January 2005

January 27, 2005 06:34

Had my first Youth Orchestra rehearsal for the year (WAYMA). Although I didn't get into the ensemble I wanted (WAYO, got into the Philharmonic instead), I did get into the First violin section, which I am most excited about.

We're doing some awesome pieces this semester. We've got Hymn and Triumphal March from the Opera "Aida" by Verdi, Hungarian Dances 5, 6 and 7 by Brahms, Piano Concerto Number 2 by Rachmaninoff, Pomp and Circumstance Military March Number 4 by Elgar, Capricio Espagnol by Rimsky-Korsakov, and Hoe-Down from "Rodeo" by Copland.

I'm really looking forward to this, and am going to ask my teacher if I can learn the solos in Cappricio Espagnol, because they sound cool :>

2 replies | Archive link

January 21, 2005 06:55

Back from my holiday - went to Albany (South-West Corner of Australia) for a week. It was great. I did a bit of practice while i was down there, and a bit of composing. Started a symphony, and have an idea for an opus of songs. Should be cool.

I have a job interview for a teaching position tomorrow. I hope I get it, I could use some students. The school has 4 students already, 1 of which might leave because the old teacher left. But there's 3 students which are staying which are at different levels, so that'll be cool.

I've also got my orchestra rehearsals starting this week, with a two day camp (10-4 each day) on Thursday and Friday, then weekly rehearsals starting Saturday Morning. I'm looking forward to finding where I've been placed. I'm hoping I'm in the first violins this year, and hopefully somewhere towards the front.

Well, I'm gonna start putting my composition into my computer - I haven't heard what it sounds like, so I'm looking forward to see what my mind's ear is like :)

Archive link

January 10, 2005 08:55

I liked Absolutly Insane's blog post - "Still not perfect yet. Dang!" I think alot of us feel like that sometimes.
I said something that I wasn't meant to, and wasn't able to do anything on this site for a week. I tell you, that was the hardest week of my life. Kinda says something about me eh? Oh well.

Anyway, I haven't got any students from the Mindarie shop, which I felt was a bit rude seeing as they didn't contact me to say that you don't have any students. I decided that I still wanted to teach, so I made up some advertisements for Violin Lessons and General Music tuition. Hopefully if i can get a couple of students, I should be able to support myself. The good thing about doing General Music tuition is that a large part of it is listening, so I'm able to claim the GST back from my CD purchases which I use in the lessons.

I'm up to one hour a day in practicing now. I'm building up slowly over the course of a few weeks. I started with 30 mins, now I'm at one hour, then i'll do two, then three, then four, then five until uni starts. THen I'll get in five where i can, and four where i can't.

I scared myself today when I realised that I will have hopefully finished my course at the end of next year. I could be looking for a professional position if i so wanted to (I'm not, I'm going to stay in Perth and complete my Bachelor, but that's not the point).

It's kinda got me thinking about whether I'm really ready to be in a professional orchestra. I'm in the second level orchestra in my state at the moment, if i don't fail any units, hopefully I'll be finished everything by the end of 2007. That's at most 3 years in the top level youth orchestra.

I've looked at the AMEB syllabus and the violinmasterclass website, and this is what I think I want to achieve by the time I leave the Conservatory:
Bach Solo Sonata (one complete)
Mozart 4 and 5 (1st and 2nd movements by memory, able to play the 3rd)
A Paganini or Wieniawski Caprice
Mendelssohn and Tchaikovski Violin Concertos
A couple of virtuoso pieces

Basically I want enough pieces in my repertoir that I only have to add one or two to enter the various competitions around. I'm looking at some now and it's like "Well I could play half the pieces in the first round by the end of this year..."

Well, I best get off to bed. That shall do... for today...

Archive link

More entries: February 2005 • December 2004