Mudball
Assistant Pro
Thinking a night of culture... anyone been to the BBC Proms? Possibly stay close by for the night. Any suggestions on dinner/breakfast close by are welcome
BBC Proms... any experience
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Miller
Active member
I've been to the Albert Hall a few times (although not to the Proms). For dinner, I'd probably recommend eating at the hall itself - there's a nice Italian there and a few other eateries of other varieties.
Biggleswade Blue
Head Pro
Yep, I've been quite a bit.
Tend to eat pre-show at Da Mario, on the corner of Queens Gate Terrace and Gloucester Rd. I have eaten at the hall's restaurants but never that impressed.
If you are driving, you can park (or you could 18 months ago) on Queens Gate, or Queens Gate Terrace and it is free after, I think about 6 pm, so I park beofre that when there are spaxces, pay for the few hours up until the cut off time then it is easy to get home. For me, tube to Kings Cross then home is a bit of a trek after a show, so the car is my preference.
Mudball
Assistant Pro
Mrs not keen on tube, so planning to drive. Was going to book at the Imperial College car park (as part of the ticket), but decided against it. Will check out the Queens gate car park. We wont get there till 6:30 or so, hence cant pre-eat, it will have to be after the event. Planning to walk around and get a bite. I doubt many places will be open past 9:30, so might be a quick sarnie somewhere. May book the holiday inn a few blocks down, comes with parking and breakie.
Have booked loggia seats. They good look in the photos.. Will see how that goes.
ps: the RA website is horrible when it comes to finding where your tickets are. The viagogo site shows more info than the RA site. Little wonder it charges a premium
Biggleswade Blue
Head Pro
The Queens Gate carparking is not a car park - it is roadside and, I believe, free after 6.30. Streetview
There aren't lots of places to get a quick snack around that bit of London, especially when looking at 10 pm. I'd suggest take something with you.
Loggia boxes are good. Which prom are you attending?
Mudball
Assistant Pro
Tnx.. now booked to stay at the holiday Inn about half a mile away. It comes with Parking & Breakfast and is outside the congestion zone.
planning to attend the one this Sunday. I am an absolute pleb when it comes to the RA. So dont ask me the difference between a Cello and a Bassoon ...
Biggleswade Blue
Head Pro
The proms are a great experience. The Elgar cello concerto is quite well known, but I don’t know the other works. Janacek can be a bit more “innovative”. However, it is not a long program, and should be a nice Sunday evening. A live orchestra is a magical thing to listen to and watch.
Have a great time and do report back!
Biggleswade Blue
Head Pro
and don’t worry, there’s not a test! Like what you like, and feel free to not like what you don’t!
(Cello is the big violin that sits on the floor but not as big as the double bass. Bassoon is something you blow into. If they leave their instruments on stage at half time, it is their way of encouraging you to jump up and have a go!)
Mudball
Assistant Pro
??… my son is learning to play the violin. His teachers say he is good, all I hear is strings being scratched and my hair standing up. Apparently Grade 4 is decent for a 11 yr old. Atleast someone in the house will turn out to be cultured
Biggleswade Blue
Head Pro
Grade 4 at 11 is decent. There’s no short cuts really, you’ve got to do the practice but if he keeps it going into the higher grades the standard will start to improve quickly. Main thing is that he keeps enjoying it.
A bit like golf.
A bit like golf.
ger147
Tour Winner
Just make sure he actually learns to play the Violin and not just the 3 pieces and the scales he needs to pass each graded exam.
Mudball
Assistant Pro
They need 3 pieces? (sorry not my department)
ger147
Tour Winner
You said he's already Grade 4? Assuming you mean ABRSM, the graded exams consist of 3 pieces, some scales/arpeggios, sight reading and some aural tests. With some teachers (not all), they can spend pretty much all of the teaching time just learning the stuff to pass the exams and not use any of the time to learn and play a wide variety of pieces, which IMO is what is required to become a proficient musician with any instrument (mines is Piano).
So was just a heads up to listen out for the same 3 pieces over and over for a year rather than a wider variety of music.
Mudball
Assistant Pro
I do hear the 3 pieces very often, but he was also in the school strings group and they do other things for their concerts. Moving to secondary school this term and I am told they have a very good music department.
Taking him to the Proms to open his eyes and ears a bit. Was a tough choice as I wanted to go to the cricket ?
Things you do for your kids…
ger147
Tour Winner
I do hear the 3 pieces very often, but he was also in the school strings group and they do other things for their concerts. Moving to secondary school this term and I am told they have a very good music department.
Taking him to the Proms to open his eyes and ears a bit. Was a tough choice as I wanted to go to the cricket ?
Things you do for your kids…
I attended no less than 14 annual dance shows to watch my little darling jump about in surprisingly expensive costumes that I also had to pay for, and the dance school had a cheek to charge me an admission fee to attend said dance shows. Was the highlight of my year of course...
I should have got an OBE, not a bill for the tickets!!
Best of luck with the move to high school, hopefully he continues to enjoy his music studies.
