April 2005

April 27, 2005 16:23

Practice is going well this week. I had a cold last week so didn't get much practice done. But this week is looking alot better, and hopefully i can stick to my guns and keep it up right through to the exam.

I played through the first movement of the Brahms Sonata yesterday, Op. 78. It's such a lovely sonata, with the second them, ahhh, I just melt. *swoons as the theme goes on in his head.* I just hope I can do it justice.

4 hours practice again today, and then a rehearsal for this piece called Baraquoda. Oh Interesting. Basically this composer has arranged 3 pieces from a Suite by Rameau, then written some variations. Let's just say they're not exactly in the baroque style...
We're performing it with dancers, so we'll be suspended in a cloud on stage, and we'll be mic'ed. Ahh, can't make a mistake. There's some really difficult parts, fingering wise, that I need to get my head around, and some shifts to double-stops that I need to drill. Otherwise It's not too bad.
He's not exactly the most organised composer. The performance is in May, and we have not received the last two movements... oh well.

The weekend is looking busy, especially Saturday. WAYO, then my student, then possibly work... although it looks like that might not happen.

Must be off, have a shower and do some practice.

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April 18, 2005 07:00

Just a quick entry.

Practice went well today, as did my lesson. I've got to work on my scales a bit more, and solidify them for my exam in 6 weeks. I also got my brahms sonata to look at and start learning, and did some work on my Bach, which is starting to get to a stage where I know all the notes and can start cleaning it up.

I'm involved with a performance of some new music to celebrate the anniversary of the college i'm at. It's been composed by a Masters student who's done some interesting stuff around perth, but looking at my part, I'm not sure if I'll be able to play it within a couple of weeks when the performance is. It's very... interesting. I'll just say that It's not my taste.

I best be off. I've got a listening test for history on Thursday and I haven't listened to half the pieces. Ciao

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April 14, 2005 02:58

Well, my car turns out to be not so bad. The company i took my wheel alignment to tried to rip me off. Of course the fuel line was rusting - it's surface rust. The brakes were only half worn, and the ball joints weren't very worn, not so much that they couldn't do a wheel alignment.

That's good to hear. I'll probably keep saving for a car anyway, but it does put my mind at ease, knowing that the car isn't likely to blow up while I'm driving it :)

Tried to do some practice today, but I just wasn't getting anywhere. One of those days where no matter whatever you try, it doesn't seem to work. It feels like you're doing more harm than good. I ended up watching a bit of Cosi fan tutte, and then The Mikado.

I'll do a bit more composition tonight, I'm glad with how it's coming. However, because my computer's died (I'm using my dad's), I don't know how it sounds, so I hope it sounds good, but I'm not certain. As far as I can tell it sounds good. Theoretically, it should sound good. It has been a good excercise in writing down what I hear in my head.

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April 12, 2005 02:32

I may possibly have a student. There was a sign up at uni asking for a violin teacher for a boy that has been learning for five years. He's a long way south from me, but closer as I'm at uni out that way. (about 28k's from uni, which is about 14k's from my place).

So that's good news for me if I get the job. Some extra money is always handy.

As for practice today, my string quartet rehearsal was cancelled due to a sick cellist and violist, so I used the time to practice instead. Got 4 hours done today, plus an hour with my flute playing friend playing some Quantz and Lully Trio Sonatas. Good fun.

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April 5, 2005 15:43

Just a quick message. My computer's stuffed up again...hehe

I had a big read of Practice last night, especially the stuff on Mental Practice. I'm gonna try get into that more. Hopefully that will help cure my performance anxiety that i've started getting.

Well, I must be off. I've got a lesson today at 8:30am... fun!

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April 4, 2005 22:28

Who ever said life is easy was wrong. And I'd immeadiately punch someone if they said music was easy.

Life seems hard at the moment. My car is falling to bits. I went to have a wheel alignment, but they couldn't do it because the ball joints were worn, so I have to get that fixed. The fuel line is rusting (if it breaks, big bang, no more car, and no more me if i'm in it), the brake pads are at the minimum safe thickness, there's rust all over the body, and heaps of other things wrong with it.
I need a new car, but I can't afford it. I can't even really afford to get this one fixed. Why would I spend $1000 on a car that I bought for $700?
I could save up about $1000 by the end of the year and I might get a couple of hundred if i can sell the car for parts. But I was planning on starting saving for a violin this year...

Performed in Chamber music today. It wasn't very good. My string quartet has only had one rehearsal, and the second violinist wasn't able to turn up. So we were basically having a first rehearsal today. Our tutor suggested that we need to spend more time together (duh) citing some professional string quartets who would spend 3-4 hours a day together, 5 or 6 days a week. But he didn't exactly suggest how much we, as amateurs, should be doing. I'd like to possibly spend 2 hours a week, maybe 3 if we can find it. But our schedules are so difficult that we've only found one hour that we can commit to each week. The cellist wants to spend 4 hours a week together, the violist thinks she can spare one. It's just impossible. The tutor sounded like he was suggesting that we should be spending 3-4 hours a day together, or at the very least, 1-2 hours each day. Let's take a look at the numbers:
17 hours of classes a week
4 hours of practice a day
3 hours of ochestra rehearsal a week
6 hours of work a week
preferably 8 hours of sleep a night.
2-4 hours of church a week
2 hours of youth group a week (plus preperation)
That takes up 116 hours in the week. Add onto that a couple of hours study each day, plus because i like to do composition each day, you're not getting much time left over.

I'm considering taking a year off after I've completed my adpa. Take a year off, keep getting lessons, but find a job and work, work, work, work, work. Build up some savings, perhaps get a good violin. And prepare to audition for a good school - Sydney Conservatory or WAAPA again, possibly somewhere over in england if I can afford it. Will talk with my parents about it sometime.

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April 1, 2005 16:04

Just letting you guys know that I'm back. Computer was fine (as it always is when you take it up to the shop), so I'm back using it for now. I also got my job that I went for on wednesday. I'm going to be Wine Tasting now - allowing people to taste wines in the various bottle shops around perth. It's a pretty sweet job and everyone I tell it to is very jealous.

oh well, I guess i must go and get ready for wayma rehearsal now. last one before the holidays, and I believe we're having the pianist in today as well.

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More entries: May 2005 • March 2005