Taking CONTROL!!

So we have a Danville Symphony concert coming up very, very soon.

We are still sight-reading a lot of it. At least, I am...having not practiced a single minute for this concert.

Yesterday, at rehearsal, we were playing Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings, which is the last of 3 huge Tchaikovsky pieces we are attempting to do for this concert. It was far from sounding perfect. Then, smack-dab in the middle of the piece, our conductor stopped with a very contemplative expression on his face. He asked us if we felt like he was forcing us to embark on too daunting of a task with these 3 massive pieces, and gave us the option to take the Serenade off the program. After several minutes of discussion, we concluded that we should keep the piece, work hard, and prove ourselves worthy of these 3 pieces at the closely looming concert.

When we resumed rehearsing, I instantly felt a change in the music - there was a certain level of focus and determination in the room that was not there before. It must have been the idea that this piece was now our decision to play and our responsibility to perform well.

I went through a similar experience in my own journey with violin and music. I began playing at about 5 years old on my own accord, but by the time I hit puberty, violin became a chore rather than a hobby. I hated it. Finally, after months of tantrums and fights with my mom during violin practice, she gave me the option to quit. I thought about it for a long time and eventually decided to keep going because I knew it was a waste to give it all up. Since then, I've had my ups and downs with music, but now I ultimately know that it is my personal decision to pursue it. I could have quit given the opportunity, but I didn't. Just like our Danville Symphony rehearsal, I've taken charge of my violin/viola playing because I know I am the only one to blame if I give up.

So for anything, if you keep yourself accountable for what you do, then it tends to feel like there is more at stake. If your conductor or your mom is telling you what to do, then it is easy to just do it halfway because you are not personally invested. Am I being preachy?? SORRY!

Toodle-oo!

RY