October 14, 2004 at 4:57 PM

Hmmm. I haven't updated my blog in LONG time, and so much has happened. Where to begin? Well, first of all, I started a new piece; the Vieuxtemps concerto #4. Yay! I wasn't really familiar with Vieuxtemps' concertos, even the fifth, the most famous. But now that I've listened to the CD a lot and started to really play it, I've fallen SO DEEPLY in love with the piece. It's easier than the pieces I've played recently (Zigeunerweisen, Bruch 3rd mvt) but there are very expressive parts so I'm working on my musicality. I just love the way it sounds...it gives me goosebumps and makes me want to dance. :-) It's also a perfect Halloween piece, so I am going to use it to play with the Ocean City Pops for their Halloween concert! Yessss! This will be the third time I've played with the Pops, and the second Halloween concert. The thing is, I need to have a costume! The entire orchestra will be dressed as bikers, pretzels, zombies, etcetera. Last time I was a witch, so I think that now I will be a fairy! I have a very pretty pink dress for the costume but the wings are going to be a problem. I have to find ones that won't get in the way of my playing! Anyway, that's something to look forward to.
I'm also going to audition for David Kim's (the concertmaster of the Philly orchestra) benefit-concert orchestra that takes place in January. The audition is soon, though, and I have to play a bunch of stuff for it, so I'll be busy this weekend.
I guess I should also write about going back to school! I've been looking forward to it forever. It's so nice to see my friends again that I hardly saw all summer. Contrary to popular behavior, I actually love school (maybe that's because I only go three days a week--an arrangement worked out with my extremely flexible teachers--to give me more time for music). I like the classes and the social time too, because I don't see a lot of kids during the week. We got off to a slow start and the JR High was anxious to start our classes but everything's fine now...except that we have two new teachers and I don't think they're very good. Oh well.
Oh, and the Settlement orchestra started! Yay! We keep switching around in our seats, so sometimes I'm principal second, and sometimes in the back of the firsts. My friend Brianna, who studies with the same teacher as me, is in the orchestra, and it's cool getting to see her every week.
And my quartet started again! Yes! We are playing an AWESOME contemporary piece, called "Don't Step On My Toes". Is that a great name or what? We're also playing the Beethoven Harp Quartet, and revisiting the Dvorak American.
I'd better go work...on...my...essay *grumble grumble*
--alice

This entry has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.

October 14, 2004 at 4:57 PM

Subscribe

Laurie's Books