Summer is nearly over and in less than a week the new term will be begin. Despite having no real connection with schools anymore - the academic year still exerts its influence. Everything seems to stop over July and August. Life steps down a gear - though work still continues at usual it just becomes harder to get anything done. August is my least favourite month.
But September is something else. I love September. A chill comes into the air, Autumn clothes are dug out, life begins to pick up again. After the lethargy of the "summer" I feel a new energy to embark on new projects and get back to all my usual activities. Orchestra begins next Tuesday with my first oboe lesson the day after. A new term, a new academic year, a new start. I already have my new practice book, am wondering what music we will be playing in our first Orchestra concert and have started browsing June Emerson wondering what music my teacher may suggest we work on this term.
This week I've booked myself on two courses for next year. One is a day's reed making course, the other a weekend wind ensemble playing course. They are both months off but I am already excited. Later this year there is a double reed day that I am hoping to go to, and in February an annual wind play day which is always lots of fun.
Summer practice has been reasonably productive though. At the start of the summer I wrote a list of old repertoire that I wanted to play through. I have come to the end of that list now - some pieces I lingered over for a few days (Marcello and Cimerosa concertos, Britten Metamorphoses, Poulenc Sonata), for others one play through was sufficient (Meyer Rustical Miniatures, Schumann Romances). I also played through the Ferling Studies that I studied in my first year of lessons. I've played through some of the Luft studies too.
I've managed a little bit of reed making - not as much as I maybe should have done but I have managed to do 3 or so practice sessions on reeds that I have made myself. A small step in the right direction.
I think I've improved on the pieces that my teacher asked me to look at:
Telemann Fantasia No 4 - I think I am just beginning now to really get to grips with the second movement. It has been a struggle - but finally it is paying off. A few more days will hopefully make this even more secure.
Harty - Orientale. There are some timing bits here that I can't fathom but the rest of it is coming together reasonably. Though need to work on the cadenza runs a little this week.
Hindemith Sonata Mvt 2 - this has really grown on me. I have been playing this along to a recording in the last couple of weeks. It isn't something I often do but in this case it has really helped in understanding the music. Playing with the piano accompaniment has made a number of things click into place.
Luft Study 23 - notes are fairly secure and have been working on playing through, breathing, phrasing.
Luft 24 - well, I wasn't asked to look at this, but I have done and it is sounding OK now.
Scales are becoming more engrained, I've worked on playing extended major scales (tonic to highest note on instrument, down to lowest and back to tonic) and playing major scales in 3rds. They are beginning to be more fluent now.
I think my tuning and vibrato has also improved over the last few weeks when I've been able to put in very consistent practice.
What will this year bring? No exams to focus on this time, but I am looking forward to improving all aspects of my playing by exploring lots of new repertoire. I would like to focus on learning to make reeds so that I can more self reliant in that departmnet. I would also love to buy a Cor Anglais at some point. Let's see what the year brings.
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Thursday, 30 August 2012
Friday, 27 July 2012
Summer plans
Oboe lessons are finished for the Summer. It will be 6 weeks before they restart. I avoid going away in school holidays as much as possible - so practice will continue as (nearly) normal. My teacher hasn't particuarly set me additional work over the summer so there is a chance to add in a few extras and focus on some more fun things.
Practice this week has been good so far. I feel recovered from my illness, which was sapping my energy, and my general playing is much improved now that I am not preparing to play in front of people!
So this is what I am doing:
1. Technical work - I've put together a tick box for this to help make sure I'm covering all aspects regularly. It is based on an articulation one that my teacher did for me. I find it helpful as I can record which exercises I've done, metronome speeds, scale of the day etc. I spent some time yesterday doing slow broken arpeggios, trying to make them as legato and smooth as possible with no bumps at the change of note or register. It is very difficult but I think I made a small amount of progress!
2. Studies - my teacher told me to look at Luft 23. This one is harder than it looks. There are 6 sharps in the key signature and I was very confused as it why it didn't seem to be in F# major. It only clicked last night that a number of the B's are also sharpened and it is actually in C#major with 7 sharps. No wonder it makes my brain ache. I think I can just about cope with 6 sharps in the key signature but adding additional accidentals just tips it over the edge. It shouldn't take 6 weeks to sort it out though so I may have a look at number 24 too. For a little light relief I'm playing through the studies I've already covered - both Luft and Ferling - to remind myself of how they go and also so I can make note of which studies are particularly useful for certain techincal difficulties.
3. Pieces - only 3 to look at for my lessons. Orinetale - the final miniature, Telemann Fantasia no 4, Hindemith Sonata 2nd movement. All progressing at the moment.
4. Revision - I'm going through my music and pulling out pieces that I've covered in my lessons over the last 3 years. It shows me how far I've progressed - bits I found hard I can sometimes now do easily. It's also just nice to have time to play pieces for fun!
This week i have been playing:
Britten - Metamophoses (4 out of the 6). I love these so much - I should play them everyday!
Albinoni - Concerto in D, opus 7 no 6. I played the first 2 movements for my Grade 7 exam.
Cimerosa - Concerto. This is tricky, I may do some more work on this.
Fiocco - Ariosa. I played this at the Adult learner's event last summer, lovely piece of music!
Hoepfully over the summer I will have chance to do more reed making too!
I am sure that it will be September before I know it!
Practice this week has been good so far. I feel recovered from my illness, which was sapping my energy, and my general playing is much improved now that I am not preparing to play in front of people!
So this is what I am doing:
1. Technical work - I've put together a tick box for this to help make sure I'm covering all aspects regularly. It is based on an articulation one that my teacher did for me. I find it helpful as I can record which exercises I've done, metronome speeds, scale of the day etc. I spent some time yesterday doing slow broken arpeggios, trying to make them as legato and smooth as possible with no bumps at the change of note or register. It is very difficult but I think I made a small amount of progress!
2. Studies - my teacher told me to look at Luft 23. This one is harder than it looks. There are 6 sharps in the key signature and I was very confused as it why it didn't seem to be in F# major. It only clicked last night that a number of the B's are also sharpened and it is actually in C#major with 7 sharps. No wonder it makes my brain ache. I think I can just about cope with 6 sharps in the key signature but adding additional accidentals just tips it over the edge. It shouldn't take 6 weeks to sort it out though so I may have a look at number 24 too. For a little light relief I'm playing through the studies I've already covered - both Luft and Ferling - to remind myself of how they go and also so I can make note of which studies are particularly useful for certain techincal difficulties.
3. Pieces - only 3 to look at for my lessons. Orinetale - the final miniature, Telemann Fantasia no 4, Hindemith Sonata 2nd movement. All progressing at the moment.
4. Revision - I'm going through my music and pulling out pieces that I've covered in my lessons over the last 3 years. It shows me how far I've progressed - bits I found hard I can sometimes now do easily. It's also just nice to have time to play pieces for fun!
This week i have been playing:
Britten - Metamophoses (4 out of the 6). I love these so much - I should play them everyday!
Albinoni - Concerto in D, opus 7 no 6. I played the first 2 movements for my Grade 7 exam.
Cimerosa - Concerto. This is tricky, I may do some more work on this.
Fiocco - Ariosa. I played this at the Adult learner's event last summer, lovely piece of music!
Hoepfully over the summer I will have chance to do more reed making too!
I am sure that it will be September before I know it!
Thursday, 12 July 2012
Change of pace
It's felt very difficult this term to gain any sort of momentum in my oboe practice. There has always been something to interrupt consecutive days of playing. It has felt quite frustrating, always seeming to be going back a step or treading water rather than moving forward.
At the end of June we had a long weekend away - which was lovely but another 3 days off. When I came back it felt like a huge struggle to play and I managed barely longer than 30 minutes for the next 2 days. However the next day I was off work sick, which probably explains why I felt so tired. It was 3 days before I could face picking up my instrument again but I was obviously feeling much better as I managed my usual practice time on the first attempt, despite nearly a week of next to no practice. Six days later I now feel like I am on a roll again with the next few weeks looking fairly clear for keeping going and I am beginning to see progress again.
Another effect of my sickness was that I had a to cancel my oboe lesson, my teacher then told me she couldn't do this week's lesson. So rather than having 3 lessons before summer holidays I now only have one! Not very good news, but on the positive side it has given me a couple of additional weeks to prepare for my next lesson. I've been surprised at how much that has taken the pressure off practice times. I don't have to play every pieces every session. I can take my time over the lesson preparation and spend more time preparing pieces for both the Adult Learner's Concert and the Garden Party. The change of pace has been good for me. I need to remember that over the summer break and take time to revisit old repertoire and previous studies. It could be good to take things at a slightly more relaxed pace, ready to tackle lessons in September more refreshed and ready to go back on the treadmill.
In other news I took my piano exam at the end of June and, last week, found out that I passed it with distinction! I am very pleased for lots of reasons that are probably a blog post all on their own. Needless to say it meant a lot!
At the end of June we had a long weekend away - which was lovely but another 3 days off. When I came back it felt like a huge struggle to play and I managed barely longer than 30 minutes for the next 2 days. However the next day I was off work sick, which probably explains why I felt so tired. It was 3 days before I could face picking up my instrument again but I was obviously feeling much better as I managed my usual practice time on the first attempt, despite nearly a week of next to no practice. Six days later I now feel like I am on a roll again with the next few weeks looking fairly clear for keeping going and I am beginning to see progress again.
Another effect of my sickness was that I had a to cancel my oboe lesson, my teacher then told me she couldn't do this week's lesson. So rather than having 3 lessons before summer holidays I now only have one! Not very good news, but on the positive side it has given me a couple of additional weeks to prepare for my next lesson. I've been surprised at how much that has taken the pressure off practice times. I don't have to play every pieces every session. I can take my time over the lesson preparation and spend more time preparing pieces for both the Adult Learner's Concert and the Garden Party. The change of pace has been good for me. I need to remember that over the summer break and take time to revisit old repertoire and previous studies. It could be good to take things at a slightly more relaxed pace, ready to tackle lessons in September more refreshed and ready to go back on the treadmill.
In other news I took my piano exam at the end of June and, last week, found out that I passed it with distinction! I am very pleased for lots of reasons that are probably a blog post all on their own. Needless to say it meant a lot!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)