Probably one of the most exciting projects I've worked on. Although admittedly, I get excited quite easily. But this was probably one of the most exciting concerts I've ever done.
It probably ranks up there with the Shell Youth Orchestra when I was 12, as well as the 2000-and-something CAS concert with John Bates conducting. Though I hope I haven't offended anybody now by not mentioning that project I did with them. I truly cherish and am thankful for all the opportunities I've had.
But this one is quite unique, in that this concept is not overly complex, but nobody else really in this city of this calibre (at such an age) is doing this sort of thing. So that makes it differentiated.
The audience yesterday at the hospital was appreciative and larger than expected.
The audience today at Trinity were captivated and rightfully so!
Thank you to the friends who came - I really appreciate your support and it was fantastic to play for you. For those who couldn't make it, another time, another time....
The creepy though amazing Domine Deus was phenomenal; the introspectiveness of the Recordare; the excitement, confusion and drama of the sextet; working on each of your solos...
To the sexy sextet, I love you guys. It was an honour and pleasure to work with you - I look forward to our next project, but remember, give me plenty of notice!
So, now that Mozart is over (well, for the sexy sextetters so far...), there are other projects to look forward to. First up is HM (MSV) comps with J and A - lots of very quick learning!
And I am very enthusiastic about working on the Brahms second cello sonata.
Of course, trios are there too, should be lots of fun!
Next year is already partially planned - it includes the Beethoven or Mozart quintet (perhaps both?!?!) and possibly the Janacek septet (just for fun!). I'm looking forward to it already!
I know, you're thinking "What? Two posts in one week? What is she doing???" but I am probably missing something right now......but in my defence, I am on duty tonight which requires me to be on call until midnight - so no rest for the wicked, though somebody told me "and less for the righteous"!
Just caught up on reading W's blog - wow, I have missed a lot! But glad to catch up on it all. Admittedly, it is my own doing that my friendship groups at any given time tend to centre on what I'm working on at the moment. This is definitely one of my weaknesses. With every intention of maintaining everything else, I have unfortunately not. And for that I apologise.
One question I have is.......do you, the reader, find this blog boring?
Is there anything you'd like to see on here? I would appreciate comments of all sorts (though perhaps leave the offensive out) - perhaps pose some questions or suggestions? Those I deem appropriate to address might make an appearance. I suppose I read other people's, and they seem far more interesting than mine, which range from ramblings on all sorts of things, vague thoughts, ventings, recounts of extended periods of time (due to busy-ness!), reviews of stuff (when I can be bothered...)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
I need a Holiday
Somehow, I'm at Sunday having somewhat survived week three.
I didn't think this early in semester I'd have:
* those doubts about Commerce (yet! They usually only happen at Swotvac/exam period when it's too late!)
* so many rehearsals
* so much going out
* so little organisation (contrary to the usual me, I suppose)
It's been a busy three weeks, largely taken up by rehearsals of sorts. And going to uni, trying to figure it all out. There have been a few changes, such as Chamber Music, trying to decide which Macro tute I should really be in (the tutor I really want takes two tutes that I can't attend), new projects to embark on, friendships to cultivate in the rest of this year.
Since the last post there has been:
* one excursion to San Churro
* two 21st birthday parties I've been to
* one 21st birthday party I have missed
* one 22nd birthday breakfast
* one massive Olympics Opening ceremony dinner and party!
* one flight to Perth
* twenty-five and a half hours in Perth
* one concert which included me as part of five of the seven musical items
* one flight back to Melbourne
* one accompanying lesson
* one Music Ball
* nineteen rehearsals (yes, you read correctly)
* one chamber music competition
* one engagement party
* one Vision Launch
anyway, so that's the somewhat brief summary.
To elaborate a bit more on some of the above.....
I got a call from the Uni Orchestra manager(s) to play the celeste in the orchestra. This is a BIG DEAL for me, as there is usually only one keyboard player in the entire orchestra, and only if the piece includes one. And prior to this, there have been others ahead of me in the 'pecking order'. I've really wanted to do orchestral piano for a while, so this is it, with the uni orchestra! Of course, I said yes (even though I knew it meant more rehearsals) but the pieces are pretty cool, and the amazing Barry Tuckwell is conducting the orchestra. If you need to find out on Wikipedia who Barry Tuckwell is, please do, and you will understand why I couldn't bring myself to say no. Of course, the rehearsal didn't go well - I've never played a celeste before, it's a totally different experience, and it's exposed because it's got such a unique tone.
Played in the MSV Chamber Music Comp - we didn't come first or second, but we did get a prize, and encouragement prize with the reward of some MSO tickets. It's actually quite good - the monetary value is quite significant, and in this format, we are 'forced' to go to the MSO - which none of us go quite as much as we really should given that we are music students, musicians and possibly aspiring to be professional musicians.
Went home (yes, that's HOME) for 25.5hrs to play in a farewell concert for the now-retired deputy principal. It was amazing seeing old teachers again - I suppose when one is a student, we often tend to become a little alienated by our teachers, and forget that they're real people too! But it was so lovely to see them all again. The concert went well, I had a lovely time and really enjoyed working with those people. Kind words were said, which of course brought tears to mum's eyes - so too my playing, I think, because my family haven't really heard me perform (that is, rather than practice at the end of semester where I'm done with my pieces, or at the beginning of a semester where it sounds horribly painful while trying to learn notes) for about three and a half years, since moving away for university.
Mozart Miscellany stuff is going well, just lots of it. And I suppose rehearsals with six different people, plus a few more for the combined stuff just adds up. Theoretically, I was totally fine with playing about an hour's worth of Mozart for the concert - I expected this when I agreed to it. But realistically, I didn't really have any idea of how much music there was! I am really enjoying it, don't get me wrong, and I wouldn't say I bit off more than I could chew but it definitely is a lot. I'm finding working with the six very interesting - I suppose I didn't really know what to expect from each of them, having not worked with five of them individually. But it's been really fun - I said last year, "I'm really scared of singers....let alone six of them!" but it's been amazing. Went to Vocal Ensemble to workshop one of the duets, which was good.
The week gone by has been particularly bad - flying in on the red-eye wasn't particularly helpful. Nor was the lack of motivation to practice, and extreme tiredness and onsetting illness (long overdue....and just hanging around my eyes, ready to bear down on me once I stop doing stuff). Averaging two to three rehearsals each day for the past week has been quite intense - leaving not much time for my own sitting down for myself at the instrument. In all of this, I have become less organised (than usual), forgetting things, accidentally double booking, not replying to emails, not being myself, and generally not as happy and enthusiastic about everything as usual. There was the putting-off of thinking about more than 24hrs in advance, so transportation for getting to things was only organised at short notice. My email had been hacked/spammed and I had email troubles one morning, as it wouldn't let me send any more emails (to apologise) so that was a bad morning. Then there was the printing issues and not-understanding the material in lectures that added up and made me doubt why I was still in the subject. So for my down-ness and general not-feeling-myself; I apologise to those close to me who haven't been encouraged by this, and to those not as close who might have perceived me as unfriendly and closed. Perhaps next week when the massive concerts are over I will become less focussed on just one project at a time and bounce back in, me-style.
I didn't think this early in semester I'd have:
* those doubts about Commerce (yet! They usually only happen at Swotvac/exam period when it's too late!)
* so many rehearsals
* so much going out
* so little organisation (contrary to the usual me, I suppose)
It's been a busy three weeks, largely taken up by rehearsals of sorts. And going to uni, trying to figure it all out. There have been a few changes, such as Chamber Music, trying to decide which Macro tute I should really be in (the tutor I really want takes two tutes that I can't attend), new projects to embark on, friendships to cultivate in the rest of this year.
Since the last post there has been:
* one excursion to San Churro
* two 21st birthday parties I've been to
* one 21st birthday party I have missed
* one 22nd birthday breakfast
* one massive Olympics Opening ceremony dinner and party!
* one flight to Perth
* twenty-five and a half hours in Perth
* one concert which included me as part of five of the seven musical items
* one flight back to Melbourne
* one accompanying lesson
* one Music Ball
* nineteen rehearsals (yes, you read correctly)
* one chamber music competition
* one engagement party
* one Vision Launch
anyway, so that's the somewhat brief summary.
To elaborate a bit more on some of the above.....
I got a call from the Uni Orchestra manager(s) to play the celeste in the orchestra. This is a BIG DEAL for me, as there is usually only one keyboard player in the entire orchestra, and only if the piece includes one. And prior to this, there have been others ahead of me in the 'pecking order'. I've really wanted to do orchestral piano for a while, so this is it, with the uni orchestra! Of course, I said yes (even though I knew it meant more rehearsals) but the pieces are pretty cool, and the amazing Barry Tuckwell is conducting the orchestra. If you need to find out on Wikipedia who Barry Tuckwell is, please do, and you will understand why I couldn't bring myself to say no. Of course, the rehearsal didn't go well - I've never played a celeste before, it's a totally different experience, and it's exposed because it's got such a unique tone.
Played in the MSV Chamber Music Comp - we didn't come first or second, but we did get a prize, and encouragement prize with the reward of some MSO tickets. It's actually quite good - the monetary value is quite significant, and in this format, we are 'forced' to go to the MSO - which none of us go quite as much as we really should given that we are music students, musicians and possibly aspiring to be professional musicians.
Went home (yes, that's HOME) for 25.5hrs to play in a farewell concert for the now-retired deputy principal. It was amazing seeing old teachers again - I suppose when one is a student, we often tend to become a little alienated by our teachers, and forget that they're real people too! But it was so lovely to see them all again. The concert went well, I had a lovely time and really enjoyed working with those people. Kind words were said, which of course brought tears to mum's eyes - so too my playing, I think, because my family haven't really heard me perform (that is, rather than practice at the end of semester where I'm done with my pieces, or at the beginning of a semester where it sounds horribly painful while trying to learn notes) for about three and a half years, since moving away for university.
Mozart Miscellany stuff is going well, just lots of it. And I suppose rehearsals with six different people, plus a few more for the combined stuff just adds up. Theoretically, I was totally fine with playing about an hour's worth of Mozart for the concert - I expected this when I agreed to it. But realistically, I didn't really have any idea of how much music there was! I am really enjoying it, don't get me wrong, and I wouldn't say I bit off more than I could chew but it definitely is a lot. I'm finding working with the six very interesting - I suppose I didn't really know what to expect from each of them, having not worked with five of them individually. But it's been really fun - I said last year, "I'm really scared of singers....let alone six of them!" but it's been amazing. Went to Vocal Ensemble to workshop one of the duets, which was good.
The week gone by has been particularly bad - flying in on the red-eye wasn't particularly helpful. Nor was the lack of motivation to practice, and extreme tiredness and onsetting illness (long overdue....and just hanging around my eyes, ready to bear down on me once I stop doing stuff). Averaging two to three rehearsals each day for the past week has been quite intense - leaving not much time for my own sitting down for myself at the instrument. In all of this, I have become less organised (than usual), forgetting things, accidentally double booking, not replying to emails, not being myself, and generally not as happy and enthusiastic about everything as usual. There was the putting-off of thinking about more than 24hrs in advance, so transportation for getting to things was only organised at short notice. My email had been hacked/spammed and I had email troubles one morning, as it wouldn't let me send any more emails (to apologise) so that was a bad morning. Then there was the printing issues and not-understanding the material in lectures that added up and made me doubt why I was still in the subject. So for my down-ness and general not-feeling-myself; I apologise to those close to me who haven't been encouraged by this, and to those not as close who might have perceived me as unfriendly and closed. Perhaps next week when the massive concerts are over I will become less focussed on just one project at a time and bounce back in, me-style.
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