I swore this day would never come, but sadly, it has.
Hello, my name is Jordan, and I incorporate theory in my trumpet lessons.
*Sigh* It is true. Today, I was teaching lessons and found myself teaching music theory. Me, the girl who HATES (there really isn't a word to truly describe how I feel, but that works) music theory and everything about it. But it works as much as I hate to admit it.
I was teaching out of the H. L. Clarke book and really trying to drill key signatures. My idea is that I had no idea what the key signatures were when I got to UNCG and I don't want my students to be that way. This drilling entailed asking a few "obvious" questions: 1) How many sharps/ flats are there? 2) What are they? 3) What notes are not sharp/ flat? 4) What is the key signature? 5) Why? (Partially to trip them up, partially to reinforce that A has three sharps). After we went through this, it was scale time. I had them say the scale (A B C# D...) and then play it. Finally, after they played the scale, they played the actual exercise. I would have died if I had to do that, but that is partially why they are. I want them to know their key signatures and know their scales. There is no reason to have to pull out a sheet of papers with written scales if they know all of their key signatures.
So then the big theory stuff came in (thankfully no analyzing or anything like that). We talked about the ways to find the key signature (look at the last note, what is the 2nd to last flat, etc) and then I introduced the circle of 5ths. The sad thing is that it took me a bit to remember what I was actually doing, but in the long run it actually helped her. This, followed by the introduction of rhythm syllables.
What a sad day in trumpet lessons, but oh so productive. I just find it funny, that just like when we have kids and start sounding like our parents, I am starting to sound like my teachers. I guess maybe some of the stuff they say is actually true?
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Turning Point
"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road..."
Ok, so nothing like that, but I think I have definitely hit a huge turning point in my playing. It is something I have thought for a few days now, but today definitely confirmed it.
A month ago, my tone was still very inconsistent and airy. I would die after only an hour of playing. And I definitely could not play lead consistently.
Well, three weeks ago, it started. I played "In the Garden" at my church and it went really well. Pure tone, few mistakes (the ones that were there were good ones), and just really a great run. Then a week of solid rehearsals getting ready for the recital. A few hiccups here and there, but nothing too major. Then the recital which went really well. I was sure there had to be something crazy going on.
Well, this week in Wind Ensemble I have been pretty consistent (except for the one day that I honestly did not care what happened as long as I could get out of there on time). Then yesterday I had a 2 hour rehearsal on lead trumpet for a brass ensemble for Easter. It definitely put my playing to the test, and I passed. I was honestly a little worried because of that "good rehearsal = bad performance, bad rehearsal = good performance" thing.
This morning, for some unknown reason, we rehearsed another hour and a half or so (in which I was unable to take anything down or relax) which again put me on edge. Not only was I having a great rehearsal, but I was worried I would run out of steam before worship even started. Well, I made it through worship and it was pretty damn good. My tone stayed pure, and while I did miss at least one or two notes in each piece, they were good and solid misses.
Ok. This is not a "look at me, I am great" moment. This is more, "holy cow what has happened to me?" My mom asked me if I ever thought that I would be able to play like this. In all honesty, I never in my life expected this... at least at my age. I figured maybe in a MMA or DMA I would get to this point. It is a really great feeling :) Of course it hurts a bit because one of my friends asked me why I was stepping away from music to go into ministry, right when I have hit something this great, and in all honesty part of me is asking the same thing. I guess that is how you really know you are doing the right thing.. when you don't want to necessarily, but you can't NOT do it. But as mom pointed out, I don't have to stop music. I am going in another direction, yes, but it is really just another new opportunity to see what I can do with my music.
What a great feeling :) Playing non-stop and doing what I love, and not having a bunch of professors and directors telling me that everything I am doing is wrong or not the way they would do it.
Really wanna hit the practice room right now, but sadly, I think it is time to rest. It has been a long morning!
Ok, so nothing like that, but I think I have definitely hit a huge turning point in my playing. It is something I have thought for a few days now, but today definitely confirmed it.
A month ago, my tone was still very inconsistent and airy. I would die after only an hour of playing. And I definitely could not play lead consistently.
Well, three weeks ago, it started. I played "In the Garden" at my church and it went really well. Pure tone, few mistakes (the ones that were there were good ones), and just really a great run. Then a week of solid rehearsals getting ready for the recital. A few hiccups here and there, but nothing too major. Then the recital which went really well. I was sure there had to be something crazy going on.
Well, this week in Wind Ensemble I have been pretty consistent (except for the one day that I honestly did not care what happened as long as I could get out of there on time). Then yesterday I had a 2 hour rehearsal on lead trumpet for a brass ensemble for Easter. It definitely put my playing to the test, and I passed. I was honestly a little worried because of that "good rehearsal = bad performance, bad rehearsal = good performance" thing.
This morning, for some unknown reason, we rehearsed another hour and a half or so (in which I was unable to take anything down or relax) which again put me on edge. Not only was I having a great rehearsal, but I was worried I would run out of steam before worship even started. Well, I made it through worship and it was pretty damn good. My tone stayed pure, and while I did miss at least one or two notes in each piece, they were good and solid misses.
Ok. This is not a "look at me, I am great" moment. This is more, "holy cow what has happened to me?" My mom asked me if I ever thought that I would be able to play like this. In all honesty, I never in my life expected this... at least at my age. I figured maybe in a MMA or DMA I would get to this point. It is a really great feeling :) Of course it hurts a bit because one of my friends asked me why I was stepping away from music to go into ministry, right when I have hit something this great, and in all honesty part of me is asking the same thing. I guess that is how you really know you are doing the right thing.. when you don't want to necessarily, but you can't NOT do it. But as mom pointed out, I don't have to stop music. I am going in another direction, yes, but it is really just another new opportunity to see what I can do with my music.
What a great feeling :) Playing non-stop and doing what I love, and not having a bunch of professors and directors telling me that everything I am doing is wrong or not the way they would do it.
Really wanna hit the practice room right now, but sadly, I think it is time to rest. It has been a long morning!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
A week later...
Well, after a night of not knowing how I felt about my recital, I decided to watch the video. I must say, I was pretty ok with it. There were mistakes, but I kept my tone and technique the entire way. And I have never had a recovery as good as the one at the end of my last piece. Everyone that went was really excited and impressed, and I found out today that there were double the people there than at the Casella concert. Yay :)
So I was teaching one of my highschool students the other day and made a realization. This is my music life now. Teaching and playing church gigs. Not what I originally planned, but definitely what makes me happy. Will it bring in the big bucks? Most likely not, but it keeps me playing/ practicing/ learning.
As far as my students go, I couldn't be happier right now. I have five students- 10 years old, two 6th graders, Freshman, and Sophomore. All have their own troubles, but all are great at many things. I started the 10 year old so she is really the one that shows what I can do. I am really proud of her. She puts in lots of practice time and comes into her lessons ready to work. What is most exciting is that she will be playing with her dad's 6th grade band on their last concert. My two 6th graders are a trip. They go to school together and have started a silent "competition" of who is better. The great thing about that is they are both sitting 1st and 2nd chair now- even better is that the one in 1st was in last when I got him. My high school students are their own. One has wanted to quit for a while but has continued to push. I think he will be ok as long as he makes it to this summer when the braces come off. The other is like a sponge, but terrified of that.
It is really cool to think that I am even able to do all of this now. Never in my life did I think I would be moving kids from last to first chair. I just need to keep my own motivation up to keep playing now that I don't have lessons or recitals anymore.
So I was teaching one of my highschool students the other day and made a realization. This is my music life now. Teaching and playing church gigs. Not what I originally planned, but definitely what makes me happy. Will it bring in the big bucks? Most likely not, but it keeps me playing/ practicing/ learning.
As far as my students go, I couldn't be happier right now. I have five students- 10 years old, two 6th graders, Freshman, and Sophomore. All have their own troubles, but all are great at many things. I started the 10 year old so she is really the one that shows what I can do. I am really proud of her. She puts in lots of practice time and comes into her lessons ready to work. What is most exciting is that she will be playing with her dad's 6th grade band on their last concert. My two 6th graders are a trip. They go to school together and have started a silent "competition" of who is better. The great thing about that is they are both sitting 1st and 2nd chair now- even better is that the one in 1st was in last when I got him. My high school students are their own. One has wanted to quit for a while but has continued to push. I think he will be ok as long as he makes it to this summer when the braces come off. The other is like a sponge, but terrified of that.
It is really cool to think that I am even able to do all of this now. Never in my life did I think I would be moving kids from last to first chair. I just need to keep my own motivation up to keep playing now that I don't have lessons or recitals anymore.
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