*pant pant* So I don't know if I've mentioned this here, but the youth orchestra I was in all of high school is performing Scheherazade, and I'm returning as a ringer to play with them. The concert is tomorrow, or if you're reading this on Sunday the 26th of February, then the concert is today. This is something I've been dreaming about for ages, and I never thought the day would come. I begged the conductor for ages to play it, and I even played light and harmless practical jokes on him that brought the piece to his attention. I'm thrilled that I get to play it, and I think that tomorrow is going to be an amazing day. I'm playing piccolo in this concert, and Scheherazade has one of the absolute best piccolo parts.
Something else that's big is that I now am the proud owner of a college level flute. After many trials and considerations involving a good many flutes to try out, me and my teacher settled on a nice Yamaha, with a solid silver headjoint and a nifty extra trill key that makes some trills sound much better. It's a beautiful flute that will take me far, I'm excited to work with it! So shineeeeeeee.... haha.
Anyhoo, I'd better get some sleep before the concert. After I do some research for my Spain essay that is. ;)
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Friday, February 17, 2017
A Day in the Life: REQUIEM!!!
I really adore the Rutter Requiem. It's really an amazing work, and I am so blessed that I get to play it- as one of my first paid gigs, too! This isn't my first paid gig, but it's the biggest opportunity I've ever had. I'm completely independent. My first time getting paid for a performance was with the youth orchestra woodwind ensemble, and we played at a fundraiser even for the Carmel Bach Festival. I think I was paid about $50? Not sure, I don't remember, haha. But we had the woodwind ensemble coach with us, watching, and I had a ton of rehearsals with the other members. This time, I have no coach, and I only have two rehearsals to get coordinated before three performances!
This is the first time I've ever had more performances of a piece than rehearsals! It's how it is in professional music, because most groups perform often enough that their rehearsal time is very limited. Now, the choir is rehearsing a lot, but they won't be ready for us until those last two rehearsals! I'm really excited because it's like my dreams are coming true, haha, that is very cheesy, I know, but you have to forgive me for it just this once. This is just the kind of thing I want to do. I know that I won't be able to make a living off gigs (not at first, anyway!), but to have these kinds of opportunities makes me happy. I feel like I'm kind of on the right track. I still have to do a LOT of learning, but I'm looking forward to learning more, so that I can keep doing this kind of thing.
I also have to perform Musica Dei Donum tomorrow for the choir's spring retreat thing, and I'm very afraid. I should probably be practicing right now, haha!
But um, it's pouring rain right now. We had 66 mph winds starting at 5 am, and it's been crazy ever since. My sister is in a really sour mood because the concert (Sibelius Violin Concerto!) we were going to go to with my boyfriend got canceled due to extreme weather conditions. We're really sad over here, lol.
This is the first time I've ever had more performances of a piece than rehearsals! It's how it is in professional music, because most groups perform often enough that their rehearsal time is very limited. Now, the choir is rehearsing a lot, but they won't be ready for us until those last two rehearsals! I'm really excited because it's like my dreams are coming true, haha, that is very cheesy, I know, but you have to forgive me for it just this once. This is just the kind of thing I want to do. I know that I won't be able to make a living off gigs (not at first, anyway!), but to have these kinds of opportunities makes me happy. I feel like I'm kind of on the right track. I still have to do a LOT of learning, but I'm looking forward to learning more, so that I can keep doing this kind of thing.
I also have to perform Musica Dei Donum tomorrow for the choir's spring retreat thing, and I'm very afraid. I should probably be practicing right now, haha!
But um, it's pouring rain right now. We had 66 mph winds starting at 5 am, and it's been crazy ever since. My sister is in a really sour mood because the concert (Sibelius Violin Concerto!) we were going to go to with my boyfriend got canceled due to extreme weather conditions. We're really sad over here, lol.
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Yay I'm Semi-Pro Now
Emphasis on 'semi'.
So one of the teachers at my school conducts a very high quality choir called the Camerata Singers, and they are performing two pieces by the English Composer John Rutter- his Requiem and a short piece called Musica Dei Donum. Apparently I impressed enough at the faculty and student recital in October that he asked me to play in the chamber orchestra that accompanies the choir in the Requiem! I was (and still am) very excited about the opportunity to perform with such a high quality group. It's a paid gig, too, which I wasn't expecting and only found out a few days ago when I received my part. That was a nice surprise, it'll help to pay for my college-level flute that God willing I'll be able to help my parents buy in a month or so.
Part of what makes the gig feel so professional is the part. I know that it's kind of silly, but I've been given a rental part, which means that it's actually on loan from the music library at Oxford Press! So I have to be real careful with it, it feels like such a responsibility and it feels like I'm a 'for real' musician now. :)
So the repertoire! I said what we're playing before, but I haven't gotten very in-depth. The Requiem is a very long work. In my part, there are many long periods of inactivity that have small interjections, and then there are times when I'm playing for a long time. I think that I'm going to have to be very attentive. I can't let my mind wander when I am on a rest, and there are some very tricky bits that will require a lot of work! *cough*Sanctus*cough*.
Rutter's Requiem is a very beautiful work. I haven't listened to it from start to finish, but I've heard most of it, and I am so in love, haha. I'm really happy that works like this are composed in modern times (Rutter composed this in 1984!). I'm particularly fond of the bright Sanctus, which is a hymn of praise to God. I also really like the Angus Dei, which immediately follows. The contrast between the two is great. The Santus is joyful and full of admiration, while the Agnus Dei is a solemn supplication. the Angus Dei has a lovely, lyrical flute solo at the end, which I find tricky because of the rhythms, which often include ties into other measures (that are often in different time signatures). The ties wouldn't be so bad, but nobody gives me a downbeat so I have to count, haha.
Now let's talk about the short piece that we're doing. Musica Dei Donum is, well, I've never heard a piece like it. It was written for a chorus and *gasp* solo flute! The text is in Latin (NOT a dead language after all, mwahahaha!), and it talks about how music is a gift from God. I think it's a beautiful way for me to thank Him for my music. This piece is very haunting and ethereal. The flute part (which gets a very tricky, just because of playing quietly in the high register, and some rhythmic stuff) sounds improvised and is absolutely enchanting. It phases in and out of the choir lines gracefully, and it is a real treat to hear.
I'll talk more later, I'm very tired, haha. I've been practicing pretty hard on my repertoire for this gig (mostly the Musica Dei Donum, since it's so exposed... oh my goodness), so wish me luck!
So one of the teachers at my school conducts a very high quality choir called the Camerata Singers, and they are performing two pieces by the English Composer John Rutter- his Requiem and a short piece called Musica Dei Donum. Apparently I impressed enough at the faculty and student recital in October that he asked me to play in the chamber orchestra that accompanies the choir in the Requiem! I was (and still am) very excited about the opportunity to perform with such a high quality group. It's a paid gig, too, which I wasn't expecting and only found out a few days ago when I received my part. That was a nice surprise, it'll help to pay for my college-level flute that God willing I'll be able to help my parents buy in a month or so.
Part of what makes the gig feel so professional is the part. I know that it's kind of silly, but I've been given a rental part, which means that it's actually on loan from the music library at Oxford Press! So I have to be real careful with it, it feels like such a responsibility and it feels like I'm a 'for real' musician now. :)
So the repertoire! I said what we're playing before, but I haven't gotten very in-depth. The Requiem is a very long work. In my part, there are many long periods of inactivity that have small interjections, and then there are times when I'm playing for a long time. I think that I'm going to have to be very attentive. I can't let my mind wander when I am on a rest, and there are some very tricky bits that will require a lot of work! *cough*Sanctus*cough*.
Rutter's Requiem is a very beautiful work. I haven't listened to it from start to finish, but I've heard most of it, and I am so in love, haha. I'm really happy that works like this are composed in modern times (Rutter composed this in 1984!). I'm particularly fond of the bright Sanctus, which is a hymn of praise to God. I also really like the Angus Dei, which immediately follows. The contrast between the two is great. The Santus is joyful and full of admiration, while the Agnus Dei is a solemn supplication. the Angus Dei has a lovely, lyrical flute solo at the end, which I find tricky because of the rhythms, which often include ties into other measures (that are often in different time signatures). The ties wouldn't be so bad, but nobody gives me a downbeat so I have to count, haha.
Now let's talk about the short piece that we're doing. Musica Dei Donum is, well, I've never heard a piece like it. It was written for a chorus and *gasp* solo flute! The text is in Latin (NOT a dead language after all, mwahahaha!), and it talks about how music is a gift from God. I think it's a beautiful way for me to thank Him for my music. This piece is very haunting and ethereal. The flute part (which gets a very tricky, just because of playing quietly in the high register, and some rhythmic stuff) sounds improvised and is absolutely enchanting. It phases in and out of the choir lines gracefully, and it is a real treat to hear.
I'll talk more later, I'm very tired, haha. I've been practicing pretty hard on my repertoire for this gig (mostly the Musica Dei Donum, since it's so exposed... oh my goodness), so wish me luck!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)