Yesterday I told my private teacher about my district audition failure and she understood. She actually said quite a few people let their nerves take over on the last excerpt (like me!) and that messed them up. She told me that I just need more practice playing in front of people and once I have a year of private lessons under my belt I'll be much more experienced and ready to try out again next year. So basically because I've only been taking private lessons for a few months I'm not very experienced and that's one of the main reasons why I didn't make it into district orchestra. Plus nerves on audition day didn't help!
Despite everything my private teacher told me that if she were in my place she wouldn't be playing at the level I am now. She's really impressed by how well I play considering the fact that I have never taken lessons before and figured out everything on my own and in school. My private teacher said that I have a lot of talent, which means the world coming from someone who went to Yale and has dozens of students and tons of experience. It makes me feel like I actually have a chance to do big things...
I left my lesson yesterday feeling much better and I wasn't so hung up on not getting into district orchestra because I realized that I have a lot going for me and I just need to get more playing experience, especially from lessons. Speaking of which, my private teacher is going to have me play in a holiday concert that she's organizing for her students in December! I even stayed to sight read some pieces with a 7th grade girl who has her violin lesson after me each Wednesday. It was nice to play some easy holiday music for a change. :)
Kennerd the Violin Nerd
Showing posts with label private lessons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label private lessons. Show all posts
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Symphony Orchestra Playing Test/District Orchestra Tryout Music
In Symphony, we have playing tests every year to determine what chair we'll be placed in. I'm dreading this year's...
First off, last year I was a second violin since I had just made it into Symphony Orchestra that year. Freshman year I was in Concert Orchestra-- first violin. So this year my teacher moved me up to first violin and it's a big jump. I'm not used to all the notes in the really high positions, so I always have to listen to everyone else first. I've improved a lot though on recognizing rhythms when I'm just looking at the sheet music. Higher positions definitely need to be worked on with my private teacher!
For our concert that's coming up, we're playing "October" again, along with the piece "Light Cavalry Overture". If you've heard it before, you know that it goes extremely fast, with many notes in 5th position and 7th position-- my weaknesses! If you haven't heard it before or can't recognize it by the title, here it is...
As you can tell, I have reason to freak out about the playing test! It's 5:14-5:50 in the video. What my teacher does is he gives each section a part of the music to be tested on and then, because we're such a large orchestra (120 people total, maybe more) and listening to each of us individually during class would take away too much time from rehearsing, he has us record ourselves playing the test and then we email it to him. They're due on Monday... I'll be practicing a lot until then!
I'm still practicing for District Orchestra tryouts. I have the first two excerpts down (G Major Scale and Die Fledermaus) and I'm still working on the third excerpt (Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy"). It has plenty of crazy high notes, so I'll be taking it extremely slow for a while. I have until November 3rd, so there's plenty of time!
That means more time to freak out about "Light Cavalry Overture".
First off, last year I was a second violin since I had just made it into Symphony Orchestra that year. Freshman year I was in Concert Orchestra-- first violin. So this year my teacher moved me up to first violin and it's a big jump. I'm not used to all the notes in the really high positions, so I always have to listen to everyone else first. I've improved a lot though on recognizing rhythms when I'm just looking at the sheet music. Higher positions definitely need to be worked on with my private teacher!
For our concert that's coming up, we're playing "October" again, along with the piece "Light Cavalry Overture". If you've heard it before, you know that it goes extremely fast, with many notes in 5th position and 7th position-- my weaknesses! If you haven't heard it before or can't recognize it by the title, here it is...
As you can tell, I have reason to freak out about the playing test! It's 5:14-5:50 in the video. What my teacher does is he gives each section a part of the music to be tested on and then, because we're such a large orchestra (120 people total, maybe more) and listening to each of us individually during class would take away too much time from rehearsing, he has us record ourselves playing the test and then we email it to him. They're due on Monday... I'll be practicing a lot until then!
I'm still practicing for District Orchestra tryouts. I have the first two excerpts down (G Major Scale and Die Fledermaus) and I'm still working on the third excerpt (Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy"). It has plenty of crazy high notes, so I'll be taking it extremely slow for a while. I have until November 3rd, so there's plenty of time!
That means more time to freak out about "Light Cavalry Overture".
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Tip/Trick of the Day
If you're having trouble keeping your bow near the bridge while playing, use this tip:
Take a straw and cut it in half. Place the straw halves in the f holes of your violin. Now you have little guides for your bow!
[Credit given to my private teacher :)]
Take a straw and cut it in half. Place the straw halves in the f holes of your violin. Now you have little guides for your bow!
[Credit given to my private teacher :)]
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Life Update 09/05/12
Today after school I had private lessons. I drove myself there for the first time (the last time I had my mom drive me, just to make sure I'd know where I was going). The drive went surprisingly well! My private teacher and I went over the district orchestra tryout music. First, she had me play the G major scale slowly and helped me with the positions. Then we slowly worked on Overture to Die Fledermaus, which she made me play slowly as well, working on the positions she recommended. She also gave me little tips and tricks for playing it, like how there was a pause that wasn't marked somewhere in the middle of that excerpt... things you would have never known!
She told me a little about the opera, Die Fledermaus: a husband and wife who were having issues went to the same ball one day without each other knowing, and the wife was wearing a mask (it was a masquerade ball) so she started flirting with her husband, and the husband had no clue it was her the whole time. My private teacher explained it much better, but I obviously can't remember what she said word for word! To read the whole plot line, click here.
That's the best part of taking private lessons-- you get the inside scoop about the songs you play!
My private teacher also told me about a website, www.sheetmusicplus.com, where I can buy the three books she requested me to buy. Apparently they also sell cd's which leave out your part so you can play along and sound like you're playing with other people! I'm definitely going to try that website out. Let me know what you guys think, if you try it too.
I'm really starting to enjoy these private lessons... so informative! :)
She told me a little about the opera, Die Fledermaus: a husband and wife who were having issues went to the same ball one day without each other knowing, and the wife was wearing a mask (it was a masquerade ball) so she started flirting with her husband, and the husband had no clue it was her the whole time. My private teacher explained it much better, but I obviously can't remember what she said word for word! To read the whole plot line, click here.
That's the best part of taking private lessons-- you get the inside scoop about the songs you play!
My private teacher also told me about a website, www.sheetmusicplus.com, where I can buy the three books she requested me to buy. Apparently they also sell cd's which leave out your part so you can play along and sound like you're playing with other people! I'm definitely going to try that website out. Let me know what you guys think, if you try it too.
I'm really starting to enjoy these private lessons... so informative! :)
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Life Update 09/02/12
I think I'm going to do these type of posts once a day, if possible. These will be little breaks from violin stuff. But it may include at least a little...
Sorry. I have to start out with the violin stuff.
So Wednesday last week I took my very first private lessons. Ever. I know, it's sad that I never took them before but I never really thought I needed them until I found out that I'd be a first violinist this year. And until I took a look at the music for district orchestra tryouts. I mean really. Romeo and Juliet Overture- Fantasy? I'm only 16!! I'm not a professional violinist... District orchestra tryouts are really going to be interesting. But I'll have time to get some practice in since tryouts are in November, I think.
But anyways... back to the private lessons.
I had called a private teacher this summer who my friend told me about, but she never called me back, even though I left a message. So I asked my orchestra teacher the other day if he knew any private teachers that he'd recommend and he wrote down the names of a few teachers, along with their numbers, and handed it to me. I called the first one, but he didn't answer his phone. I left him a message and decided to call the next name on the list. She answered her phone (Yay! Finally someone answered!) and we got lessons set up and everything. She told me to bring a notebook and a piece that I've played before. She also informed me that she has her Doctorate, taught in Europe, and she's the private teacher of a girl in my orchestra class who played violin in Carnegie Hall! I got really excited when I heard all that. Maybe it was a miracle that the first two private teachers I called didn't answer their phones. :)
Wednesday was the big day for my first private violin lesson. My private teacher told me to go around the back and ring the bell to the back door, so that's what I did. She opened the door and I immediately saw a girl that I know. We're sort of acquaintances, I guess. I'm not sure. But she's really sweet. I smiled and waved. At first I thought, Wait... am I going to be playing with her? I thought this was a private lesson... but then my private teacher said, "Okay, let's try playing the first line slowly and then we'll wrap it up here in a few seconds" and I knew that the girl was just finishing up a lesson of her own.
Eventually she finished her lesson and I unpacked and got ready for mine. My teacher asked me if I had a notebook and I handed her a notebook which she told me to bring. She then told me to play a piece that I've played before so that she can observe my technique. I had brought in a Chuck Mangione piece since I played it exactly one year ago, and it's easy. Once I finished playing a little bit of it, she immediately started taking notes in my notebook (I thought I was going to have to do that but she did it for me!) and telling me some things that I need to focus on, as well as things I'm doing correctly.
She said that I was holding my bow incorrectly. How odd. I never knew that I was, and nobody had ever said anything, so that was a shock. She also said that I need to play with my bow closer to my bridge. I thought you were supposed to play in the middle of where your fingerboard ends and your bridge begins! The things that I didn't think I needed to be corrected on needed to be corrected...
She did, however, say that my vibrato was spot-on. She even immediately said when i stopped playing, "... You've never taken any private lessons before?" And when I said no, she said, "Your vibrato is amazing for someone who has never taken private lessons. Usually people shake their instruments or they do it incorrectly, but yours is fantastic. It really gives you a great sound." I was so flattered! And glad that my vibrato wasn't another thing to be changed. That was about as much change, for the time being, that I could handle.
We worked on my district orchestra tryout music and then she told me the titles of three books she wanted me to buy, preferably by next week, and our 30-minute lesson was soon over. Long story short: I now have to practice correct bow holds 20 times a day, I have to go out and buy three books that are in a music store that isn't very close-by, and 30-minute private lessons are way too short! But these are the types of things I have to do in order to get a whole lot better.
Hey, now we can move on to the other stuff!
I went to my first NAHS (National Art Honor Society) meeting a couple Thursdays ago. NAHS is this club at my high school and you basically do a bunch of fun art projects for different fundraisers and things just because you love making art so much. :) I found out in the meeting that we're going to be making these awesome masks for a Halloween ball, face painting (I forgot what for), and creating a float for NAHS that will be in the Homecoming parade! I'm so excited!
My dance classes are going to be starting back up again this Tuesday. I've missed them so. I've taken jazz for a year now, and this year I'm taking up ballet as well. For months I've been obsessing over ballet photos and videos. I even saw the ballet Romeo and Juliet this past February! It was amazing. I got my ballet shoes last Monday and I have leotards and tights and everything I need for class. The funny thing is, I had a dream last night that it was Tuesday night and I was late for dance! It was more like a nightmare, actually. I'm glad that wasn't real. And I sure hope that won't happen. I seriously doubt it will, considering that I'm so ecstatic about classes starting up again.
Sorry this post is so long! It's finished, I promise! You can go on with your busy lives now. :)
Sorry. I have to start out with the violin stuff.
So Wednesday last week I took my very first private lessons. Ever. I know, it's sad that I never took them before but I never really thought I needed them until I found out that I'd be a first violinist this year. And until I took a look at the music for district orchestra tryouts. I mean really. Romeo and Juliet Overture- Fantasy? I'm only 16!! I'm not a professional violinist... District orchestra tryouts are really going to be interesting. But I'll have time to get some practice in since tryouts are in November, I think.
But anyways... back to the private lessons.
I had called a private teacher this summer who my friend told me about, but she never called me back, even though I left a message. So I asked my orchestra teacher the other day if he knew any private teachers that he'd recommend and he wrote down the names of a few teachers, along with their numbers, and handed it to me. I called the first one, but he didn't answer his phone. I left him a message and decided to call the next name on the list. She answered her phone (Yay! Finally someone answered!) and we got lessons set up and everything. She told me to bring a notebook and a piece that I've played before. She also informed me that she has her Doctorate, taught in Europe, and she's the private teacher of a girl in my orchestra class who played violin in Carnegie Hall! I got really excited when I heard all that. Maybe it was a miracle that the first two private teachers I called didn't answer their phones. :)
Wednesday was the big day for my first private violin lesson. My private teacher told me to go around the back and ring the bell to the back door, so that's what I did. She opened the door and I immediately saw a girl that I know. We're sort of acquaintances, I guess. I'm not sure. But she's really sweet. I smiled and waved. At first I thought, Wait... am I going to be playing with her? I thought this was a private lesson... but then my private teacher said, "Okay, let's try playing the first line slowly and then we'll wrap it up here in a few seconds" and I knew that the girl was just finishing up a lesson of her own.
Eventually she finished her lesson and I unpacked and got ready for mine. My teacher asked me if I had a notebook and I handed her a notebook which she told me to bring. She then told me to play a piece that I've played before so that she can observe my technique. I had brought in a Chuck Mangione piece since I played it exactly one year ago, and it's easy. Once I finished playing a little bit of it, she immediately started taking notes in my notebook (I thought I was going to have to do that but she did it for me!) and telling me some things that I need to focus on, as well as things I'm doing correctly.
She said that I was holding my bow incorrectly. How odd. I never knew that I was, and nobody had ever said anything, so that was a shock. She also said that I need to play with my bow closer to my bridge. I thought you were supposed to play in the middle of where your fingerboard ends and your bridge begins! The things that I didn't think I needed to be corrected on needed to be corrected...
She did, however, say that my vibrato was spot-on. She even immediately said when i stopped playing, "... You've never taken any private lessons before?" And when I said no, she said, "Your vibrato is amazing for someone who has never taken private lessons. Usually people shake their instruments or they do it incorrectly, but yours is fantastic. It really gives you a great sound." I was so flattered! And glad that my vibrato wasn't another thing to be changed. That was about as much change, for the time being, that I could handle.
We worked on my district orchestra tryout music and then she told me the titles of three books she wanted me to buy, preferably by next week, and our 30-minute lesson was soon over. Long story short: I now have to practice correct bow holds 20 times a day, I have to go out and buy three books that are in a music store that isn't very close-by, and 30-minute private lessons are way too short! But these are the types of things I have to do in order to get a whole lot better.
Hey, now we can move on to the other stuff!
I went to my first NAHS (National Art Honor Society) meeting a couple Thursdays ago. NAHS is this club at my high school and you basically do a bunch of fun art projects for different fundraisers and things just because you love making art so much. :) I found out in the meeting that we're going to be making these awesome masks for a Halloween ball, face painting (I forgot what for), and creating a float for NAHS that will be in the Homecoming parade! I'm so excited!
My dance classes are going to be starting back up again this Tuesday. I've missed them so. I've taken jazz for a year now, and this year I'm taking up ballet as well. For months I've been obsessing over ballet photos and videos. I even saw the ballet Romeo and Juliet this past February! It was amazing. I got my ballet shoes last Monday and I have leotards and tights and everything I need for class. The funny thing is, I had a dream last night that it was Tuesday night and I was late for dance! It was more like a nightmare, actually. I'm glad that wasn't real. And I sure hope that won't happen. I seriously doubt it will, considering that I'm so ecstatic about classes starting up again.
Sorry this post is so long! It's finished, I promise! You can go on with your busy lives now. :)
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