Wednesday, April 06, 2005

Awfully tired

Today was a tiring day. I started the day already feeling quite tired. It was probably because I slept pretty late last night. I remembered it was close to 1 a.m. when I landed on my bed to rest.

It was Wednesday, and it was the day when I would facilitate a group programme for several children. Somehow, I felt a little drained today.

Anyway, I took time-off from work this afternoon so that I could be early to prepare for my lesson with my double bass tutor. There was a heavy rain when I was on my way to the venue for the leson. It was such an inconvenience to travel about in a heavy rain.

Lesson was great. My tutor prompted me to do play some exercises from F. Simandl's New Method for the Double Bass. Later, we worked on the Marcello's Sonata in G minor. I wish I could one day develop the kind of musicality that my tutor possesses. Somehow, I feel inept that I seemed to lack in a natural sense of musicality and a good inherent sense of rhythm. The best thing I could do is to make up for my lacking in these through diligent practise.

At the end of the lesson, I asked my tutor about his teaching at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. In the conversation, I was told that most of the double bassists at the Conservatory have been playing technically challenging double bass concertos even before they had entered the Conservatory. A feeling of inadequacy seems to lurk unconsciously in me. I have still quite a way to go to reach the level of those conservatory students, it seemed. Hopefully, good consistent practice with time would help me get somewhere close.

The lesson was overall filled with lots of learnings. I learnt some ideas about how to play the sonata better. My tutor also gave some good suggestions about the fingerings that I could use for this sonata. Now, to consolidate those learnings and bring them to a greater height, I would need to continue to practise. I am contemplating the thought of asking for a piano accompanist to play this sonata with me, for sheer fun of playing this sonata, when I am more ready. Wonder who would be free and keen to be the piano accompanist?

Anyway, I am feeling tired and hope to rest for the day. Please forgive me if I had seem to write in an uninteresting tone. I might have temporarily lost interest in all things due to sheer tiredness.

7 comments:

Jammie J. said...

All INFJs seem to be tired this last month. Something in the atmosphere? They said venus is retrograde until 4/12 ... maybe that's it?

Waterfall said...

Sorry you've been so tired. I hope everything is OK ... you've seemed a little down in your posts lately.

I loved reading about your double-bass lesson! It's so good to have people that we can work with, who can help us to improve.

If I lived in Singapore, I'd be your pianist. Oh well. Good luck finding one!

oceanskies79 said...

Hi Jeanette, I never know that Venus' retrograde could affect INFJ. If it's the case, I hope things will improve after 12 April.

Hi Waterfall,thanks for your well-wishes. You take care too.

mistipurple said...

dear ocean, here's a pat and a hug.. hope you will get out of the doldrums soon. if i could play the piano better, i would love to accompany you. i haven't been playing classical pieces for a long time, so sight reading is out of the question and practising would take ages to get it in time. wish there were "minus one" tapes for this sonata, so you could have your pianist at your beck and call! ;p

oceanskies79 said...

Hi Mistipurple, thank you for caring, and for your pat and hug.

Emy said...

hohoho...

if you dont mind a not so professional pianist, i can TRY accompanying you...

reading the YST part, im jus so super freakd out... because the cheemest concerto i've ever attmpeted to play PROPERLY was the cimador. and thats in no way... technically demanding... anyway, at the concert, i realised most of their postures are not sehr gut u know...

oceanskies79 said...

Hi Emily, thank you for your kind and generous offer. I beg for your patience and please give me some time to work on the Marcello's Sonata till we work together on it.

Gosh, I think I need to work on the intonation. People who are perfect pitch will hear those flaws so easily.