Life

I haven't been sharing much with you all lately, sorry! It's been rather stressful but in a boring sort of way (if that makes any sense!!). 

Work:

I've been working every

All Things Music

My current repertoire is long:
Brahms, more Brahms
Mozart, more Mozart, (some more Mozart, for auditions)
Schubert (times 2!)
Haydn (and some more Haydn)
Rieppel
Whitcomb
Scales
Etudes
Shifting exercises
Double-stops
and.... I think that's it? It's a lot to practice. The PAC has sort of hired me to play with them for their Fall concert series. It's going to be great. Lots of sacred chorale music. And then there's orchestra. Oh, and the kids' ensemble that really needs to practice soon. . . 

My listening choices are currently:
Sacred chorale
Dvorak (violin sonatas, and American quartet)

What have you been up to, musically? 

In Memory . . .

. . . of Leonard Bernstein, on his 100th birthday. He had a passion greater than many musicians, a desire to make music a connecting point for humans anywhere, and a heart for teaching. 

All images not my own.

The Southwest Minnesota String Festival 2018!

Dear everyone,

Hello from a satisfactorily tired violinist! Today I have pictures to share with you, and not stories, since my brain will not spin a tale right now. If you'd like to watch one of our concerts, here you are: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TtkMRBp5NA I start playing at 1 hour and five or so minutes.

 <--- the musicians of the Motley Crew

 <---- best friend!

 <--- in the cafeteria?

 <--- final day!

 <--- more friends. . .

 <--- all the friends! 

 <--- best friend (again)! :) 

 <--- friends!

 <--- the BSU (Bacco Student Academy)

 <--- Musicianship class group one! 

More to come later!

Wrapping up

Hello friends! 

One more week till finals week! 😊 My ACT test was rescheduled due to the huge snowstorm we had last weekend (we got 10-12 inches) and it is Saturday. Sunday is a composition major's recital that I am performing in --- he wrote a really cool string quartet for us high schoolers. Then next week I'm in a student recital, and there's a party for a retiring professor to go to. 
We are waiting on one piece still for orchestra, and we have three rehearsals left, so there's going to be some sight-reading I'm sure. Then the week following we have our Humanities final on Monday, dress rehearsal in the evening, and the concert on Tuesday. But I think for now that's all the things I have during that week. 

THEN hopefully it will be relaxing and not stressful... and spring. Maybe? I will still have some classes at home to finish up, but the travelling back and forth to SMSU will be done.

How are you, dear reader? I love hearing from you.

I Will Never Perform in Church

   Hi guys! Thank you for the 20+ views on my latest post! It's so encouraging to see the stats. :) I hope you like what you're reading!

   I suppose you wonder why I am even writing this post? Well, a friend was speaking of another friend about how said friend always used church services to show off; to give a mini recital. Something about this really bothered me, so I've been hashing it out in my head, and finally decided to write about it. What are your thoughts on the subject? I'm curious. 😊

   I must make a distinction between performing and playing for the church. Yes, both require careful technique and effort, both definitely should reflect God and not focus merely on the musician doing it. But there is an element of care for the music itself and abilities of the musician in performing that I do NOT want to show up in a church service. I will only accompany, support, and work alongside the other musicians and the congregation in the church, and I don't want it to be a soloistic thing. 

Soli Deo Gloria! 

Life Update

Life has been quite busy, and I haven't been a particularly steady blogging schedule. . . you probably noticed. 

School: 
I am working on my second paper for the philosophy class my Dad is teaching. It's on Marxism, in case you're curious. College Algebra is going fairly smoothly, and it's actually kind of fun when I know how to do it! :) The other subjects aren't that interesting. . . not anything to shout from the rooftops.
I am all registered for two things this upcoming semester (as a PSEO student) at a state college nearby. My sister is taking the one class, in the humanities department, with me, and then I am on the wait list for piano lessons with one of the music professors. If someone drops out, then I am 1st in line to get in. 

Travel: My Mom and I leave a week from today for NH. I do enjoy flying, and for some reason, airport food. I don't know why, it's just good. The airport in Chicago has some more uncommon places, and of course in NH there is a Dunkin Donuts in the airport! :) We come home the day before my Mom's birthday, and I already have her gift and card wrapped and ready for when we get back. Then three days later, the college class starts. So the long two days a week start, and I am actually excited for more practice time. But I do know it will be an adjustment. Oh, and somewhere in there I take the driver's licence test. . . ! 

Church: Still so encouraging, as always. I love my church and the families that make it up. :) I am pianist for Childrens' Choir again this year, so practices are still weekly, though now that I think about it, our last one is this Friday already. And of course I'm still in the adult choir, on the rotation for pianist, and violinist the other weeks. We went caroling, which I always love too, although this year we didn't do the outside residential caroling, which kind of had me sad, but I stayed warmer that way for sure! :) 

Music: Again, I return to the lovely squeal-worthy subject --- MUSIC! :) The competition is in a MONTH! Only one month away!!! Eek. It's going to be a tough one again for sure, no doubt in my mind. Part of me has resigned to second place again, and the rest of me is still fighting for first. Sometimes I feel really confident, but, as we all know, pride goeth before a fall, and so usually the next day I am glum and uncertain. Other than that, I am working on shifting with the first finger up and down two octaves on one string.  .  . 
Orchestra is on break right now, but starts again when school does. I miss it. 

Photography: Not gotten out much with my camera. I need ideas on what to take pictures of! I did do some designing, and we have a printer that can print color. I can't give too many details until after Mom's birthday! :) 

Blogging: I do have a really long post coming. . . about college. I did add the art tab, which was new and fun, and now I can add other drawings to it, which has motivated me to draw more. Other than that, I am not having much inspiration to post much. I almost posted a no-fail recipe today. Maybe some other time? 

Christmas events: Since Mom and I leave just two days after Christmas, we're not doing anything huge and big this year. But that's okay, I don't mind.

I think that about covers it! Did I leave out anything you were wanting to know about? 

♯ Making Music ♯

(Photo credit to SMSU Today)

It takes work, practice time, and energy. Lots of energy. I never realized how much energy went into a single performance until I was in an orchestra. Also, focus. Focus on the music, the time signature, conductor, bowing, intonation, dynamic, and detail. Playing in an orchestra is a completely different skill than performing solo, or as a duet or small ensemble. 

BUT it's so totally completely worth it. Every ounce of energy, every late night, every note played, and every piece of music performed. Every emotion felt.

I also play differently solo than say, at church with the congregation. It's a different technique altogether. My adrenaline can get pretty high when I compete . . . 😉 If you've only ever heard violins in a solo performance do not expect the same sound if you plop them with an ensemble. There's so much team-work that goes into playing with a group. 

(Photo credit to SMSU Today)

If you have the opportunity to play in a group I strongly suggest it. It's literally eye opening and such a space for learning, not to mention the community to help you learn.