Last night was the summer concert featuring soloists. My nerves got the best of me and my playing was not the best, but it sounded like no one else was playing their best, either. There was a section in the Beethoven that the cellos got lost, there were probably other spots in other songs as well, but that one sticks out the most.
What was interesting is we managed to perform the endings very well! During rehearsals we never ended together.
The soloists all performed brilliantly, so that's what matters most. The orchestra is just a background noise so that they don't play continuously alone.
Next season starts on the day before my birthday.
I'll be turning in my cello back to the violin shop as paying the rental fee over the summer doesn't make cents/sense.
I was wondering what Ruari and I would do over the summer since orchestra is only September through June. Last night the conductor announced that out in Morton (this is the edge of civilization in Lewis County) the college extension campus is putting on South Pacific! That means pit orchestra players are needed, and that means a cellist (even a rusty one like me!) would be welcomed.
I heard back from the musical director, and sure enough, I am wanted. Rehearsals will start in June, on Mondays. Sounds good to me!
South Pacific is one of my favorites. I know all of the songs. It will be a treat to get to play them. Making music is in many ways much better than listening to it.
I really like how Ruari feels when I play her. She's got a nice sound and feels "silky". The $11 rosin I bought is dreamy. It doesn't shed all over the fingerboard and strings like a cheaper rosin does, so there is less cleaning up. The rosin stays on the bow and so I am not having to re-rosin all of the time.
Red Warrior
Introducing Ruari (Rory) Calhoun! It is means Red Warrior or thereabouts. It is also a variant spelling of the stage name of a character actor. I was inspired by watching an episode of The Simpsons in which Mr. Burns named a greyhound Rory Calhoun. It just felt like a cello's name, too! I decided to upgraded my cello yesterday to the more creamery instrument. I am paying $12 more per month, but I think in the end this is worth it. According to the terms of rental, 80% of rental fees will be applied to the purchase of a cello. The lease to own instruments are even better than the rentals!
I can hardly wait to pet and swoon over Ruari. I have that special cake of rosin I purchased, just waiting to be applied to her bow. Hopefully Mister Doo won't think that Ruari needs to become his scratching post! I do keep her in her case when not in use so that the beasties won't be tempted to pluck at the strings!
I did something today I've been wanting to do for ages. There is a violin shop in Olympia and I wanted to find out what kind of cellos they sold and rented. The shopkeeper, a friendly man who knew his stuff, informed me that their cellos for rent are a step up from a standard music store. They outfit their cellos with real strings, hand-cut bridges, German crafted tailpieces, real wood bows and horse hair, and the front piece of wood is carved from a solid sheet.
When he lifted the lid on the case I gasped! It was a beauty! I could tell it wasn't cheap like the one I am renting. He said sit down and play. My sister was with me. She wanted me to play a tune. So I took it in hand and did the Jaws theme. Hey, I don't know any tunes, but the shark music came out sounding like real creamery butter, not margarine! I could feel the cello was lighter. The shop keeper said, yes it is lighter. I could feel the strings were better, and the rich tone was really noticeable to my poorly trained ears!
I was in love! I then asked if he happened to have any other cellos, one in a nice red hue. He said that the cello I was holding was the one he had in rental stock, but in about two weeks they were going to get more and that he'd call me with the news of their arrival. Perhaps one in this bunch will be visually pleasing to me. I am already sold on the sound.
And I should be. The basic cello he sells is $1500 whereas the one I am renting retails for $695. For about double the price there is a definite difference! I was asking about eventually buying a cello, a for real one, and he said he has them in all price ranges. He showed us the $18,000 on display! Yikes! He said in the back they just got in an $80,000 one! I joked that you have to pay to see that one!
Well, it looks like for now I'll switch over my rental when I can. They also had a list of cellists in the area who offer lessons. My dreams of being a would-be cellist are unfolding at a speed that I never though possible! I will have to make some phone calls tomorrow and find out how much the going rate and availability for lessons are.
I did buy a cake of $11 rosin. I never thought rosin would make a difference, but it does. I probably won't use it on the rental I have now. I'll wait until I can get the new outfit.
Of course this means that I'll have to conduct a new blog poll for the name of the upcoming replacement. I'm almost uncertain about naming the rentals because I know that they are just a stepping stone. But it is nice to name them even if they are only visitors in my life.
Recapitulation, Reiteration, Repetition
Last night began rehearsals for the Spring Quarter of the Pacific Northwest Chamber Orchestra. We have 9 new songs to master by the June 5th concert. We're doing soloists with accompanying orchestrations. Now, in case you aren't music savvy, the cello plays the bass line. What does this mean, really? I play notes that make the beat, keep time, provide the rhythm. It can be fun, but it can also be very, very, very, very repetitive! A couple of the pieces we'll be doing, the notes aren't written out, they are a type of shorthand that indicates I'm to play 8th notes over and over across an infinite amount of measures. Sounds easy, but if you aren't counting, you can get lost quickly.What's Up, Doc?
One of the tunes we'll be performing is the classic Barber of Seville. Before we began to sight-read it last night, I leaned over to the cellist next to me and I say to him, "This is from Bugs Bunny." He looked at me blankly like I had spoken in a foreign tongue. He's 22 years old. I thought he would know about Bugs Bunny. Seeing his blank look, I sung a few lines from Bugs using the melody, "Welcome to my shop / let me cut your mop..." He still stared unphased. "You don't know Bugs Bunny?" I asked. "No, we don't have TV at home." But I think it was more than just the fact he comes from one of those peculiar Christian families that don't let their kids watch TV because they think it is run by the liberal left (Interesting, I've heard liberals proclaim that TV is run by the conservative right. I tend to think TV is run by those dedicated to providing whatever entertainment they think will make them lots and lots of $$, because $$ is their deity of choice). I honestly think that the classic Bugs that I recall watching on Saturday mornings as a child has not been part of the mainstream for a couple of decades. Oh well.Cello Name Decided
Thanks to the awesome voting from those who clicked away at my nifty Blog Poll, 32% of you thought that Trinity would be an excellent name. Thus, my rented cello shall be known as Trinity. I am thinking, however, that my rental of her will be temporary, as I've found a violin shop in Olympia that makes them, and I've got this itch to have a real-made cello. Only I'm not sure yet how I'll pay for it...Perhaps it can be my graduation present from me to me next June (2007) when I finish my schooling?Last night was the big concert performance. We played to a 99% full house! I thought it was going to be just family in attendance, but apparently the word has gotten around about the orchestra.
My dad and stepmom were able to attend, and of course Pooky was also there to show support.
During the performance I did find myself a couple of times not being able to play along (hey, it's been a long while since I've played) so I faked playing. I was tucked behind so if I did totally stop playing (which there was a moment or two) no one hopefully saw, or they just assumed I was taking a rest that was written in the music.
My philosophy on playing is, and I said this all the way back when I was ten years old learning to play the violin, but my violin teacher said I had the wrong idea: If we play the wrong notes, the audience will think they are the right ones because they don't know how it is supposed to sound.
It still holds true today.
After the concert as I was making my way to find Pooky and my dad & stepmom, a little old man who needed to use two canes was struggling to walk out of the building and he said to me, "Thank you," and of course I replied, "Your welcome." It's nice to know that even though the orchestra is not perfect, that's it just a bunch of folks who like to play, make music, and develop their craft, are appreciated for our efforts, be they wonky at times.
I'm excited about returning next quarter because there will be soloists and doing the accompaniments should be more playable than the Scottish music we were stumbling through.
And yes, the bag piper was loud! Me and another cellist decided that a bag pipe can sound like a platypus in a blender. But it's still cool.
Tonight's rehearsal is cancelled thanks to a stomach flu the conductor got since yesterday. I think there is something floating around among the masses. I hope I don't get it as I don't care to find out how Ian-Sophia would take to that kind of output. She's doing fine these days and I am happy to no longer have the feeling of an ostrich egg in my rectum. Most of the time I don't even feel like I have a stoma. When the bag fills up then I notice it, or the skin gets itchy. I do miss my reading time on the toilet...but well, I'm not crying alligator tears that I have to do my reading in bed or on the couch.
Since I have tonight back to myself, I hope I can finish off the doily I am working on, and then get started on my SIL's sweater. She and her DH are coming on the 18th & 19th and Pooky already made her the poncho he promised. I can snap out her sweater in 3-5 days, and I'd rather her take it home with her than mail it. It's just a matter of getting the motivational flow going. I've made the pattern so many times I think I could crochet it blindfolded and while in a coma, possibly even in the dark while in a tight yoga position.
I'm off to get Pooky. Tomorrow he has the day off and if I swoon him nicely enough I just might get to enjoy some of that marital bliss that I fondly recall. (Woo-woo!)
This week we have extra rehearsals. We are actually starting to sound like an orchestra. Typically we don't end the practice session until 9:15 or 9:30, and by that time of night my brain sees the notes but doesn't send out the proper signals to my left hand to play them. Throw in a sharp or flat note and I'm a gonner.
I've got the paper work ready to sign up for next quarter of orchestra. I just need to cough up the $20. I think next month I have to pay for my rental. Eek! I paid two months in advanced when I got it.
The ages of those in the orchestra range from what I guess to be about 10 years old all the way up to senior citizen. In the cellos there is this groovy lady named Doby who is a dyed in the wool Shrone! She even wears a crocheted, bright red hat with floppy brim! She often says to me that in her next reincarnation she wants to come back when there aren't eye glasses or keys, that technology will have found a way to replace these items. I will have to get her picture taken one day, perhaps at the concert? She distributes her poems to the orchestra. She gave us one for Valentine's Day.
There is a second Shrone in the violins. She's senior citizen aged, but doesn't wear any funky hats.
Tomorrow night we will rehearse yet again, then on Saturday we have a morning rehearsal from 9-11 am. Saturday is going to be a full day. It starts off with the rehearsal, then I have a 2 o'clock wedding, then in Seattle I have a 7 pm wedding. Pooky found out that someone at work will also be attending the Seattle wedding. Small world in action. Well, the bride's parent's live here in town, so it doesn't surprise me that someone else who lives here would be invited. It is a small community and everyone knows just about everyone else. Pooky was pleased that he'd know someone at the wedding—someone to talk to, as he put it.
I smell like onions. I made a Philly cheesesteak for dinner and I still reek of them. Time for sleep. I hope I don't start bowing in my sleep.
I found this quiz from KateSpot and took it to see if I truly should be playing the cello. I answered honestly and sure enough, cello it is!
 | You scored as Cello. Cello.
Not much to say about the cello. apologies.
If you were in an orchestra, what instrument would match your personality? created with QuizFarm.com |