Music courses and life in general
Well, hello. Liz has been poking me, so I might just venture to make my first post. Well, first proper post.
So...life in general...and music courses, since they're about the same thing. I'm currently doing Musicale Young Artists' Programme, 9 - 5:30 every day, except Saturday, when we have a rehearsal, a morning concert and an evening concert (and between concerts I'm off to Oxfam like a good girl.) We are doing a Hansel and Gretel overture (tell me, if you were Mrs Humperdinck, would you call your baby boy Engelbert? It seems just a bit cruel to me. I have heard a rumour that it was not his real name - but why the hell would you choose a pseudonym like that?? Either way, he must have had some serious issues) and an Irish symphony, which has lovely tunes but is hellishly difficult - so fast! *whimpers* Could you move the fingers of one hand to get them into a different place, and the right place, on the right string, with the bow on the right string as well, approximately 7 or 8 times a second?? Because I find it hard. I am getting better, though, honestly. And last and best, we are playing the Brahms double concerto - for violin, 'cello, and orchestra, and we have one of the best combinations of soloists around - Guy Johnston, winner of young Musician of the Year, youngest ever soloist to perform on the first might of the proms, and all round generally amazing cellist, plus his brother Magnus, as good as he is. It will be great to see how they interact with each other - talk about knowing the other soloist! Plus their dad is conducting, which must help as well. Now all we need is Brittany (younger sister) back leading the orchestra, like she was last year, and it could be a good Johnston scene. But the front desk of the first violins does have Lydia Scadding, who was a piano finalist in Young Musician of the Year, who is also very sweet and polite. She played at one of the lunchtime recitals, and it was very, very humbling. Mind you, if you want humbling, try Little Toby - Lydia's younger brother - who did a lunchtime concert today. He was about two foot smaller than the trombonist who played before him. I couldn't see him over the heads of the audience, but I could hear him, and Oh My God.
And in an orchestra like this I am on the second desk, which is very disconcerting - I am used to being at the end of the end of the violas. Last year I was eight out of eight. This ear I am - four out of seven. But that does mean I am on a desk with Roz, who is very lovely and very sweet, and who I know from NCCO. I get the impression we are the quiet desk - for Roz it comes naturally, for me it comes from getting up at eight every day. Peter - viola tutor - prefers us to any desk except the first. Actually, I think he likes the desks in the order that they are put. Tom is right at the back, and Peter threatened to throw him down a well this morning - they unearthed one during digging operations to widen the drive into St. George's this morning. That said, he has threatened to eat/stand at the back with a rifle and pick off whoever makes certain mistakes, which is often me.
So, generally all happy, provided I ignore the knots of muscle around my shoulders. Much as I love playing the viola, I do not think that is a natural position for the human body.
Ok, I've stopped talking about music now. See? No more viola talk. Nor even piano.
So...
Um. Try to think of something else...
I'm not going to talk about Katy's results coming out tomorrow. A), I would mention orchestra, which she would be missing, and b) that might make me think about ... other results, which I am not thinking about. Ever. Anyway, I'm sure she will have done fine.
I might get to see people again soon! There's Sheerwater on Sunday to Wednesday, always fun. We might break the record of the number of people we can fit into my room. We've got to four before - five will be difficult unless we put the suitcases into the wardrobes. And Ting might have to resign herself to people walking on her bed - there won't be much floor space. and on Thursday I will see people, for reasons into which I do not go, and then Saturday it's HSSO - yay! I haven't seen HSSO people since Easter. *squee*
Happy note - Good night, before Liz explodes.
Love.
So...life in general...and music courses, since they're about the same thing. I'm currently doing Musicale Young Artists' Programme, 9 - 5:30 every day, except Saturday, when we have a rehearsal, a morning concert and an evening concert (and between concerts I'm off to Oxfam like a good girl.) We are doing a Hansel and Gretel overture (tell me, if you were Mrs Humperdinck, would you call your baby boy Engelbert? It seems just a bit cruel to me. I have heard a rumour that it was not his real name - but why the hell would you choose a pseudonym like that?? Either way, he must have had some serious issues) and an Irish symphony, which has lovely tunes but is hellishly difficult - so fast! *whimpers* Could you move the fingers of one hand to get them into a different place, and the right place, on the right string, with the bow on the right string as well, approximately 7 or 8 times a second?? Because I find it hard. I am getting better, though, honestly. And last and best, we are playing the Brahms double concerto - for violin, 'cello, and orchestra, and we have one of the best combinations of soloists around - Guy Johnston, winner of young Musician of the Year, youngest ever soloist to perform on the first might of the proms, and all round generally amazing cellist, plus his brother Magnus, as good as he is. It will be great to see how they interact with each other - talk about knowing the other soloist! Plus their dad is conducting, which must help as well. Now all we need is Brittany (younger sister) back leading the orchestra, like she was last year, and it could be a good Johnston scene. But the front desk of the first violins does have Lydia Scadding, who was a piano finalist in Young Musician of the Year, who is also very sweet and polite. She played at one of the lunchtime recitals, and it was very, very humbling. Mind you, if you want humbling, try Little Toby - Lydia's younger brother - who did a lunchtime concert today. He was about two foot smaller than the trombonist who played before him. I couldn't see him over the heads of the audience, but I could hear him, and Oh My God.
And in an orchestra like this I am on the second desk, which is very disconcerting - I am used to being at the end of the end of the violas. Last year I was eight out of eight. This ear I am - four out of seven. But that does mean I am on a desk with Roz, who is very lovely and very sweet, and who I know from NCCO. I get the impression we are the quiet desk - for Roz it comes naturally, for me it comes from getting up at eight every day. Peter - viola tutor - prefers us to any desk except the first. Actually, I think he likes the desks in the order that they are put. Tom is right at the back, and Peter threatened to throw him down a well this morning - they unearthed one during digging operations to widen the drive into St. George's this morning. That said, he has threatened to eat/stand at the back with a rifle and pick off whoever makes certain mistakes, which is often me.
So, generally all happy, provided I ignore the knots of muscle around my shoulders. Much as I love playing the viola, I do not think that is a natural position for the human body.
Ok, I've stopped talking about music now. See? No more viola talk. Nor even piano.
So...
Um. Try to think of something else...
I'm not going to talk about Katy's results coming out tomorrow. A), I would mention orchestra, which she would be missing, and b) that might make me think about ... other results, which I am not thinking about. Ever. Anyway, I'm sure she will have done fine.
I might get to see people again soon! There's Sheerwater on Sunday to Wednesday, always fun. We might break the record of the number of people we can fit into my room. We've got to four before - five will be difficult unless we put the suitcases into the wardrobes. And Ting might have to resign herself to people walking on her bed - there won't be much floor space. and on Thursday I will see people, for reasons into which I do not go, and then Saturday it's HSSO - yay! I haven't seen HSSO people since Easter. *squee*
Happy note - Good night, before Liz explodes.
Love.