Orchestra Giovanile Italiana
This week we again caught one of the young.euro.classic (yes, in English, with silly dots) concerts at the Konzerthaus here.
The Australian Youth Orchestra sold out way back, so we had to settle for the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana. Fun, but their soloists were both in their 50's, and neither of them from Italy, so I feel a certain amount of false ( Read more... )
The Australian Youth Orchestra sold out way back, so we had to settle for the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana. Fun, but their soloists were both in their 50's, and neither of them from Italy, so I feel a certain amount of false ( Read more... )
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Our string group often only numbers 4 or 6 players, but we rehearse fortnightly. I think we gave only one concert last year (with 10 members and a few (really) young helpers. It's such fun, playing in ensemble, and we all have to work hard to reach a level where we're prepared to have an audience. Of course, the actual concert is an opportunity for another high. We have a great director, G, partner of alexwinolj , who gives us lots of challenges and lots of help.
For me, playing in a group leaves me with greatly increased enjoyment and excitement from attending "real" orchestras and chamber groups. Perhaps best of all is live music at home, when we gather together friends who play and friends who like to listen. I know that professional musicians mostly live too stressed a life to have such fun.
I'm glad you're enjoying, and supporting, live orchestras.
And weren't you thinking of playing (again)?
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Now I think about it, I often feel old these days. I see things like Young Researcher programmes and grants and awards where the cut-off age is 30 or 32 or 35. And I just looked at a German college job where the hiring committee may, presumably given sufficiently suitable special circumstances, appoint someone older than 50 to the position. Don't get me started on entrenched ageism in Europe!
My own playing efforts are still languishing. I picked up the violin a few months ago, broke a string, replaced it, and immediately broke another. Now I finally have four strings again. It's possible I'll have made some progress by Christmas.
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My tip for picking up the violin again is to practice for ten minutes a day, at least a few times every week. Ten minutes isn't usually too hard to find, and it's possible to focus really hard on one thing and make real improvement in a few such sessions. And of course, occasionally there's the possibility that you'll be able to keep going for much longer.
You have to be nice to yourself, though, if you don't make as good a sound as you hope.
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