In attendance were:
Joe Sipzner
Arianna Barnum (left early)
Ali Gohlke-Schermer
Katie Gonick
William Wang
Bill Dong
Erin Templeton
Marko Crnkovic
Rachel Swyer
Emma Pearson
Catie Rafferty
Karthik Ramesh
Andrea Long
Naila Brown
Cody Ingraham
Katie Yang
Joe Sipzner
Arianna Barnum (left early)
Ali Gohlke-Schermer
Katie Gonick
William Wang
Bill Dong
Erin Templeton
Marko Crnkovic
Rachel Swyer
Emma Pearson
Catie Rafferty
Karthik Ramesh
Andrea Long
Naila Brown
Cody Ingraham
Katie Yang
This week's sectionals went, in many ways, very well. It was nice to be able to work with each section individually, and I wish we had more time to work like this. Please let me know if you found this type of lesson beneficial and if you'd like to do it again in the future. I was especially pleased with the performances of cellos and violas and how they are addressing the issues within their sections.
Today's rehearsal was rough. We have a concert in 2 days, threats of snow, and a winter break in the near future. I hope that our lack of focus today was not an indication of the performance to come, and I urge everyone -- even those "comfortable" with their music -- to take a last careful look at sections that aren't 100% accurate.
I teacher I once had described these less-than-accurate, less-than-comfortable places as "grey areas," and he reminded me that when you step onstage with the adrenaline of a performance, those grey areas become black: you get lost, you get stuck, and you have no hope of getting back "on." We all have grey areas, but it is our goal to make these grey areas as small as possible.
When we play with an ensemble such as Chamber Strings, let that grey area only be excitement. When we are excited, sometimes things happen that we didn't want to happen: we rush, we miss notes, we play a wrong bowing. Know your music well enough so that you can help others out of their grey areas and they will do the same!
Today's rehearsal was rough. We have a concert in 2 days, threats of snow, and a winter break in the near future. I hope that our lack of focus today was not an indication of the performance to come, and I urge everyone -- even those "comfortable" with their music -- to take a last careful look at sections that aren't 100% accurate.
I teacher I once had described these less-than-accurate, less-than-comfortable places as "grey areas," and he reminded me that when you step onstage with the adrenaline of a performance, those grey areas become black: you get lost, you get stuck, and you have no hope of getting back "on." We all have grey areas, but it is our goal to make these grey areas as small as possible.
When we play with an ensemble such as Chamber Strings, let that grey area only be excitement. When we are excited, sometimes things happen that we didn't want to happen: we rush, we miss notes, we play a wrong bowing. Know your music well enough so that you can help others out of their grey areas and they will do the same!
Rudyard Kipling writes:
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you...
Breathe. Move. Listen. Make eye contact. Be courteous.
Practice for every scenerio.
Practice.
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you...
Breathe. Move. Listen. Make eye contact. Be courteous.
Practice for every scenerio.
Practice.
