Tomorrow is the day I move to Chicago to attend DePaul! Classes and auditions aren't actually for about another week, but freshman in the school of music come in early for a course called "Discover Chicago - Music Scene." It's where we explore all the musical aspects of Chicago -including performances, recording, and stuff I probably can't even think of yet. For this class I have to keep a journal of my experience, but don't worry I'll make sure to post most of those journal entries to keep you in the loop about how it is in Chicago.
Talk about starting early, I've already had to submit an essay to my professor describing a recent musical experience where I was in the audience. Below is the original essay describing when I went to see the Chicago Symphony, the night before my audition to get into DePaul.
The day before my audition into DePaul my mom and I decided on attending a Chicago Symphony, sort of as inspiration to do well the next morning. On the program were a Schumann Symphony and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. Unfortunately Muti had fallen off the stage a couple days prior during rehearsal and broke his jaw. The program was then changed to a Mozart Divertimento, a Mozart piano concerto, and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5.
When I didn’t see any chairs on stage I was a little curious what was going to happen. Then the string section came out without a conductor or music. It gave the whole piece a chamber music feeling, and even though I’m very fond of symphony orchestra, it was a nice change of pace. The string section played excellently, and as a horn player it was interesting to hear what Mozart could write for a more versatile instrument of his time. After hearing his complex melodies and thinking about how well it fit together I can now respect why he was an innovator for his time. Just like how Beethoven changed the game after Mozart, the difference between Mozart and J.S. Bach is astounding.
If I thought the Divertimento was impressive, then I don’t have words to describe the Mozart piano concerto. The sheer grace and speed of the piece moved me. Beyond that, it was being performed and conducted by Mitsuko Uchida. The way her hands would fly across the keys and flow effortlessly into a cue for the orchestra struck me. For most people it would already be an incredibly hard piece, but what truly made her a stand-out performer was the effortlessness she portrayed to the audience. That experience has really changed how I approach my playing. In my audition I especially wanted to try to convey a sense of ease, as it would show a better control on my instrument.
The finale of the concert was the pinnacle of the night for me. I’ve always been intrigued by how Shostakovich wrote, mainly because of what he had to go through. From his string quartets to his symphonies, he manages to create a unique voice for each instrument. Either if it’s by having a violin solo all on one string, or orchestrating it in an uncommon; his pieces always sound different. In particular, one thing I was looking forward to was hearing Dale Clevenger. I had come to a Chicago Symphony earlier, but it was all Haydn and Mozart so he wasn’t there. Even though there were a few missed notes in the horn section, Clevenger’s sound on his solos was brilliant and it was great to finally hear it live. After the concert was over though, I had a strange realization… that one of the guys down there would judge me on my playing the next morning. Talk about a bit intimidating for a guy who has only been playing horn for the past couple years, and be judged by professionals that working on it for decades.
In conclusion, that night did great things for me as a performer. I felt reenergized and ready to do well at my audition. When I got there I made sure to stay calm and portray my ease on the horn. This experience helped me progress as an artist, and that is why I chose DePaul. Many schools have great teachers and ensembles, but none of the others I looked at had the musical stimuli like Chicago. I hope that through my time in the city I keep having those kinds of nights that will completely change me as a performer and as a person.
Talk about starting early, I've already had to submit an essay to my professor describing a recent musical experience where I was in the audience. Below is the original essay describing when I went to see the Chicago Symphony, the night before my audition to get into DePaul.The day before my audition into DePaul my mom and I decided on attending a Chicago Symphony, sort of as inspiration to do well the next morning. On the program were a Schumann Symphony and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. Unfortunately Muti had fallen off the stage a couple days prior during rehearsal and broke his jaw. The program was then changed to a Mozart Divertimento, a Mozart piano concerto, and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5.
When I didn’t see any chairs on stage I was a little curious what was going to happen. Then the string section came out without a conductor or music. It gave the whole piece a chamber music feeling, and even though I’m very fond of symphony orchestra, it was a nice change of pace. The string section played excellently, and as a horn player it was interesting to hear what Mozart could write for a more versatile instrument of his time. After hearing his complex melodies and thinking about how well it fit together I can now respect why he was an innovator for his time. Just like how Beethoven changed the game after Mozart, the difference between Mozart and J.S. Bach is astounding.
If I thought the Divertimento was impressive, then I don’t have words to describe the Mozart piano concerto. The sheer grace and speed of the piece moved me. Beyond that, it was being performed and conducted by Mitsuko Uchida. The way her hands would fly across the keys and flow effortlessly into a cue for the orchestra struck me. For most people it would already be an incredibly hard piece, but what truly made her a stand-out performer was the effortlessness she portrayed to the audience. That experience has really changed how I approach my playing. In my audition I especially wanted to try to convey a sense of ease, as it would show a better control on my instrument.
The finale of the concert was the pinnacle of the night for me. I’ve always been intrigued by how Shostakovich wrote, mainly because of what he had to go through. From his string quartets to his symphonies, he manages to create a unique voice for each instrument. Either if it’s by having a violin solo all on one string, or orchestrating it in an uncommon; his pieces always sound different. In particular, one thing I was looking forward to was hearing Dale Clevenger. I had come to a Chicago Symphony earlier, but it was all Haydn and Mozart so he wasn’t there. Even though there were a few missed notes in the horn section, Clevenger’s sound on his solos was brilliant and it was great to finally hear it live. After the concert was over though, I had a strange realization… that one of the guys down there would judge me on my playing the next morning. Talk about a bit intimidating for a guy who has only been playing horn for the past couple years, and be judged by professionals that working on it for decades.
In conclusion, that night did great things for me as a performer. I felt reenergized and ready to do well at my audition. When I got there I made sure to stay calm and portray my ease on the horn. This experience helped me progress as an artist, and that is why I chose DePaul. Many schools have great teachers and ensembles, but none of the others I looked at had the musical stimuli like Chicago. I hope that through my time in the city I keep having those kinds of nights that will completely change me as a performer and as a person.
No comments:
Post a Comment