October 2006
October 29, 2006 16:17
I owe the inspiration for this blog to my sister. My sister is taking Euphonium in school (similar to tuba, same fingerings and stuff). And naturally, playing the tuba and having a musical backround I thought that I would help her practice. Here is a blog of my experiences:
After her first lesson my expectations weren't high. And for her first week of practicing I was, what I consider, calm, cool, and collective. And I considered average progress was being made. But after the second lesson expectations began to rise, naturally. And her practicing habits started to decline.
Unlike a teacher she had no problem difying me, and as her brother I seemed to have some kind of prejudice against her. Demanding perfection for every note that came out of her horn, perfect articulations, perfect everything, the same things I would expect out of myself. But as the month continued practicing was becoming sparce, practicing 2 or 3 times a week. Her teacher considered her progress great, but I was like some fiend, and what she played was rarely good enough for me, even if I knew it was good.
As siblings we aren't supposed to get along, and this surely showed, getting in fights over the stupidest things. I considered myself the superior musical being, but she seemed determinded too prove me wrong. With one slip of the tounge she was prancing around the room declaring that for once, I was wrong.
My tolerence was growing thin, every moment of when we practiced she was fooling around. SO last week I gave up. I let her practice herself for the entire week, and have her go to her lesson, what I considered unprepared. My "little game" worked. She was given the same assignment to practice for the next week. She now saw how much I was needed to practice with her.
7 replies | Archive link
October 27, 2006 12:25
For the last week I have been, what I consider, "Cut off from the world." My mail email has not been working (it is telling me I have mail but it isn't letting me access it :() But this means that I am not getting Finger Lakes Symphony updates, Cellarsavers Updates (P.S. If you are reading this new email is Chellinger1@earthlink.net) emails from friends, etc. If some one is some kind of computer genius or something please email me!! (you can email me on my contact page and it will go to an email that works :)
1 reply | Archive link
October 25, 2006 19:00
This week is Red Ribbon Week! Make sure to tie a Red Ribbon to something!
Tomorrow I get to teach the little kids about Red Ribbon... YEAH!!
4 replies | Archive link
October 24, 2006 12:53
Tonight I have my first rehursal for the nutcracker. One of only 4 to prepare for the ballet. We are accompianing the Ithaca Ballet. A professional Ballet company.
We are performing at the Smith Opera House in Geneva, NY. And the Historic Ithaca State theater. In m upstate NY these are very high regarded theaters and I am so happy to get an oppritunity to play in one, let alone both of them!
We have a new conductor for these performances. WE are Between conductors right now so we are having interm conductors until we hire one. We had this conductor over the summer, but I think I personally like the one that did our fall concert better. He just fits the personality of the orchestra better.
2 replies | Archive link
October 21, 2006 20:19
It was fun making the violin related facts blog a few months ago, so I thought I would make a piano related blog. Becuase most of us are pianists too.
1. There are over 18 million non-professional pianists in the United States alone. The ratio of Women to men is aprox. 3:1. (that means one out of every 20 people is a pianist.)
2. There are over 30 million pianos in the United States (thats almost 2 pianos for every pianist!)
3. The highest price ever paid for a piano was $1.2 million. It was for a Steinway built in 1884. Named after Alma-Tadema, a painter who supervised its decoration.
4. The largest piano ever built weighed nearly 3000 lbs and was 11 feet 8 inches long.
5. The total amount of string tension inside a concert grand piano is almost 30 TONS!
6. 40 out of the 43 U.S presidents owned a piano, harpsicord, or pianoforte.
7. In 1870 Daniel Beatty rosewood grand pianos sold for only $255.
8. There are about 7500 working parts inside a piano.
9. Studies indicate that epileptic patients that listen to Mozart's Piano Sonata can dramatically decrease their chance of a seizure
10. And finally to end all debates (hopefully) about the classification of a piano, the piano is a chordophone under the subcategory struckboard. So the piano is not a percussion instrument, it is in the same family as the violin (a violin is a chordophone (a.k.a. stringed instrument).
11. Today is Franz Liszt's Birthday!
5 replies | Archive link
October 20, 2006 15:48
Today I went to my old school and played with the Advanced Chamber Orchestra. For A while I have thought that I was behind in playing level than my peers, but Today I found out that I am at about the same level and probably higher than a lot of them. They have been working on 4 pieces for about 2 months now and I came and sightread them perfectly (almost, a few minor mistakes) which made me very happy and inspired exspecially since Sightreading is my absolute least favorite part of playing and my worst skill.
My first Offical concert with the Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra is tomorrow. I had a few over the summer but I am saying that this is my first offical concert with them because it is the beginning of a new concert season. But there is a problem! :( One of my best friends 16Th birthday party is on the same day, same time. So I had to make a desion. And I worked it out where I can be at he party from 5-6:15.. then hurry to newark and make it to the concert on time... but nothing can go wrong in timing or else I'll miss the concert...
Unfortunettally it is a costume party but if I dress up then I would need even earlier. But I guess I am going as a symphonic musician! :)
2 replies | Archive link
October 18, 2006 16:23
The First words I heard spoken after the PSAT ended was "Wow, this Test is doing a good job at showing me how dumb I am." And I agree.
It wasn't so much the questions that were so tough, but it was the when the procter called time and I still had 7 questions in the first writing section to go that I realized that this test was going to be like H*!!.
Well over all I think that I might have passed the test, but I am glad I took it a year in advance to make sure I know what I am in for next year, when the one that counts is taken.
Well now I am going for a well deserved nights rest.
6 replies | Archive link
October 16, 2006 12:28
Wed. the 18th I, like many other sophmores around the country am taking the PSAT. Mostly Junoirs take it but acedemically inclined Sophmores are encouraged to take it.
Well I am taking it and pretty much every oprutunity I have been studying and taking the practice exams. Which doesn't leave much time for practicing.
Anyone else taking the PSAT this Wednesday?
13 replies | Archive link
October 15, 2006 09:46
This Friday, October 20th, I am lucky enough to be one of the only kids in the "tri-county" area to have school off. And my old schoool about 25 miles away doesn't! So I have decided to "take a trip back to my roots" and visit my old school and violin teacher. I can't wait. This is the first time in 2 years that In have school off when they don't, and that she'll be teaching orchestra that day!
I did email her and tell her about my comming and she told me what time she would be there, but what I didn't tell her is that I plan to bring my violin... He He! Can't Wait!
Archive link
October 5, 2006 14:26
Well it was officially announced last week that I will be playing in the Itaca State Theater and The Smith Opera House in Geneva, NY! They are both professional theaters!
We are accompianning the Nutcracker with The Itaca Ballet. (We meaning the FLSO) I am so excited yet nervious at the same time. I can't wait!!!
1 reply | Archive link
October 2, 2006 14:21
It is officially 147 days until my 16th birthday, whats everyone getting me? lol ;).
Well it is semi-official, for the Red Jacket High school concert band (I am principal Tuba for them) we are going to Chicago for Competition in April! And we are going to be playing Stormworks by Stephen Milileo. Nice piece but it even has some bass lines that I actually have to pracice lol. (Most of the bass lines are so easy I can sightread).
3 REHURSALS 'TIL CONCERT FOR THE FINGER LAKES SYMPHONY!
Also look here in the first violins.. my name is officially posted!!!
Archive link
More entries: November 2006 • September 2006
