May 14, 2004 at 2:12 AM

Tomorrow is the day I write my three hour music history exam. Am I ready? I guess we'll find out. I had a piano/history lesson today to go over everything, and for the most part I'll be ok, but I do have some worries..... It was a good lesson overall though. I got to play the piano, which is something I haven't gotten to do in a couple of months because of the preparation for this exam. I haven't had time to practice much piano lately either, but this past week I decided to make time for it. It meant practicing a bit less violin overall, but it was really nice to sit down and play piano again. I didn't realise just how much I miss it. To read through the Pastorale Sonata (Beethoven) again was a great joy. I worked on some sections of it and got the first movement, more or less, all spiffed up again for my lesson. After this history exam is over I'm hoping to spend that time I did studying history at the piano instead and getting the sonata back to where it used to be before all this exam stuff overwhelmed me. I also want to get working on Greig's Wedding Day at Troldhaugen again. I had started some preliminary work on it before becoming pre-occupied. In the past few days I went through some Chopin piano albums and found the Bereceuse and decided I couldn't overlook it, so I've been working on that a bit too, maybe I'll add it to my regular repertoire after this exam is over.

Violin. Well I've got symphony auditions coming up. Luckily not catastrophic amounts of excerpts are required, but enough are required, that the two weeks I've been given to learn them is going to be challenge. Hopefully the fact that I've played with the orchestra already for a few months and have played in a regional youth orchestra for three years as well as other professional and festival orchestras will slate me a spot in the back of the second violin section again for next season. I haven't 100% decided what I want to do next year in terms of orchestra involvement, but I'm trying to work it out so I can balance at least some school and then if I do get into the symphony again that I might be able to play, but we'll see! A season playing with a professional orchestra does look good on a university application and is great for applying for other things as well so time, and some discussion with my parents and school advisor will help me get this next concert season sorted out.

I went to the orthodontist today, and I got a gift certificate towards a cd for keeping my teeth so clean. The cd store it was for has basicly nothing when it comes to a classical collection, but I special ordered in the complete Ysaye sonatas played by Ilya Kaler. I've heard a few cuts from it on the radio and I really like it, so since I am in need of a recording of those sonatas and I'm learning one of them, it's about time to add a recording of them to my collection!

Well nothing else much new around here. Just practicing, dancing, composing, studying, the usual! I should probably get back to practicing again....

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May 14, 2004 at 2:12 AM

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