Hard Work, Stress, and Muscle Relevant Gel

https://ica.smugmug.com/Camp/Music-2018/Intermediate-Music-2018/2018-Intermediate-Concert-Orchestra/i-HSqshXj

To be told that my pain is not validated that my hurt is fake because, I don't try hard enough. That I don't do anything, because I'm a musician, and that's what musicians do. Musicians also practice 4 hours a day, wake up at 5 am, and get arthritis when they are 12 years old, because being a musician isn't just a hobby, it's a full-time job. It takes up your whole life. We go to practices like an athlete does, we go to concerts like an athlete goes to games, and we train like an athlete does, but yet, we are not treated as one. We are treated as though we are weak, lazy, as if our hard work doesn’t amount to anything. Because although we work and practice the same or even more than athletes, there is still a large bias against committed musicians. I asked Lizbeth Carreno and Shin Young Kwon, violinists from the Oregon Symphony, and they said that many people don’t believe that being a full-time musician is an actual job. They also think that every time you pick up your instrument, you feel immense happiness. While it is very rewarding in the end, to get there you have to go through a lot. Practice long hours, sometimes on a single measure. You will get hurt a lot; your fingers usually are riddled with calluses and turn black from the combination of the fingerboard and sweat. There is also the daunting fear that something will happen to your wrist or fingers that could end your career. As for me, I am also a committed violinist. I attended Interlochen, an intense arts academy in Michigan this past summer, and I plan to apply to high school there. During last season, as I was preparing for the many auditions it took, I started to feel tingling in my fingers which then spread to my wrist and eventually to my whole arm, which was from the long hours and stress of the upcoming auditions and competitions.

https://ica.smugmug.com/Camp/Music-2018/Intermediate-Music-2018/2018-Intermediate-Concert-Orchestra/i-gS2Gk6N

I was not able to play as long, or as much as I would’ve liked, and every morning and night I slathered my arm with muscle relevant gel, in hopes that it would slow the process that might one day prevent me from pursuing something that I love. During that time of uncertainty, I felt like I didn’t have anyone but my teacher, Shin Young Kwon, who understood. I was scared, and my parents pushed and pushed me to keep practicing, even if I was hurting. My teachers didn’t care, or in some cases pushed me even harder, in classes like PE, I was constantly being compared to my brothers, who are division 1 tennis players. I feel as though if my peers and people close to me hadn’t of labeled me, and supported me more, I would have gotten through this time more successfully, and come out as a better violinist and overall person.

Colors of Music

Playing the piano isn’t just about how fast your fingers move, or how you can line up the notes to match the marching beat of a metronome. It’s not just about how long you’ve been playing, how many competitions you’ve won, or how much music theory you know. Sure, that’s important too. But what’s really important is the stories you tell as your fingers hit the keys. The emotions that cannot be portrayed in words or ink. The soaring harmonies from the first note to the last, all captured in one breath of song that seems to last an eternity and yet a second.

I’ve been playing piano for 8 years. Not that it counts, of course, but I am very familiar with the instrument. I started when I was just five, and I plan to keep music a part of my life until I grow old. Piano has its ups and its downs. Since it is one of my passions, it requires a substantial amount of my time. Every day, I must practice at least an hour of piano. This can be tight to fit in a schedule of homework, sports, and other extracurricular activities. But it is worth it. Even when it seems like you want to quit, if you really want music as a part of your life, you must persist.

Everybody has their different ideas of being “good” at a musical instrument. It could be judged it on how long someone has played, how many competitions they’ve won, and many other aspects of being a musician. I think a good pianist is able to transport the audience into a story, whether it be one full of joy and bright colors or one of painful loss and sadness.

a splatter painted horse that I did

a splatter painted horse that I did

Art is a lot like piano. Sometimes music is even considered an art. Art has so many different pathways to take, and each has its own techniques and challenges. All kinds of art are enjoyable, but painting with watercolor is one of my favorites. The way the colors mix together and run off the page can be difficult to handle, but can also be used to your advantage. When painting, there are no mistakes. There is no going back. If I feel like I have made a mistake, I form it into something else. We learn from our mistakes, and they give us experience in what we aim for. From my errors, I have learned many different methods of watercolor. One of my favorite techniques is splatter painting. Splatter painting is when you have paint on your brush and you knock the brush against another hard object, such as a pencil. The paint splatters onto the paper and creates many dots. This is great for capturing the speckled foliage of a tree. It is also excellent for any type of abstract art.

Piano and watercolor painting bring challenges and creativity to my life. Sometimes they can be frustrating, but mostly I am left feeling satisfied. Playing a musical instrument or creating art doesn’t just benefit you, but also all of your community that listens and sees your work. Music and art can comfort people in a way no words can. As the saying goes, the Earth without “art” would just be “eh”!

Sources:

Music Image
Earth w/o Art Image

Baroque Music Compared To Modern Day

I have been playing music for most of my life. I started playing classical piano when I was five and then switched interests into jazz piano when I was around ten years old. My interests switched yet again about a year later when I decided to start playing the trumpet. I wanted to stick generally to jazz with the trumpet, but my teacher is pushing me towards playing and trying more classical songs to improve my tone with the long, held out notes.




Even though I have been playing music for most of my life, I have been blind to the extremely strong connections between the music I played and music from the Baroque time period. While I was playing piano, I played mostly Bach and Beethoven. Now that I'm playing trumpet baroque is not as easily noticed in jazz, yet it is nearly always there if you look hard enough.

Talking book album- Stevie Wonder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Stevie Wonder album

In this whole album would you ever think there would be a style of music from the 1700 based in it? Even though these songs sound modern, jazzy, and new they are all mostly based off of baroque music chords, sounds, and meter.

Music: Revolutions

Baroque music

Ever wonder how music has changed over the years and how its effected our society. Baroque music is a style of music composed from approximately 1600 to 1750. This era followed the Renaissance, and was followed in turn by the Classical era. The word "baroque" comes from the Portuguese word barroco, meaning deformed pearl. In the Baroque Era the most famous composers were Vivaldi, Beethoven, Bach, Handel. Their music is still quite famous. Their pieces were mostly classical. Music evolved and in the American Revolution the National Anthem was invented and composed by a man named Francis Scott Key in 1814.

Music has always been a passion of mine, I've been playing the violin since I was 5 and I took up piano during for a little bit then quit, and recently I started the viola. But what I love the most is music (what plays on the radio). I still remember my first favorite song, Taylor Swift you belong with me. Music would surround me in the car 107.5, 100.3, 95.5, and hits 1 and at home, my sister used to play the piano and would play it a lot and I would practice my violin a lot. My favorite songs used to be the most popular songs now its songs that I find while searching my favorite artists (The Weekend, J. Cole, Chris Brown, Kalin & Myles and Jeremih).

Music has brought people together for centuries and hopefully centuries more.

http://www.essential-humanities.net/western-art/music/baroque/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baroque_music
http://historyomtssg.blogspot.com/2011/01/1600-1610-opera-opens.html
    http://realbraveaudio.com/rentals/

The Feelings of Music

Music, what a wonderful thing. It can sooth us, it can calm us, it can bring us together, but most of all it shows who we are. If you were to listen to two different pieces of music and then see how you feel after you listen to them depending on the type of music it is do you think you would feel like how the music sounds? Click on these two pieces of music then see how you feel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiFJfjHosJ4                                                                                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ptfyhBjXj8
If music can make you feel that way imagine all the feelings and emotions there are for all the different types of music. Exactly how many emotions are there that come from music?

Links Used:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiFJfjHosJ4                                                                                     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ptfyhBjXj8
 https://www.google.com/search?  q=music&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ECLcVOCpNsW4oQSdiYKIBQ&ved=  0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=799

Music

Music is a large part of my life, outside and inside of school. I play drums and piano, and I have been in bands for both. Every week, I have a 30 minute piano lesson on Mondays, a 45 minute drum lesson on Tuesdays, and a three hour band practice on Wednesdays. Playing music takes a lot of dedication if you want to get good at them.

Music To My Ears

I have been playing piano since I was in second grade. It has always been an important part of my life. Whenever I need a distraction, or something to wrap my mind around, I start practicing or listening to some kind of music. Sometimes, I like to improvise, which means making it up on your own. 

Fiery Piano Performance

Listening to music is also an important part of my life. I love a good dub-step beat or a catchy pop song. That always makes me happy and helps me focus on whats important in life. Stress relieving! Sometimes I just like to fiddle around on Garageband and make up a jingle. Music also helps me make connections. If I hear a sound that coincides with a word or phrase I tend to remember it better. This is called musical learning.

My piano teacher, Alena, lives just a few minutes from Catlin. When I walk in and take my shoes off, I'm excited to get to work on my pieces and maybe start a new one. Playing keeps me motivated to keep moving.

On top of lessons once a week, and practice at least 4-5 times a week, I am competing in Science Olympiad and playing basketball for Catlin. It may seem like I am overworking myself, or ignoring school work, but I actually manage fine. This is because I believe that if I do a little of everything, but keep focused on my main goals, I'll do fine. I may have basketball practice one night, but then I'll work on homework and if I have time I'll also practice piano.

Sometimes, performing can be difficult. I have performance classes every month or so, which let me practice in front of others. It can be hard to play fluidly, sometimes I start over thinking what I'm doing, like when I perform in drama class. We all have our "pet peeves". 

Ludwig Van Beethoven

I have learned a lot while playing piano. I know the time periods, composers, chords, and things like grace notes and crescendos which add to the richness of the music. But also, music has helped me learn about history too. Since my piano teacher is from Belarus, I have learned a lot about European history and the culture there. I have also learned about the composers themselves, some of whom have had very interesting lives. 

Piano and music relate to Revolutions! which I am studying in school. Music is related to the Industrial Revolution because production of pianos and other instruments became more mechanized, but it is to this day still considered an art. Music and other arts were also parts of other revolutions because people were expressing their thoughts and they feeling of the moment. Many poems and pieces were written by people during the French Revolution and Civil War. These are interesting ways to learn about how people felt at the time.

On the topic of learning, my family is donating our old piano to The Snowman Foundation. This charity accepts money and pianos for families and students. They believe that everyone deserves a chance to play and learn piano.

Though it can challenge me, music is still an escape. It lets me bring back sounds that were written in ink pen on paper hundreds of years ago and play them today.

Image Sources:

http://www.pinktentacle.com/images/burning_piano.jpg
http://moonlight-sonata-sheet-music.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/tumblr_m87zhyVLb81rql8omo1_cover.png-300x300.jpg
http://www.monsterworking.com/wp-content/uploads/music.jpg

Swan Lake

The Revolution of Swan Lake

By Gracie Rosenheim

            Swan Lake is one of the most well known ballets through out the world, and yet very little people know the history about it. In the late 1800s Poytr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed music for many famous ballets, Swan Lake being one of them. The music contained many different tempos and sounds, but the music still flowed beautifully throughout the theatre. Once the music was composed, the ballet was soon choreographed by Julius Reisingner. He choreographed a full four acts, adding up to a total of three hours. Every other act, he went from the castle, then to the lake, and then to the castle again, and finally ending the show at the lake where Odette, the white swan, dies.    

            In the first act, Prince Siegfried is celebrating his birthday with                    
his tutor, friends, and peasant people. Every one at the party is having a wonderful time until the Queen comes to the party, with four ladies in waiting. She gives him a wooden cross bow for a birthday present, and tells Prince Siegfried that he must marry one of the ladies in waiting. The prince doesn't agree with what his mother says, which makes her leave. As she is walking away, she tells him the he must choose a bride before the royal ball the following evening. Once she leaves, the party continues, and the peasants dance along with the waltz couples. Slowly the guests start leaving, until only Prince Siegfried and his friends are with him. They see a flock of swans flying over head, and decide to take the Prince's new cross bow out, and go hunting for the swans.
            When act two begins, the Prince has been separated by his                friends. He finds a clearing by a lake, and decides to stay there. As he is waiting, the flock of swans he saw earlier, lands nearby the lake. He aims his cross bow at one of the swans, but freezes up when it turns into a beautiful lady. At first, the lady is terrified that he will hurt her, but when he says that he won't, she tells him that her name is Odette, and she is the Swan Queen. She explains to him that she and the other swans have been cursed by an evil sorcerer Van Rothbart, to be swans by day, and humans at night. She tells him that the only way the curse can be broken, is if someone who has never loved anyone else before promises to love her forever. As the night passes on, Siegfried soon realizes how powerful love is, and how much he loves Odette. It soon becomes dawn, and Odette and the other ladies turn back into swans.
            In act three, the guests are arriving at the royal ball. The queen has invited six princesses for Prince Siegfried to dance with, and after the last dance, he must choose one of the princesses to be his bride. The Prince dances with each bride, but he had no interest in it, because his heart is still set on Odette. The queen insists for him to choose a bride, but they get distracted when two unknown guests appear at the party dressed in black. The guests turn out to be Von Rothbart who transformed himself into a more dignified looking person, and his daughter Odile who is disguised as Odette. Once the guests from Spain, Italy, Russia, and Hungary dance for the court, Odile tries to trick Siegfried into betraying Odette. A reflection of the real Odette is shown upon the window to warn him to not get tricked by Odile, but Siegfried is so spellbound by Odile, so he declares to the guests that he will marry Odile. Triumphantly, Van Rothbart and Odile show Siegfried his betrayal to Odette. In shock, the Prince runs out of the castle in search of Odette.
             In the last act, Siegfried returns to the lake during a terrible storm created by Van Rothbart. Siegfried searches for Odette through the storm, and finally finds her. He begs for her forgiveness, but although she forgives him, there is nothing that can be done. Odette will remain a swan forever. Odette's heart has been broken, she knows that she will be sad forever, so she decides to die.
             For almost two-hundred years Swan Lake has been performed through out the world. But why is it still so popular? It is such a popular ballet, because it's not like any other love story. Every love story ends with a Prince marrying a Princess, but Swan Lake is one of the only love stories where the love ends up to be forbidden.  Swan Lake shows that even if you can have anything in the world, you can't always have love.    



SITES: 

"Swan Lake." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Feb. 2013. Web. 18 Feb. 2013.
Swan Lake. 16 Feb. 2013. The Oregon Ballet Theatre's Swan Lake program. The Keller Auditorium, Portland, OR.
"Google." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2013.
"Criticaldance Ballet-Dance Magazine: Oregon Ballet Theatre Swan Lake Review."Criticaldance Ballet-Dance Magazine: Oregon Ballet Theatre Swan Lake Review. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2013.