| Author |
Subject |
MaryK
Registered
User
(1/21/01 5:23:59 pm)
Reply
 |
Chamber
Music Camp!
What a blast! Attended the first
weekend of my two-weekend (Fri nite, Sat day) adult ch mus camp last
nite and today. I'm in a string quartet, playing the 3d and 4th mvts
of LvB's Op. 18 No. 6 4tet. We're having a good time and are
starting to gel as an ensemble, altho the 3d mvt (Scherzo) is
beastly difficult rhythmically. It's a small camp, 30 players only
(comprising 9 ensembles), and 4 coaches, so we're getting a fair
amount of attention/instruction. We have ensemble rehearsals, master
classes, and a like-instrument sightreading session.
My 4tet
played during the master class last nite. I've never played much ch
mus, much less been in a master class, so it was an interesting
experience. It was good, though, in that the people in the audience
were fellow campers and were attentive and seemed to be supportive.
It didn't take long to get over being self-conscious and start
enjoying and learning from the master class experience.
What
many, if not all, the ensembles are having to work hard on is
starting/working as a group--you know, having someone give a
downbeat or fermata cut-off. Beats the heck outta some conductors,
though!
One of my main reasons for attending the camp was to
meet other string players and find folks to play with. Somehow I
agreed to play cello with a trio of flutes. Should be interesting.
Still want to find some vln and vla players, but will work on that
next weekend.
The camp culminates in a performance next
Sunday. Gulp. You know how it is, when you think your orchestra
needs one more rehearsal before a concert? This is worse, we need
waaay more that, but it just isn't gonna happen (altho we are
getting together Thurs nite). Good thing everyone else is in the
same boat!
Cheers,
MaryK
Addendum: One of the
coaches said something I'm going to try to use as a personal mantra.
I can't remember the exact context, but she said, "Try it again, the
music police aren't going to come arrest you if you ..." A very cool
phrase for us anal-retentive perfectionist types to remember!
:)
Edited by: MaryK
at: 1/21/01 5:23:59 pm
|
Dorie
Straus 
Moderator
(1/21/01 5:56:53 am)
Reply |
Re:
Chamber Music Camp!
This sounds like too much fun Mary.
There's a weekend quartet workshop in my area that I have on the
list for 2006 or something - meets once/mth. NJSO players coach this
one.
Was this right in Seattle or did you get to leave and
go to some other place where you're more isolated? - like a trip,
sleep-away camp. Seems like workshops and things like this work so
much better when you can remove yourself from regular
surroundings.
|
ruthann
Registered User
(1/21/01 11:38:09 am)
Reply |
Envy,
envy, envy!
cello_suttonr@hotmail.com
|
MaryK
Registered
User
(1/21/01 11:44:54 am)
Reply
|
Re:
Chamber Music Camp!
Hi, Dorie. The camp is in
Seattle--no sleeping bags required!! The venue is a big church with
lots of classrooms, and they've set things up so that the ensembles
are far enough apart that we don't hear each other as we rehearse.
Actually, I'm kind of a homebody, so it's perfect for me to be able
to come home after every camp session.
Your workshop thing
sounds really cool! I wish we had something like that locally, hmm,
maybe it's time to suggest that to the sponsor of the
camp!
Cheers,
MaryK
|
ekifri
Registered User
(1/21/01 8:13:38 pm)
Reply |
Re:
Chamber Music Camp!
is anal-retentive spelt with a
hyphen?
|
MaryK
Registered
User
(1/21/01 9:57:21 pm)
Reply
|
Hee hee
hee...
|
JanJan2
Registered User
(1/22/01 7:53:31 am)
Reply |
Ditto,
ditto, ditto!
Janet www.nese.net
|
Victor
Sazer
Registered
User
(1/22/01 2:02:14 pm)
Reply |
Chamber
Music Camp!
For a great chamber music
experience, check out the Summer Institute of Chamber Music
sponsored by the California American String Teachers Association
with NOSOA.
It will be held at the University of Redlands
June 24-30, 2001.
For information and application see: home.earthlink.net/~calasta
|
Barb2
Registered
User
(1/24/01 2:48:03 pm)
Reply |
Also
green with envy
Sounds like a lot of fun, Mary. When
I was 14 I attended the one and only chamber music camp our high
school had while I attended, and really had a blast in spite of
playing in an underheated camp chapel in February! (We took lots of
breaks huddled in the furnace room, and since our cabins weren't
heated some of us had an all-nighter in the restrooms!) This was
actually my first experience with chamber music - I think we had a
group of about 6 string players. Nothing like it...
BTW, is
Op 18 No 6 the C minor by any chance? I have trouble remembering
numbers.
Have enough fun for all of us this
weekend!
Barb
|
MaryK
Registered
User
(1/24/01 3:47:33 pm)
Reply
|
Re:
Also green with envy
Hi, Barb - it's Op. 18 No. 4 that's
in c min, No. 6 is in Bb Major. And thank goodness our venue has
heat! :)
Yes, camp is great, but I've discovered that it has
taken it's toll on my arms, flaring up my RSI problems. Will
probably have to take a 10-day or so cello break afterwards.
:(
MaryK
|
MaryK
Registered
User
(1/29/01 12:02:48 pm)
Reply
|
Re:
Chamber Music Camp! - Wrap-up Report
Chamber music camp concluded last
nite with our concert. Nine ensembles, about 70 minutes total. A
small but enthusiastic audience. Everyone played really well, there
were a couple of absolutely marvelous performances by piano trios
who'd worked on Dvorak's "Dumky" (sp?) trio.
My quartet had
a couple of rough spots, but overall I'm really pleased with the way
we played. We were doing the 3d mvt (Scherzo) to LvB's Op. 18 No. 6
quartet, a tough piece to start and stay solid on thruout. It was
well-received by the audience.
What a great experience! The
coaching was good, it was a lot of fun meeting different people,
I've made contacts for cello duetting, more quartets, etc. It
boggles the mind how different playing chamber music is from playing
orchestral music. For now I'm going to forsake orchestra for chamber
music - much more fun and satisfying.
Wish you all could have
been there with us!
Cheers,
MaryK
|
ruthann
Registered User
(1/29/01 12:23:03 pm)
Reply |
Re:
Chamber Music Camp! - Wrap-up Report
Good for you, Mary! Beethoven is
notoriously hard to stay on count, especially the Scherzos. That
shifting emphasis can really mess with your mind. Enjoy your chamber
music.
cello_suttonr@hotmail.com
|
MaryK
Registered
User
(1/29/01 1:42:43 pm)
Reply
|
Thanks,
Ruthann!
|
Paul
Tseng ICS Staff 
Administrator
(1/30/01 7:06:06 pm)
Reply
 |
Dvorak
Dumky Trio
I've always thought that trio
should've been written in D minor....after all, E minor is such a
Dum-ky! 
Seriously, it's a gorgeous work and PERFECT in E minor.
Paul Tseng
My Website
MP3!
|
TerryM
Registered
User
(1/30/01 9:50:58 pm)
Reply |
Re:
Chamber Music Camp! - Wrap-up Report
Mary it sounds like you have had
such a positive and energizing experience with your chamber music
camp. I feel the same way about playing chamber music. I had played
in a pretty good community orchestra for several years, but I much
prefer the intimacy and togetherness of the small ensembles. I have
been playing mostly duets this past while, but the energy radiating
from your posts makes me want to get together in a quartet
again!
Terry
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