Monday, August 6, 2012
Interesting!
Diploma diary
How do they do it? What's more to be done? What can I do to improve?
The last time I am like this was around Grade 6 to Grade 7. For that, I had the discipline to practice everyday, in order for me to break through my previous standard to reach a pass in Grade 7. And I wasn't perfect for that exam; if I am not mistaken, my first piece was either quite slow or I stop at the middle of the song.
After a few month of break from my regular violin lessons, I am back now with my previous teacher, preparing to take on Diploma ATCL level from Trinity Guildhall syllabus. Well, I have 6 pieces so far, for the exam, and the 'Spring' Sonata in F, op. 24 by Beethoven is nothing near easy. Besides, I'm also practicing Legende by Wieniawski; this one has a lot of double stops, which are really challenging, I can't seem to have a smooth movement with my fingers. A new and rather short pieces, Chanson Russe by Igor Stravinsky, that I'm learning now, is slightly easier compared to the other five. My teacher said this piece, is easy, yet it is in the syllabus, because they need to see the expression with this song.
As you can tell, I am completely worried with my limited ability in techniques at this advance level. Besides from technicality, my teacher is also talking about having an image playing in your head when you listen to the piece. Hearing that, I knew I have to dig deeper. Just like studying Degree in Design; by looking at images, I have to know their influence? What's the message behind it? Why the artist made it that way? I knew I have to know the meaning behind this music, the background of the composer, period and scenario when this piece was made.
Because I am not studying a proper classical diploma course, like in a college, I am not really learning any Music History, piece interpreting, I do not have access to a library packed with resource I need to interpret my exam pieces. Oh I wish I could have those. From Grade 1 til now, I have not been taught to have an interpretation for a song, unless with lyrics. For every piece that I've played, I only have feelings, simple expression, like sad, happy, intensity... Now that I'm starting to really listen for an image, I find it hard because they have no words, and most of the time, I just feel NOTHING. Most of the time, they are foreign composers, I have no idea of their country's history, what I imagine is mostly far or the opposite of their meaning.
Clearly there's a lot more room for me to learn in order to reach diploma standard. And I barely have any reliable resource or reference for that, except my teacher, Mr. Hong, and my boss, Amy. Everything on the Internet is just for the beginner or average grade standard of violin. I really do feel that I need to read books about music, since I am at this stage, to advance my understanding of music.
Anyway, I am lucky to have found violin and be a violinist, and most of all, have it for the rest of my life, as a career. Not many have that luck to find something they love, having it as a purpose or goal of our life is a blessing. It's always funny to think that, even though I'm the last in the family to be exposed to actual music education, at the end, I am the one who bites it and not planning of letting it go, EVER.
The last time I am like this was around Grade 6 to Grade 7. For that, I had the discipline to practice everyday, in order for me to break through my previous standard to reach a pass in Grade 7. And I wasn't perfect for that exam; if I am not mistaken, my first piece was either quite slow or I stop at the middle of the song.
After a few month of break from my regular violin lessons, I am back now with my previous teacher, preparing to take on Diploma ATCL level from Trinity Guildhall syllabus. Well, I have 6 pieces so far, for the exam, and the 'Spring' Sonata in F, op. 24 by Beethoven is nothing near easy. Besides, I'm also practicing Legende by Wieniawski; this one has a lot of double stops, which are really challenging, I can't seem to have a smooth movement with my fingers. A new and rather short pieces, Chanson Russe by Igor Stravinsky, that I'm learning now, is slightly easier compared to the other five. My teacher said this piece, is easy, yet it is in the syllabus, because they need to see the expression with this song.
As you can tell, I am completely worried with my limited ability in techniques at this advance level. Besides from technicality, my teacher is also talking about having an image playing in your head when you listen to the piece. Hearing that, I knew I have to dig deeper. Just like studying Degree in Design; by looking at images, I have to know their influence? What's the message behind it? Why the artist made it that way? I knew I have to know the meaning behind this music, the background of the composer, period and scenario when this piece was made.
Because I am not studying a proper classical diploma course, like in a college, I am not really learning any Music History, piece interpreting, I do not have access to a library packed with resource I need to interpret my exam pieces. Oh I wish I could have those. From Grade 1 til now, I have not been taught to have an interpretation for a song, unless with lyrics. For every piece that I've played, I only have feelings, simple expression, like sad, happy, intensity... Now that I'm starting to really listen for an image, I find it hard because they have no words, and most of the time, I just feel NOTHING. Most of the time, they are foreign composers, I have no idea of their country's history, what I imagine is mostly far or the opposite of their meaning.
Clearly there's a lot more room for me to learn in order to reach diploma standard. And I barely have any reliable resource or reference for that, except my teacher, Mr. Hong, and my boss, Amy. Everything on the Internet is just for the beginner or average grade standard of violin. I really do feel that I need to read books about music, since I am at this stage, to advance my understanding of music.
Anyway, I am lucky to have found violin and be a violinist, and most of all, have it for the rest of my life, as a career. Not many have that luck to find something they love, having it as a purpose or goal of our life is a blessing. It's always funny to think that, even though I'm the last in the family to be exposed to actual music education, at the end, I am the one who bites it and not planning of letting it go, EVER.
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