Topic: Spring 2004, Music Seminar I (Read 2003 times)

Sketchee · on: March 12, 2004, 10:14:24 PM

Whoo! My recital today went well at Bowie State University. The piece was Sonative Movements II & III by Maurice Ravel from memory. Okay so I rushed the third movemend and missed some notes and some of the effects and dynamics I practiced but I'm happy I didn't lose my place and played confidently by the end. Yes, I was very nervous. My leg was shaking out of nerves so violently during the second movement I could barely hold down the pedal! Still that movement came out without any real flaws and most of the dynamics were just like in practice unlike some of the third movement. The only part I was really mad about messing up was in the third movement, there's part where the melody plays and then the 16th notes switch into triplets, then the right hand passes under the left into the bass and does an echo of the melody. I'm pretty sure I messed up that echo everytime. Just wish I had gotten that part because I think it's the most beautiful segment and I had practiced it so many times! I usually had taken advantage of the ritard ending the segment just before that to play this part a little slower, but I did the ritard in the performance and then when I went a tempo it was a little faster than I wanted which is what screwed me up.

Other than those little self-critiques, I thought it went well. My professor reminded me to continue to prepare for the next seminar on April 23rd where I'll be playing Liszt's <i>Un Sospiro</i>. I already feel pretty prepared for it but there's musical things on that piece I need to get down to the point where some of the nervous errors of today won't happen with that piece.

Enough about me, though. There was such a large audience today. At least more than I've seen in a while. There were many people without seats but it's carpeted in the recital hall so many made themselves comfortable on the floor. There were a suprising number of familiar faces. I didn't realize I'd met so many people in school. It was pretty much everyone from my art and music classes. My pal Reggie was there but he didn't sing. Maybe he will in April, I forgot to ask. He is so hot! Tall dark and handsome. I haven't talked to him all semester. He might be avoiding me but I don't know why he would be; just being paranoid! I'm also suprised that I know everyone's names who I ran into since usually I'm bad with names. My fellow art majors were there: Vicki, Esther and her husband Claude, that lady from my museum class who's name just slipt my mind, I think a few more I can't remember now. So many that its overwhelming.

Levar Betts did accompaniments for the recital as he is the official guy for this now. I don't know how he manages to get so many pieces down for this and he told me that he's also told me he's auditioning for Peabody which sounds pretty exciting. He played the accompaniments today pretty much perfectly. There were some pretty interesting pieces he played with too: Malcolm Gross (Trumpet) played Henry Purcell's famous Rondeau from Abdelzer, a flutist played an Istvan piece whoever that is

, Damon Gray (voice/bass) sang a spiritual hymn, as did Michael Moses (Tenor) who I'd never heard before but he had a very beautiful voice, Adolph Wright, Jr (Trumpet) played a piece by Jean Baptiste Senaille which Levar and Adolph executed superbly, and last of the accompaniments in this long sentence was Kourney Sullivan (Soprano) who sang beautiful as always. Of those performers I had only not heard the flutist and tenor before.

Oh but the program continues. Solo pianist Evera Dargan played the Andante segment of Mozarts Sonata in C. I talked to her before the recital and she hopes to have the whole sonata eventually. My friend Melissa and I played an arrangement of this for clarinet and piano before in high school. Caldwell McMillan did an excellent performance of James Scott's Honeymoon Rag. I just met him the other day and was sitting next to him during the recital; nice fellow. The performer I hadn't mentioned played a piece by someone I was suprised. Stephen Steward played a piece for Xylophone by 20th century composer Shostakovich. I was just talking about Shostakovich to my friend Abdul yesterday. He's a composer who I think is excellent to listen to but I don't think I'd play it.

That was followed by the BSU "BrassWorks" Brass Ensemble led by Mr Gilbert Pryor (Trumpet). They played that famous piece Farandole from L'Arlesienne by Bizet and a rag piece arranged by Caldwell McMillan who I mentioned before. Of the six players I only know personally Marcus Bernett, Mr Pryor and Mr Howard. They did a pretty good job as well.

Anyway I'm still high off it all! That was a great recital and they had a really exciting program. Every piece was so well selected. I'm going to be looking for recordings of most if not all of these pieces. It's a shame I didn't even think to bring my minidisc player to record it

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