Using our usual areas of
assessment (tone, intonation, rhythm, technique, musicianship, etc.),
discuss how you feel you MOST contributed to our performance and also discuss
the area where you would like to make the most growth before our next
performance. The two areas must be DIFFERENT.
Guidelines:
Post your response by Monday, 12/16.
Clearly state which area you are discussing--tone, intonation,
rhythm, technique, or musicianship.
Use at least THREE specific examples from our concert music to
show us how you contributed in the area you selected.
For your area of growth, include THREE ways you feel you can
achieve your goal before the next concert. (Please note: “practice” is
not an acceptable answer, because that is a given. HOW are you going to
practice? What resources can you seek to help you reach your goals?
What questions do you have about your plan?)
Before next Tuesday (12/17), read everyone else’s
responses and respond to two of them with cheerleading and/or practice tips
based on their selected area of growth. Respond to someone who has not
received a response yet so everyone can receive some feedback.
Be respectful in your comments and interactions with others.
I feel that the area I was strongest in was rhythm. I correctly played the rhythms in nutcracker suite, and in the Prokofiev. I also feel that I did not make rhythm errors in either Salvation or in Winter Holiday. The area that I feel I need to grow the most in is musicianship. To this end, I intend to focus my practice on listening to great musicians and attempting to imitate their interpretations. This I believe will teach me what it is that makes a musician musical. I also intend to learn music outside of class that requires more thought into the interpretation than a march. I also intend to talk to classmates to find out what it is that they beleive makes for good musicianship.
ReplyDeleteThe comment on listening to other musicians is fabulous. I would not have thought of that! You seem pretty set on getting outside opinions, which is a good plan. Good job!
DeleteI agree the french horns section always seems to have great all around rhythm!
DeleteClearly state which area you are discussing: technique
ReplyDeleteUse at least THREE specific examples from our concert music to show us how you contributed in the area you selected.
-In miniature overture at the end part where we play lower notes followed by Cs, I used to skip all the Cs but by the concert I actually played most of them.
-I can play off-beats pretty okay.
-In the march in Nutcracker I had to double-tongue but it was decent and mostly worked.
For your area of growth, include THREE ways you feel you can achieve your goal before the next concert. (Please note: “practice” is not an acceptable answer, because that is a given. HOW are you going to practice? What resources can you seek to help you reach your goals? What questions do you have about your plan?)
-I'm going to dedicate more time to my circle spots instead of giving up on them.
-I will use a metronome.
-Instead of practicing until I get it right, I will practice until I can't get it wrong.
I like your last sentence, about practicing until you can not get it wrong. It is a refreshing change from the whole "practice makes perfect" cliché. I definetely could benefit from your plan. Excellent ideas!
DeleteGreat job in the concert Rachael! I agree you are amazing at playing off beats, and metronomes are amazing, that's one of my goals to, to start using one.
DeleteI agree with the techniques that we need to improve upon and the mindset that is needed to be a better musician.
DeleteRachel, your dedication to the flute section is overwhelming and the precision you play with is incredible! You do a nice job of standing out as a player when it comes to tone and quality, while blending in with the rest of the section. -- Look for the metronome APPs, they help a lot :)
DeleteThe area I feel I contributed the most was technique. The nutcracker was a pretty challenging technical piece. A lot of the time the accompaniment was more difficult than the melody line (like in the march of the nutcracker), and it took a lot of practice to get it down. Other technically challenging spots were chinese dance and dance of the flutes. It took a lot of slow practice to get the fast runs down.
ReplyDeleteFor the next concert, I would like to improve intonation. When practicing at home, I’ll use a tuner to find tendencies in my instrument and practice adjusting. I will also pay more attention to how in tune I am with my section and the rest of the band in class. Focusing on breathing will also help with my intonation; overblowing can change the pitch.
Alayna you saved us in nutcracker! You were amazing as always and you did a great job! That's a good idea to find the tendencies in your instrument, nice job!
DeleteYou did a really great job in the Nutcracker! That's a great idea to work with intonation. Intonation is so complicated because it's both concrete and definite on your own with a tuner, and relative in an ensemble.
DeleteYou rocked the Nutcracker! Your technique is fabulous(I know this because I sit next to you every day jealous of your ability to master impossible fingerings) Great work!
DeleteYou are such an amazing musician! Every aspect of your flute playing from tone to technique is so breathtaking and beautiful. I hope to be as good as you one day!! :)
DeleteI think I most contributed in our performance with my technique because, specifically, the sixteenth note runs that the clarinets had in overture miniature were pretty easy for me when we played it in the concert. In addition, we had difficult chromatic fingerings that I performed well. Lastly, in dance of the flutes, the sixteenth note areas were sufficiently challenging, but I hit almost, if not all, of them in the concert. The area that I need to improve in is tone. A way that I can improve this is by taking the simplest rhythms and scales, and really focusing on how well I am tuned and where my pitch is(flat or sharp). Also, playing whole notes for warming up will help me establish my tone before we start playing our pieces of music. Finally, I can have discussions and receive more specific tips, about my tone, from my private instructor.
ReplyDeleteI thought as a whole the clarinets sound really nice with technique this concert and I'm sure you were a big contribution! Keep working on tone and I' sure it'll soon come just as easy as your runs.
DeleteI think I contributed most to the performance in terms of rhythm. In Midnight Sleighride, there's a section with a lot of syncopation; I played all the notes correctly, and made sure to subdivide dotted-eighth/sixteenth patterns to distinguish them from triplets. In Salvation is Created, I watched the conductor closely to match the accelerandi and ritardandi. And finally I helped some of my section learn the rhythms in various pieces. In the future, I want to improve my intonation. I'll do so by reviewing alternate fingerings and pitch tendencies, practicing with a tuner, doing interval studies, and tuning with my section during the warm-up.
ReplyDeleteYour trumpet part sounded awesome Erin! In every piece I knew I could hear you leading the trumpets with the hard parts. Even when I walk by you coming into band I can hear you hitting warm-up scales daily. Your hard work has definitely paid off.
DeleteI think that this concert I worked really hard at mastering musicianship in our pieces and getting to know the part well in each song. Though I had generally simple parts that weren't as technically challenging, I did my best to make them interesting and play them to the fullest. For example, the countless number of staccato quarter notes in the Walts of the Flowers could get repetitive at times, but I starting really trying to emphasize dynamics and articulation, playing around with loudness and softness to keep them interesting. It also forced me to be paying attention and counting at all times. Contrary to parts like that, there were a few moments where the lower clarinets had some fun and more technically challenging lines which I really tried to bring out. Another example would be in Midnight Sleighride, where there were measures with a few simple notes but timing and counting was key because of the syncopation.
ReplyDeleteI definitely plan on doing my best to improve and grow between now and our next concert. Winter allows for much more time to practice because fall sports are over, and I plan on trying to make myself practice by coming in before and after school to utilize the practice rooms and extra time with the band music, as well as pieces I'm working on with my private lesson teacher. I'm also taking regular lessons again each week since swimming is done. I'm also aiming to go to as many pep band opportunities as I can.
You sounded really good in this concert!! I felt like you knew every piece really well and I could always ask you a question about any given piece. I definiteley agree with how your musicianship was expanding playing 3rd with me. Hope you have fun now that swimming is done:-))
DeleteI agree with the easier rhythms weren't that hard but it was nice to make the more interesting and more musical to make the piece that much better.
DeleteI think that the area I contributed the most to in last night's performance was technique. The Nutcracker Suite had many challenging fingerings and runs for the first clarinets. I spent a lot of time playing specific measures under-tempo in order to not only play the correct notes, but to also play them smoothly, especially in the Overture Miniature and the Waltz of the Flowers. I found the Nutcracker Suite to be the most challenging piece we played, both technically and rhythmically, and thus spent most of my time going over notes and rhythms.
ReplyDeleteI hope to grow most in the area of musicianship by the next concert. Naturally I can talk with my private teacher about this, though it's something I'm currently working on anyways. For the most part I personally need to work on interpreting the music in a variety of ways, instead of just playing exactly what is written on the page. Additionally I can take extra steps to listen to recordings and live performances of clarinets playing a variety of music.
Great idea to listen to recordings! That way you can hear what the composer intended it to sound like! Hearing other people play your instrument is a great way to improve and hear techniques to use in the future! Way to go!
DeleteI know you worked really hard on the 16th note runs in Nutcracker, and it definitely paid off. You sounded great in the concert and it looks like you've got some good ways to improve for the next one.
DeleteIn this concert I think I did well with my tone. I felt that in Salvation my pitch was spot on. In Nutcracker, I felt confident with my sections and played them very strong. In Winter Holiday, I thought that as a whole the trumpet section was in sync and in tune with each other. I think I can improve my musicianship skills. I’m going to work on this with my private teacher. I’m going to practice with a metronome to lock in tempos. I will focus on difficult rhythms and practice them a lot. And I will try to understand the pieces by learning how the composers want them to be played.
ReplyDeleteIt is a great idea to use a netronome! When you use it, make sure to start slowly and then get faster once you have locked in that tempo. Make sure to practice each tempo until you can't get it wrong instead of until you get it right. Way to go!
DeleteI agree about the good tone. The entire trumpet section was pretty fantastic, if I may say so myself.
DeleteAs your fellow Trumpeteer I just want to give you congrats on your mastering of certain sections of our concert. In the beginning it was rough for all of us and at the end we were playing in sync and hitting those notes and rhythms! Eagles for life.
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ReplyDeleteLooking back at the concert, I think I most highly contributed to the concert in rhythm. I was able to stay on tempo and
ReplyDeleteaccurately hit each note in the right spot. An example of this is in the Nutcracker Suite, there are several parts throughout
the song (Russian Dance, Waltz of the Flowers, Dance of the Flutes) where we are given multiple repeat symbols that,
although still have importance to the song overall, can become dull, repetitive, and occasionally, confusing,
from the point of view of a performer. However, I was able to keep up with these repeats and not fall behind. Also, during
Salvation is Created, I was for the most part able to stay on track at parts where the tempo slowed down, I also did this
during Winter Holiday, which, at one part (Frosty the Snowman) has a slower tempo. If there's anything I feel like I need to
work on for the next concert, it is technique. There are times where I'm not breathing in the best possible spot and end
up out of breath at a fermata or at a slower whole note. A good solution to this would be looking at a future piece while
rehearsing and figuring out the absolute best spots to take a breath. Along with this, I will figure out exactly how much
I can and will need to breath at those spots. Breathing exercises also will help with any issues
with falling behind or running out of breath.
EDIT: wrote this in notepad, didn't copy entire thing.
DeleteYou're right, breathing can be a big challenge, especially in pieces kirk Salavtion Is Created. Great job staggering breaths though, I couldn't hear any break in melody!
DeleteI believe that for this concert, the area in which I contributed the most was musicianship. For Russian Dance, there was a lot of dynamic constract and I believe I correctly showed that. In Salvation is Created, the piece needed to be musical to sound good. And I believe that I contributed it in a postive way (like with dynamics). Finally, for Waltz of the Flowers, in the beginning, I believe that I need a good job in accenting certain notes.
ReplyDeleteThe area that I need the most work on is tone. For the next concert I will make sure to take better care of my reeds and play on multiple reeds (to help with the musicality on all reeds). I will use more air to be more in tune and have better dynamics. And finally, I will work on getting in tune faster and work on my range of playing.
Good idea to use multiple reeds so that you don't run into any issues with reeds come concert time! For improving range I like to start in the middle register and slowly work my way down chromatically and then go back up chromatically. :)
DeleteAs a fellow reed instrument player, it's definitely a good idea to play with multiple reeds! Plus, if you have a few on you at a time you can use a different reed if it feels like the one you originally started with isn't working (especially important when temperatures are fluctuating as much as they do). Using more air is a great idea as well (I remember Mr. Kile telling us last year that on every MSHSL performance he could have commented 'use more air'). Keep up the good work!
DeleteI believe the area that I contributed the most was in rhythm. In Midnight Sleighride, I played all of the correct rhythms. I also played the crash cymbal part of Nutcracker Suite correctly, having less time to learn it. Finally, in Nutcracker Sweets, I played all of my rhythms correctly, contributing my part to song as a whole.
ReplyDeleteFor what I can work on, I have chosen the area of musicianship. I will practice basic scales (arpeggios) more often to increase memory of the songs we will play, and in the keys we play them in. I will also work more with 4 mallet exercises, to strengthen my hands and increase playing ability. Finally, I will work on rolling noted with an increased attention to the dynamics. These 3 areas of practice will help me improve musicianship before our next concert.
This is my response, I just forgot to change my name from Creative Writing.
DeleteHey Tyler! I think you are well on your way to reaching your goal. I remember you were practicing your scales in Fick even though you weren't asked to during down time. Your ideas for improving your musicianship sound like they will be beneficial to you, and I might try one of them, myself.
DeleteI feel I most contributed to the performance through my rhythm. I worked hard in every piece to try to make sure my rhythm was spot on, because it is usually an area that I struggle with. I felt in midnight sleigh ride I was able to play the correct rhythms and tonguing very well and also in salvation is created I felt I was able to play all the note values to their full potential. Sometimes the easiest notes are the hardest to play. Also in winter holiday I thought my rhythm was spot on.
ReplyDeleteI would like to grow in the technique. In the nutcracker there was a plethora of difficult runs, ranging from very high to very low notes. When I find a section in a song that I struggle with, I try to practice it, but sometimes its intimidating and so frustrating that I give up. I want to work on not giving up and practicing it until I get it right and especially remembering to start slow and then gradually speed up so I won't develop bad habits. Also I want to get into the habit of using a metronome and practicing hitting the highest notes of C, B and B flat, and being able to play those interchangeably without difficulty.
Your Rhythm is always amazing! You were really good on all the songs your upper register is really good! I agree that practicing can be frustrating when you struggle with an area. What I like to do is break it into chunks to make it more manageable :)
DeleteI agree that sometimes the easiest notes are the hardest to play. Yay for blind persistence! Yay for band! Yay for self-improvement!
DeleteI think you along with the other flutes did an amazing job during Nutcracker! Your parts were complex yet you made it sound easy! Great job and keep working through those tough spots!
DeleteSince the flutes are such a vital part to the percussion rhythm, you definitely contributed more then you thought! Rhythm cooperation between sections is great and I can tell you can blend with the other flutes well! Great job!
DeleteYour flute skills are so impressive! I love being in class with you because I can hear your amazing musicianship. I feel the same that there is always room for improvement, especially technique.
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ReplyDeleteI feel as if the area I most contributed to the band concert was in my low register. I was able to hit the low notes, give them a warm sound, and hold them the correct amount of time. Most specifically in the Nutcracker and Salvation is Created. I have been working on improving my low register for a very long time and I feel like it has finally paid off.
ReplyDeleteOne area I would like to improve on is my upper register. I would like to be able to reach the higher notes more fluently and without such a pinched sound. I plan on doing this by opening up my embouchure and trying to hit the note above as to make the note I'm aiming for sound better.
I thought that you and all of the flutes had made an extensive amount of improvements during the time of our concert. I know you guys had some of the most challenging parts but you guys were able to play it as it was meant to be sound. Nice Job!
DeleteWhile sitting next to you I really heard the improvement of your low town. Another way to improve your upper register is by relaxing your jaw. Overall great job at the concert!
DeleteI 100% agree with that. Your low register is stellar. Just keep working on your upper register! I know it will help a lot with your chair placement as well as just generally making band easier. Try tightening your embouchure while still relaxing your jaw and make sure you use good air support. I believe in you!
DeleteI also sat by you at the concert and I thought you sounded really good. Not only did your low notes have a great tone but so did your high notes especially during the Nutcracker. Good job!
DeleteI feel the area I most contributed to the concert was technique. In Russian Dance I was able to complete the most technically challenging part, which brought an aspect of technical certainty to the piece. I feel similarly about Midnight Sleigh-ride. I think i strengthened the other sections I was playing with by correctly executing the rhythms and notes. The third place I saw this was in the Waltz of the Flowers. I think though it wasn't particularly challenging, the certainty and technicality was valuable to the ensemble. I think I can improve my tone for next time. Playing a new instrument this year, it's been tough transferring all my skills. I think i've done a good job, but frequently, the transfers between notes require different things having to do with my Embouchure than my old instrument. I can hopefully improve this by making time to practice with my new instrument, practicing tone exercises, and playing slow expressive songs more often.
ReplyDeleteIt's impressive that even though you have played the sax before, how well you were able to adapt to a band as large as ours. I noticed that you and all of the B. Saxes had a great deal of improvement over the time of this concert. Nice job!
DeleteI feel like the area I am strongest in is musicianship and rhythm-displayed best in Winter Holiday, Midnight Sleigh Ride and Salvation. In Salvation, musicianship was showed playing well-developed low notes, extreme dynamics and by phrasing. Both in Winter Holiday and Midnight Sleigh Ride I made sure to play the correct rhythms as the notes weren't too rigorous. The Nutcracker Suite definitely positively pushed my technique. The crazy amount of 1/16th note runs were only beneficial because I practiced them more and it made me strive to play lighter and faster than I'm used to. An area I need to improve on is tone-especially throat tones on the clarinet. I want to play clear throat tones and to do this I need to really listen and make adjustments on my clarinet if they don't sound right. I can also ask other clarinets what techniques they used to get great sounding throat tones. I also want to improve on hitting high notes with precision and without ever screeching. I think this will come through practice and tightening up my embouchure. I will improve by utilizing the practice rooms before and after school and practicing at home on parts I have difficulty with by slowing them down and taking it measure by measure. (I strive to be a clarinet god like Cam)
ReplyDeleteI agree, you did a good good on the rhythms, In Winter Holiday you worked hard and were able to get the rhythms down even though you wanted to go faster. At the beginning, when we were first learning the songs, you would tend to push the pace and rhythm a bit to much, but you did a good job settling that down and controlling it during the concert.
DeleteFor improving your throat tones it's helpful to remember the pitch adjustment chart/sheet from last year (with the fingerings)! I'd suggest trying some of the alternate fingerings out. You'll probably find at least a few notes, especially throat tones, that will sound significantly better. As for practicing it's a great idea to slow things down until you get certain measure correct, especially for those 16th-note runs. Sometimes it's even helpful to take it at half the speed you normally would just to get things as perfect as you can.
DeleteI feel like the area that I contributed most to was through my technique which could be seen in the the Nutcracker, specifically Russian Dance. With most of the low voices playing off-beats to the rest of the band, I at first had difficulty managing to play them correctly. But as I was able to listen to others during sectional time, it came a lot easier to play and overall helped the low voices be heard. I also helped contribute to technique during the Chinese Dances. With playing the same 8th notes as the Bassoons, it would be very easy to get off balance and fall apart. But with practice on this part, the Basses were able to stay together and provide the low and quick beat. Lastly, I contributed to technique with M.S.R. With the frequent 8th notes present in most of the music, I was accurately able to support the low sound for the basses. For sure by next concert, my rhythm is something that I can improve on.
ReplyDeleteWith Salvation and some parts of Nutcracker, being faster or slower than I think it should be, is something that I could fix. To accomplish this, frequent check up's with the metronome can be something that is very easy to do and as well as being very effective. I believe I can improve on my rhythm to by watching the conductor closer; this would keep me on beat with the rest of the band and make sure that I'm not a bit a head. Lastly, improving my rhythm can be dealt with by frequent check ups with other people in my section. Not just one or two, but at least more than five times can be a great impact to what I play.
During Chinese Dance, I was able to really notice the technique that you and the other bass clarinets displayed. You did a great job keeping together with the bassoons and managing the 8th notes. It sounded like you guys were in sync during the concert, which was a great improvement from previous practice sessions.
DeleteBrennan, you did a great job preparing these parts for this concert! I could tell you put a lot of work into becoming precise with all of your rhythms and I saw a great improvement in your looking up at the director for staying in time with the off-beat parts in the movements of the Nutcracker. Also, since you are the only bass clarinet in third hour, it makes it that much more impressive, good job.
DeleteThe woodwinds in particular really pulled the first movement of the nutcracker together that took real skill. I just feel that timing was a bit of an issue especially when some phrases were ascending while another was descending
DeleteThe area that I feel like I contributed the most in was tone in Nutcracker, Winter Holiday and Salvation is created. At the beginning of Nutcracker, in the overture I believe, the clarinets had a bit of solo. In this solo, it was key to make your tone very light and upbeat. This was difficult at first because there are many different accents/ and having an upbeat tone that balanced with these accents was hard. During concert time, I was able to manipulate my tone and make it light enough to go with the accents. The second song that I contributed to was Midnight Sleigh ride. In this song, it was critical that tone displayed strength because the clarinets tended to have the lead part. I was able to play strong enough to be heard without being overpowering during the concert. The final song that I contributed to was Salvation is Created. Salvation was a very slow and methodical piece, which meant your tone had to be dark and low. My part was pretty low for the most part, which allowed me to play around with different ways to display a dark tone. During concert time, I was able to accomplish this dark and sound and blend in with the other lower brass instruments and bass clarinets.
ReplyDeleteOne area that I can work on is the ability to tongue fast. During Nutcracker, one part required very fast tonguing in a very low register. I would sometimes slur the notes, which made the section sound sloppy. I can work on this by working with faster pieces that require faster tonguing. Also this was an issue in Midnight where we played along with the trumpets just after the HOY! I would sometimes misplay the faster rhythm because my tonguing was a bit to slow. Lastly, in Winter Holiday I was able to tongue, but periodically I would be thrown off because I missed a note with slow and inaccurate tonguing. Another way to work on this tonguing is to play scales and slowly get faster, forcing the tonguing to be faster. Finally, I can improve my tonguing is by practicing more than I usually do. Endurance can lead to better tonguing because you get less tired and the notes are easier to hit.
Bovy, I agree that your tone sounded fantastic! I was able to hear you first-hand as I sat next to you for two of the pieces in the concert. I thought that in both of those tunes you displayed your adeptness on the clarinet in not only tone but all of the other listed categories. Keep it up!
DeleteI thought you were stellar Alex. I completely agree that you, along with the rest of the clarinets, had great accents while keeping the upbeat tone you mentioned. I thought you all blended very evenly, and knew exactly when to play out. Kudos to you! (From, Drew Sanda)
DeleteThe area that I contributed most with was tone. With most of my parts being lower I felt that I created a full and warm sound that supported the higher flute parts in the Nutcracker and Midnight Sleigh Ride. I also think that I contributed on Salvation with my tone because it was a low register piece where tone was our main focus.
ReplyDeleteThe area in which I could improve most on is technique. To do this I will start working on my circle spots sooner. Also I will continue to work with my teacher on relaxing my fingers and will bring the band pieces to her if needed.
The flutes sounded super in Nutcracker, the tone was amazing! Keep up the great work!
DeleteGreat job at the concert Aubrey!! I think you definitely rocked the lower register, and it's super important to have a lower sound as well as a higher sound so when you're adjusting to higher parts, that is awesome! Also I totally agree that relaxing fingers is key to have good technique, if you have fast and swift fingers then you can play harder things.
DeleteI sat by you during the concert and you did have a really good tone! Good job!
DeleteThe area I contributed most to would be technique. In the Nutcracker I end up playing many of the off beats or different rhythms from the rest of my section. It also had some technically challenging sections. In one part of nutcracker suit it required me to speed up my tonguing.
ReplyDeleteI think that I could improve for the next concert by learning more alternate fingerings, doing some rhythm practice, and learn more of my music outside of class.
Great job at the concert Anna!! Playing on the off beats and different rhythms from the rest of your section is super hard and that's great that you feel confident that you nailed that in your pieces! And I agree, I definitely need to learn more alternate fingerings because that helps if you're playing tougher pieces.
DeleteI think that I was able to contribute most with tone. I made an active effort in rehearsing at maintaining an even sound in attempts to achieve a dark and full tone, which in most pieces is what we (clarinets) strive for. I think the songs that this tone was portrayed most prominently was Salvation is Created, and Nutcracker. While the two pieces are extremely different, both benefitted from a rich tone. Salvation was a very slow piece which tested my ability to maintain an even pitch, and Nutcracker featured several areas where the clarinets were isolated with quick and light parts and it was easy for the audience to hear tone quality from us. This area will always have room for improvement though, so I will continue to pursue a better tone.
ReplyDeleteOne of the areas that I will try to improve on is technique. I and the other clarinets were tested quite a bit on the Nutcracker, and I think we played it well given the amount of time we had from the time it was passed out to the day of the concert. I know I could have put more time into practicing my circle spots. I think a way I can improve my technique could be to get together with other clarinets or other people with like parts and have a sort of "sectional" time outside of class. Also, I could have benefitted from bringing in the tough pieces to my lesson teacher earlier in the rehearsal process. Also, I should set aside more time during collaborative time to take on the circle spots I make in class.
Camburger, I thought you had a great concert performance. I've noticed throughout band classes that clarinets are repetitively in tune, and I thought that your technique was great as well! You had great chromatic phrases during Nutcracker that blew me away! Very good job! (From, Drew Sanda)
DeleteThis made me realize that I need to evaluate my own technique as well while playing. Its so easy to just play noted on a page without paying attention to technique. Good musicians pay attention to their technique at all times
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ReplyDeleteDrew Sanda
ReplyDeleteI think the area that I contributed most in was the musicianship area. First off, in Nutcracker Suite during the Russian Dance movement, I focused the piece solely on dynamic contrast, especially during the sforzandos within the melody. Secondly, during Salvation is Created, I felt I had good musicianship, thanks to the breathing exercises the U of M trumpet professor had taught us. He really showed us how to fill my entire body with air, allowing me to almost glide through the slow phases of the piece. It definitely made the slow tempo much easier. Lastly, I thought I demonstrated musicianship during Midnight Sleighride, during the differentiating accents, and the fortepiano/belltones of the piece. I felt that during this piece, I acted equally as both an underlayer, and the melody, so I did my best to differentiate the two parts through dynamic contrast, and accents.
I think the area that I need to practice and improve most in is intonation. I feel that is an area that is easy to fix, but does take persistence. First off, I will buy a tuner and use it during my warm-ups, allowing myself to get in tune before the band does. Secondly, I will make a much larger effort to meet up with other Altos. I am the only one in my class, and it would be a whole lot easier if there were another in my class, just I could know our section pitch tendencies. Lastly, I will study and use the pitch tendency sheet we received last year much more. It lists out all normal tuning errors on my instrument, and lists the alternate fingering on how to adjust the pitch. I will lay that, along with my tuner, on my stand during each rehearsal for quick reference.
DREW! :D I can tell you worked very hard on the music! From what I hear your musicianship is amazing! Good job working hard on that! Even though we are in separate sections, I believe that tuning before and keeping in tune is difficult but important! I will use the same strategies as you to try to stay in tune! Good Job!!!!
DeleteI believe that I contributed to the concert by my tone specifically in Salvation is Created, Midnight Sleighride, and the Nutcracker. In Salvation is Created, I helped build up to the climax spots and had a full tone even in the high register. Since it was so slow, it was tough being able to keep such a high pitch with the same, even tone. All of those SmartMusics helped me with that :). It was very important to have a strong, confident tone in Midnight because everyone could hear Katie and I. I was timid with my sound in that song earlier in the year, but as we practiced our tone became stronger. Its important to match my sound with the bells tone in the Nutcracker. I feel I did a nice job not being too quiet and standing out a good amount so people could hear me.
ReplyDeleteAn area I could work on is intonation. As a piccolo, It's very difficult to stay in tune with the band, and the flute section. Sometimes I get too timid on the high notes and they become flat, or I don't even begin the concert in tune. Specifically to this concert, I could improve my intonation on Midnight Sleighride, Winter Holiday, and Chinese Dance. Two piccolos are very hard to tune together because the slightest bit of a change in lip position changes the note completely. Everyone can hear my high notes clashing with others. To prevent this I could be using a tuner throughout the concert and rehearsals. It would benefit me to be constantly checking to see if I'm in tune with different notes. Another way to stay in tune is to not be afraid of the high notes and boldly play them instead of making them very flat. I can also check each note specifically at home so I know the tendencies very well and I can use them to improve my performance.
Great job this concert Allison!! You did great, I especially loved your part in Midnight Sleighride. Good idea with using tuner, I would definitely be doing that too if I didn't play percussion! Keep up the great work!!
DeleteAlly as always you sounded great!! I loved your little duets in Nutcracker and you sounded wonderful!!! good job on the hard work!!! :)))
DeleteI added most to the ensemble through my musicianship. For example, in Salvation is Created I tried to take in the largest breaths that I could which helped me to focus more on the phrasing and blending. In parts of Miniature Overture and also during my short solo later in the Nutcracker I also managed to think about phrases which allowed me to approach those sections in a more music way.
ReplyDeleteTo improve, I need to relax a bit more during the concert as nerves threw me off slightly once or twice. It would help to listen to the same arrangement of the Nutcracker that we played, as I could hear the piece better from the perspective of an audience member to see how all of the parts fit together. For next concert I will do the above, and also pay more attention to tuning during warm ups to improve my sound.
It's a good idea to listen to the Nutcracker Suite that we played, it helped me understand where my part fit into the whole piece in addition to helping me with my entrances for the clarinet part in the song. I enjoyed your solo part at the concert!
DeleteJaime I did notice your musicality in all pieces, especially in Nutcracker. It impressed me alot
DeleteI have the same problem with nerves too; I get tense, which is definitely not helpful when playing difficult music. Unfortunately I don't really know the best way to combat that :L
DeleteThe area in which I feel I most contributed to this concert was rhythm. During Midnight Sleighride, as one of the snare drums, I had the role of keeping rhythm for the whole band as my part stuck out. This required me to be extra cautious in my following Mr. Richter, because everyone would hear if my rhythm got off. However, with practice and attention, I thought that I contributed positively in terms of rhythm during this song. Another song during which I contributed with rhythm was the Nutcracker Suite. I played the triangle, which requires good rhythm because it stands out and is easy to hear. However, I felt that I knew my part very well and I played the rhythms correctly during the concert. Finally, I felt that I contributed with rhythm during Winter Holiday. I played the hi-hat and ride cymbal, which involved drum set-like rhythms that helped with the styles within the piece, especially the jazzy ones. Knowing these rhythms was crucial, and I thought I played them all accurately.
ReplyDeleteThe area in which I most need to improve is musicianship. I felt that many of my parts in this concert did not have a lot of room for interpretation or musicality, so I hope that next concert I will play percussion parts that allow for more musical freedom. I will work on improving by listening to more great music--as Mr. Kile would say last hear, "training my ears" to know good music so that it turn, I can play similarly. I will also work on paying more attention to dynamics and phrases in my playing, and will work on this during private lessons. Finally, I will work on my musicianship by talking with other percussionists to see how they involve musicality, especially for when they are playing simpler auxiliary instruments.
You did a great job at the concert! I definitely agree that listening to masters of your instrument can help improve your phrasing and style, so that seems like a good way to improve musicality.
DeleteI feel I best contributed to the rhythmic area of our performance. For instance, in Midnight Sleighride, I was on the ride symbol, and while I was playing only eighth notes, I had to do multiple accent rhythm patterns. There were other instruments with the same pattern, so if I messed up, I would have potentially messed multiple other people up, too. I felt I didn't mess up on that for the concert. Another example was during Nutcracker Suite. More specifically, during the percussion ensemble pieces of Nutcracker Sweets. For the second one, or Arab Dance, I played a rhythm on tambourine that took a while to figure out. Once I figured out how to play it, I felt that I was able to play it with the rest of the group well. Since the tambourine is a noticeable instrument, I had to be careful not to mess up because that could throw off the overall sound of the entire ensemble. I felt pretty good about my performance, though. Lastly, I contributed to the area of rhythm during Winter Holiday. I played crash cymbals, which did not have too much variety in the way of different rhythms, but since the time signature was changing a lot, I had to keep close attention. Especially since cymbals are so loud.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the area I need the most work on is technique. For instance, I learned from one of the college students that came in that there was a better way for me to be playing the tambourine than what I had been used to. I used that for the concert, but I'm guessing there are many other things like that that I could work on. So my goal is to learn before our next concert how to play instruments, using more accurate technique. I can achieve this by asking other students in the percussion section who seem to excel on certain instruments, asking one or more teachers for correct technique, and working on correct technique with my private lessons teacher. One more thing I could do is play instruments multiple different ways to get a feel for what sounds best. For instance, I know that hitting base drums sounds slightly different depending on where on the drum head you hit it.
Hey Kelly, great idea about getting advice from the college students on technique! I'll definitely ask them next time they come for pointers. Keep up the great work, you were awesome on the tambourine in Sweets!
DeleteI agree we definitely need to focus on how we play the percussion instruments to get the best sounds out of them!
DeleteThe area I felt strongest on at this concert was intonation, as I devoted lots
ReplyDeleteof practice time to try to perfect my pitches and to match the rest of the band.
A specific example from our music really sticks out to me as I think of
intonation - in the March of Nutcracker Suite, the trombones and baritones begin
a phrase with a couple of higher notes. Hitting these notes really demanded
concentration, as a wrong pitch would've been really noticeable. In my practice
time, I focused a lot on doing scale drills to memorize the correct pitches of
notes, which benefitted my overall playing. Lastly, in sectional time, we
focused on the winter wonderland part of Winter Holiday to make sure we
transitioned from note to note on the correct pitch.
I think that I could improve on improving my rhythm, and I see this as an area
of growth I should concentrate on. I can specifically practice rhythm drills
from our FFSP book, which have helped our band as a whole, and could help me
individually as well. Trying out new sight-reading pieces can also improve my
rhythm skills. Lastly, practicing with a metronome can improve my counting technique.
The trombones did well at intonation at the concert! I like your ideas about using a metronome and practicing from the FFSP book as I have trouble with rhythm as well. I'll definitely consider them when practicing future concert pieces.
DeleteAll the trombones did great; I can tell you used your sectional time well! Also, using the FFSP book is a really good idea—I hadn't thought about that.
DeleteThe trombones did such a good job at intonation, and the devotion showed! I agree that intonation is really important, especially in sections where your part sticks out more with higher notes.
DeleteMatthew Jirsa
ReplyDeleteI felt like i most contributed to the rhythm of the concert. Three examples of this were Midnight sleigh-ride, Salvation is Created, and the Nutcracker sweets pieces. First was in M.S when I played the sleigh-bells, in which I had a repetitive eight note beat. It was essential that I did not mess this up because I was keeping up the rhythm for the whole band. Secondly, I played the tympani in Salvation was created. In this Piece it was crucial that I kept rhythm by watching Mr. Richter to see when I would cut off and when he would want us to speed up and slow down. Lastly was the Nutcracker Sweet piece, in which I played the marimba 2 part. What was special about this piece was that I had to collaborate with the other percussionist to keep a steady tempo and support counter rhythms to my part.
The area that needs the most growth is technique. In the concert I felt I could have had more confident in this piece. In ways I could improve for next concert is focus on articulation and accents; l will be lowering dynamic on none accented note so my accents have more power. Another way I can improve is practice my muscle memory: being able to look up at the music without looking down at my sticks. Lastly I can overemphasize my dynamics by getting more softer or louder with crescendos and decrescendos. These things would help me tremendously during the school year.
I agree. We need to emphasize the musicianship and dynamic elements in all of our pieces
DeleteI agree with Robbie because dymamics have a real power to raise a peice to a higher level. - Ben Schribman
DeleteI believe that my tone during the concert, specifically in salvation is created (22) and midnight sleighride (13&53), was my area of strength. I felt that my weakness in the concert was my technique specifically in Nutcracker. Because I was unable to be fully confident in my technique my part was lacking a sense of musicianship. This was in part due to the fact that I did not always optimize my practice time to address the circle spots in the nutcracker. I can improve my performance by planning my practice time more effectively, practicing in a group and finally warming up usibg more challenging scales so I can progress past technique issues faster.
ReplyDelete-Ben Schribman
DeleteBen I agree with your strengths, as your fellow baritonist I can say I was your help in nutcracker and that you were my help in salvation and midnight slrighride
DeleteWell, if I were to pick what I contributed most to our concert, it would be rhythm. Three specific areas where I contributed in rhythm were 1. In the team in The Nutcracker's suite, 2. In Waltz of the Flowers in The Nutcrackers Suite, and 3. Midnight Sleighride.
ReplyDeleteThe area I can work on most would be tone. I can first of all work on increasing my range, I can secondly work on pitch accuracy to make sure I don't have any problems with that, and lastly I can work on better air flow to make sure I hit those higher notes.
I thought that I contributed most to the concert in my musicality. For example in midnight sleighride on mallets I really emphasized dynamics and played with feeling during my solis. Secondly in winter holiday I played snare and on my roles I really brought out the crescendos and decrecenos. And lastly in the percussion feature I played with a lot of feeling and emotion in dance of the sugar plum fairy.
ReplyDeleteI think I could have worked on the accuracy of my playing especially in midnight sleigh ride at around measure 71 with the rolls. Also I could have worked on the accuracy in the first half around measure 20 or 30. Lastly I could have played the rimshot a in winter holiday louder to accent them more
Nice job in the concert Nate! You sounded great, especially in Arab Dance; your dynamics were perfect. I agree, our entire section could work on being more accurate with everything we do.
DeleteThree ways I contributed to the concert is in my musicality, technique and practice outside of school. In the Nutrcracker Suite, if I had trouble with the fingerings I would practice them outside of school until I could play them at the right tempo. Also, I worked hard to show the musicality of each song. In Salvation is Created, I observed the dynamics well and played the song expressively to show the meaning of the piece. Three areas that I could improve upon before the next concert are rhythm, intonation and confidence in my playing. I missed my entrances in some parts of Nutcracker Suite. I can improve upon this by writing out the rhythms in my music and reviewing the ART rhythm packet. Also, there were parts throughout the concert where I didn't feel I sounded in tune with the rest of the clarinet section. I can improve upon this by practicing tuning with Smartmusic before future concerts. Finally, I didn't think I felt very confident in my playing at the concert. I can improve this by preparing my pieces well during my practice so I don't feel as nervous on stage.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the more prepared you are, the less nervous you feel. It's the same way with a lot of other things, such as acting. The better you have your lines memorized, the better you feel on opening night. I think your ideas for improving in your targeted areas will be very beneficial. Good luck!
DeleteI feel that I contributed most in this concert rhythmically. In Midnight Sleighride, I was one of the snare players, which was the main rhythmic force of the song. I memorized a lot of my music so that I could look up at Mr. Richter for most of the piece, which kept my tempo steady. Nutcracker Sweets was another piece that required rhythmic attention. I executed this piece well because I worked hard to listen to the rest of the percussion section, making sure to keep a steady tempo. The Nutcracker Suite was my most challenging piece in this concert. Despite its difficulty level, I managed to correctly play every rhythm on the timpani, while successfully retuning the drums in a matter of seconds.
ReplyDeleteBefore our next concert, I hope to have improved technically on every percussion instrument, but especially on the xylophone/marimba. I will continue to work on my 4-mallet technique, which I may be able to utilize at the next concert. I will take every opportunity I have to come in before and/or after school to use the EHS percussion instruments in order to improve my technique. Also, I will continue to work on concert music with my private lesson teacher.
Your rhythms were really great, Zoe! You had them really locked in. Super Job!
DeleteI feel that I contributed most through my intonation. In Salvation is Created, playing with a beautiful, musical tone and style. I practiced this quite a bit outside of class to play this piece optimally. Additionally, in Winter Holiday, there are different sections which need to be played in very different styles (ie, light and swung versus slow and with expression). I didn't practice W.H. as much as S.I.C. outside of class but I feel like I helped to make it a better piece through tone and style.
ReplyDeleteI hope to improve my own technique for the next concert, specifically in the area of endurance and range. I suffered most in this in S.I.C., as the 1st Trumpet part is high, slow, and quiet, three of the most difficult ways to play music on trumpet. I will practice these specifics of technique with my private teacher and on my own. I also want to increase my technical proficiency in other areas, like speed and dexterity. Fortunately this was not too much of a problem this concert but there were cut-out parts in Nutcracker which would have required a lot more technical proficiency. This would suggest that I would see similar material in the future which I should be prepared for.
You're correct that your intonation is beautiful. Good job. I understand your struggle with technique. I also need to work at that. Good luck.
DeleteYou definitely made Winter Holiday a true beauty to listen to with your intonation.
DeleteThe intonation was awesome and the technique was pretty good, too, even for Salvation is Created. That was a great concert, and you helped make it so with your intonations.
DeleteI think the area I contributed the most in was intonation. In pieces like Waltz of the Flowers, intonation matters so much because the low brass section stands out regardless when playing the single eighth notes. The notes need to be accurate, quiet, and balanced, which is surprisingly difficult to do every time. Second, a challenge unique to me was the Chinese Dance because I'm the only trombone on my part. Matching the pitches with the other single instruments was extremely important because we were background for the rest of the band but still noticeable if we were flat or sharp. Finally, intonation was an important aspect of Salvation Is Created because it's such a melodic and expressive piece.
ReplyDeleteI need to improve the most on musicianship because I can always put more expression in anything I play. I can do this by working on phrasing, such as in pieces like Salvation Is Created. Breath control is also a way to improve musicianship so melodies can stay fluid and connected. Lastly, I'll listen to the people around me more so we can be play in unison with the right dynamics and expression.
Hi Ariana! I really liked your ideas about how to improve your musicianship, Another way to improve your musicianship is to find a recording of a peice we are playing and try to match/blend into that recording. Great job on the concert!
DeleteThe area I contributed most in was technique. I worked hard to play the eighth-sixteenth rhythms in March and Russian Dance, which accentuated the overall flow of sound for the bass clef instruments. Also, the higher note-slurs in Waltz of Flowers need to be technically correct for any semblance of a good sound to be created, and I feel like I achieved that goal. While the technicality of Winter Holiday was not very high, I worked to achieve precision in the song as whole, and I feel that I succeeded.
ReplyDeleteThe area I need to grow the most in is tone. To improve my tone, I can work on playing the high register more often, and therefore becoming more comfortable with the correct pitches. I can also work on making my embouchure better, which, in turn, while greatly improve my tone. I last thing that I can do is to practice middle range notes and making sure that they are always precise.
Great job striving to have such precision even on easier pieces! Having good precision is a valuable skill.
DeleteI agree with you. Tone is where I need to improve as well, especially since it's hard to hear myself when we tune as a band, and I imagine its the same with most instruments. Zoidberg would approve of your post.
DeleteI believe the area I did the best in was execution of dynamic markings I felt this was best accomplished in Salvation is Created as since I was playing 4th horn I knew I needed to get the pyramid sound where the bottom fills out the top. In Waltz of the Flowers I felt I did this well with fitting into the section and filling out the sound of the section. In winter Holiday I feel I did this best with really moving sections with variations written on the page of mezzo piano to forte etc.
ReplyDeletethe area I think I need to improve the most on is intonation the fact that no matter what the French horns do we always seem horribly out of tune so over the weekend I will go to a music store and get a tuner that the section can use as a whole.
It's good that your honest about your horrible tuning. The first step to solving a problem is admitting you have one. However I don't think that a tuner is necessary, I would recommend just sitting and playing together and trying to match each others pitch.
Deletetone- I feel like I contributed to the concert best through tone. In salvation is created, I worked very hard to make sure by tone and musicianship was correct and beautiful. It was very easy for me to go flat, so i had to work very hard and train my self to stay on pitch. Another example of working hard good tone, in nutcracker suit, I wanted to make my part very prominent, and since my part was majority very high i worked hard to make sure that my tone and pitches were correct while still maintaining a beautiful tone to fill the sound of the band. Finally, in winter holiday, listening back, I feel like the french horn soli had a beautiful tone, and I an very proud of that.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I need to improve in a number of ways.
I really want to become very good at sight reading, to fulfill this, I will practice by fining random songs i have never played and playing them the best possibly way that i can. Another way to improve my sight reading would be to improve my overall rhythm skills. I will do this my finding difficult songs on the internet and, using the art method. Finally, to improve my sight reading I will continue to practice very consistently.
Keeping a horn in tune-- I'm getting nauseous just thinking about it. At least you're going flat instead of waay sharp, something I tend to do... All the time. Rock on Chloe!
DeleteThe horns sure did make Salvation beautiful! Well done!
DeleteChloe, those are some great ideas to improve your sight reading! This is definitely a skill I need work on too. Another way to practice sight reading would be to practice from the rhythm section in the FFSP book or find rhythm work online.
DeleteThe area I contributed the most in was musicianship. I believe that Salvation is Created, Dance of the Flutes, and Waltz of the Flowers all reached another level in our potential as a band. I think everyone stepped up to Salvation is Created and I think it is the most musical we have ever played together. Along with tone and vibrato, there was also a feeling that we were playing the song the way it felt right to us. I loved how we ended and just sat there, still letting it sink in. Also in Dance of the Flutes and Waltz of the Flowers, I worked really hard to make sure I was fitting in well with the flute section, and to use vibrato to make the sound flow better.
ReplyDeleteThe area I need to grow in is tone. To do this, I can get to know my flute, learn which notes tend to be sharp or flat. Next I need to learn how to fix these tuning errors, whether it's rolling in or out or pushing in or out. And, I learned from playing Midnight Sleighride, how to fix notes when you are playing with a partner and how to keep long notes steady, whether you need to sit up on the note or sit down on it.
Hi Katie! I definitely agree with Salvation is Created - the silence at the end was so cool! You could feel the band and the crowd and the conductor thinking "Wow!".
DeleteSight reading is a great skill to practice! Smart Music might be a good resource for finding pieces to play.
ReplyDeleteYes! I love sight reading! It's very effective at increasing the power of your memory. However, don't do Level 6 pieces or anything hard like that, at least not yet. You should take your time and start at Level 3, then go to Level 4, and so on.
DeleteThe area I contributed the most to in the concert was my musicianship, especially by blending the sound. For Salvation Is Created, I was surprised by how good the entire band sounded with that piece. Everybody blended in together so that it produced just a beautiful sound, like salvation was being created right there. The Nutcracker Suite was very good at blending as well, especially if you consider how many pieces there were. With the kind of endurance to help power through the pieces while still keeping composure, it can really help the band out for the next pieces. I feel I managed to blend my sound best in Winter Holiday. It was really important that I provide good background as the 3rd trumpet on that song, and I felt that that was my best song in terms of musicianship.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, there are still several things I would like to improve. My tone is the most important thing I feel I need to deal with. Salvation is Created was one of those pieces where you had to play it very delicately and softly, and it's kind of hard for me to do that if you have to play high notes at the same time. I would practice that by playing higher notes at pianissimo. Another important problem with my tone is my uncertainty. That is, I have trouble when I start playing a note. The note would come out too high or too low or too quiet, but not just right. To practice that, I would have to play one pitch repeatedly at that so as to perfect my precision. A third thing that's worth noting is my embouchure. It's one of the primary causes of my first two problems, and I've been trying to play with my mouthpiece up higher so that both lips get equal exercise and strain. I just have to be aware when I'm doing it because I have a tendency to unconsciously return to my old embouchure.
Hi Big J!! One thing that might help with tone is to practice long tones and lip slurs. They can really help lock in the ability to know how to position the lips for each note. :)
DeleteThe area I contributed to the most was interpretation/musicianship. I thought we blended really well in Salvation is Created. I think we had the right 'feel', if you will, in The Nutcracker Suite; we were excited when needed, mysterious sounding... etc. I also thought we were cheerful sounding in The Holiday Favorites. I think musicianship is one of the most important aspects to playing a piece well. For the next concert, I would really like to make the most growth in articulations. To improve in this area, I can concentrate on specific articulations in repertoire we are playing in class, I can ask my private lesson teacher to do some exercises to help improve articulation, and I can do some of the scales in the Fussell book and the Scales book using different patterns of articulation.
ReplyDeleteI thought that we had a really great concert, and I think that we impressed the Symphonic Band. I just hope that they were as impressed with us as I was with the Varsity Band last year when I saw them in their December concert!
BAND IS GRAND.
Ugh, the articulations are definitely something I need to work on too. The doos and dits make my head spin-- playing horn is enough of a problem without thinking about what type of enunciation to make with my lips/mouth!
DeleteGirl i totally agree that the horns sounded great in Salvation is Created and I can't wait for us to work more on it and hear more growth!! yayyy good job!!
DeleteThrough technique and tone I was able to contribute to the band. Notably, the Nutcracker Suite required a variety of articulations and coming in solidly on a loud note that sticks out after who knows how many measures of rest. The holiday pieces also required my all in regards to technique with the melodic parts in the horn section. Lastly, I contributed to the band a tone that I felt accurately portrayed Salvation is Created. In terms of growth, I have much room for improvement when in comes to rhythms. The Waltz of the Flowers, for example, obviously caused me some difficulty. To combat this, I will pursue rhythmic studies in the Fussell book. The Fussell book has a large variety of rhythms at various key signatures to prepare me for future variations in band arrangements. Secondly, I will begin sight-reading challenging excerpts from lesson books and snippits from orchestral repertoire in order to vastly improve general rhythmic accuracy. Lastly, prior to playing a piece I will spend time looking it over for challenging rhythm spots and right in the rhythms underneath the measure so they won't cause a problem while playing.
ReplyDeleteI agree that you contributed awesome technique and tone! French horns rule.
DeleteI think that the horns made amazing improvements throughout rehearsals especially in your technique and tone. You guys sounded great during the concert and I hope you are able to keep improving!
DeleteAlexander. Holy cow. I just wanted to tell you that your solo was absolutely incredible. I am still able to replay it in my head over and over again because it was just beautiful! Your tone, note and rhythm accuracy, and overall musicianship was topnotch and I'm proud to be able to say that I'm in the same band as you and all of the other French Horns!
Deletei feel I best contributed to the holiday concert with tone. In each piece I attempted to fell each piece and create a well-balanced sound. My favorite piece was Salvation is Created because it give our band the chance to express and really feel the song. Tone in this piece was good and the band was able to feel and move with the song. In the Nutcracker Sweet oboe had exposed unison parts and both Dani and I worked hard to create a balanced tone as well as beautiful sounds. To prepare for the next concert I plan to work harder on the difficult parts in my pieces. I had a few tough spots in Nutcracker and I didn't work on them as much as I should have so i will practice much more. I also want to achieve a greater quality in rhythmic difficulties. I will write in notes for these rhythms to help me remember and play them correctly every time.
ReplyDeleteSalvation is created was my favorite piece too, and I also think we did a great job with tone in that piece!
DeleteI thought the oboes sounded amazing at the concert and had great sound throughout ever piece. Good job!
DeleteI know its really hard to stay in tune on your instrument and have good tone but you guys did really well! You really improved our sound quality and made us a better band!
DeleteThe area I think I contributed most to this concert is musicianship. I think in many pieces I was able to recognize when I was the melody, and when I should back off. Especially in Salvation is Created, I worked hard on having good musicianship. In Nutcracker, I think I did well on interpreting the music and the dynamics to have contrast in how I played the parts. Also in midnight sleighride, it was important to pay attention to dynamics and have musicianship with them, which I think I did well.
ReplyDeleteSomething I think I can work on is Intonation. This is something I usually forget while playing. To help with intonation I can try to listen to the whole band as opposed to just the French Horns, and try to blend, Also i think it would be more important to tune with the French Horn section, and have all of us pay more attention to each others intonation.
I think I most contributed to the performance with my accuracy in rhythm. Specifically in Midnight Sleigh ride the syncopated rhythms and variation of rests really threw me off in the beginning; however, I worked on this and hit every not in the right place during the concert. I was also able to contribute in the Nutcracker. Personally a lot of the off beats and intros in movements like Chinese Dance and Dance of the Flutes were an area where I felt confident. Also, in the march and Dance of the Flutes, I felt as though I accurately played the iconic rhythms.
ReplyDeleteI think my area of most growth for the next concert would be improving my tone quality, especially on the middle and high notes. Some ways to do this would be to work with my teacher on breathing techniques that would give me the amount of air I need to create a good note. Also with my teacher I could record myself to see what kind of technique and what spots or kinds of notes give me the most trouble. Another way would be to listen to professional clarinet players and compare my tone to theirs. Making sure my clarinet is in good working order would also increase the quality of my notes.
The clarinets sounded like they had a lot of tricky rhythms and it sounded like you nailed it!
DeleteI think I most contributed to the performance with my musicianship and tone. In Nutcracker Sweet I tried my best to crescendo especially in Dance of the Flutes and March. Before the concert, and every rehearsal I used a special warmup where I remove the main tubing slide. When I form a G it resonates even more when I am in the center of the note. So then, I was able to bring the center of every note/ a good tone for each song because I was properly warmed up. Finally, I felt that in Salvation is Created I could really be the dynamics. When it was piano I could feel the quietness in my body and then the build up to the dramatic ending with a fortissimo. And last but not least, ending with the song fading away.
ReplyDeleteFor next concert I would like to work on my ability to read and understand rhythms. I think this would be important so I can work on musicianship even sooner. One way I can get better is write in all of the tricky rhythms and clap them until I get it. Also, I can look up the recording at home to get the rhythm in my ear. Finally, I could do some extra rhythm practice from sight-reading many different types of music.
I feel that my tone throughout the concert was consistent. During the Winter Holiday I feel like my tone throughout the piece was good and added to the whole sound as a little part of the whole band. Also during Midnight Sleigh-ride, I really focused on a good tone during the muted parts of the song and made sure that the blend of the sound was good. Lastly, I did well with tone throughout the concert to get a good tone in Salvation is Created the blend well with the trumpet section and the band.
ReplyDeleteI would say that I need to work on technique more as a trumpet player. I will work on harder and faster rhythms to work on my technique. I need to work on those faster rhythms because during the Russian Dance part of the Nutcracker the fast rhythms were hard to play. I would really focus on slowing down the fast parts and getting the fingerings down to get the patterns down and slowly increase the speed of the phrase. Also in Midnight Sleighride, there were difficult rhythms but once I slowed them down, and increased the speed slowly and I eventually got those phrases down.
It's good to know that one of the trumpets actually sounded good for once *sarcasm*
DeleteBut actually one player with good tone can make a huge difference for a section and the band as a whole. Good work.
I think I most contributed to our concert by musicianship. I feel I demonstrated this best during Nutcracker Suite by constantly looking up to make sure I didn't get lose and bringing out areas that were meant to be heard. I also made sure I got all the accidentals and naturals correct because if I didn't, well that would sound pretty bad! I also feel I demonstrated this during Salvation is Created by putting a ton of emotion into the song and just doing the best I could. I also would like to comment on the French Horn solo during Salvation is created. It was absolutely incredible. When I heard it, I almost started crying because the tone and emotion put into it was absolutely incredible. MAJOR props to Alexander.
ReplyDeleteFor the next concert something that I feel I need to work on is tone. I am going to accomplish this by working on long tones and making sure I have enough air for each note/phrase. Without good tone, I am not only hurting the band, but the piece as a whole. I am not doing the composer justice and I am causing all of his hard work to be in vein. Another area that I need to work on is my low notes. I am currently putting my instrument in the shop at Schmitt music because there are multiple leaks which causes poor sound quality and a very airy tone to all of my low notes. I had my private lesson teacher try them as well and she could hardly get a sound to come out.
Overall, I think this concert was a success and I am looking forward to the future of our ensemble and I'm excited to see what's in store.
Long tone exercises are a great Idea! I have struggled with my tone also and still am working on improving it. I often do a long tone warm up before practicing and have found it to help with my tone. I usually use mid range notes, starting soft, building, and then getting soft again until I run out of breath.
DeleteI agree, the concert was a complete success. I think it's awesome that you made note of the fact that you looked up constantly to see if you were following the director. That is a frequently forgotten yet important factor in music!
DeleteI feel I most contributed to our performance through my technique. I thoroughly practiced all of my parts and worked on the fast lines so that I could play them proficiently. In Waltz of the Flowers I executed the quintuplet note ornamentations well. Similarly, I practiced my fast moving 16th note part on Russian dance and played it almost perfectly in the concert. In Midnight Sleighride, a challenge I had early on was precisely playing the many different articulations. In the concert though, my practice paid off and I feel I did a good job.
ReplyDeleteThe area I need the most improvement on is intonation. To achieve this by next concert I will chromatically play all of my notes with a tuner and chart out how sharp or flat each note is. This will help me to recognize which notes I need to focus on and bend while playing a song. I will also practice with a tuner on my stand so that I can see if If I am in tune while playing. This will also eventually help me to hear what being in tune on these notes sounds like. Finally, I will practice singing intervals and notes so that I can better hear the notes I am going to play before I play them. Overtime this will also help me to be more in tune.
I believe that my biggest contributions to this concert were having consistent tone and musicianship. I spent most of my practice time on Nutcracker and Salvation is Created. I worked on taking in good breaths and creating the best sound for Salvation. Although Nutcracker wasn't my strongest piece, I worked on technique and practicing note progressions and paying attention to articulations in the piece.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I believe that this was a successful concert in terms of individual and full band performance. An area of improvement for myself is technique. I will continue to practice scales and perfecting them. I will also continue to work on playing complicated rhythms while still focusing on good tone.
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ReplyDeleteI believe that my most significant contribution to this concert was my tone, however as an ensemble as a whole, I believe that technicality was most significant. I spent a lot of time trying to get a solid tone in the calmer pieces, such as Salvation is Created, as well as the more upbeat and challenging pieces such as Nutcracker. Especially with Nutcracker, working on getting a solid tone whether the note is a whole note or an 8th note. In terms of Technicality, The Nutcracker forced everyone to improve their technique, especially the Clarinets.
ReplyDeleteThe area I most need to improve on is still Technicality. Even after Nutcraker, some runs of 8th and 16th notes still catch me off guard. I will spend more time on these, making sure they are accurate by practicing them slowly and building up to the designated tempo instead of just going at the notes and rhythems. I will also practice my scales, using the fussel book with section 8 so when I have a key signature down I can play it in a different way and work on that. Overall I believe this will help me to improve my technicality before the next concert.
Great examples! I know exactly what you're talking about. I recall the clarinets having really difficult parts so nice job with those! :)
DeleteThe clarinets had a really solid tone. Through technicality, as a section you sounded like one instrument. Great job!
DeleteIn our concert, I think my most significant contribution was the rhythm. I think the ensemble did a pretty nice job with rhythms, despite the many complicated parts for different sections! I think I did a nice job on the rhythms in the Nutcracker, they got a bit complicated at times so I was proud of myself for improving and playing them well with time. I also think I did a very nice job with the rhythms in Winter Holiday. There were a few parts where the rhythms weren't as recognizable as the melody, which made them trickier to play. However, as I played them more and more they came out in sync with the other parts, making the song sound prettier and more together. I also noticed this in the calmer, Salvation is Created.
ReplyDeleteI think I definitely need to improve my intonation. I know the French Horns are generally sharp, so it has been a challenge to keep it in tune in a variety of different pieces. I've searched around and have come up with a plan on how to improve my intonation. First, I will make more use of my tuner/metronome app on my phone (It's actually pretty amazing for being a free app). Second, I will practice with my lesson teacher different ways to tune it and practice those! Lastly, I think I could listen to our music on Smartmusic more and practice the songs with it. I haven't used it enough for concert pieces in the past so I think it would be a very beneficial tool for me to hear what my part sounds like exactly.
In our concert I believe my most significant contribution was my focus on rhythm. When playing the bass clarinet, you always need to have a good sense for the tempo of the piece and how the rhythm ties into it. In Nutcracker, the bass clarinet has parts that are rhythmically challenging, which makes the piece more interesting and requires special attention to the other lower instruments and the overall flow of the music. In Salvation Is Created, it is harder to keep the rhythms steady because the piece is much slower and quieter. By listening to the Smartmusic, I was able to follow along with the recording and see how slow or quiet the rhythms really are, which led to my being able to interpret the music more accurately. In Winter Holiday, I think what I contributed was a steady base rhythm that gave the piece great depth. When all the bass clarinets, tubas and euphoniums play at once, a really awesome strong sound is made that creates a strong foundation.
ReplyDeleteI think the important skills for me to work on are playing more challenging music, mastering the technical skills, and appreciating the artistic elements of the various pieces. Focusing on these elements will allow me to improve as a musician, which in turn will help the band to improve as well.
I will continue to play the music alongside the Smartmusic recordings, which I believe will give me a better sense of the types of rhythms, and lead to faster improvement.
Finally, I feel I could improve my rhythm if the lower instruments practiced even just a couple times separate from the rest of the band.
As a low instrument, you really get your voice out while managing to balance tone really well! My section tends to play the beat opposing yours which often makes it difficult for both parts, but you do a really good job at staying at attention and don't often falter.
DeleteFor the winter concert I believe that the flute section as a whole did a very good job on their technicality. The Nutcracker was a very challenging piece in many ways. The changing key signature made it more difficult to get runs and pick up notes. I practiced the scales and contributed by being able to get the runs down. I also broke up the piece into small sections until I was able to put it together and play it all at once without a mistake. Another part of technicality is rhythm and I believe that with working on rhythms with my flute teacher I could play the different rhythms in each piece better than I would've had I not worked on it. In the future I will work on my scales so that I can get the key signature memorized more efficiently and be able to work on musicality more than trying to get the right notes. I will also work on my rhythms and breaking up a run or difficult part in a piece. Once I've accomplished that I will work on my musicality and dynamics.
ReplyDeleteThe area I feel like I most contributed in for the winter concert was rhythm. The trombone section had a lot of challenging rhythms throughout this concert, especially in the Nutcracker Suite. We really nailed them though, particularly in the Russian Dance and Waltz of the Flowers. A lot of our rhythms were completely different than the rest of the band, so we had to be very careful and precise about when we played. In Midnight Sleighride we also had some really odd counting for rests and rhythms, but the trombone section stayed together perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThe area I would like to improve upon is my musicianship, particularly in phrasing and unwritten dynamics. The main way I plan to do this is by taking my music and breaking it up as many phrases in different ways in order to improve my judgement on where and where not to breathe. The same goes for unwritten dynamics, just by toying around with different pieces and figuring out which sounds best in order to improve my judgement on when and how to include them throughout pieces I play. I can also improve both by listening to professional bands and orchestras and hearing how they form their phrases and include unwritten dynamics.
Annika Smith-Ortiz
ReplyDeleteThe area in which I believe that I contributed the most to in the concert was general musicality. Being a low instrument, the music tends to be lower and less active. Often working as a backdrop for other instruments we have to be very musical and in tune in order to fully contribute. In salvation and Midnight our parts were very different, but we had to give it all much of a very different voice in order to achieve the different layers of participation.
The area I would love to improve upon is simply the precision of notes in the faster paced parts of the music, although I eventually get the parts down, I think it is important for me to grow on this and then be able to jump right in whenever necessary.
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