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claud19
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Posts: 16
(5/30/01 3:14:20
pm)
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advice for 1st
time playing with others?
To all the knowledgable CBNs out there:
Help! I've signed up for
my first workshop kind of thing--Chagit Glaser's string chamber
music weekend in CT, on June 8-10. I've been playing about 2.5
years, and up until now have only played cello alone, other than an
occasional duet with my teacher. Well, the participants were
assigned parts, which I received yesterday, and I'm in a controlled
panic. I'll be playing the Haydn Divertimento (number 2,
maybe--can't remember) in a trio with viola and recorder (to fill in
for a missing violin, I believe), along with some other
harder-looking duet stuff I can't remember the name of. I only have
one lesson with my teacher before the workshop.
My question
is...does anyone have any advice for the first time group player, as
far as staying in tune, not getting lost, not offending the other
players, etc.? I hear that everyone at this workshop is very nice
and low-key, but I still worry that despite how hard I work I'm not
going to be good enough to make it sound like music, and the other
players will be annoyed at me. We've supposedly been matched in
playing level, but I'm reasonably sure that they will still be much
better than I am. Maybe just some reassurance that all will be well,
and that other people remember this scared feeling, will do the
trick. I'm starting to wonder why on earth I signed up for this
nerve-wracking situation. But I heard a quote once, something along
the lines of "If you don't feel like you're in over your head, it's
probably too easy for you." Not overly reassuring, but...
Thanks!
Claudine
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JanJan2
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Posts: 156
(5/30/01 3:52:49
pm)
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Re: advice for
1st time playing with others?
Claudine, I applaud your bravery at jumping into this kind of
event! It's sort of like jumping into the Atlantic Ocean off the New
England coast in early June . . . once you survive the initial
temperature shock, it's quite pleasurable!
Although I've
never attended this particular program, I'll bet the coaches are
encouraging and supportive. And everybody there will remember how
they felt their first time out, too. I don't think it's something
many of us forget.
The best words of advice I can give is to
try to relax and enjoy the experience as much as possible. That's
easy to say, but not so easy to do. Here are some ideas to
ponder:
* Don't waste energy fretting over what the other
players think - you're not going there to impress, but to learn a
new musical skill. I suspect this is one of the reasons you signed
up to attend.
* If you get lost, don't panic. Listen to what
the other two players are doing and see if you can hear/feel the
beat and determine when to jump in. Also, your coach will probably
be right there with you to help you if this happens.
* Don't
get angry with yourself when something goes wrong! We've all been
frustrated with our performance at times, and doubt our abilities.
But getting angry with yourself does nothing to help the situation.
Remind yourself as often as need be that you are doing the best you
can.
I guess the most important thing I can say is something
my teacher said to me once when I was feeling very self-critical.
"Just enjoy the journey!"
I hope you make lots of new
friends, have a great time, learn a bit about yourself along the
way, and discover the unspeakable joys of chamber music! To me, it's
one of life's greatest pleasures.
Please let us know how it
goes!
Janet |
MaryK
Registered User
Posts: 614
(5/30/01 5:12:54 pm)
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Re: advice for
1st time playing with others?
Ditto what Janet said, plus just be honest w/them and tell them
it's the first time you've played in an ensemble. It'll probably go
better than you think!
MaryK
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Sorefingers
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Posts: 99
(5/30/01 10:40:53
pm)
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Re: advice for
1st time playing with others?
Forget about going - send your tickets/reservations to me !!! All
the camps & workshops I wanted to go to were booked up. 
NO,
really. The others in your assigned group most likely feel the exact
same way you do right now. When I began playing cello I was 37 and I
was playing with 5 & 6 yr. olds in a Suzuki setting. They kept
turning around to look at that old lady making clunkers. I had to
learn to laugh at myself again.
Remember - you're going to
this to learn and grow and to have a little fun IF you'll LET
yourself. You can't keep playing your cello by yourself forever. You
have coaches right there to help you along the way and if you're all
tensed up and worried about making a mistake you won't hear what
they're saying to help you.
Listening to your partners is key
and knowing the music is a must, so if you get lost you can find
your way back. Check it out now for any tricky passages or tenor
clef and write in the names of the notes or fingerings so you won't
have any surprises when you get to that part.
All you can do
is the best you can do - PERIOD. I have found playing with people
more advanced than me has inspired me to play better for the most
part - I'm more on my toes and I even sound better than usual. Be
sure to let us know how it went when you get back. 
Edited by: Sorefingers
at: 5/30/01 10:58:12 pm
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Zaraak
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Posts: 126
(5/30/01 10:48:50
pm)
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I know how you
feel
Although the only people I play with are my wife and her mother,
they have been playing for many years and I've just been playing for
3 or 4 years. I always feel as if I'm in over my head when I play
with them but they are very encouraging. Some of my mistakes have
been quite amusing as well.
A few weeks ago my wife and I
were reading through a couple of Beethoven piano trios (very
slowly!!!) without piano (no one was around to play) and a missed
note or something similar provided us with a good laugh for 12 or 16
bars while resting.
Just remember that everyone is doing this
for fun and no one is going to be extremely critical. Also, it helps
to remember the 'Golden Rules for Ensemble Playing' posted recently.
My personal favourite being 'If you are completely lost, stop
everyone and say, "I think we should tune."'
Good luck and
have fun!
Greg |
DoDahlberg
Moderator
Posts:
70
(5/31/01 4:56:58 am)
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Re: advice for
1st time playing with others?
When I first read this post I didn't think I had anything to add.
Still might not. I played in bands and orchestras since I was a kid
and being a guitar singing hippie, I loved playing with others of my
ilk during my prolonged adolescence. (I wanted to be Joni Mitchell
but there all ready was one.)
I am very comfortable in large
groups, like orchestras - seems perfectly natural to me. But, I went
to a summer workshop in 98 and played in a trio; piano, violin, and
me. We had lots of coaching. It was a completely different
experience; things are just not the same when you are one of 3 or 4.
I didn't say that to make you more nervous but it might not be a bad
idea to remember that the others in your ensemble might be in the
same boat/or at least can remember when they first played in a small
group. I find, in situations like this, it turns into enjoyable work
- but work just the same, and you concentrate your apprenhension
away.
I play cello duets as often as I can work it out with a
busy friend of mine. Of course, I got to play with the best cello
duet partner there is last week: Tom Flaherty. My current challenge
is playing with classical guitar. My school has a talent night for
the last open house in June and somehow another teacher and I have
been 'required' to play a duet. We haven't had much practice time;
we're doing a little Vivaldi. I just can't get used to what the
guitar is doing; it speaks a completely different language than
violins, et al. As much as I like playing with other people and
always have, I'm really struggling with this.
Seemed like
this response turned into my own bag-o-nerves story. Sorry,
Claudine. Maybe there's something in here you can use.
ps -
sorry to open this back up; just made a stupid mistake. Fixed now.
Dorie Edited by: DoDahlberg
at: 5/31/01 6:25:28 pm
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mremmers
Registered
User
Posts: 7
(5/31/01 9:32:20
am)
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Re: advice for
1st time playing with others?
Advice for someone starting to play with others?
Count. I
mean, count real good. ;-)
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