I'm sitting here thinking about how insane it would be to have a recital still looming over me at present. Granted, I picked a stupid time to do it, but any later would have been silly.
Tonight I'm going to my friend Jonny's recital. After that, I need to record an accompaniment for a musical theatre song. The piece isn't difficult, but since the recording is going to be used in public for a dance festival, I am aiming for perfection as the starting point. I just hope it won't take me a million takes due to little mistakes randomly here and there. The other top priority for practicing tonight is my Beethoven Piano Quartet, which we perform tomorrow. I really enjoy playing with string players! In terms of preparation, I need to really drill the technical bits that are a little tricky so that they will go smoothly tomorrow.
Also tomorrow is Jason and my presentation on Arvo Pärt. We both feel pretty confident that it will go well. It's going to be very off-the-cuff, but we know the broad topics we will cover and each of us has the responsability of talking in detail about certain aspects. Anyway, I won't spend too much time here on that subject because I feel well informed and prepared to teach the areas on which I will focus tomorrow, which are:
-playing a piano piece as an example of his early tintinnabuli style
-leading/accompanying a class singalong using the tintinnabuli technique
-presenting a walkthrough of the formal analysis of Pärt's Magnificat
I think I won't worry about other things until after I have presented and performed tomorrow.
Once these things are done, next on the list is the CMC on April 9 and 11th. Pieces needed to be ready and in good shape are: Scriabin etude, Bach, and Brahms Intermezzo; then Mozart complete sonata and Rachmaninoff. Of these, I need the most work on Rachmaninoff, then mozart, then tidying on Bach, and the other two just need to be rebuffed.
I need black ink for my printer so I can print my now premiered* piece and get it bound for submission to my prof.
* The performance on monday was great! I got such positive feedback from both the performers and members of the audience. The performance was true to what I intended, so I know that what people thought of the piece was actually a reflection of my work. I talked with my comp prof and he had good things to say, as well as some suggestions as a discussion about what I can learn from the situation and apply to the future.
I think the big thing is that the piece was very tonal, and comfortable for the composer, the performers and the audience. Not to say that it shouldn't, but I need to step out of my comfort box and do things that aren't necesarily just due to habit. This is the big task for my viola piece. I have a gesture/main concept which I am both supposed to hold on to steadfast, but also branch out from. This will give the piece a kind of unity, yet also have variety and tension. It will be a very interesting experience, this viola piece.. but yes, exciting.