It’s been three weeks since my last lesson and orchestra starts in just two months so we had a lot of material to cover yesterday. David had prepared for me a folder with all but one of the pieces we’ll be playing this fall in orchestra. The final piece is still on order. We talked about each one and he gave me very specific assignments in a couple of the pieces to get me started. Here is the list of what the orchestra will be playing this year:
Concerto grosso by Antonio Vivaldi, Op. 3 Nº 11, edited by Alfred Einstein
Brook Green Suite by Gustav Holst
Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber, Op. 11
An English Suite by C. H. Parry, adapted by Paul Lavender
Over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen, arranged by Merle Issac
##Orchestra David played a little of the Adagio for me and then we talked about the Brook Suite and the Vivaldi. He gave me a very specific measure range in both the Brook Suite and the Vivaldi to work on for next week. When it was my turn to play what I had accomplished in An English Suite he remarked that he was encouraged by my progress. I’ve learned most of the first page entirely on my own. His comment was that even three months ago I wouldn’t have accomplished so much on my own.
##Allegro Moderato I’m playing Allergo Moderato as my recital piece next Monday during the Second Annual Cedar Vista Cello Camp. This is the same piece I play for my orchestra audition. Then I played it unaccompanied, next week David will accompany me with his cello. We played through the piece at a nice pace and it went fairly well. I had no problem with the tempo but I did lose my intonation about 8 measures from the end. We focused on those measures for a few minutes before moving on.
##Bréval Sonata I’m now playing all of the exposition and development sections of the 1st movement. There are one or two places that are still rough, but the piece is coming along nicely. Since I’ve been using the metronome more than ever before this piece sounds nicely coherent even in its unfinished state. While we didn’t come right out and say this will take a back seat to the orchestra work this summer it will certainly be sharing in my attention as I practice.
##Cello Camp Last year David hosted a three-day cello camp that met for 4 hours each day. About 15 cellists signed up and we had a wonderful time. This year is the second annual cello camp and there are 19 cellists attending. He’s invited a wonderful cello professor from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln to join us for the last two days of the camp. The camp will have technique practice and discussion, cello orchestra pieces for a performance on the last day, some time spent with the Lee études, and individual recitals. Each day will also include a live performance of a Bach cello suite – numbers 4, 5, and 6 will be performed. I am very much looking forward to the camp.