Children's Concert

Just finished a children's concert which was just CRAZY to organize because we basically had 6-7 weeks to put everything together which included coordinating with our composer to create arrangements and an original composition, finding a suitable venue, creating marketing and programs, logos and shirts, scheduling rehearsals, getting licenses, etc... blah...don't know how we pulled it together, but we did! Things just always seem to fall in place! :) First time we collaborated with other instruments and another organization too. I'll mention the other organization later once everything has been approved. :)

We're a cello ensemble of beginners to advanced to cellists, so the advanced cellists definitely made us beginners sound TONS better.

Here are four videos of the concert, and of course, my two awesome cello teachers Adam and Clayton are participating and helping out. Clayton led rehearsals and helped planned the concert and is just so unbelievably amazing and talented! I definitely couldn't have organized the concert without him. Our resident composer, Nick, also flew out from Oregon to play in the concert. He plays cello and trumpet!

Under the Sea

 This was the most difficult piece out of the entire program, but it was the audience's favorite, and surprisingly mine too - well, after the concert was completed! There were kids dancing in the aisles half way through I was told. :). I really like the fact that our conductor looks like he's dancing! Funny story, but we hired the conductor the day before the concert, but he did an amazing job!

I've got to start learning Part 3 so I don't have to sit so close to the audience! It's very obvious when I make mistakes playing pizzicato, although Part 3 was playing mostly pizzicato too and they weren't moving around as much as Adam and me. The funny thing was I wasn't even trying to match his movement or how he was playing, and it kind of ended up that way! I definitely couldn't have played it without him.

You've Got A Friend...

This didn't quite swing, but I like it nonetheless! That bad note on 1:14 was totally me! I think it was supposed to be a B natural and I played a B flat or something ...ugh..the problem with playing loudly is it's obvious when I make a mistake.

Yesterday

A favorite of mine, and on the easier side... thank goodness!! That sour note in the beginning was me!! I was too sharp and had to  move my finger ..oops... Trying to play some vibrato!! :)

A Whole New World

This one was another difficult piece for me to learn because it involved a lot of counting! Totally air-bowed the first note because I wasn't ready to play when the conductor started, but was able to get the second note! lol!

Anyway, since I can't help but critique myself when it comes to my cello playing ;) my elbow is moving around like crazy again, I'm moving around too much, and my intonation has suffered a lot since I haven't been playing solo music as much as I should. I'm definitely looking forward in focusing on technique again!!

I did notice that during this concert that I wasn't able to play a lot of the pieces by myself without having another cellist play the part with me. I think I second guess myself way too much because I know I can play it...hmmm... well, I know I can play with a metronome! And then I just get lost when other people start to play.

Ok, better end on a positive note! I'm starting to vibrate some notes!! ...heh, heh... not consistently of course, but I'm excited it's sorta working!!! :D