Violin lesson #121-124

Now this is embarrassing... since moving to Saturday lessons the blogs are getting further and further apart, yet I don't think it's all about the lessons being on Saturday. The Sage has many irons in the fire - sometimes I think too many - and obviously this blog is getting less fire than it used to do. The good news is that my lessons are still going strong.

These last four lessons have been mainly about shifting to and playing in third position. Initially I used talcum powder to help but I have not used it for a while. I feel quite comfortable playing in third position. The fingers are closer together than in first position, so I have to be a little more careful with my "sausage" fingers.

Apparently there is also a half-position, which is the lowest position there is on the violin. This is the position for the E-flat major scale.

The sprinters book has songs that suit both of those positions, and as if that was not enough, I brought (via my mother and her Uncle Paul) a gift for Laura: The Hot Canary by Paul Nero. It is a virtuoso "show-off" piece and quite cheeky. The story goes when Uncle Paul saw me after he found out I was learning the violin he requested this song. Recently he was on a cruise that had a violinist (now there's a pretty cool career option). When he asked the passengers for requests, Uncle Paul promptly called out "The Hot Canary", and lo and behold the violinist knew it and played it. Uncle Paul was good enough to track down the music, which he passed on to my mother who gave it to me. I showed Laura. and after looking it over a little, she played it too. Very cool! Even cooler was Laura showing me how to play some of it. It doesn't have all of the tricks and things I have yet to learn, but it is surely recognisable as The Hot Canary. It's going to take a little while before I am ready to show anyone but I have made a start.

There is a recital this Sunday (September 20) and a week out Laura and I decided I could play a piece. Laura suggested Mexican Fiesta or Paris Cafe. At first I thought it was going to take longer than that but Laura knows best and I am sure Mexican Fiesta will be ready (more ready than Paris Cafe).

And one more thing, Sirisha came back, albeit briefly, and I got to meet Keerthan, her son. He is adorable. Sirisha and Anand are going to take the option of lessons at Laura's place on the north (aka the dark) side. Robertson is far too convenient for The Princess and I to give up.

The next post will cover the lesson and the recital this coming weekend.