We went over May Time and it went fairly well, except from some spots with regards to intonation, but I get to start on Minuet No. 1! Adam mentioned as my technique gets better and better, we should start to notice that we can go through the repertoire a lot faster! :D
I'll try to record May Time this weekend (hopefully).
I've been so swamped with work stuff, school stuff and my cello project that I've fallen way behind on my entries so they're a lot shorter than usual. I just wanted to get the posted and updated. Hopefully, going forward I can start entering more detailed lesson notes. They definitely help the concepts sink in a lot more.
[Fall CE Lesson #1]
Wow That was fun! Reading lots of updates after for quite awhile :) And boy you sure are a fast learner! 6th position after less than 2 yrs (w/o any basic when you started)? that's something :) Really looking forward for your May time (and plz share the Clayton's concepts later plzz :O )
ReplyDeleteI've been having some good times myself learning Pergolesi's Nina these past few weeks..only that my teacher has been missing for 2 weeks(again!..due to bz concert schedule)..Only if i had my own 'Clayton' to fill in 'Adam's absence atm.. I am just starting 6th 7th 8th pos and the elusive artificial harmonics, so yeah they still sound like someone step on a cat's tail :(
Anyway, let's have a great time discovering our post-neck fingerboards!
Will do! ;)
ReplyDeleteI'll type up the concepts and save it in drafts or something and then post it later. Although I'll have to think about (and remember) specific things we talked about during the earlier lessons. Fair warning though - it'll be what I took away from the lesson, and not necessarily what Clayton was trying to teach! ;)
I had to look up Pergolesi's Nina because I wasn't familiar with that piece, but what a BEAUTIFUL piece!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30mfo4tyS9o
Lucky you!!! :)
Do you get to pick out pieces that you play? You seem to play all the "fun" stuff! =p
I definitely LOVE having two cello teachers! It's pretty coincidental, but when Adam is busy Clayton is available and vice verse!
Well, not entirely my choice but I do contribute in the process :).. After Suzuki Book 3 my teacher has me started at Schroeder and therefore up until now the etudes are rather short..We started Nina because I complained to him I was having a couple of sad and disappointing weeks and then he assigned me 2 contrasting music ( melancholic Nina and another jumpy playful etude)as an experiment..Yesterday, he asked me which one is easier to play..Obviously Nina! Not technically speaking though, the version of Nina I am playing requires me up to go as high as thumb 8th pos while the etudes sticks to 1st and 2nd with some tricky rhythms and articulations..He told me that's emotion in action!
ReplyDeleteWOW - you're doing thumb position already?? Who's the fast learner now? =p
DeleteYeah, I'm all for melancholic depressing music! LOL! :)
I've been able to connect to the pieces I've played so far, but May Time was really tough for me for some reason, and I still don't really quite get it either. ...summer time...birds chirping... meh... ;)
Well, it's a beginner level thumb pos i'd say! I just find the harmonics for the thumb and then just go with my ears for the rest! So it is still shaky at times :|
DeleteI can see that! You are always be able to establish that connection with the music you are making and that's why i am a fan :) I cannot say the same for myself, since before Nina all I did was playing notes and not music (maybe still am now) My mind just wonder off at work, what to eat tonight, when to submit that paper etc.etc..Next lesson i'll try to learn a bit more on it with Brahms's lullaby (in dedication to my newly born niece)! Hope you'll do fine with May time..summer time and birds chirping sound like a great start :)
Congratulations!! ;) Are going to record Lullaby as a baby shower gift? That would be so sweet!!!
ReplyDeleteDidn't your brother just get married a few months ago...?
I'm going to start this by saying I feel like a total weirdo commenting on your blog, but I absolutely love it! I'm a 17 year old cellist, I've been playing for 10 years but after reading many of your posts, I feel like I've learned quite a bit from the things you've had to say! Even though you had started this quite a while ago it's really amazing to be able to see the progress someone has made from the very beginning to what, two years later? I particularly enjoyed your post about all of the books you got, except I thought it would be a bit odd to comment on a post that was so old! So I hope this isn't too weird, but I just wanted to say that I really like your blog and I can't wait to keep hearing about your progress, thank you so much for sharing your experience!
ReplyDelete