The Chosen Path

August 10, 2007 at 10:50 PM

Well I've decided to go for it. I've had support from my friends, and from my admired friends on Violinist.com (all of you!), and most importantly, from my teacher.

At my lesson yesterday, she said that if I was willing to work, she was willing to teach me, even extra lessons each week. That level of support I didn't expect, but am greatly appreciative of.

I've also searched up some other practice methods. Set as a textbook for one of my units at university, Practiceopedia contains many helpful hints on how to practice - which is exactly what I was looking for. I'll be implementing many of the techniques in here in order to get the most out of my practice sessions.

I've been given two new pieces by my teacher - Bach's Prelude from the E Major Partita, and Brahms' Third Sonata, Op. 108. I'll also be getting a third piece at some time - a showy piece, possibly Sarasate Malaguena, as I had lots of fun with Romanza Andaluza last year.

She's also spoken of the possibility of surprising my lecturers next year by picking up an Ysaye Solo Sonata - the Second one. So hopefully, none of my lecturers read this blog, so they will actually be surprised.

I'm also going to have some etudes set so that I can work on my right hand. I finally broke the intonation barrier that I was facing at the beginning of the year, so now the focus is on creating a fantastic tone, and that's done through bow strokes. I'm really excited about this new focus, and am looking forward to working on these great pieces.

Plus, I'll also be setting myself an orchestral excerpt a week, to get myself familiar with the repertoire that I'd be facing in auditions.

All in all, I'm rather excited at the choice, as opposed to the reluctance I was feeling when the decision was still to be made.

From Richard Hellinger
Posted on August 10, 2007 at 11:52 PM

Wow GL.. I hope that you still have time occasionally to post here on v.com.. But it sounds like you are going to have your hands full!

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on August 11, 2007 at 4:43 AM

Congratulations and best of luck. Give us a short post now and then so we know how you're doing.

From Neil Cameron
Posted on August 11, 2007 at 1:04 PM

Good on ya Ben! Go for it!

Neil

From Bill Busen
Posted on August 12, 2007 at 3:56 AM

Go, Ben! Ramp up your practice time using relaxed, tension-free playing time as a criterion and you'll be more likely to dodge the potential overuse injury. Your commitment level will fill in the rest of your daily six hours with other ways to grow in musicality (reading, studying, hearing in your mind, analyzing, listening). Upload us a Christmas present so we can hear the fruits of your commitment!

From Ruth Kuefler
Posted on August 12, 2007 at 2:50 PM

Hey, good luck Ben! Let us know how it goes. I think this is a great idea, and you seem to have a good plan of action. Just one word of advice - in your last post you mentioned you wouldn't really have a life if you had to practice 6 hrs a day. But as they say, art imitates life, so even though you'll be really busy, don't forget take time now and then to have fun! :) You don't want to burn out. Anyway, best of luck!!

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The Chosen Path

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