Hectic Week!

This week was definitely not an easy week back.  It was very hectic.  I had two tests and a quiz.  Along with playing three different instruments in three different orchestras in only two concerts.  I had a lot of fun playing this week.  The concerts went well and I was ecstatic to be acknowledged by my orchestra teachers during last night's concert.  I can't wait to continue working with String and Freshman Orchestras after my AP exams.  I will be playing and conducting for them.  Conducting!  I'm so nervous and excited about it at the same time.   Well I hope everybody has a good weekend despite the studying us AP students have to do. 

Last Day of April Vacation

The break went by too quickly. Unfortunately, I won't be able to blog everyday. This upcoming week is going to be chaotic with preparing for AP exams. Additionally, I will be playing in 3 orchestras on 3 different instruments in the two school spring concerts. Hopefully, I will write about those concerts this weekend. Right now I have to get to sleep, because it's back to the normal wakeup schedule. I hope everybody has an easy time going back to school tomorrow.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, everyone!  I can't believe how fast this vacation went.  We have two more days including today and tomorrow.   It was a great vacation.  I had fun blogging all my musical adventures.  Today I am made chocolate chip cookies.  They turned out very huge.  My sister is dying easter eggs.  By the way you should read her blog.  It's http:fastfuriousfashion.blogspot.com.  It's a great blog. 

I'm having a lot of fun writing in all these different lighter palettes.  This will definitely be the most colorful blog post yet.  Well that's all I have for today.  I'll hopefully write a lot more tomorrow.  I hope everybody has a great Easter. 

Bad Habits!

Habits are very difficult to change.  The area where I have the most bad habits is on my instrument.  Yes the viola.  But, I am in the process of overcoming those bad habits.  I will share with you my bad habits and how my teacher solved them.  Now where to begin.  Oh yes! 

1) Problem
My bow hold was the worst.  Teachers would always tell me my wrist was "over pronated".  I didn't know what was worse the fact that teachers would constantly tell me that or the fact I thought teachers were making up the word pronated until I looked up the word.  Then I knew I had to fix this problem. 
Solution
My teacher, Sheila gave me exercises such as Shradeick Studies and Carl Fleish System Scales every week.  I spent 10-15 minutes every day practicing to get a lower wrist bow hold.  It certainly worked within a year, because I was playing fast passages effortlessly. 

2) Problem
2)  I had problems with my left hand too.  My palm didn't push out enough.  Instead my hand was curved in too  much. 
Solution
Coordination with the left hand bow hold from the first problem.  Worked on going up and down in various positions

3) Problem
I didn't curve my fingers enough with my left hand and I was more prone to playing out of tune. 
Solution
My teacher told me to curve my fingers and immediately I stopped playing with such flat fingers.  Playing with flat fingers hurt so much.  Curving my fingers felt so much better and I was playing much better too. 

4) Problem
I got nervous when I saw sixteenth notes and would play as fast as I can. 
Solution
My teacher would tell me I sounded verklempt.  The word sounded comical to me.  Now, everytime I see sixteenth notes I always remember the word verklempt and how I should not sound. 

5) Problem
My favorite bad habit (no oxymoron intended) is I move when I play. 
Solution
My teacher told me to stop moving and I would sound better if I didn't move while playing.  She told me to stop moving and I did.  I was much more satisfied with my playing.  So when I move I remember yes it's important to let the audience know I love music, but I can sound musical and cleaner without moving.  Also I practice in front of the mirror and I notice how moving can be distracting.

Within a year I sounded so a lot better.  I established a confidence and better self-esteem.  It really feels I've made so many little accomplishments incorporated into one enormous one.  I am continuing to grow technically and musically. 

The Competitors

A couple of days ago I wrote about the movie I saw called Russia's Wonderchildren.  Today I finally saw The Competitors.  It was great to see the children ten years older.  The youngest, Irina, is my age and I was amazed at how well she played.  Additionally, I could relate myself a lot to Irina.  We are similar in age and we have similar personalities.  More importanly we both love our instruments and music. 

Lena the oldest played Beethoven so well.  Her control and technique was absolutely amazing.  Mitya had great composition skills and he based his tunes on jazz music.  Nikita not only plays the piano well, but he also plays trumpet.  I was amazed how all of them pursued music as their careers.  10 years ago they had ambitions to become pianists and they did.

I hope to see their names on posters and see them in concerts. 

Dvorak 9 Part 2

I still can't help everytime now when I listen to Dvorak's 9th Symphony to think about Leonard Bernstein's analysis.  I still want to argue that Dvorak did include folk tunes from Native American and African-American music.  Why would Dvorak title a symphony "New World", if he included elements from the United States' folk music? 

Dvorak titled the symphony "New World, because, the United States is considered a baby to Dvorak's home country of what was called then, Czechoslovakia.  Dvorak did include elements from the "old world" of European music too, but he I think he was trying to get a point across.  He was trying to create a melting pot to indicate that music is present in every country and there isn't a country more superior than another.  Music is a universal language. 

It's difficult to deny there isn't any an influence from the United States.  Especially the legendary second movement.  Many people know that the second movement is from a famous tune Goin Home.  This may sound insane, but everytime I hear it I can picture a boat docking into Ellis Island with all the immigrants. 

The piece continues with more Native American and African-American tunes that are present that I hear.  But, really the entire piece just has moments of beauty and excitement, which makes it well written.  Each movement contains both qualities.  I like that Dvorak seemed to compose what was in his heart at the moment and he didn't worry about the standard form of classical music.  Dvorak never wanted the piece to end and the last bars with the horns holding the notes out long indicates that. 

Well, it's more important for the listener to just enjoy it.  So if you read this thanks for reading and now just enjoy the piece. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAZ50E3zwLw&feature=related (Dvorak 9, 1/5)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVERlJgghOY&feature=related (Dvorak 9, 2/5)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB7sBIa70rE&feature=related (Dvorak 9, 3/5)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIQE4IVVpGc&feature=related (Dvorak 9, 4/5)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XYI3HZP25s&feature=related (Dvorak 9, 5/5)

Can Learning Classical Music be Interesting?

Sometimes children cringe when they hear the word classical music.  Usually when classical comes up people think of dead composers and the long pieces that last more than 10 minutes.  People can not relate to the piece or composer, because there is such an enormous gap between when the piece was written and to present day.  It's sometimes difficult for young children to listen to concerts, because they cannot talk, remain still, and it can be long.  If a child faces this at a young age it's challenging for them to take any interest in learning an instrument or learning anything else about classical music. 

So how do we solve this?  Well, my first suggestion is for children to listen to pieces on CDs first, but listen to a piece that tells a story.  Two known pieces for this are the Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint Saens and Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev.  Carnival of the Animals contains movements portraying a different animal(s) by instrument(s).  Sounds great?  Peter and the Wolf is a children's story with both music and text.  Each instrument portrays a character or animal to tell the story.  Prokofiev's purpose was to cultivate "musical tastes in children from the first years of school".  Music telling stories and portraying animals sounds a lot better than just learning math or science doesn't it?

Another suggestion for children to get interested in classical music is to play something with speed and gives thrills.  Such as Leonard Bernstein's Mambo from West Side Story, Rimsky Korsakov's Flight of the Bumble Bee, or Aaron Copland's Hoe Down from Rodeo.   I think these 2 ways will get children more interested in classical music.  That's all I got for today.  Hope everyone is having a great vacation! 

Dvorak's "New World Symphony #9" American or Not?

Today, I heard an analysis of Dvorak's famous 9th symphony by my favorite conductor, Leonard Bernstein.  The analysis was very surprising it changed my thoughts about Dvorak using primitively Native American and African-American folk tunes incorporated into his piece.  But, really it has everything in it from Native American, Scottish, French, German, to Chinese.  Leonard Bernstein concludes "We don't have American music till a quarter of a century later with Gershwin".  But as I listen to the piece now I still hear the Native American and African American folk tunes.  But, I'll leave to all of you.  Maybe your thoughts will change. Here's the piece and analysis.  The music is from when the New York Philharmonic went to North Korea.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAZ50E3zwLw&feature=related (Dvorak 9 1st movement)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVERlJgghOY&feature=related (Dvorak 9 2nd movement)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB7sBIa70rE&feature=related (Dvorak 9 2nd and 3rd movements)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIQE4IVVpGc&feature=related (Dvorak 9 4th movement)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79D5sOD5duE (Bernstein's Analysis)

Russia's Wunderkind Competitors

A couple of years ago I saw a movie about 4 Russian piano child prodigies, made in 2000.  It showed the talents of 4 children Irina age 8, Nikita 9, Mitya 10, and Elena 16.  Now they are ten years older and have to face the challenges of becoming famous pianists, because these prodigies have grown up.  While they were children they could amaze the public with impeccable ability.  But, once these prodigies grow up they face the challenges to have perfect performances, top prizes for competitions, and just simple luck. 

They have spent numerous hours practicing the piano.  Will it pay off?  The world of classical music has changed according to the director Irene Langman "The innocent simplicity of the early years is long gone by now, and the concert appearances have become rarer. And it’s not just the size of their bodies that has changed: the world of classical music has also changed since then. Performing artists are now expected to act like pop musicians and be as attractive as a Hollywood star. How can all that be combined under one hat alongside physical and spatial precision when performing on stage?" 

I now realize how being a child prodigy is not cracked up as it is to be.  I remember how I longed to be a child prodigy when I was younger.  I knew I was talented for my age, but I knew I lacked the technique on mhy instrument that child prodigies had on theirs.  I kept practicing and practicing in hopes of becoming one, but it wasn't worth it.  I realize that if I was a child prodigy I would of been playing at such a high point and would of had no room to improve.  Not being a child prodigy paid off.  Because last year I started with my new teacher, Sheila  and she is my hero.  Because she helped me improve to the high point I am at now and I owe much of my advanced playing to her. 

Here is the link of the snip of the movie I was talking about.  I haven't seen the 2010 movie yet.  I am getting it soon though.  I will post about how the movie was.  Enjoy! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnr-Vv9aEEA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0uZkzXLdY4 (Elena and Irina)

Sorry I was not able to get a picture of Elena when she was younger.

Hallelujah it's Finally Vacation

Vacation is finally here.  It's great.  I will be able to have more blog posts.  Anyway, my first interesting thing I did over break so far was seeing a bunny.   It was so cute.  It was carrying grass it hopped over to my neighbor's front lawn where all the easter eggs were layed out.  It was so ironic that the bunny seemed to know where it's habitat is.   Additionally, I checked the weather, it is supposed to be high 50s, and low 60s.  20-30% chance of showers from now till Tuesday :(.  We've had enough rain.  I hope later in the week will get a really nice day for a picnic.  Well now I am going to get more SLEEP!  

Last day of School before April Break

Finally, it is the last day of school before April break.  Seven full weeks of school calls for a break.  Tomorrow is Shakespeare Day at my school.  People do performances and acts from Shakespeare such as: plays, music during the time of Shakespeare, or musicals influenced by Shakespeare.  It's a great time for students to just watch during their off periods.  It's even better when teachers take their classes to the auditorioum.  Anyway that's all I have for tonight.  Hope everybody enjoys their last day of school before April vacation. 

April Fools!

Freshman Orchestra was full of jokes today.  Students were switching instramints and they asked me how to play they're secondary instramints.  I helped them with fingerings to trick the orchestra she was hearing the students on their primery instramints.  Students also started playing other pieces from what we were supposed to be playing.  Additionally, they played fortes when their were pianos written.  My symphonic orchestra teacher tuned one of the bassists G string out of tune.  The entire rehearsal definitely portrays Mozart's personality.  It is reported that Mozart never said one serious thing.  His personality is definitely depicted in his pieces.  Here's a link.  I love the last note of this piece.  It really is my favorite chord. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S44TxEaAsDA (Mozart's Musical Joke movement #4) 







(APRIL FOOLS I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEIR, THEY'RE, AND THERE
(I DO KNOW HOW TO SPELL INSTRUMENTS AND PRIMARY)