Perhaps God gave me a lighter day today because I was sore and blistered from playing the monsterous cymbals yesterday. Seriously, both of my index fingers are still red right now.
Today started with percussion ensemble rehearsal. The rehearsal is so enjoyable when it is actually productive - working out details that would make the piece of music sound exciting, motivating each other to get better ... I have been longing for such rehearsals. Moreover, I miss the percussion trio that was sort of formed back in September. If God is willing, I hope the three of us (you know who you are, if you happen to read this entry ...) can reunite once again for more phenomenal percussion music.
After coffee break we had a timpani mallet festival. Such an eye-opener for me. When I bought my A. Putnam mallets, I was whining about how expensive they were. Well, I should shut up now as they are not expensive compared to A. Kato mallets, which are around $150/pair. They feel really nice though. I can also peacefully dismiss (well, I have not been a huge fan of them after a while) my Vic Firth general timpani mallets. I could still keep them for multi-percussion stuff. The European Classics ones are still cool.
I played around 20 cymbals notes (most of them are soft, and are played on suspended cymbal) at the orchestra rehearsal. With the stage light, I felt screaming hot at the rehearsal and became a little impatient with my counting. I sneaked out quite often ... lol.
There was supposed to be a mock audition tonight for every session of the orchestra, but Bill decided we should only have one audition next week. Therefore, we (percussionists) have tonight off. Well, he gave us a bunch of excerpts to look at ...
Maybe tonight I should listen to a ton of music and see if I can eventually get some inspiration to compose. Or ... score studying. :-P
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Powell River, Day 3
There is a part called "Butt Kick" in the reality show "The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp" (which is about weight-loss, obviously). This is what I have gone through today - some serious "butt-kicking".
Today started with a group lesson on timpani. Bill made us to really focus on our wrists when practicing our strokes. He gave us a bunch of exercises to work on. I managed most of them fine until he asked us to play fast paradiddles on the timpani. Playing normal paradiddles is still manageable for me, but playing "syncopated" (when you accent the second note of the paradiddles) paradiddles is when I feel I am stupid. I never made very good friends with paradiddles; it's probably time to get acquainted with them again. Hopefully, we will become good friends this time.
We also spent some time with Bill's cymbals. He brought his 20-inch Istabul and 21-inch Paiste (hopefully I got the spelling right) for Mahler 1. I played with the Istabuls yesterday because they were less heavy than the Paiste, and today Bill just handed me the 21s and they were monsters! I had to put them down after about 5 hits ... He did say they were huge and stiff. If we could get a good sound from them then we can get a good sound from any cymbals ... LOL.
After the coffee break (yes we went for coffee/tea again!) we had a triangle festival. It's interesting to hear how the sound of a triangle travels to different parts of the hall. It's also interesting to find out how each person has a different opinion on what they think is the most favourable sound (or like Bill said, sound with characteristics) to them.
After lunch we had orchestra rehearsal. Playing with a pair of 20-inch cymbals gives me a massive upper-body work out. Better still, we had to rehearse this piece for 2 hours straight this afternoon, and another hour in the evening at the open rehearsal. So that's a 3-hour upper-body workout for me. My arms and my back were sore at the end of the day. Well, think of it this way, Bill said playing cymbal crashes should involve your back (Vern, do you agree?). If my back is sore, that means I have involved my back effectively. At least I tried to ... LOL ...
Most of the percussionists (myself included) got a break when the Beethoven's 1st piano concerto was rehearsed. We did a little snare drum circle outside the building. That's when my butt is kicked again. The Spanish guys introduced us to some technical exercises that they do in their studies. We also did MORE paradiddles. (!!!) Nonetheless, it was so much fun, and I strongly suggest this kind of "bonding" practice to any ensembles.
I'm looking forward to more butt-kicking tomorrow ...
Today started with a group lesson on timpani. Bill made us to really focus on our wrists when practicing our strokes. He gave us a bunch of exercises to work on. I managed most of them fine until he asked us to play fast paradiddles on the timpani. Playing normal paradiddles is still manageable for me, but playing "syncopated" (when you accent the second note of the paradiddles) paradiddles is when I feel I am stupid. I never made very good friends with paradiddles; it's probably time to get acquainted with them again. Hopefully, we will become good friends this time.
We also spent some time with Bill's cymbals. He brought his 20-inch Istabul and 21-inch Paiste (hopefully I got the spelling right) for Mahler 1. I played with the Istabuls yesterday because they were less heavy than the Paiste, and today Bill just handed me the 21s and they were monsters! I had to put them down after about 5 hits ... He did say they were huge and stiff. If we could get a good sound from them then we can get a good sound from any cymbals ... LOL.
After the coffee break (yes we went for coffee/tea again!) we had a triangle festival. It's interesting to hear how the sound of a triangle travels to different parts of the hall. It's also interesting to find out how each person has a different opinion on what they think is the most favourable sound (or like Bill said, sound with characteristics) to them.
After lunch we had orchestra rehearsal. Playing with a pair of 20-inch cymbals gives me a massive upper-body work out. Better still, we had to rehearse this piece for 2 hours straight this afternoon, and another hour in the evening at the open rehearsal. So that's a 3-hour upper-body workout for me. My arms and my back were sore at the end of the day. Well, think of it this way, Bill said playing cymbal crashes should involve your back (Vern, do you agree?). If my back is sore, that means I have involved my back effectively. At least I tried to ... LOL ...
Most of the percussionists (myself included) got a break when the Beethoven's 1st piano concerto was rehearsed. We did a little snare drum circle outside the building. That's when my butt is kicked again. The Spanish guys introduced us to some technical exercises that they do in their studies. We also did MORE paradiddles. (!!!) Nonetheless, it was so much fun, and I strongly suggest this kind of "bonding" practice to any ensembles.
I'm looking forward to more butt-kicking tomorrow ...
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Powell River, Day 2
Today is when the music comes.
I was well-rested last night so I got up before 7am quite energized. I was a little nervous about the seating audition, but it turned out there was no audition for the percussion section. Instead, we drew our parts in random order and worked on some percussion ensemble music (as we are playing a show next Friday). Our instructor (Bill Linwood) even bought us coffee/tea. :-P I have met him before through an orchestral audition; now as I communicate with him more, I find him quite a laid-back person. Well, he might become very critical when he gives private lessons. LOL ...
Yesterday I said I felt like going back to a high school band camp. Guess what, I feel even more so now with the setting we rehearse in and the equipment we use. You will understand what I mean when you see my pictures.Also, I am one of the older people. A lot of people I meet are under 20 or in their early 20s. My goodness!
The first piece we rehearsed in the afternoon rehearsal was Mahler 1. The part I got was cymbals. This is the exact same part I got last year when I read it at VPO! (Hooray) I played with Bill's 20-inch cymbals and I now have sore shoulders. I was a little disappointed with the ensemble's unpreparedness. I thought this camp is readying young musicians to get into the professional field and thus people should be a bit more up front with things. Perhaps things will get better as they go.
It's nice to find out that the hotel I stay in is only a 10-minute walk from where we rehearse. I'd love to exercise my limbs more, given we get fed really well at the camp.
With little there is to be done, I think I'll turn in early tonight and get some practice done tomorrow morning.
I was well-rested last night so I got up before 7am quite energized. I was a little nervous about the seating audition, but it turned out there was no audition for the percussion section. Instead, we drew our parts in random order and worked on some percussion ensemble music (as we are playing a show next Friday). Our instructor (Bill Linwood) even bought us coffee/tea. :-P I have met him before through an orchestral audition; now as I communicate with him more, I find him quite a laid-back person. Well, he might become very critical when he gives private lessons. LOL ...
Yesterday I said I felt like going back to a high school band camp. Guess what, I feel even more so now with the setting we rehearse in and the equipment we use. You will understand what I mean when you see my pictures.Also, I am one of the older people. A lot of people I meet are under 20 or in their early 20s. My goodness!
The first piece we rehearsed in the afternoon rehearsal was Mahler 1. The part I got was cymbals. This is the exact same part I got last year when I read it at VPO! (Hooray) I played with Bill's 20-inch cymbals and I now have sore shoulders. I was a little disappointed with the ensemble's unpreparedness. I thought this camp is readying young musicians to get into the professional field and thus people should be a bit more up front with things. Perhaps things will get better as they go.
It's nice to find out that the hotel I stay in is only a 10-minute walk from where we rehearse. I'd love to exercise my limbs more, given we get fed really well at the camp.
With little there is to be done, I think I'll turn in early tonight and get some practice done tomorrow morning.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Powell River, Day 1
Beginning of the trip I have been looking forward to.
It's time for me to escape from reality for a bit - given my life has been chaotic for quite a while. I still had to play in an accompaniment gig this morning. :-P
Before I hit Powell River, I had to first pass by Vancouver because there is no direct flight to PR from Calgary (of course not!). It's nice to look at Vancouver once again. I miss this place.
Hauling luggages is always a pain in the butt for a percussionist like me because we have more to carry than anybody else in the orchestra. This time I have two suitcases (1 with clothes, 1 with mallets), a snare drum and a laptop ... Yikes. Thank God there are shuttle buses connecting between the Main Terminal and the South Terminal (where I take my flight to PR), which makes my luggage carrying a little less exhausting.
When I checked in at the South Terminal, the lady charged me for an extra luggage. She claimed that my snare drum wouldn't fit under the seat and therefore I couldn't carry it as a carry-on baggage. I wasn't impressed at first, but later I found out why. The plane was SMALL - you had to crawl your back in order to get in, and the plane can seat maybe 20 people at max. The PR airport was of course very small too and very primitive looking.
Originally SOAP says we'd be picked up by bus. And you know what - bus means people's cars. The staff from SOAP came pick us up. They drove us to our accommodations and helped us check in. By the way, my hotel is right beside A&W. :-P
When I finally arrived at my hotel (with my heavy luggages - phew!), there was an envelope on the desk which included the schedule, information on PR, and money for dinner tonight. It feels like being in a high school band camp again - when all your needs are well taken care of by the chaperones. As much as I want to be pampered, I am already not used to it ... haha.
Anyways, tomorrow is when the real camp starts. I am totally inconfident about the placement audition because I haven't practiced as intensely as I was when I was still a student. But it doesn't matter - I don't care if I'm placed last ...
(P.S. I went to DQ for dinner. I had a chicken strip basket, which included fries. I left 2/3 of the fries uneaten. I can't eat that much fried stuff anymore ...)
It's time for me to escape from reality for a bit - given my life has been chaotic for quite a while. I still had to play in an accompaniment gig this morning. :-P
Before I hit Powell River, I had to first pass by Vancouver because there is no direct flight to PR from Calgary (of course not!). It's nice to look at Vancouver once again. I miss this place.
Hauling luggages is always a pain in the butt for a percussionist like me because we have more to carry than anybody else in the orchestra. This time I have two suitcases (1 with clothes, 1 with mallets), a snare drum and a laptop ... Yikes. Thank God there are shuttle buses connecting between the Main Terminal and the South Terminal (where I take my flight to PR), which makes my luggage carrying a little less exhausting.
When I checked in at the South Terminal, the lady charged me for an extra luggage. She claimed that my snare drum wouldn't fit under the seat and therefore I couldn't carry it as a carry-on baggage. I wasn't impressed at first, but later I found out why. The plane was SMALL - you had to crawl your back in order to get in, and the plane can seat maybe 20 people at max. The PR airport was of course very small too and very primitive looking.
Originally SOAP says we'd be picked up by bus. And you know what - bus means people's cars. The staff from SOAP came pick us up. They drove us to our accommodations and helped us check in. By the way, my hotel is right beside A&W. :-P
When I finally arrived at my hotel (with my heavy luggages - phew!), there was an envelope on the desk which included the schedule, information on PR, and money for dinner tonight. It feels like being in a high school band camp again - when all your needs are well taken care of by the chaperones. As much as I want to be pampered, I am already not used to it ... haha.
Anyways, tomorrow is when the real camp starts. I am totally inconfident about the placement audition because I haven't practiced as intensely as I was when I was still a student. But it doesn't matter - I don't care if I'm placed last ...
(P.S. I went to DQ for dinner. I had a chicken strip basket, which included fries. I left 2/3 of the fries uneaten. I can't eat that much fried stuff anymore ...)
Thursday, June 03, 2010
谷、谷、谷！
為了不要讓我以前的老師明白我寫甚麼，我唯有用多一點時間用中文打字吧。
我將會在6月21日到7月8日到Powell River, BC參加一個職青管弦樂團訓練營。這一個訓練營集合世界不同國家的青年人﹝有意就職於管弦樂團或已經在管弦樂團就職者﹞作音樂交流，當中將會有個人授課、集體綵排、演出及模擬面試。一說到模擬面試我便有一點不自在：因為我之前去過幾處地方考管弦樂團，每一次籌備都令我心力交瘁。練習從早到晚，不見天日。雖然當昨天我收到要預備的東西時，我發覺很多都已經練了幾百次，但我放低了差不多一年，怎能在半個月之間回復專業水準呢？敲擊樂組有七個人，當中有美國藉、西班牙藉，又有在安省的，只有我跟另一位從亞省出來的。其他地方的音樂教育豐富很多，今次實行甚麼都是排最尾了！
其實我想嘗試用一個輕鬆的心態去，因為今次是神特別為我預備的一個trip。本來我沒有想過要報名，但因人手不足加上我以前老師的推薦之下，我不單不用通過考試便獲取錄，而且還學費全免﹝當然，我還要付近$2000的食宿加機票費﹞。多年來我想去都沒有錢去，今次終於可以用自己掙來的錢去了！感謝主！
我相信神給我這次機會是要避一避世去尋求祂的心意。我在這一年實在忙得很慘，心裡不時不太安靜。不安靜又怎能聽神的聲音？
既然「托賴」有得去這個trip，那就盡我能力去努力吧‧‧‧
我將會在6月21日到7月8日到Powell River, BC參加一個職青管弦樂團訓練營。這一個訓練營集合世界不同國家的青年人﹝有意就職於管弦樂團或已經在管弦樂團就職者﹞作音樂交流，當中將會有個人授課、集體綵排、演出及模擬面試。一說到模擬面試我便有一點不自在：因為我之前去過幾處地方考管弦樂團，每一次籌備都令我心力交瘁。練習從早到晚，不見天日。雖然當昨天我收到要預備的東西時，我發覺很多都已經練了幾百次，但我放低了差不多一年，怎能在半個月之間回復專業水準呢？敲擊樂組有七個人，當中有美國藉、西班牙藉，又有在安省的，只有我跟另一位從亞省出來的。其他地方的音樂教育豐富很多，今次實行甚麼都是排最尾了！
其實我想嘗試用一個輕鬆的心態去，因為今次是神特別為我預備的一個trip。本來我沒有想過要報名，但因人手不足加上我以前老師的推薦之下，我不單不用通過考試便獲取錄，而且還學費全免﹝當然，我還要付近$2000的食宿加機票費﹞。多年來我想去都沒有錢去，今次終於可以用自己掙來的錢去了！感謝主！
我相信神給我這次機會是要避一避世去尋求祂的心意。我在這一年實在忙得很慘，心裡不時不太安靜。不安靜又怎能聽神的聲音？
既然「托賴」有得去這個trip，那就盡我能力去努力吧‧‧‧
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Meet Me In The Meadow: Assurance
Yesterday at 11:38am, as I opened my eyes from a prayer I made asking for God's assurance, I received an e-mail with the following message. And yes (amazingly), the e-mail was received at precisely 11:38am! May God bless you! :-D
Meet Me In The Meadow: Assurance
Meet Me In The Meadow: Assurance
Monday, May 17, 2010
Economic Recession
The economic recession has finally made its harm on me ...
... Well, not entirely. But lately, the sales at Market Mall A&W, where I work as a supervisor at, have been dropping. Not as drastically as other shops at the food court, but enough that my mom, who is the manager, has to make big cuts to work hours to minimize labour cost. Don't think I'd be exempted from that because I'm her daughter. There have been a couple of times (including tomorrow) when my schedule is cancelled entirely. There are also times when the hours of my regular shift is cut short. It would have sucked really bad if this is my only job. But thank God, I still have my teaching job which schedule is continuously packing up, and I have been taking on a few performances lately. Therefore, my pocket is still fine.
Thank God also that I'm not a big spender. But with my 3-week study trip coming up, I'll have to watch harder what I spend ...
Well, at least I will have a bit more time to myself. I have been exhausted from the hectic schedule in the past few months. It's time for me to catch up with sleep, enjoy some downtime and think about the future.
Lord, You know all I need and You will provide abundantly. I should not worry but to rejoice for what You have given me. Amen!
... Well, not entirely. But lately, the sales at Market Mall A&W, where I work as a supervisor at, have been dropping. Not as drastically as other shops at the food court, but enough that my mom, who is the manager, has to make big cuts to work hours to minimize labour cost. Don't think I'd be exempted from that because I'm her daughter. There have been a couple of times (including tomorrow) when my schedule is cancelled entirely. There are also times when the hours of my regular shift is cut short. It would have sucked really bad if this is my only job. But thank God, I still have my teaching job which schedule is continuously packing up, and I have been taking on a few performances lately. Therefore, my pocket is still fine.
Thank God also that I'm not a big spender. But with my 3-week study trip coming up, I'll have to watch harder what I spend ...
Well, at least I will have a bit more time to myself. I have been exhausted from the hectic schedule in the past few months. It's time for me to catch up with sleep, enjoy some downtime and think about the future.
Lord, You know all I need and You will provide abundantly. I should not worry but to rejoice for what You have given me. Amen!
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