#quarantinepractice

[tenestelapromessa]

Agony

What is agony right now is that I have not been able to practice since school shut down almost a month ago. I can’t sing in my apartment. It’s not that anyone has asked me to stop, it’s that there’s no way I could vocalize at full volume - let alone since my soprano rep. I was working on “Ach ich liebte” for my recital...that thing has like 300 high Ds in it. I can’t sing that here. My voice clamps up, and I know after a while somebody would probably say something. L and I are supposed to continue lessons but it’s just not going to happen here.

My goal is to do light, middle range vocalizing for 10-20 minutes daily, starting today. Something I’m comfortable with - humming, straw singing, short scales on [u] and [i]. I literally haven’t done even that in weeks. 

[indian-yoga-girl]

Movement & meditation. Doggo joined me early this morning for a stretch to start the day. Refreshing bhakti music from India #shrirattanmohansharma. . . #mantraandsutras #shlokas #yogaeverydamnday #yogalifestyle #quarantinepractice #stretchandrelease #healthmatters #staysafestayhome https://www.instagram.com/p/B_QUVcHDR1R/?igshid=xqf4pu7gblm7

[willhurdstrings]

Here’s a fun metronome drill to develop a strong sense of pulse as well as musical freedom and insights into phrasing! Swipe left for each stage! I begin the practice with many clicks per measure. Rhythm from note to note is strict. For each stage, I reduce the number of clicks and increase the tempo slightly. Using progressively fewer clicks gradually transfers the rhythmic responsibility from the metronome to me! By the time I get to the fewest number of clicks, I’m in a stage of intense but relaxed concentration — almost zen!The rhythm is accurate but not “beat-y” or “metronomic”. I become aware of the strong and weak beats and learn where I may want to emphasize and deemphasize beats to support long flowing phrases. In faster movements, depending on the meter, I may end up with clicks every other measure. Repertoire for this video: #jsbach Allemande from #cellosuite no 6 in D major, BWV 1012 performed on #violoncellodaspalla #cello #cellomusic #practicemakesprogress #practiceroom #feelthepulse #purposefulpractice #365daysofpractice #violintechnique #stringplayer #cellopractice #cellogram #cellistlife #cellolove #educationisthefuture #practicediaries #metronome #quarantinepractice #cellomasterclass #violoncelle #violoncelo #violinteacher #cellolesson (at Washington D.C.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGSL5dAA9BY/?igshid=1htapch3zq3kb

[blwbisht]

If you love 🐕 Dog or 🐻 Bear Drop 💓 heart in comments section 🔻 👇⏬⤵️⬇️ . “No matter how you're feeling, a little dog gonna love you.” – ... . . . 🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 . . . .. . . . #quarantinephotoshoot #quarantinephotography ##quarantinephotoshootathome #quarantinephotoshoots #quarantinephotochallenge #quarantinephoto #quarantinephotos #quarantinephotographychallenge #quarantineandcreate #quarantineprojects #quarantinepost #quarantineproblems #quarantineplayideas #quarantineportraits #quarantinepets #quarantinepractice #quarantinemotivation #quarantinemode #quarantinephotoshoot #quarantinemood🖤 https://www.instagram.com/p/B_95npbg9DJ/?igshid=1fd4kybbxjg2j

[tommysmusicpoetry]

Red Velvet by Thomas Decker and The Sunsets

(I’m on vocals reciting my poem)

#poems #poemsofinstagram #indiepoetry #coloradopoetsunite #coloradopoets #sadpoems #storypoems #poemsoftheday #darkpoets #darkpoetsociety #poetscorner #poetryforthesoul #poetryhive #rocknrollpoetry #drummerpoetry #musicpoetry #poetryoftheday #authorcommunity #coloradoartists #quarantinepractice #quarantinejamming #rock #rocknroll #drums #blues #coloradodrummer #coloradoguitarists #rocknroll #postrock #denverband #denvermusic

[dhanakusumafan]

12/7/2020 Kami masih disini Menantimu Untuk kembali menjalankan Rotasi kehidupan Seperti sedia kala Semoga anda tidak lupa judul lagunya #cover #quartet #violin #violinist #flute #flutist #cello #cellist #woodwind #quarantinepractice #string #musiklasikgram #classicalmusic #folksong #indonesiasong (di Surabaya, Indonesia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCjxUJqDQiZ/?igshid=loid4eig8eil

[saxophonistextraordinaire]

Ferling #16 today! I didn’t realize how much I missed my tenor until I took it out earlier this week. 🎷❤️ #saxophone #tenorsax #classicalmusic #classicalsaxophone #musiciansofinstagram #ferling #quarantinepractice (at Providence, Rhode Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_kqhshnb0O/?igshid=kp3t434hwh66

[tenestelapromessa]

Ok, this is how things shook down today and how I’m planning to move ahead for now with practice.

“New World Order” is not a conspiracy theory, it’s just a name I casually gave to my system of organizing my vocal warmup/exercise routines and it’s stuck ever since. I learned over time that I’m someone who needs a regimen to stick to otherwise I get immensely distracted and/or discouraged. It’s just the collection of exercises that I know are working for me at the moment or that I need to stick to, and this list is flexible. Every few weeks or months this list morphs into a new list, which I write down again, then put them all in a binder for reference if I want to look back and see if there are old gems I’ve forgotten. Obviously it’s in my own weird language.

Actually, I was really surprised at how comfortable I felt lip trilling through pieces so I’m going to keep doing that. Even “Ach ich liebte,” minus the coloratura of course. My other aria baby is Abigail’s “aria” from The Crucible. I’m hoping to do it for the school competition in the fall. It’s wild and different and I adore it, but I’m gonna have to save writing about the experience singing her in scenes in another post because I have *feelings.*

[tenestelapromessa]

Quarantine Practice, Day 2

I stuck with the same practice routine that I wrote out yesterday, but fleshed out a few more exercises I felt comfortable doing. I think The things that are lacking right now from my quarantine regimen, aside from high notes and actual singing, are things like staccati, vocal trills, and messa di voce in an effective range. Some of the exercises that I’m doing I can only do in a teeny tiny range...but again, it’s better than nothing. Since yesterday I found I was pretty comfortable lip trilling through rep even with high notes today I trilled through even more pieces, those pieces being “What Good Would the Moon Be?,” “Canto abruzzese,” “Serenade,” “Marechiare,” and Abigail’s aria. Not bad for not even being able to sing.

While I’m here I may as well write a little bit about how working with L has been these last four years. My voice really has filled out. Her style is very simple, there are no really wacky exercises or tricks she employs. She’s just really good at bringing out young, small voices. I’d say my voice is very warm, more “mature” sounding, and resonant than it was when I left off 4 years ago here. If you’re reading from back in the old days, you probably know that if I was crying myself to sleep for any reason, it was my vibrato. I’m happy to say that it’s fairly consistent now, minus in my super high notes. I think whatever residual issues there are with vibrato are psychological at this point. This might sound dramatic, but something about my own mind and my environment made my straight tone voice really traumatizing for me. I always felt like it was that one thing that separated me from being taken seriously as a singer, and it’s hard to let all of that baggage go sometimes. But L got me to a really good place.

That being said, for the past year I’ve been really feeling that it’s time to move on from her. I feel kinda bad that I didn’t spend these last 4 years writing about the good good times with her and the progress I’ve made, because she really is a wonderful lady and teacher, but you know...it’s just that time. But I still have another year here. Realistically, I only do a few of the exercises she’s given me. One of the great things she imparted on me was how to be my own teacher, and that’s pretty much what I’ve been doing. The more recent lessons I’ve had have been somewhat frustrating because 1) I feel that now what she wants to change in my voice are subjective things or things that really can’t be changed so it seems I can’t give her what she wants, and 2) I’ve been going through my own mental health issues and don’t always come in doing my best. Those revelatory lessons are just not happening anymore. And I say this with no bitterness: I feel like a chronicled my time with S here pretty consistently and she’s also an amazing woman and teacher to whom I owe a lot, but I reached that point with her, too. I just NEED some new breakthroughs and there’s that part of my mind that wonders if they would come with another teacher. But I must be patient and try to maximize the time I have left, especially considering I may have to devote a lot of my time to studying something else for grad school.

Anyway, there’s a little bit of an update, even if this journal is really for me to get my own feelings out.

[willhurdstrings]

Variety is the spice of life and violin practice! There’s no piece too advanced for Suzuki’s variations on #twinkletwinklelittlestar In these 6 videos I demonstrate how I use Suzuki’s variations to secure the passage beginning at m 79 of Bach’s Preludio from Partita no 3 in E major, BWV 1006. Most of these variations cut across the natural grouping of the notes keeping the mind alert so the practice is more memorable and effective. Keep swiping left to hear the way each variation sounds. 1) Variation A “Mississippi Hot Dog” —swipe left 2) Variation B “Dr Suzuki/My Name” I perform this one legato so it’s essentially a rhythmic displacement of variation —swipe left 3) Variation C “Run Poney/Stop Big Bow” —swipe left 4) Variation D “Washington Washington” In this variation I accent each triplet so the cross rhythm is obvious. —swipe left 5) Theme - Slurring many notes in one bow exposes any flaws in the left hand steadiness. —swipe left 6) Variation E “Huckleberry Huckleberry” This is the performance version. After practicing a rhythmic variation “workout” like this, the performance version feels easy! #preludio #sonatasandpartitas #solobach #practiceroom #violinfun #violinteacher #violinclass #bachpartita #bachpartita3 #jsbach #johannsebastianbach #violintechnique #violinpedagogy #beautifulmusic #suzukiteacher #purposefulpractice #practicemakesperfect #violinguy #violinlove #virtuoso #quarantinepractice #violinpractice #violinlesson #violintutorial #practicemakesperformance #varietyisthespiceoflife (at Washington D.C.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGPkJMBACHf/?igshid=xrjq5rvc5caj