Category Archives: Performing

Performing

La Traviata

Any opera lovers out there?  I am playing in Winter Opera Saint Louis’s upcoming production of “La Traviata” this weekend.  The performances are Friday night and Sunday afternoon.  Visit the website for more details.  They are calling it the original “Pretty Woman.”  I don’t know how I feel about that.  But it should be a great performance—the singers sound fantastic and of course the orchestra is great.

We had six hours of rehearsal today…whew!  I’m completely exhausted.  This week is pretty busy with rehearsals on top of my regular teaching schedule (with a few adjustments due to all the rehearsals…). 

And really, I just want to sit around and stare at my shiny new ring.  How do other people handle this dilemma? 

Performing

St. Louis Television Debut

This morning started VERY early.  My alarm went off at the ungodly hour of 5:00 AM.  Then I had to get dressed and do full makeup and full hair drying…to drive 30 minutes to..

BE ON TV!!

So I’m not really complaining.  Besides I had time afterwards to take a nap.

We played in a little hallway outside of the main studio, and played for the “bumps”—when they go from show to commercial or vice-versa.  Dana (the clarinetist from Chamber Project) gave an interview and talked about the performance tomorrow at the Siteman Center as well as some general Chamber Project information.  In the video we are playing the Beethoven Serenade, last movement.

http://www.fox2now.com/videobeta/f1f0f584-d777-49cc-a21f-5b715c5fe213/News/Chamber-Project-St-Louis-Performs

 

I also took a few pictures while we were there.

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Note the time—

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Jen, Adrianne, and Dana

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Laura, and Me

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Being sneaky and peering into the studio

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Food, Performing

Quick update: HBBC and TV!

This is the last day of the “Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge.”  Now, yes, I find the name totally embarrassing, but it was a great challenge to keep track of all my workouts and to eat more fruits and vegetables.  My total is 239.8.  I think that’s pretty good!  Thanks to Amanda for putting on a great challenge!  AND I didn’t really gain weight over the holidays…maybe some temporary weight but as of two days ago, totally back to pre-Thanksgiving weight. 

Reminder:  Tomorrow morning I will be on television with Chamber Project St. Louis.  We are on the Fox2 morning show at 7 am (Central time).  I’ll be the one playing the violin.  I am also performing with them on a Sunday afternoon concert at the Siteman Cancer Center. 

Today’s lunch:  Sweet Art on 39th Street.  I met my friend Melissa and we both had lentil soup and sandwiches with artichokes and sundried tomatoes.  The wait was long, but worth it!  The cupcakes were very good, though I hear 2011 is the year for pie.  Nobody told the Sweet Art people that. 

Performing

On television!

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I’m going to be on television this Saturday morning (January 8).  I was invited to participate with Chamber Project St. Louis and we are on the morning show on Fox 2 now.  It’s hopeful that if you are interested you can use this link for live streaming.  We will be on starting at 7 am (central time) off and on for 1 hour.  I will probably just be on the first 30 minutes.  I’m excited to participate in the program with Chamber Project and I’m honored I was invited.  It’s a promotional bit for the group as they have three upcoming concerts.  I am playing with them on January 9th at the Siteman Cancer Center—it’s a reprise of the Beethoven Serenade we performed together in the fall.  Should be a great weekend!

(I have been on television before, most recently with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra on the “Johnny Show” on Fox 28 Columbus on 1/8/09.  But that was then, this is now!)

Christmas, Performing

Christmas Vacation begins!

Today is my first day of Christmas Vacation!  It’s earlier than most people’s because I opted to take over a few more days of teaching—after the concerts it didn’t make sense to have one more class. 

Yesterday was very busy, but ended really fun.  I ran a race (though since I messed up the tag thing there is no record of me…oh well, it wasn’t my best time, in fact was my worst), played a wedding at the Jewel Box, played my last mass at St. Mary’s in Madison, IL, and played a four hour holiday party in Sappington.

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St. Mary’s

I had been dreading the 4 hour party but it ended up being quite fun!  We were playing at a private home, which was super decked out for the holidays.  There was a themed Christmas tree in just about every run, and nutcrackers of all sizes (tiny to human sized) displayed throughout.  We were encouraged to eat and drink (yummy shrimp and sushi!) while we played, and we played tons of Christmas music, including selections from the Nutcracker (I love the holiday volume of “Music for Three” and need it for myself STAT! )  It was exhausting, but the people I played with were easy going, good musicians and the evening was very enjoyable.  I should have taken some pictures of the house, but didn’t have my camera and didn’t want to be weird and creepy either.  Maybe I’ll be asked to play again next year, and I”ll remember my camera and not care about weird and creepy!  At the end, the host told us if we played one more rousing finale we would each get $50 cash on the spot.  Well, we couldn’t’ pass that up, and played a rousing “Trepak” from the aforementioned Music for Three.  FYI to other musicians:  the audience really loved hearing the Nutcracker tunes.  

I was utterly exhausted by the time I got home and just read a bit and went to sleep. 

Today:  I did my long run—8.5 miles I believe (or so) in the park.  It was manageable, icy in spots but fine overall.  I am loving my new running tights (though I should probably get another, slightly warmer pair, also to switch out for laundry purposes) and felt like a real runner going around the park 2 1/2 times. 

Then I did the first step of the Tres Leches Eggnog cake…though I decided to just use a box mix.  (First step is to make the regular cake and let it cool).  I had a box mix on hand, okay?  It was taking up room in the cupboard!  (Second step is to pour milks/eggnog over cooled cake and let sit overnight).  Besides, after I add the Tres Leches, will it really matter if the cake was from a box or homemade?  NO!

Tonight we are going to a Holiday Party at a friend’s house.  I am looking forward to seeing people—I haven’t seen several of my friends for a few weeks as we have all been so busy!  The next few days are for relaxing, seeing friends, and preparing to go to Long Island for the holidays. 

HBBC:   8.5 mile run: 8.5 points, 20 minutes stretching: 1 point, Total:  9.5 points (will edit if I eat 7 f/v)

Performing

Playing the violin #reverb10

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Prompt: Body integration. This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present?

 

This is exactly how I feel when I’m playing the violin well. 

Playing the violin is both physical and mental.  My mind knows what I want the sound to be and makes body makes it happen.  If everything lines up, the magic happens!  I play the music exactly as I imagine it to be.

What can keep this from happening for me?

Pain:  from injury or overuse.  I am very susceptible to injury, particularly in my wrists and joints.

Tension:  due to nerves, stress, improper warm up, too cold, cramped for space, tired, sick, etc. 

Not practicing enough:  lack of planning, lack of inclination, lack of time, too much pain

But when these things don’t happen, when I am:

Pain-free

Relaxed

Well-prepared

I can play the performance of my life!  I can love my music!  I know why I have chosen my career!

Generally this happens during orchestral performances for me—I become ONE with the music, and I am absolutely swept away in the moment. 

I was glancing back at my concert schedule from this year (so sparse in contrast to previous years) and thinking of concerts I LOVED playing…

The recent Chamber Project Concert definitely fit the bill in places…Werther with Winter Opera did as well…Shostakovich 10 with Columbus Symphony…I could go on. 

So often, as a professional we get caught up in the details, the rehearsal schedule, our fee, the breaks, etc, and of course those things are important…but…we mustn’t lose sight of the forest for the trees!

This is exactly why I love to play the violin.  To become ONE with the music.  To have my mind and body absolutely integrated.  This is what I wish for all of my students to feel some day!