Holy Crap!! Insane Lesson with David Cooper!!!!
I wasn't sure what to expect from a guy like him, but he was extremely intense and focused. His EYES are so wide. He's got so much flying around in his head, so much that he's thinking about. He gave me so much information to think about in just 1 hour!!!!!!!! Ahhh!!!
Shosty 5
This was mostly about Posture and where air originates. Air starts from the belly and as you take a breath, your lungs create a vaccuum and air goes into your lips, but it all begins low in the belly. I need to focus on where my power is coming from (low belly). Sit on front of sit bones and hold head up high, not forward at all. Need to chin tuck and hold it back there. This releases my air. Everything sounded much more free and felt a LOT easier. POSTURE!!!!! Raise collarbones, let ribs swing open, air goes in.
Beet 7 Call
First notes- don't chop ends, connect and use AIR accents, not tongue.
Float with this, don't give 150% to every note. relax. Need to practice high to play high
Heldenleben 78-79
save, REALLY save on long notes. (Sound in Motion) Let the air do the work, use the lease amount of muscle for loud playing) AIR!!!! Lips need to curl in a little bit and cushion more as you get higher. This is something very similar to what Liz Freimuth suggested to me. A very needed reminder. I have a lot of slow, high, loud practice in my near future...
***least amount of embouchure effort in LOUD playing. Let the AIR do the work.
Pavane
Stopped, flutter tongue = Magic. Pushes air to front on mouth, allows for a different, softer, more intimate color to emerge. Music! Feelings of remembrance, loss, delicacy, the mood matters.
Beethoven 3 Finale
connect 16th pickups to downbeats!! More connection and flow, not so vertical. Thoo tonguing for fast 16ths, air accents, NOT tongue. Slowly increase speed and think Thoo, very legato. Clean and convincing. Not so harsh on sf 8ths. (Bb horn maybe not F?) Rounded and pretty sounding for auditions. metronome work here.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
2014 Prep
So, it's been a very long time.. like over 2 years. Happy 2014! But I'm back because I feel the need to type all my practicing thoughts out.
I'm currently at DePaul studying with Jim Smelser. Oto Carrillo and Neil Kimel are also professors there.
I'm preparing for an audition for Rice University and very soon a lesson with Bill VerMeulen. I also have the San Antonio Symphony 4th horn audition coming up in a month.
So, I've been practicing and these are things that I'm thinking that I want to remember!
Ravel Piano Concerto:
- practice attacks on G's for consistency (not too quiet so I can decrescendo directly)
- think about the phrasing -- it's not just high notes, it's a melody
- begin growth and crescendo on 2nd quarter note.
- strengthen for the slur on the last quarter note, and then think FAST AIR FLOW through the whole phrase
- Fast Air is soooo key to make it through this smoothly and without falling off notes. If you can get the C, you can definitely get all the other notes.
- It might not work every single day! Practicing it every other day (maybe a few more) will improve consistency.
Heldenleben (opening):
- practice short articulated notes before playing the excerpt. (Singer heavy routine scales) This will improve your overall ability to play the articulated notes clearly. There are a lot of slurs before any fast tonguing is needed, so it's easy to get bogged down and then when you get there sloppily mush through it and miss notes. Make it possible to get them on the first run by doing a tonguing exercise first!
- think strength and power and be confident (and maybe cocky) play through all of the phrases, don't die down -- blow through (especially the slurred 16ths in the first line!!!)
Don Quixote var. VIII:
- HEAR THE OPENING NOTE
- keep air moving through phrases to keep everything smooth and connected
- phrase with the topography of the line. This makes it much more interesting and easy and funnnn!
- blow through the descending passages, even if you think it should decresc. They will come out lumpy and twa-twa'd if you don't!!!
- use metronome to make sure 16th are in the right place and are fast enough!
I'm currently at DePaul studying with Jim Smelser. Oto Carrillo and Neil Kimel are also professors there.
I'm preparing for an audition for Rice University and very soon a lesson with Bill VerMeulen. I also have the San Antonio Symphony 4th horn audition coming up in a month.
So, I've been practicing and these are things that I'm thinking that I want to remember!
Ravel Piano Concerto:
- practice attacks on G's for consistency (not too quiet so I can decrescendo directly)
- think about the phrasing -- it's not just high notes, it's a melody
- begin growth and crescendo on 2nd quarter note.
- strengthen for the slur on the last quarter note, and then think FAST AIR FLOW through the whole phrase
- Fast Air is soooo key to make it through this smoothly and without falling off notes. If you can get the C, you can definitely get all the other notes.
- It might not work every single day! Practicing it every other day (maybe a few more) will improve consistency.
Heldenleben (opening):
- practice short articulated notes before playing the excerpt. (Singer heavy routine scales) This will improve your overall ability to play the articulated notes clearly. There are a lot of slurs before any fast tonguing is needed, so it's easy to get bogged down and then when you get there sloppily mush through it and miss notes. Make it possible to get them on the first run by doing a tonguing exercise first!
- think strength and power and be confident (and maybe cocky) play through all of the phrases, don't die down -- blow through (especially the slurred 16ths in the first line!!!)
Don Quixote var. VIII:
- HEAR THE OPENING NOTE
- keep air moving through phrases to keep everything smooth and connected
- phrase with the topography of the line. This makes it much more interesting and easy and funnnn!
- blow through the descending passages, even if you think it should decresc. They will come out lumpy and twa-twa'd if you don't!!!
- use metronome to make sure 16th are in the right place and are fast enough!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Lesson 4
My 4th lesson with Wolfgang was on excerpts. We covered Don Quixote- variation VII,
Don Quixote: -Little more oomph, too gentle. No tapering, all loud!
-correct rhythm- don't get to the 8th notes too late! Don't rush the beginning of the triplets!
-use F fingerings when Bb horn doesn't sound so good and F horn still responds well enough.
-take care that the crescendo blooms the most ON the downbeat of the next bar, that should be the loudest part.
-stay strong to the end! same character even with different register!
Shostakovich 5: -good sound quality and character
-phrasing (obvious) play it double time to find phrasing
-don't be afraid of the Bb, finish the crescendo on the Bb!!!
-even out the wobbly notes a bit more
-separate notes in the accelerando with tongue, not so legato tongued..!
Looking at Arpeggios:
-give a little more energy to the high notes
-don't jolt head
-play louder arps
-lots of air
-support your support
-long tones in the high register
-keeping same quality of air, just slower air speed- this also applies to the G at the end of the slow section in the Bozza, slower air, but the same quality, the note just floats.
-concentrate on the system, create habit
Mahler 9:
-start a little stronger, so the audience knows there's a horn solo
-keep the triplets moving
-move the quarters into the next bar >>> push!
-very quick breaths! reflex breathing!
Duets with Blair! yayyyy!!!! Nicolai duets, switching between 1st/2nd parts. :) very funsies.
Don Quixote: -Little more oomph, too gentle. No tapering, all loud!
-correct rhythm- don't get to the 8th notes too late! Don't rush the beginning of the triplets!
-use F fingerings when Bb horn doesn't sound so good and F horn still responds well enough.
-take care that the crescendo blooms the most ON the downbeat of the next bar, that should be the loudest part.
-stay strong to the end! same character even with different register!
Shostakovich 5: -good sound quality and character
-phrasing (obvious) play it double time to find phrasing
-don't be afraid of the Bb, finish the crescendo on the Bb!!!
-even out the wobbly notes a bit more
-separate notes in the accelerando with tongue, not so legato tongued..!
Looking at Arpeggios:
-give a little more energy to the high notes
-don't jolt head
-play louder arps
-lots of air
-support your support
-long tones in the high register
-keeping same quality of air, just slower air speed- this also applies to the G at the end of the slow section in the Bozza, slower air, but the same quality, the note just floats.
-concentrate on the system, create habit
Mahler 9:
-start a little stronger, so the audience knows there's a horn solo
-keep the triplets moving
-move the quarters into the next bar >>> push!
-very quick breaths! reflex breathing!
Duets with Blair! yayyyy!!!! Nicolai duets, switching between 1st/2nd parts. :) very funsies.
Lessons 3
In my 3rd lesson with Wolfgang, I played Horn Yoga for him and he sat and listened to almost the whole thing. This is what he said:
Ohms: I'm leaving some slurs that are not perfect, cracked without going back and fixing them. If I leave them cracked, then I am allowing for imperfection to be the norm in my playing. Not acceptable. Fix it!
Meditation/Tonguing: He said nothing and we moved on :) aw yea.
Flexibility 1: I'm not reaching high enough for the upper note and not getting the full interval, so i'm getting cracks in the upper slur. I need to aim a little higher, and the slur will come out cleaner and the interval will be correct.
Flexibility 2: Going over my breaks is really difficult, the slurs from low C to G and then G to G are particularly difficult intervals. Attack the upper note from above. Think about it as if you're coming in on it from above, instead of below. This helps push through the break with much less bump or space b/t the notes. Get over the break with more AIR! Also, if you think the upper note longer (don't actually physically make it longer), it extends the phrase and makes all the notes equal length. Because you stay on the note the slightest big longer, it makes the note fuller too.
Trills: Make sure you are paying attention to the harmonic series notes and not just the trills. Make those slurs really perfect and clean and hear all the intervals. Good trills. Use a little more air on the way down, fill it out.
note: to practice the trills in En Foret, play the trills with crescendo in Yoga too! This has proved to be quite difficult!
Villanelle:
-opening: without walves ;)
-getting little "grr's" cracks on the beginnings of notes in and above the staff, at a loud volume. fix: use more air in relation to Tah of the tonguing. "It's not too much tongue, it's too less air." :) Also, the vowels are not right. The cavity in my mouth is too open, i'm cracking from below. Use more "E" vowel.
-practice sections slowly to get the vowels correct and the attacks clear.
-don't play the end too short, just flow through the notes not thinking about making them short.
Thoughts of the Day:
-"never leave something unfixed"
-be picky with how perfect things sound (slurs in this case) "taking care about everything" lol.
-"never be lazy with the vowels"
-More air over breaks
-look up all terms in different languages!!!!
Ohms: I'm leaving some slurs that are not perfect, cracked without going back and fixing them. If I leave them cracked, then I am allowing for imperfection to be the norm in my playing. Not acceptable. Fix it!
Meditation/Tonguing: He said nothing and we moved on :) aw yea.
Flexibility 1: I'm not reaching high enough for the upper note and not getting the full interval, so i'm getting cracks in the upper slur. I need to aim a little higher, and the slur will come out cleaner and the interval will be correct.
Flexibility 2: Going over my breaks is really difficult, the slurs from low C to G and then G to G are particularly difficult intervals. Attack the upper note from above. Think about it as if you're coming in on it from above, instead of below. This helps push through the break with much less bump or space b/t the notes. Get over the break with more AIR! Also, if you think the upper note longer (don't actually physically make it longer), it extends the phrase and makes all the notes equal length. Because you stay on the note the slightest big longer, it makes the note fuller too.
Trills: Make sure you are paying attention to the harmonic series notes and not just the trills. Make those slurs really perfect and clean and hear all the intervals. Good trills. Use a little more air on the way down, fill it out.
note: to practice the trills in En Foret, play the trills with crescendo in Yoga too! This has proved to be quite difficult!
Villanelle:
-opening: without walves ;)
-getting little "grr's" cracks on the beginnings of notes in and above the staff, at a loud volume. fix: use more air in relation to Tah of the tonguing. "It's not too much tongue, it's too less air." :) Also, the vowels are not right. The cavity in my mouth is too open, i'm cracking from below. Use more "E" vowel.
-practice sections slowly to get the vowels correct and the attacks clear.
-don't play the end too short, just flow through the notes not thinking about making them short.
Thoughts of the Day:
-"never leave something unfixed"
-be picky with how perfect things sound (slurs in this case) "taking care about everything" lol.
-"never be lazy with the vowels"
-More air over breaks
-look up all terms in different languages!!!!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Wolfgang Vladar
Today I had my second lesson with Wolfgang. It was incredible. We'll just say there were lightbulbs going off everywhere in my head.
I always try to start with Mozart if I can because I'm very comfortable with it and it shows a lot about every different teacher's unique style. So, in my first lesson with Wolfgang, I played the first movement from Mozart's 4th horn concerto. Three days prior to my lesson I had a coaching with an accompanist (we get one every week!) on this specific movement and she told me that I needed to do more with the phrasing and the character changes and it was very helpful and inspiring. When I brought this version to Wolfgang, he said, "It's like you're wearing too much perfume." I agreed. He worked with me on longer phrases and not picking out too many notes in a phrase. I personally agreed with him on a lot of things, but there were definitely some musical choices that I still preferred my initial decision, and he was ok with that! He would offer his advice and they tell me that it was ok, I could do it either way, whatever I wanted! yay! Of course I always tried his way and gave reasoning for mine as well. There were definitely some "vienna horn" stylistic things that I caught in his playing, including accented notes instead of a solid, smooth line. I was playing some lines straight with an even crescendo and he told me to stop crescendoing into every note, instead hit them and back off, but crescendo with each note. Very interesting interpretation and I definitely will keep trying to perfect it. I need to be able to do what he asks. He gave me some advice on high playing, making a more "e" vowel with my tongue closer to the roof of my mouth, and it's been helping for sure. My high range is improving. slowly.
He has a really organized way of teaching lessons. He has a bunch of things that he knows he wants to say, and judging only from my lessons, it seems to be pretty specific to each player. He didn't say anything non relevant to my horn playing. He asked if I could define support, which I couldn't. He defines it basically as something that your body does for you (for the most part). When you take a breath and blow out, what do you feel? Not much. Then take a breath and blow out through a pursed embouchure, now what do you feel? You abs tighten automatically. This is support. One can help support their support by taking healthy breaths from basically your stomach, not from the chest. He tends to say the word "tension" a lot, which I know is a no-no, but I'm accepting and interpreting it in a way that will help me and not be damaging to my tension free approach! Thank goodness for Dale Clevenger's advice on lessons in Europe! "Don't ever think about tightening your abdomen, they might talk about it, just don't." There was more, but that's the basic gist of it.
But anyway.. I'm really inspired after every lesson I've had here and I'm really feeling like I'm getting a lot out of this city. Now I need to kick it into gear and really work on this music. I'm putting together my rep for my recital here. It's looking quite promising... :)
I always try to start with Mozart if I can because I'm very comfortable with it and it shows a lot about every different teacher's unique style. So, in my first lesson with Wolfgang, I played the first movement from Mozart's 4th horn concerto. Three days prior to my lesson I had a coaching with an accompanist (we get one every week!) on this specific movement and she told me that I needed to do more with the phrasing and the character changes and it was very helpful and inspiring. When I brought this version to Wolfgang, he said, "It's like you're wearing too much perfume." I agreed. He worked with me on longer phrases and not picking out too many notes in a phrase. I personally agreed with him on a lot of things, but there were definitely some musical choices that I still preferred my initial decision, and he was ok with that! He would offer his advice and they tell me that it was ok, I could do it either way, whatever I wanted! yay! Of course I always tried his way and gave reasoning for mine as well. There were definitely some "vienna horn" stylistic things that I caught in his playing, including accented notes instead of a solid, smooth line. I was playing some lines straight with an even crescendo and he told me to stop crescendoing into every note, instead hit them and back off, but crescendo with each note. Very interesting interpretation and I definitely will keep trying to perfect it. I need to be able to do what he asks. He gave me some advice on high playing, making a more "e" vowel with my tongue closer to the roof of my mouth, and it's been helping for sure. My high range is improving. slowly.
He has a really organized way of teaching lessons. He has a bunch of things that he knows he wants to say, and judging only from my lessons, it seems to be pretty specific to each player. He didn't say anything non relevant to my horn playing. He asked if I could define support, which I couldn't. He defines it basically as something that your body does for you (for the most part). When you take a breath and blow out, what do you feel? Not much. Then take a breath and blow out through a pursed embouchure, now what do you feel? You abs tighten automatically. This is support. One can help support their support by taking healthy breaths from basically your stomach, not from the chest. He tends to say the word "tension" a lot, which I know is a no-no, but I'm accepting and interpreting it in a way that will help me and not be damaging to my tension free approach! Thank goodness for Dale Clevenger's advice on lessons in Europe! "Don't ever think about tightening your abdomen, they might talk about it, just don't." There was more, but that's the basic gist of it.
But anyway.. I'm really inspired after every lesson I've had here and I'm really feeling like I'm getting a lot out of this city. Now I need to kick it into gear and really work on this music. I'm putting together my rep for my recital here. It's looking quite promising... :)
Friday, September 23, 2011
Lesson 2!
I had my 2nd lesson with Manuel today! Es war wieder sehr gut!
I played the 3rd and 4th mvmts of the Brahms Horn Trio for him.
This week, I've been working on really short, clean tonguing, so naturally I played it kind of short (the 4th mvmt). The first thing he told me was to make my notes longer. This was a recurring theme throughout the lesson. I need to get better at breaking habits quicker! I would play a different passage for him and realize halfway through that I was still playing really short!
He had a lot of good things to say about how I played the Brahms though. I feel like he's telling me a lot of things that are immediate fixes to why I don't sound totally professional. He told me to lengthen the notes more, "You have a very nice sound, but you can't hear it if you play so short on these notes." So, I lengthened it and I think it sounded much better. He also gave me some general phrasing ideas and he's getting me to do my own thing. He asked me to play the repetitive parts in the 4th movement with a longer first note and taper the second one, instead of heavy tonguing on all of it with my phrasing, it just sounds less aggressive and overpowering. I haven't listened to the recording of my lesson yet, but I think I'll hear the difference and agree with him. It's all these little things that he points out that make my playing sound more professional.
Thoughts of the day:
-full length notes, not tutty notes
-non-abrasive tonguing with taper
-Give more on the notes that change, not the ones that are the same in a pattern
-Longggg phrasing
-Don't twa-twa in long legato phrases (he actually plays quite smooth phrases!! I was very impressed with his legato.)
I think I can hear the Vienna style of playing in his teaching. Longer notes, no tutty notes at ALL, lots of ring, tapering notes, it's all part of their sound and style. I need to make sure I'm balancing what he's telling me to do that may be Vienna style and what I really WANT to sound like. He might say some things that I don't agree with, like note length for certain things. I need to be able to do it how he asks, but I don't need to do it that way. In the 3rd movement I pulled the time back as I went for the high Bb and he said, "You're timing slowed down there," and I replied, "I wanted to," and he said, "Well if you wanted to then it's right." :) I meant it. I did.
I showed him all the exercises and books that I brought with me (Horn Yoga, Jeff's Routine, Mr. S's routines, Farkas Routine, and a Gallay prelude book) and asked him what exercises he does. He said they are good, he looked at routine and I asked if he knew Jeff. He didn't, but another Wiener Phil horn player was in the room when I mentioned Jeff and he said he knew him from Facebook. haha. They don't really seem to know anyone from the States. He didn't know Dale Clevenger or Jeff.. I'm gonna ask about a different horn player every week. haha. I asked what exercises he does and he said he doesn't do exercises. "Wir haben Tonleitern, kennst du das?" He played a scale for me. He said staccato scales are very good and heavy tongue, mf scales for warming up are good. He thought I was crazy when I told him I warm up at 6:00 in the morning. Personally, I think it's more crazy that he's going to play Falstaff tomorrow with no rehearsals and he's never played it before. He did the same thing with Walküre. WHAT!?!?!! He didn't know what I meant by "sight-reading?" lol.
This weekend is an organization weekend. I'm getting a binder and putting everything in it, completely neat, organized, and ready to use. My folder is dying, so I need something else. This will help tremendously!!!!!!
These lessons make me very happy. Next week I'm going to see if I can get a lesson with Wolfgang Vladar, another horn player in the Phil, while Manuel is in Altösterreich for the week. I'm very excited for this lesson!!
I played the 3rd and 4th mvmts of the Brahms Horn Trio for him.
This week, I've been working on really short, clean tonguing, so naturally I played it kind of short (the 4th mvmt). The first thing he told me was to make my notes longer. This was a recurring theme throughout the lesson. I need to get better at breaking habits quicker! I would play a different passage for him and realize halfway through that I was still playing really short!
He had a lot of good things to say about how I played the Brahms though. I feel like he's telling me a lot of things that are immediate fixes to why I don't sound totally professional. He told me to lengthen the notes more, "You have a very nice sound, but you can't hear it if you play so short on these notes." So, I lengthened it and I think it sounded much better. He also gave me some general phrasing ideas and he's getting me to do my own thing. He asked me to play the repetitive parts in the 4th movement with a longer first note and taper the second one, instead of heavy tonguing on all of it with my phrasing, it just sounds less aggressive and overpowering. I haven't listened to the recording of my lesson yet, but I think I'll hear the difference and agree with him. It's all these little things that he points out that make my playing sound more professional.
Thoughts of the day:
-full length notes, not tutty notes
-non-abrasive tonguing with taper
-Give more on the notes that change, not the ones that are the same in a pattern
-Longggg phrasing
-Don't twa-twa in long legato phrases (he actually plays quite smooth phrases!! I was very impressed with his legato.)
I think I can hear the Vienna style of playing in his teaching. Longer notes, no tutty notes at ALL, lots of ring, tapering notes, it's all part of their sound and style. I need to make sure I'm balancing what he's telling me to do that may be Vienna style and what I really WANT to sound like. He might say some things that I don't agree with, like note length for certain things. I need to be able to do it how he asks, but I don't need to do it that way. In the 3rd movement I pulled the time back as I went for the high Bb and he said, "You're timing slowed down there," and I replied, "I wanted to," and he said, "Well if you wanted to then it's right." :) I meant it. I did.
I showed him all the exercises and books that I brought with me (Horn Yoga, Jeff's Routine, Mr. S's routines, Farkas Routine, and a Gallay prelude book) and asked him what exercises he does. He said they are good, he looked at routine and I asked if he knew Jeff. He didn't, but another Wiener Phil horn player was in the room when I mentioned Jeff and he said he knew him from Facebook. haha. They don't really seem to know anyone from the States. He didn't know Dale Clevenger or Jeff.. I'm gonna ask about a different horn player every week. haha. I asked what exercises he does and he said he doesn't do exercises. "Wir haben Tonleitern, kennst du das?" He played a scale for me. He said staccato scales are very good and heavy tongue, mf scales for warming up are good. He thought I was crazy when I told him I warm up at 6:00 in the morning. Personally, I think it's more crazy that he's going to play Falstaff tomorrow with no rehearsals and he's never played it before. He did the same thing with Walküre. WHAT!?!?!! He didn't know what I meant by "sight-reading?" lol.
This weekend is an organization weekend. I'm getting a binder and putting everything in it, completely neat, organized, and ready to use. My folder is dying, so I need something else. This will help tremendously!!!!!!
These lessons make me very happy. Next week I'm going to see if I can get a lesson with Wolfgang Vladar, another horn player in the Phil, while Manuel is in Altösterreich for the week. I'm very excited for this lesson!!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
First Lesson!
I had my first lesson with Manuel Huber! He's really nice and easy to work with. He's 23 years old and is currently playing 1st and 3rd horn with the Vienna Philharmonic! Crazy! He's a really good player, obviously, and knows what he wants in his teaching. He was very helpful. His english is not the best. It's pretty fun :)
We talked about:
Mozart's 4th Horn Concerto:
-Clarity in slight separation of articulated notes on the same pitch.
-Singggg! Long phrases :)
-Viel Luft! (lots of air)
-character changes and a darker color
-not making short cluck-y notes... give them length.
-evenness of 16ths, length to slurred notes (they get lost)
Mozart Quintet:
-much of the same
-weight on the downbeats
-weight and tongue in heavier sections
Words that I learned in this session:
-Bindungen- slurs
-Begleitung- accompaniment
-Bogen- bow (of a phrase)
Words that he learned: :)
-Breath/breathe
-take a break
-separation
-slur (slow? sloor? slur!)
-rushing
-whatever (as opposed to: what is ever)
Nächtes Stunde: Brahms Trio :)
We talked about:
Mozart's 4th Horn Concerto:
-Clarity in slight separation of articulated notes on the same pitch.
-Singggg! Long phrases :)
-Viel Luft! (lots of air)
-character changes and a darker color
-not making short cluck-y notes... give them length.
-evenness of 16ths, length to slurred notes (they get lost)
Mozart Quintet:
-much of the same
-weight on the downbeats
-weight and tongue in heavier sections
Words that I learned in this session:
-Bindungen- slurs
-Begleitung- accompaniment
-Bogen- bow (of a phrase)
Words that he learned: :)
-Breath/breathe
-take a break
-separation
-slur (slow? sloor? slur!)
-rushing
-whatever (as opposed to: what is ever)
Nächtes Stunde: Brahms Trio :)
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