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Jessica Smith Jessica Smith is from Prescott, Arizona.
Archive: Jun. 2, 2006 at 10:26 PMSo............................... its been a while since I've been here...School is out (yay!). Orch/band camp is in two weeks (double yay!) Pops orchestra starts the week after that (triple yay!) And here, we are well into the summer's fire season (no yay!) I suppose thats all for now. I hope everyone is doing well.
The joys of being a section leaderPublished: Apr. 20, 2006 at 11:35 PMSo, today in orchestra we had a short sectional. And to put it plainly, about 2 thirds of my section is just bad. Ant least the remaining third tries to play the music. Anyway, I've come to the conclusion that: 1) going through the part note by note 2) encouraging 3) lecturing 4) ignoring and 5) everything else I've tried doesn't work. And so after rehearsal, I talked to the conductor... and they will be in for a bit of a surprise tomorrow. We decided to (randomly - starting tomorrow) have the rows reversed some days. So that the problem students will be in the front row, completly exposed... Maybe that will get them to try a bit harder.
Apr. 19, 2006 at 9:36 PMSome people just don't get it!Today in orchestra I was trying to be a nice, kind section leader by tuning someones violin for him (he had been trying to tune it for 20 minutes, and it wasn't getting any better. (And I'll also mention that this is a 3/4 violin when he needs a full sized violin...) Anyway it very quickly becomes clear why this violin won't tune - the strings are several years old... So, I told him not to bother, and to get new strings (not to mention a new instrument) as soon as possible. At this point, he asks me if he should just throw te strings away; I told him yes but not till he had a replacement set on (seems clear enough to me). To end this story, he spent the last 30 minutes of class unstringing his violin.................. Changing topics, I'm currently not going to go into music education. Instead, I'm looking into criminal justice. (Yeah, I know, big change...)
Mar. 25, 2006 at 4:55 PMMaybe todays blog will be a bit more music related...Yesterday, I got a copy of the music fot the Vivaldi concerto for two violins in a minor. I love that piece, its so much fun. I really love my new violin and bow, everything is so light and the responce is so fast. Its just fun to play. It really isn't necessary to fight against an instrument to get a nice sound. The other day, I watched the DVD of "PRD Bach's" Abductin of Figaro. And, dear me, its really funny!!! Thats all for now
The downside of snowPublished: Mar. 23, 2006 at 1:02 AMSo, today started out great. We got another 6-10 inches of snow due, and school was delayed cause of the ice. And in my district, we get out at 1:30 on Wednesdays.... so Classes were 23 minutes long, and since I ihave a double lunch, I had an hour off for lunch... Though I can't say that much got done. We had a "free" day in orch, not my favorite way to spend that class, but the practice rooms were open. But from there, my day went down hill... last week, I mentioned that I had tweaked my knee skiing. Well, today I finally had it looked at, and the dr. thinks I tore a ligament (sp?) and I have to use crutches till I can have an MRI done (grumble grumble). And if it is the ligament thats torn, I'll have to have surgery to repair it.... (even more grumbeling!!!) So for the time being, does anyone have any good ideas about getting around school with a backpack, flute, and violin while on crutches?
SNOW!Published: Mar. 20, 2006 at 2:30 PMSo this morning, I woke up to another 6 inches of snow. Enough to put school on a two hour delay (yay!!!!) what a great way to end break. So now I must go enjoy my morning (shower and practice)....
Mar. 18, 2006 at 12:24 AMHi everyone -This is more of a question than a "blog" Next year, I am thinking of auditioning for the Arizona Youth Symphony rather than staying with the college orchestra. And if you have an extra few minuets, I would love others' impressions based on their website (I know, not the greatest way to judge, but its a start). Thanks
Just a normal day (or not...)Published: Mar. 15, 2006 at 4:13 AMSo, today by 11 o'clock, I had played 10 violins, including a golden age (1708) Strad......... But my parents said there was no way the would pay 3.5 million dollars for a violin right now, not that I really expected them to... Anyway, I did find a nice violin. It sounded great in their (Robertson and Sons) store, it sounded even better in their recital hall, it sounded as nice as one would expect at home, but it didn't sound super great in orchestra rehearsal tonight. So, I'm not completly sure, I'll have to keep trying it out....
Mar. 12, 2006 at 7:06 PMWhile normally, this would be dissapointing, my concert today was postponed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is cause there is 1-2 feet of snow, and its great. Yesterday, I went cross-country skiing and it was so much fun (except I tweaked something in my knee..) I really wiss living in northern Minnesota, I love this weather!!!!!!!!!Also, tomorrow, my parents and I are driving to Roberson and Sons Violins in New Mexico. I'm really excited! Thats all for now
Mar. 11, 2006 at 1:25 PMWell............ Its spring break. This storm is still here, and its great! (no sarcasm!) Theres actually enough snow to go play in it (snowball fight!).At school, we signed up for next years classes. I'm taking Orchestra, Band, AP English, AP Chem, Probablity, and Government/Economics at the high school, and Orchestra and German at the college. Yesterday, in my lesson, I got a new etude book (it looks a lot better than the last one). But my teacher is going on vacation, so I won't have a lesson for the next two weeks. Tomorrow is my epic Mozart concert.................................. Then I Monday, I get to go try violins (yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) So, thats all for now...
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