This blog is living up to its purpose of being an infrequently updated outlet for my hyperverbocity.
There.
I feel magnetically drawn to Seattle. I can't really say why. I don't spend my days dreaming of the city. But every now and then, I will catch a glimpse of something iconically Seattle and think, "Ha! I know that place. It is MY place."
For example, I saw the Space Needle on someone's shirt, and got excited for a good half an hour. Or today, I was surfing around on Youtube and came across Death Cab - one of my favorite bands, who is also from SEATTLE!
It's strange. DCFC has a little ticker on their website that tells the current time and weather in their town, and as I looked at it, I noticed that it matched my computer clock. "I am closer now than I was," I thought. It happened to be so because we moved up to Moscow recently, which for completely unknown reasons is in the Pacific Time Zone.
Someday we may live there...
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Creative Inertia
Well. It is now 1:17 am, Sunday morning. I have been trying to get myself to practice all day, without success. I know that I need to actually walk out the door, because it's likely that I will end up in my office eventually and get something done. I refuse to sleep until I do.
I think that part of my malaise comes from the music that I'm working on. I've got three pieces for our orchestra - two by mad Russians, and Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. While not necessarily easy, they are definitely logical and in the vein of what I'm used to doing. The thing that's killing me is the Telemann Cello Sonata in D.
The Telemann Sonata was originally written for cello, but it's been adapted for solo bass. It's a gorgeous Baroque piece (check it out here) and initially I was thrilled that I could actually hit all the notes and make it through. However, I've hit a wall. Going from awful to good was fairly easy and very rewarding. But going from good to great is really, REALLY hard - and frustratingly slow. There are so many little details of expression, phrasing, vibrato, where to put the bow when.
I think I'll move on to the Rachmaninoff Vocalise that I've been wanting to try, and come back to the Telemann a bit later. Anyone have any advice for how to get over this slump without becoming a creative zombie?
I think that part of my malaise comes from the music that I'm working on. I've got three pieces for our orchestra - two by mad Russians, and Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. While not necessarily easy, they are definitely logical and in the vein of what I'm used to doing. The thing that's killing me is the Telemann Cello Sonata in D.
The Telemann Sonata was originally written for cello, but it's been adapted for solo bass. It's a gorgeous Baroque piece (check it out here) and initially I was thrilled that I could actually hit all the notes and make it through. However, I've hit a wall. Going from awful to good was fairly easy and very rewarding. But going from good to great is really, REALLY hard - and frustratingly slow. There are so many little details of expression, phrasing, vibrato, where to put the bow when.
I think I'll move on to the Rachmaninoff Vocalise that I've been wanting to try, and come back to the Telemann a bit later. Anyone have any advice for how to get over this slump without becoming a creative zombie?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Ill-ness
Moscow has been invaded by the swine flu. I'm told it has nothing to do with swines.
In any case, with students coming back from various parts of the globe after summer vacation, someone brought a cuddly visitor. And this visitor made its way like a grass fire through the campus dorms.
By now, most of the people who got sick in the first big wave are feeling better. But, the second wave is upon us. And I'm starting to feel ill.
What is it about school? Seriously. It's probably the most unhealthy place you can go. In my high school, for example, the crowding and ventilation were so bad that I was sick more days than not. (The air intakes were also rumored to be next to the fume vents from the chemistry labs.) When I got to college, and stopped being sick all the time, it was like a brand new world. But now, the sickness is back.
Time to go to bed and eat handfuls of vitamins.
In any case, with students coming back from various parts of the globe after summer vacation, someone brought a cuddly visitor. And this visitor made its way like a grass fire through the campus dorms.
By now, most of the people who got sick in the first big wave are feeling better. But, the second wave is upon us. And I'm starting to feel ill.
What is it about school? Seriously. It's probably the most unhealthy place you can go. In my high school, for example, the crowding and ventilation were so bad that I was sick more days than not. (The air intakes were also rumored to be next to the fume vents from the chemistry labs.) When I got to college, and stopped being sick all the time, it was like a brand new world. But now, the sickness is back.
Time to go to bed and eat handfuls of vitamins.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
I'm starting a blog.
Heh. How many blogs have started with this famous tagline?
A little bit about me, in case you're curious.
-I'm a BS Music student at the University of Idaho, in Moscow.
-BS stands for Bachelor of Science, not the other famous phrase.
-My main instrument is double bass.
-I play and enjoy all types of music, but here at school I'm focusing on jazz and classical.
I am starting this blog for a few reasons. Firstly, as therapy - I've always liked to write or speak about good and bad experiences. It's a way of processing them and filing them for future reference. Secondly, I've had a lot of time to figure out this college thing. And I know a heck of a lot more now than I did when I started. So, perhaps my observations will be helpful to someone venturing into higher education for the first time.
Ground rules:
1.) I make no claim to publishing regularity (in fact it's very likely I'll post 3 or 4 at a time, followed by long periods of nothing.)
2.) I may not always be entertaining.
3.) I may delve quite far into the minutia of music - please see rule #2.
4.) Additional rules as needed.
I think that about covers it. Posts forthcoming.
-Dan
A little bit about me, in case you're curious.
-I'm a BS Music student at the University of Idaho, in Moscow.
-BS stands for Bachelor of Science, not the other famous phrase.
-My main instrument is double bass.
-I play and enjoy all types of music, but here at school I'm focusing on jazz and classical.
I am starting this blog for a few reasons. Firstly, as therapy - I've always liked to write or speak about good and bad experiences. It's a way of processing them and filing them for future reference. Secondly, I've had a lot of time to figure out this college thing. And I know a heck of a lot more now than I did when I started. So, perhaps my observations will be helpful to someone venturing into higher education for the first time.
Ground rules:
1.) I make no claim to publishing regularity (in fact it's very likely I'll post 3 or 4 at a time, followed by long periods of nothing.)
2.) I may not always be entertaining.
3.) I may delve quite far into the minutia of music - please see rule #2.
4.) Additional rules as needed.
I think that about covers it. Posts forthcoming.
-Dan
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