practice cello more

Everyone says if I just practice enough I’ll get into a music college. I know that’s rubbish, but I’d still like to play for an extra hour every day.

The concert came and went on the 19th of May. It went really well! In fact, during the last movement of the Shostakovich, a big thunderstorm came in and it really added something immeasurable to the performance to have rumbling thunder during such an intensely dark piece!

My calluses are disappearing and I’m going to shelve the cello for the rest of the summer… alas… Thing is, I really need to make major headway on my PhD, and I also want to try and get into good shape this summer. Doesn’t leave much room for cello, but I have a lifetime after grad school to get back to it. Besides, I’ll likely be performing again in the fall. Hopefully by then, I’ll be in the purely data acquisition stage of the thesis (no further building) and I’ll have gotten back in shape from all these injuries.

Lately, I’ve been practicing 2-3 hours a day… that’s cause a have a concert on Sunday! We’re playing:

Haydn piano trio 44
Dvorak piano trio #3 in fminor
Shostakovich piano trio #2

and I swear those false harmonics in the Shosti are going to be the death of me.

I finally got my new strings and it makes a WORLD of difference. It’s actually enjoyable to play, again!

A dude playing all 37 cello parts HIMSELF.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBTbC6ImCVo

I need new strings. The ones I have are so dead.

Just got an e-mail from my old teacher back at IU who says:

In respect to strings, Rene Morel has a new website with strings at the lowest price in the whole market!

http://www.gostrings.com/

I looked, and they do seem to be on the cheaper side.

As soon as my tax refund comes in, I’m getting my cello looked at by the violinmaker (there looks to be an open seam) and I’m purchasing some new strings. It’s going to make all the difference in the world!

Got new strings today: Larsen for A and D, and Spriocore for G and C. I really dislike them together on my cello. The spirocore are loud, bright, and a little harsh, and the Larsen are pretty much the exact opposite…

And before I thought the Larsen were bright. Now I know.

Shostakovich’s music really can be like shooting yourself in the head without violence.

Had rehearsal with my piano trio yesterday. Looks like we’re playing Shosti’s 2nd piano trio this semseter. Gotta practice for all those false harmonics!