Michael Divino on Violinist.com

The V.com convention?

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:47:35 GMT

& nbsp;Just a stray thought. & nbsp;What if we (here on v.com) & nbsp;organized a convention? & nbsp;It seems so strange to me that I know so much about you guys and have never seen any of you face to face.

It wouldn't have to be anything large, but maybe in CA since that's where our fearless leader, Laurie is? & nbsp;Maybe we could organize master classes, performances, and various other violin-esque activities. & nbsp;Contact Shar and other companies of that type to have a host of products available for trials and purchase (like instruments, SRs and CRs?)

& nbsp;

& nbsp;We could even host the first public, face-to-face Shoulder Rest Debate? & nbsp;

What do you guys think? & nbsp;Yes or no?

Dear v.com, opus 2

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:43:21 GMT

& nbsp;Hey v.com family, & nbsp;

My All-State concert is the 28th of February. & nbsp;Due to the snow (unless you live under a rock, you know that my area has been covered in the snowpocalypse) and the birth of my niece, I've missed getting the music, and I'm not sure when I'll be able to get it.

& nbsp;

How difficult are the second violin parts for & quot;Russian Easter Overture & quot; and Shostakovich Symphony No. 5? & nbsp;I know I can count on you guys for this kind of stuff!

& nbsp;

In other news, I've been wait-listed at my state university. & nbsp;Which is kind of bummy, but not really. & nbsp;When another door shuts, another one opens, hopefully with lots of scholarships behind it.

Dear violinist.com,

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:55:02 GMT

I have been searching for my perfect set-up since this past May. & nbsp;It has been frustrating and I don't have the money or transportation means to sample that much. & nbsp;So, if you would like to donate anything you don't use anymore to the Michael Divino Shoulder and Chin Rest Collection, please email me.

& nbsp;

(I'm totally joking. & nbsp;Just thought I would let you guys know what's up in my life. & nbsp;In other news, I've had two college auditions, and I've already been accepted into one school! & nbsp;But I won't get $$$$$ info from them until next month. & nbsp;Thanks for reading)

The Power of Music

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:05:02 GMT

�I'll let the video do most of the talking. �This is part of why I believe classical music is still so relevant in today's culture.

�

I believe this quartet is playing at a mental hospital in Paris:

"Sortir la musique classique des salles de concerts feutr�es, la faire venir l� o� elle n'est g�n�ralement pas entendue, tel est le parti pris de Fugues. Pour ce premier �pisode, rencontre entre le c�l�bre h�pital psychiatrique Saint Anne, � proximit� de Paris et Beethoven, dans une de ses derni�res compositions, la Grande Fugue, ici interpr�t�e par le Quatuor Diotima, �crite � la fronti�re entre la folie et la mort."

What I expect from myself

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:40:54 GMT

I have only been playing the violin for seven years, since this past September 11th. & nbsp; (I'll never forget the day I started EVER!) I have my first college audition on the sixteenth of this month, and yes, that's 14, count-'em, 14 days! & nbsp;

I've been working on my concerto, Mozart #3 since May 2009. & nbsp; I know that I & nbsp;have made lots of improvement from where it's been over the past eight months. & nbsp; I'd say that right now, I & nbsp;could play it in front of people and not be too ashamed (kidding!) & nbsp; When it's good, it's good, when it's decent it's decent, and when it's bad... well you get the idea. & nbsp; Even when it's good it can be inconsistent from take to take. & nbsp;In my auditions, I & nbsp;only have one shot to get it right, or as close to right as I & nbsp;can be. & nbsp; This first audition is at a conservatory within a university, and it's pretty prestigious. & nbsp;

I & nbsp;know one of the first things a teacher looks for beyond basic violinistic things is potential. & nbsp; A potential teacher said that she thinks I & nbsp;have a lot of it. & nbsp;I also know that a lot of my fellow auditionees (a.k.a competition, friendly of course) have been playing much longer than I have and are probably playing things along the lines of Mendelssohn, Bruch, etc, etc. & nbsp; I'm not so much concerned with what they're playing, as I believe I'm playing repertoire that shows where I am and where I & nbsp;need to go musically and technically. & nbsp; I & nbsp;know that I will not be the next Milstein or Hahn or Perlman, and I am totally OK with that. & nbsp;

But, I & nbsp;expect my audition to be 100% perfect. & nbsp; What's wrong with that, you may ask? & nbsp; Every time I & nbsp;mess up on a certain thing in practicing, I & nbsp;play it again to get it right, which disrupts my plan to play through my piece without stopping. & nbsp; Like I said, when it's good it's good, but I & nbsp;just can't seem to keep it good all the time, which has me a little worried. & nbsp;

It's weird because my situation demands that you just show who you are and what you can do to the best of your ability, but in my twisted head, I think that teachers will only accept students who don't mess up and are 1000% & nbsp; perfect and are the next big thing. & nbsp; It's so bizarre how I & nbsp;know what they want but I & nbsp;still think I'm not good enough to show them my potential. & nbsp; Even though I've been told that I & nbsp;have it! & nbsp;

I'm not sure where this disconnect has come from, anybody want to share their college audition experiences?

& nbsp;

P.S.

I & nbsp;also seem to want to compare myself to the top soloists I've seen or heard play Mozart 3. & nbsp; I think to myself & quot;why can't I & nbsp;play it like them? & quot; & nbsp; Which, probably also does not help things, at all.

Just can't wait.

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:38:33 GMT

I will be so glad when I'm done auditioning with Mozart. & nbsp; Somebody on this website said Mozart is too easy for kids and too difficult for adults. & nbsp; Or, something like that. & nbsp; All I & nbsp;know is, I will revisit it in a few years, which I'm sure will present me with & nbsp; a new set of challenges again!

Kathy Griffin taught me about the violin

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:07:04 GMT

Yes, she really did... in a certain sense.

I don't think she's ever played a musical instrument, but maybe in her early days as a comedian she did. Anyway, I digress. & nbsp; But, her book, Official Book Club Selection got me really thinking about what I want to do with my life.

For those who don't know, Kathy Griffin is an Emmy-winning comedian known for her sometimes controversial statements. & nbsp; Just google her. & nbsp; She got really involved in her high school theater program and discovered her love for it. & nbsp; After graduating, she knew the one place where she could make it big as an actress- Hollywood. & nbsp; So, she and her parents moved from their comfy Chicago neighborhood with their daughter to Los Angeles. & nbsp; She lived with her parents trying to look for work. & nbsp; She had no college degree and no car. & nbsp; She dated bum guys and eventually got in to the Groundlings Theater group. & nbsp; She stayed there for a few years, still trying to climb to the top. & nbsp; It took her about ten years before she was cast on Suddenly Susan.

In short, she payed her dues.

Musicians also pay their dues. & nbsp; They practice day in, day out. & nbsp; (Well, some of us try to!) & nbsp; We limit our social outings so we can get one passage just right for that big audition. & nbsp; After performance majors graduate from college, they most likely won't have & nbsp; a job. & nbsp; They'll be searching for jobs, and going to and failing most of their preliminary auditions. & nbsp; My youth orchestra conductor said it takes about ten years to get yourself firmly established in the orchestral field. & nbsp; We lament the lack of jobs and the intense competition. & nbsp; But, so do actors, Kathy Griffin told me.

& nbsp;

We endure similar pressures- be perfect! you have to beat out 500 candidates for one seat! & nbsp; you won't get paid alot when you first start out! & nbsp; it's extremely competitive! & nbsp; it'll take you a while before you get a job! it's extremely competitive! & nbsp; did i mention the other 500 candidates for the same job?!

My education is an investment in my future, so while it may make more sense to be a MusEd major in college, I & nbsp;don't really see myself in the classroom. & nbsp; Well, not yet. & nbsp; And I & nbsp;have to at least try because Lord knows I'll regret it if I don't try to be a musician. & nbsp; Whatever that words means these days.

Yes, I realize that if I choose to be a violin performance major in college that I might be a poor, starving musician by the time I & nbsp;graduate. Yes, I & nbsp;might not have a job for a while. But, there is nothing I & nbsp;want to do more in my life. & nbsp; I & nbsp;love playing the violin, & nbsp; My life would be empty without it. & nbsp; This is what drives me.

& nbsp;

Michael.

& nbsp;

A Great Little Story.

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:56:44 GMT

Everybody, read this comic strip!
& nbsp;

A Small Note

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:05:41 GMT

As of today, I have been playing the violin for seven years. & nbsp; Two reasons to remember this day.

A very small story

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:56:45 GMT

I must be blog-ignorant because I had bigger plans for how post would work, and I was totally caught off guard when this entry showed up in the & quot;top blogs & quot; part today. & nbsp; I had links to other videos but I & nbsp;couldn't figure it out, but there was a story to the videos I was going to post. Here it is:

I found a video of Renaud Capucon playing the Gluck Melodie and posted a link to it as my facebook status yesterday. & nbsp; I was caught off guard when I got a comment from my friend saying how great the piece was. & nbsp; Somewhat dumbstruck, I replied somewhere along the lines of : & quot;you really watched it? & quot; & nbsp; Her response was that even though she knew nothing of & quot;violin...istry & quot;, she just stopped everything she was doing and just listened. & nbsp; I thanked her for the simple act of listening and I said it was OK that she didn't know classical music- that many others would say it was dumb or nerdy. & nbsp;

Here's what she said next: & quot;Why would someone cast it as dumb or boring? The piece is simply inspiring and I wouldn't understand how anyone could watch it and cast it as stupid. & nbsp; Only those with unintelligent minds. & quot;

How awesome is that? & nbsp; As classical musicians, we have to deal with people's perception of our art- that it is boring, for geeks and nerds (though we all may be :) or for the over 55 crowd. But, we ourselves must also struggle with the idea that those who don't listen to it aren't willing to give it a try. & nbsp;

Korngold Violin Concerto, French Radio Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel, Renaud Capucon