The holiday break came and went. It has been rough since my last post. A friend passed away, a family member had a stroke, and another was in a car accident. Within that time I didn't pick up my trumpet, occasionally picking up my guitar. Music couldn't save me from the pain that I was feeling.
Despite that, I went back to school on Monday. I'm taking all music classes this semester. Theory IV, Ear Training IV, Major Composers of the 19th and 20th century, Arts and the Creative Process, Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, trumpet lessons, and a jazz improv independent study. I'm back at work with my job over there, back to the same old same old.
But something is different. I'm never going to erase those markings in my copies of Haydn, Hummel or Hindemith. I'm never going to erase them. I'm going to preserve them as a memory. Memory of where I began again.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Daily Life-Autumn Style
I wake every morning at the same. I jump into the shower, and then proceed to find a decent outfit to wear to school. Some days I'll dress up, some days I'll just throw on a band tee shirt with my baggy jeans. I'll make a quick breakfast, and then pack my lunch if I'm eating in the office. I'll grab my instruments and books and walk to my train station.
The walk is a nice one. It's straight, and short enough to not get too tired and long enough to think. Sometimes I'll wear my Ibanez headphones, listening to my iPod selection on shuffle. I can be listening to Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in E-flat played by Tine Thing and Melissa Etheridge's "Beloved" will come on next.
I take the train in, meet my grandma for tea and then head to my classes. I get all my non-music courses out of the way first, and my late morning and afternoon classes are all music.
Twice a week I have jazz practice, once a week I have trumpet lessons, and once a week I have orchestra rehearsal. Sometimes I'll call a jazz sectional so we can beat out the heads together, or just fool around with our music.
Sometimes I'll stay late after work, and snag a practice room. I'll let the heavy doors shut me into the room and I'll pull out whatever instrument my fingers touch first.
I'll sit with my music in front of me, combatting the marks on the paper with new techniques I've learn. I'll never be able to fully erase them...no I'll never erase them. I'll play through my list of exercises, etudes, and pieces. Sometimes I'll do this at home, in my room.
But walking from the school to the train station last night was wonderful. The sun was setting, the air was actually crisp and I had my pack on my back with a trumpet at my side. I felt wonderful, despite my physical pains throughout the day. Despite the fact I only got in 20 minutes of playing because my head felt like it was going to pop.
I love the quietness of autumn nights. I like thinking bout situations. It's why I do it every day.
The walk is a nice one. It's straight, and short enough to not get too tired and long enough to think. Sometimes I'll wear my Ibanez headphones, listening to my iPod selection on shuffle. I can be listening to Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in E-flat played by Tine Thing and Melissa Etheridge's "Beloved" will come on next.
I take the train in, meet my grandma for tea and then head to my classes. I get all my non-music courses out of the way first, and my late morning and afternoon classes are all music.
Twice a week I have jazz practice, once a week I have trumpet lessons, and once a week I have orchestra rehearsal. Sometimes I'll call a jazz sectional so we can beat out the heads together, or just fool around with our music.
Sometimes I'll stay late after work, and snag a practice room. I'll let the heavy doors shut me into the room and I'll pull out whatever instrument my fingers touch first.
I'll sit with my music in front of me, combatting the marks on the paper with new techniques I've learn. I'll never be able to fully erase them...no I'll never erase them. I'll play through my list of exercises, etudes, and pieces. Sometimes I'll do this at home, in my room.
But walking from the school to the train station last night was wonderful. The sun was setting, the air was actually crisp and I had my pack on my back with a trumpet at my side. I felt wonderful, despite my physical pains throughout the day. Despite the fact I only got in 20 minutes of playing because my head felt like it was going to pop.
I love the quietness of autumn nights. I like thinking bout situations. It's why I do it every day.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Monica Germino
Saturday night I attended a concert in my school's new Concert Hall as an audience member. I saw Monica Germino, a violinist who plays some pretty interesting music. At our concert, she played 3 instrumensts; a traditional acoustic violin, an electric violin, and an adapted violin.
Not only did she play the violin but she sang while playing. It was very interesting to watch, and even more interesting to hear. Monica's program is the kind of performance that you have to see in order to experience her music. She had visuals and soundtracks. She had a short film as she did one piece called "Bravery of Women". She starred in it as she sang and play on stage.
She is one of the leading artists to use electronics in her music. I've always been interested in electronic music ever since I heard Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" where he played on an electric trumpet. The entire process of hooking up a pick up to an instrument that is normally used in a classical setting to the controls needed for the distortion and sounds.
After her performance, she gave a small Q&A session is which she answered her adaption of her aunt's violin into the instrument it is today. It involved an expensive process of hooking up a pick up, using viola strings, unquie tunings, guitar effects and controls. It was fascinating to hear about.
While the performance was unique and different, I'm not sure if I liked it. Some pieces I just didn't understand or just didn't like to sit through. However, it was an experience that I'm glad to have since I got to see music in a different setting.
My next concerts will be seeing some faculty members perform in a recital on Wednesday and a Musical Theatre concert on Sunday.
Not only did she play the violin but she sang while playing. It was very interesting to watch, and even more interesting to hear. Monica's program is the kind of performance that you have to see in order to experience her music. She had visuals and soundtracks. She had a short film as she did one piece called "Bravery of Women". She starred in it as she sang and play on stage.
She is one of the leading artists to use electronics in her music. I've always been interested in electronic music ever since I heard Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" where he played on an electric trumpet. The entire process of hooking up a pick up to an instrument that is normally used in a classical setting to the controls needed for the distortion and sounds.
After her performance, she gave a small Q&A session is which she answered her adaption of her aunt's violin into the instrument it is today. It involved an expensive process of hooking up a pick up, using viola strings, unquie tunings, guitar effects and controls. It was fascinating to hear about.
While the performance was unique and different, I'm not sure if I liked it. Some pieces I just didn't understand or just didn't like to sit through. However, it was an experience that I'm glad to have since I got to see music in a different setting.
My next concerts will be seeing some faculty members perform in a recital on Wednesday and a Musical Theatre concert on Sunday.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
"Fancy-oli"
Did I mention my school purchase two Fazioli pianos? One is residing in our recital hall and the other in the concert hall and these past two weeks were the first time I experienced the Fazioli. I'm not a piano expert, but it's a nice looking piano. My father said it didn't sound like a 250,000 dollar piano but it looked nice.
I'm taking a break from my homework. I can finally return to my usual academic routine of coming home at night and actually doing my homework before 11 PM. I'm feeling out of sorts though as I just spent two weeks preparing for a concert. I believe it went well, but I can't say much on the concert because I was feeling weird...or I was trying to stay calm and I had a little sideline help. It was a huge difference playing a major influence on my musical life.
Secondary functions in chords are boggling my mind. We are closing up the Baroque era in Major Composers...and you know you are a music geek when you drive home talking about Baroque music. The purchase of a cheap keyboard is actually improving my singing of intervals and I've manage to secure a few notes in my head (that came in handy as my trumpet section mate and I tried to hum the opening "F" to the Beethoven Piano Concerto).
I've spent so much time bitching and complaining about jazz because I was insecure. I ran to others to be united in how I thought I was being treated unfairly...but in reality I was just too stubborn to suck it up and just do the work. I actually did the work and I believe the light shined and I have figure out some way to get a decent improvised solo out of my horn. I need more work on my intervals and hearing it in my head (it all comes down to intervals and subdiving), to produce a more complex solo.
After playing jazz an hour before the main orchestra concert to the mahler...was hard...mainly because of this
I have been performing on Laskey mouthpieces for the past month and I'm considering buying a mouthpiece (I am currently borrowing the piece from my trumpet teacher). It's a nice sound and I may just make the leap and purchase a flugel piece as well. I miss playing the flugel. I may do some later but I have a midterm in English tomorrow on stories that I don't remember.
I'm taking a break from my homework. I can finally return to my usual academic routine of coming home at night and actually doing my homework before 11 PM. I'm feeling out of sorts though as I just spent two weeks preparing for a concert. I believe it went well, but I can't say much on the concert because I was feeling weird...or I was trying to stay calm and I had a little sideline help. It was a huge difference playing a major influence on my musical life.
Secondary functions in chords are boggling my mind. We are closing up the Baroque era in Major Composers...and you know you are a music geek when you drive home talking about Baroque music. The purchase of a cheap keyboard is actually improving my singing of intervals and I've manage to secure a few notes in my head (that came in handy as my trumpet section mate and I tried to hum the opening "F" to the Beethoven Piano Concerto).
I've spent so much time bitching and complaining about jazz because I was insecure. I ran to others to be united in how I thought I was being treated unfairly...but in reality I was just too stubborn to suck it up and just do the work. I actually did the work and I believe the light shined and I have figure out some way to get a decent improvised solo out of my horn. I need more work on my intervals and hearing it in my head (it all comes down to intervals and subdiving), to produce a more complex solo.
After playing jazz an hour before the main orchestra concert to the mahler...was hard...mainly because of this
I have been performing on Laskey mouthpieces for the past month and I'm considering buying a mouthpiece (I am currently borrowing the piece from my trumpet teacher). It's a nice sound and I may just make the leap and purchase a flugel piece as well. I miss playing the flugel. I may do some later but I have a midterm in English tomorrow on stories that I don't remember.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
What now?
I guess after year of looking at music and books took a toll on my eyes because I now done some nifty reading glasses! I have never seen my music or words from books so clear in my life as I can remember it. I even get less headaches from reading and studying (ok maybe not studying but reading definately a huge improvement there!).
The weeks are nearing to a huge build up at school...the first orchestra concert in the brand new Concert Hall. I'm nervous as heck but excited that I will be able to play in such an event at my school. We're doing an interesting program that includes Mahler's "Titan" Symphony.
Working with a group of musicians this vast is a almost a new experience for me. I'm going to be performing on stage with a diverse group of musicians ranging from non majors to professionals. It's not everyday that you get to do such a thing, and I'm not going to let my fear of the stage affect me this time. Oh no. I'm actually learning ways to deal with my intensive fear (and unfortunately I believe it does not involve some sexy wiccan lesbian magic)
(do you know how hard it was to find some with those two and magic without Tara getting shot???)
Well...where was I?
Right so I'm learning some voodoo magic powers to cure myself...but not really.
I will be thrown into a 2 week frenzy of rehearsals, late nights with no satisfaction (unless...it looks like this:
Ending with hopefully a grand concert...
The weeks are nearing to a huge build up at school...the first orchestra concert in the brand new Concert Hall. I'm nervous as heck but excited that I will be able to play in such an event at my school. We're doing an interesting program that includes Mahler's "Titan" Symphony.
Working with a group of musicians this vast is a almost a new experience for me. I'm going to be performing on stage with a diverse group of musicians ranging from non majors to professionals. It's not everyday that you get to do such a thing, and I'm not going to let my fear of the stage affect me this time. Oh no. I'm actually learning ways to deal with my intensive fear (and unfortunately I believe it does not involve some sexy wiccan lesbian magic)
(do you know how hard it was to find some with those two and magic without Tara getting shot???)
Well...where was I?
Right so I'm learning some voodoo magic powers to cure myself...but not really.
I will be thrown into a 2 week frenzy of rehearsals, late nights with no satisfaction (unless...it looks like this:
Ending with hopefully a grand concert...
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
So it has been 2 weeks into the Fall semester of 2008...and a shitload of situations have come by.
First thing first, I have a brand spanking new trumpet professor. Supposedly my past year and half of work with my previous master means nothing now...not. It means everything, and now I just suck it up and play on because that's what I'm supposed to do. There are bigger and badder things out that I will have to deal with...although this one has hurt me down to the core being of my existence.
I have a brand spanking new job at my school. We (meaning the Performing Arts Department) have moved into the brand spanking new building. It's an awesome building with a music library down in the lower level with several practice rooms. As of now, I have been working 3 times a week down in the music library unpacking boxes upon boxes of CDs, LPs, cassettes, DVDS, VHS, orchestral scores, choral scores, music books, jazz scores, and band scores. It's amazing really...I get excited ever time I'm down there...and come home tired as heck.
Classes are ok. I'm not too thrill about any of them, nor am I disappointed. I'm still in a state of mind where nothing seems to be clicking. I'm taking Advanced Theory and Harmony I which after coming off a summer of not checking up on anything...is difficult. I'm taking Ear Training III with another professor (who I happen to enjoy...not just because she was my former trumpet teacher). I'm taking Major Composers of the 17th and 18th century which is getting interesting. I have British Literature II in which I'm reading Robinson Crusoe...yeah not going so well. I'm also taking statistics which is slightly annoying at times. On top of that I have Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble...which are both demanding much of my time.
I'm actually going to see if I can grab a practice room to play in tomorrow before jazz because I need to sit down and go over everything for both classes.
I'm exhausted and it's only 9:05...
First thing first, I have a brand spanking new trumpet professor. Supposedly my past year and half of work with my previous master means nothing now...not. It means everything, and now I just suck it up and play on because that's what I'm supposed to do. There are bigger and badder things out that I will have to deal with...although this one has hurt me down to the core being of my existence.
I have a brand spanking new job at my school. We (meaning the Performing Arts Department) have moved into the brand spanking new building. It's an awesome building with a music library down in the lower level with several practice rooms. As of now, I have been working 3 times a week down in the music library unpacking boxes upon boxes of CDs, LPs, cassettes, DVDS, VHS, orchestral scores, choral scores, music books, jazz scores, and band scores. It's amazing really...I get excited ever time I'm down there...and come home tired as heck.
Classes are ok. I'm not too thrill about any of them, nor am I disappointed. I'm still in a state of mind where nothing seems to be clicking. I'm taking Advanced Theory and Harmony I which after coming off a summer of not checking up on anything...is difficult. I'm taking Ear Training III with another professor (who I happen to enjoy...not just because she was my former trumpet teacher). I'm taking Major Composers of the 17th and 18th century which is getting interesting. I have British Literature II in which I'm reading Robinson Crusoe...yeah not going so well. I'm also taking statistics which is slightly annoying at times. On top of that I have Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble...which are both demanding much of my time.
I'm actually going to see if I can grab a practice room to play in tomorrow before jazz because I need to sit down and go over everything for both classes.
I'm exhausted and it's only 9:05...
Friday, August 8, 2008
Little update
School is starting up in about 2 weeks. I'm struggling with tution problems, scheduling problems, and just summer problems. I don't want my summer to end...I don't feel like I had a decent summer. I haven't gone to the beach once because everytime my family went I was still slumbering away from late nights at work. I know the best time to go to the beach is in the morning but I'm just not a morning person. I cannot function properly before 8 AM without getting sick.
I am a bit burnt out from working all summer. It has been a constant grind at the theatre with in the past week with several problems. One night we went over an hour because sound check went to 15 minutes before showtime, we had a heart attack in the lobby, and last night we had an altercation between a disgruntled/drunk patron and an usher and security. I've been cut my last week of august to focus on my first week back to Adelphi.
As of now, I'm supposed to be the work study student with the jazz band. I'm hoping this still stands because I can use the extra money for instrument care and music needed throughout the year.
I've sorta hit a dead point in playing trumpet this week. I am supposed to be cleaning up my piece, listening to it alot...but I just wanna rest! THis is my last week with my summer lessons, so if I can give it all I got in the next three days...I can rest for a week and just collect my mind and shit.
I really believe in just taking a break. Maybe I'm just stupid or lazy, but my philosophy is give it hard, and then rest a lot. Everyone needs a day off or a few days off. I've been really swamped in my life...I have no focus on anyhting...and I need to collect it before going insane before Halloween with Ratdog doing two shows...
I am a bit burnt out from working all summer. It has been a constant grind at the theatre with in the past week with several problems. One night we went over an hour because sound check went to 15 minutes before showtime, we had a heart attack in the lobby, and last night we had an altercation between a disgruntled/drunk patron and an usher and security. I've been cut my last week of august to focus on my first week back to Adelphi.
As of now, I'm supposed to be the work study student with the jazz band. I'm hoping this still stands because I can use the extra money for instrument care and music needed throughout the year.
I've sorta hit a dead point in playing trumpet this week. I am supposed to be cleaning up my piece, listening to it alot...but I just wanna rest! THis is my last week with my summer lessons, so if I can give it all I got in the next three days...I can rest for a week and just collect my mind and shit.
I really believe in just taking a break. Maybe I'm just stupid or lazy, but my philosophy is give it hard, and then rest a lot. Everyone needs a day off or a few days off. I've been really swamped in my life...I have no focus on anyhting...and I need to collect it before going insane before Halloween with Ratdog doing two shows...
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