November 22, 2010

         This week we had only one rehearsal because of the thanksgiving break.  In class the cellos and violas went into the closet and practiced Egyptian Legacy.  We worked on the end of the second page where we have the really odd funky bowing.

Odd Funky Bowings in Egyptian Legacy measure 88- 93

And I think we have finally mastered it.  Since we have mastered this we are very close to making quality music. 
         I have learned that in order to have a quality performance every part of the piece must be perfected.  In order to perfect every part we must play them over and over again and work together.  We can learn so much from the people who might be sitting right next to us.  From my fellow cellos I have learned way more than I could ever figure out on my own about the music and playing techniques. 
          Also, I find that working in smaller groups away from the main orchestra is really useful.   During the few classes that we worked in smaller groups I got to ask any questions I had about the music to my peers which was very useful for me and really cleared some stuff up for me.
We definitely are on our way to making a Quality Performance.

November 3rd, 2010

            This week I worked on Egyptian Legacy, American Landscape and Danny boy in class and at home.  In Egyptian Legacy I have made some improvements.  From measure 38 to 52 I now understand the rhythm and bowing.  Also, I for sure know the beginning of the pieces now pretty well.

38-52 in Egyptian Landscape

However, I still don’t know what to do after 64 because we haven’t gone through it yet in class.  This makes it hard to practice these parts at home.

After 64 in Egyptian Landscape

            In American Landscape there is a very large pizzicato part in the piece its pretty much the same thing over and over again.  Also, it is being played pretty fast so its kind of difficult.  In class we worked on it a lot which helped me understand it a lot better.  Now, I know it pretty well. 

Pizzicato part in American Landscape

 Also, from 52 to 61 there is accented notes that are a little funky but sound cool.  I need to work on them to make them more clear.

52-61 in American Landscape

            Finally, Danny Boy is a very nice, slow and relatively easy piece.  It does have some shifting in a slur that I have to work on.

Danny Boy

            At this point none of the pieces we are working on are a quality performance.  In Egyptian Legacy we don’t know half the piece.  However, we are pretty good at the parts that we do know.   In American Legacy we sound good at most of the parts but there is still the parts with the pizzicato.  And in Danny Boy I could work on it a little more too.  If I made all of these changes I would get closer to having a quality performance.