September 17, 2005 at 9:51 PM

Hello there everyone, I just thought I should tell you have my violin and viola lessons are going. First off, I love both teachers. They tell me a lot of usuful information some things I already knew (although, that reinforces it) and some new things. On the violin I am playing the entire de Beriot Concerto in a-minor this semester. It is already going well and I think she is rather impressed by how well it is going after only playing it for a week. I played a double stop thing that covers the first though like 9th position perfectly at the lesson. She was also impressed by my tone on the upper octave stuff but not quite satisfied with my lower octave (I worked a lot to get a pure sounding upper octave and a narrower vibrato up there over the summer). So I need to relearn how to get a beautiful, singing tone on my d and g again. We are going to pick a Bach sonata or partita for me to play soon (she didn't want to overwhelm me). I will also probably be doing some Kreisler (probably Leibesleid and Leibesfreud...spelling is a little wrong there). She has complimented on my bow arm and said that my intonation is solid. I need to work on rythm and 2nd position so she is giving me an etude next week that is all in the 2nd position from Dont. I also need to work on shifting a little bit, I need to work bringing the wrist back from where it was when I shifted, usually when I have to shift down from 6th postion and higher. I am also going to be working through the entire Kreutzer etude book this semester. I have been in contact with the former concertmaster of the Symphony Orchestra. One day he just randomly knocked on the door of my practice room and said it sounded really good (Mozart G-Major Concerto). The other day he asked me to listen to some violins that he was trying out and I did. I gave all of my honest opinions of the instruments and he said that is exactly what he thought and said I had a very good ear. Then he went to see the violin teacher (Professor Strauss) with the violins and she asked if I'd like to stay and listen but I said I already had heard them (plus I had symphony), and he started to tell Professor Strauss how good of an ear I had and how helpful my comments were. I was kind of embarresed to say the least. I have also decided, per his encouragement to start learning Paganinni Caprice No.5. He thinks that I could manage it so I am taking the bull by the horns and going for it, slowly of course. He, as I do, had to overcome an impediment to violin playing. His left pinky is about half the length of his right pinky, which is a bigger impediment than I have. He manages nicely though, he just stretches forward as well as back to octaves and tenths. He is a truely magnificent player, he started when was 11 and was already learning the Paganinni Caprices by the age of at least 15. He learned the Bruch Concerto (which I will be doing next semester), the Mendelsohn Concerto (I may be doing this one instead, I'm finally getting a good grasp on ricochet), Mozart G-Major and some Paganinni Caprices in a week, and he actually WON competitions with the first two. I have begun to not have has much stumbling problems with my big hands. I have begun to realized how much I improved over the summer without taking notice while it was happening. My tone speed and accuracy has all greatly improved and my sight ready has gotten markedly better, I began to see all this during symphony rehearsals. I could play about 90% of the notes and rythms accurately in only 3 rehearsals. The last 10% is all the really hard hooked bowings we have (16th to 32nd notes) and some of the half steps in night on bald mountain. Wow, that took longer than expected and I haven't even gotten to viola yet.

Well, the viola is going decently. Professor Martin is really pushing me and we've only had 2 lessons. At my last lesson he seemed dissapointed in my weeks progress. He said, "There is so much I want to do with you this semester, but you have to give me more to work with at lessons." Most people would just have given up had a teacher said that to them but I'm not going to, it was for my own good. So this week I have really been concertrating super hard during practice on the viola and things are actually starting to sound quite musical. As for the switch, I don't think I will do it, I love the violin too much. I have acquired a love for the viola sound but I just don't think it's for me. I just don't get excited for the viola repetoire. I have heard a lot of the concertos thanks to Professor Martin but I find myself always wanting to hear the violin. I will still of course play the viola on the side but I wont switch to it completely. After my violin lesson last week with Professor Strauss I asked her a question about he concerto competition, like when it was and such. She said they hold it every other year and that it will be held next year and then she added, "you will be ready by then." But back to viola, I also find the viola very tiring to play, especially because mine is so heavy. I do produce, if I do say so myself, a rather pleasing sonorous tone. But I just don't love it like I love my violin. Maybe that could change if I had a better viola to work with, but I doubt it, I have heard the great violist Primrose playing the Walton Viola Concerto and couldn't fall as deeply in love with it as I did with violin, so I doubt a better viola would make that much of a difference. It's kinda like the saying that you will find many loves in life but none is never quite like your first.

My classes seem to be going quite well, I passed my first ear training test with a low B. Not bad considering that last week neither the teacher nor I thought I would even be able to pass it. I had a little bit of a voice lesson with David Greedy and he helped me to discover that I need to sing with "gusto" and "sing from the head not from the throat." It really helped and with practice it will only get better. Piano is going well, but we really don't have that much in there, just memorize one song a week basically. I really don't care much for my other classes but they are necessary. I like all of my Professors but I don't really like Calculus or Spanish. Paideia is only good because I enjoying reading ancient literature and learning about ancient cultures. I have my first actual college paper due on Tuesday by noon, but I'm not exceedingly worried (as you can probably tell, I am focusing way too much on music and should start to really study things instead of memorizing them at the last minute).

A little bit about my fun (yeah right) schedule. Monday is by far my busiest day. I get up for an 8am class that goes to 9. Then I work in the Car at ten-11:30, then i eat lunch, got music theory at 12;15 to 1:15, then spanish from 1:30-2:30, then paideia from 2:45 to 3:45, and then I have orchestra rehearsal from 4:00 to 5:30. Then I still have to eat and then I either do homework or practice. I spend a lot of time in the music building, sometimes 6 hours, 3 on violin, 2 on viola and 1 hour on piano and ear training, I adjust that as necessary. If i have a lot of homework I don't spend as much time practing violin or viola (sometimes I don't get to viola, or about an hour on it) usually about 3.5 hours on both. Bascially wed and friday go the same minus orchestra. Tuesdays and Thurdays are my more free days in which i do a lot of my homework and am able to practice without worrying too much. I also have lessons on these days, ear training and piano. I also somehow manage to hang out with people too, don't ask me how I manage this since most days I am going from 8 am to midnight. Friday nights and the weekends are great because I do a ton of practicing, homework and still manage to have fun while I'm at it.

I am thinking of having a violin/viola recital either at christmas break or during the late spring (middle to late May). I am leaning towards May because then I can revive some pieces and I will have new pieces learned and I will have a viola I wont be ashamed to perfrom on in public. Next weekend my parents are coming for the family visit weekend, so that will be fun. Well, sorry this was so long and kind of random in order, I have been getting up to go check my laundry.

From Carley Anderson
Posted on September 18, 2005 at 11:44 AM

Which Dont?

From Andrew Paa
Posted on September 18, 2005 at 3:48 PM

She didn't tell me actually and that is an etude book that I do not actually own. I will find out next week.

From Mendy Smith
Posted on September 20, 2005 at 4:09 AM

You said that the viola is very tiring to play. Which is quite true. As a violist, I can give a few pointers that would help. Firstly, and most important, remember that the viola is not just a big violin. You can hold it a bit differently. Due to it's size and weight, violist tend to use a "lazy violin" hold, letting it droop just a bit, but not pointed towards the ground - more like your arm being straight out but not raised. I wouldn't hold it high like a violin unless you are playing higher positions. Try adjusting your shoulder rest a bit and get it to the poitn where you can walk around the room holding it with your shoulder and chin, but no hands. I like to hold mine a bit closer to the breastbone.

Make sure the size is right. You do fit a viola like you do a violin. Mine is a 3/4 which is large enough for my small frame.

Another thing to watch, since the gages of the strings are heavier, you will tend to put more pressure on them. Be careful that you aren't pulling the instrument down on yourself.

For repertoire, yes it is so much more difficult to find, so that's why I play alot of Bach - plenty to work with there. Also, Beethoven's symphonies are fun. You could also take some of your favorate simple violin music (anything that doesn't do past 2nd or 3rd position in treble cleff) and transpose it for the viola. It will make a very challenging viola piece.

From Andrew Paa
Posted on September 20, 2005 at 11:54 PM

Thank you!! :)

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September 17, 2005 at 9:51 PM

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