want to do, but remember perhaps you were asked because they felt you could contribute something to them

Don't ever let other people spoil your music for you! You should be proud of your achievements. Some of them are probably just jealous because they can't do it!! Their name calling and mucking around reflects on them and not you, and you are the one who will achieve so much more than them in the end. Kids in high school think acting like that is cool, but they don't realise how stupid they look to everyone else. Some of them come to realise it pretty quickly as well! Just ignore them, and carry on. Nobody ever made fun of me for my music, but it was annoying having to work with some real idiots (one in particular) in form music lessons up to year nine. After that, however, things improved because everyone in the GCSE music class knew what they were doing.

What is wrong with orchestra? Going to orchestra is a valuable experience, but it's not good to be stuck in an orchestra where you're not happy. Perhaps it would be more sensible to look for another orchestra which does not have the problems of the one you go to now, than to consider quitting orchestra completely. If it's a school orchestra, see if your local music service has one, and vice versa. My music service had lots of orchestras and people were able to move around between them (sometimes depending on an audition, and some were equivalent standards and just for people who could make it on different nights of the week).

Helena

If they are only doing music as a 'soft option' you are unlucky to be in that year group I guess.
As far as orchestra goes..is it the school orchestra that is a poor standard or the fact that being in it causes more hassle with your class?
It is good to play in an orchestra but if the school one is very poor do you play with a group outside of school?

Thanks for all the replys you have sent me!

You'll have the last laugh - trust me!

Just ignore what other people say. If you love your music then that's all that matters. I used to be almost exactly the same (I'm doing grade 5 clarinet, grade 1 piano and grade 1 descant recorder) and I kept getting things like 100% in exams in school. But if you really enjoy your music and are finding it a real struggle to put up with everyone's attitude, talk to your music teacher. He/she may either move you into another group or give you some other work to do away from the rest of the class.

With orchestra, you should really value it. At my school we have to do at least 1 extra-curricular if we have instrumental lessons in school, and it is actually a real learning curve. You get to meet people with the same interest in music as you (which you obviously don't get in your lesson) and it really helps with your sightreading skills. Give it a go. You may/may not like it, but you'll never know unless you try!!!!!

My school is a really bad one. I was forced to go to it because I was good on the violin but they always organising things at the last minute. Last time they wanted me to play the entire music for grease and the prefomance was just under a week so I mean COME ON (LOL)!!!!

Thanks peeps for your replys they have really helped me!

I used to HATE my school orchestra because I didn't know anyone there and I just didn't talk for the whole thing to anyone.. it wasn't really anything to do with the music... that was easy enough but I just thought everyone would look at me and think I was really weird etc... lol!! But now my friends go with me so it's OK So maybe you should get someone who plays your instrument to go with to make it more fun? Or talk to some of the people there. It really made a diffrence to me having my friends go with me.
If it's the music you don't like you could ask your teacher if you could try something new and a bit diffrent from the stuff you do now. She/He will be happy that you want to be involved with it. Your teacher won't want you to hate going every week so if it's really getting you down then just explain to him/her why you don't like it.

Good Luck!

xx L xx

I used to get that!!!
But that was when I had to do music as a curriculum subject in yrs 7 8 & 9.
How old are you?
If this is your GCSE class its a real shame cos theyre obviously jealous - but if its not, and you are gong to take GCSE in the future your class are likely to be more sympathetic, as i have found out this year. Suddenly people find it a novelty if you are good at music!

Kate

im in yr8 so i have to do music but i did get a GCSE level in my report. Not bad for a 13 ur old lol

Glad my school orcestra isn't the only one that was dire. Whe everyone turned up (v. v. rare) the woodwinds were out numbered 3 to 1 by the brass, and the entire string section consisted of a single cello. We used to give up, as we couldn't hear ourselves!

And don't get me started on the music teacher...

No ure not a geeek im the only one who takes music seriousely in my form class to and even mi best m8s say its rubbish and pointless kin front of me but i just say well i appreciate good music and i likie it and it is useful too so dont let n e body put u down u aint a geek.
And if you dont want to go to the orchestra you should not have to .

hello m8

i'd ignore what they say, i had the same problem when i first started secondary school, it got to the point where i nearly quit! but i saw it through and made new friends who where interested in music like me.

at my school now, most of the school find the 'musicians' as we're labelled the most fun and enjoyable and everybody wants to be around us!

musicians are generally childish and easy to get on with, we live young and die young at heart!

i'd keep the instruments going, don't quit now, cos when your 30 in years to come you'll be in the position where you'd be saying if only i'd kept on playing such and such an instrument.

don't get into the position, if only are the saddest words in english, you'll just depress yourself. not good.

jaime xx

haha- geek congregation!
but what does it matter if you're a geek? do you really want to be "normal" and just another person in the picture?

take comfort in the fact that i'm often classified as a geek and i like the fact that ppl see me as this way! don't let ppl get in the way of your music or anything you do either b/c in this world, people are people and all they do is move into your lives and out.

Thers no way ur a geek, ur doin wot u love and that dus not make you a geek, u jus wana ignore that and wen they see theyre not affecting you they should stop. Bout ur teacher, i had a similar problem, my teacher told me if i dint go 2 this orchestra she would double my instrumental lesson fees! which i thort wos harsh. I jus put up wid the orchestra and eventually thort of an excuse as to why I cudnt go to it, u cud try that