Fun happenings -
Music Ball: Cool big band (yes, that's right, live music!), a night to party with some awesome friends (unfortunately not all of them came, but that's ok), a swanky venue, many people dressed to the 20s theme, crazy dancing, fun photos, hat-stealing, nice bathrooms, chips and salad with our main, delicious dessert, a hilarious piggy-back race along the pier, standing around trying to figure out what to do after the ball (we stood around for about half an hour hah), maxi-taxi-ing.
Dinner with friends: sometimes at short notice. Been very impressed that they've happened, as I usually am one of thsoe people who doesn't do short notice that well. One was some beautiful pumpkin soup. The other was a drive to Burwood for some long-overdue catching up. And another was brought round to do some communal cooking. 'Tis been good.
Lunch (yum-cha): after quintet rehearsal. Three out of the five of us (I think!) had never eaten it before, so it was all a bit of fun. And tasty it was!
Concerts: Melb Uni Orchestra. Interesting - I hear lots about the happenings of orchestra through these string/woodwind/brass friends of mine...times like this that I wish I played one of those! Oh well...had a small though dedicated contingent to come hear the very Romantic programme (Mussourgsky, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky). Also had MYO concert - more Rachmaninoff (Symphonic Dances) which has a cool piano part in the first movement. Fun concert, really good concert. Ravel 'La Valse' and Shostakovich 2nd piano concerto also on the menu. If you haven't heard the 2nd movt of the Shosta before, DO IT. Most beautiful thing I've heard in a long time!
Trio-ing & Quintet-ing: Plugging away at both. I think I go through phases where one seems to be going better then the other one. But I love them both very much - I couldn't bear to pick between them if I had to! This semester is very different repertoire to each other (unlike Mozart wash in E Flat Major like last!) - there is Beethoven Quintetting (similar to Mozart, but different too) and Trio-ing with Kurtag and Smit. Both 20th-century. Both quite different to Mozart!
We played some Beethoven in a couple of classes already - felt a little bit unprepared personally but it's getting there. Just need to sit down and do it, and not rely on how awesome the individual players are! Aired Kurtag yesterday in class - it's quite interesting, very Webern-like in some ways, very dramatic elsewhere. But it went down really well yay! Smit *should* be fairly straightforward to put together - there are some seriously sexy harmonies in that!
Have had super-long days of uni, especially Thursdays. Some longer than others. Including one fine example: 8am at uni to practice, 9.30am rehearsal in Melba, 10am Accounting lecture, 11am play in Concert Class, 12pm Australian Economic History lecture, 1.15pm Careers seminar, 2.15-3.45pm Experimental Economics class, 4.15-6.15pm Vocal Ensemble, 7.30pm Seminar at Trinity, 8.45pm collapse at home ready to fall into bed....
Have had a few things due at uni too; did quite well in my first two commerce assignments - Accounting (thanks to my tutor for guiding me!) and Australian Ec. History (Argument maping with cool software....anyway, the piont of this was to say that I didn't think I did a great job of it, mine was only A4 fairly small type, and I didn't think that I'd covered the points that well, but still did really well even though I was really worried when I saw other people's A3 tiny type).
Practically threw Mozart Miscellany together to a fairly high degree of success. It was a bit disconcerting that the repertoire was mostly very comfortable - not sure if I've ever experienced something like that before! ACU were very welcoming, some familiar faces in the crowd (thanks guys!) and the sextet were of course, amazing :) Love your work!
Played for Hephzibah Menuhin prelims. Had a little break in the middle, so went to a very nice cafe to have a HoCho date where we sat under the stairs. 'Twas beautiful :) Found out 'we' got into the instrument finals - was informed with this message: "We're in". I love how little we sometimes need to say, we're just on this different wavelength. I suppose that happens when you've known someone for a while and worked intensely with them, it's good. I like those partnerships.
Which segueways really well into this next point.....
I really like workshopping things and developing a relationship with people when I play with them - for me it's quite personal. I know they say it works better when you click musically, but I also am a big fan of clicking personally. Which is why I've found myself through the course of this year caring much for my trio and quintet (and also sextet!) and those people - they're the ones I see myself as aligned to. And that's not really the case at the Academy - they put things together on an ad hoc basis and pull people together as required. And there isn't really structure to how it operates. And even though my stuff and times change all the time, having some sort of structure with definites is my thing. And I'm not ready to undertake their super-rigorous programme just yet. Maybe next year, dunno. Not sure. So I officially withdrew my application.
But I'm thankful that my long-held belief that boys don't talk was shattered when I had alluded to one friend in a text message that I wasn't so sure about my audition, talked to another friend about it briefly and then the first friend called me that evening after talking to friend 2. I'm pretty chuffed to discover that they do indeed talk. And I was really thankful that friend 1 called (and that friend 2 also was concerned).
Anyway, so I actually decided, and thought it'd be important to let friend 1 and 2 know, along with some others. And I felt really relieved when I rang them up. The lady who I talked to was very kind - the conversation went a bit like this:
Me: "I'd like to talk to somebody about my audition"
Lady: "Yes, I can do that, when is your audition scheduled for?"
Me: "Tomorrow, 3.40pm. I'd actually like to officially withdraw my application."
Lady: "You don't want to reschedule? We can find a different day for you if you'd like"
Me: "Thank you, but I'm sure I would like to not audition at all as I don't think it'll be necessary.." (etc. other stuff)
Yes! She was so nice that she wanted to double-check that I didn't want a rescheduled time. She was quite comforting too, and it made me feel like I wasn't putting them at great inconvenience, which is something I don't particularly like doing either.
So, a serious load lifted after I hung up. And of course, I managed to land myself another four gigs after withdrawing for the next week and a half. Hah. What would my life be if it wasn't like this? :P A couple of them VERY short notice, but I did ok, I think.
But the recent tumblings and turnings especially of the last two and a bit weeks have made me realise how fortunate and blessed I am to have these amazing friends. Those that I know continue to support me even though I suddenly become absent and snowed under, those that will pray when I ask them, those that will check in with me to see if it's all going ok, those that call or text or email and put a smile on my face, those that would disagree with my decisions but still support me, those that give up their time to help me out, those that let me be silly and crazy and help me just relax and smile even if for a little while. Thank you, you guys are amazing.
I think I've cried more in the past three weeks than in the past while I can remember - perhaps....previous three months?! It has been a tough August, rolling into September. But I think (hope?!) I'm on the upswing - it can only get better!
And remember, we just gotta keep on truckin' and keep smiling....
Music Ball: Cool big band (yes, that's right, live music!), a night to party with some awesome friends (unfortunately not all of them came, but that's ok), a swanky venue, many people dressed to the 20s theme, crazy dancing, fun photos, hat-stealing, nice bathrooms, chips and salad with our main, delicious dessert, a hilarious piggy-back race along the pier, standing around trying to figure out what to do after the ball (we stood around for about half an hour hah), maxi-taxi-ing.
Dinner with friends: sometimes at short notice. Been very impressed that they've happened, as I usually am one of thsoe people who doesn't do short notice that well. One was some beautiful pumpkin soup. The other was a drive to Burwood for some long-overdue catching up. And another was brought round to do some communal cooking. 'Tis been good.
Lunch (yum-cha): after quintet rehearsal. Three out of the five of us (I think!) had never eaten it before, so it was all a bit of fun. And tasty it was!
Concerts: Melb Uni Orchestra. Interesting - I hear lots about the happenings of orchestra through these string/woodwind/brass friends of mine...times like this that I wish I played one of those! Oh well...had a small though dedicated contingent to come hear the very Romantic programme (Mussourgsky, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky). Also had MYO concert - more Rachmaninoff (Symphonic Dances) which has a cool piano part in the first movement. Fun concert, really good concert. Ravel 'La Valse' and Shostakovich 2nd piano concerto also on the menu. If you haven't heard the 2nd movt of the Shosta before, DO IT. Most beautiful thing I've heard in a long time!
Trio-ing & Quintet-ing: Plugging away at both. I think I go through phases where one seems to be going better then the other one. But I love them both very much - I couldn't bear to pick between them if I had to! This semester is very different repertoire to each other (unlike Mozart wash in E Flat Major like last!) - there is Beethoven Quintetting (similar to Mozart, but different too) and Trio-ing with Kurtag and Smit. Both 20th-century. Both quite different to Mozart!
We played some Beethoven in a couple of classes already - felt a little bit unprepared personally but it's getting there. Just need to sit down and do it, and not rely on how awesome the individual players are! Aired Kurtag yesterday in class - it's quite interesting, very Webern-like in some ways, very dramatic elsewhere. But it went down really well yay! Smit *should* be fairly straightforward to put together - there are some seriously sexy harmonies in that!
Have had super-long days of uni, especially Thursdays. Some longer than others. Including one fine example: 8am at uni to practice, 9.30am rehearsal in Melba, 10am Accounting lecture, 11am play in Concert Class, 12pm Australian Economic History lecture, 1.15pm Careers seminar, 2.15-3.45pm Experimental Economics class, 4.15-6.15pm Vocal Ensemble, 7.30pm Seminar at Trinity, 8.45pm collapse at home ready to fall into bed....
Have had a few things due at uni too; did quite well in my first two commerce assignments - Accounting (thanks to my tutor for guiding me!) and Australian Ec. History (Argument maping with cool software....anyway, the piont of this was to say that I didn't think I did a great job of it, mine was only A4 fairly small type, and I didn't think that I'd covered the points that well, but still did really well even though I was really worried when I saw other people's A3 tiny type).
Practically threw Mozart Miscellany together to a fairly high degree of success. It was a bit disconcerting that the repertoire was mostly very comfortable - not sure if I've ever experienced something like that before! ACU were very welcoming, some familiar faces in the crowd (thanks guys!) and the sextet were of course, amazing :) Love your work!
Played for Hephzibah Menuhin prelims. Had a little break in the middle, so went to a very nice cafe to have a HoCho date where we sat under the stairs. 'Twas beautiful :) Found out 'we' got into the instrument finals - was informed with this message: "We're in". I love how little we sometimes need to say, we're just on this different wavelength. I suppose that happens when you've known someone for a while and worked intensely with them, it's good. I like those partnerships.
Which segueways really well into this next point.....
I really like workshopping things and developing a relationship with people when I play with them - for me it's quite personal. I know they say it works better when you click musically, but I also am a big fan of clicking personally. Which is why I've found myself through the course of this year caring much for my trio and quintet (and also sextet!) and those people - they're the ones I see myself as aligned to. And that's not really the case at the Academy - they put things together on an ad hoc basis and pull people together as required. And there isn't really structure to how it operates. And even though my stuff and times change all the time, having some sort of structure with definites is my thing. And I'm not ready to undertake their super-rigorous programme just yet. Maybe next year, dunno. Not sure. So I officially withdrew my application.
But I'm thankful that my long-held belief that boys don't talk was shattered when I had alluded to one friend in a text message that I wasn't so sure about my audition, talked to another friend about it briefly and then the first friend called me that evening after talking to friend 2. I'm pretty chuffed to discover that they do indeed talk. And I was really thankful that friend 1 called (and that friend 2 also was concerned).
Anyway, so I actually decided, and thought it'd be important to let friend 1 and 2 know, along with some others. And I felt really relieved when I rang them up. The lady who I talked to was very kind - the conversation went a bit like this:
Me: "I'd like to talk to somebody about my audition"
Lady: "Yes, I can do that, when is your audition scheduled for?"
Me: "Tomorrow, 3.40pm. I'd actually like to officially withdraw my application."
Lady: "You don't want to reschedule? We can find a different day for you if you'd like"
Me: "Thank you, but I'm sure I would like to not audition at all as I don't think it'll be necessary.." (etc. other stuff)
Yes! She was so nice that she wanted to double-check that I didn't want a rescheduled time. She was quite comforting too, and it made me feel like I wasn't putting them at great inconvenience, which is something I don't particularly like doing either.
So, a serious load lifted after I hung up. And of course, I managed to land myself another four gigs after withdrawing for the next week and a half. Hah. What would my life be if it wasn't like this? :P A couple of them VERY short notice, but I did ok, I think.
But the recent tumblings and turnings especially of the last two and a bit weeks have made me realise how fortunate and blessed I am to have these amazing friends. Those that I know continue to support me even though I suddenly become absent and snowed under, those that will pray when I ask them, those that will check in with me to see if it's all going ok, those that call or text or email and put a smile on my face, those that would disagree with my decisions but still support me, those that give up their time to help me out, those that let me be silly and crazy and help me just relax and smile even if for a little while. Thank you, you guys are amazing.
I think I've cried more in the past three weeks than in the past while I can remember - perhaps....previous three months?! It has been a tough August, rolling into September. But I think (hope?!) I'm on the upswing - it can only get better!
And remember, we just gotta keep on truckin' and keep smiling....
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