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Sebastian Oliver
Sebastian Oliver is from Wicklow, Ireland.
Archive: Nov. 23, 2004 at 2:20 PMLast modified: Nov. 23, 2004 at 2:22 PMIt's been a whole month, again. Tch, bad, bad Sebastian. I've been up to quite a lot recently, but before I get into that, I've acquired a great little Nikko Hi-mini metronome. I love it. I suspect I paid to much for it in Dublin, though. Something more 'wholesome' and 'honest' about a mechanical metronome, no? That being said, anyone have any exercises to improve timing and rhythm? My timing's about as good as that of a stopped clock. I've progressed onto Bach Minuets (I and II) and my teacher asked me if I want to do the Royal Irish Academy of Music exams. I think I shall. I've heard good things about them from a friend who sat the piano exams. They brought her playing in all areas up to a certain level, and that the critisism at the end was good too. I attended the University College Dublin's Sinfona's performance of Tchaikosvky, Saint-Saens and Beethoven's 7th last week. Very good stuff, even better for 10e. The Astra Hall is somewhat more intimate than the Nationcal Concert Hall, next time, I can and shall sit in front of the string section. Which is about 3ft or so away from the front row. -Bastian Edit: Go the grown up students wanting gold stars. I'll be 20 next month, so I technically qualify. Who doesn't like gold stars?
Oct. 22, 2004 at 11:38 PMSo bad at updating.I've been working on Bach's Minuet in G. Still. I've slowed down the pace a lot more and my timing and accuracy have improved, but I really need to work on keeping in time. Ack, need to get a mechanical metronome foremost. I think I'm going to stop using my tuner to tell if I'm hitting the notes correctly. It's distracting and becoming a bit of a crutch. I've avoided using tape for finger markings only to lean on my tuner. Recording myself and playing it back and checking for accuracy is okay though, right? 1,2,3,3.9, ack! -Sebastian Current: Minuet in G, C/F/A# arp.
Oct. 12, 2004 at 9:58 AMWow, I can be quite bad with updating my various journals. It's been nearly a month since my last update. Not much has happened though, I haven't been to the NCH or anything recently. Though I have been corresponding with a fellow violinist (she knows who she is).Otherwise, I've gotten my scales down, they prove little effort for me now. My teacher gave me Bach's Minuet to work on and told me to make it "dancey". I'm not sure what she means though, energetic and flowing perhaps? My stuccato is also getting better, though I put too much pressure at first and usually hit a juxtapositioned string. Quite a balance required I find. -Bastian Current: Scales (maj & min)
Sep. 17, 2004 at 8:33 PMLast modified: Sep. 17, 2004 at 8:34 PMIt's been a while since my last update. Laurie's promise thing is actually a Good Idea™. I think I shall apply it, but with the exception of actually signing mine in blood. Really. I shall print it out in decorative, cursive font, sign it in blood, frame it and hang it on my wall. I also realised the other day, that Micheal D'arcy is in the Violinists directory. Otherwise, I went to the NCH again, last week. There was a performance of Beethoven's 7th and Tchaikovsky's 1st. While I do love Tchaokovsky and Beethoven, from a learning perspective, I perfer the small groups, quartets and the like. It's nice to see the technique. Lesson wise, I've mainly been concerntrating on scales, arpeggios and slurs recently. While certainly not the most entertaining of regeims, they are important and I have made an effort to solely practice them 30 minutes a day. I'm having difficulty with the stucatto exercise my teacher prescribed though. But the day shall yet be mine. -Bastian Current:Scales
Aug. 31, 2004 at 3:15 PMOkay, so Micheal D'arcy was very good. His Eing squeaked on him a few times towards the end of Haydn's 'Gypsy', all was forgiven after Dvorak's 'Dumky' though. But it was comforting to see it happen to a professional.Otherwise, I've been practicing my scales a lot, but alas, reality took a cruel twist of fate. My Aing snapped. Fortunatly, I ordered some Thomastik Dominants yesterday.
Aug. 25, 2004 at 10:07 PMFinally got to have a lesson today, after seven weeks. That's right. Seven weeks. Mein Gott. The little I learnt in those weeks pales in comparison to what a good teacher can communicate in 30 minutes.I've to work on my scales more and to put more power and volume into my bow-work. Also, need to 'anchor' my first finger properly, develop my timing and reread my scale/key-signature theory. This should consume time for the next while. Irish Violinist Michael d'Arcy is playing in the National Concert Hall tomorrow lunchtime. I might go to that. And can anyone recommend a brand or two of strings, although I've heard good things about Thomastik strings, and a good mechanical metronome? WWHWWHW
Aug. 9, 2004 at 9:40 PMThe Iuventus Quartet were really good, their technical ability and muscianship were amazing, if not, intimidating at the same time. But I see it as something to aspire to, rather than concede defeat over.I've never really listened to Dvorak and nor really heard of Janacek, but Dvorak's Piano Quintet and Janacek's 'Kreutzer' sonata are now firm favourites. Of course the recordings I got (by differents preformers) don't sound half as good as the live preformace. Worth the 10e? Oh dear God, yes. Squeak!
Aug. 4, 2004 at 11:56 AMFinally got some free time to practice, I've been so busy and I really do hate neglecting my violin. I think wastage really is one of the worst crimes, an instument that's not played and loved, vegetables unharvested, good food thrown out, and so forth. A whole week with hours of free time a day, lovely. It's also been too long since I've been to a lesson, yargh.On another note, I'm going to see the Iuventus Quartet in Dublin's National Concert Hall tomorrow lunctime. Really looking forward to it. Although, riddle me this: why are violinist lasses always so pleasing on the eye? Current: Simple folk songs.
Jul. 30, 2004 at 2:06 PMYou know, they say that one should keep a journal when one begins to learn a new instrument.Admittedly, I don't know who "they" are, but it makes sense. You can write notes on what you've learned, what you're practacing, what piece you're aiming to master next, etc. The important part is where you've come from, felin-iciding your way through the A-major scale; where you are, squeaking through a six-note folk song; and where you want to go. You can look back, and get a sense of progression. That's what this will be. Squeak!
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