I recently attended a Junior Recital by one of my fellow violists from school. He played a Sibelius Concerto, a Bach Sonata for Viola da Gamba, and Suite Hebraique by Bloch. These pieces are all extremely difficult, in fact, they are at about as difficult as he (or I for that matter) could perform reasonably well. He did a good job.

My own recital is coming in a week and a half. I am playing a Vanhal Concerto, a Bach Cello Suite transcribed for viola, two Bartok viola duets, a Haydn quartet and two short romantic pieces by Frank Bridge.

I am curious why music that is difficult is more desirable than music that is easier as far as technique goes, but just as pretty. For example, I told my friend when he asked for my true opinions about his recital that I thought he didn't have any down time. Every piece he played was extremely demanding, and even our viola instructor called the program "ambitious." My program has some downtime built into it. For example, one of the Frank Bridge pieces is relatively easy. It's called "Berceuse" which is just a generic music term for lullaby. It is a beautiful piece despite being easy, and I am sure to do a fantastic job when I perform it. I have placed it between the Bartok duets and an extremely fast piece by Frank Bridge called Moto Perpetuo. I really think that my program will come off as more appealing to an audience with a range of pieces in various levels than only playing very demanding pieces only moderately well.

Academia has forgotten what we do and who we do it for. I love to perform, and I want to play for the audience as much as play for myself. Playing very well and beautifully is for an audience. Playing things that are at the very top of my personal abilities are for myself. I hope that I will always be able to keep a good balance.

Political Strings

Obama for president?

Monsieur McCain didn't mention fine arts on his website. I guess it is just not a typical conservative issue. Obama says he wants to increase funding for the national endowment for the arts, and increase funding for public schools to have music education.

Here is a link to Obama's official stance on this issue.
http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/additional/Obama_FactSheet_Arts.pdf

I think (but i'm not sure) Ms. Clinton had an even bigger stand for the fine arts.

Nobody running wants what I want. I'm not sure that I know what I want out of a president. I guess it comes down to supporting the arts and not killing babies. I hold by my beliefs about politicians: anyone who wants to be a politician, shouldn't be one. I just really hope there is a job for me after spending so much time at school.

maturing

Today, for the first time in my life, I have made music.

It's like the news. You start with what is happening with you. The only things that matter are what directly effect change in your life. As you grow aware, you realize things effect other people that are close to you without effecting you directly. Then, you might become aware of your neighborhood, community, town, state, country, and then the world! The world is so overwhelming with news and happenings that it is unfathomable.

I started messing around with instruments, discovered intonation and pitch. Then I discovered rhythm and dynamics and so on and so forth.

Today, I made my viola do exactly what I wanted. Despite years of teaching and training, it took a few comments from a female German violist to cause this reaction in me. Now granted, the teaching is what enabled me to know what to do to get the sounds I wanted, but it took someone I knew for 15 minutes and will most likely never meet again to really make me listen to myself. I hope this isn't a bi-polar high. I don't think it is, because I had to work at it in order to make it happen.

music growth

I am a father.



My son is a little over 1 year old. If I need to be more specific, he is 16 months old. I believe that he has hit his terrible 2's early. He has a vocabulary of about 30 words in english, but doesn't often use them. I've been informed that it is not the terrible 2's until the child looks you in your face and says "NO".



He seems interested in music. My wife and I have heard him sing, all in baby-language. He is also extremely interested in the piano. He has to play it evey time he sees it. We have a digital console piano, and he likes to get on my lap while I practice . He always starts to play with his arms straight out, fingers together, immobile wrists, and he bangs swinging his arms straight up and down. BUT, if you ask him "Can you play like daddy?", he relaxes his arms, wrists and hands, and starts to use individual fingers to push and pet at the keys. He looks at me and smiles.



When I practice viola, he comes up to my legs and starts to cling and suck his thumb. He might have been playing with other toys, not paying attention, and I go to get my viola, and he has to have my undivided attention. It's frustrating when I'm supposed to be practicing at least two hours everyday, and he only gives me 20-30 minutes at a shot. I talked to some of my teachers who have children and the best solution so far is to put in a movie that he likes to try and distract him.



I am curious about if he has any outstanding musical talent. One of the techniques that is practiced on the violin/viola/cello is double-stop scales in various intervals. One of the most difficult for most people, including myself is playing scales in thirds. Thirds have to be perfectly in tune. Eli, when I don't play them just quite right, starts to cry. I'm not sure about perfect pitch. I wonder when it shows itself. I imagine you have to have some kind of musical training before it is apparent. For example, I can recognize the color red every time I see it, but I wouldn't know it was called "red" unless someone had told me.



I've thought about if my son became a musician, what if he is better than I am. I know it sound horribly selfish, but what if I'm a thirty year old man and my son is a 7 year old prodigy who looks up at me and says "no daddy, you're doing it wrong." I suppose I will have to get over my competitive-jealousy at some point and I imagine that fatherhood will have bigger obstacles than a silly issue like this to overcome. Of course, I want the best for my son. I will do my best for him.

Destiny

I wonder about destiny.
If such a thing is true, then I, of all people, am destined.

Music, to me, isn't just a hobby, or an occupation, or a pastime. I used to dream of being able to say, as Louis XIV said of the state, "I Am Music." Of course, I've always had a healthy appetite of ego. I suppose now is the time to also mention that I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but refuse to take medication. With the even-keel of my wife, I've toned down, and I think that I can settle for "Music is me."

After high school, it became time to decide what to do with my life. I started with music at one college, and hated the school. I switched majors a few times before I dropped out and took a year and half off of school, during which I got married.

Now, I am at Stephen F. Austin State University pursuing a Viola Performance degree, and am loving every minute of it. This time, when I came back to music, all the doors got flung open for me, and I know I'm back in destiny's good favor.