Practice Breaks

I know I promised to keep up with posting more consistently now that my big video project is done, but if it's not one thing it's another, and except for a nice quiet Sunday afternoon of watching PBS's Frontline (The Confessions...unbelievable story...you should ALL check it out), I've been just as busy as I was before--it's just that now, my tasks are less exciting and creative, and more just a lot of hard work (a lot of it taking place at a little table in the music library--the outside of it is pictured at left--ain't it pretty?). My goal tonight is to somehow write a passably interesting blog during the series of 5 minute practice breaks I'll take during the next two hours I have to practice. On your mark...get set...GO!

Ok--just finished 10 minutes of warming up/going over one of my assigned Boehme etudes (#18 in A on B flat). So far so good. I've got a lesson tomorrow morning and feel mostly prepared. My lesson last week went really well. He's been having me do these scale exercises to improve my flexibility and range and they seem to be working wonders...slowly but surely. The basic idea is that you play slurred octave scales starting at a healthy dynamic level at the bottom and decrescendoing as you climb. The decrescendo insures that you're using only your embouchure to reach the higher notes so it's sort of like lifting weights. Each day I'm supposed to push the boundaries a bit further. Lately I've been doing some 2 octave scales, some arpeggios, and some articulated scales. Ok--5 minutes is up...

Whew! Back again. Now I have only 4 minutes for this one 'cause I had to switch from B flat (on which I just finished playing Longinotti #7) to C (on which I'll next play through at least 2 more Boehme etudes...3 if I'm lucky) and I had to make sure my valves were oiled and everything. I'm trying to get through all my lesson material tonight--mostly just straight run throughs. After these next 3 etudes, I've got a bunch of excerpts to cover--including the ones for our next pool audition on Dec. 6th (where our ensemble placement and part assignments are decided), and Mahler 5 (on which I'm playing 1st for rep class on Thursday). If things go amazingly well, I'll also be able to touch on my part in Daphnes and Chloe--I'll be playing the 4th part for rep class tomorrow. Got all that? Good. Unfortunately, I've run out of break time once again. See ya in 10...

Well, I only made it through 2 etudes...sigh. Guess I'll just tackle the last one in my next 10 minute section and hope I get through the excerpts quickly. On Wednesday our Geyer-studio solo class is entitled "lesson roulette." The procedure is this: Charlie will draw lesson assignment lists out of a hat and randomly select something off that list for each of us to play. The idea is to make sure everyone is practicing all their assigned material and not just coasting by from week to week counting on their ability to ask a leading question of Charlie and get him to tell a bunch of stories for half the lesson...thus reducing the risk he'll have them play something they haven't practiced. I haven't played particularly well in solo class yet this quarter, so I'm hoping this one will be my chance to shine...if I can get to all my stuff now! Back in 10...

Ok, I lied. I got thirsty after I finished my last etude and used my 5 minute break to head out to the drinking fountain to fill my water bottle. Afterwards, I got started on my weekly list of excerpts touching on Swan Lake, Meistersinger, Capriccio Italien, and a bit of Firebird. I still have to get to Bolero, Shostakovich 11, Rach. Symph. #2, Rosenkavalier, Symphony Domestica, and hopefully that dang Mahler 5. I've only got 40 minutes left in this practice room so I'd better get busy...

Well that just about wasted me. I used to be able to play Firebird...promise! It was one of the pieces that got me into Tanglewood way back when. I had such a great audition that day...in fact, every audition that entire week pretty much rocked. I had gone to NYC for a week with 3 auditions lined up: Juilliard, Tanglewood, and the Verbier Festival. I got into all three, but had to pick between Switzerland and Western Massachusetts. When I got to Tanglewood, the trumpet faculty had a meeting with the 5 of us trumpeters who'd made it in that summer and believe it or not--I had the top scores. It all goes back to that freakish week in NYC...one day I played random tunes out in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and made $60. A guy walked up to me and said, "You have a beautiful tone", then threw a $20 into my case...

Back again for the last time. At this point my 2 hours has nearly expired. I have just enough time left for a warm down and then I'll head back to my apartment and start readying myself for bed. I didn't get as much done as I'd hoped tonight, but I have to acknowledge to myself that I did hit a good portion of the rep I needed to. I think my lesson should go alright tomorrow as long as I get in a good warm up and make sure my chops are balanced for the day.

Wish me luck:)