April 22, 2006 at 2:01 PM
Well, my last weeks have been more about horses than violin to be honest. Yeah, I played a couple concerts, but honestly I think I found something I could be as passionate about as violin playing. I have had several private lessons, went riding in a beautiful province in the North of the Netherlands and tonight I'll go see the worldcup at "jumping amsterdam"...When you are sitting on a horse, you have to completely try to become one with the animal... something which is practically impossible as a beginner. You have to feel the movements and even anticipate them. You have to guide the animal, but at the same time realize that the horse is so much stronger than you. I hate to say it, but I think a conductor must feel that way. At all times he is the one in charge, but if it comes to a powermatch, he'll never win from an orchestra. When you ride you keep at all times contact with the mouth of the horse, very softly, it does not mean pulling the reins. I realized that the best conductors are not the ones pulling the orchestra, pushing it, yelling... the onces deserving most respect are the onces that gently keep contact with the orchestra at all times, not using a whip, but their breath.
The things one learns during horseback riding lessons...
I used to sport climb, too. You really think 27 is too old for that?
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