Self Talk and Modeling

Answers to page 94 from a Balanced Musician
1. I have actually started using self-talk in other aspects of my life recently. I tend to think the worse and stress myself out. Recently I didn't prep as well for a test as I should have, although most of the material was review. I went into it saying, "You know the material. You have done this before. You have studied. You can do this. You went to class, and you have paid attention. You can do this." I literally muttered it to myself as I walked across campus to my test. I actually did really well and got an A, which I don't normally get. I think I'm going to try and do this more. It helps relax me and helps me realize I should trust myself.
I get stressed and disappointed in myself a lot. I am probably my hardest critic. I always say I should have studied more, I shouldn't have watched this show, I should be practicing more. I normally get pretty down on myself when practicing. I yell a swear word and I just try and get better. But, I try to let it go and do better the next time. I also get disappointed in my other studies. I always have so much going on most of the time I don't do well is I didn't have enough time to put into the assignment. That is so frustrating to me. I don't know where all the time goes.

2. Modeling, which is having someone demonstrate how to sound or play a certain part, is a huge part of playing the trumpet. Once you get to advanced levels, it is not so much "Do this with your lips," or, "Do this with your air." It is, "Hear how I am playing and try and sound like me." Trying to worry about what is happening in your mouth, with your body, or with your lungs distracts from being musical. Focusing on listening to how someone plays it and just trying to imitate it is so important. My old professor used to say, "How did I do that? I don't know! But, I heard it and my body found a way to make it happen." I feel like that's totally true. You try and play with more of a bounce. Well you could tell them to literally stop the air between notes or you let the player feel it. Playing the trumpet is all about your ear. Hearing how you want to sound and then trying to put it into your playing. If I am not getting a style most of the time my professor can play it once and I pick up on how to do it. Because I pay close attention to the sound and try and fit my sound into that. I'll say this once again.
Playing the trumpet is all about hearing what you want to sound like.
Learn that lesson and you will go far.

Handling the Stress of Performance and Overcoming it

1. pg. 47 I think it depends on the situation. In group situation normally a live performance will excite me and I’ll thrive most likely. After doing those relaxation exercises in class I feel like it some form of breathing and doing those tension and release exercises could be helpful. I might start to do small forms of that before performances.

Pg55 1. I think when a piece of music ‘speaks’ it sounds like more than notes. It sounds like a story. It creates an images. It creates a feeling. It is as if the audience can understand what you are trying to say through your music. I think the things I mentioned are how the audience feels or is moved during a performance. It makes then thoughtful, happy, sad, and so many other emotions.

Pg 55 2. If I feel well practiced or rehearsed I definitely have an easy and mostly operate out of my right brain. I don’t think I ever completely play without judging myself. I think you make a mistake and you think, “Dang, I should have hit that.” The thing is I know that to succeed I have to let that roll off my shoulders. I can’t let it ruin the next phrase or the whole pieces. I know I will always make minor mistakes, but that is life. It is really hard to be perfect. Even though I am a perfectionist I have learned that this attitude is good for practice, but not rehearsal or performance. I practice going through large sections of my piece and continuing every time I make a mistake so that I get comfortable with continuing after mistakes.

I watched a TED talk by Dan Pink on motivation. http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation?language=en

2. This was a really interesting talk. It seems as though rewards for work does not actually benefit. We have to want to make ourselves better. Trying to give incentives doesn’t always work and won’t work for musicians because it is all cognitive. We have to want to get better, we have to find something that inspires us. So maybe if your professor is making you play this piece you really don’t like, of course you need to work on it, but maybe working on something else that you like as well can help you grow in your technique and sound too. This is my translation of how Dan explained the 20% thing where you get to do what you want for 20% of your time. This way you have something that is making you happy as well as being productive.  Also it tells me that it’s not always how many hours you put in, but what you put in to those hours. There are some companies where they give you complete flexibility and people get their jobs done in less time or on their own time and are much happier. So saying everyone should practice this much everyday is necessarily true.

I’m not really sure what you mean by referring to terms he used in the talk to my practice session. My practices are kind of disorganized. I tend to start working on something and then I remember I need to email so and so or I text a friend, I scroll on Facebook, and then I practice for a little bit and then I do that again. So I guess I don’t really have effective practices. Sometimes I get candle problem and I can’t get over certain little passages in the music and all I can focus is on it. I don’t see the big picture.

3. I just read this assignment this morning so I haven’t had a chance to create a practice log, but I think I’ll try and blog it every day.

So here is the outline

a.       What sections did you spend the most time on?

b.      Were there any sections of the piece that were left out of your practice?

c.       Did you use variety in your practice, or did you use the same strategies every day?

d.      Did you start at different parts of the piece every day, or did you always start at the beginning, the end, or a specific section?

e.       Was each activity purposeful, and did you accomplish the task that you set out to do?

f.       What strategy was most effective?

g.      Did you use efficient time management?

My plan for the next week is to practice more! I have been finding it hard to find time. I will try and practice twice on the weekends and 2 to 3 times during the week. My goal is to finish learning the third and fourth pages of my solo. I also really want to spend some time working on my lip flexibility as it has gotten worse over the summer.

Reviewing the Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto

1. My recording of my ICP analysis

The beginning really had the Middle Eastern, Arabian sort of flair and expression. He makes it sound smooth yet powerful. The second section where the speed increases he has such facility with the speed of notes. The piece then moves into a slower lyrical section. When I listen to this section I think of love and how it sounds lovely yet sad and I think love can be like that often. This part he makes much more soft and romantic. It sounds so beautiful with the full orchestra.

The tempo resumes, with a recapitulation of the first fast tempo section.

I think when I will work on this piece the speed and many of the double tonguing passages will be challenging. Making sure you can hear every note on the page is key. I also want to work on using that larger vibrato. I think it would be fun and in this case would match the style.

The music for me has all sorts of emotions. I think there are points it does aggressive with power, then a energetic celebratory feeling, and also a romantic feeling. The romantic side is sweet sounding and sometimes a little sad as it sounds like its in minor, yet it still sounds beautiful.

A statement I would use to describe this piece would be, “The music captures the emotion of an Arabian city: the people, the majestic power, the excitement, the love around the city, and the danger of a large city.”

2.  Youtube Assigment

Timofei Dokschitzer with the Orchestra of USSR Bolshoi Theatre: http://youtu.be/B3ytWq8d3ds

Large variations in style and articulation. Dokschitzer took more liberties in the opening and the slower sections. He also used a much larger vibrato. It sounds really awesome and seems to fit the Arabian sort of style I am hearing. He will vary from smooth tonguing to what I would call harsh tonguing a lot. Very aggressive in the fast sections.

Andre Henry with the Tokyo Ondei Wind Ensemble: http://youtu.be/-TFIk-7CeUs

The fast sections are quite fast. I actually think this rendition sounds quite similar to Dokshcitzer. The vibrato is much smaller and Henry uses less liberty with tempo. Of course Henry's sound is gorgeious. I also notice less dynamic difference. The muted section is almost too quiet. I can barely hear him. I think people often forget than the mute is mostly for the effect. You must still project especially if you are the soloist.

John Parker with UNC Symphony Orchestra: http://youtu.be/B75BPO8t7CQ

I really love way John Parker does the opening section.  He just makes all the variations in speed of the passages sounds seamless and so connected. I like the style of tonguing in his rendition. It is not as harsh as Dokschitzer but more smooth and connected. I like how he performed too he looks pretty natural on stage. He nails all the centers of the pitches so you just get beautiful sound. Parker does make more errors in his performance than the previous performances discussed, but he seems to move on well. Parker used a cup mute instead of a straight mute in one of the lyrical sections. I enjoy the projection of sound of the slow, muted section much better. I don’t know if it’s better recording or just the soloist, but the muted section is more easily heard.

I feel that looking at myself as a performer I am not as talented technically. Right now I am trying to get my chops “back in shape” so my flexibility is poor right now. From what I have played, I play the opening with a little more drama and gusto. I think I play the beginning with a little more aggression. I think I still like that. I would like to obtain the smooth quality in other passages. I also really want to work on my artistry like they have. I would like to gain the easy and control of Parker's take on the opening and how he handled the muted section. I would like to work on a vibrato like Dokshitzer and the more smooth like quality in the fast sections like Henry.

3. Imagining the Performance from “The Performer Prepares: by Robert Caldwell.
My analysis of many of the sections. 

 

Musician

I want to be a scholarly type of musician. I would like to make people feel something

Performer

I would like to evoke passion and emotions in my performance. I like all different styles I like the authoritative and aggressive edge but I also like the soft, smooth, and emotive sections.

Peforming in general

I'd like to look professional, collected, yet with ease

This particular performance

I want to pass my jury! I would like to feel performed well learning these new pieces. I just want to feel accomplished. Also it will occur in the spring semester

Parts of the Performance

warming up: I will probably do what I always do. My mouthpiece exercises, Stamp, and some Chicowitz.

Walking out: with confidence

Greeting the audience: I think for my first piece I will not greet my audience. I may greet my audience after my first piece. I will walk off the stage each time

Preparing to play: I will take a clearing breath. I will also tune the first time I use each instrument

Playing: I'm still trying to figure out all the pieces. I will be doing the Arutiunian piece but I also want to do The Storyteller which collaborates with a violinist, piano, and off stage trumpet. We talked about doing an Aria with trumpet combination, but I would need to work with a vocalist and I don't know that many. The order I think I will work out as I begin to learn them.

leaving the stage: normal. Smile bow along with my accompaniest. And walk off while smiling

Intermission I will probably relax, joke, drink some water, and do some buzzing or low note long tones.