Yesterday was a big day for me. The chamber orchestra performed at the Bijou theater and for the first time in a long time I got to stand in front of the orchestra as a soloist. I had a blast. In my previous performances as a soloist I always felt a bit like the orchestra was going to sweep me away. This was not the case yesterday. I'd like to say thank you to Lucas and my colleagues for their sensitivity and good humor throughout the rehearsal and performance process. It made a huge difference in my comfort level. I'd also like to thank Jim Fellenbaum. Being heard over the orchestra is something all violists struggle with and it was nice to have a set of ears that I trust listening for balance.
Generally when I have a big performance I have a touch of the post-concert blues in the days following the concert. Today is different. Today I woke up and instead of sulking and thinking, “what's next?,” I woke up and thought, “AH! What's next?!” I'm usually pretty on-top of my schedule, but I was so focused on yesterday's performance that I really didn't look at what's coming up this week until this morning. For me, it is a week with a lot of repertoire packed into a few days. Tuesday the KSO strings will travel to Maryville to perform with the Maryville high school students, Wednesday my quartet begins our rotation in the side-by-side mentoring program at Austin East High School, and on Thursday the KSO strings will be participating in the Bijou theater's 100th anniversary celebration. For that performance, my quartet will be playing excerpts from the first movement of Barber's string quartet as well as the entire adagio from the second movement (the famous Adagio for Strings). I also have a thick stack of bowings I've neglected that desperately need attention. I am happiest when I am busy, and especially when I have something particularly juicy to practice, like the Barber quartet, so this should be a good week.
If you would like to find out more information on the KSO's performance for the Bijou Theater's 100th anniversary, you can look here.
2 comments:
I attended the performance yesterday and I must say that I was thrilled with your performance, along with each and every musician that performed.
I did not know that the Bach Viola Concerto was not well known, although I had never heard it before. I was quite impressed! I was so glad to have heard it. You performed splendidly!
Thank you for your kind words, Wendy. I'm glad that you enjoyed the concert!
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