February 2007

Music for the Deaf

February 17, 2007 16:49

Violin Practice
My assignment for the next 2 weeks is to be off the metronome in Bach's Sarabande and record myself to see if I can maintain a consistent tempo and find out where my phrasing doesn't work. I've been with the metronome so much lately, it has become my best friend and I'm scared to let it go. I never like listening to my playing, but I guess I have no choice now if I want to progress further. If I think I like what I'm playing, I might just post the recording here. I very much doubt it.

Music for the Deaf
I have met a new friend lately. He is deaf. I was very eager to learn Australian sign language (AUSLAN) that after 2 days I have learned all the alphabets, numbers from 1 - 1 billion, and some "vocabularies". I can now communicate without writing in pieces of paper, but still slow and have to spell many words. The good thing about sign language is people around don't know what you are talking about (most of the time they look at you with interest), plus you get to listen to Beethoven even when you are communicating! Sometimes, I do have problems switching to "talking mode", like when suddenly the waitress came and asked to take the order. I never realise how much I take hearing for granted and thankful for all the music I'm able to enjoy.

I learned a little about deaf people and how they could hear music through feeling the sound vibration. The part of the brain the is used for hearing receives these vibration and process it as an "alternate sound". There are music schools for deaf and some even become professional musicians. "Music for the Deaf" is what it's called. It is amazing how well human adapt! I feel fortunate to experience the way he lives, the difficulties he has to go through, and sometimes discrimination. I thank him for welcoming me into his life.

Having a deaf friend made me think about communication, like art (music, paintings, dance). In a good piece of music, you could see the pictures or feel the mood of the composer. In a good painting, you can hear the sound of the wind or sound of the sea in a landscape or feel the sorrow though the eyes of a potrait. In a good dance, you can feel the joy of the dancer etc. Intentionally or not, music, paintings and dance is not just a way for the artist to express him/herself, but it is also a form of communication.

Chinese New Year
It's Chinese New Year (CNY) today. I'll call my parents and do my dutiful CNY greetings, then go to China Town and find some tasty CNY food and watch some lion dance. I have a job up in Wangaratta (country town) for the next 3 days or so. So I'll be driving up there later this afternoon. Not the best way to spend the new year but hey, it put food on the table!

Gong Xi Fa Chai to all Chinese violinist.com members.

10 replies | Archive link

Welcome Back!

February 3, 2007 05:08

Last Tuesday we started rehearsing for the first concert to be performed in the garden end of this month. They do this garden concert every year as it is sponsored by the local Council and is free for the public. I quite like the music although I never heard any of them before the rehearsal:

- Ma Vlast (Smetana)
- Capriccio Espagnol (Rimsky-Korsakov)
- Symphonie Descriptive (Berlioz)
- Concertino fur Klarinette (Weber)
- Small Town (Sculthorpe)
- Le Train Bleu (Milhaud)

We did sectional work on the first rehearsal and worked out some tricky bowings in Capriccio Espagnol. That was fun to play.

Today rehearsal at the other orchestra started. So far we only have the music for Beethoven's Coriolan overture. I never heard this music but I knew it was going to be good. For some reasons, despite my hopeless sight reading skills, the music made sense. Sight reading through Beethoven was as smooth as a surf board.

Violin lesson resumed today too. We started working on the tricky bits of Rode's 4th Carprice. Then I played Bach Sarabanda and Giga. Learned a lot of things today, most importantly, a new tone, some solutions to problematic bowings in Giga and practise tips.

Then I went on with Beethoven's Romance in F. I ran through the whole thing, then we discussed the tricky bits. I found that I have problems getting compliments. As soon as my teacher complemented, "that phrase was beautiful!", the subsequent phrase went terrible!

Then there was a part where I played Martele bowing in a series of 16 notes with 2 down bows and 2 up bows instead down and up for each note. My teacher said she never seen it done that way before and thought I did it very well. She thought this bowing would be useful for other music she knew. Who knew, I get to teach my teacher something today! I confessed to her that I didn't come up with it. It was a video of a concert of Vanessa Mae I saw many years ago. I wish I still have that video and learn (copy) more of her ideas. Any DVDs of Romance in F out in the market?

Bow no. 2 has been sent for extensive plastic surgery. It will be ready this coming Friday. I can't wait!! I miss him!!

January-itis is over. Welcome back music life!

p/s: I ordered and finally got Dancla's 20 Etudes Brillantes. I think I will substitute Rode's 4th with Dancla's 4th for the exam.

1 reply | Archive link

More entries: March 2007 • January 2007