April 2008

bring on the clefs

April 29, 2008 18:04

I had a mini-epiphany of sorts about clef signs. I am certainly proficient in reading all clefs, though I confess I am least fond of tenor clef. I am playing my viola for a Holocaust memorial this Sunday and am filling in for a cellist, so when I started transcribing her part for Bloch's "Prayer", I was thinking things like "oh I better not mess up this tenor clef". But, in my brilliance after driving a 350 mile round trip today for an interview, it finally dawned on me to just think of the moveable nature of the clef. Duh...

See, all those French solfeg books and Bach Cantatas from Mrs. Roy's ear training class were not sight sung in vain.

It was my "earnest block" I guess.

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The little orchestra that could

April 27, 2008 05:29

Last night, I played the last concert of the season of a new little orchestra located in rural Georgia. The orchestra performs in a restored turn of the century opera house. The drive from Macon takes about an hour and takes you past a giant peach shaped water tower and lots of pecan groves. The pay is not spectacular, but there is a symphony supporter who cooks us a big meal before the concert and overnight housing is provided for musicians who need it. Sure, there are musical things to improve. The meat of the program was the Eroica; we needed a few more string players, and it was pretty hot on stage, so I felt woozy by the time we finished. What was most refreshing was to perform for a diverse multi-generational audience that was truly appreciative of the opportunity to hear symphonic music in their community.

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My Subaru Liveth

April 3, 2008 18:49

My spring break was last week. It was framed by Easter gigs, another interview and playing a rescheduled Barry Manilow concert. This week has been Macon's annual cherry blossom time. I've had 3 night's of playing "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" as part of my elementary school's production about the Gullah culture. It's a fitting song. My car with 182,000 miles is off life support ($1500 later-water pump, radiator, timing belt, knock sensor...). One of our cats got very sick, apparently due to a change in cat litter. Even cats veg out in front of the tv when ill. She's coming around now too (let's hope the vet doesn't charge $1500 for her visit tomorrow). There is one last cherry blossom event to go this year-a children's concert accompanied by our somewhat less than in tune faculty orchestra. You really should play in tune if you are a music teacher (well, ok, so the state of Georgia actually has nothing in its string standards about intonation. I am not kidding). My husband's been playing opera each night at the opposite end of the state, so we are all exhausted. I have a phone interview Friday afternoon for an excellent potential job, but once that's done it's finally goof off time, at least for a few hours!

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More entries: May 2008 • March 2008

April 2008

bring on the clefs

The little orchestra that could

My Subaru Liveth

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