Backstage at a concert last night, while waiting to go onstage, the tuba player was waiting to go onstage, with the tuba resting upside down on its bell on the floor. A pianist accidentally was standing on the edge of the bell.
"Excuse me, could you move your foot? You're standing on thousands of dollars."
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Make music, not war
I happen to be a news junkie... and as I read about the middle east problems, I recalled something I read conductor/pianist Daniel Barenboim saying in a book of conversations between him and Edward Said.
He described a European youth orchestra project that he had been involved in, and how an Israeli student and a Palestinian student ended up as standpartners, and eventually became friendly, as a result of their shared musical experiences.
The word "harmony" can be used interchangeably with "peace" for a reason.
He described a European youth orchestra project that he had been involved in, and how an Israeli student and a Palestinian student ended up as standpartners, and eventually became friendly, as a result of their shared musical experiences.
The word "harmony" can be used interchangeably with "peace" for a reason.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Where to keep your tuner
I story I heard backstage the other day:
"A trumpet player got their mouthpiece stuck inside the bell for a couple of days once!"
"Wow, I always wondered if that could happen! How long was it in there?"
"Just a day or two. I knew a trombone player who got a tuner stuck inside his bell for a week though!"
"Whoa! Did he play more in tune?"
"A trumpet player got their mouthpiece stuck inside the bell for a couple of days once!"
"Wow, I always wondered if that could happen! How long was it in there?"
"Just a day or two. I knew a trombone player who got a tuner stuck inside his bell for a week though!"
"Whoa! Did he play more in tune?"
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
No ensemble credit for New York Phil gig
I was complaining the other day how the school where I did my undergrad did not give ensemble credit for playing in the local symphony, which played at a much higher level and was more demanding than the university orchestra.
In response, I was told a story about a Juilliard kid who got into the New York Phil, and couldn't get ensemble credit for that!!!!
I felt better.
So, urban musician legend? Or true story? anybody know a young lad who got into the New York Phil in the last few years?
The story went that he finished his degree at Juilliard - he didn't even drop out after getting one of the most coveted jobs of the orchestral world!
How about that? Not entirely sure that I believe it, but a good story, nonetheless.
In response, I was told a story about a Juilliard kid who got into the New York Phil, and couldn't get ensemble credit for that!!!!
I felt better.
So, urban musician legend? Or true story? anybody know a young lad who got into the New York Phil in the last few years?
The story went that he finished his degree at Juilliard - he didn't even drop out after getting one of the most coveted jobs of the orchestral world!
How about that? Not entirely sure that I believe it, but a good story, nonetheless.
How to get good while fiddling!
Practice different bowings in the mirror, do it slow, keep a beat and don't worry about getting confused with notes, you will know your pieces better! Try to keep a consistent contact point - bows like to wander around a bit between bridge and fingerboard, try to keep it in one place to develop consistency!
when you are doing the bowing "ornaments" for fiddling, like a really fast triplet, be really carefully to not tighten your hand or lock the elbow. let gravity help you as much as possible.
So bowings for patterns of four notes, try four ups then four downs, making them all take up an even amount of bow
Try something twisty like down up up down, down up up down (this will be really hard to keep track of at first, make sure you keep a beat)
do articulations, like martele!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaAHd4E2GY0
this is the most useful bow stroke for adding the ability to be expressive to the bow, everything grows from this - the staccato exercises are intended to prepare you for this.
learn how to "chop"
world's best fiddler (classically trained virtuoso who debuted with cleveland symphony (world class orchestra) at like age 12)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DN5Kc1KIE0
casey driessen doing cool blues stuff & chopping (he's playing a whole ton of perfect fifths, btw)
http://www.youtube.com/user/sandi1555?feature=mhee#p/a/f/0/ZLc-PT9H1nE
so yeah, mirror, bowing, oh yes - do you have a tuner that can drone a pitch? Say you are playing a piece in B major, if your tuner makes a B, play the whole thing slowly to the pitch of B. This really really helps with intonation, by telling your ears where everything fits (just do it like once, being really picky, and move on though, so you don't do it without concentration) five min of this every day will make a big difference.
as for getting sore, trying keeping your left elbow forward as much as possible - the idea is too make sure the shoulder blades are involved in supporting the arms!
Also, here's e a yoga move that activates the shoulder blades - with your arms straight down at your sides, turn your palms outwards (and elbows) this should bring your shoulder blades together. Now bring your arms up to playing position. it should open the chest and involve more back muscles.
Do this a couple times without violin, and then with the violin. try to be aware of your shoulder blades moving together, you should feel the squeeze in the space between them.
when you are doing the bowing "ornaments" for fiddling, like a really fast triplet, be really carefully to not tighten your hand or lock the elbow. let gravity help you as much as possible.
So bowings for patterns of four notes, try four ups then four downs, making them all take up an even amount of bow
Try something twisty like down up up down, down up up down (this will be really hard to keep track of at first, make sure you keep a beat)
do articulations, like martele!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaAHd4E2GY0
this is the most useful bow stroke for adding the ability to be expressive to the bow, everything grows from this - the staccato exercises are intended to prepare you for this.
learn how to "chop"
world's best fiddler (classically trained virtuoso who debuted with cleveland symphony (world class orchestra) at like age 12)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DN5Kc1KIE0
casey driessen doing cool blues stuff & chopping (he's playing a whole ton of perfect fifths, btw)
http://www.youtube.com/user/sandi1555?feature=mhee#p/a/f/0/ZLc-PT9H1nE
so yeah, mirror, bowing, oh yes - do you have a tuner that can drone a pitch? Say you are playing a piece in B major, if your tuner makes a B, play the whole thing slowly to the pitch of B. This really really helps with intonation, by telling your ears where everything fits (just do it like once, being really picky, and move on though, so you don't do it without concentration) five min of this every day will make a big difference.
as for getting sore, trying keeping your left elbow forward as much as possible - the idea is too make sure the shoulder blades are involved in supporting the arms!
Also, here's e a yoga move that activates the shoulder blades - with your arms straight down at your sides, turn your palms outwards (and elbows) this should bring your shoulder blades together. Now bring your arms up to playing position. it should open the chest and involve more back muscles.
Do this a couple times without violin, and then with the violin. try to be aware of your shoulder blades moving together, you should feel the squeeze in the space between them.
Monday, September 12, 2011
2008 busking stats
In 2008, I busked at a farmer's market, playing solo Bach (mostly). I have been carrying around the slips of paper that I used to keep track of my earnings, and frankly, I want to throw them out! So, I am recording the stats for posterity!
The stats are, date, day's total, summer total. For the most part, I played three hours a day, and did not usually play on weekends. I played at 9am, 12 or 1pm and 5 or 6pm
June 20 - I earned 250$ that week, and had 250$ cumulative.
June 23 - 62$; 312$
June 24 - 50$; 362$
June 25 80$; 522$
June 27 80$; 522$
June 30 55$; 577$
July 1st 122$; 699$
July 2nd 25$; 744$
July 3rd 80$; 824$
July 4th 42$; 866$
July 8th 99$; 965$
July 9th 55$; 1020$
July 10th 50$; 1070$
July 11th 56$; 1126$
July 14th 103$; 1229$
July 15th 78$; 1307$
July 16th 23$; 1330$
July 17th 82$; 1412$
July 21th 58$; 1470$
July 28th 91$; 1561$
July 29th 91$; 1652$
Aug 8th 70$
The stats are, date, day's total, summer total. For the most part, I played three hours a day, and did not usually play on weekends. I played at 9am, 12 or 1pm and 5 or 6pm
June 20 - I earned 250$ that week, and had 250$ cumulative.
June 23 - 62$; 312$
June 24 - 50$; 362$
June 25 80$; 522$
June 27 80$; 522$
June 30 55$; 577$
July 1st 122$; 699$
July 2nd 25$; 744$
July 3rd 80$; 824$
July 4th 42$; 866$
July 8th 99$; 965$
July 9th 55$; 1020$
July 10th 50$; 1070$
July 11th 56$; 1126$
July 14th 103$; 1229$
July 15th 78$; 1307$
July 16th 23$; 1330$
July 17th 82$; 1412$
July 21th 58$; 1470$
July 28th 91$; 1561$
July 29th 91$; 1652$
Aug 8th 70$
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
In a recent aural skills diagnostic test for one of my courses, my answer of "major minor 7th chord" was marked wrong, with the correction of "dominant 7th chord" written over top. Professor FAIL.
Oh, and apparently there's no such thing as movable Do.
That's fine, fixed Do is a joke by comparison! I have a question now, if you are using fixed Do for solfege, does one use numbers to indicate scale degrees? Just wondering? Or does it mean that students do not learn to hear function?
Fixed Do is fine if you haven't learned letters for note names, but if you have, it's totally redundant. Ah well, c'est la vie!
Oh, and apparently there's no such thing as movable Do.
That's fine, fixed Do is a joke by comparison! I have a question now, if you are using fixed Do for solfege, does one use numbers to indicate scale degrees? Just wondering? Or does it mean that students do not learn to hear function?
Fixed Do is fine if you haven't learned letters for note names, but if you have, it's totally redundant. Ah well, c'est la vie!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Compiling folk music for my friends' wedding from 8notes.com
Thank gosh for this site! All I have with me this summer is Bach, Walton and Hindemith!!!
Thank gosh for this site! All I have with me this summer is Bach, Walton and Hindemith!!!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Theory Review
So in reviewing my theory book, I thought I'd start at the beginning, with "structural phenomena".
I really wanted to get to review form - things like binary form, rondo form, etc, but refreshing the prerequisite knowledge seemed like a good idea.
My book, "A Practical Approach to the Study of Form in Music" by Spencer & Temko, informs me that structural phenomena are the things you need to identify in order to break down a piece into small chunk (presumably to figure out what's going on muscially).
These structural phenomena include such things as:
Register changes
Dynamic changes
Cadences
Rhythmic changes
Motive activity (a motive is kind of a little melody fragment that keeps popping up)
Tempo changes
Texture changes
You get the idea. The exercise at the back of the chapter involves doing a little analysis of a movement from Schumann's Kinderszenen, the sixth movement, "An Important Event".
I spent two hours staring at the B section, trying to figure out if there is a cadence happening in the middle. I also found out that most people on youtube can't play this piece with any sense of phrasing or direction. They also seem to think that playing forte on the piano involves holding the pedal down the entire time...
Fortunately, I found the Horowitz recording, and this particular movement starts at 5:00 exactly.
I consulted my wife on what kind of cadence she thought was there (I think it's a half cadence (AKA imperfect cadence) that tonicizes G) but she didn't think there was any cadence at all.
The markings in my text seem to agree with her and not me, but hey it's subjective and I think I could make a good argument for it. The important thing was that she agreed with my analysis of the chords. The interpretation part I like, the analysis, well, that was never my strong point.
I'd probably make a good music theorist if I could analyze chords faster and more decisively.
On to the next chapter!
Check out Kinderszenen here!
I really wanted to get to review form - things like binary form, rondo form, etc, but refreshing the prerequisite knowledge seemed like a good idea.
My book, "A Practical Approach to the Study of Form in Music" by Spencer & Temko, informs me that structural phenomena are the things you need to identify in order to break down a piece into small chunk (presumably to figure out what's going on muscially).
These structural phenomena include such things as:
Register changes
Dynamic changes
Cadences
Rhythmic changes
Motive activity (a motive is kind of a little melody fragment that keeps popping up)
Tempo changes
Texture changes
You get the idea. The exercise at the back of the chapter involves doing a little analysis of a movement from Schumann's Kinderszenen, the sixth movement, "An Important Event".
I spent two hours staring at the B section, trying to figure out if there is a cadence happening in the middle. I also found out that most people on youtube can't play this piece with any sense of phrasing or direction. They also seem to think that playing forte on the piano involves holding the pedal down the entire time...
Fortunately, I found the Horowitz recording, and this particular movement starts at 5:00 exactly.
I consulted my wife on what kind of cadence she thought was there (I think it's a half cadence (AKA imperfect cadence) that tonicizes G) but she didn't think there was any cadence at all.
The markings in my text seem to agree with her and not me, but hey it's subjective and I think I could make a good argument for it. The important thing was that she agreed with my analysis of the chords. The interpretation part I like, the analysis, well, that was never my strong point.
I'd probably make a good music theorist if I could analyze chords faster and more decisively.
On to the next chapter!
Check out Kinderszenen here!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Preparation for a Master's in Music Performance
Before registering for courses, I am required to write a two hour placement exam.
All I know about the exam is this:
Four sections:
1) Musical Terms
2) Score Identification & essay
3) Analysis 1
4) Analysis 2
I have no idea what to expect for the score identification section, or what kind of stuff they'll want for the essay... the analysis sections I can only assume will involve analysis of the form and chords. Hopefully they won't ask any part-writing; I haven't done that in seven years.
It would be nice to have a list of possible scores that could be featured for the essay - ie classical era, or perhaps from the opera repertoire, but oh no, it's totally unknown! maybe it will be a graphical score like what you'd see in Penderecki's Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima. (If you want to listen to a piece of symphonic music that is both truly terrifying and ground-breaking, click here).
You will only ever need to listen to this once in your lifetime. I suggest avoiding mind-altering drugs before embarking upon this listening experience.
In the meantime, as I review musical terms with the aid of the internet, I am reminded that wikipedia is not all that bad as sources go, when random websites make offerings such as this for a musical term definition:
Deceptive cadence - A chord progression that seems to lead to resolving itself on the final chord; but does not.
Let me punctuate this definition with the statement that one would generally expect a vi (six) chord to follow the cadential chords in question, and that a stronger cadence will usually follow, eventually.
Legato - Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played smoothly.
I would agree with the smooth part... the rest is entirely dependent on what's happening musically... just because a legato marking is present does not necessarily mean it encompasses an entire movement.
I like this one as well:
Neoclassical - Movement in music where the characteristics are crisp and direct.
last time I checked, neoclassical referred to a composition being written in the style from the classical era.
All I know about the exam is this:
Four sections:
1) Musical Terms
2) Score Identification & essay
3) Analysis 1
4) Analysis 2
I have no idea what to expect for the score identification section, or what kind of stuff they'll want for the essay... the analysis sections I can only assume will involve analysis of the form and chords. Hopefully they won't ask any part-writing; I haven't done that in seven years.
It would be nice to have a list of possible scores that could be featured for the essay - ie classical era, or perhaps from the opera repertoire, but oh no, it's totally unknown! maybe it will be a graphical score like what you'd see in Penderecki's Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima. (If you want to listen to a piece of symphonic music that is both truly terrifying and ground-breaking, click here).
You will only ever need to listen to this once in your lifetime. I suggest avoiding mind-altering drugs before embarking upon this listening experience.
In the meantime, as I review musical terms with the aid of the internet, I am reminded that wikipedia is not all that bad as sources go, when random websites make offerings such as this for a musical term definition:
Deceptive cadence - A chord progression that seems to lead to resolving itself on the final chord; but does not.
Let me punctuate this definition with the statement that one would generally expect a vi (six) chord to follow the cadential chords in question, and that a stronger cadence will usually follow, eventually.
Legato - Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played smoothly.
I would agree with the smooth part... the rest is entirely dependent on what's happening musically... just because a legato marking is present does not necessarily mean it encompasses an entire movement.
I like this one as well:
Neoclassical - Movement in music where the characteristics are crisp and direct.
last time I checked, neoclassical referred to a composition being written in the style from the classical era.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
back to blogging!
I apologize for the falling off of blog posts, my life got a little crazy and all my spare time was spent...you guessed it, practicing.
The reason for my absence was simply that I was preparing for Masters auditions, and everything worked out - I got in to several schools, and will be starting the MM program in New York, in the Fall. (not at Juilliard, at a smaller school).
So I will be sharing adventures of that life, come fall!
Stay tuned!
The reason for my absence was simply that I was preparing for Masters auditions, and everything worked out - I got in to several schools, and will be starting the MM program in New York, in the Fall. (not at Juilliard, at a smaller school).
So I will be sharing adventures of that life, come fall!
Stay tuned!
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