My Peeps!
Shout out?
My reeds have been going really well recently! I made 6 blanks earlier this week, and *four* of them turned out well! I am psyched, guys. Good reeds mean that I actually enjoy practicing, and enjoying practicing means that I will actually practice, and that my actual practice will sink in. My playing was suffering (I think because of my reeds, but probably that is not the whole problem), but now I am feeling much more confident! I’ve been stuck on the last few articulation studies in the Barret. I don’t know why! They are were eluding me. I guess I must have put up a mental block about them. BUT I will conquer them this week. Practice is going well! I have been playing Schumann’s Romances, in my Beth Anns (accompaniment rehearsals/coachings), and they are fun! It is a challenge to get through all of them without dying, of course, but it feels like a long time since I have played something long and lyrical when I can really get into my tone and phrasing.
ICE (Improvisational Concert Ensemble) is going well too! Jim has some very pointed views on improv as an artform (in that he doesn’t think it is on par with studies or interpretive ensembles like orchestra or band), but I think I disagree. Improv is a creative art, rather than an interpretive one, but that doesn’t make it any less of a skill! I think it’s helping my oboe playing and musicianship, too. In ICE I don’t have sheet music to distract me from listening closely to the other musicians, and playing in tune and with the best possible tone. It’s so cool to get into that space where I’m in a zone with the music with no distractions and can really focus! I wish I knew of some other oboists who do improv; I’d love to hear it.
There should be a blog coming soon by bassoonist Adam Romey about the Sue Heineman masterclass that happened last week.
November 9th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Improv petrifies me. But a trumpeter colleague of mine at Ottawa is encouraging me to try, so I am going to do some with him. *is petrified
November 10th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I love doing improv, but the improv group at my school always exists for a few weeks in the fall and dies immediately following the first concert.
November 29th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Improv is like chamber music, but more so. As in, hard, incredibly technical, great fun, nobody comes to your concerts, and a great way to learn how to listen. The most important thing I learned from playing improv is when to shut up, because sometimes there’s nothing you can do that will help.