I missed a rehearsal last night. I never miss rehearsals... Baring double bookings. In the last year, I have missed 1 (one) symphony rehearsal, which was last November, when I had a 103 degree fever and could not stand, let alone try to play. Sure, I missed a couple more, but those had weeks, if not months, of advance notice and subs lined up. I never cut out at the last minute.
Until last night. My mind had been turning to jelly over the past week, and strange things had started to happen. Like struggling to stay awake in the car on the way to and from lessons, rehearsals, hell, anything. Continually making the same mistake over and over again, whether it's explaining something in a lesson or musical mistakes while practicing.
So, last night I decided to skip out on rehearsal and just regroup. Hope it worked. I did get a lot done, and even went to bed early. I feel better now, so we will see how today goes. I may be in desperation of a longer vacation then last weekends sort-of-3-days-off.
Luckily, after next weekend, which will be a bitch of a weekend, with the Asian Man Records concert Friday night, a dress rehearsal for symphony no. 2 Saturday morning, then a design meeting with the high school staff Saturday midday, then a concert for symphony no. 1 Saturday night, then a concert with symphony no. 2 Sunday midday. Well, after that a have a month off from symphony no. 2 and 3 months off from symphony no. 1.
Vacation!!!
On a side note....
Quite a while ago (November of 06), I ranted about a certain trumpet player who was, well, quite a prick. Well, Wednesday night, I run into him again, this time with me as the acting principle trombone player in a much better orchestra, and he and his wife as subs for one rehearsal.
It was the same thing as before, he playing to quiet and not playing to the players around him or his location in the room. Whatever, I wasn't expecting it to change.
Anyway, I did my best to avoid them (him and his wife) before rehearsal started, warming up in a corner of the stage instead of in my seat, things like that. He sat at the other end of the row in front of me, and she set right in front of me. Great, I thought in my best pessimist thought process, she's going to remember me, keep that in mind of the guy her husband always talked crap about, and be biased about my playing.
Well, I don't think she recognized me, (I have changed a LOT in the last year and a half, more than any other year and a half of my life) and at the end of rehearsal, she turned around and said, "You guys sound GREAT. AMAZING."
Granted, I'm giving the normal principle player a break and playing lead while he plays second this set, so the section is absolutely rockin, but that made me feel pretty good. Like all the work I have put in is actually doing something positive for once.
Well, the Turangalila Symphony concert is next weekend, and now I am more stoked about it than ever. It helps that I have grown to REALLY love the piece, and I could see it becoming one of my favorites. It is pretty fucking fantastic.
Can't wait!
Until last night. My mind had been turning to jelly over the past week, and strange things had started to happen. Like struggling to stay awake in the car on the way to and from lessons, rehearsals, hell, anything. Continually making the same mistake over and over again, whether it's explaining something in a lesson or musical mistakes while practicing.
So, last night I decided to skip out on rehearsal and just regroup. Hope it worked. I did get a lot done, and even went to bed early. I feel better now, so we will see how today goes. I may be in desperation of a longer vacation then last weekends sort-of-3-days-off.
Luckily, after next weekend, which will be a bitch of a weekend, with the Asian Man Records concert Friday night, a dress rehearsal for symphony no. 2 Saturday morning, then a design meeting with the high school staff Saturday midday, then a concert for symphony no. 1 Saturday night, then a concert with symphony no. 2 Sunday midday. Well, after that a have a month off from symphony no. 2 and 3 months off from symphony no. 1.
Vacation!!!
On a side note....
Quite a while ago (November of 06), I ranted about a certain trumpet player who was, well, quite a prick. Well, Wednesday night, I run into him again, this time with me as the acting principle trombone player in a much better orchestra, and he and his wife as subs for one rehearsal.
It was the same thing as before, he playing to quiet and not playing to the players around him or his location in the room. Whatever, I wasn't expecting it to change.
Anyway, I did my best to avoid them (him and his wife) before rehearsal started, warming up in a corner of the stage instead of in my seat, things like that. He sat at the other end of the row in front of me, and she set right in front of me. Great, I thought in my best pessimist thought process, she's going to remember me, keep that in mind of the guy her husband always talked crap about, and be biased about my playing.
Well, I don't think she recognized me, (I have changed a LOT in the last year and a half, more than any other year and a half of my life) and at the end of rehearsal, she turned around and said, "You guys sound GREAT. AMAZING."
Granted, I'm giving the normal principle player a break and playing lead while he plays second this set, so the section is absolutely rockin, but that made me feel pretty good. Like all the work I have put in is actually doing something positive for once.
Well, the Turangalila Symphony concert is next weekend, and now I am more stoked about it than ever. It helps that I have grown to REALLY love the piece, and I could see it becoming one of my favorites. It is pretty fucking fantastic.
Can't wait!
never drink & blog, baby. Never drink & blog.
Actually, what I meant to say was I have this lovely 8th grader who's doing a bang up job on that particular concerto. It always sucks when the accompanist is the weakest link so I've got my work cut out for me this week. Her teacher's made some good cuts (whew!) but there are still two sections that are scaring the shit out of me. If I was playing on a more regular basis I'm sure it would be no big deal, but I just don't spend as much time at the piano as I'd like so that rusty feeling is pretty scary.