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I Have Found a Pianist!!!

December 20, 2007 at 4:43 AM

YIPEEE!!! I was starting to get a little stressed out over this, but yesterday I received a firm commitment for a pianist for the upcoming competition. That is one less thing to worry about over the next few weeks.

When I changed my approach to this piece expressively yesterday, my memories and emotions became quite raw and exposed which helped in the fist two pages (where I was the most comfortable technically), but were a disaster on the 3rd page (32nd note runs - not so comfortable technically). After just one day, the rawness of these memories have dulled, but the overall effect on the piece better than it was last night, although the vibrato suffered somewhat. It is like exposing just the smallest fraction your innerself through the music.

It is like the children's story: too much and it can make you fall apart, too little and it sounds mechanical. Just right and you have music to cry for. A balancing act.

From Albert Justice
Posted on December 20, 2007 at 5:48 AM

Mendy--congrats... Also be encouraged, I feel like I've just been divorced and remarried to this girl of mine, having done revolutionary changes with bow hold and tone production!!!! (can I scream in here)...

It's coming along good, but as I've blogged, I'm learning all over. My forte is truly forte, and tonight, loving cantabile/adagio, I made myself focus on piano(pp) pretty much all night, cause that's where my romantic (shh) self exists.

I only heard one other person play on my instrument, but it was only a few notes. What a big mellow sound it has....

Related to your taming of your shrew there, I've played too lightly but pretty nicely since of course not the beginning, but for months.

Now just imagine striving for expression and re-learning dynamics (all of'm) at the same time--and during Christmas! .

Live ain't fair I tell ya. I anticipate check'n out your playing.

From Tara Shaw
Posted on December 20, 2007 at 4:43 PM

Congratulations and good luck, Mendy. :-)

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