April 21, 2004 at 11:13 PM

It's been a busy weekend. I played in four symphony concerts and went to rehearsals on top of that. It was good overall, and now I'm trying to keep those hours of playing up there at around the 5 hour mark. So far today I'm behind on that. I've been having tension problems all day which has been bugging me lots, and I don't like to overpractice if I'm tense, as hurting myself is not exactly a desirable option. I've been spending the past couple of days trying to master some Ysaye. I love the Ysaye sonatas, and never grow bored of them, but they are certaintly a challenge to play. I love the Dies Irae chant in the second sonata. Coincidently this past weekend one of the pieces on the program was M. Daugherty's Dead Elvis which has Dies Irae chant in it, as well as I've been studying berlioz's symphonie fantastique for a history exam, with special interest being payed to the last movement which also has the Dies Irae. Isn't it strange how things always seem to just start sticking out in your face?

My composition for violin and alto has a few more ideas and sketches down, but still no text yet. I'm almost to the point of thinking I'll leave out a text entirely and have it be similar to a vocalaise type of vocal work. We'll see...I'm going to keep hunting.

Yesterday I got the chance to play for some relatives here at my home, and so I played my concert group from the competition/festival. Different order, my piece, Vitali, then Eckhardt-Gramatte, and that worked pretty good. It was nice to get the chance to play them again, even if just for four people. I'm actually quite excited because I'll be performing the Vitali again on Sunday afternoon in a student recital. I have a couple of friends who are also supposed to be performing, so it should be great fun!!

Well time to get my butt off of this seat and away from the computer, and back to the practice room, or history books, or school or something more productive.

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April 21, 2004 at 11:13 PM

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