Playing vs. Performing

This weekend the Claremont Concert Orchestra gives two concerts which include Beethoven's 6th Symphony. I've been playing in orchestra since I was 10, so I am pretty familiar with concert situations. Usually during the concert I work on concentrating through each piece in its entirety, something that we don't usually do in rehearsal since we stop frequently to work on sections.

Beethoven's 6th viola part is either beautiful (often doubling the cello part) or tedious, but the familiar music is so beautiful that last night I just immersed myself into the music, listening to the gorgeous parts of other instruments when my part was boring, and soaring with the beautiful low melodies. I hope I can replicate that again this afternoon.

Expanded Orchestra

Every year I start the school year off with a small orchestra at school. Then, after the February concert, I invite all the beginning string students to join orchestra. Today was our first rehearsal of all students with 100% attendance! We were nine strong, and now we have 21!

Music Meters

So, daughter #2 is taking a music theory course. Daughter #1 would call Dad to get help with her chemistry class, so now it is my turn to answer music questions. Today's problem - compound and simple meters. Although I remember learning those once, the correct labels are not something I worry about in my life as a musician. I just look at the meter and play it. As we talked through the homework, I understood meters such as 6/8, 3/2, and certainly 3/4. But I was a little confused about 6/16 and 6/2. Can't remember ever playing in those, and how important is it to know if it is simple or compound?

Acapella - Sonos

Catching up on my NPR podcasts, I ran across this story about the acapella group Sonos. I really like their arrangement of I Want You Back. Also Fleet Foxes' White Winter Hymnal. You can have a free listen at the NPR website.

Finished First Draft

This morning I finished the first draft of my 5th and final movement of the string quartet. Now for the revising of the whole work!