April 2008

Did you just call me a violinist?

April 22, 2008 12:49

Little things make me happy, that's what gets me going in life!! I wrote to the conductor thanking him allowing me to sit in with the orchestra even though I sucked so bad. (Literally I used those words!!) He wrote back and told me not to worry about it. He said that he wants this experience to help me to become a better musician and violinist in the long run. Did he just called me a violinist?? That little comment made me so happy!!

3 months ago, I was still playing twinkle, I hope all adult beginners look back and see how much you've accomplished in a short period of time!!

On a side note, how exactly should I practice those fast passages in orchestra music. Should I aim at playing the first note and last note for now? I don't know if it's because I'm so new and I can't play fast or if I'm so retarded that i will never be able to do so? I was watching a youth orchestra playing Tchaikovsky violin concerto and I was amazed at how easy they made it look!! And who said 2nd violin part is easy!?

Any tips on how to practice the fast runs? I can do them slowly, but at tempo, I'm lost, and then I get nervous and play out of tune (NOT good)

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Beginner's Orchestra Playing Take 2

April 17, 2008 23:57

The 2nd time around is much better, since I get to listen to the music, I'm more familiar with it and didn't get so lost (still lost, just not THAT lost!)

We worked on the Haydn piece for 2 hrs and then took a break and work on Carnivals of the Animal. This piece is so much more playable than the Haydn, I feel much better. I just need to make sure i don't play out of tune. The 2nd violin section is quite weak overall, it's harder to play when i can't hear other 2nd violins around me. :(

Next week we will get our chamber music assignments, I'm kinda excited and nervous about that. If I'm the only 2nd violin and I mess up, it will be very ugly.

I really enjoy playing with the group, but the problem is I'm not quite good at this yet, and in order to keep up with the group, I'll have to spend alot of time practicing the orchestra music, that means, less time to practice my lesson's stuff. Will this slow me down?? Should I have my teacher dedicate maybe 15 minutes helping me out with this?

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My first orchestra experience- point of view from an adult beginner who only played for 3 months

April 11, 2008 12:21

I don't think I have ever been that lost before. I'm a pianist, why can't I count correctly?? Why???

I emailed one of the junior college community orchestra group's director about sitting in the first rehearsal. Told him honestly that I've only been playing for 3 months, playing towards the end of Suzuki book TWO, and am interested in joining in the FUTURE. He insist that this year he will be doing some chamber music group, so he'll be assigning maybe just one movement of easier pieces to different groups depending on their level, and that I should come in with my violin.

Alright, so here I went with my violin. Staring at the section wondering which is the last chair of the second violin section. I sat down, praying that no one will sit next to me. Then a nice college kid sat next to me. We exchanged greetings, and I told him i'm very new. He said he's been only playing for a few years. I said, that's great, I've only been playing for three. Three MONTHS. You should see the look in his face, it was priceless.

We started off playing Haydn's Symphony No100. Ehmmm... you mean I have to sight read this thing? (thank goodness it's in G major). I can play the slower passages, only when I can find my place in the music. It's not like the music is in complicated time, why do I have so much trouble following the music? I pretty much count the best I can, watch my stand parter to see where our section suppose to be at. And try to play the first note of each bar if I can. Quickly, I realize my goal for the nite was not to play any notes during our rest.

Since its the first rehearsal, everyone was sight reading. The first violin section was of course quite good. There were alot of giggling going on in the second violin section because we're either playing out of tune or we enter wrong.

I almost pee in my pants when the director wants each section to play their section alone.

Will I go back to this orchestra? Probably, but not now. I'm not ready. I think it's a great learning opportunity, but I should not be wasting their time. If they do indeed have the chamber section, and they can really find someone my level, I would be delighted to join. I took the music home, I just can't do this. At least for now. Nonetheless, it was a GREAT learning experience!!!

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We blog when we are....

April 6, 2008 23:08

Well, many of us keep a blog to express how we feel at a certain moment. Right now, I don't know if I'm more sad or more frustrated. I just finished my first recital. It is my first time ever performing in front of public, let alone, performing with a bunch of kids in front of their parents, whom some maybe younger than me!

I felt quite good about the piece I played. No, it was not my best. I was nervous, my bow shaked and bounced a bit. I forgot everything about dynamics. A few notes were out of tune. I didn't want any pressure so I didn't invite anyone to come. I did recorded it for my husband to listen.

He commented that I was out of tune at 5-6 spots. And the entire night, he kept jokingly said he can't believe I was out of tune and that when I practice at home, it didn't happen as much. I went from being quite happy about the recital to very frustrated. I tried hard to learn it. And for God's sake, I've only been playing for 3 months. In the year 2007, I did not know that the violin has 4 strings, I have never heard of the word rosin. Is it that bad that I'm slightly out of tune in a few places because I was nervous? I don't think he understands that this hurts people's feeling. I told him honestly how I felt, and he said, then next time I won't make anymore comments on how you play. Boys are jerks sometimes.

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There is life after twinkle

April 1, 2008 08:25

I was worried that I would not "stick" with the violin when I first considered learning it. Thats why I bought that VSO from craigslist. (It is now underneath my bed since I got a lovely Gliga violin) Why did I say that? I am notorious of hobby hopping, nothing last more than a few months with the exception of martial arts. My husband always frowns when I tell him "Honey, I want to take xxx lesson". His answer, always "No, you are just wasting your time and money."

Why is that a waste of time/money if you made the choice yourself and enjoyed the process? This puzzles me. Even if I had just learned how to play say, the flute for 3 months, I'm sure I gained something. I added "colour" to my life!!

Anyways, I just passed the 3 months mark for my violin learning. Listening to violin music excites me. Playing it excites me. It is indeed a very difficult instrument to learn, but when I look back at the problems I had the first few weeks, for the most part has been resolved! But new problems will develop every week (that's how you progress, right?)

Forth finger- every beginner has a weaker forth finger. When i play quarter notes or shorter duration notes with it, I did not notice the problems I had with it, other than feeling weak. I have a piece of music that i need to use the 4th finger for 3 beats, and all of a sudden, my tone becomes "weird". It's shaking, it's like a cat trying to scream but can't get to the right pitch. I don't know what to do.

Counting: I rely on my ears alot. I must heard the music once before I can play it. This goes way back when I was playing piano as well. Problem- I guess the rhythm alot. I never counted. Playing the violin usually requires accompanyment with the piano, or if I ever get to play in a community orchestra, this will be a huge issue. I must learn to count from now on.

String Crossings- This still seems to be a bit of a problem for me, especially when they are fast, and sluured.
Also, if i have to cross from say D to E string... how can i avoid hitting A string? Yes, if i pause between, it's clean, but I can't be pausing that much...

Help me. :)

If there are other adult beginners reading this, I want to reassure you that there is life after Twinkle.

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More entries: May 2008 • February 2008