Practice Notes (ASTA benchmarks)
Practiced for a little over two hours last night. Pretty good night overall. Began exploring circumstances that allow me to extend my focus, by exploring how long I can play before I start getting sloppy. Also went back and slowed the bow down on some basics, which worked out even nicer than I imagined. I hope to continue this intently. I had been working on my left hand for the past month plus, and still need to focus on that, but I want to work in some intensive remedial type bowing on the basics as I do so. I got through the etude farily nicely, with the help of some heat in between sets.
Left Hand: I recently noticed another advance in healing--there was a little clicking in one of the tendons that was damaged that has now gone away, surrounded by a general strenthening. So along with further healing, I still need to work on my slower approach to learning pieces for efficency's sake as well as restore/improve my confidence in my left hand.
As I write I'm listening to Suzuki Voluem 3. There is a little piece that though is a little too flowery for my guy thing level, that is going to be neat; and, the second theme is excellent.
Back to the points: Bowing:
The relationship between speed, pressure, form, and bow length is 'still' congealing--it's very frustrating; but, when I am having more consistent 'bring'm together' moments, the whole processs becomes a little more heartening. I have this feeling, that once I get better control both my instructor and I are going to be very pleased with my bowing--This is one of the areas I think I will be very good at for some reason--I'm not sure why. I think it has something to do with one's ability to imagine as well as manipulate not only images, but kinetic expressions (somewhat like a dancer, or soccer player) in space.
I noticed last night that I got some kind of comfort by going back and working on bowing on the basics. Partly, I had played straight throught Suzuki volume one for so long, that when I changed course and started focusing mainly on what I was working on any given week, that in one way I changed my 'experience for lack of better words' of a practice session--kinda like someone cleaning their crusted coffee cup at the office or something. I noticed a fantastic revival in control and focus though--which supports the notion that when something becomes routine, maybe even a little frustrating, to back off for awhile.
Progress
I have decided to follow the guidelines for the American String Teacher's Association standards (ASTA) to judge my progress. Currently I'm right at the end of grade one, but will clarify every expectaion with my teacher.
Below are the general levels from ASTA:
The equivalencies between ASTA grades and Suzuki book numbers is approximately as follows:
Suzuki Book 1 corresponds to ASTA Grade 1,
Books 2 and 3 correspond to Grade 2,
Books 4 and 5 correspond to Grade 3,
Books 6 through 8 correspond to Grade 4, and
Books 9 and 10 correspond to Grade 5.
There are other criteria external focusing on theory and such--I'm very comfortable with theory though in that I taught myself some severel years ago related not only to Hannon, but also to the circle of chords, the math between the relationships in scales and chord families and so forth. I'm very much looking forward to playing Ode to Joy in the circle song I created for piano--this is where one plays the last note in the theme supported by a seventh chord, which steps the song up to the next key in the logical sequence--c7th leads F leads to b-flat (a-sharp) leads to e-flat (d-sharp) and so forth and so on. At one time I became very proficient doing this--more in a technical spirit rather than expression I think. I also explored though I can't remember a lot of the details now, the implications of starting a chord on a note other than it's prime, in terms of effect and treatment--I've worked some with this recently on Ave Maria in C.
VENT: I learned Ave Maria in C, with the exception of the last few measures because I simply never got around to finishing it; and, I think relinquished to the fact that it is simply difficult to convince myself that it is melodic on piano. (the Bach version). Anyway, I downloaded the PDF version from 8-notes, and some rascal has done it in G instead of C. I found the noting a little easier, and maybe the bowing, but that also means that I would have to transpose what I've learned on piano into G--I refuse--dang it!. So I'm going to transpose the violin part into C while it's early in the process. I'll learn it in G as well, because it's fairly easy; but, in C I find that I will be able to play with it in two octaves very easily whereas I'm not sure what the case will be in G.... I was jamming (very informally) right through the PDF last night....
Finally, my Frank Denti is in over at UPS, and I'm bouncing off the wall to compare it to the Frank Lees.
Left Hand: I recently noticed another advance in healing--there was a little clicking in one of the tendons that was damaged that has now gone away, surrounded by a general strenthening. So along with further healing, I still need to work on my slower approach to learning pieces for efficency's sake as well as restore/improve my confidence in my left hand.
As I write I'm listening to Suzuki Voluem 3. There is a little piece that though is a little too flowery for my guy thing level, that is going to be neat; and, the second theme is excellent.
Back to the points: Bowing:
The relationship between speed, pressure, form, and bow length is 'still' congealing--it's very frustrating; but, when I am having more consistent 'bring'm together' moments, the whole processs becomes a little more heartening. I have this feeling, that once I get better control both my instructor and I are going to be very pleased with my bowing--This is one of the areas I think I will be very good at for some reason--I'm not sure why. I think it has something to do with one's ability to imagine as well as manipulate not only images, but kinetic expressions (somewhat like a dancer, or soccer player) in space.
I noticed last night that I got some kind of comfort by going back and working on bowing on the basics. Partly, I had played straight throught Suzuki volume one for so long, that when I changed course and started focusing mainly on what I was working on any given week, that in one way I changed my 'experience for lack of better words' of a practice session--kinda like someone cleaning their crusted coffee cup at the office or something. I noticed a fantastic revival in control and focus though--which supports the notion that when something becomes routine, maybe even a little frustrating, to back off for awhile.
Progress
I have decided to follow the guidelines for the American String Teacher's Association standards (ASTA) to judge my progress. Currently I'm right at the end of grade one, but will clarify every expectaion with my teacher.
Below are the general levels from ASTA:
The equivalencies between ASTA grades and Suzuki book numbers is approximately as follows:
Suzuki Book 1 corresponds to ASTA Grade 1,
Books 2 and 3 correspond to Grade 2,
Books 4 and 5 correspond to Grade 3,
Books 6 through 8 correspond to Grade 4, and
Books 9 and 10 correspond to Grade 5.
There are other criteria external focusing on theory and such--I'm very comfortable with theory though in that I taught myself some severel years ago related not only to Hannon, but also to the circle of chords, the math between the relationships in scales and chord families and so forth. I'm very much looking forward to playing Ode to Joy in the circle song I created for piano--this is where one plays the last note in the theme supported by a seventh chord, which steps the song up to the next key in the logical sequence--c7th leads F leads to b-flat (a-sharp) leads to e-flat (d-sharp) and so forth and so on. At one time I became very proficient doing this--more in a technical spirit rather than expression I think. I also explored though I can't remember a lot of the details now, the implications of starting a chord on a note other than it's prime, in terms of effect and treatment--I've worked some with this recently on Ave Maria in C.
VENT: I learned Ave Maria in C, with the exception of the last few measures because I simply never got around to finishing it; and, I think relinquished to the fact that it is simply difficult to convince myself that it is melodic on piano. (the Bach version). Anyway, I downloaded the PDF version from 8-notes, and some rascal has done it in G instead of C. I found the noting a little easier, and maybe the bowing, but that also means that I would have to transpose what I've learned on piano into G--I refuse--dang it!. So I'm going to transpose the violin part into C while it's early in the process. I'll learn it in G as well, because it's fairly easy; but, in C I find that I will be able to play with it in two octaves very easily whereas I'm not sure what the case will be in G.... I was jamming (very informally) right through the PDF last night....
Finally, my Frank Denti is in over at UPS, and I'm bouncing off the wall to compare it to the Frank Lees.
posted by al justice | 5:52 AM
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