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January 29, 2006 at 9:52 PM

I finally realized that there does not have to be a definitive line between teaching and playing as a profession.

I can do both. All of my teacher (except for the music teachers in the public school system) do both. My current teacher teaches at a university and is the concertmaster of a community orchestra, and also is a member of the Atlanta Opera Orchestra. he does recitals, teaches italian, and many other things.

And here, I have (in my mind) limited myself to either performing or teaching... when I can really do both and satisfy all my other interests. Maybe I have limited myself too much in my own mind.

I've always wanted to be a soloist. However, I realize that it may or may not work out, and that it is more likely not to work out. But, why don't I play chamber music with my friends? We used to, but we haven't gotten together in awhile.

I have Georgia All-State Orchestra coming up at the end of February. I read through the entire romeo and Juliet. It looks like a night mare. It will take quite a few hours to learn. Bukaroo Holiday from Rodeo doesn't look too bad. and then there is Pavane... which might be the most difficult of the three pieces to play.

I worked on kreuzter some more today. I have all the technique down, and now I am just working on the phrasings in No. 14.

Schradieck... didn't start out too well. But, then I practiced scales and came back to Schradieck and it was much more in-tune.

And intonation is a big factor in Haydn's Concerto No. 1.

So, I worked on intonation. I practiced fifths, octave, fourths, sixths, and thirds.

Lol, I felt like a newb. But, I guess it is the basics that you have to go back over every once and a while. My old teacher always said intonation is a problem violinists of all levels face.

I finally realized what my franco-belgium hold does for me today (versus my old russian bow hold). I no longer crunch chords. Well, not as much, at least.

And looking at Romeo and Juliet, because I am 12th chair, on the div. sections, I would play the lower voice, correct? given that our condutor would split the notes doing the good old "inside-outside" method.

He could do it by stands... which might suck.

So, should I learn both the top and bottom parts?

I'm glad you brought the issue up. I had the same issue in a piece that my orchestra is playing. It is especially tricky in this piece because the rhythms of the two lines are very different. There are rests and notes that are out of synch with each other. My standmate and I first consulted with the conductor, who didn't have a quick answer, and then decided to select one line and play it together.
erm..... if he did it by desks wouldn't you be playing the bottom part anyway? 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th desks etc playing top, all those in between playing bottom.