The clock is ticking as deadlines draw ever so closer. From exams, compositions and graded unit deadlines it seems that the the workload just keeps rising. In contrary motion it seems that productivity and dedication (two of my good friends) are keeping their distance leaving my commitment levels at a low.
This week I have mainly concentrated on writing my piece for the composition course that I have been attending every second Saturday. It was a very important class this week as it was our last one before the final showing and so I had to give the performers as much detail (and bars) as possible. The title of my piece "Lost" portrays the different emotions that may be felt from being lost like shock, anger, fear and despair. It has been fascinating watching my stale 16 bar melody evolve into a creative music piece over the weeks and the amount of fun that I have had sitting at the piano attempting to express these emotions, has been memorable.
Yet again it was brilliant hearing my piece played by the professionals instead of the midi musicians on my computer and the feedback I received really helped to build my knowledge of how a composition should be laid out for the players. The other half of the lesson was filled with composition techniques, mainly based around The Overtone Series and Tertial Harmonies. It was remarkable learning these new skills and has enlightened me to how many composers - especially film composers - use these types of harmony in their pieces to convey or paint a picture.
This course has been a great new experience for me and although it has not been the most relevant of activities to my aims of becoming a session musician I find that all musical activities broadens your skills as a musician. I hope that the recording and score of my piece will be another thing to add to my graded unit showing how I have progressed from last year.
Yet again on Tuesday I had my piano lesson were I continued on my quest to grade four-assosciated board. I have already begun to make my way through the curriculum with my first piece "allegro assei" well under way and so far its steady progress. This cannot however be said about my sight-reading which is evidently devastating. As I began to play the never ending 8-bar etude my brain just could not function and my hands no matter how hard they tried could not find the correct notes. I was like a computer stopping at every single note, processing it and then finding it on the piano making for the longest 8 bars in history. “Andante grazioso in G major” soon mutated into a dissonant “largamente in Gb minor”. It is one area were there is vast room for improvement.
All and all though the lesson was productive and I know what to improve in for next week.
On Wednesday the Beatles project did not start the day with a bang as our practice became very unproductive. With the practice gig in a few weeks and minimal rehearsal time before this date I really am starting to worry about our potential to actually pull off this gig. It almost seems cliché now for me to say it but next week as a band we are really going to have to get our heads down and start producing the goods. The evening was to be far more creative with my band Feel Free Conspiracy recording in the studio. This week was quite fun as now we are experimenting with ideas of how to beef up the track from whispering to finger clicks. Its funny how such small changes can build up a track so to a large extent. Next week I am going to bring in my violin and I’ll see what damage I can do with it!
Thursday plodded along as usual with planning stage for graded unit coming to an end. I feel confident about my planning stage and hope to the high heavens that it passes to give me a better chance for the degree next year. Theory has gone downhill slightly though as these modes and 13ths are on the other side of the spectrum compared to my confidence of time signatures. For me to be in as good a position as possible for the test in two weeks I really will have to put my head down in the remaining time.
Session skills gave me the opportunity blow my trombone with an arrangement of David Bowie's classic “Let’s Dance." The arrangement had some nice brass lines and a wide range to cover. It really revealed to me how much I need to work on my high register however all the stress of screeching out these high notes was broken up by a recital of the famous Wallace and Gromit theme by Julian Nott.
Well the week has done its usual thing with me following behind it. The following week is going to be a busy one with parading through the street of Perth for the turning on of the lights and Eden Court!
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