orchestras & other cool things

I had my first rehearsal with the orchestra today!!!!!!

exclamation points abound!!!!

Actually, I wasn’t nearly that excited during the rehearsal.  And I wasn’t that nervous either.  I was not in a feeling mood.  I think it’s because I’ve talked about it so much and answered so many questions from people about whether I’m “excited for Friday” that I can’t feel excited any more.  But!  It was still a good rehearsal.  When I came out I realized I was really, really tired.  Like, exhausted.  Couldn’t focus in choir rehearsal and still haven’t finished the homework I was supposed to do.  So I guess I spent a lot of energy in that rehearsal!

What is it like to play with an orchestra?  Well, I can’t really tell you right now.  It really felt more like a gigantic chamber ensemble, since it is Mozart after all and there aren’t huge brass fanfares or timpani entrances.  I did find that if I listened to the orchestra too hard, I started losing my place.  I had so many missed entrances it was ridiculous!  I know the music really well, I just couldn’t get used to hearing strings and winds instead of another piano.  Thank goodness Dr. S is so forgiving and patient.  And he really is a very good accompanist, like Dr. H told me.  It’s a pleasure to be able to play with him.  

Let’s see how Friday goes now.  I can’t even think about the fact that’s also a competition at this point.  

In other music news, I had a brief run-through of my piano ensemble rep with my partner today…and we discovered that the Poulenc duet involves some…interesting hand crossing.  Secondo (me) starts in the middle of the keyboard, and Primo (my partner) has to stretch to the top and bottom of the keyboard.  So naturally we started with my hands under and my partner stretching over, which was just the slightest bit awkward (he’s a guy.)  But whatevs, it’s piano, business and all that.  Then, our coach told my partner to stand up, proceeded to sit down and experiment, saying, “Hm, when my husband and I played this I think he stretched around me.”  So there I am with Dr. E’s arm around me, huddled up two inches away from the keyboard.  One of the other girls was like, “hah, that’s a real smooth move.”  AWKWARD.  I think we’re going to do it the…usual way.  meh, whatever, he has a girlfriend.  One of Wheaton’s recent grads happened to be in Dr. E’s office and was like, “I’ve heard both of you play, you’re gonna be a power duo.”  Score.  I am actually really excited about the Rachmaninov duo we’re doing.  Symphonic Dances.  Intense.

brain = not functioning

pure blue

I stepped out of SAGA (Wheaton's dining hall) into a breathless, inky-blue scene.  No brainless chatter here, no inconsiderate whoops from rowdy college guys.  The still enveloped me and cleared my head, surprising me into surrender.  But only for a moment, for in the distance the Metra announced its arrival in the station with a clang.  I, however, could not help but glance up again and again at the lovely, lovely sky as I walked to the conservatory.  Such a deep, calm blue, deep, deep and unfathomable.  I felt that velvet came close to it, a rich dark navy blue velvet blanket with gently twinkling stars sparkling.  Yes, velvet and diamonds come close, very close, but really, only the midnight sky with its adornment of stars could make me stop and wonder.

9 January 2012

yep, it’s gonna be a rough year.  But I have been complaining way too much today, so I’ll try not to do that here.  Except…I do want to say that my duo partner apparently dropped the class without telling me, so now I’m stuck with all freshmen in my piano duo class… -___-  Okay, so the freshmen are pretty cool, but I actually dropped another class to take piano duo with this guy because he’s someone I actually want to play with, and now he’s dropped the class.  thanks a lot.  

I really need to determine to have a good attitude this semester, or it’s gonna be terrible.  Worked for 3.5 hrs this morning before heading to three classes, all of which will require/already have a lot of work.  20th Century Music, most of the homework is critical listening, 1+ hrs per class period.  Plus, have to listen while following the score.  Choral Conducting is just intimidating because of the amount of sight-singing we’ll have to do, Doc’s the prof (even his beard is intimidating), and the fact that we’ll have to actually rehearse the ensemble, not just randomly conduct them.  Old Testament - I have the hardest prof, author of the textbook…at least five papers to write, and lots of reading.  I have my work cut out for me!

hey i'm alive

I got a tumblr a couple weeks back, mostly because quite a few of my friends are on tumblr.  Unfortunately different blogging platforms don't agree with each other, so there's always the rat race of moving to the coolest new neighborhood.  But, after a couple weeks I've come to the conclusion that I might as well keep both up, because some of my other friends (you, dear reader) are only on blogger.  Both will probably have the same content, though more of an emphasis on short "twitter-like" posts on the tumblr and longer posts here.  So yup, an update on what all's going on.  I decided not to forsake ya after all, good ol' blogger.  

For your reference, my tumblr is serenetea.tumblr.com.  (ya, I like to keep things simple so one Google search will trace me to all my online homes.  hehe)