Well, I'm finally all moved in. I've just made a move to a new house with 2 bass players, JK and CM (practically the entire bass section, btw). The house is nice- furnished, nice high ceilings to help cope with the heat, good lighting, great courtyard in back. Tonight JK is away playing a gig, and CM is away with his family. So, it's my last day in a house by myself for a long while. Tomorrow we will start being roommates.
I don't mean to make this sound too significant, it really isn't, but I have lived by myself for two years now, and this seems like a big change. I am basically really excited to have roommates. I intentionally shyed away from roommates after my junior year of college, due to a somewhat stressful house-sharing experience and a personal shift in priorities. I think I've bounced back nicely, so nicely, that I'm even prepared to live with dudes, which I've never done before.
I'm setting my expectations low- I'm expecting no cleaning, lots of TV noise, rude comments and bodily noises I'd rather not hear. (Am I being too judgmental based on stereotypes? Or not?) But I don't really care, I've considered all these things. And these guys are really nice, interesting, and funny. I'm also expecting some great conversations, lots of laughs, help fixing my bike, and cheaper than cheap rent. You win some, you lose some. :)
Oh, and we have wireless internet- fun.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Monday, October 16, 2006
Beethoven 9: The Recap
And no, I don't mean the recapitulation, for all you music geeks. Although there were a few of them. And they sounded OK.
The point is this: I got to play the fourth horn part to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony this weekend. Three performances. A few too many rehearsals. It was fun, but it also felt like work.
Because a lot of horn players read my blog, I'm going to overanalyze the experience. For those of you that are a) not horn players or b) not interested in what goes through my head while I do my "job," feel free to skim, or skip entirely, this post.
I knew that playing the actual part would be much different than playing the excerpt in auditions, as I've done 15 or 20 times now. I think playing the excerpt will be easier from now on, not only because it's more comfortable due to the pure repetition with the actual orchestra, but because the excerpt is a lot easier than the part. When you play the excerpt you don't have to play two movements of low B-flat horn beforehand. You don't have to play most of the long notes in the part, you don't have to tune to the out-of-tune clarinets, and you don't have to pretend to look at the conductor once in a while.
The biggest thing is the endurance. My old teacher warned me of this, and I decided not to pass off a few notes to the third player as he strongly suggested. I don't regret that decision, but it was a bit of a challenge in just a few measures. And when you get to that arpeggio, down to the low B-flat, it just feels completely different than you think it's going to. But you have to just truck down there and crank it out.
The other thing that was very funny to me was my colleagues' reactions. After the melody, and then the solo bar, the whole row (third horn, trumpet players, maybe even a particularly aware trombonist) would stick there foot out or give me a shuffle. And I'm thinking "Wow, the work is just beginning" because really, the "solo" is easy as pie. And fun! It's the stuff afterwards that's difficult. And the first movement. That's harder than the excerpt too.
ANYWAY, it was a really good experience, and I'm glad I got the chance to get nervous and play something exposed- it had been a while.
Overall, the performance was a little campy- big community chorus, local mediocre soprano, ya know. But it was fun. And there were some moments. And it's a masterpiece, no doubt, so it was still exhilirating at certain times.
And that exhilariation will have to last me for the next two weeks, since next up is Bambuco Sinfonica, which is rumored to be some Colombian musical...wish me luck.
The point is this: I got to play the fourth horn part to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony this weekend. Three performances. A few too many rehearsals. It was fun, but it also felt like work.
Because a lot of horn players read my blog, I'm going to overanalyze the experience. For those of you that are a) not horn players or b) not interested in what goes through my head while I do my "job," feel free to skim, or skip entirely, this post.
I knew that playing the actual part would be much different than playing the excerpt in auditions, as I've done 15 or 20 times now. I think playing the excerpt will be easier from now on, not only because it's more comfortable due to the pure repetition with the actual orchestra, but because the excerpt is a lot easier than the part. When you play the excerpt you don't have to play two movements of low B-flat horn beforehand. You don't have to play most of the long notes in the part, you don't have to tune to the out-of-tune clarinets, and you don't have to pretend to look at the conductor once in a while.
The biggest thing is the endurance. My old teacher warned me of this, and I decided not to pass off a few notes to the third player as he strongly suggested. I don't regret that decision, but it was a bit of a challenge in just a few measures. And when you get to that arpeggio, down to the low B-flat, it just feels completely different than you think it's going to. But you have to just truck down there and crank it out.
The other thing that was very funny to me was my colleagues' reactions. After the melody, and then the solo bar, the whole row (third horn, trumpet players, maybe even a particularly aware trombonist) would stick there foot out or give me a shuffle. And I'm thinking "Wow, the work is just beginning" because really, the "solo" is easy as pie. And fun! It's the stuff afterwards that's difficult. And the first movement. That's harder than the excerpt too.
ANYWAY, it was a really good experience, and I'm glad I got the chance to get nervous and play something exposed- it had been a while.
Overall, the performance was a little campy- big community chorus, local mediocre soprano, ya know. But it was fun. And there were some moments. And it's a masterpiece, no doubt, so it was still exhilirating at certain times.
And that exhilariation will have to last me for the next two weeks, since next up is Bambuco Sinfonica, which is rumored to be some Colombian musical...wish me luck.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Nice Picture
Really I just wanted to test out this posting pictures thing, now that I'm trying to get in the habit of using my digital camera more often. I like this picture- it's the east coast of the peninsula I reside on. And I'm going there in thirteen days. Sweet.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Basquetbol
I think this is "supposed to happen" when you live abroad. You get a perspective. Have any of you other abroaders (Spot, LR, BK, anyone?!?) had the experience of seeing something you saw as normal in the states as completely bizarre in another country? And then you realize that it's actually completely bizarre in your own culture as well?
I went to a basketball game tonight- Los Mayas. That's right- the mascot is an "indian" (a Mayan, to be exact) except I didn't see anything Mayan about him- even his skin was white. If there is a single Mayan in the history of the world with white skin...well, there's not.
Realization #1: Mascots?? What is THAT?
The star player for Los Mayas is Lil' Magic (real name: something Dorsey). He is kind of little-he's the point guard. He has corn rows and wears a sweatband that says MaJic on the front and Lil' on the back. He has his own t-shirts for his extra special fans, and he changed shoes, socks, and sweatbands at half time. He made about 50% of his lay ups, but for everyone he made he reacted in a way that would make the naive bystander think he's the best basketball player in the world.
Realization #2: Most basketball players are this way. On TV, it's not so strange, which is true of a lot of things, huh?
The "cheerleaders" here are horrible. They walked out a few minutes prior to half time, threw a few pens into the fans, took off their little outfits to reveal even littler ones, and proceeded to "dance" to "Don't You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot (Like Me)." I put dance in quotations because I wouldn't really call that dancing. It was more like, "look at me, I'm skinny and can move my hips back and forth." There was no routine, no ensemble, no rhythm, they just stood in a mob in the middle of the court and kind of moved back and forth. It was WEIRD.
Realization #3: Is the full routine, with lifts and drops and claps and everything, any more sane?
I went to get a coke 3 minutes before half time to avoid the crowds. There wasn't a single person in line. In fact, there wasn't even anything really available at the concessions, save a pack of Oreos and a few cheap beers. I have a feeling there wasn't a half-time rush.
Realization #4: Americans love to snack. This is not a universal love. It goes without saying, practically, that we (Americans) do it while watching sports (live or on TV), movies, at intermission of plays and concerts, before meals (appetizers?), parties, in class, at work, in the car. I am no exception. Luckily, I can't snack while I play horn.
The game was terribly exciting. Yelling "eso!" and "Donde está la magia??" is still more fun then the English options.
Realization #5: I like watching sports.
Tomorrow-Oakland A's v. Minnesota Twins in TBA sports bar with my sports-watching, viola-playing friend RG (who happens to be from Oakland!).
I went to a basketball game tonight- Los Mayas. That's right- the mascot is an "indian" (a Mayan, to be exact) except I didn't see anything Mayan about him- even his skin was white. If there is a single Mayan in the history of the world with white skin...well, there's not.
Realization #1: Mascots?? What is THAT?
The star player for Los Mayas is Lil' Magic (real name: something Dorsey). He is kind of little-he's the point guard. He has corn rows and wears a sweatband that says MaJic on the front and Lil' on the back. He has his own t-shirts for his extra special fans, and he changed shoes, socks, and sweatbands at half time. He made about 50% of his lay ups, but for everyone he made he reacted in a way that would make the naive bystander think he's the best basketball player in the world.
Realization #2: Most basketball players are this way. On TV, it's not so strange, which is true of a lot of things, huh?
The "cheerleaders" here are horrible. They walked out a few minutes prior to half time, threw a few pens into the fans, took off their little outfits to reveal even littler ones, and proceeded to "dance" to "Don't You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot (Like Me)." I put dance in quotations because I wouldn't really call that dancing. It was more like, "look at me, I'm skinny and can move my hips back and forth." There was no routine, no ensemble, no rhythm, they just stood in a mob in the middle of the court and kind of moved back and forth. It was WEIRD.
Realization #3: Is the full routine, with lifts and drops and claps and everything, any more sane?
I went to get a coke 3 minutes before half time to avoid the crowds. There wasn't a single person in line. In fact, there wasn't even anything really available at the concessions, save a pack of Oreos and a few cheap beers. I have a feeling there wasn't a half-time rush.
Realization #4: Americans love to snack. This is not a universal love. It goes without saying, practically, that we (Americans) do it while watching sports (live or on TV), movies, at intermission of plays and concerts, before meals (appetizers?), parties, in class, at work, in the car. I am no exception. Luckily, I can't snack while I play horn.
The game was terribly exciting. Yelling "eso!" and "Donde está la magia??" is still more fun then the English options.
Realization #5: I like watching sports.
Tomorrow-Oakland A's v. Minnesota Twins in TBA sports bar with my sports-watching, viola-playing friend RG (who happens to be from Oakland!).
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
OK, fine.
I've gotten a little flack for not updating my blog lately. I'm choosing to respond with a post about all those things you blog about when you don't have a million things happening in your life, rather than blogging about the millions of things that are happening in my life. So there.
1) Go Twins. This is the best stage of this process because I can root for Joe Mauer AND Derek Jeter. I know that's a bit un-Minnesotan because we don't really want to play the Yankees, but those ojos...sigh.
2) iPod on shuffle is amazing. It's just such a kick to be listening to Cumbia and then have it segue to Wagner which segues to Alison Krauss. Maybe it will get old eventually, but it hasn't yet. Also, the few days before I saw Cake live (by the way, I saw Cake live!!!!!) it knew to play a Cake song every 5 or so- what is that about?
3) I had a dream about an ex-boyfriend I haven't thought about in ages last night. Where do those random dreams come from?!?
4) Today my best English student stayed after and asked me to help her with her assignment for English class at her school- 6 proverb type phrases. My examples were: An apple a day keeps the doctor away; The early bird gets the worm; Nice guys finish last; Don't look a gift horse in the mouth; There are other fish in the sea; and Don't count your chickens before they hatch. What would yours be? And why do mine all reference animals (yes, guys are animals, especially nice guys)?
There. Now I don't have to talk about my grandparents growing older, my roommate moving out and me trying to find another living situation, my car breaking down, my bus arriving to Merida an hour and a half late last night, making me run in breathless and teach a lesson on gerunds with completely no preparation, the person I spend the most time with in Merida moving away a few days ago, how I'm kinda homesick, and how broke I am.
OR about how I had a fantastic visit home, heard some great music played by a great orchestra, my best friend who I've known for almost twenty years and still just adore, watching my admirable mother handle the situation with her parents gracefully, tactfully, and lovingly, going to a really fun baseball game with my dad, a very productive, educational rehearsal with a Bulgarian trombonist who I am lucky enough to have as a colleague, making my first opportunity to play a concerto with an actual ensemble happen, and how there were actually some things I missed a lot about this place I now call home.
I'm pretty sneaky, huh?
1) Go Twins. This is the best stage of this process because I can root for Joe Mauer AND Derek Jeter. I know that's a bit un-Minnesotan because we don't really want to play the Yankees, but those ojos...sigh.
2) iPod on shuffle is amazing. It's just such a kick to be listening to Cumbia and then have it segue to Wagner which segues to Alison Krauss. Maybe it will get old eventually, but it hasn't yet. Also, the few days before I saw Cake live (by the way, I saw Cake live!!!!!) it knew to play a Cake song every 5 or so- what is that about?
3) I had a dream about an ex-boyfriend I haven't thought about in ages last night. Where do those random dreams come from?!?
4) Today my best English student stayed after and asked me to help her with her assignment for English class at her school- 6 proverb type phrases. My examples were: An apple a day keeps the doctor away; The early bird gets the worm; Nice guys finish last; Don't look a gift horse in the mouth; There are other fish in the sea; and Don't count your chickens before they hatch. What would yours be? And why do mine all reference animals (yes, guys are animals, especially nice guys)?
There. Now I don't have to talk about my grandparents growing older, my roommate moving out and me trying to find another living situation, my car breaking down, my bus arriving to Merida an hour and a half late last night, making me run in breathless and teach a lesson on gerunds with completely no preparation, the person I spend the most time with in Merida moving away a few days ago, how I'm kinda homesick, and how broke I am.
OR about how I had a fantastic visit home, heard some great music played by a great orchestra, my best friend who I've known for almost twenty years and still just adore, watching my admirable mother handle the situation with her parents gracefully, tactfully, and lovingly, going to a really fun baseball game with my dad, a very productive, educational rehearsal with a Bulgarian trombonist who I am lucky enough to have as a colleague, making my first opportunity to play a concerto with an actual ensemble happen, and how there were actually some things I missed a lot about this place I now call home.
I'm pretty sneaky, huh?
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