January 2009

V.com weekend vote: Have you ever performed outdoors?

January 30, 2009 15:13

Everyone has obsessed quite a lot about the conditions under which musicians played (or didn't play) during the U.S. Presidential election, and our own David Burgess even did some experimenting with how a violin reacts to extreme cold (you can see the results if you look deep this discussion thread, a thread in which everyone picked apart the inaugural performance like vultures on day-old roadkill.)

My question is, have you ever performed outside? And if your answer was yes, did you perform in extreme conditions, hot or cold? What were the hazards? Did anything happen to your instrument? Were there complications? Please describe below.

poll by twiigs.com

BTW, thanks to Alison S for contributing to this vote idea. If you have ideas for the Weekend Vote, e-mail me!

27 replies | Archive link

V.com weekend vote: Is it ever okay to perform 'live' to a recording?

January 23, 2009 12:41

Gasp!

You mean Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman were not actually playing their Strads outside in the 23-degree weather for the U.S. Presidential inauguration?

They weren't; it was pre-recorded. They were playing (as those standing near have attested), but we were hearing a pre-recorded version. Of course, this is not exactly on par with some other acts known for synching, I mean, Perlman and Ma were playing to recordings of THEMSELVES.

Many news organizations have jumped on the "cover up" (ie, they "covered" themselves, a bad pun because I don't think they were keeping it secret, but hey, journalists can't resist bad puns even if they distort meaning, please see LA Times.) Also we find stories about this in other news sites, including the New York Times and A & E.

Frankly, I was absolutely thrilled that two of the finest string players on the planet were asked to play at the inauguration, and that they agreed to DO it, despite the harsh conditions, the immense pressure, even just the physical difficulty of getting to their perch (I never remember it because he is such a towering figure to me, but Itzaak Perlman is disabled). I thought the performance was beautiful and authentic. Yes, authentic! It fit the moment, and having those musicians there meant a great deal. John Williams' arrangement, "Air and Simple Gifts," was written just for the occasion, and Perlman, Ma, clarinetist Anthony McGill and pianist Gabriela Montero played it with joy and gusto.

Check it out:

But not everyone would agree with me. Live should be live!

So is it ever okay to perform with a recording? If you think sometimes it's okay, please tell us which occasions would qualify, and which would not. And if you believe it's never okay, please tell us specifically what you would do about playing your violin in a quartet for an audience of 2 million people live, 40 million on T.V., in 23-degree weather in January. (BTW the Marine Band was live, and word has it Arethra's voice was as well). Certainly it would be very difficult to keep a stringed instrument in tune under these conditions, and to keep hands warm.

poll by twiigs.com

25 replies | Archive link

V.com weekend vote: Are competitions worth it?

January 16, 2009 15:50

This week's question is inspired by a questions that Bram Heemskerk submitted for our thread about questions for Julia Fischer, and also by our recent thread about goal-setting for competitions.

Bram's question to Julia Fischer was: Will you compete in the next Elisabeth-competition in May 2009 or another competition? What are your thoughts on competitions?

Julia was not able to talk with me for an interview, but she did answer a number of our questions by e-mail, and this was her answer to Bram's question: "I certainly will not take part in any competition. What for? Competitions are good for students who need a motivation for practising. And that's the only way to look at competitions. Especially don't take the results too seriously. Most especially when you win. "

I love the last part of that -- don't be devastated by a loss, but by all means, don't get your head swollen over winning!

So my question is not meant to be fair or balanced, it's meant to measure your gut feeling about the matter. When all is said and done, would you say that competitions are worth doing, or not? Perhaps all the work is so motivating, that it raises a person's playing ability, lifts it to a new level. Conversely, perhaps the stress of it, the time required, the environment, makes competitions a destructive force.

What do you think? Tell us any thoughts you have on the matter of competitions in the comments below!

poll by twiigs.com

And speaking of Julia Fischer, each day next week, we will give away a copy of her new Bach album. If you want a little preview, I understand that iTunes is offering one track for free this week (the first movement of the Bach a minor concerto). Next week on V.com we'll give you a fun question to answer each day, to get yourself entered. Along with the question, I'll also work in the various answers that Julia provided us to some of our questions from the above thread.

11 replies | Archive link

V.com weekend vote: Have you played some J.S. Bach today?

January 9, 2009 15:32

I can't really say it much better than Jonathan Talberg, director of the Los Angeles Bach Festival: "The great cellist Pablo Casals—who was also a fine amateur pianist—is reported to have begun each morning with a walk and dedicated practice of a prelude and a fugue on the piano. Casals, like me and like so many of you, never tired of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach."

Casals apparently wasn't -- and isn't -- the only one with a daily Bach habit: This little girl plays Bach every day before breakfast, and wow, it shows! The composer Samuel Barber is also said to have played or studied Bach every day.

In our current world the violin, Frank Peter Zimmerman also has confessed a daily Bach habit, as has Julia Fischer. I'm guessing that many of you might confess to the same.

And why? A short and simple list of reasons: It never gets tired, it never gets old, it's exercise for the fingers, it's yoga for the soul.

I love Bach. Have you played any today? And if you've played Bach every day for the last 25 years or something, you'd best let us know in the comments down below! ;)

poll by twiigs.com

21 replies | Archive link

V.com weekend vote: What is your most important music goal for 2009?

January 2, 2009 12:41

Have you set your goals for 2009? Perhaps you've decided to exercise more, eat more leanly, spend less money, make your own coffee instead of buying expensive lattes...

But what are your violin or music-related goals? It's a good time of year, after a little bit of holiday rest (or maybe it's just been full-on gigs all December long, nonetheless...) to step back and think about what really matters.

Do you want to improve your technique? Or is that all for naught, until you find the right bow? Or perhaps you have a career goal, like getting into an orchestra or finding the right group to work with. Perhaps you need to find a teacher or mentor. Usually most people want to practice more, but that might not be number one. Then again, if you've fallen out of the routine, that might be just what you need.

So among your goals for the violin (or viola or cello, or whatever you play!), what is your most important goal for 2009?

poll by twiigs.com

26 replies | Archive link

More entries: February 2009 • December 2008