music is as music does

I had voice lesson today.

One of the classes at the school of music is a vocal pedagogy class. Part of it is for the students to give voice lessons to other students. I'm also taking trombone lessons as part of my major. It's my main instrument.

There's something I've bee noticing lately...

There are things you can do when you're singing that you can't do when your playing an instrument. I don't mean say text either.

A little while back, I went to a performance of a Wolf Leiderbuch. During the performance sometimes the singers would swell multiple notes that are part of a larger phrase...and that's okay. Today in my voice lesson, I was told to slide into notes to give them more connection and that that was correct. I've also heard people do this too.

If I tried to pull that kind of stuff in my trombone lessons...it wouldn't fly.

I've also never heard from anyone, other than vocal people, that this stuff is the musical thing to do. I've always heard that we don't want to swell individual notes because it's what immature musicians do...and even on the trombone, you aren't to slide around to the notes, even though that's what you do. You try to minimize the uncertainty between the notes and get pure tone.

I just think it's interesting that both are acceptable even if both are performances from the same time period.

I also think it's interesting that a lot of times, it's said that the instruments were meant to imitate the human voice. They also sometimes say to play something as if you were singing it.

YAY SCHOOL!

So. I'm sure you've heard about my recital.

Let me tell you about all the stuff surrounding my recital...

I have...the day before...a symphonic band concert in which I have 3ish solos to worry about...along with the rest of the music, and a marching band project in which I have to write drill to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from scratch...not to be confused with the one from company B.

The day after is my daughter's birthday party. That means family is coming into town.

The Tuesday before the recital my wife and I are going to get the ultrasound to see what this next baby is going to be. It better cooperate.

The Wednesday before is my dress rehearsal. I should really find out if my pianist can make that...otherwise...it's just practicing in the big room.

I have quizzes on Tuesday and Thursday in one of my classes.

AND...

man. I'm such a complainer.

It probably won't be that bad. It'll just be full. I guess it'll keep me from worrying so much because I'll have stuff to do.

Recital Prep

My recital is 3 weeks from tomorrow.

woah.

I have narrowed what I'm going to wear down to two get-ups. They both have the same base. We'll see as I get closer.

I've only met with my piano player once. It wasn't quite as good as I hoped. I'm meeting with him again at my lesson tomorrow though. I might have one extra lesson too because one had to be canceled...

I just feel...inconsistent with my solos. Some days, I rock them... Others...I just want to go home. I seem to normally pull it out on performance day...with the 3 I've had.

I've been feeling weird the past day or so too. I think it's because I feel unprepared.

"All I can do is all I can do."

The hard part is...being okay with that.

I wish I got paid for a free rectial...

My recital is coming up soon. It's literally 4 weeks away from tomorrow!!!

AHH!!! FREAK OUT!!!

okay.

Deep breath.

It'll be okay.

My solos got a lot better when March 13th hit. I'm not sure why. Maybe my brain just knew it was a month away and decided to stop messing with my mind. Think about that one...

I haven't worked with my pianist yet though...which is just as good because it's $25 per hour I work with him. What the What?!

There's not really anything I can do though. I gotta have one.

This just helped me to realize one thing...good thing I didn't switch to being a vocal education major!

(They need one every week)

Music Van!

My wife and I bought our first car together this past Monday. we got a new (pretty much...it's a 2010 with 11,000 miles on it) dodge GRAND Caravan. My mom had a caravan back when I was a kid. It was yellowish...with that fake wood paneling on the side...needless to say...ours is much less ugly.

It's silver and it's fancy. It has automatic sliding doors on both sides, an automatic trunk hatch (all which can be opened or closed from the clicker), a key that isn't really a key, the sliding door windows roll down, the little wing windows open with a button, and all the back seats fold flat into the floor. I didn't figure out the cruise control when we were driving home...but I will...oh yes.

I feel like I'm a weird person because driving a minivan doesn't make me feel like a loser. I actually feel like I'm incredibly cool. I guess I like my life that way. I think having a wife that is the best person ever who can teach 7 classes, and deal with an 11 month old who gets into everything and won't let her work in the daylight hours and some of the night time ones, and who is so wonderful at helping me to deal with my piddly little problems and stresses, all while growing another little one.

Yeah. She rocks.

I think it's cool to have a baby who is awesome when I'm still in college. One that is so stinkin' smart that it amazes me.

I think it's cool to be a father and husband that teaches music to kids.

Would I think it was cool if we were in a '86 caravan that was yellow-ish and had hideous "wood" paneling? Maybe not.

It'll be a music an someday...you know...moving instruments and amps and all that stuff...

For now though...I like the van. In a BIG part because of what it represents to me.

I also like all the buttons :)