Ah, orchestra! Youth orchestra has started again, and things have been going really well! There was a bit of confusion with the trumpet roster last week (as to who would actually be available for the concert), but that's been sorted out, and I'm temporarily sitting principal (I'm not currently listed as such on the roster for this upcoming year, so I assume this is my last show in that role).
Sectionals have been going alright. Brass is currently split into high and low in different rooms, so trumpets and horns are together. While I really like our coach, I kind of wish that we could all be in the same room, as everything sounds so sparse currently, and just... better, with the lower range to beef it up
But really, it's the actual orchestra rehearsals that are what does it for me. It's been a very bipolar summer for me, bouncing back and forth between feeling awesome, depressed, lonely, excited, anxious, overconfident, underconfident, and a myriad of other emotions. But once I get back into orchestra, it's like the music has a healing effect. Just being there makes me feel at peace.
We're doing a Hector Berlioz piece called Harold in Italy, which is kind of a glorified viola concerto. Apparently it's actually a symphony that just happens to have a solo violist throughout, but that might as well count in my eyes. Today we did the final movement, titled "The Brigand's Orgies." Leave it to Monsieur Berlioz to write all these orgy pieces... anyone remember Fantastique? Also, I was incredibly surprised to find out there is more than one piece by Berlioz. After listening to the first movement, I realized there is not more than one piece by Berlioz, just the same piece with the bars in a different order.
Our strings section is MASSIVE. The conductor was worried about us brass overpowering them, since a lot of them are new this year, but I honestly don't think we have to worry about that, since there's just so many of them. Perhaps that's why we sound so good after only two days, sheer numbers. That, and I'm sure we're all really dedicated. I know this is my last (even if only second) year with the ensemble, and I want to make it as awesome as physically possible. I just hope everyone else feels the same.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Music Moments of Awesome #1
As an introductory note, I'm going to start making up names for people I refer to frequently, so I don't have to keep saying "a friend who plays _____" all the time. All of these names have a reason that makes sense to me, and that the person may or may not get (if you can figure out yourself, good job, PM or FB me the names and we'll see who gets the most right).
Welcome, one and all (if there IS a difference), to Music Moments of Awesome, a random mini-series I came up with to catalogue random little moments in my life that would sound totally lame if I told you directly, but are going to sound deep and profound because it's text on a blog on the internet, and especially so because it's white text on a black background, which is 56% more profound than the next most profound colour scheme.
So, the coolest experience I've had in music, to date. That sounds like an excellent way to start off, give away the good one so that everything after this can't live up! Brilliant idea. Anyways, last October, I had the honour of playing in a combo with a clarinetist from New York. He was completely amazing at the instrument, and both looked and played like a snake charmer. Probably the sexiest clarinet tone that I know (amirite, Sol?). Anyways, the concert, which was about 45-50 minutes of improvised, minimalist, multicultural (even within itself) music, was a huge success, and I couldn't be happier to have been a part. But that's actually not the moment I'm thinking of.
The moment happened in the green room, before one of the shows (I think it was the first one, can't remember). There was eight of us from the youth orchestra (nine if we include the conductor) in the ensemble, and we were warming up. Then, someone started playing Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5. Yeah, you know the one.
And then... we all started playing it. Ramona, Minevra, and I took the tune along with the violins, either having it already or having figured it out earlier, while Lucca played the offbeats, JC took the bass line, and Rite conducted, with our conductor eventually taking her arms and conducting through her. It was like something out of those lame high school arts show for kids, where the entire cast just bursts into the same song, and they all know how it goes. Except... IT HAPPENED. It really happened. That's the only time it's ever worked out as well as on TV for me (one person on guitar and everyone else singing totally doesn't count, as it's nowhere NEAR the same magnitude). It's a moment that, though some of the other people may not have thought much of it, I'll never forget. Because the impossible... just went down.
AWESOME.
(Also, this)
Welcome, one and all (if there IS a difference), to Music Moments of Awesome, a random mini-series I came up with to catalogue random little moments in my life that would sound totally lame if I told you directly, but are going to sound deep and profound because it's text on a blog on the internet, and especially so because it's white text on a black background, which is 56% more profound than the next most profound colour scheme.
So, the coolest experience I've had in music, to date. That sounds like an excellent way to start off, give away the good one so that everything after this can't live up! Brilliant idea. Anyways, last October, I had the honour of playing in a combo with a clarinetist from New York. He was completely amazing at the instrument, and both looked and played like a snake charmer. Probably the sexiest clarinet tone that I know (amirite, Sol?). Anyways, the concert, which was about 45-50 minutes of improvised, minimalist, multicultural (even within itself) music, was a huge success, and I couldn't be happier to have been a part. But that's actually not the moment I'm thinking of.
The moment happened in the green room, before one of the shows (I think it was the first one, can't remember). There was eight of us from the youth orchestra (nine if we include the conductor) in the ensemble, and we were warming up. Then, someone started playing Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5. Yeah, you know the one.
And then... we all started playing it. Ramona, Minevra, and I took the tune along with the violins, either having it already or having figured it out earlier, while Lucca played the offbeats, JC took the bass line, and Rite conducted, with our conductor eventually taking her arms and conducting through her. It was like something out of those lame high school arts show for kids, where the entire cast just bursts into the same song, and they all know how it goes. Except... IT HAPPENED. It really happened. That's the only time it's ever worked out as well as on TV for me (one person on guitar and everyone else singing totally doesn't count, as it's nowhere NEAR the same magnitude). It's a moment that, though some of the other people may not have thought much of it, I'll never forget. Because the impossible... just went down.
AWESOME.
(Also, this)
Monday, August 08, 2011
Gotta get down in August, everybody's looking forward to September!
Hello fellow interneters! So, the only thing left for me to do this summer is youth orchestra camp, and that will run almost immediately into September. Only two more weeks of work left before that. It's finally that time of year, the time younger children dread, and us post-secondary students strangely long for.
As I have done for the past two years, I'm planning to have a student recital in March sometime, this one being my last before I leave the city. I don't have a name picked out yet, but I've been referring to it under the tentative codename of "Like a Brass." Reasoning for that should be obvious... >.>
Like the last one, this one will be a split recital with a friend of mine, a trombonist this time around (the last one being a clarinetist). Both of those folks have shot miles up my list of top friends over the past year or so, and I'm totally thrilled to know you both, since I'm pretty sure at least one of you reads this.
The theme of the recital, nay, the entire YEAR (not sure if Ye Olde English, or Legend of Zelda reference), is chamber music. Of course, the two of us will be doing a duet in the concert, a piece written by a former composition professor at our school, who was active during the 1980s, and was written for my trumpet professor, and another trombonist, both of whom were principal chairs in the orchestra at the time. It's a great piece, kind of weird, but I like it. It's not entirely tonal, but right in the middle, has a nice one of these:
(Not that actual song, just the same progression as it for about a page, and it's the first one that popped into my head XD). I've also got word from one of my piano major friends that we're definitely doing a sonata, the question now is just which one, but I'm kind of feeling Hindemith. Except I just remembered (like, JUST, as in while typing this) that we'll probably also be hearing the Hindemith trombone sonata, so perhaps not... I'm really itching to play Kennan again, maybe I'll dust that one off.
We've also got the Poulenc trio on the list, with a rather talented horn player at our school. I was talking to a soprano I know on Saturday, and I might consider adding Handel or Scarlatti or something. I have a friend majoring in composition, who's in the middle of writing a piece for trumpet and electronics (more on that when I get more information). AND, I might have mentioned back in June or July, my professor will actually be making an appearance, we're going to play the Manfredini! Obviously I can't have ALL of these at the recital, and I'll have to pick and choose carefully (both the soprano and composer are graduating, so I might respectfully have to ask that we just do those at their respective recitals). But, yeah, I'm really looking forward to this year.
As I have done for the past two years, I'm planning to have a student recital in March sometime, this one being my last before I leave the city. I don't have a name picked out yet, but I've been referring to it under the tentative codename of "Like a Brass." Reasoning for that should be obvious... >.>
Like the last one, this one will be a split recital with a friend of mine, a trombonist this time around (the last one being a clarinetist). Both of those folks have shot miles up my list of top friends over the past year or so, and I'm totally thrilled to know you both, since I'm pretty sure at least one of you reads this.
The theme of the recital, nay, the entire YEAR (not sure if Ye Olde English, or Legend of Zelda reference), is chamber music. Of course, the two of us will be doing a duet in the concert, a piece written by a former composition professor at our school, who was active during the 1980s, and was written for my trumpet professor, and another trombonist, both of whom were principal chairs in the orchestra at the time. It's a great piece, kind of weird, but I like it. It's not entirely tonal, but right in the middle, has a nice one of these:
(Not that actual song, just the same progression as it for about a page, and it's the first one that popped into my head XD). I've also got word from one of my piano major friends that we're definitely doing a sonata, the question now is just which one, but I'm kind of feeling Hindemith. Except I just remembered (like, JUST, as in while typing this) that we'll probably also be hearing the Hindemith trombone sonata, so perhaps not... I'm really itching to play Kennan again, maybe I'll dust that one off.
We've also got the Poulenc trio on the list, with a rather talented horn player at our school. I was talking to a soprano I know on Saturday, and I might consider adding Handel or Scarlatti or something. I have a friend majoring in composition, who's in the middle of writing a piece for trumpet and electronics (more on that when I get more information). AND, I might have mentioned back in June or July, my professor will actually be making an appearance, we're going to play the Manfredini! Obviously I can't have ALL of these at the recital, and I'll have to pick and choose carefully (both the soprano and composer are graduating, so I might respectfully have to ask that we just do those at their respective recitals). But, yeah, I'm really looking forward to this year.
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Dedication
Hey, you. You know who you are. Or, you might not. Or, you might not read this. We'll see. Well, we've known each other for quite a while. When I reference you to people who don't know you, I often just call you "my best friend," for simplicity's sake. Of the people I've met post-high school, that statement holds. We've both had some stunning victories we've celebrated with each other over, and some nasty defeats we've helped each other get through. I took notice in you as soon as I heard your name the first time, and I'm glad we became the friend we did. Admittedly, there were many times I wish I could have had my chance with you, but I think I'm finally over that now. I think. I just wanted to thank you for being the amazing person that you are. And you're not allowed to forget that I'm always around the corner, whenever you need, or whenever you just want to talk. So, thanks. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)