I have put these two lessons together for two reasons:
1) They were very similar
2) I had already had lesson #8 before posting about lesson #7
I am currently on leave from work to mind the sagelings during the school holidays. That said, I have not given up my lessons. Princess Sage came to #7 but stayed with Prince Sage at the in-laws for #8.
These lessons are both consolidations. I still don't have my skills at the level Laura would like them to be before going on to new skills. I admire her for this. I've seen too many teachers allowing students to progress without what I think are appropriate skills. I really want to learn to do this properly and I think Laura sees this and is prepared to make sure I get the best foundation I can.
The problem between lessons #7 and #8 was the bow wrist. After lots of practice and a some Google searches, Laura was happy with it. In fact, she liked two of the tips so much she is going to use them (another sign of a good teacher). Her critiquing of the videos was great.
Lesson #8 ended with two stickers (for Bumble Bee Blues and Little Indian Dance. Polar Bear is still not quite right. I'll try again next week. I received a new piece called Sunset. This piece introduces the concept of minims and some music in 2/4 time. And finally... I'm starting to use the left fingers! I can hear the crowd going wild from here =)
I have also asked Laura to help me find a violin. When I get the right one it will be a wonderful day indeed!
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Violin Lesson #6
The lesson started with Laura reviewing the material (provided by Tina) I gave her last week. She enjoyed looking through it all. I also asked about Musica Viva's 2013 concert schedule. There are two concerts I would really like to go to and one "maybe". The two I like are Tokyo String Quartet and Elias String Quartet. The "maybe" is the Academy of Ancient Music with Sara Macliver. I also gave Laura a sheaf of music I had forgotten the previous lesson. It included Greek music and I told Laura about my Greek heritage. At this point she made reference to my "prominent eyebrows" :)
This week was really a consolidation of the stuff that has come so far. Even with only five lessons there is already so much to keep in mind: fingers, wrist, elbow, arm, bow speed, bow pressure, posture, violin position. It is difficult to keep this all in mind at once (let alone to think of what I am supposed to be playing and how fast) but Laura encouraged me and told me to persevere. She reminded me I will get there eventually and to keep practising. I really appreciate that she wants to make sure I have the basics down first before moving on from this point.
Hopefully I will be able to get enough practice this week. I am on leave for the next three weeks as my children are on holidays. I still plan on keeping up my lessons. We'll have to see how things go.
This week was really a consolidation of the stuff that has come so far. Even with only five lessons there is already so much to keep in mind: fingers, wrist, elbow, arm, bow speed, bow pressure, posture, violin position. It is difficult to keep this all in mind at once (let alone to think of what I am supposed to be playing and how fast) but Laura encouraged me and told me to persevere. She reminded me I will get there eventually and to keep practising. I really appreciate that she wants to make sure I have the basics down first before moving on from this point.
Hopefully I will be able to get enough practice this week. I am on leave for the next three weeks as my children are on holidays. I still plan on keeping up my lessons. We'll have to see how things go.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
The trip to Sydney
The week-end was great. Kaliope and I spent the week-end with Peter and Kylie Stathis. They looked after us so well.We stayed with them while we were there. The main reason was a TGN get together (more on TGN in another post).
On Saturday it was over 40 Celsius in Sydney. But it mattered nought to us since we were at the Stathis residence most of the day. One of Peter's interests is whiskey, so he allowed me to try two of them. The first was a very smoky whiskey. It tasted of hickory, and the smoky flavour stayed on the tongue for a very long time. I rather enjoyed that one. Later I tried a wasabe whiskey. I didn't get a wasabe taste, but after we read the description for the whiskey it seemed that the wasabe was in the initial contact with the palette. I didn't like this one as much as the smoky whiskey.
We also talked about places Kaliope and I could go on our anniversary. We will be married 20 years this year so we think we deserve a break away. Some suggestions were Kangaroo Island and Lord Howe Island. Peter and Kylie have been to Kangaroo Island and raved about it. Both of these places were in a booklet Kaliope and I looked at.
Odd violin moment: I imagined myself taking the violin to these resorts, and playing it there, either at a secluded park or at a look-out with a view over the ocean. Later I wondered whether I would get a tattoo of Niccolò Paganini and Jascha Heifetz if and when I learned how to play Caprice #24 ;)
Dinner was for TGN and was at the Flying Fajita Sistas. It was a great dinner. I had been there once before and the food then, as now, was excellent.
Q: When can you say "show your tits" to a pretty waitress without getting slapped?
A: When she asks you which hot sauce you tried
I kid you not. The vege fajitas were lovely. The only minor complaint (if you can call it that) was that the mains came before we finished the entrées so the table was very crowded at one point.
After dinner came the obligatory churros at San Churro. This time I only had part of a churro since I ordered the Madrid mocha. Oh my goodness I've never had a mocha as rich as this. It was divine, and would have been more divine if I had grazed less at dinner =)
Today we spent shopping. By we I mean Kaliope (with Kylie as a more-than-capable shopping aide). I can't tell you now what was purchased, but I will reveal it later in the year when I talk about Kaliope's birthday and our wedding anniversary.
Thank-you to Peter and Kylie for a wonderful week-end. We really appreciated everything you guys did for us. We look forward to catching up again soon.
On Saturday it was over 40 Celsius in Sydney. But it mattered nought to us since we were at the Stathis residence most of the day. One of Peter's interests is whiskey, so he allowed me to try two of them. The first was a very smoky whiskey. It tasted of hickory, and the smoky flavour stayed on the tongue for a very long time. I rather enjoyed that one. Later I tried a wasabe whiskey. I didn't get a wasabe taste, but after we read the description for the whiskey it seemed that the wasabe was in the initial contact with the palette. I didn't like this one as much as the smoky whiskey.
We also talked about places Kaliope and I could go on our anniversary. We will be married 20 years this year so we think we deserve a break away. Some suggestions were Kangaroo Island and Lord Howe Island. Peter and Kylie have been to Kangaroo Island and raved about it. Both of these places were in a booklet Kaliope and I looked at.
Odd violin moment: I imagined myself taking the violin to these resorts, and playing it there, either at a secluded park or at a look-out with a view over the ocean. Later I wondered whether I would get a tattoo of Niccolò Paganini and Jascha Heifetz if and when I learned how to play Caprice #24 ;)
Dinner was for TGN and was at the Flying Fajita Sistas. It was a great dinner. I had been there once before and the food then, as now, was excellent.
Q: When can you say "show your tits" to a pretty waitress without getting slapped?
A: When she asks you which hot sauce you tried
I kid you not. The vege fajitas were lovely. The only minor complaint (if you can call it that) was that the mains came before we finished the entrées so the table was very crowded at one point.
After dinner came the obligatory churros at San Churro. This time I only had part of a churro since I ordered the Madrid mocha. Oh my goodness I've never had a mocha as rich as this. It was divine, and would have been more divine if I had grazed less at dinner =)
Today we spent shopping. By we I mean Kaliope (with Kylie as a more-than-capable shopping aide). I can't tell you now what was purchased, but I will reveal it later in the year when I talk about Kaliope's birthday and our wedding anniversary.
Thank-you to Peter and Kylie for a wonderful week-end. We really appreciated everything you guys did for us. We look forward to catching up again soon.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Violin Lesson #5
So much happened this fortnight...
I borrowed a violin from Tina Stellard. She used to play in high school but doe not play it regularly now so she has loaned it to me. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to play it. This means I can return my hire violin this month. Tina also gave me several pieces of music and a few books she had. There was a big variety of music and it includes some Greek music too.
It has been two weeks since my last lesson and I was looking forward to getting back into it after the break. However, this is the week that my teacher, Laura, forgot the keys to the studio. This meant we had the lesson in the little area in front of the studio and out in the open air. It was great fun (and cheaper for me too since we did not pay for studio hire).
Laura looked at Tina's violin and immediately pronounced it better than the squeak-box I had hired. In fact, she said I was lucky to have such an instrument with which to practice. Again, Tina, I thank you.
My rendition of "Bumble Bee Blues" went well. When I heard it with the accompaniment it sounded like another song altogether. As much I think I would like to be a solo violinist, there is much to be said about playing in an ensemble. And I imagine there would be a difference between playing in a quartet and playing in a full orchestra. Speaking of orchestras, check out these guys - amazing.
This week I continued with bowing. The song I am learning is "Little Indian Dance". This song requires me to bow across two strings (D & A) at the same time. This is harder than bowing a single string because there is less bow angle to work with. It will take quite some practice to become consistent at it. In addition to this the song contains pizzicato as well as the bowing, so I have to pluck the strings while holding the bow. And I learned about staccato (short sharp notes) which I was taught when I learned the accordion but could not recall during the lesson. My preparations this week will be interrupted with a trip to Sydney on the week-end so I will have to work extra hard the rest of the days.
I borrowed a violin from Tina Stellard. She used to play in high school but doe not play it regularly now so she has loaned it to me. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to play it. This means I can return my hire violin this month. Tina also gave me several pieces of music and a few books she had. There was a big variety of music and it includes some Greek music too.
It has been two weeks since my last lesson and I was looking forward to getting back into it after the break. However, this is the week that my teacher, Laura, forgot the keys to the studio. This meant we had the lesson in the little area in front of the studio and out in the open air. It was great fun (and cheaper for me too since we did not pay for studio hire).
Laura looked at Tina's violin and immediately pronounced it better than the squeak-box I had hired. In fact, she said I was lucky to have such an instrument with which to practice. Again, Tina, I thank you.
My rendition of "Bumble Bee Blues" went well. When I heard it with the accompaniment it sounded like another song altogether. As much I think I would like to be a solo violinist, there is much to be said about playing in an ensemble. And I imagine there would be a difference between playing in a quartet and playing in a full orchestra. Speaking of orchestras, check out these guys - amazing.
This week I continued with bowing. The song I am learning is "Little Indian Dance". This song requires me to bow across two strings (D & A) at the same time. This is harder than bowing a single string because there is less bow angle to work with. It will take quite some practice to become consistent at it. In addition to this the song contains pizzicato as well as the bowing, so I have to pluck the strings while holding the bow. And I learned about staccato (short sharp notes) which I was taught when I learned the accordion but could not recall during the lesson. My preparations this week will be interrupted with a trip to Sydney on the week-end so I will have to work extra hard the rest of the days.
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