Hi! So I think that those of you who know are probably wanting an update on the Provincials that I was rumoured to be in today…
In case even this is news to you, well, a couple weeks ago I was playing piano in the Performing Arts Festival here, and Walter Prossnitz really loved my crappy playing for some reason – it must be better than I thought! I’ve improved over the last year… but I didn’t think that much. Anyway, so he recommended me to the BC Provincials at National level, and they were in Duncan. So I said “YES I WOULD LOVE TO GO EVEN THOUGH SAE HAE WOULD TOTALLY BE A BETTER CHOICE.” She was the runner up he chose.
So, I practiced pretty hard, and my pieces improved again even more, and then I got up at 6:30 this morning and went to Duncan. I was first up… The first movement of the Waldstein… could have gone much better in a lot of places. My hands just wouldn’t stop shaking. Actually, it was much better than the local Festival, so I’m grateful for that. And there were parts where it was very nicely under control. But I messed up the first run which is really embarrassing. The adjudicators said that I need to release tension (VERY TRUE) and it needs more dynamic contrasts. And other things.
The second movement went well. They liked the musicality but it needs more march-ness. Interesting – not something I had thought of.
The third movement went pretty well except for a LOT of little slips… hands more under control but still having a few problems. They said I should be more open, again, for more sound… more sturm und drang… maybe doing the literal pedal thing that Beethoven marked down – the loooong pedals in the first theme – not so great akshuly. But if I didn’t do them I think I’d more criticism from more people. So those are staying. But I will try and fix the other things. Over time. I don’t think I can become magically better very fast. But Cindy my previous teacher was there and apparently she has a student who practices so much his parents can use the threat of cutting practice time! THIS SOUNDS SO AMAZING. I MUST TRY IT. Of course, this means giving up this thing that people usually call ‘a life’ but it might be worth it? For a while? Yah?
So the runner up (he looks sad… all the time…) played Mozart and then the Prokofiev piano concert #2 or something… and someone played the Tchaikovsky piano concerto… the winner was like 12 years old and Mom thought he was a girl because of his haircut but he’s not, and he’s not overtly Asian but I bet he is… he played the 2nd and 3rd movements of the Beethoven #3, and then Rhapsody in Blue. SOLO. All by himself. No pianorchestra. It was INCREDIBLE.
…I feel so pathetic now… I am adequately pleased with my performance of the Dutilleux but I am not in the league of those other folks yet.
Soooooo… I work hard this summer? On music? No summer job for me, I think. Gonna be too busy!
Also then I went to salsa for the first time in MONTHS and everyone still remembered me! Sam got a haircut. I saw lx-sama on the bus up there and he knows Sam so he said to say hi. Salsa was incredibly fun and I was really tired afterwards and needed a drink really bad but I still ran most of the way home. I need to start running regularly for exercise… I’m quite round in the belly.
