March 2004

March 28, 2004 17:02

Lesson 4 was today. Worked on bowing, fingering and phrasing on Sicilienne by Franz Kreisler. Also looked at a Concerto by Teleman. Practiced up and down bow stacatto's and after following the Galamian method, I have no idea why some people have trouble with the down bow stacatto. It doesn't seem that difficult to me. Also worked on Loure bowing, which does seem a bit difficult to me. It is a bit hard to make it so it doesn't sound like stacatto.

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March 25, 2004 09:39

I just received the schedule for the Cheyenne Symphony, for next season. It is their 50th anniversary, and perhaps I will be in the symphony by then.

Here is the schedule...

October 16th, 2004...
-Symphonic Dance for Orchestra..Basler
-Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
in e minor..Mendolssohn (Minghuan Xu - soloist).
-Symphonie Fantastique..Berlioz

November 13th, 2004
-Fanfare for the Common Man..Copland
-In Memory's Embrace..Schwantner
-Peter Grimes: Four Sea Interludes..
Britten
-Symphony No. 2 in D..Brahms

January 22nd, 2005
-Symphony No. 8 in F..Beethoven
-Symphony No. 9 in d minor..Beethoven
(Cheyenne Chamber Singers, LCCC Cantorei and other college choirs)

February 19th, 2005
-William Tell Overture..Rossini
-Piano Concerto No. 1 in C..Beethoven
(Maurizio Moretti- piano)
-Symphony No. 50 Mt. St. Helens..
Hovhaness

April 30th, 2005
-Festive Overture..Shostakovich
-Serenade No. 12 in c minor..Mozart
-Czech Suite in D..Dvorak
-Enigma Variations..Elgar

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March 22, 2004 16:55

My third lesson with my new violin teacher was today. I figure, keeping a blog on each weeks lesson would be a good way to track my progress, and in the future, it will be good to go back and look.

Today, my teacher had the following pieces for me to work on, for technique and tone production. "Sicilienne and Rigaudon" by Fritz Kreisler. Traumerei by Schumann. Ave Maria by Bach. Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Brahms. Air for the G string by Bach. Melody in F by Rubinstein. Cripple Creek, which is a lively fiddle tune that seems like it will be fun to play. I am supposed to work on as much of these as I can, and also keep working on my etudes, Flesch Scales and Arpeggios. Things are going well.

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March 14, 2004 14:29

I went to the Community College String Ensemble the other night. The director invited me to come hear them play, since I plan on joining them this fall, (or this summer if they have a summer group). I was a little nervous and thought that they would be beyond my level of playing and that I would need to practice hard to be able to join them. After they began the first piece, (Concerto Grosso by Handel), I realized that I would have no problem joining. Even if they want me to audition, I know I will make it. The course listing says you can join by the directors permission, or audition. Whatever. I am not concerned about that now. Plus, the director knows my current teacher, so, maybe she will ask him how well I play, and I wont have to audition. Either way, it doesn't matter to me.

I had my second lesson with my new violin teacher yesterday. It went well, but I didn't play the Vivaldi Concerto as well as I can. (I was nervous.)

I am supposed to continue working on Scales, Arpeggios, Improving my wrist Vibrato, (which is really coming along great), and a few minor improvements on the Vivaldi Concerto. My teacher said, next week will be the last time he wants to hear the Vivaldi Concerto. He said he didn't want to hear any of the etudes next week, but I will continue working on them as well.

Until next time.

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March 7, 2004 23:58

I watched Classic Arts Showcase this evening on Satelite TV. They showed a performance of the National Canada Ballet doing Vivaldi's Autumn Concerto. It was cool! The choreography was interesting and unique. The solo was played by Zukerman, who also conducted.

Anyways, I have been practacing 3 to 4 hours a day. Been working on the wrist (hand) vibrato, since my teacher told me that I needed a stronger wrist vibrato. I have the arm vibrato down well and is what I have used for the last several years. I pulled out my Galamian techniques book, and followed his instructions on how to develop a good wrist vibrato. This is accomplished by placing your second (or any finger for that matter) on the E natural on the A string, then resting the bottom of your hand on the body of the instrument. This way you can make sure you only move the wrist, and not the arm. After this was comfortable, I switched to first position, then without the bow, I used three fingers from my right hand between my left hand and the body of the instrument, and practiced the wrist vibrato this way for awhile. It is coming along well, and I was suprised I picked it up so fast.

Things I am practicing for my next lesson, Rondo in D by Mozart, Allegro Spiritoso by Jean Baptiste Senaille, and a Waltz by Grieg. Also, have been working on building up speed in Wolfhart Etudes Op. 45 (no. 38 to 42).

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March 5, 2004 14:59

First Lesson with New Teacher...

I had my first lesson with my new violin teacher and it went very well. I am looking forward to working with him. I brought over all the stuff that I have been working on and here is a rundown on what he said. First of all he saw the Suzuki book 4 and said "Suzuki is practacilly worthless after Book 3, and Seitz Pieces in Book 4 are awful. They seem like they are written for students by a student composer." Which is fine by me, cause I hated working on most of the Suzuki pieces. He did say that the Bach Concerto was an excellent piece though. He also told me that I was concentrating too much on Etudes (Wolfhart and Dont) and that I should only work on the parts of the etudes that I am having trouble with, instead of wasting time playing the whole piece. He told me that is how I have to practice. Learn how not to "waste time". We worked on a Vivaldi Concerto and overall he said it sounded good. A couple points for improvement he suggested were 1. A stronger vibrato on all the notes except the sixteenths. 2. My second finger was a little high and I need to concentrate on playing a C natural instead of between a C natural and C sharp. (He said it sounded like I didn't know what I wanted to play, a sharp or a natural). Once these things are mastered the piece will be strong he said.

He also said that the Schradiek studies were good, but to concentrate on the exercises that would develop the reach of my 4th finger, and definately don't worry about going through every exercise in the book.

Scales, He told me to continue working on the 3 octave scales, and also to really work on Arpegios, which he feels is very important.

And finally, he told me that I should get as many recordings that I can of other violinists such as Pearlman, Heifitz, Joshua Bell, Anne Sophie Mutter, etc, and to really listen to how they play. He said I am at a point where I need to develop my own style, so that people know that it is me, when they hear me playing.

Also, he said that some students will play etudes and exercises flawlessly, but when it comes to playing a piece of music, they cant do it.

Thats it for now. I will be working on the things he suggested and our next lesson is next Saturday.

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March 4, 2004 04:50

I thought I would start a blog. It seems like a great idea. Where do I start? I have been playing violin for 10 years, but only have taken it serious for the last 3 years. I consider myself to be at the Intermediate Level, (probably somewhere at the beginning of the Intermediate Level). I thought that I could just move on and master the violin on my own and quit taking lessons about a year ago. Luckily, I found this forum, and a few of the violinist here suggested that I not give up lessons. (My wife also suggested that I not give up lessons yet).

I found a violinist in the Symphony here that is willing to work with me. My first lesson with him will be Friday, March 5th. I will bring all my stuff that I am working on right now. Galamian 3 octave scales, Wolfhart Book 2 etudes, Dont Etudes, Joseph Gingold "Solos for the Violin Player", Suzuki Book 4, (was up to book 8, but I dont think I fully mastered everything in Books 4 thru 7). Schradieck Technical Studies, Whistler fifth position exercises. I think thats it.

I practiced for an hour last night (had to clean my seahorses tank, which took about an hour), then I had to go to work. I really need to discipline myself to work on the measures in the etudes, that are giving me problems, instead of just playing over them. Its like, I say, oh I know that was a C sharp, not a natural, I will play it sharp next time I play this piece. But, the next time I play it, I play a natural again. I really should slow down and just play that measure the right way over and over again, till the C sharp is automatic. Right??? I guess so.

Well, enough rambling for now.

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