I want to warn everyone that if they haven't signed up for SKs classes, you'd better hurry. REALLY!!! I don't know how the violin classes are filling up , but the cello classes have past the bursting point and they're trying to get a 4th teacher. Meanwhile, even my own little flophouse is full some weeks, and I had to turn away a favorite guest (Alicia) for one week. BOOOOOO ! ! !
SKs is getting kinda busy and frantic, far moreso than 10 years ago, which suits some people, but not me. My "mission" there seems to be to get people to chill out, when they end up getting all panicky and bent out of shape from overactivity and just plain Trying Too Hard (which is always counterproductive).
Is anyone going to a different music "camp" also, this summer? I'd like to know what other people have experienced, since there's no earthly reason I couldn't boogie off to some exotic place for a week of viola-crimes, leaving my house in the care of someone else.
Today is the big Valentine's Day Concert w/ the Willimantic CT Orchestra. (MY orchestra!)
Probably every community orchestra in the world is giving a Valentine's concert today. We're doing Tschaikovsky "Sleeping Beauty" (next to impossible) and a set of really gooooooey 1930s love songs, accompanying an excellent small choir. These are the sort of songs that evoke vamps in fishnet, draped over white grand pianos, long cigarette holders and all the gin you can soak in. Mmmmmmmm!!!!! (I like these pieces.)
Note somewhere here for Shirley & Hummel.
jb

Maine in August

Just to let you all know I have registered to be at SummerKeys the week of August 6th. I have also been looking over a viola fiddle book and am considering doing a piece or two from it. Of course it would be great if another viola would play it with me. And as a side note there are cords for guitar to join in as well.

A Great Violin Setup Book

Hi, I am looking forward to seeing you all this summer at SummerKeys, if you attend anytime from the end of July to the end of August. Being old has some advantages.

As you may remember from last year, I have a violin book addiction. I have just read a great violin setup book which I wholeheartedly recommend as it clearly answers many of my questions concerning posture, violin position, left hand, right hand, bowing, vibrato, etc. This book which was published in 2006 is entitled "Playing The Violin." It is 100 pages long and was written by Mark Rush an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona. It contains over 200 photographs illustrating optimal technique. I really like this book as it was written for adults, contains clear descriptive language, is profusely illustrated and it is applicable for beginning to advanced players. I purchased my copy online from SharMusic.com.

What you all have been waiting for, I think

It has taken me awhile to get all the pictures into a blog for you all to see. If you go to www.jacqspictures.blogspot.com you will be able to see pictures from the wedding and our cruise.

Bump said: Try This if You Dare: 2

Oh... I forgot: All of you, when you have time, tune down 1/2 step and see what you think. Of course, I shouldn't have said what my reaction was, so this spoils the objectivity of the test. Tuff.JB
January 31, 2007 2:23 PM

Bump said: Try this if you dare:

I went to a music party down outside of Boston this weekend. There were about 15 of us, and we were handed 5 out of 6 Brandenburg Conceri to play. Some of the people were real pros, others were Pooh-Bears like moi. I did... uhhh... OK. I neither distinguished nor disgraced myself. Everyone was a good sport. BUT (herein lies the crux) they were all Early Music geeks and I had to tune Down 1/2-step to A-415. I'd always thought this was malarkey... after all, if you want an Organ at 415, you just shift all the pipes one hole to the left; if you have a piano, tell everyone to take a hike, because it's no secret that THE PIANO IS ALWAYS RIGHT. But here, there were some really adept players on baroque oboe and recorders, some w/ baroque violins, bla bla bla. So I wasn't about to make waves and tell them they were all snobs, even though I'm an ARCH-SKEPTIC about Everything in Life.So I dutifully tuned down. If this were a religious experience, I'd use C.S.Lewis' phrase "Surprised by Joy". All of a sudden my viola sounded sweeter, much goooooooier, more IN TUNE, and softer under the fingers. I loved it; I was wrong all along. Now then... I want to know if there are strings I can use that will give this relaxed, laid-back sound and feel when I'm at normal, god-fearing, right-thinking, left-wing A-440. I use Pirastro Obbligato strings now, and prefer them over other strings on This viola. That's the baseline. I want more Goo, more slurp, more rubberiness.Any ideas born of experience are welcome.Oh... and the other good thing about this party, food and schmoozing aside, was that I was seated right in front of a Double-Bass Viola da Gamba (Violone) player. This was a delicious experience; it gave me this warm, snuggly, pee-in-my-pants feeling throughout the afternoon. She (the player) assured me that this was a normal reaction, nothing to be embarassed about, and no medical treatment was necessary.
January 31, 2007 2:20 PM