Looking back...

... it was a good year.

2006 brought:

The magnificent experience of being part of an orchestra

Healthy lifestyle changes through daily walking, menu modifications, etc. …hopefully contributing to many more years to spend practicing

A spacious dining room thanks to Hammacher Schlemmer's folding console table …creating more room for practice

A serendipitous linen cabinet ... surprisingly discovered at Capitol Lighting while picking up a back-ordered, delayed, very late-arriving, and almost-cancelled victorian lamp (worth mentioning although no cello connection)

The start of this cello blog and the introduction to the wonderful world of blogging cellists, a never ending source of valuable information, inspiration, encouragement and entertainment

Concert Details

Christmas prep is on hold for a few minutes now while I take a break to finally document some memorable moments from Sunday's concert:
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Feeling proud to be playing The Star Spangled Banner for our opening piece, while my husband (a Vietnam Veteran) stood, along with the rest of the audience

Feeling like I was part of a big social gathering and realizing that I didn't feel nervous anymore because I had the support of a large group on stage

Delighting in the standing ovations following the exiting climactic endings of Anderson's Christmas Festival and The Sound of Music Medley

Enjoying the playful atmosphere of "The Grinch" and blending with the sounds of the bassoon and the bass clarinet

Making it through those pieces where we all had counting difficulties ... Patapan and Overture on Jewish Themes

Hearing Conductor S. whispering out the rehearsal letters, "H" ... "I" ... "J", when all 3 cellos got lost for a few measures ... then catching it at "K" and smiling to myself

Finally getting through Brazilian Sleigh Bells without getting lost

Glancing over at Concertmaster M.'s kind smile and violin tie

Breathing a sigh of relief when we got near the end of the concert to Pachelbel's Canon, which I could play easily and entirely in first position

Savoring the happy atmosphere and lightening-speed tempo of the Radetzky March, our final piece

Bouncing off the walls with glee after the concert in the classroom behind the stage, knowing I'd done my best to help make the event a success
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... and now I can copy all of the above into my poor neglected handwritten cello journal, which hasn't gotten an update since September.

Glorious Holiday Concert!

That's me on the right, on Sunday afternoon just before the holiday concert ... not looking at the camera, but directing my enthusiasm with a huge grin to my family in the audience. All traces of anxiety melted away as I became part of that glorious orchestra sharing music with an enthusiastic audience. It was a first for me ... performing with an orchestra in front of an audience ... a wonderful, exciting, uplifting and totally unique experience ... a feeling that I will never be able to describe. But now that I've experienced it, I know that I want to do it again and again.

What is it about Friday night?

... a week of work is over. Once Saturday morning starts, the clock is ticking on the weekend __ it will soon be over, and Monday looms. Friday night is like an extra gift. A free space. A stolen interlude.
... Bruce Brooks, Midnight Hour Encores

And I'm spending my stolen interlude with a metronome. Counting in cut time. What is it about cut time? Last night at orchestra rehearsal most of the other players were having difficulties with it too. (glad I'm not the only one)

Interesting ... it's not so much the notes but the rhythm that I really need to work on for the upcoming concert. So, in addition to counting at practice, I've been counting at breakfast, counting at tea breaks, and counting as I fall asleep. There's nothing like an approaching performance date to get a person motivated to practice.

Metronome calls. Break over.