cellodreams

2010

2010-01-02T21:29:00.002-05:00

I want to say "Twenty-ten," but I keep saying "Two thousand ten."

Anyway ... it will be a good year for the cello. (and maybe even the Mets!)

Happy New Year!

Art Lessons

2008-11-30T17:18:00.003-05:00

Flashback to a 1967 college class, Art of the Renaissance, with Dr. L., a slightly geeky but well-liked professor who much to everyone's amusement sometimes chose to sport a toupee, and sometimes not. I’d signed up for his class to satisfy a humanities requirement. It seemed like an easy A with no term papers or big projects. However, at the first session I discovered that each class would consist of viewing about a dozen art slides which we’d later be required to identify on midterm and final exams.

I wondered how in the world I’d ever be able to remember upward of 100 slides of Renaissance art which would be shown during the semester. Maybe it wasn’t going to be such an easy A. When the students balked at the requirements, the professor stood his ground but proceeded to advise us about how to accomplish the seemingly daunting task. He suggested that we make a quick thumbnail sketch of each slide as it was being shown, noting its title, artist, brief description and a few unique phrases to recall the class discussion. He also highly recommended studying the group of slides as soon as possible after each class. Feeling a bit overwhelmed and not knowing how else to proceed I tried his suggestion. It worked! I was able to remember each and every slide in great detail … even from my very poorly drawn “thumbnails.”

I’m not saying that this was the best way for a professor to educate a class in Renaissance art, but I feel that I learned some valuable lessons concerning memory – how just a little bit of studying at a time adds up, and that sometimes we are capable of a lot more than we think. I try to remember this lesson whenever I feel overwhelmed by the amount of music assigned for orchestra and cello lessons.

While mulling over this analogy it also occurred to me that it would be valuable if this idea of the “thumbnail sketch” had some application to learning music. As I thought about it for a while the term “music mapping” came to mind. I knew I’d heard that term somewhere. I searched, and sure enough recalled the book titled Mapping Music by Rebecca Shockley. The method is outlined clearly in Stephanie Judy’s book Music for the Joy of It. Although I probably wouldn’t follow the method religiously, it certainly does point out how a quick overview of the “large picture” is valuable in discovering the essence of a piece of music, much the same way as the thumbnail sketch did in art class.

Ice Skating Lessons

2008-10-24T17:26:00.003-04:00

A pair of hand-me-down figure skates with home made pom-poms was the incentive for my father to take me ice skating at Hudson County Park for the very first time when I was 6 years old. As he held my hand to steady me on the ice I observed the crowd of experienced skaters easily gliding along singly and in pairs. As we slowly made our way from the shore to what seemed to be the middle of the lake, my father suddenly let go of my hand, much to my surprise, and sent me gliding off on my own … gliding….. gliding………. alone.................... all alone ………..……… to success! ............................... I delighted in the thrilling astonishment that I was actually balancing and skating in a straight line all by myself. The event is one of my favorite moments to recall – one of the highlights of my childhood.

The experience bears a slight parallel to my current orchestra efforts and how delighted I am to know that I’m developing increasing skills. As with skating, I guess I’ve discovered that the best way to learn is to be smack dab in the middle of it and just do it.

Yes, the Pops is back in the swing of things this fall, after a long summer break. The repertoire for our December holiday concert is an interesting and eclectic collection, but all seemingly within my reach.

… on to practicing.

LAKE GEORGE!

2008-09-12T15:07:00.013-04:00

Dome Island
Fishing

Kayaking

Kayaking vs the Minne Ha Ha

Hubby Kayaking

Sailboats at the Sagamore

Bobbing

Relaxing at the Dell

Celebrating 40th anniversary

Down the shore without a cello

2008-08-03T14:24:00.009-04:00

Yes, I was down the shore without a cello … not quite as bad as being up the creek without a paddle. I hated to leave my cello at home, but I didn’t want to risk bringing it down the shore for fear of getting sand in the f-hole. Beach sand sticks to everything.

(By the way, “down the shore” = “at the beach” in Jersey jargon)

I used to like the beach a lot when I was little, but the older I get, the less I like it.

Do I look like I’m having fun?

The sandcastle construction crew on the job

Me (looking a little more normal than above) with Hubby’s two sisters and children
Hubby and niece in the waves
Hubby and nephew splashing
OK … I have to admit, there are some fun things at the Jersey shore besides the predictable sandcastles, waves, seashells, sand-dunes, and tide-pools. Being down the shore provides the perfect opportunity to experience a carnival atmosphere, observe the tattooed masses, view bizarre body piercings, and sample some of the best taste treats the world has to offer.

That’s all part of the BOARDWALK EXPERIENCE - a tacky hoot that defies description. Of particular note: Maruca’s Tomato Pies, Midway’s grilled sausage and pepper sandwiches, Kohr’s orangeade and frozen custard, Midway’s freshly made lemonade, Freeman’s Carousel, Berkley Sweet Shop’s saltwater taffy, bumper cars with blasting music, Skeeball, tacky prizes, air hockey, and Zoltar (the wish-booth made famous in the movie “Big”).

It’s a Jersey thing. Anybody that’s been there, done that knows what I mean.

But anyway, after 5 days away, I’m happier than ever to be home with my cello again.

Caroline’s at orchestra

2008-07-09T15:15:00.002-04:00

It was comedy night at orchestra last night. Maybe it was the heat.

“Throw another log on the air conditioner,” quipped H. as he sipped from his cup of … ummm … hot tea?

No, the band room is not air conditioned; yes, it was sweltering in there. And yes, H. is very good at sarcasm.

Perhaps it was the humid sticky air that caused Maestro to launch into a candy-corn comedy spiel and some Jersey shore shtick. “You should take your act to Caroline’s,” blurted E. as she picked up her … ummm … knitting yarn?

All this taking place during a dress rehearsal, mind you. And yes, E. is very good at blurting.

“Don’t you think this is too much music?” interrupted Pops president Ms.B. “WHAT?!?” shouted Maestro shooting her a piercing glance. You’re the one who said we needed a longer program for this concert.”

Hmmmm … I’m going to miss not having orchestra rehearsals, but I suppose it really is time to take a break for summer vacation. We all need it. Besides, it will give Maestro a chance to polish up his comedy routine.

Concert under the stars (not)

2008-06-23T19:16:00.005-04:00

The threat of severe thunderstorms forced our “concert under the stars” last night to be held indoors instead of at a local town fair … so we sweated it out on a quaint, cramped elementary school stage

However …

It was an awesome pops concert. Between pieces, halfway into the concert, Maestro whispered “We’re HOT tonight” … but after reading my facial interpretation of yes, this auditorium feels like a sauna, then whispered “I mean the music and our playing is hot.” … Then he quickly quipped … “ok … let’s stop talking” … which then cracked me up. (probably one of those “ya gotta be there” situations.) Anyway, it was fun, and we had a blast. The playlist was fantastic, and we had a good number of people in the audience considering the last minute change in venue. It also turned out to be a very enthusiastic audience … probably because of the well chosen repertoire:

The Star Spangled Banner
Colonel Bogey March - theme from the movie the Bridge on the River Kwai
Gay Nineties Medley - including Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey and Ta Ra Ra Boom De Yay

Showboat - with the cellos carrying the melody on Old Man River
Moonlight Serenade
Mancini Magic

Hungarian Dance #5 - many cool tempo changes
Classic Impressions - which we played in our recent spring concert, including Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet and Borodin’s Prince Igor
Star Dust

Strangers in the Night - with 3 nifty key changes and lots of melody for the cellos
Chicago
West Side Story

Stars and Stripes Forever - at breakneck speed, Maestro’s favorite tempo

We’ll be playing one more summer concert, and then we’ll break until Sept. I’ll miss our rehearsals, but the break will give me the opportunity to focus entirely on pieces and studies for my lesson.

Also of note: Due to a recent post on Cellomania, I double and triple-checked to make sure I’d velcroed my cello securely into its case before and after the concert.

Happy Fathers Day, Joe

2008-06-14T14:45:00.003-04:00

Donna and Daddy circa 1947
Miss you!

Apprehension’s aftermath

2008-06-07T16:32:00.003-04:00

In the busy month of May I was focusing most of my practice opportunities on lesson material rather than orchestra repertoire, so at rehearsal when I was the lone cellist (for the second week in a row) I accepted my lack of preparation and decided that I would just relax and do my best. It worked. I played well … but now I have some questions.

Maestro chose pieces I was able to follow easily. I counted carefully. Watched him more carefully than usual. Checked key signatures, tempos, meter, repeats and was acutely aware of any changes that came along. Luckily he began with pieces that we’d rehearsed before; then he chose some where the cello was not too exposed.

Hmmmm … Showboat. Never looked at that one. No problem. I’ll just be really really careful. Oh neat … I recognize these tunes.

Maestro was easy to follow. Listening to the violins helped me with intonation. I recognized that I had a familiar I-vi-ii-V bass accompaniment to “Can’t Help Lovin That Man” … I even hummed the melody in my head as I played the bass part.

Three pages finished … good … heading to the last page OK … great … Old Man River … melody. It’s always a treat when the cellos get some melody. But WAIT… I’m the ONLY cello! However, by the time I realized the fact that I was the only one playing melody I was finished with my “solo.” And I’d done it just fine – very easily with no pressure or tension.

Then we played it again. That time I knew the solo was coming. The ill-effects of apprehension began to creep into my head and my hand. Stress, tension, self-doubt. Although I played it fine it was so much harder the second time around because of the anxiety.

Why couldn’t it be just as easy to play as the first time through? What is this stressful phenomenon, what causes it, and how can I learn to avoid it?

Mothers and Daughters

2008-05-10T19:54:00.007-04:00

Little Donna and Ada Potato circa 1949

Little Laura and Mommy Donna circa 1981

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

Concert Fire Alarm

2008-04-21T19:44:00.002-04:00

No, the fire alarm did not go off during our concert. Nothing was on fire … except for Maestro. He was conducting like wildfire. Perhaps he was inspired by the fact that we were honoring the local volunteer fire department at our spring concert this past Friday night.

Very fittingly our repertoire included several fiery pieces appropriately titled: The Midnight Fire Alarm , a very lively, fun piece that I hope we play again at our June and July concerts, Chariots of Fire, Berceuse and Finale from Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, and the William Tell Overture. The accelerandos and roaring tempos were tempered with some calmer melodic standards – Star Dust and Dancing in the Dark, also a tasteful (though slightly schmaltzy) arrangement of familiar melodies titled Classic Impressions (arr. C. Paul Herfurth), an Andrew Lloyd Webber medley titled Symphonic Reflections, and the very majestic Procession of the Nobles by Rimsky-Korsakov.

Aside from the fact that all 3 cellos got lost somewhere during the seemingly endless 26 measures of tied D’s in the Berceuse, it was a very successful concert. Other members of the orchestra agreed that it was an excellent selection of music. Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun with it.

Woodshedding

2008-04-12T08:04:00.003-04:00

There’s no blogging in the woodshed.

As in:
“There’s no basement in the Alamo.” (Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure)
“There’s no crying in baseball.” (A League of Their Own)

THERE’S NO BLOGGING IN THE WOODSHED!

Translation: Priority one = practice. (because the concert is next week)

Woodshed: intransitive verb
Definition: practice; especially to practice on a musical instrument
Form(s): woodshed·ded; woodshed·ding
Etymology: probably from the former use of woodsheds for private practicing

Source: Merriam Webster online Dictionary.

Blog therapy

2008-03-19T19:13:00.002-04:00

One of the things I don’t like about blogging is when I wake up in the middle of the night with blogging topics rattling around in my head. But one of the things I do like is that blogging helps me to sort out my feelings.

A heartfelt thank you to all who responded with insight and constructive opinions on my previous blog topic.

Lone cellist paranoia

2008-03-10T19:10:00.004-04:00

Because I was the only cellist at rehearsal this past Thursday night I made a very conscious effort to count and listen even more carefully than usual as we were playing. I felt relaxed and confident, and although there were times when I lost my place (as is usual for me, a novice yet at playing with an orchestra and following a conductor) I thought I handled the situation quite well, without feeling shattered or traumatized. In fact I even wrote “YAY!” and drew a smiley face in my day planner when I got home that night.

I was feeling quite good about it all … that is, until the following evening when I ran into an orchestra member who’d been present at that rehearsal. One of the first things she said to me was, “I heard you had a rough time last night.” My immediate reaction was confusion; I thought maybe she was talking about the traffic or something. Then I realized that she was referring to the fact that I was the only cellist at rehearsal. [She heard I had a rough time. Heard how? Was my playing that bad? Could she hear me getting lost? Was I that much off key that she could hear me, even though she was sitting 2 rows behind me? Did someone else hear me play off key and tell her about it? Was everybody talking about how badly I’d played?]

Without taking obvious offense or questioning her further, I did let her know in no uncertain terms, that I was indeed very satisfied with the rehearsal even though the other two cellists were not present, and that it most certainly was not a “rough” time.

However, later that evening more paranoia set in regarding the rehearsal:

Had Maestro asked to play my cello during the break that night because he wanted to amuse himself (he’s done this before; he’s also a cellist) or because he wanted to see what kind of tone my cello is really capable of?
When Maestro jangled his car keys in the air during “Washington Post March” and yelled out “KEY SIGNATURE!!” (because it had changed to Ab major) was he directing the pun at me?
Did Maestro’s technical suggestion to me (hold fingers closer to fingerboard during a fast repetitive passage) make others think I was having a “rough” night? (Actually, I rather enjoyed the personal attention and positive constructive advice that he gave to me.)

I’ve had several days to ponder all of the above, the outcome being that it’s only served to motivate me further to practice more. So maybe paranoia can be a good thing sometimes.

Tai Chi Cello

2008-03-05T20:14:00.002-05:00

While I was going through some of the motions at Tai Chi class last night I became aware of a connection between the continuity of the movements with certain aspects of bowing and shifting. The position and motion of the wrists in Tai Chi suggest how they move and function in cello playing. Tai Chi movements emphasize soft fluid motion and continuity, curving circular arcs, and a gradual relaxed shifting from one position to the next. Very helpful for both imagery and sensation for playing the cello.

Friday night goof

2008-03-01T15:10:00.002-05:00

Last night I really messed up and didn’t order the usual Friday night pizza early enough. So, tired of being on hold on the phone, I hung up and we went to a fast food eatery in the next town. … MISTAKE. (I used to eat that garbage?) I threw half of my burger in the trash, along with the matching fries.

But at least it reminded me of one of my brother-in-law’s funny jokes about the guy sitting between Hitler and Stalin in hell:

Hitler and Stalin: So what did you do to get in here?
Guy: I ate the pastrami-on-rye on Friday.

Leap info

2008-02-29T07:26:00.002-05:00

I know why leap year is in the calendar but was wondering what the "leap" part means. I found this explanation online.

Leap year (Middle English) - so called from its causing fixed festival days to "leap" ahead one day in the week.

From the Online Etymology Dictionary

Pulling in the laundry

2008-02-15T15:32:00.001-05:00

So last night at orchestra Maestro gave the directive for those of us with quarter notes in Rimsky-Korsakov's "Procession of the Nobles" to “pull” the notes rather than push the tempo. He likened it to pulling in the laundry on a clothesline. What? … Do you mean to tell me that 25-year-old Maestro knows what a pulley-style clothesline is? That alone was amusing, not to mention the comments coming from the violin section. (“Is that dirty laundry or clean laundry?” “I think it’s clean laundry.” “Did he say underwear?”)

Well, just another chapter in “Maestro’s Entertaining Analogies.”

Come to think of it, my 23-year-old niece has a pulley clothesline at her off-campus apartment. They’re definitely old-fashioned, but I guess they’re not obsolete. And they’re certainly very efficient.

Rehearsal woes

2008-02-02T14:08:00.003-05:00

As usual, I anxiously anticipated resuming rehearsals after our long winter break, but our first two orchestra rehearsals were disappointing.

The “powers that be” can’t seem to agree on a repertoire.
We haven’t gotten our music folders yet.
Maestro wants to sight read for the next few weeks to decide what we should play for our spring concert.
We have no money in our budget, so we all have to ante up.
And next week’s rehearsal is cancelled because the high school is having their musical.

Actually, I’m not really all that upset; I just hope everything will work out.

So ... last week we sight read Stravinsky’s Petrushka. There weren’t enough cello parts, so the following took place:
Maestro: [to me] Just play the string bass part an octave lower than written.
Me: [muttering to self] It doesn’t matter, I won’t be able to sight read it anyway.
Maestro: Yes you will.
Me: Oooops, did I say that out loud?

Another highlight:
Maestro: [In the midst of sight reading “Oklahoma”] Stop … STOPPP…. I got lost.

Someone pronounced “Oklahoma's,” antiquity and denounced “Judd is Dead.” The exact words escape me, but it was indeed laughable. There’s still much disagreement in the air regarding the fate of poor Judd and Oklahoma.

Other contenders: An Andrew Lloyd Webber Medley, A Muppet Medley, Selections from Aladdin, Chariots of Fire, The Midnight Fire Alarm March, and two generically-titled classical medleys.

Everything is on hold for another 2 weeks. But on a happier note, having no orchestra music to practice will now allow me to concentrate all my efforts on the Bach Minuet No. 1 from the Suite in G Major which I just started at my lesson this week.

… and so to Bach.

Jake the Missing

2008-01-20T19:54:00.001-05:00

Jake

Jake is missing, and I’m missing Jake. Actually he’s been missing for about 2 years. But now … Jake sightings!

Jake was never really my cat. He belonged to my neighbor and had free rein of the neighborhood. And reign he did! For about five years he charmed everyone on the block with his regal manner and clever antics. He knew how to connive a meal from every resident on the street. He even finagled free medical care from the veterinarian’s office around the corner, cunningly making his way onto the porch so the vet’s wife would notice him. Eventually he stealthily made his way into my house so he could curl up in a cozy corner of the basement on chilly winter nights. Somehow I allowed this to happen even though I’d had some serious cat-induced allergy problems in the past. Jake was special.

… I should say, Jake is special. I think I may have found Jake. Over the past several months on our daily morning walks we’ve seen a very Jake-like cat ... just a quarter mile from here as the crow flies. Not far at all for Jake. He knows his way around.

Jake had it good here in this neighborhood, but I know why he left. My neighbor had a dog and several other cats besides Jake. So Jake migrated here. My daughter doted on him, and he thrived. But the other cats began to multiply and also migrated to this side of the street. And my daughter doted. And they all thrived. But Jake was visibly upset. Orange cats had invaded his territory. Then one day he was just gone. Neighbors wondered and worried, and one afternoon even the vet’s wife knocked on my door to ask if I’d seen him.

So now, two years later I think I’ve located him. Why do I think this cat is Jake:

He responds to music being whistled, especially Bach's Minuet in G(the same way Jake always did)
He walked up close to me a few times with his tail in the air when I whistled.
He has a tiny little bib of white fur like Jake.
He did the “flop-over” when I talked to him.
It would be just like Jake to find a better neighborhood!

Jake the Patriot

With my daughter

Sharing some space with an orange cat

You're so Jake, you prob'ly think this blog is about you ...

Bittersweet Sixteen

2008-01-13T17:25:00.000-05:00

Well, there it was – a letter addressed “To the Parents of Donna _____.” My parents. It arrived a few weeks before Christmas. No, not the Christmas of 1962 when I was 16; I mean just this past Christmas.

With a bittersweet smile I fancied delivering the letter, wistfully wishing that I could travel back in time. Then nostalgically I recalled receiving letters like that from the local elementary school when my own kids were little.

But the whimsical musing quickly faded as I began to worry that this was the result of some sort of identity problem or breach of privacy. … a hoax? … a scam? The organization name on the return address did not look familiar.

A brief glance at the content of the letter seemed to prove that it was official … an invitation to travel and study abroad this summer and be a Student Ambassador with People to People International . My imagination took over as I envisioned myself meeting HannaH in Singapore or Saskia in Germany. What fun! … (Visions of traveling. Visiting amazing new places. Eating exotic foods.) OK … back to reality. “Thinking cap” time.

Obviously the folks who sent the letter thought I was 16 years old. I knew there was a reason for that, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Was it because I have a blog? … Lots of teens have blogs … but Blogspot doesn’t really identify me. Then I started to think in terms of being a student. Yes, they somehow thought I was a student. But why? Well, I’m a cello student, right? OK … the thought process continued … What do I do as a cello student that would cause them think I’m 16 … and at the same time reveal my identity and post office address? AHA ... I subscribe to Teen Strings.

For now I’m assuming that’s the explanation. Let’s see if I get any college brochures in the mail this spring. Hmmm … perhaps an offer from a music conservatory?

Best diet tip ever

2008-01-06T15:30:00.000-05:00

Take twice as long to eat half as much.

Why I didn't practice for 2 weeks

2008-01-02T19:45:00.001-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Think acorns!

2007-12-23T18:49:00.000-05:00

This blog topic/photo op was inspired while I was practicing shifts on the cello a few weeks ago. As I was psyching myself with phrases like “imagine the sound,” “visualize the fingerboard,” “feel the destination,” “think the spot,” “just be there,” it occurred to me that this was very much like a strategy I use when baking one of my family’s favorite Christmas cookies – the Chocolate-Crowned Acorns.

These cookies were first introduced into our home around 1985 after my son made a cookie-tin exchange with a friend; they’ve been a holiday favorite ever since. I’ve learned a lot over the years by baking these cookies. For instance, to stir the dough with a delicate folding motion to avoid getting a sore arm, to chill the dough a bit less than the original recipe recommends, and to add just a tiny amount of green food coloring to the dough since a little goes a long way. I’ve also learned that these cookies always end up looking and tasting good, no matter how un-acorn-like some of them may look when I place them in the oven. But one of the most interesting things I’ve learned is that if I want these cookies to look like acorns, I need to “think acorns” as I’m shaping the little spoonfuls of dough between my hands. If I tense up and try too hard it just doesn’t happen, but if I just relax and “zone out” a bit, the acorn takes shape. I find that shifting works pretty much the same way for me.

Thinking "acorn" as I roll the dough between my palms

Acorns ready to go into the oven

Dipping a baked acorn into melted chocolate

The finished product

Literally uninspired memo

2007-12-19T20:15:00.000-05:00

As blog topics dance around in my head, I wrap, decorate, bake, practice, perform, and party – all while lamenting the fact that I haven’t written anything down, but still being too preoccupied to do anything about it. Lest I forget everything, I’m writing this memo with the hope that I will get to each topic accordingly.

Of note:

Cookie-baking-cello-technique
Rosin at the day spa
The letter addressed to my parents
Peg potions
Holiday concert without a dress rehearsal
Orchestra holiday party
Maestro conducting the audience

The Da Vinci Coda

2007-11-26T18:52:00.000-05:00

My favorite Leonardo (as opposed to that other Leonardo) was in the news about 2 weeks ago, but I've just gotten around to posting about it now.

An Italian musician/computer technician, Giovanni Maria Pala, has discovered what may possibly be a hidden musical composition in Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Last Supper.” He determined that by drawing the five lines of a musical staff across the painting, the loaves of bread on the table as well as the hands of Jesus and the Apostles could each represent a musical note.

Alessandro Vezzosi, a Da Vinci expert and director of a museum dedicated to the artist in his hometown of Vinci, states that the musician's hypothesis "is plausible," noting that Da Vinci was also a musician who played the lyre, designed various instruments, and included some musical riddles in his writings. Read more.

BTW, I thought I was being clever by giving this post the title “Da Vinci Coda” but then I Googled the phrase and found that ABC News had already used it. Guess I’m not all that original and clever. Oh well.

The Chocolate Shop

2007-11-11T20:28:00.000-05:00

I wasn’t in a very good mood. The day was dreary and rainy. It took forever to find a parking space in town. I waited impatiently on a long boring line to return curtains at a local retail store while sappy muzak offended my ears. Then it was time to walk 3 more blocks in the dank chilly atmosphere to complete the next errand.

The storefront seemed empty, but an intense aroma of chocolate immediately welcomed us as we entered. But we weren’t there to buy candy on Friday afternoon; we were there to purchase tickets to a local symphony performance scheduled for next weekend. The last time we attended a performance we bought tickets at the door, but this time we wanted to make sure to have tickets in advance.

Tickets at the chocolate shop? … More specifically Abe’s Chocolate Shop. That name rang a bell; there was an “Abe” on the roster of our pops orchestra last year, a violin player. But he never showed up for a rehearsal. Could it be the same Abe?

A distinguished looking gentleman greeted us with a friendly smile when we inquired about the tickets. He helped us immediately and told us we would enjoy the performance. Then he added that he would see us there; he’d be playing in the violin section. Further conversation confirmed that he was indeed the same “Abe” that was on the “pops” roster. He was very impressed and interested that both my husband and I were members of the “pops.” He said that was where he started out, and that he’d now moved on to the local symphony, but unfortunately couldn’t make the time for both. A tiny sample of delectable minty chocolate melted in my mouth as we chatted about music performances, string players, repertoire and related topics. The best of both worlds: the flavor of chocolate; the theme of orchestra. I savored the moment.

Then, all too soon it was back to the car for a trip to the sporting goods store so my husband could buy some fishing gear. Not my favorite place, but the taste of the chocolate as well as the memory of the music chat lingered with me for the rest of the afternoon and put a smile on my face.

Why do you want the cello to play?

2007-11-06T20:04:00.000-05:00

I want the cello to play because it makes me smile.

(This post commemorates 1 year of blogging. See November 6, 2006.)

Seven things

2007-10-27T16:17:00.000-04:00

I was tagged by Maricello to post seven things about myself. So here goes:

1. When I first started kindergarten I thought I was going to get paid. My father was a teacher, and once when I was about 3 or 4 years old I asked my mother why my father went to school every morning; she said it was so he could earn pennies.

2. I once made a windmill out of toothpicks … just because I felt like it. It survived for about 3 years until my cat, Eliza discovered it. We ended up having to give Eliza away. Not because she destroyed windmills, but because I found out I was allergic to cats.

3. I majored in elementary education in college, but only taught for 3 years. I now wish that I’d majored in music or math.

4. I teach piano to young children, but didn’t start piano lessons myself until I was 16 years old.

5. I went to an all girls’ Catholic high school. The priest (Father N.) that used to say daily Mass in the school chapel looked like JFK. When I first got to college I noticed a cute guy that looked a little like Father N. Four years later I married that cute guy. (And as readers of this blog already know, we’ve been happily married for 39 years.)

6. My daughter and I bake cookies together every year at Christmastime. My husband and son can eat them almost as fast as we make them. I’ve gotten pretty good at hiding cookies.

7. I don’t like history, politics, or gardening.

OK … that was fun. Here’s a list of four people that I’d like to tag because I’d like to know 7 things about them:

Musicgal – I feel like I’m 16 again when I read her blog. I especially love reading about her adventures in high school orchestra and wishing I’d had that opportunity.
Jill – She’s busy raising her infant son right now, but I’m tagging her so that readers might visit her wonderful blog filled with beautiful thoughts and photos.
CelloGirl – a slightly younger adult beginner with a very interesting cello blog
Rallentando – another late beginner like me, currently struggling through the orchestra experience

Please feel free to tag as many or few people as desired.

Lost at sea

2007-10-25T13:58:00.000-04:00

To elaborate a little further on the waverunner technique: It’s SPLASH … skip/skip, SPLASH … skip/skip, SPLASH … skip/skip, etc. (in 2)
"SPLASH" happens on the down bow (beat one) and "skip/skip" on hooked up bows … especially effective when "SPLASH is the quarter note and "skip/skip" the 2 eighth notes, which is the pattern for most of the cello accompaniment for Drummer Boy. The downside of this repetition is that it’s very easy to become lost in a sea of identical measures. We’ll see what happens tonight at rehearsal as I try to keep my place as I spatter along with my section. I’m hoping that the momentum of the melody will keep me attune to the chord changes if I get lost.

Post rehearsal comment:
It's definitely easier to play this piece with the group than to practice it at home alone. (Also a lot less boring.)

An analgesic analogy

2007-10-15T13:37:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday night’s rehearsal was amazing! It was also a very good example of Maricellos’s recent post, “Musical Medicine.” For the entire day last Thursday I felt tired, sluggish and basically had to drag myself to orchestra rehearsal in the dreary rain that evening. But at some point during rehearsal, even though the weather hadn’t changed, my headachy blahs and naggy little hurts somehow magically disappeared as I contentedly played through our not-too-difficult holiday repertoire. And how neat is this? … I finally get to play something col legno for a few measures in “The Little Drummer Boy.” Fun.

Maestro, who is known for his unique phrases and sometimes comical explanations, gave the string section a most effective and descriptive analogy to illustrate a certain bowing technique that he wants us to use in Drummer Boy. He likened the bow to a Wave Runner slapping and skipping on the wave swells and troughs. I just couldn’t stop grinning at that image as I splashed my way through that section of the music. (The grinning itself actually helped ease my headache).

Just say yes to a music Rx!

Images from the field

2007-10-02T12:02:00.000-04:00

Late Sunday afternoon, with just enough sun to see us through, the members of our pops orchestra played outdoors at a local town fair.

Noteworthy images and moments:

Watching Maestro lift his homemade podium from the trunk of his car

Glimpsing the group of “penguins” gathering on the field (uniform du jour: white shirts/black slacks) and anxiously joining them

Waiting patiently in our chairs for our turn to play while exchanging smirky smiles as we “politely” listened to three deafening rock bands perform on the portable stage (alas, too small to accommodate our 40+ pops group)

Hugging my poor cello as it shook violently from the amplified blasts, and hoping that the intense vibrations wouldn’t dislodge the sound post

Feeling a bit isolated as we played in the middle of a vast field with a small audience (many having already been driven away by the previous ear-piecing cacophony)

Listening a little disappointedly as our own lovely music dissipated into the field … but (nevertheless)

Reveling in our awesome repertoire of old standards (especially comforting in contrast to the prior attack on our eardrums)

Feeling that wonderful sense of accomplishment that seems to occur after every performance

Knowing that we all played well, even after only 3 rehearsals

Chatting with other orchestra members and their families after the concert

Cramming for the concert

2007-09-23T21:07:00.000-04:00

Ever since Thursday’s orchestra practice I’ve been working and focusing only on concert music for a local town fair this coming weekend. We’ve only had 2 practices, and our next meeting is the dress rehearsal. Fortunately it’s an awesome repertoire, and everything seems to be within my reach – at least it should be as long as I practice enough. But of course it's never enough. I always want more time.

There are 14 pieces, five of which I’ve never played before this month:

Moonlight Serenade
Stardust
Dancing in the Dark
Carousel Waltz
Chicago Medley

The rest are recycled from our Spring and Summer concerts:

Night and Day
Girl From Ipanema
Harlem Nocturne
Manhattan Beach March
American Patrol
Broadway Tonight (medley of various show tunes)
Liberty Bell March
Tritsch Tratsch Polka
Star-Spangled Banner

Great pieces, but still a lot of music to prepare.

OK. Break over. Back to work.

The “red bottle” of music folders

2007-09-09T19:38:00.000-04:00

Time: Thursday evening, September 6, 2007
Place: A Local High School Band Room
Event: 1st orchestra rehearsal of the season

We always turn in our folders and music after a concert, so the first night back is the time to sign out a new folder that's filled with the music for the upcoming season. But this time I was on a mission. As usual my husband and I arrived early, so I had an advantage over the other two cellists who always arrive at the last minute. When our librarian arrived toting the cart with the box of folders I was ready. “I’d like folder #51, please; that’s the one I had last year, and I like it.” My request was granted. Mission accomplished. And … you might ask … what’s so special about folder #51? … Well, it’s the one with the pencil holder built into it! Later at rehearsal the cellist next to me remarked that it was a coincidence that I once again got the folder with the pencil holder. :) HA! Just before leaving for rehearsal on Thursday night I spotted a note that I’d placed in my day planner last spring, to be read just before orchestra resumed. It said: “Request folder #51; it’s the “red bottle” of music folders!”

Time: Fall 1951.
Place: PS #4 Kindergarten
Event: Snack time

The preferred snack was cookies and milk, and in those days the milk was delivered to our classroom in half-pint individual glass bottles. The milkman would drop off the wooden cartons, each containing about a dozen bottles, and set them on the floor so we could each pick up our milk and carry it back to the snack area. Each bottle was imprinted in blue with the name of the dairy … however, for some reason there were always one or two bottles that were imprinted in red, not blue. I don’t know why, but it became an enduring quest to score one of those red bottles.

Sometimes it’s just the little things.

Folder #51

Cello views of Lake George

2007-09-02T21:22:00.000-04:00

From the cabin while practicing

From the lawn overlooking Tea Island
From the deck while pondering the end of summer

Tea Island (privately owned) is my favorite of the many small islands that adorn this pristine 32-mile-long glacial lake. I frequently row out and watch the sun rise over those mountains while my husband fishes from the boat in the inlet to the left of the island. The lake, formerly named Lac du Saint Sacrement (by early Jesuit settlers) and Horican (by native Indians), is the setting for the James Fenimore Cooper novel, The Last of the Mohicans.

Photos courtesy of DH (resident chef and sommelier)

ANNIVERSARY!

2007-08-17T13:11:00.000-04:00

39 years ago on the church steps after our wedding on August 18

Last month on the church steps after our daughter’s wedding July 7

Harry Potter in my life

2007-08-12T20:43:00.000-04:00

Today at the supermarket I noticed there are still some Harry Potter books and balloons left over from all the fanfare last month. One of my favorite things about Harry Potter is all the “Harry Hoopla” – that collective spirit of anticipation and excitement at the publication of each new novel. It’s so refreshing. Such a welcome change from the usual barrage of Hollywood hullabaloo. Every time a new Harry Potter book is published there are parties at libraries, midnight parties at bookstores, and kids dressed in magnificent costumes … all because they’re excited about reading a book! There’s something genuinely wholesome about that. I really admire youngsters who tackle a novel of that size. I shy away from anything thicker than an inch and sheepishly admit that I’ve never actually taken the time to read one of these tomes.

I’ve seen some of the movies and marvel at the extraordinary special effects. Sometimes I get so caught up in the action and the music that it distracts me from the plot. (maybe that’s why they always say it’s better to read the book than watch the movie) Funny thing, when I saw the most recent movie I thought the headmistress resembled Laura Bush. I thought maybe I was not alone in that thought, so I did a Google search on it. Sure enough, there are others who commented on that too.

Speaking of music, which I am prone to do here [chuckle] several of my piano students have enjoyed playing some of the whimsical pieces from the Harry Potter movie soundtracks. I’m hoping that our pops orchestra will get the chance to play some of these in the near future. I would like to make the suggestion to Maestro but hesitate lest I sound presumptuous. Actually, sometimes I think Maestro is a bit Harry Potter-ish… maybe it’s the glasses … or perhaps the magic wa... – I mean baton!

Cello baby’s diaper bag

2007-08-10T17:06:00.000-04:00

The other day when my daughter was visiting she caught a glimpse of my little blue notebook that was open on the kitchen table. As she observed the long list of items on the page her comment was: “Looks like a list for a diaper bag!”

It so happens that this year I decided that I’d like to bring my cello on vacation to Lake George. Hence the following list (copied from my little blue notebook):

Cello + 2 bows
Extra set of strings
Rosin
Endpin stop
Music stand
Small cello stand
Tuner and pick-up
Metronome
Gig bag
Extra batteries
Stand lamp
Cello glasses
Seat cushion
Mute
Cleaning cloths [includes a cloth diaper!]
Sheet music
Scale notebook
CDs
Name, address and phone number of nearby luthier
Portable keyboard [not sure about this one yet]

Have I forgotten anything? ... maybe a few of those hairclips. Even if I practice inside it will be breezy, since I'll be opening all the windows and the cabin door.

Hieroglyphics on my orchestra music

2007-08-06T18:55:00.000-04:00

When Rallentando commented on my last post and said that she enjoyed the hieroglyphics on my music, it inspired me to elaborate on some of my scribblings.

Maestro has encouraged us to write anything and everything onto the score to guarantee that we play accurately. I wholeheartedly comply, and have found myself doing any or all of the following on my sheet music:

Numbering every measure – Maestro insists on this one
Numbering finger placement and/or positions
Highlighting repeats, endings
Highlighting tempo/meter/key changes
Marking downbeats and upbeats
Numbering some or all of the beats
Making slash marks to count beats during long rests
Marking bowings
Drawing arrows
Drawing eyeglasses as glance-at-Maestro reminders
Adding comments, metronome markings, or other dictums from Maestro

For those who were aghast at seeing my Technicolor markings: To temporarily highlight orchestra music I take a piece of removable Scotch Tape and highlight that. Then I cut a very small section of it and place it over the part of the music that I want to highlight. Later the tape can be easily removed. There is also something called Tempo Tape that Guanaco said he saw in a magazine ad.

For anyone who missed my warning in my comments section on the last post, I want to add a short caveat regarding the plastic clip that I blogged about: a few days after using the plastic snap-clip, the plastic part of the clip developed a small crack. Although it was still functional, the old-fashioned two-pronged metal hair clips work better. I used these for our outdoor concert in July.

Another caveat: these accessories are small enough to enter f-holes ... so far I've been lucky.

Another orchestra flashback

2007-08-03T15:58:00.000-04:00

Before this memory completely fades, I’d like to document it here.

FLASHBACK: Hot sticky night at orchestra rehearsal (June 27)

We were running the program for our outdoor concert which was to be held the following week. 80+ year-old A and I were sharing my music stand that night. The oscillating fan hardly cooled us, but served to occasionally blow the music off the stand. Maestro ignored my complaints. Someone in the back yelled out “clothespins.” (yeah right … in my cello case alongside my spare clothesline.) Violinist R chimed in, “Bobby pins” (OK … a little more realistic) at which point I realized that I was wearing one of those trusty little “Scunci snap clips” to hold a few stray hairs that didn’t quite reach my ponytail. OK, I could deal with a few wisps in my eyes better than I could handle music blowing off the stand. So, I removed the hairclip and used it to attach one side of the page of music to my music folder; I fastened the other side of the page with a “post-it” page marker that was in my folder. Success!

But … the best part of this whole situation was the reaction of fellow cellist A who thought that this solution was the greatest thing since sliced bread. He couldn’t get over the fact that a hair clip could work so well to hold the music. Every time we began new piece and I secured the music, he praised the hair clip. At one point in the evening he emphatically said, “I can’t wait to go home and tell Connie about this.”

It’s the little things that make me smile. And I’m still smiling about that comment. … this is why I love my orchestra people.

Post-it and Hair clip

Who's on first

2007-07-30T18:34:00.000-04:00

Conversation this morning:

Husband: What key was that piece you were playing yesterday?

Me: Which piece?

Husband: Yesterday.

Me: Which one. I played a lot of pieces yester- ... [*realization ... duh*] Ohhhh ... the song "Yesterday."

I'm not making this up. This actually took place, and my daughter was witness. I guess you had to be there; it doesn't sound funny here.

and today's snail mail says ...

2007-07-28T15:42:00.000-04:00

... drum roll ...

** POPS ** ALERT ** [Yesssssss!]

Performance: Sunday September 30 6:00 PM
For: (Local Town) Family Fair at Memorial Field
Rain Site: School across from the field [Yay. Rain or shine]

The notice goes on to list our rehearsal schedule which will begin on September 6 instead of October 4 due to this concert.

OK ... so now I want to definitely look into getting some of those neat see-through clips for securing my music, and also a new stand light.

Reflections on Cello Progress

2007-07-22T19:57:00.000-04:00

After 5 ½ years of lessons I could be much further along now if I’d been more dedicated in my practice, especially in my first 2 years of study. I can honestly say that I’ve been better about practicing over the past year, but most of that practice has been on orchestra repertoire, not on my lesson material, scales or technique. I want to avoid comparing myself to others, but I will say that I am very inspired by some of the other adult beginners who have blogged about their practice and progress.

At my lesson last week my teacher suggested that I focus on small sections of a scale at a time, especially in the upper octaves, listening very carefully for ringing tones and overtones. This week I’ve been practicing 3 and 4-note sections of scales, striving for accurate shifts that are precisely in tune, and with care that the focus doesn’t deteriorate into a nitpicking fest. It’s tedious and time consuming to concentrate on one scale for so long, but it’s very gratifying when I actually hear that “ring” and know that I’m in tune … like being handed a little reward.

My teacher also told me to make sure that I keep my left hand in a rounded shape as much as possible, even in the higher positions. It’s true that it does help me to play in tune better, although I’m not sure why it works out that way. It’s easy for me to see this while I’m practicing because I can see my reflection in the shiny ebony upright piano.

This is the reflection that I see as I'm practicing.

Orchestra people

2007-07-19T21:02:00.000-04:00

I’m telling this never-ending fluky story backwards, but here’s what happened just before Maestro emailed us with orchestra news the other day:

Clarinet player H called to invite my husband to go fishing with him on his boat next week. While my husband was still on the phone with him the mailman arrived at the door and handed me the day’s mail which included a lovely note from first violinist S. She'd written to thank us for a get-well gift that my husband and I had recently given her. Sort of a neat coincidence the way that occurred, so I mentioned to my husband that we were now “on a roll” with orchestra people for the day and that now all we needed was an email from Maestro with an update on the horror movie or something.

About 2 or 3 hours later my husband (who checks his email far more frequently than I do) handed me a sheet of paper and said, “You’re not going to believe this.” It was a print-out of Maestro’s email message saying that we might be starting our new season a month early. I didn’t stop smiling for the rest of the day.

As of this writing I'm still waiting for confirmation on this and am hoping for an update soon. I really do miss orchestra.

Orchestra news and photos

2007-07-16T19:16:00.000-04:00

Tonight I was planning to blog about how much I miss orchestra ... our last meeting was the July 3 concert. I was also planning to lament about the fact that we won’t be rehearsing again until October 4, but then this afternoon Maestro sent out a global email asking if we'd be available for a concert at a local town event at the end of September, which of course would necessitate beginning our 2007-08 season a month earlier than originally planned. (Yesssss!) I’ve already emailed him back to confirm both myself and my husband. Here’s hoping.

I have such good memories of all of our concerts this past year, but the concert two weeks ago was my favorite. My niece (maid-of-honor at my daughter’s wedding) took the following photos of me at that outdoor concert.

Looking very intent and serious, warming up before the concert
Nervously trying to arrange my music on the stand

It took me a little while to adjust to playing outdoors. I think I might invest in those big see-through clips to secure the music, especially if this next concert is an outdoor event.

Wedding Album

2007-07-11T20:01:00.001-04:00

First of all, I’d like to thank all of my blogging friends who sent their good wishes for a wonderful wedding. My daughter’s wedding day turned out to be about as perfect as could be.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words I will attempt to post some photos to tell the story.

At Home Before the Wedding

With my niece, Maid of Honor

With me

All dressed up with my cello

At the church

At the reception

We bustled

We boogied

My sister, cousin, daughter, me, and niece

The perfect outdoor concert

2007-07-04T18:50:00.000-04:00

Last night was a gorgeous summer night ... the perfect setting for our outdoor concert in front of Town Hall. The audience was seated on the front lawn which added an old-fashioned, home town, relaxed and festive atmosphere. Exciting, friendly, summery and happy. It was also the first time I'd ever played my cello outdoors.

While overcoming a few obstacles such as the clock tower chiming, a commuter train whistle blowing, and fireworks booming in the next town, we managed to get through our well-chosen program of patriotic music and show tunes. We led off with the Star Spangled Banner. Maestro recycled three pieces from our spring concert, The Liberty Bell March, Tritsch Tratsch Polka and Girl from Ipanema, and added Manhattan Beach March, American Patrol, and America the Beautiful to the patriotic repertoire. We played a medley with selections from "Annie" and another of selected Broadway tunes. We made it through The Glow Worm with all of its tempo and meter changes, repeats and coda. Best of all, I just loved playing Night and Day because I could really hear my part blending with the melody (one of my all-time favorites). My sister commented that she wanted to get up and dance to it, so it must have sounded good to the audience too. My son, daughter, brother-in-law and niece (who took photos) were also in the audience, and of course my husband was playing trombone.

After the concert the "core four" (family) went to the local diner for ice cream. It's always a noteworthy event when it's just the four of us again, since the kids are now age 29 and 37.

Today all were present here for a 4th of July BBQ. More fun to follow tomorrow. (wedding rehearsal and dinner)

Hoping to post some pictures of the concert soon, as well as some of my daughter's wedding which is this coming Saturday.

A sticky situation at orchestra

2007-06-30T10:14:00.000-04:00

Maestro: (entering the high school band room where our pops orchestra practices) "It feels like a sauna in here."

It was so hot and humid you could taste it. And it tasted like "school." The oscillating fan didn't help much except to occasionally blow the sheet music off the stand.

But the real problem was that I couldn't make my left hand slide up and down the fingerboard. My thumb was practically glued to the neck and my fingers were stuck in "first." Shifting became a nightmare.

Was it the heat? An accumulation of rosin? Contact with the unidentified sticky substance lurking on my music stand? Soap residue because I rushed and didn't rinse my hands adequately in the scary pitch black (now that "school-was-out-for-summer") girls' room.

Back in the band room I desperately tried pouring some of my Poland Spring over my left hand, but that didn't help much. It got a little better after the first hour of playing, but by then we'd already run the program in preparation for our outdoor concert next week.

Fortunately I was able to clean the fingerboard and neck when I got home, and it all feels normal now. I will most definitely be more disciplined about cleaning my cello after each practice session from now on. I'm also going to make sure I'm better prepared to clean everything off in the band room when necessary.

Counting night and day

2007-06-22T15:10:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago I was thrilled when our music librarian, C placed a copy of Cole Porter's Night and Day on my music stand.
Me: "Yesssss! My favorite song in the whole world."
C: (smirking, as though I was being sarcastic) "Really??"

We didn't have time to sight read it that night at rehearsal, but I eagerly anticipated playing it at home as soon as possible. The next morning I played the notes. What? ... This accompanies Night and Day? Had I lost all sense of musical intuition? I couldn't even imagine where the melody was going to fit in. It was just a bunch of notes. But I practiced over and over, carefully counting the indicated slow tempo in cut time with the hope that it would make sense in the grand scheme.

Aha! Hooray! Two days later I discovered 4 measures of melody hiding between some bass notes. It was beginning to make some sense. I couldn't wait for rehearsal night. But when the time came it didn't work out as I'd expected. I became lost right there at the very spot where the cellos had 4 measures of melody. Frustration. It happened every time we repeated it. I was always a measure ahead of where I supposed to be. OK ... another week of really careful practice. And counting. Careful counting. I had to make this work.

rehearsal last night
Same thing. As we were working on it I'd abandoned all hope of getting it right last night and resolved to practice it more at home.
Maestro: "OK we're gonna take it again at E. That's measure 37 for those of you who numbered your measures." (Maestro is a stickler about numbering measures)
Me: "But I have E numbered as measure 36"
Stand partner: "Yes, measure 36"
Maestro: "No! ... E is measure 37"
Me: (thinking) Oh great, not only can't I count the rhythm, now I can't even count the number of measures. "OK, I probably numbered it wrong."

But I was adamant about finding out where I'd made the numbering mistake, so I continued asking Maestro to match numbers and letters to see where I went wrong. We pinpointed it to somewhere between rehearsal letters D and E ... the very same place where I kept getting ahead of the rest of the orchestra. Epiphany! There was a mistake in the cello part. An omitted measure.

Maestro grabs my music, compares it to the score and then instructs the cello section to insert a measure with a whole note. Problem solved. Actually, two problems solved. Hallelujah!

Horror movie music

2007-06-21T08:51:00.000-04:00

We recorded music for a horror movie!

Flashback: In early May, after our Spring Concert was successfully completed, we received our folders of music for the upcoming 4th of July concert. Included in the folders were 3 original pieces composed by Maestro S. He went on to explain how he'd written these for a friend who'd written an independent, small-budget horror movie, and that he wanted to know how we all felt about learning the pieces and then recording them for the movie.

After the initial shock ("Eeeeek. Is this a reflection of our sound? You mean we evoke horror???") the collective sentiment was "Hey, it looks easy enough ... Sure ... Why not." The only real drawback, and really not such a big deal, was that our patriotic repertoire would have to take a back seat for a while.

Chromatic runs, slides, and some dissonance gave the music an eerie, scary edge, perfect for depicting the "death-trap" haunted house that Maestro said was the focus of the movie. The chromatic passages presented a challenge but after some diligent practice both with and without the tuner, I was able to get to the point where I felt confident and ready to record.

The recording session last week was intense and focused, but unlike a performance, we didn't have to get it right the first time. Fortunately we could repeat the pieces for as long as it took to get them right, playing the music in small chunks with several takes to allow for editing. Maestro seemed pleased when we finished and thanked us all. I'm hoping we get to hear it soon ... maybe at tonight's rehearsal ... unless perhaps it's a big secret until the movie is finished.

My husband and I have been having fun speculating: Will we get invited to a private screening, like for "Cleaver" (think "Sopranos" here) A cast party? Hollywood? Will there be more offers? Will we be the next "Boston Pops"? Will we all become rich and famous?

Memorable Moments in May

2007-05-30T08:50:00.000-04:00

Surviving the experience as "the lone cellist" at orchestra the night when the other cellists were both absent

A compliment that same night on my playing from first violinist R

Maestro instructing me to "die faster" on the final note of Venturing Through the House, one of the original horror movie pieces we'll be recording (more info on that to follow in a future blog entry)

The pick-up for my tuner allowing me to tune at orchestra without interference, even while "Yoda" is warming up on his oboe

Bumping into fellow cellist A at the diner one Saturday night after a local concert

Feeling good about taking a much-needed break from my cello lesson this week

Mother's Day Weekend Highlights***

2007-05-14T16:08:00.000-04:00

***Attending a BBQ Saturday evening at my daughter's new home: "The Little Ranch on the Hill"

***Opening a special gift from my daughter: a basket filled with my favorite things -- vanilla lotions and soap, a DVD of the movie 13 Going on 30, some favorite snacks, and lots of desk supplies, to include a big box of Crayola (yes, crayons. They come in handy to touch up nicks in furniture ... and cellos!)

***Being treated as a guest in my daughter's home

***Being treated by my husband to a special breakfast (bacon too!) and another BBQ dinner here at home

***Spending some time with my son who was visiting from Philly

***Opening the present of sheet music that he wrote for an original cello and piano duet of Wish I Could by Norah Jones from her album Not Too Late which he labeled "arranged by P for Mom"

***Playing the above on the cello with my son accompanying on piano

***Playing the cello part of Girl From Ipanema with my son improvising on piano and my husband playing the trombone part

***Knowing at "goodbye time" last night that my son will be returning in 2 weeks for Memorial Weekend

Orchestra oxymorons

2007-05-11T08:38:00.000-04:00

"I'm going to slow down faster."

Last night our conductor said that in all seriousness as he was explaining how he would be conducting one of the tempo changes in the Annie medley we're playing. Well, I guess it does make some sense.

"Don't pay attention to me."

Maestro actually said that when he miscounted and called out the wrong measure number while we were playing. Maybe not a true oxymoron, but definitely a contradiction of what a conductor is all about. And definitely cause for a good laugh at the time.

Back in the Saddle Again

2007-05-06T17:07:00.000-04:00

Orchestra rehearsals resumed last Thursday after spring break. There's sheet music strewn all over my dining room, and I'm loving it. We got the playlist for the next concert and copies of all the music.

The good news: Most of the pieces are within my reach this time.
The bad news: "The Glow Worm" is back on the agenda.

In the midst of my music meltdown 2 weeks prior to the spring concert I'd neglected to mention that "Glow Worm" had been removed from our spring concert repertoire following our "eh" rehearsal, (see Practicing ... NOT!!!! Ranting ... yes.), but S had said that we'd get back to it for the next concert, as well as recycle a few others that we'd just played.

So I've been practicing diligently since the spring concert and have considerably upped my daily practice sessions over the past 2 weeks. During this time I've made scales and lesson material as much of a priority as orchestra music, and I intend to keep the momentum going.

Our next concert is outdoors (weather permitting) has a patriotic theme, and will be held on July 3, just 4 days before my daughter's wedding.

Maestro Musings

2007-05-02T08:11:00.001-04:00

Flashback: orchestra rehearsal one week before our spring concert

Maestro, in a jovial mood, starts a mock rant about what he'll do if the audience claps between movements of the Karelia Suite. He contemplates a caveat in the program, but is immediately warned by Ms. B that this would be rude. He then threatens that he'll throw his baton out into the audience. He pretends to toss it … wildly whips the stick around in a zig-zagging motion and continues with the rant until Ms. B has had enough and interrupts with "OK, Zorro." Maestro playfully corrects her by saying "That's Obi-one Kenobi." Some people chuckle. She stares inquisitively, then spurts out, "WHAT?" Maestro replies, "Star Wars." Ms. B stares, still dumbfounded, then quickly quips "I-don't-know-what-that-is." ... total silence for a second ... then a roar of laughter.

Well, maybe you had to be there, but it was really funny at the time, and it's one of those moments I wanted to document so I can savor it from time to time. During that next week my husband (trombone player) and I frequently joked about it and playfully assigned different Star Wars characters to some of the orchestra members.

Fast forward: just after the horrendous dress rehearsal the night before the concert

I returned to the almost empty orchestra room to get my coat, after having packed up my cello out in the hallway, and overheard the end of a conversation my husband was having with the Maestro. Perhaps in an attempt to lighten the mood, my husband was saying, "so if H is Yoda, and T is Hans Solo, then who is Darth Vador … ?

Last week Maestro’s global email was signed "May the Force be With You."

Variables

2007-04-25T12:43:00.000-04:00

After reading Guanaco's "Lousy lesson " post today, I started to think about all the variables that are present when we sit down to play the cello. Considering all the possible combinations and permutations of endpin length, chair height, cello angle, music stand height, bow hair tension, tuning, room acoustics, lighting, and atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity, is it any wonder that we encounter difficulties in our playing and performing? It's doubtful that we ever play under the same exact conditions twice.

Concert Musings

2007-04-21T21:31:00.000-04:00

Nerve-wracking. Yes .... BUT ...
I'd do it again in a heartbeat (make that "palpitation" as during the Karelia Suite).

On our way home from the concert last night I was telling my husband about a few of the places where I'd gotten lost in a couple of the pieces. He stopped me and said to focus on the positive outcome, not the negative. Then he posed 2 questions: 1. Did I feel proud that I'd gotten up on the stage and performed this very difficult music. (answer: Yes) 2. Did I feel that I'd made progress in my playing over the past 3 months because of all my hard work. (answer: Yes)

Most importantly, besides feeling a sense of accomplishment, I have a feeling of camaraderie with the members of the orchestra. This is what makes the work, the struggle and all the anxiety worth while. This is why I will continue.

The Pain of Pavane

2007-04-20T08:21:00.000-04:00

Last night, after returning home from a horrendous dress rehearsal, I dreamed that I broke a tooth and had to go to the dentist today. The receptionist told me I could come in this evening, and I said that would be great. But then I remembered the concert, so had to change it to an afternoon appointment. I decided to bring along the music for Pavane [on which I totally got lost last night] to study while I was getting the dental work done. Maybe what this really means is that I'd rather go to the dentist than play in tonight's concert!

So ... Why am I doing this?

2007-04-13T09:36:00.000-04:00

Because I love music. And I love playing with the orchestra.

(obviously reheasal went well last night)

I'll post more after the break. (Think Ryan Seacrest here.)
I mean ... after trip to the mall with my daughter to help her pick out her honeymoon wardrobe, and after we work on wedding invitations.

Practicing ... NOT!!!! Ranting ... yes.

2007-04-11T20:33:00.001-04:00

I should be practicing. But I'm not. Why? ... Because I'm sitting here staring at blogs and contemplating quitting orchestra. This is supposed to be fun. It was fun at the holiday concert, but it's not fun anymore. The music is too hard. There shouldn't be any crying in cello.

After last week's rehearsal, which Maestro described as "eh", he sent out this in his global email:
"Last night I walked away from rehearsal contemplating a lot of things. Are we doing too much music? Is the music too hard? Am I pushing everyone too far? Should we dumb down the music? Should I lower my standards and expectations? Should we just play all the time and NOT practice? ... I am NOT going to let the recent history of the pops effect the musical integrity of this orchestra and its members. [not sure what he meant by this ] My standards are going to only go higher. It's about time that this orchestra raises itself to another level."

I'll participate in the concert, but I'm not enjoying this right now.

Not really stressing anymore

2007-03-31T17:38:00.000-04:00

Thank you, Juliet Echo Mike, Guanaco, Rallentando, and yarnplayer for offering comments on my "Thursdays" post. Sometimes anxiety, paranoia, and self doubt get the better of me. A few examples: Just before we began rehearsal Thursday night one of the string players offered me some rosin, and my first thought was "oh no! .. does my playing sound that bad?" Then when we were tuning up, I played my A string along with the other 2 cellists (as instructed by Conductor S) and the first violinist and his stand partner snapped their heads in our direction. I noticed my cello sounded "off", and I felt embarrassed. Turned out, the other 2 cellos were sharp.

I did end up having a good rehearsal (as usual), although I knew I wasn't quite in tune for a few places in Faure's Pavane, mostly the motifs written in tenor clef that require some shifting into "the upper wilderness." I'd worried a lot about those notes and had practiced them quite a bit in preparation, so I was a little annoyed with myself. And then came the weekly email from S with this: "Cellos very nice except for the dotted eighth sixteenth notes, they weren't exactly in tune." I stressed over that for quite a while. BUT ... get this ... I just discovered that I was misreading that comment for the past 2 days!! It doesn't say "in tune" ... it says "in TIME" !!! I only discovered this as I was preparing to write this post. OK. I can handle that, and I can correct that. I know what the rhythm is supposed to be. WOW, that just serves as another good example of my paranoia. ... Wait ... maybe he meant to write "in tune" and he wrote "in time" by mistake ... (oh those stupid little voices in my head.)

Anyway, I did feel quite encouraged by an additional message we received from S regarding recruiting new members to our orchestra. He wrote: "I'd rather have a musician that's OK and dedicated, committed, and willing to learn than someone who's great and doesn't come to rehearsals." So I guess I can feel good about myself. I know I'm not great ... but I'm most certainly willing.

Thursdays

2007-03-29T11:00:00.000-04:00

I'm always tense on Thursdays. Thursday is orchestra night. No matter how much I've practiced I never feel like it's enough. I want more time. I always want more time. I'll probably spend the rest of today going over the playlist for tonight and practicing the difficult phrases. I feel like I have to listen again to the first movement of The Karelia Suite to pick up more cues from the trumpets. Why didn't I listen more during the week? Where does the time go? How does Thursday get here so fast?

Cello Lesson on Technique

2007-03-22T13:37:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's cello lesson was mostly devoted to technical work on the Karelia Suite and some intonation refinement on the pizzicato section of Faure's Pavane.

There's a section toward the end of the 1st movement of the Karelia Suite where D suggested using full bow hair near the frog closer to the bridge as it changes from 8th notes to 16th notes, and then slowly working the bow back to the tip and nearer to the fingerboard for the start of the pianissimo 32nd notes that fade out toward the end. This seems to be helping. Being closer to the frog gives me more control when I make the switch to the 16th notes.

D also helped me to identify why I was having so much trouble with intonation at one point in the Pavane. Some of the pizzicato notes in this piece are played in half position, which requires a slightly wider finger spacing than I'm used to, especially since I've been doing a lot of playing in the higher positions lately. Basically it's an awareness thing that I'm hoping will become more automatic with practice and experience.

And then there's "The Glow Worm" ... yes, "glow little glow worm, glimmer glimmer..." How did that get into our repertoire? Well, we are a pops orchestra, so I guess anything goes. Anyway, D went over some bowings and fingerings for it with me. At least I'm playing it better now than that night back in January when we first sight read it together at orchestra rehearsal. It's a tricky little piece with several meter and tempo changes. The Gavotte section in 4/4 is complicated by frequent changes from pizz to arco, and the Adagio part includes many slurred arpeggiated chords using 16th notes in 12/8 time. Definitely a challenge, and I question whether it's really worth all the effort. Did I mention this isn't my favorite piece?

And so to practice.

Better than pizza

2007-03-16T19:42:00.000-04:00

Yesterday afternoon I listened and listened to the Alla Marcia (3rd movement) of the Karelia Suite by Sibelius in hopes that I would be able to mark some cues in my music as I did for the 1st movement. But it didn't happen. I kept losing it. Somewhere. (and I'm still not sure where) Every time I wanted to try it again, I had to go back to the beginning to listen and follow along for about 40 measures, and then I'd just lose it again. Frustrating.

So I wasn't too optimistic when I arrived at orchestra rehearsal last night. Sure enough, I played along to about that same point of the Alla Marcia, maybe a bit further because I had the orchestra to help carry me, but even when I tried looking at the other cellists to see what they were doing, it didn't help. In fact, they didn't even seem to be playing together. I was totally lost for the second half of the movement.

Then we started breaking it down and playing sections over and over. Conductor S kept telling us to trust ourselves. OK ... I started to focus and didn't look at what the other cellists were doing. Good. I was finally getting somewhere playing those small sections.

Then S said we'd take it from the beginning of the Alla Marcia. Panic. Deep breath. Focus. OK ... I figured I'd give it another try. This time I just concentrated on my part, counted carefully, and didn't even glance at the other cellists. I listened to how my part fit in with the rest of the music, and it all started to come together. I kept it going. ... and going. And I actually followed it to the end without getting lost. When we hit that final chord I was ecstatic ... heart pounding, like I'd just won a race, or picked the winning lottery number.

S was also ecstatic. He just stood there with a pleased expression and looked at all of us ... and it was the greatest feeling in the world.

S always sends a global email after rehearsal, and this week he wrote:
"Karelia Suite Mvt III: We started a little rocky. But that rockiness went AWAY immediately. STRINGS!!! I'm so impressed! It sounded so full, so rich, so lovely! I had A LOT OF FUN with this, and I could tell all of you did too! It's so much fun at a rehearsal when we prepare for it beforehand isn't it?!"

Yes, better than pizza. An appropriate analogy because part way through last night's rehearsal when we were going over rehearsal letters and measure numbers, S said that rehearsal letter A was measure 47, which was confusing many of us. Then with a sheepish grin he blurted out, "I'm an idiot" as he realized he was looking at the 2nd movement instead of the 3rd. To change the subject and cover his embarrassment he jokingly said, "Let's get a pizza," which actually sounded like a great idea to me right then at that point of frustration and tension. But by the time we finished playing I didn't feel like I needed pizza. Or anything. This was the best feeling in the world, and I want to remember it forever.

To top it off, I actually got a pat on the back and a"Nice job tonight" comment as I walked past the podium on my way out the door.

Total Immersion

2007-03-14T08:58:00.000-04:00

Cello practice is starting to seem like a full time job this week. I want to get all the orchestra pieces to sound the best I can (based on my present playing level) for the concert next month, so I've been focusing exclusively on these and have placed Suzuki Level 4 on hold for now. Lately my lessons have been based entirely on my orchestra music, with me compiling lists of questions in advance and marking sections to review with my teacher.

Mostly I've been working on The Karelia Suite by Sibelius which I think is well worth the investment of time and effort. Besides being a beautiful piece of music, it's chock full of technical material. A few weeks ago I bought the study score, which was a great learning experience in itself since I'd never even seen an entire score before. I've spent countless hours listening to the recording and following along with the entire score, then marking cues and other helpful hints onto my cello part. It all makes a lot more sense to me this way, and has taught me a lot about listening.

Recently my stand partner and I got together a couple of times to practice. She has a lot more playing experience than I do, but I was able to answer some of her questions about theory, and also help her to read the tenor clef sections of the Pavane by Faure. We were also able to work out some bowing details with our principal cellist when we had sectionals last week at rehearsal. So, for the most part, things are progressing, but there's still much work to be done.

Practicing More

2007-03-02T14:45:00.000-05:00

The more I practice the less I blog. But that's a good thing ... right?

It's been mostly orchestra music for the upcoming spring concert that's been taking up all of my time. The sound files that our conductor emailed have been especially helpful. I've been doing a lot of focused listening in addition to the regular practice. Fortunately I have a little more than a month to prepare. An added dimension is that my husband is in the orchestra too and has been practicing his trombone part very diligently. When we go out walking in the morning we're frequently discussing the music or humming the melodies.

Sectionals

2007-02-16T15:23:00.000-05:00

At practice last night all the strings spent the first hour practicing in a separate room with the concertmaster leading us and offering advice on tempo, counting, technique, and just practicing in general. It turned out to be very helpful, and when we returned to the group we were able to perform together much better than last week. In fact, after having focused on just the strings parts it was a real treat to re-join the wind and brass sections and get to hear melody again. Quotes of the night by Conductor S: "Practice is not optional." "It's The Girl from Ipanema, not the drunk girl from Ipanema." "Brass, you're killing me!"

Another blogging cellist

2007-02-14T20:44:00.000-05:00

Check out Yarnplayer's cello blog. I found the link in the comments section of Highly Strung's blog.

I found it interesting that she was just working on two of the same pieces for orchestra that we have scheduled for our upcoming spring concert: "Girl from Ipanema" and "South Pacific."

How fast can you say "tk-a-tk-a, tk-a-tk-a"?

2007-02-10T16:56:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I was frustrated almost to tears at my failed attempts to play those “killer bee” notes that I mentioned in my last blog entry. That progressed to anger, then later just plain disappointment that we weren’t given an easier repertoire this season. By Thursday I was feeling downright glum and was almost dreading rehearsal that night. But then … the magic of orchestra!

Fortunately I wasn’t the only one having difficulties. And fortunately too, our patient conductor offered helpful advice and practice tips. Our concertmaster also contributed bowing and rhythm hints, and suggested that we be aware of the sound and “feel” of the chord changes, since the visual changes in pattern are difficult to spot in the notation. We marked cues in the music, took everything at a slow tempo, and then all of a sudden we were playing together and that momentum and aerodynamic force took over.

I experienced a complete change in attitude and was very pleased to find that both our conductor and concert master gave the same technical advice regarding the placement of the bow and wrist motion as my cello teacher. I'm now concentrating on taming those killer bees, by working slowly at first with the metronome, and then gradually increasing the tempo. On our morning walk today I was counting out the tempo (an 8th note for each step) while feeling the "tk-a-tk-a" of the rhythm. Next week at rehearsal we'll be doing sectionals, so there will be even more opportunity to coordinate with and get help from the other string players.

For Maricello and anyone else who may be wondering about the notes I was describing as "killer bees:" My teacher said that the slashed 16ths are played as 32nd notes, so that each 16th note is played twice. This was also the general consensus of the members of the orchestra and our conductor. When a group plays this in unison the effect is an interesting buzzing sound.

A Swarm of Killer Bees

2007-02-06T20:40:00.000-05:00

One of the pieces we're playing in orchestra is the Karelia Suite by Sibelius. In the cello opening of the first movement there are some kind of crazy looking 16th notes with extra lines below the 16th-note bar notation on the stem of each note. In all of my years of piano playing I never came across such a notation. I have no idea how to play such notes. I'm planning on asking my cello teacher about it at tomorrow's lesson. One thing I do know is that the notes are very very fast. In the recording the cellos sound like a swarm of killer bees. I can't even hear the individual notes. I'm not even sure that I can "air bow" those notes. Oh, and I forgot to mention ... this goes on for 52 measures. Whew!

Bow shopping

2007-02-02T20:31:00.000-05:00

This was the week for visiting music shops. First, to M's Saxophone Shop to get my husband's trombone repaired. (He's joined the local pops too!) Then today to KM Violins for a cello check up, a bow rehair, and to try out new bows, with the intention of spending as much as $500-800 in hopes of finding one with a better response and ease of playing than the one I've been using for the past 5 years.

I didn't want to be influenced by price, so I blind tested about a dozen or more bows in the $200-1000 price range, playing triplets and difficult bow crossings in the Breval. After finally narrowing it down to a few, I kept coming back to an Erich Steiner bow that turned out to be the least expensive one of the bunch ... and made of Brazilwood! It moved so easily in my hands, and everything I played sounded better with it, so, at that price ($200) I figured I might as well go for it, even if just to have a spare bow. I couldn't really see spending 4 times as much for a bow just because it was labeled "pernambuco." Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, this sure beats shoe shopping.

Playing from memory

2007-01-24T17:28:00.000-05:00

One of my cello goals this year is to memorize at least 2 pieces, so I've chosen my two favorite pieces from Suzuki Book 3: La Cinquantaine and the Boccherini Minuet. When I mentioned this goal to my cello teacher 3 weeks ago he was very supportive of it -- offering tips on memorizing and also including this as part of my lesson. So far I've completed the first page of La Cinquantaine and am very excited by how much more attention I can give to intonation and tone quality when I'm playing without the music. Playing from memory also serves as a good warm up to my practice sessions, with the added benefit that it motivates me to begin.

Aerodynamics

2007-01-21T20:29:00.000-05:00

Regarding intuitive playing in orchestra practice, Emily recently expressed this interesting observation in her violin blog:

"I wonder if playing in an orchestra is akin to flying in a flock of sparrows. Sparrows develop a singular mind and somehow move as one unit. I wonder if orchestras have the potential to function the same way."

... I hope so. I'm going to need all the help I can get next week when we resume after winter break.

Memo: Cello blogs to add to sidebar

2007-01-16T19:37:00.000-05:00

Here are some more blogging cellists that I eventually want to add to the sidebar of my blog (when I re-learn how to do that)... for now I'll list them here as a reminder:

If at first you don't succeed
Eric Edberg
Folk Cello
Highly Strung

Also to add ... some well written blogs from violinist.com:
Emily
Alice
Sheila

Cello Resolutions

2007-01-08T09:54:00.000-05:00

Most of my New Years Resolutions center on practicing the cello more efficiently – with greater awareness, careful repetition and direct feedback. Goals:

A rich full warm tone (instead of my wimpy timid sound)

A pleasing vibrato (right now I have none)

A repertoire of at least 2 memorized pieces (right now I have none)

Resonant ringing notes that are clearly “right on” …because there's no such thing as being "a little out of tune” (planning to use my new Korg tuner to develop some exercises to help with this)

Other resolutions:
To “noodle” and play by ear
To “doodle” and draw
To practice Yoga
To listen to more CDs of the classical cello repertoire
To take better care of my hands with lots of fragrant vanilla and coconut emollients from Bath and Body Works
To continue walking 2 miles a day

Looking back...

2006-12-31T16:18:00.000-05:00

... 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

2006-12-22T18:10:00.001-05:00

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:
***********************

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
******************

... 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!

2006-12-19T14:25:00.000-05:00

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?

2006-12-01T19:49:00.000-05:00

... 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.

... and I'm back in the game!

2006-11-20T23:21:00.000-05:00

Practicing again. Into a routine. Making progress. The amount of orchestra material was starting to be an issue in keeping me from practice, so I took all of the music for the holiday program and marked it up in the appropriate places with memos such as "intonation" "fingering" "rhythm" "tempo change" "key change" ... all issues that need to be dealt with in various places, so that rather than playing a piece all the way through I can focus on one section at a time that needs work. And I am reminded at a glance exactly what the problem is at that given section.

Lesson woes lead to practice strategies

2006-11-16T14:31:00.000-05:00

Every time that I think I've got a certain technique correct, and that my playing sounds good, I get told that I'm not using enough wrist, not enough finger action, there's too much tension in my shoulder, my right thumb isn't bending enough, and on and on. But on every one of those counts I thought I was doing it right. I thought it felt right. Am I just learning everything wrong and reinforcing it wrong? It's depressing me because I don't know if I'll be correcting the problems or continuing with the wrong technique when I practice. It makes me want to not practice.

But for every problem there's got to be a solution, right? And so ... on to disciplined practice: One problem at a time. On open strings. Then on scales. Easy scales. My teacher did say, "Don't drive yourself crazy over it."

Connect the Dots

2006-11-11T20:32:00.000-05:00

It was in the Fall of 2001 that the cello bug bit. I was smitten with the desire to touch the bow to the strings and feel the wonderful vibrations, hear the rich tones and make the most gorgeous sounds filled with emotion. But I was also filled with self doubt. I kept having thoughts such as It's such a difficult instrument, Do I have what it takes? Can I really make such a commitment?

The following Sunday I found my answer in The New York Times ... on the crossword puzzle page! Just below the crossword was one of those uniquely configured puzzles with a clever gimmicky twist. It looked intriguing. My challenge to myself was this: if I could solve this puzzle, then I could learn to play the cello. It would be a test of perseverance and determination.

The puzzle was titled "Connect the Dots," and as I tried to solve it I realized that all of the answers were phrases that contained the word "dot." (I remember that one of the answers was "dot com") However there was no room to write in the entire phrase, so eventually I discovered that the symbol of a dot had to be placed in a square. After all the words and dots were filled in then all the dots had to be connected. The finished picture was the answer to a question that was posed at the top of the puzzle. I wish I'd saved that puzzle. (Interesting how the only clue I can recall was "dot com" and here I sit recalling it at blogger.com) I don't even remember the picture ... maybe it was a bird? Does anyone out there remember that puzzle?

I also find it interesting that I'm still "connecting the dots" but now those dots are notes on a page of music.

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BTW, I'm no genius. I think it took me a good three days to finish that puzzle. The follow-up to the story is that in December of 2001 I located a cello teacher, rented a cello, and began lessons that following January.

Time Management

2006-11-09T21:03:00.000-05:00

Spending way too much time reading blogs and figuring out how to make links show up in the sidebar, and not enough time on practicing. But this blog stuff is really fun. ... OK... tomorrow back to the business of really serious focused practice.

My lesson yesterday was productive despite my lack of practice the past week. Fortunately my teacher was willing and able to spend a good part of the lesson discussing and demonstrating fingering strategies for some of the orchestra music that I'll be playing for the upcoming holiday concert.

Frustrations ...

2006-11-08T09:45:00.000-05:00

... mostly frustrated with myself for letting some stressful situations zap my motivation to practice the past few days. Today is lesson day, so I'll have to devise a strategy for directing the lesson to my best advantage. Cancelling is not an option. (my own dictum) Most likely solution: working with my teacher to figure out the best fingerings for some of the sections of the orchestra pieces for the holiday concert.

Another Beginning

2006-11-07T08:31:00.000-05:00

... and so begins a cello weblog of an ongoing cello journey begun in January 2002.

Why do you want the cello to play?

2006-11-06T18:52:00.000-05:00

I want the cello to play because it's big enough to hold me.
... quoted from Midnight Hour Encores by Bruce Brooks