If there has been one theme in this blog, it has been the continual promise that I’ll get on it someday.  With my upcoming visit to New England SCOR tomorrow, I thought it might be a good chance to get the blog-cogs turning again.  I’ll try not to make it sound like a commercial, but it will be my first experience at an adult music camp, so I’ll try to get in some detailed experiences.

My playing has been taking a beating during a recent intense project.  Hopefully this will help with the ole’ motivation.

Does anybody have some first time stories they’d like to share?  Please comment below!

I will resume normal posts on the stated schedule starting April 29.

This will help keep me predictable with my readers without burdening me with habits I won’t keep.

Second and fourth Sunday of every month.  It’s challenging to practice and blog about it.  An audio or video will be posted on each fourth Sunday.

I was told I was progressing!

Right now though, I’m avoiding practicing because the third octave of G major is proving to be challenging.  I feel lucky if I can get G-A-B right.

Do any scales give you trouble?  Which and where?

Moving up to the current date, my counting is definitely better, although subdividing rhythms remains a challenge.  As for my current lesson, the status looks as follows:

• Scherzo: try memorizing so you can really focus on dynamics.  The dynamics were too level.  Play with bravado, particularly on the sforzando.
• Schroeder: pay attention to drawing a straight bow, particularly on the A string.
• Start practicing more duets!  Today, we worked over a four-voiced holiday song.  My intonation, particularly on the F needs work.  I’m not sure how to manage this sort of thing for a particular note.  I’m supposed to listen for whether a note fit the chords “already in the air”.  It’s still a mystery to me.

It’s been nine years and a couple of days since my first lesson back in 2008.  Biggest highlight of my experience since the accident in 2014 was getting involved with Bloomsburg Preparatory School of Music and joining their New Strings Ensemble program (now called Concert League of Fine Musicians).  I didn’t realize how much I had to learn about basic musicality and staying in tune with others, but it’s also opened up new horizons. I thought I’d be in it for two seasons and most, then progress to the advanced group.   This did not happen, although being in the group has definitely made me a better and more musical player.  Doing simple things in performance is harder than it sounds.  Just staying focused enough to count is a challenge.  But the conductor (and school director) says I’m getting there.

We finished our performance for the fall semester, so now I can get back to focusing on my lesson pieces.

Here’s the update, from the 11/17 lesson

• Scherzo (Webster).  Focus on accenting the first note of four-note group.  Shift as a unit.
• Mooney Position Pieces. Same comment on shifting.  Get used to third position.  Double check where the thumb goes.  Feel generally good about these. but keep checking intonation on 4.
• Schroeder #23:  Do groups of 4 rather than 8, which is what was written.  Be economical in motion, and focus on the gear shifting rather than wrist flicking mode.