Practicing in the park

March 30, 2007 at 10:59 PM

There's a nice little park behind the building where I work, and it's a popular place for me and my colleagues to take walks after lunch. For a long time I'd wanted to go there and practice during lunch but never quite had the guts---if I were planning to play only things I knew well, that would be one thing, but my goal was to practice. But I'm switching jobs soon (Monday is my last day), so I figure it doesn't matter what my soon-to-be ex-coworkers think of me. It was time to go for it.

On Wednesday I set myself up at a picnic table near the edge of the park, and discovered I had an audience: a letter carrier parked on the street eating his lunch. He assured me he'd enjoy listening to me, but I felt bad about making him listen to Kreutzer etudes. :) So I played through a bit of unaccompanied Bach and the Rachmaninoff Vocalise before my fingers got too cold in the windy weather and I got tired of rescuing my sheet music.

Today the weather was gorgeous, the kind of climate that makes a girl remember why she pays California real estate prices. This time I found a spot that was a little more secluded, where I really felt comfortable practicing, and got through quite a bit of my repertoire for today's lesson before I had to pack up and go to a meeting. As I headed back to work, a guy who'd been sitting at a nearby table called out, "Hey, that was cool, man!" He wasn't your stereotypical violin music lover---buff, shirtless, longhaired---and I didn't even realize he could hear me because he'd had headphones on when I passed him the first time. He asked me how long I'd been playing, etc., and said he'd really enjoyed it.

Now my fears about practicing in public are somewhat allayed, so it's a shame I'll be leaving this park. I know what one of my first missions will be when I move to my new company: find a lunchtime practice spot!

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on March 31, 2007 at 2:01 AM

I used to take lunch breaks that would have been long enough to fit the whole day's practice into. The secret of getting by with it is to solidify your position at work by making what you do so mysterious that no one else can do it. The best way to keep it mysterious is to not do anything at all. Otherwise people are liable to find out stuff about it.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on March 31, 2007 at 2:27 AM

Karin, that's such a happy story. I once dated a fellow who played cello, and he loved to practice late at night in the stairwell in the building where he worked. He said that the acoustics were great there. I hope that your new job works out well for you, in practicing and in all other ways.

From Neil Cameron
Posted on March 31, 2007 at 1:30 PM

Nice story Karin and it took some courage to do get out there and play in the park. More than I have, but then I'm sure you play better.

One trick Jim left out was to make sure you carry a pen and piece of paper at all times. Important props in maintaining the appearance of being extremely busy.

Neil

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on March 31, 2007 at 4:17 PM

Yes. When you're actually on site, you have to appear very busy. If you get bored and feel like going to a different part of the building, walk very quickly. Faster than than everyone else. Very impressive.

From Sarah Montoro
Posted on April 1, 2007 at 1:22 AM

Good for you Karin!! keep it up!!

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Practicing in the park

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