Screw embouchure
Be Confident
You're only as good as you're last gig
practice hard
focus on the notes
accuracy
Monday, November 13, 2006
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
...where to be on a Thursday night
Dear readers,
If one is over the age of eighteen, or if one has access to the age of eighteen, I suggest you come down to the Bristol bar on Cuba Street from around 9pm to hear a variety of Jazz ensembles from New Zealand School of Music. Among the artistes shall be yours truly, as well as other highly talented 'jazz cats'.
It will not disappoint!
Travesty
Kia Ora dear readers.
Today was the epitome of bizarre...
I woke up at 10:40am, three hours later than I should have. Terrible.
I was due to meet someone at university ar 11am to give them my tails coat, so had to gap through the morning routine in 7.5 minutes in order to make it in time.
I was three minutes late.
Then the daily warm up - which consisted of sitting in the brass room, interrupted by various fellow brass students, but managing to fit it in the hour.
Then my TEACHER enters - looking for a room to kill time in before they taught a lesson at 1pm...I asked how much he would pay me to vacate, but he said "no, you need to practice. Ouch. I then had a conducting lesson at 2pm, on Haydn's 104th symphony, the 'London'. Apparently I improved hundred-fold from beginning to end of the lesson. Then I dropped teacher home, where champagne and neenish tarts were provided (on account of my birthday) before we talked for three hours about MUSIC,like the regional orchestras, reviews, overseas orchestras, reviews, NZSO, reviews...and so the list goes on.
At 5:55 I realised the time. I had to be at brass class at 6:00. Which meant that I had to gap from Kilbernie to Kelburn in 5 minutes. Eesh!
What followed was the latter class, where X, the 1st year x player played the last movement of the 4th x concerto by J. Strauss.
Technically it was great, and X got through it fine. Lacking though was any musical instinct - like phrasing, good tone, dynamics...Basically one was left with a sense of "So What?"
Why play it if it doesn't mean anything to you? Why are you doing a degree in it?!?! And it is not the nature of the instrument, as I know players who sound beautiful on it.
Then followed X1, the 1st year trumpet player. Playing a piece which I am doing for my end of year recital. X1 has struggled with technique and confidence all the time I have known the latter, but tonight played with less nerves and a good tone. Even though X1 missed a lot of notes and phrasing wasn't overly polished, one could hear that they had musical intentions.
Which counts for a lot more than just playing the notes...
After that episode of performance, I had a three hour swing band rehearsal with the 'Central Band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, which was fun! Long though. Had a random guy filling in for the Lead x1 spot, this American. He was good - although, the responsible professional that I am, had to supply the entire section with pencils and erasers. People mock for being prepared for every situation, but I laugh in their faces. Ha!
This photo is visibly incorrect. Either the conductor holding the baton is left-handed, or some munter has inverted the photograph. Either way, I'm over it.
Today was the epitome of bizarre...
I woke up at 10:40am, three hours later than I should have. Terrible.
I was due to meet someone at university ar 11am to give them my tails coat, so had to gap through the morning routine in 7.5 minutes in order to make it in time.
I was three minutes late.
Then the daily warm up - which consisted of sitting in the brass room, interrupted by various fellow brass students, but managing to fit it in the hour.
Then my TEACHER enters - looking for a room to kill time in before they taught a lesson at 1pm...I asked how much he would pay me to vacate, but he said "no, you need to practice. Ouch. I then had a conducting lesson at 2pm, on Haydn's 104th symphony, the 'London'. Apparently I improved hundred-fold from beginning to end of the lesson. Then I dropped teacher home, where champagne and neenish tarts were provided (on account of my birthday) before we talked for three hours about MUSIC,like the regional orchestras, reviews, overseas orchestras, reviews, NZSO, reviews...and so the list goes on.
At 5:55 I realised the time. I had to be at brass class at 6:00. Which meant that I had to gap from Kilbernie to Kelburn in 5 minutes. Eesh!
What followed was the latter class, where X, the 1st year x player played the last movement of the 4th x concerto by J. Strauss.
Technically it was great, and X got through it fine. Lacking though was any musical instinct - like phrasing, good tone, dynamics...Basically one was left with a sense of "So What?"
Why play it if it doesn't mean anything to you? Why are you doing a degree in it?!?! And it is not the nature of the instrument, as I know players who sound beautiful on it.
Then followed X1, the 1st year trumpet player. Playing a piece which I am doing for my end of year recital. X1 has struggled with technique and confidence all the time I have known the latter, but tonight played with less nerves and a good tone. Even though X1 missed a lot of notes and phrasing wasn't overly polished, one could hear that they had musical intentions.
Which counts for a lot more than just playing the notes...
After that episode of performance, I had a three hour swing band rehearsal with the 'Central Band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, which was fun! Long though. Had a random guy filling in for the Lead x1 spot, this American. He was good - although, the responsible professional that I am, had to supply the entire section with pencils and erasers. People mock for being prepared for every situation, but I laugh in their faces. Ha!
This photo is visibly incorrect. Either the conductor holding the baton is left-handed, or some munter has inverted the photograph. Either way, I'm over it.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Refugee
Having been involved in an unfortunate scandal, details too complex to go into here, I have established this blog out of the way from Wellingtonians - esp. anyone associated with [group].
I have just completed the application for Student Allowance for next year, as I will be living in Christchurch with little or no income, that is unless I audition well for the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra - thus getting gigs! I might also try and set up some kind of Jazz combo to play at the Jazz bar. I assume that I will have:
a) not many friends
b) a lot of time to practice
c) not much food or money to buy the latter with
d) a car to travel througout the Canterbury region
e) all of the above.
Like a nomad in a foreign country, all will be new and left open for me to explore and understand. Sadly it will not be in another language. Speaking of nomadic territory, I highly reccomend two films by Tony Gatlif: Vengo and Latcho Drom. Both films are documentary-esque, about two very different but similar [oxymoron] cultures: the Andalucian Gypsies and the Romanian Gypsies. Music plays a large part in both, being a dominant aspect in both cultures. A trip away to another world.
Monday, October 16, 2006
La Grande Coupure
I have returned from the Great Unknown, that is Napier. If ever you get the chance to go, I highly reccomend! The drive up consisted of being in a van with 8 other Jazz-o's with Chilli Peppers on maximum volume from the stereo - it was so freaking loud, I had to hide behind the seat in front of me for most of the time. That plus the fact that the guy next to me could not speak below a comfortabe double forte!We arrived after 5 hours to the city center - the weather was somethiiing else - no wind, maximum sun!Checked in to the 'Masonic', this Art Deco (see last post) hotel, which, after one had exited one's room through the back door, opened out into this large courtyard, with lush plants, chairs, full bar, five course meal, massage, dancing girls...Lies. But it was just like stepping into this European holiday, say in the South of France, as it was so scenic and warm, and totally unrelated to Wellington in everyway. Like the "boyracers" driving round the block in fords, listening to Snoop, then on the next round, Queen. They were obviously professionals in their trade...After settling down, it was time for some of the local brew, before heading down to the Cosmopolitan Club for the sound check. I had a raging headache by this time, due to the afore-mentioned sounds, not to mention remnant pain from the night before (NZDF Ball)
After the sound check it was time to loiter in the club, avoiding the gaze of various ancient creatures and drinking lots of water as it was rather warm inside. We started playing around 5:30, and the first half went well - happening to sight read half the charts as in my one rehearsal we did not cover everything...terse moments ensued! During interval, it was time for liquid refreshment, of the brown and foamy variety, which was just as well as it was straight into my solo in the second half. I was playing fine - then I realised it was time to honk into the mic with no music...AKA improvise!
After losing about 6kilos, the rest of the gig went smoothly. Save an epic drum solo, which literally lasted five minutes, deafening me to the point that when I came back in, I could hardly hear what I was playing! Scary stuff.
Here is the paragraph about the rest of the night, but to sum it up I had many conversations about how I should be joining the 'dark side' slash Jazz, and how the 'blues' is the basis of all Jazz.
Then followed sleep, before waking up (obiously, one has to fall asleep to wake up...logical?) to the news that there was full breakfast on the house. I ordered the Full Cooked Breakfast (the standard eggs (scrambled of course) toast, hash browns, bacon, sausages, tomato (not eaten. Yuck.). After that, it was straight into hot cakes with bacon, banana and maple syrup, followed by pot of English Breakfast tea, a latte, then an OJ. I milked the menu for all it was worth. Not the 200gram steak though, as eating large hunks of meat so early is a slightly bizarre concept.
After breaking the fast, it was back into the van for the long journey home, passing through torrential rain, and the sight of an entire countryside painted in new green hues from the onset of Spring
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