Due to a lot of things going on in the first half of the year (mainly business/career) and the fact that I had felt like I had hit a wall in my lesons, I decided to suspend my lessons for a couple of months. The couple of months turned into four months and I just started back up again a month ago.
Although I took a break from lessons, I didn't take a break from playing. I still practiced from time to time and still played in a string quartet. With no lesson to work towards, my practice sessions became focused on relaxing my bow arm and bow hold, basically all the things that used to be stressed my lessons, and improving my tone. When I went back to my lessons, I was much more relaxed as it had been the primary focus during my time off.
This was such a nice thing and I would suggest it for anyone who feels like they've hit a wall in their lessons. I've taken many breaks during the seven years I've been studying the cello....some longer than others. I need mental breaks...and this break really helped me from feeling burnt out. After a month of lessons, I feel as I have made a dramatic improvement in my tone. I don't think I would have had this kind of improvement had I not taken the break. I'd still be obsessively trying to bust down that wall I was up against.
It's amazing what can happen when you take a moment to breathe before trying again.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Happy New Year
Hard to believe it's been almost 2 months since my last post but I've had a bit of a cello vacation as of late. It was nice and I needed it but I'm ready for another year on the cello. This is now year 7. Wow.
Time and time again, I've had teachers tell me the way to practice difficult passages is to slow the tempo down to a tempo you can actually play it. For people who lack patience (me), this is really hard to do...I frequently keep doing the runs I have trouble playing at frantic speeds thinking that one day, it'll fall into place. Guess what? It never does! All those frantic tries are just helping me practice how to do those passages the wrong way. I've had teachers go through passages slowly with me in many lessons. Almost every time, it has helped. Nevertheless, my first few tries at impossible passages will always be earnest attempts to do it "a tempo". It's probably not hard to guess that I run my life the same way. I am often disappointed at myself when I don't do things perfectly on the first try. I'm slowly learning to undo that thinking with the results I've seen in cello practice.
So...here's to a year of slowing things down, in cello practice and in life. Happy 2008!
Time and time again, I've had teachers tell me the way to practice difficult passages is to slow the tempo down to a tempo you can actually play it. For people who lack patience (me), this is really hard to do...I frequently keep doing the runs I have trouble playing at frantic speeds thinking that one day, it'll fall into place. Guess what? It never does! All those frantic tries are just helping me practice how to do those passages the wrong way. I've had teachers go through passages slowly with me in many lessons. Almost every time, it has helped. Nevertheless, my first few tries at impossible passages will always be earnest attempts to do it "a tempo". It's probably not hard to guess that I run my life the same way. I am often disappointed at myself when I don't do things perfectly on the first try. I'm slowly learning to undo that thinking with the results I've seen in cello practice.
So...here's to a year of slowing things down, in cello practice and in life. Happy 2008!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Tag - Seven Things
CelloDonna tagged me for 7 things. I'm such a slacker - just getting to it now. Here it is...
1. I was born in Malaysia, moved to Canada when I was 8. On my first day of school in Canada, the teacher could not pronounce my Chinese name. It wasn't that hard but every time she said my name, she got it wrong in a different way. After weeks of this, my parents came up with an English name for her to use. I still remember the look of relief on her face. I have used that name ever since that day! Very few people know that it is not my real name. Because of this, I often feel that I was born at the age of 8 - new family, new culture, new language, new name.
2. I once got a 68% in high school biology. I was so scared of my Dad's reaction that I forged a new report card with a 78% in biology. He looked at the forged report card and commented that I should have done better than '78%' in biology.
3. My grandmother has passed away now, but I still feel good every time I think about her. Here is a story about her: She came to live with us in Canada a couple of years after I moved there. When she got to Canada, she decided that she wanted to be a Canadian. She was illiterate in Chinese, having grown no education because her family was very poor. This did not seem to faze her as she tackled the challenge of learning a new language well enough to pass the citizenship interview. She went to classes every week and spent nights and weekends studying with me. Years later, she passed the test on her first try. She never did learn to speak English. She learned enough to answer the hundreds of possible questions she could be asked in the interview. It was a decade later before I appreciated what a feat she had accomplished!
4. A palm reader once told me that I have 2 guardian angels, probably some ancestors, watching over me. Maybe this is why I have always felt very lucky.
5. I secretly love reading Hollywood gossip.
6. I love to cook, at least that's what I tell everyone. The truth is that I love to eat!
7. I just got an iPhone. Please pray that I don't become an Apple evangelist lurking around the Apple Store Church! It's pretty hard though...I'm ooohing and aaahhhhing every time I use it!
I think most of the people I want to know more about have been tagged.....Has CelloMuser been tagged yet? I really like his blog. If not, consider yourself tagged! Do tell!
1. I was born in Malaysia, moved to Canada when I was 8. On my first day of school in Canada, the teacher could not pronounce my Chinese name. It wasn't that hard but every time she said my name, she got it wrong in a different way. After weeks of this, my parents came up with an English name for her to use. I still remember the look of relief on her face. I have used that name ever since that day! Very few people know that it is not my real name. Because of this, I often feel that I was born at the age of 8 - new family, new culture, new language, new name.
2. I once got a 68% in high school biology. I was so scared of my Dad's reaction that I forged a new report card with a 78% in biology. He looked at the forged report card and commented that I should have done better than '78%' in biology.
3. My grandmother has passed away now, but I still feel good every time I think about her. Here is a story about her: She came to live with us in Canada a couple of years after I moved there. When she got to Canada, she decided that she wanted to be a Canadian. She was illiterate in Chinese, having grown no education because her family was very poor. This did not seem to faze her as she tackled the challenge of learning a new language well enough to pass the citizenship interview. She went to classes every week and spent nights and weekends studying with me. Years later, she passed the test on her first try. She never did learn to speak English. She learned enough to answer the hundreds of possible questions she could be asked in the interview. It was a decade later before I appreciated what a feat she had accomplished!
4. A palm reader once told me that I have 2 guardian angels, probably some ancestors, watching over me. Maybe this is why I have always felt very lucky.
5. I secretly love reading Hollywood gossip.
6. I love to cook, at least that's what I tell everyone. The truth is that I love to eat!
7. I just got an iPhone. Please pray that I don't become an Apple evangelist lurking around the Apple Store Church! It's pretty hard though...I'm ooohing and aaahhhhing every time I use it!
I think most of the people I want to know more about have been tagged.....Has CelloMuser been tagged yet? I really like his blog. If not, consider yourself tagged! Do tell!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Orchestra Rehearsals #3 and #4
Concert this weekend - boy that was quick. I really need more time to work on this stuff! Our guest performer this concert is a trio who will be playing the Beethoven Triple Concerto in C with us. They came to rehearse with us last night. The cello part is both beautiful and maniacal. I hope one day I can get to a level where not only can I play something like that...but to hold it together well enough to play it for an audience. Watching the cellist yesterday made me realize that I will never get "tired" of studying this instrument. I have so far to go and there's enough learning here to last through the rest of my life.
I am feeling a bit more comfortable at rehearsals now....I decided to hold off on the wine for now and instead, started practicing for the rehearsals :) Still not as relaxed as I need to be..but hopefully that will get better with time.
One thing I never understood though...why do the weakest players sit in the back of a section? When you sit towards the back,
I am feeling a bit more comfortable at rehearsals now....I decided to hold off on the wine for now and instead, started practicing for the rehearsals :) Still not as relaxed as I need to be..but hopefully that will get better with time.
One thing I never understood though...why do the weakest players sit in the back of a section? When you sit towards the back,
- It's harder to see the conductor
- You can't hear your section
- Bowings and fingerings travel back to you last so you constantly have one eye on the front of the section to ensure correct bowing...
Friday, October 5, 2007
Little white lie
I called my teacher this morning...
Me: "Hi D, I forgot I had to work tomorrow morning...so I need to cancel our lesson tomorrow. Probably best to cancel for the week..is it alright if I just see you next week?"
D: {pause}..."ok...you need some time to practice so you have something to show me next week?"
Me: {hahahahaa} "Yah, that too"
Doh! Busted.
Me: "Hi D, I forgot I had to work tomorrow morning...so I need to cancel our lesson tomorrow. Probably best to cancel for the week..is it alright if I just see you next week?"
D: {pause}..."ok...you need some time to practice so you have something to show me next week?"
Me: {hahahahaa} "Yah, that too"
Doh! Busted.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Orchestra Rehearsal #2
Last night, there were some more new members to the orchestra. I now have a stand partner who is a sophomore in high school. The string section is a bit small so I suppose there must have been some heavy recruiting efforts last week to fill it up.
Stand partner, C, is really nice and seemingly quiet...until she pulled out her cello and exploded with some runs from Saint-Saens A minor concerto to warm up. WOW. I recognized what she played because I gave that movement a go for a couple of weeks before deciding that I was not ready for it. This girl is GOOD. She'd only been playing for 5 years. In fact, it later came out that some of the students who joined the orchestra last night were students who did not make the big youth orchestra in town. I can only imagine what kind of nuts are in this youth orchestra if she didn't make it. Scary!
Now the cello section is really good...2 high school students (both really good!), 2 veterans from the orchestra and.....me. Unfortunately, I can barely keep up. My teacher says that I am really lucky to play with people far better than I am but I feel really uncomfortable with this group right now. We all know what lack of relaxation does for cello tone........ :(
Maybe I need to have a glass of wine before each rehearsal ;)
Stand partner, C, is really nice and seemingly quiet...until she pulled out her cello and exploded with some runs from Saint-Saens A minor concerto to warm up. WOW. I recognized what she played because I gave that movement a go for a couple of weeks before deciding that I was not ready for it. This girl is GOOD. She'd only been playing for 5 years. In fact, it later came out that some of the students who joined the orchestra last night were students who did not make the big youth orchestra in town. I can only imagine what kind of nuts are in this youth orchestra if she didn't make it. Scary!
Now the cello section is really good...2 high school students (both really good!), 2 veterans from the orchestra and.....me. Unfortunately, I can barely keep up. My teacher says that I am really lucky to play with people far better than I am but I feel really uncomfortable with this group right now. We all know what lack of relaxation does for cello tone........ :(
Maybe I need to have a glass of wine before each rehearsal ;)
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