One of my new favourite violinists, Janine Jansen, playing the Mendelssohn violin concerto. *Insert contented sigh here*
I Heart Khachaturian July 31, 2010
I’ve tried to choose something else for my audition preparation, but I keep coming back to this one. It’s apparently not a “good audition piece,” but I say, who cares?!? I think its the way that I’ll play it that will win me an audition. I hope. Eventually.
Good, Bad, and Ugly February 16, 2010
Good
I just had a great lesson. I understand spiccato bowing now, and apparently I was already good at it, and I understand how to have strength in my sound while having a good bow path! For those non-string players, these are good things!
Bad
I still haven’t found a new violin, nor have I sold my current violin. Sigh. I think I will have to go back to that one shop and see if they still have the french violin that I really liked…
Ugly
No motivation! I know it’s part of the depression, but I feel kinda lazy. I never feel like doing much, and it is hard to make myself practice. I have just one short month or so until my next recital, and I NEED to get my butt in gear. I trying to give myself very specific, daily goals to achieve this, but it’s not always going well… I am going to set up some practicing dates with friends, but other than that, do you have any suggestions to help me get off my butt?
T-1 week. Eek! November 21, 2009
One week to go. Really, I don’t have much to report as I’ve been spending so much time closed up in a practice room preparing for my recital! I have had time on my practicing breaks to reflect on my life – past, present, and future, and am left with a hard to describe feeling. Unsettled, perhaps? Here’s what I’ve been thinking…
Past:
Not quite right. We lived in a beautiful place, our good friends were fantastic people, and we had an easy life. We both were “settled” in our professional lives, yet it never quite felt like home there.
Present:
I’m in a bit of a limbo at the moment. I’m focused on getting through my MMus here and improving my mental health. I know what I’m doing and where I’ll be for the next few months, but I don’t know what to plan on for after that… I can’t build a life here, yet my plans for the future are dependent on Chri’s DMA auditions and we don’t find out about that until April or later.
Future:
Really, who knows what the future holds for me? My present is unsettled, so how can I decide on a future? I’m barely holding my head above water in my present, so how can I plan my future? Sigh. Can you tell that I like to have a plan? I just have to be patient. A few months from now I can begin to plan my future, at least for the short term of 3 years or so…
Anyhow, I’m looking forward to playing my first solo graduate recital. I know that there are things that won’t go as well as I’d like, but there is nothing quite like the feeling of working hard towards a goal and then achieving it. I’m proud that I’ve been able to make it to this point. I am still struggling to overcome my mental health issues, but I WILL give a successful performance and I am excited about that.
Alright, time for a good nights sleep so that I can spend the day in a practice room tomorrow!
Strange Sights November 15, 2009
Two buskers seen downtown on a Saturday night: The girl was singing and playing guitar – normal enough, right? The guy was playing glockenspiel along with her. For my less-musical friends, that’s kinda like a mini-xylophone. Strange!
