What to do... what to do...

November 27, 2005 at 8:54 PM

This week, I'm practicing my excerpts for my audition on Sunday. I'm gonna spend about 2 hours each day on them, interrupted with an hour on my chosen piece (probably the Mozart I've been working on, but possibly the Bach).

However, I need to keep practicing the violin until Christmas, when I can then afford to take a month off and not have to play for anything.

The question is... What shall I work on?

I will almost definately do Techincal work. Wait, not almost definately, just definately. It's just a must, and I can take the time to learn the Kreutzer Etudes that I haven't done yet, so that when I resume playing in Late Janurary, I can perhaps do some Rode or something.

But what about pieces? Technical work can be extreemly boring if it's the only thing that you're doing. I'll probably work on my Mozart concerto and possibly my Bach, as I'd like to keep the Bach up to standard for some early competitions next year, and just solidify the Mozart as it still needs some work.

I'd also like to learn at least one new piece to add to my repertoire. I'm thinking something like a Mozart Sonata or something. Something that's not really all that difficult (a couple of grades under my level of A.Mus (AMEB)), but would be a good addition to my repertoire, and something interesting or fun. Any ideas anyone?

I'm almost finished with stress for the year. It's kinda been like a month of stress just climaxing, and then growing and going to a completely new level etc. But the end is in sight. I'm going out to see my favourite band tonight, and again the night before my audition (plus a couple of other bands which are pretty cool), and in the mean time I have work to do on the recordings that were made of the musical I've been involved with.

Anyway, best be off now, ciao peoples.

From Stephen Brivati
Posted on November 28, 2005 at 6:08 AM

Greetings,
how about...
1) Practice scales without fail everyday. (that is the curse violinists should be proud to live with ; )
2) Learn a Bach solo sonata you have never played before from memory in rough.
3) Study a Beethoven srtring quartet very intensively. Learn the score and be able to play both violin parts . A Beethoven first violin part is -extremely- hard technically.
4) Learn about five of the Dancla op 73 (?) etudes.The ones that are about the same or a little harder than Kreutzer but very elegant and charming.
5) Take five major concertos out of the library and isolate similar technically demanding passages such as octaves or thirds. IE 1st mov Mendellssohn thirds /Paginin 1 thirds/ Dvorak
Find a piano player and sight read through dozens of violin/piano sonatas
Cheers,
buri

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on November 28, 2005 at 9:10 AM

Ben, I like your plan better. Have fun.

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What to do... what to do...

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