More about first Performance week

Playing the hardanger

Playing in the folk group on Tuesday.  More great tunes, Billy Wilson's reel.  Shetland bowing (or some people call it the Georgia shuffle) - one down three up with the one down on the back beat.  You have to not think about it too much - its more of a feel.  But Its easy to get into the wrong rhythm and bow down on the first beat!.  

Then off down to Portobello to arrange some fiddle lessons - first one is next week.   Then all the way back across town to to do some composing at a Logic session back at SCE.

On Wednesday, nothing on in SCE for me, but lots of practice at home and bought a CD (Loch Ness by Bruce MacGregor).  More composing and exploring Logic and Sibelius. Decided I need a usb microphone.  Also playing the hardanger which has sadly now gone back to its owner.  It has spurred my partner Si on with the one he is making.  Great - can't wait.

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Thursday was another busy day.  First I sang in the choir (alto part).  I found out that I can actually stretch to soprano as well which is interesting. We are still on the blues theme we sang Amazing Grace but with a blues scale - a bit different and great fun. Then we sang the Londonderry Air (Danny Boy).  

Next onto strings Group.  We played  Handel: Concerto Grosso Op.3 No. 5 In D Minor: III, IV and V.  Sight reading classical music at Allegro is challenging for a traditional musician that plays by ear!  Finally I went out to the Usher Hall in Edinburgh to see the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) and the wonderful soloist Viktoria Mullova playing Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, Op 61. I was sitting in the circle and yet the violin she played had great projection.  I am amazed at her skill and presence on stage.  

The orchestra is conducted by Robin Ticciati and they also played an inspiring new piece by Martin Suckling, Storm, Rose, Tiger.  I wonder is this is written in segments.  Our contemporary ensemble work involved a selection of sections thay players could select and which would fit well enough together.  But it was not prescriptive in terms of when to pay these or how long to loop them for.  Players can move on when they wish.  There are several "meeting" places where players wait for the rest of the orchestra and when everyone has caught up, the players one on to the next set of themes.  

It would be interesting to know if this is how the SCO worked with this new piece or whether the orchestra has a full score and would play it the same each time.  Oh to be so talented and successful and so young!

Friday evening - out to the trad session in Leslie's Bar.