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So I'm not really sure how this works.  Just getting my feet wet I guess. 

I got the idea for this because I love to practice viola.  I am a viola performance major, and it's my first year in the graduate program at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), no big deal...  Anyways, this blog is supposed to keep me accountable with my progress on the viola.  Also, you might find other topics of interest as well.  For instance, I am attempting to write a book.  You know, when I have spare time... 

Well, let's get started then.

I've been playing viola (VEE-OH-LAH) for 13 years.  I started in my elementary school's orchestra program, and I haven't looked back.  I did my undergraduate work at Wichita State University (WSU), studying with the amazing Catherine Consiglio (CC).  I now study at CCM under the amazing guidance of Dr. Catharine Carroll (Dr. C), Mr. Kawasaki (Mr.K), and on occasion I'll have a lesson with Dr. DeStefano (DS).  The transition from undergraduate level to graduate level is tough enough, without having to travel five states over where I have/had no contacts what so ever.  I had never even been to Cincinnati, let alone Ohio before now.

I have pretty descent training on the viola thus far.  I guess you could have considered me one of the better violas at WSU; at least, I was advanced or something of the like.  Here at CCM, that's not so much the case.  I wouldn't say I'm just flat out bad here because everyone here is good.  But I would say I don't shine here as much as I did at WSU.  That's why I practice 5-7 hours a day.  When I was in my undergrad, I always wanted to go to grad school and not be like certain graduate students (one in particular) who had to overhaul their playing ability and technique.  FAIL!  There's so much I didn't fix that I'm having to fix now, hence the obscene amount of practicing.  Now don't get me wrong, CC has and will always be one of my most influential teachers and mentors.  She was great, and in fact says a lot of the same things as Dr. C and Mr. K.  However, Dr. C and Mr. K emphasize different areas of my development and work in a different, not better, way than CC.

Now, some of you are still looking back at the obscene amount of practicing.  Here's the reasoning behind this.  Dorothy DeLay, one of the worlds best violin pedagogues, if not the best, devised a 5 hour practice schedule covering an array of areas from right hand bow technique to working solo Bach.  I got a very broad copy of this practice schedule at WSU, but I always found it ridiculous.  I HAD to work on my solo pieces more than my left hand technique.  There was a tiny flaw in my logic.  Now I have added to the number of hours because I now work three hours of technique a day.  According to Mr. K, if someone practices consistently for 1-2hours a day 6 days a week, this person will make (-)% progress.  If they practice 3-4 hours, 0% progress.  Only once 5 hours is reached is progress is made, and I need to make a LOT of progress.

But what's this progress I need to make for?  I always tell people the unrealistic dream is to win the ultimate symphony job, like with Chicago, Berlin, London, or maybe New York.  The realistic dream is to be a professor, I love pedagogy.  To win either of these jobs, you have to be the best performer out of many other candidates.  One mistake will send you packing.  Unknowingly, I picked the most competitive field that yields the least job security. Go me!...

So, my big issue with my playing, the left hand.  Tension, inconsistent intonation, you name I got it.  Except I challenge anyone who thinks they have better vibrato than me.  I'm serious!  Anyways, this has been the area I've been working on.  I play on a massive 17" beast of an instrument (yes, that's very large)!  And I have midget pinkies, so that makes using my fourth finger difficult (fourth finger = pinkie).  To solve this problem CC had me get my left arm as far under the instrument as possible so I could get a "better" angle for my pinkie to be used.  This created a  lot pain and tension.  We could never figure out why this was.  Dr. C's method was to push my arm back underneath the instrument and change my LH (left hand) frame in such a way that I could plop my fingers down in any pattern from the base knuckles.  By jove, this style works!  When I do it right.  Not only just by working on this issue has my intonation consistency improved, but there's very little to no pain in my hand!  I've been working on this for about 5 weeks now, and there's so much improvement I sometimes forget to keep my excitement in check, haha.  I've got almost 4 years of not bad in general, but bad for me LH technique that every professor here at CCM and their dogs are harping on me to fix.  So I'm on week 5.  I figure it takes 6 weeks to break a habit, and another 6 weeks to form a habit.  Only 8 weeks to go!  Ugh...

One other item of mention is I need to work on listening to my playing, while I play.  I was always told to listen to a drone tone (a note held constantly that is the root of the key of which you are playing) when I practice intonation.  It works for some, again not for me.  Mr. K is emphasizing "pitch memory," something no one has ever told me how are that I really should practice.  Dr. C's given me a way to do this by playing a note, rest and "sing" the next note of the piece in my head, and then play to see if it matches.  I got so excited today when I was playing my scale at 24 notes to a bow (fast) and I could tell every single note was in tune, or at least really close.  According to Dr. C, Mr. K can hear things dogs can't even hear.  Well if this is true, and this is how they want me to practice, then by golly I'm gonna do it!

So that's basically it in the music world.

In other news, "Inheritance" comes out next week!!!!  Finally Christopher!  Also, I've maid some headway into ch.25 of my book.  I guess I should explain this.

I love sci-fi and fantasy.  I've always liked creating stories since I can remember.  And so I decided as a way to unwind when I don't have a book to read, I'll write my own.  It's called "Incarnations: vol. 0 of the Avatar Chronicles."  I've been working on it for a while.  It's in the style of LOTR and WoT.  Basic good vs. evil, light against shadow (my two deities, I couldn't come up with better names, haha).  I got a lot of my inspiration from the Bible and my faith.  So there are some of my personal views on religion in here, but don't let that deter you should I get it published.  And trust, it's not an exact copy of the Bible anyway, totally new story.  I might post a sample chapter at some point, who knows.  But that's just a side project of mine.  Epic nerd I be.

Anyways, I got to get to class!  Before I go, let me leave you with this final thought of the day:
"The Pope may be French, but Jesus is English"