This was a concert weekend which meant lots and lots of playing the viola. Two hour dress rehearsal, concert Saturday night (one and a quarter hour) with repeat performance this afternoon.
This morning my friend Wendy, trained in Alexander Technique, came to our Women's Choir at church and worked with us a bit on how to use our bodies more naturally for better tone production.
It got me thinking about the pain I have been having on the left side of my back when I play viola for a long time, and I think it has to do with how I share the stand with my stand partner. I asked Wendy about this and if she knew of anything to do, and she said that it is just a matter of trial and error. I think this problem is compounded with violists since our instruments are larger than violins and can really get in the way of each other.
So just before the concert this afternoon, my stand partner and I worked on a new arrangement that put her closer to the music and me looking at it straight on instead of twisting a bit. We were both happier and more comfortable about this new arrangement, and we wonder why we haven't worked it out sooner.
Now if only the notes were bigger and clearer so we could see better, and if only the Eroica was not so intense for so long a time and it was easier to concentrate through that whole symphony.
No comments:
Post a Comment