I just got back from an absolutely amazing concert (so refreshing!)
I missed the first two bands of Progressive Nation 09, but did get to see Zappa Plays Zappa & Dream Theater ... Zappa was beyond incredible ... first of all, there was this girl in the band playing Flute, Saxes, Keys & Singing ... A Drummer, A percussionist, Dweedle (sp?) & another guitar & bassist. Second, the giant variety of musical styles within their music is all kinds of awesome ... It really blew me away .. I can't believe how much I've been missing not having listened to them.
Dream Theater was great ... they've improved tremendously as a live band since I last saw them ... full of energy & doing a lot of great musical things w/ a well put together set-list & great transitions ... lots of jamming this time. They're so inspirational technically, but also as composers because of what they do w/ form/orchestration ... so amazing to watch & listen to.
I'm really glad to have gone to that concert, though I wish I had gotten to see Scale the Summit & BigElf ... oh well, I did get a Porcupine Tree sticker for my cello case! It's yet another affirmation for me of how much better progressive rock & heavy metal are than classical. I say better because there is more in them and they are so much more interesting & developed & have so much more sounds. And in terms of presentation there is so much more to experience at a concert ... it's a multi-media thing that really encompasses so many different areas, where as classical is this really narrow kind of setting, and while it's really expressive within its area ... we're still talking about a small area. Also, classical music was groundbreaking & transforming 200 years ago ... we've moved so far forward since then.
That being said, I'm planning to do some hardcore analysis/score reading of both Dream Theater & Classical stuff (starting w/ Bach/Mozart/Beethoven piano stuff).
There's some more I want to write, but now is not the time...
Monday, August 10, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Summit 8/8
Sometimes you just need a break ...
and so I took one ... yesterday, after the concert I didn't practice & hung out w/ Alma instead ... it was incredibly relaxing/a much needed break. We talked about a ton of different things, including practicing & our conversation made me think of Jordan Rudess (because she was talking about the warmups she does & that they're partially intended to develop finger strength/independence & how much of a difference it's made in her playing), which made me think of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgZhiYff7nM - some amazing music!!
Today I didn't practice quite as much as I ought to have (only 3 hrs. instead of 5) ... so I'm gonna have to make up for it tomorrow & do 6, because I *really* need to shed both my orchestra pieces and my chamber stuff ...
What I did do however, was come up with a 3 hour technical routine that I'm planning on starting very soon & on doing every day once I get out of Summit ... unfortunately, I also left it in the car & so I can't write about it now (I can't wait till I have internet at home again!)
Otherwise, I went w/ Eric into White Plains & then picked up Michael Klotz - the viola teacher. I managed to watch part of Berlinsky's masterclass & part of Michael's ... missed Bong-Shin Ko's, which was unfortunate, because I would have really liked to have heard some of the pieces ... I'm sure I'll get to at Matt Haimovitz's classes though (he's doing two this year!!!)
I thankfully didn't have chamber today (I needed a break from it) & missed most of the 6 pm concert ... I did watch the 8PM though (which was originally supposed to be Aaron Rosand, but became a Student Gala instead!) ... There was a really amazing performance of Ravel's Tzigane on it (what a freakin' cool piece!) .. also, Elliot Mallard played Elgar mov. 1, and though we have an incredibly different idea of the piece, it's great to watch the way he plays ...
Speaking of cool performances, last night's performance by Dmitry Berlinsky was absolutely incredible ... it's been the first concert that really 100% grabbed me ... and you could really feel the energy in the room ... can't wait for Matt Haimovitz
After the concert, I watched Rita, Maria & Alma try the piano that they're going to play the concerto competition on (I really hope I can have a whole concerto together by next year ... I doubt it though ... I absolutely will have the first movement of the Elgar together in really amazing shape though ... that's a promise to myself ... I want to perform that and make some amazing music out of it) ... that was a nice treat ...
I got a very interesting point out of talking w/ Eric earlier ... he mentioned that when he performs he looks at something else, but thinks about what he needs to do on cello in his head & so I tried out doing that (because I'm trying to fix my problem where I keep looking down at my cello) & it was so incredibly helpful ...
My lesson w/ David went well yesterday ... I played for Jeff Solow's masterclass the day before (not well) & so we talked about some of what Jeff brought up, and some postural/set up issues (which I think I'm getting the hang of, but really want to ask him about again in our last lesson. This way, I'll be able to work on them on my own a little bit).
I also ended up talking w/ Jeff for about an hour or so after the concert this night ... it was great ... I haven't done enough of that this year ... I think If I do Summit next year, I'm going to go to less of the concerts or masterclasses, because I still need to practice more, but I also need time to be a human being & I realized that there's only so much one can actually get from listening to masterclasses.
I'm tired of the pressure of all the different musical things I have to do ... I kinda just want a break, so it will be nice when summit will be over, because instead of trying to split my practicing between too many things I can concentrate on doing a few things really solidly
I am also 100% planning on asking Mr. O to take regular lessons with him ... I've been wanting to for so long & lately I'm feeling more and more lost with cello and how to practice and what to do & just so overwhelmed and general, and I feel like he'd be the right teacher to really solve that. There's a certain instinct in his teaching & playing that I just so naturally trust & that seems to work, and having started the instrument under him, he has a really good understanding of my background & me as a person & I think we work well together.
Working on Bach has been really frustrating on a very good way (I'm really finding all my flaws) ... I wish I had time to write more in general ... lots of stuff I'd like to write about ... I need to get home and go to sleep now...
and so I took one ... yesterday, after the concert I didn't practice & hung out w/ Alma instead ... it was incredibly relaxing/a much needed break. We talked about a ton of different things, including practicing & our conversation made me think of Jordan Rudess (because she was talking about the warmups she does & that they're partially intended to develop finger strength/independence & how much of a difference it's made in her playing), which made me think of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgZhiYff7nM - some amazing music!!
Today I didn't practice quite as much as I ought to have (only 3 hrs. instead of 5) ... so I'm gonna have to make up for it tomorrow & do 6, because I *really* need to shed both my orchestra pieces and my chamber stuff ...
What I did do however, was come up with a 3 hour technical routine that I'm planning on starting very soon & on doing every day once I get out of Summit ... unfortunately, I also left it in the car & so I can't write about it now (I can't wait till I have internet at home again!)
Otherwise, I went w/ Eric into White Plains & then picked up Michael Klotz - the viola teacher. I managed to watch part of Berlinsky's masterclass & part of Michael's ... missed Bong-Shin Ko's, which was unfortunate, because I would have really liked to have heard some of the pieces ... I'm sure I'll get to at Matt Haimovitz's classes though (he's doing two this year!!!)
I thankfully didn't have chamber today (I needed a break from it) & missed most of the 6 pm concert ... I did watch the 8PM though (which was originally supposed to be Aaron Rosand, but became a Student Gala instead!) ... There was a really amazing performance of Ravel's Tzigane on it (what a freakin' cool piece!) .. also, Elliot Mallard played Elgar mov. 1, and though we have an incredibly different idea of the piece, it's great to watch the way he plays ...
Speaking of cool performances, last night's performance by Dmitry Berlinsky was absolutely incredible ... it's been the first concert that really 100% grabbed me ... and you could really feel the energy in the room ... can't wait for Matt Haimovitz
After the concert, I watched Rita, Maria & Alma try the piano that they're going to play the concerto competition on (I really hope I can have a whole concerto together by next year ... I doubt it though ... I absolutely will have the first movement of the Elgar together in really amazing shape though ... that's a promise to myself ... I want to perform that and make some amazing music out of it) ... that was a nice treat ...
I got a very interesting point out of talking w/ Eric earlier ... he mentioned that when he performs he looks at something else, but thinks about what he needs to do on cello in his head & so I tried out doing that (because I'm trying to fix my problem where I keep looking down at my cello) & it was so incredibly helpful ...
My lesson w/ David went well yesterday ... I played for Jeff Solow's masterclass the day before (not well) & so we talked about some of what Jeff brought up, and some postural/set up issues (which I think I'm getting the hang of, but really want to ask him about again in our last lesson. This way, I'll be able to work on them on my own a little bit).
I also ended up talking w/ Jeff for about an hour or so after the concert this night ... it was great ... I haven't done enough of that this year ... I think If I do Summit next year, I'm going to go to less of the concerts or masterclasses, because I still need to practice more, but I also need time to be a human being & I realized that there's only so much one can actually get from listening to masterclasses.
I'm tired of the pressure of all the different musical things I have to do ... I kinda just want a break, so it will be nice when summit will be over, because instead of trying to split my practicing between too many things I can concentrate on doing a few things really solidly
I am also 100% planning on asking Mr. O to take regular lessons with him ... I've been wanting to for so long & lately I'm feeling more and more lost with cello and how to practice and what to do & just so overwhelmed and general, and I feel like he'd be the right teacher to really solve that. There's a certain instinct in his teaching & playing that I just so naturally trust & that seems to work, and having started the instrument under him, he has a really good understanding of my background & me as a person & I think we work well together.
Working on Bach has been really frustrating on a very good way (I'm really finding all my flaws) ... I wish I had time to write more in general ... lots of stuff I'd like to write about ... I need to get home and go to sleep now...
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Summit 8/6
Today, I had Orchestra (like every other day), which I was actually doing pretty well in (minus the parts that are too fast for me to play at this moment) ... but in terms of watching/counting/making corrections and making some kind of music, I'm doing a decent job
... could be better of course ... and it will be once I have the music more under my fingers... now if only I could find more time so I could practice it...
Richard Clark has emphasized a few times that playing in Orchestra is like a big chamber ensemble ... I couldn't agree more.
So anyway, after orchestra I practiced for 3 hours & then played in Jeff Solow's masterclass, which was incredibly helpful & educational. One of the highlights of it was getting to watch Elliot Mallard play ... he has the most fluid left hand technique I've ever seen from a student cellist ... it's pretty incredible
In my case, Jeff suggested the following:
-Pick up the Tempo
-Start firmly ... the D F A triad starts on D, not a...
-Re-examine my fingerings to eliminate undesired transportational slides
-Slant my forearm back (is this called pronating)?? He used different words for it, but basically what he pointed out to me was that I was always balancing on my fourth finger, because of the way I rotate my hand forward. He also mentioned that I wanted a slightly concave wrist. So far, I have found this suggestion incredibly helpful ... also alarming, b/c I've been teaching people the exact opposite (yikes!)
In general, I was hungry/nervous during my performance, and my bow arm got very stiff ... I have to find ways to loosen it up & I have to find ways to counter-balance nerves/focus on telling a story before starting/being in the zone/meditative state. I also need to stop looking down when I play ... practicing w/ my eyes closed helps a bit, but it doesn't really ... I just need to practice looking elsewhere (and remember Steven Isserlis' masterclass w/ the Dvorak).
Then I had Brahms rehearsal (which I have 3 of tomorrow ...) & then I needed about 2 hours of me time to chill out & de-stress and eat & not be depressed (was dissatisfied from my performance at the masterclass)
Then there was the 8:00 concert ... many kinds of cool ...
Beethoven Violin Sonata
Brahms F Major - Bong-Shin Ko was the cellist
Schumann Fantasiestucke on violin (this sounds so much cooler on cello!)
Mozart Clarinet Quintet (which played 2 tunes orchestrated by Benny Goodman afterwards)
Then I practiced another 2 hours (making a total of 5) ... now it's time for sleep...
... could be better of course ... and it will be once I have the music more under my fingers... now if only I could find more time so I could practice it...
Richard Clark has emphasized a few times that playing in Orchestra is like a big chamber ensemble ... I couldn't agree more.
So anyway, after orchestra I practiced for 3 hours & then played in Jeff Solow's masterclass, which was incredibly helpful & educational. One of the highlights of it was getting to watch Elliot Mallard play ... he has the most fluid left hand technique I've ever seen from a student cellist ... it's pretty incredible
In my case, Jeff suggested the following:
-Pick up the Tempo
-Start firmly ... the D F A triad starts on D, not a...
-Re-examine my fingerings to eliminate undesired transportational slides
-Slant my forearm back (is this called pronating)?? He used different words for it, but basically what he pointed out to me was that I was always balancing on my fourth finger, because of the way I rotate my hand forward. He also mentioned that I wanted a slightly concave wrist. So far, I have found this suggestion incredibly helpful ... also alarming, b/c I've been teaching people the exact opposite (yikes!)
In general, I was hungry/nervous during my performance, and my bow arm got very stiff ... I have to find ways to loosen it up & I have to find ways to counter-balance nerves/focus on telling a story before starting/being in the zone/meditative state. I also need to stop looking down when I play ... practicing w/ my eyes closed helps a bit, but it doesn't really ... I just need to practice looking elsewhere (and remember Steven Isserlis' masterclass w/ the Dvorak).
Then I had Brahms rehearsal (which I have 3 of tomorrow ...) & then I needed about 2 hours of me time to chill out & de-stress and eat & not be depressed (was dissatisfied from my performance at the masterclass)
Then there was the 8:00 concert ... many kinds of cool ...
Beethoven Violin Sonata
Brahms F Major - Bong-Shin Ko was the cellist
Schumann Fantasiestucke on violin (this sounds so much cooler on cello!)
Mozart Clarinet Quintet (which played 2 tunes orchestrated by Benny Goodman afterwards)
Then I practiced another 2 hours (making a total of 5) ... now it's time for sleep...
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Summit Days x-y - the super condensed version!
I learnt something very important today ... in order to prepare for a performance (or a masterclass in my case), you have to practice something in as many different ways as possible (interpretationally, dynamically, with your eyes closed, with a story line or mono/dialogue running through your head & any other way you can think of!). Playing with your eyes closed is easily the most revealing of technical insecurities ... playing everything at full volume helps with that too.
In other news, today I:
Had orchestra
Practiced for 2.5 hours
Ate
Attended Emanuel Gruber's Masterclass
Practiced for a half hour
Had a 2 chamber coachings
ate
went to the concert (first half Julian Milkis, second half, Beethoven Septet!)
Improv'd outside (this was nice - despite the humidity - full moon & I ended up w/ a very small audience)
Practied for an hour
So, 4 hours of progress ... I had some absolutely amazing musical experiences in the last couple of days, including: getting to play for Emmanuel Feldman in a masterclass (He told me to open up my shoulder when bowing & to move around a bit & to not hold extensions); getting to see Alma play her Liszt piece (Transcendental Etude 10) on one of the Student Galas (she played with so much energy & force that it really reminded me of Jacqueline DuPre, except on piano ... but anyway, I had no clue that one could get that much sound out of a piano); getting to see Eugene Osadchy & the rest of his trio play Tchaickovsky ... I'm sure there's other stuff ... I'm going to try really hard to do some full posts about the previous days by the end of the week...
So far Summit has been an incredibly transforming and inspiring experience ... I've generally been tremendously happy in a way that I haven't been in longer than I can remember. I'm smiling & learning & spending time with people & it's all been so great! Been getting some great stuff from the masterclasses too...
Now I have to go to sleep...
In other news, today I:
Had orchestra
Practiced for 2.5 hours
Ate
Attended Emanuel Gruber's Masterclass
Practiced for a half hour
Had a 2 chamber coachings
ate
went to the concert (first half Julian Milkis, second half, Beethoven Septet!)
Improv'd outside (this was nice - despite the humidity - full moon & I ended up w/ a very small audience)
Practied for an hour
So, 4 hours of progress ... I had some absolutely amazing musical experiences in the last couple of days, including: getting to play for Emmanuel Feldman in a masterclass (He told me to open up my shoulder when bowing & to move around a bit & to not hold extensions); getting to see Alma play her Liszt piece (Transcendental Etude 10) on one of the Student Galas (she played with so much energy & force that it really reminded me of Jacqueline DuPre, except on piano ... but anyway, I had no clue that one could get that much sound out of a piano); getting to see Eugene Osadchy & the rest of his trio play Tchaickovsky ... I'm sure there's other stuff ... I'm going to try really hard to do some full posts about the previous days by the end of the week...
So far Summit has been an incredibly transforming and inspiring experience ... I've generally been tremendously happy in a way that I haven't been in longer than I can remember. I'm smiling & learning & spending time with people & it's all been so great! Been getting some great stuff from the masterclasses too...
Now I have to go to sleep...
Friday, July 31, 2009
Summit Day 5-7
Ok,
Hopefully I'll be able to remember most of this ... I haven't had any time to get on a computer lately ... I've been trying to really practice (and also trying to beat out Alma who so far seems to be practicing more than me ... I've been getting about 3 hrs. a day ... today I got 3.5
So here's a recap:
Tuesday (Day 5):
Tuesday I practiced all morning (3 hrs), then there was the Adam Kent Masterclass, which was disappointingly less interesting than his lecture, but still fairly cool. Can't say I remember much about it at this point ...
Then later there was the Young Artists concert, which featured a former Summit participant named Kristin Stephenson. She was a Juilliard graduate & seemed like a cool person. I enjoyed her performance & I probably should have chatted w/ her a bit & asked her what she thought of being a classical pianist & how it compared to her epxpectations & other stuff ... I was a bit out of it at the time or something.
In the evening was Suren Bagratuni & Max Mainolfi's concert ... this was all kinds of cool ... Suren is an amazing cellist & has the left hand technique I want to develop (which is so exciting ... there's so few cellists I see who really bring that out for me) ... Mr. O is another who has that ... I funortunately don't have the program on me & can't remember what he played at this point, but it was amazing. Apparently he studied w/ Danilli Schafran a lot, which was interesting, given how much Steven Isserlis idolizes Schafran ... cool little connection. This concert was particularly important for me for two reasons. First, because I was reminded that you are in fact allowed to lift your thumb off the neck & that it is sometimes beneficial. Two, because it reminded me of how important it is to use the fleshy part of your fingertipe to really get a good tone & nice, wide vibrato - this is the way I used to play back when I was really practicing in high school & I've started incorporating it into my slow scales & it's made a huge difference.
Wednesday (Day 6):
Busy day!
I only managed to get in 2 hrs. of practice, b/c I had rehearsal & then my performance for the 3rd movement of the Beethoven Op. 11 ... I played pretty horribly, b/c I wasn't feeling well that day, which really sucks, because I generally have this abundant self-confidence & sense of fun about performance, and instead I was depressed... I just kinda needed another day or at least a few hours with the piece too ... At one point I looked up & noticed David Krieger was there, which was cool, but also makes me nervous ... that's good though. If I had been playing better, I wouldn't have been nervous ... on the other hand, by the end of this festival, I'll be in such good shape that I could play that piece really well. My playing has already improved a lot, though I've been really pushing myself too. It also clicked in my head that I practice scales w/ slurs too much & not enough w/ separate bows - this is part of why my bowing technique isn't good.
Then there was the Rosand masterclass & the Tcheckmazov masterclass ... given that I'm not really crazy about Aaron Rosand, I decided to go to the cello masterclass ... the only reason I stayed was because I actually wanted to hear everybody who was playing ... Cyntia played Bach 3, Inna's other student played the Breval sonata & the little kid w/ the orange case played Haydn C. I really did not like his teaching ... he taught almost solely by rote & dictated interpretation. Those are two things that really bother me, because they are not giving the student the tools they need to progress on their own. I'm ok w/ guiding interpretation & sharing information & asking pointed questions, but not telling people how to play - that's their decision. The only useful things I got out of the class were that I finally understand what the hell people are talking about with Figure 8 bowing (it is also the way David Krieger explained it to me, though he didn't use that term), and he mentioned using weight w/ the first finger on the bow & that was just a good reminder. One thing that was interesting was when Checkamazov played something on Cyntia's cello ... the difference in sound was incredible ... it's amazing how much difference an instrument can make ... I wonder how much better I might sound if I had a better instrument... (not that I'm complaining about the one I have) ... speaking of which, Bernie mentioned letting me try a Carbon Fibre cello that someone gave him ... can't wait to do that once Summit's over.
Then, there was the Student Gala concert, which I had heard most of the pieces on from attending the masterclasses ... though the last girl (and one of the youngest) was absolutely incredible. Not only did she play her piece flawlessly, but she was practically dancing on stage while doing it & really looked like she was having fun to a level that we generally don't while doing classical music. It really made me smile.
The 8:00 concert was 1/2 a Russian Pianist (who clearly used to be really amazing, but has very unfortunately hit a point where her age is interfering with her playing ... she was still pretty damn good though & I thought she had a great sense of dynamics & volume & managed to do a lot w/ loudness in a way that most people can't). The other half was a Brahms Trio w/ Adam Kent, Jeff Solo & Elena Peres ... according to Adam it was the first & last trio he wrote (Brahms revised it) & was all kinds of cool ... I've heard it somewhere before & I'd love to play it someday.
Thursday (Day 7)
Today was busy & fun!
I got in 3.5 hrs of practice (a half hour short of what I was shooting for ... I forgot my rock stop & my bloody cello kept slipping, so I gave up at the end...). I got to practicing later than I wanted, because I had to pick up strings for Anna, but that's alright... So I practiced, then helped w/ check-in, which involved hanging out w/ Alma, Maria, Alessandra & Jessica & showing folks to their room as they showed up ... it was great getting so see some folks from previous years ... it was particularly interesting to see Drew (chamber partner from the first year I did Summit) ... he seems to have grown up a bit, which is good. Also, it was really interesting to see Elliot ... he lost a *lot* of weight & seems generally very happy and all. He's studying w/ David Soyer at Juilliard atm...
I skipped orientation to practice a bit, then had dinner, then went to the concert, which I was somewhat surprisingly disappointed by. Nathaniel Rosen was the performer & the entire first half seemed very off - like he wasn't in control or like he wasn't warmed up or something of that sort. It got better as he went ... also, the Hindemith concerto is kind of an iffy piece for me. The second half, he played Bach 4 (which I was not thrilled about ... it's hard to watch people play bach though ... it's so individual, but he really just made a very bizarre way through it - from my perspective). Then he played this really cool Granados piece (is there any uncool Granados piece? That name makes me want to go watch that Jackie documentary). He also did the Fire Dance for an encore ... that was cool too.
Afterwards, I trained Amery to do the lights (and am hoping to get a 3rd person) & that's the story for now. I've gotten over most of the social anxiety/insecurity I was feeling in the first few days & seem to be fitting in generally pretty well & practicing a good amt. & Summit's been very therapeutic in terms of giving me reasons to smile & giving me the chance to talk with a lot of new folks about my schooling and where I am in life now & all that ... I need to find more folks I feel generally comfortable talking to ... Jenny Wu was great for that (particularly, b/c she was 30 and had a PhD, so was very mature) ... it's too bad she's not here for the rest of the festival ...
Anyway, sleep time ... have to be up in less than 7 hours for orchestra (which I'm excited for!)
Hopefully I'll be able to remember most of this ... I haven't had any time to get on a computer lately ... I've been trying to really practice (and also trying to beat out Alma who so far seems to be practicing more than me ... I've been getting about 3 hrs. a day ... today I got 3.5
So here's a recap:
Tuesday (Day 5):
Tuesday I practiced all morning (3 hrs), then there was the Adam Kent Masterclass, which was disappointingly less interesting than his lecture, but still fairly cool. Can't say I remember much about it at this point ...
Then later there was the Young Artists concert, which featured a former Summit participant named Kristin Stephenson. She was a Juilliard graduate & seemed like a cool person. I enjoyed her performance & I probably should have chatted w/ her a bit & asked her what she thought of being a classical pianist & how it compared to her epxpectations & other stuff ... I was a bit out of it at the time or something.
In the evening was Suren Bagratuni & Max Mainolfi's concert ... this was all kinds of cool ... Suren is an amazing cellist & has the left hand technique I want to develop (which is so exciting ... there's so few cellists I see who really bring that out for me) ... Mr. O is another who has that ... I funortunately don't have the program on me & can't remember what he played at this point, but it was amazing. Apparently he studied w/ Danilli Schafran a lot, which was interesting, given how much Steven Isserlis idolizes Schafran ... cool little connection. This concert was particularly important for me for two reasons. First, because I was reminded that you are in fact allowed to lift your thumb off the neck & that it is sometimes beneficial. Two, because it reminded me of how important it is to use the fleshy part of your fingertipe to really get a good tone & nice, wide vibrato - this is the way I used to play back when I was really practicing in high school & I've started incorporating it into my slow scales & it's made a huge difference.
Wednesday (Day 6):
Busy day!
I only managed to get in 2 hrs. of practice, b/c I had rehearsal & then my performance for the 3rd movement of the Beethoven Op. 11 ... I played pretty horribly, b/c I wasn't feeling well that day, which really sucks, because I generally have this abundant self-confidence & sense of fun about performance, and instead I was depressed... I just kinda needed another day or at least a few hours with the piece too ... At one point I looked up & noticed David Krieger was there, which was cool, but also makes me nervous ... that's good though. If I had been playing better, I wouldn't have been nervous ... on the other hand, by the end of this festival, I'll be in such good shape that I could play that piece really well. My playing has already improved a lot, though I've been really pushing myself too. It also clicked in my head that I practice scales w/ slurs too much & not enough w/ separate bows - this is part of why my bowing technique isn't good.
Then there was the Rosand masterclass & the Tcheckmazov masterclass ... given that I'm not really crazy about Aaron Rosand, I decided to go to the cello masterclass ... the only reason I stayed was because I actually wanted to hear everybody who was playing ... Cyntia played Bach 3, Inna's other student played the Breval sonata & the little kid w/ the orange case played Haydn C. I really did not like his teaching ... he taught almost solely by rote & dictated interpretation. Those are two things that really bother me, because they are not giving the student the tools they need to progress on their own. I'm ok w/ guiding interpretation & sharing information & asking pointed questions, but not telling people how to play - that's their decision. The only useful things I got out of the class were that I finally understand what the hell people are talking about with Figure 8 bowing (it is also the way David Krieger explained it to me, though he didn't use that term), and he mentioned using weight w/ the first finger on the bow & that was just a good reminder. One thing that was interesting was when Checkamazov played something on Cyntia's cello ... the difference in sound was incredible ... it's amazing how much difference an instrument can make ... I wonder how much better I might sound if I had a better instrument... (not that I'm complaining about the one I have) ... speaking of which, Bernie mentioned letting me try a Carbon Fibre cello that someone gave him ... can't wait to do that once Summit's over.
Then, there was the Student Gala concert, which I had heard most of the pieces on from attending the masterclasses ... though the last girl (and one of the youngest) was absolutely incredible. Not only did she play her piece flawlessly, but she was practically dancing on stage while doing it & really looked like she was having fun to a level that we generally don't while doing classical music. It really made me smile.
The 8:00 concert was 1/2 a Russian Pianist (who clearly used to be really amazing, but has very unfortunately hit a point where her age is interfering with her playing ... she was still pretty damn good though & I thought she had a great sense of dynamics & volume & managed to do a lot w/ loudness in a way that most people can't). The other half was a Brahms Trio w/ Adam Kent, Jeff Solo & Elena Peres ... according to Adam it was the first & last trio he wrote (Brahms revised it) & was all kinds of cool ... I've heard it somewhere before & I'd love to play it someday.
Thursday (Day 7)
Today was busy & fun!
I got in 3.5 hrs of practice (a half hour short of what I was shooting for ... I forgot my rock stop & my bloody cello kept slipping, so I gave up at the end...). I got to practicing later than I wanted, because I had to pick up strings for Anna, but that's alright... So I practiced, then helped w/ check-in, which involved hanging out w/ Alma, Maria, Alessandra & Jessica & showing folks to their room as they showed up ... it was great getting so see some folks from previous years ... it was particularly interesting to see Drew (chamber partner from the first year I did Summit) ... he seems to have grown up a bit, which is good. Also, it was really interesting to see Elliot ... he lost a *lot* of weight & seems generally very happy and all. He's studying w/ David Soyer at Juilliard atm...
I skipped orientation to practice a bit, then had dinner, then went to the concert, which I was somewhat surprisingly disappointed by. Nathaniel Rosen was the performer & the entire first half seemed very off - like he wasn't in control or like he wasn't warmed up or something of that sort. It got better as he went ... also, the Hindemith concerto is kind of an iffy piece for me. The second half, he played Bach 4 (which I was not thrilled about ... it's hard to watch people play bach though ... it's so individual, but he really just made a very bizarre way through it - from my perspective). Then he played this really cool Granados piece (is there any uncool Granados piece? That name makes me want to go watch that Jackie documentary). He also did the Fire Dance for an encore ... that was cool too.
Afterwards, I trained Amery to do the lights (and am hoping to get a 3rd person) & that's the story for now. I've gotten over most of the social anxiety/insecurity I was feeling in the first few days & seem to be fitting in generally pretty well & practicing a good amt. & Summit's been very therapeutic in terms of giving me reasons to smile & giving me the chance to talk with a lot of new folks about my schooling and where I am in life now & all that ... I need to find more folks I feel generally comfortable talking to ... Jenny Wu was great for that (particularly, b/c she was 30 and had a PhD, so was very mature) ... it's too bad she's not here for the rest of the festival ...
Anyway, sleep time ... have to be up in less than 7 hours for orchestra (which I'm excited for!)
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Summit Day 4
A busy & productive day!
I was pretty energetic early in the day (thankfully!)
Had practice w/ Jenny, then coaching w/ Flora ... David couldn't make it ... but we got the part between us pretty squared away.
Afterwards, we went to lunch & then to the cello masterclass, which was all kinds of cool. The teacher was this amazing cellist from Armenia (though I think he lives in detroit now or something). Leonard played Bach 3, Cyntia played Saint-Saens & the other girl played Bach 3. It was a real treat getting to watch Cyntia, because even though her piece has a long way to go, she's made a huge improvement since last year in her playing, which is great!
After that, I got in a small amount of practice, and then there was the Composer's Roundtable. A fairly interesting, but poorly attended event (it was competing with dinner unfortunately). For me the most interesting parts were hearing the polytones (is that the name for it) in Geoff. Kidde's piece (this technique was originally invented by Robert Dick), and hearing the difference in the 2 orchestrations of Mary-Anne Joyce's piece (which I got to keep a copy of). She described her music as a film score without a film & it was really cool, because I had that exact same thought as I was listening to it. These people are my former teachers as well, so it was great to get to talk with them before & after. Binette Liper presented as well & then there was a Q&A afterwards. I tried to ask questions that I thought would be interesting for folks/that would stimulate discussion ... tricky considering the lack of people though. Another interesting point was Geoff. Kidde's point about modern music. He said that he would tell people to let go of their expectations & just try listening to the sounds. It's weird for me, because I actually get a lot of modern classical music ... it just makes sense to me (which doesn't mean I like it all) ... maybe it's because I started so late, so I didn't get trapped in the Common Practice/Romantic sound-world. Maybe not. This event plus the original music from last night has motivated me to compose another solo cello piece soon ... I'm looking forward to it whenever it's ready to come out!
After that, I decided to skip dinner (because I was still full from lunch & had food in my backpack) & got in a little bit of practicing before Adam Kent's concert lecture. I think the concert lecture format - particularly the way he does it - is probably the best way to present classical music. or at least talking about the piece prior to playing it. It really gets you into it & gives you the opportunity to see things you never saw before, even on a first listen. I was really shocked when an older audience member started talking about the harmony in her comments - I just do not listen that well on a first listen in live music. Though part of the reason for this is because I often listen emotionally as opposed to intellectually to live music (though I suppose it's possible to do both). His lecture was all kinds of cool: combining history with musical storyline & theoretical analysis. Reminds me a lot of Steven Isserlis, though Isserlis is more charismatic & compelling for me (probably because he's British!).
In practicing, I improved a lot, but during Adam Kent's lecture, I had a bit of a breakthrough - I finally found a meaning of my own for the second prelude. This was because somebody asked about the balance between emotions & interpretation, and also because he was talking about Schubert's "My Dream" story & about his sense of isolation. One of the things I go through whenever I do Summit (and in general, whenever I'm in a new environment) is social pressure/a sense of isolation from others. I take a bit to feel comfortable & like I belong within a group - particularly when part of what determines your status within these groups is how musically skilled you are .. I'm definitely on the lower end of that. But I realized the 2nd prelude could be summed up in the word "Longing" for me ... and particularly the VNV Nation lyric "my restless soul is longing" from the song Beloved came to mind. I read through the rest of the suite ... the Prelude & Allemande are in decent shape & any of the others are do-able (in terms of preparing for a masterclass). Haven't decided which third movement I'm gonna pick, but I'm thinking of the Gigue. The courante or Sarabande might be better, because I need more help with them ... not sure.
The other big breakthrough I've been having with my playing is in regards to bow distribution & precision & technique. I've been improving worlds on that. I also started practicing the Bb major scale instead of my recent usual C# Phrygian). This has the advantage that in order to do 3 octaves, I have to go all the way up the fingerboard. Also, it matches the pieces I'm playing. On top of that, I did some shifting exercises & worked on holding the bow out for 15 counts at 1/4=40.
That's where I'm at right now ... If I can find the time at any point, I'm gonna type up masterclass notes, but as of right now, I don't have it ... I might have to type them all up after the festival.
I was pretty energetic early in the day (thankfully!)
Had practice w/ Jenny, then coaching w/ Flora ... David couldn't make it ... but we got the part between us pretty squared away.
Afterwards, we went to lunch & then to the cello masterclass, which was all kinds of cool. The teacher was this amazing cellist from Armenia (though I think he lives in detroit now or something). Leonard played Bach 3, Cyntia played Saint-Saens & the other girl played Bach 3. It was a real treat getting to watch Cyntia, because even though her piece has a long way to go, she's made a huge improvement since last year in her playing, which is great!
After that, I got in a small amount of practice, and then there was the Composer's Roundtable. A fairly interesting, but poorly attended event (it was competing with dinner unfortunately). For me the most interesting parts were hearing the polytones (is that the name for it) in Geoff. Kidde's piece (this technique was originally invented by Robert Dick), and hearing the difference in the 2 orchestrations of Mary-Anne Joyce's piece (which I got to keep a copy of). She described her music as a film score without a film & it was really cool, because I had that exact same thought as I was listening to it. These people are my former teachers as well, so it was great to get to talk with them before & after. Binette Liper presented as well & then there was a Q&A afterwards. I tried to ask questions that I thought would be interesting for folks/that would stimulate discussion ... tricky considering the lack of people though. Another interesting point was Geoff. Kidde's point about modern music. He said that he would tell people to let go of their expectations & just try listening to the sounds. It's weird for me, because I actually get a lot of modern classical music ... it just makes sense to me (which doesn't mean I like it all) ... maybe it's because I started so late, so I didn't get trapped in the Common Practice/Romantic sound-world. Maybe not. This event plus the original music from last night has motivated me to compose another solo cello piece soon ... I'm looking forward to it whenever it's ready to come out!
After that, I decided to skip dinner (because I was still full from lunch & had food in my backpack) & got in a little bit of practicing before Adam Kent's concert lecture. I think the concert lecture format - particularly the way he does it - is probably the best way to present classical music. or at least talking about the piece prior to playing it. It really gets you into it & gives you the opportunity to see things you never saw before, even on a first listen. I was really shocked when an older audience member started talking about the harmony in her comments - I just do not listen that well on a first listen in live music. Though part of the reason for this is because I often listen emotionally as opposed to intellectually to live music (though I suppose it's possible to do both). His lecture was all kinds of cool: combining history with musical storyline & theoretical analysis. Reminds me a lot of Steven Isserlis, though Isserlis is more charismatic & compelling for me (probably because he's British!).
In practicing, I improved a lot, but during Adam Kent's lecture, I had a bit of a breakthrough - I finally found a meaning of my own for the second prelude. This was because somebody asked about the balance between emotions & interpretation, and also because he was talking about Schubert's "My Dream" story & about his sense of isolation. One of the things I go through whenever I do Summit (and in general, whenever I'm in a new environment) is social pressure/a sense of isolation from others. I take a bit to feel comfortable & like I belong within a group - particularly when part of what determines your status within these groups is how musically skilled you are .. I'm definitely on the lower end of that. But I realized the 2nd prelude could be summed up in the word "Longing" for me ... and particularly the VNV Nation lyric "my restless soul is longing" from the song Beloved came to mind. I read through the rest of the suite ... the Prelude & Allemande are in decent shape & any of the others are do-able (in terms of preparing for a masterclass). Haven't decided which third movement I'm gonna pick, but I'm thinking of the Gigue. The courante or Sarabande might be better, because I need more help with them ... not sure.
The other big breakthrough I've been having with my playing is in regards to bow distribution & precision & technique. I've been improving worlds on that. I also started practicing the Bb major scale instead of my recent usual C# Phrygian). This has the advantage that in order to do 3 octaves, I have to go all the way up the fingerboard. Also, it matches the pieces I'm playing. On top of that, I did some shifting exercises & worked on holding the bow out for 15 counts at 1/4=40.
That's where I'm at right now ... If I can find the time at any point, I'm gonna type up masterclass notes, but as of right now, I don't have it ... I might have to type them all up after the festival.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Summit Day 3
Today was its own kind of hard ... but a very good day!
I woke up feeling absolutely awful ... like another 3 hours of sleep were necessary (basically I woke up the way I went to sleep). That continued for about the first 4 hrs. of the day ... finally, after I ate lunch & chilled out for a bit, things got a bit better.
Today, I didn't have my metronome or my laptop, which meant I couldn't practice the way I usually do. It turned out to be a blessing! I worked on double stops & on the Beethoven Op. 11 (clarinet trio). .. When one practices with a metronome, it's very easy to listen to the metronome & not to what you're actually playing. Working on the Beethoven, the progress I made today was great. I did a lot of very focused work & while there are some spots that I will need the metronome to work on, I really worked on playing it well, and am currently playing it a lot better than I could at my recital (though still not well enough). I also noticed there are some spots I'm not breathing in! I think my biggest progress with practicing was my bow distribution. I've been practicing in the dance studio, which is a room of mirrors & a wood floor basically ... many kinds of helpful. My goal is for it to sound incredible consistently. Then I can let go and enjoy it & make music out of it. My biggest problem right now tends to be fast staccato passages and shifting into intermediate positions ... also, self-confidence ... but I'm working on that.
After lunch, I watched the first 2 students of Irina's masterclass. She's a good teacher. They were younger students & I was really surprised at how well the first one played considering she hadn't done much in the way of technical work ... Irina went through. It was really great for me to see the two kids play (well, one was 17 & the other was much younger). In many ways, I'm much closer to them (technically) than people my age. As Irina was relating her experiences and stories about the Moscow Conservatory & Jascha Heifetz, I came to a realization. 1 hour a day is not enough to work on technique. I need 2 at minimum. Here's what I think I need to work on:
(A half hour to each topic)
Slow Scales (Standard & Ladder) 6/4 at 1/4=40
Fast scales - 4/4 at 184
Sevcik/1 Finger Scales
Galamian
That's what I feel should be my bare minimum. I may have to make that 3 hours so I can start including etudes. This is a big general problem I'm having right now ... I am not finding enough time to practice every day, but this stuff is all essential & I need to learn it as soon as possible. That's the main difference between me and all these other players - I have the potential to be like them (in terms of skill), but I am not, because I don't have the technical foundation. It is something I can build largely on my own at this point. It just needs the appropriate amount of time put in. I need to make those my gospel basically.
After Irina's masterclass, I practiced some more, started analyzing the Beethoven (which has made things so much clearer) and then had rehearsal - only to find out that David Gale has pink eye & so we had a new violinist, drafted from the masterclass. Possibly David will still play with us. Rehearsal was productive & we've decided to get together as a group tomorrow morning (which is going to multiply the craziness of my tomorrow!). I'm scared/under pressure that this piece is being performed on wednesday at 12. That really gives me 2 days to get it down really well.
After rehearsal was dinner, and then a little bit of time before the concert. Prior to the concert, David Krieger asked me if I wanted to play in one of the masterclasses. We talked about what I could play & came up with Bach 2 or 4. I could do either, but after playing them on my own, I've decided I'm going to do a few movements of Bach 2, because it is actually within my technical reach. This means I'm going to have to find an additional hour to practice (I did 3 today) somehow. It also means I need to dig up my barenreiter & get another movement or two really solid (which should not be a problem). I want to play for Andrey Tchekamazov, but I'm not sure if I'll be ready by then ... we'll see.
The concert was all kinds of amazing ... particularly Andrey Tchekamozov's pieces ... one was distinctly American, and the other was a modern solo cello piece (I don't think there is anything more powerful for me in music). I think I was one of the only people who was really into it ... others didn't like it or found it hard to stay isterested... I'm forgetting the pianist's name, but he played his own (really long multi-movement) piece & then a Liszt piece. His piece & playing had a style very similar to Liszt - it was very cool. I'd write more, but don't have the program in front of me & also need to get sleep ...
I'll try to type up Irina's Masterclass notes in the morning... but maybe I should try to practice instead ...
I woke up feeling absolutely awful ... like another 3 hours of sleep were necessary (basically I woke up the way I went to sleep). That continued for about the first 4 hrs. of the day ... finally, after I ate lunch & chilled out for a bit, things got a bit better.
Today, I didn't have my metronome or my laptop, which meant I couldn't practice the way I usually do. It turned out to be a blessing! I worked on double stops & on the Beethoven Op. 11 (clarinet trio). .. When one practices with a metronome, it's very easy to listen to the metronome & not to what you're actually playing. Working on the Beethoven, the progress I made today was great. I did a lot of very focused work & while there are some spots that I will need the metronome to work on, I really worked on playing it well, and am currently playing it a lot better than I could at my recital (though still not well enough). I also noticed there are some spots I'm not breathing in! I think my biggest progress with practicing was my bow distribution. I've been practicing in the dance studio, which is a room of mirrors & a wood floor basically ... many kinds of helpful. My goal is for it to sound incredible consistently. Then I can let go and enjoy it & make music out of it. My biggest problem right now tends to be fast staccato passages and shifting into intermediate positions ... also, self-confidence ... but I'm working on that.
After lunch, I watched the first 2 students of Irina's masterclass. She's a good teacher. They were younger students & I was really surprised at how well the first one played considering she hadn't done much in the way of technical work ... Irina went through. It was really great for me to see the two kids play (well, one was 17 & the other was much younger). In many ways, I'm much closer to them (technically) than people my age. As Irina was relating her experiences and stories about the Moscow Conservatory & Jascha Heifetz, I came to a realization. 1 hour a day is not enough to work on technique. I need 2 at minimum. Here's what I think I need to work on:
(A half hour to each topic)
Slow Scales (Standard & Ladder) 6/4 at 1/4=40
Fast scales - 4/4 at 184
Sevcik/1 Finger Scales
Galamian
That's what I feel should be my bare minimum. I may have to make that 3 hours so I can start including etudes. This is a big general problem I'm having right now ... I am not finding enough time to practice every day, but this stuff is all essential & I need to learn it as soon as possible. That's the main difference between me and all these other players - I have the potential to be like them (in terms of skill), but I am not, because I don't have the technical foundation. It is something I can build largely on my own at this point. It just needs the appropriate amount of time put in. I need to make those my gospel basically.
After Irina's masterclass, I practiced some more, started analyzing the Beethoven (which has made things so much clearer) and then had rehearsal - only to find out that David Gale has pink eye & so we had a new violinist, drafted from the masterclass. Possibly David will still play with us. Rehearsal was productive & we've decided to get together as a group tomorrow morning (which is going to multiply the craziness of my tomorrow!). I'm scared/under pressure that this piece is being performed on wednesday at 12. That really gives me 2 days to get it down really well.
After rehearsal was dinner, and then a little bit of time before the concert. Prior to the concert, David Krieger asked me if I wanted to play in one of the masterclasses. We talked about what I could play & came up with Bach 2 or 4. I could do either, but after playing them on my own, I've decided I'm going to do a few movements of Bach 2, because it is actually within my technical reach. This means I'm going to have to find an additional hour to practice (I did 3 today) somehow. It also means I need to dig up my barenreiter & get another movement or two really solid (which should not be a problem). I want to play for Andrey Tchekamazov, but I'm not sure if I'll be ready by then ... we'll see.
The concert was all kinds of amazing ... particularly Andrey Tchekamozov's pieces ... one was distinctly American, and the other was a modern solo cello piece (I don't think there is anything more powerful for me in music). I think I was one of the only people who was really into it ... others didn't like it or found it hard to stay isterested... I'm forgetting the pianist's name, but he played his own (really long multi-movement) piece & then a Liszt piece. His piece & playing had a style very similar to Liszt - it was very cool. I'd write more, but don't have the program in front of me & also need to get sleep ...
I'll try to type up Irina's Masterclass notes in the morning... but maybe I should try to practice instead ...
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