TVCH FORUMS HOME . JOIN . FAN CLUBS . DONATE . CONTACT . CHAT  
 Wikia  Quick Links   TOPICS . TREE-VIEW . SEARCH . HELP! . NEWS . PROFILE
The Musician's Club ...

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan. 2008 ~ Mar. 2008: Free Expressions: The Musician's Club users admin

Author Message
Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 8:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Whoami a private message Print Post    
Here's a thread for musicians and former musicians (or even those who dream of being a musician) to hang out and talk about what they play, used to play, or wish they could play.

ETA, darn. I wanted to put the little musical note icon in the topic header. If a Mod comes around here and sees this, could you add it in please? Thanks!

Dovez
Member

08-27-2005

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 9:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Dovez a private message Print Post    
anyplace for fans of the musicians?

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 9:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Whoami a private message Print Post    
Sure, why not! Come on in!

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 9:56 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
Lovely idea Who! :-) I can't carry a tune in a bucket and probably have a tin ear. LOL. But I know there are quite a few musicians and even music teachers here at the Clubhouse and they're bound to enjoy this thread.

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 10:06 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
Should have added I played first chair flute or piccolo in high school. It was a big band, but when I went to the University of Georgia Music Camp I found out I wasn't so good. Out of two orchestras and three bands I made the last cut. They wanted us to answer questions in class that made my brain go "huh?" Can you still use me?

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 10:07 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
Mod needed for Whoami's post above.

Heyltslori
Moderator

09-15-2001

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 10:20 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Heyltslori a private message Print Post    
I added the little notes for you. :-)

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 10:21 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Whoami a private message Print Post    
I don't know how old I was when I first started playing. I know I was under 10, so I must have been around 8 or so, maybe even a little younger.

I started off on the violin in a youth band/orchestra in the Denver area. My particular group was a new one, and we learned under the Suzuki method of playing by ear. My two older sisters were in the main orchestra. Oldest sis was the concert mistress. Next oldest sis was first chair cello. Family plan was for me to complete the trio as a viola player when I got old enough for the big orchestra.

Some time around the age of 10, I also joined a local drum and bugle corps (which my sisters were already members of). That went on for a year or two, until the band/orchestra director got a bee in his bonnet and demanded that we pick one organization or the other, as he had no intentions of sharing us with the drum corps. I think he was rather confident we'd drop the corps, as we'd been with the youth orchestra for a few years before drum corps came along. What he didn't know was, we're a stubborn lot, and when someone puts that kind of ultimatum on us, we say, "see ya!" We left the orchestra and chose drum corps!

The big problem for me was, we left the orchestra just as they were teaching us to read music. So I never really got the hang of it. I could read it enough to follow along, but sight reading was out of the question. But as long as I heard the music played first, I did just fine.

In fourth grade, I switched to viola as planned, and played that all through and into high school. I did ok. Ended up third chair out of 6 viola players my last year in HS Orchestra.

So, that's my bio. Later, I'll talk about my favorite music to play, as well as my least favorite. And just chat on whatever comes up.

I just wanted to break the ice a bit.

Alaginger
Member

07-11-2002

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 12:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Alaginger a private message Print Post    
Wow, WHO!!! This is a great thread. I'm still looking for the musical notes that lovely Lori put in for us, but I'm sure they will show up.

I started piano at age 7, and clarinet in the 6th grade. My last 3 years of high school, I was 1st chair clarinet. Made All State Band my junior year and got 6th chair out of the #1 band in the state of Alabama. I figured I was a cinch for 1st chair for my Senior Year. Didn't happen. When they had try-outs in the district for All State Band, I had been busy memorizing a 3-part Mozart concerto to play for a college scholarship for the next year, and didn't practice my scales well and went straight to the tryouts. I remember sitting on the floor in the back of somebody's station wagon going from Huntsville, Al to Decatur where the tryouts were and practicing my scales quickly. I got 2nd out of the district which meant I couldn't try out for the #1 band. I was heart-broken for just a little bit...but I got 1st chair in the 2nd band and I did get the scholarship, even though it was a pittance. If I remember right, the 1st in the district got to try out for 1st band (Red), and the 2nd in the district for the 2nd band (white) and the 3rd in the district for the 3rd band (blue) and then the 4th in the district for the 1st band again, and it went around like that.

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 12:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
I have always wanted to learn to play the piano. I think it would be such a good release. I should just do it, take lessons. I am not too old right? I don't even know how to read music.

Heyltslori
Moderator

09-15-2001

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 12:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Heyltslori a private message Print Post    
LOL Alaginger...I thought that Who meant she wanted the little notes next to the thread name that you can see from THIS page, but then you got me thinking she wanted them in the thread title itself...so I popped them in there too. Now there are notes all over the place! :-)

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 12:50 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Whoami a private message Print Post    
Actually, you interpreted it right the first time Lori! But as long as you're at it, the notes in the thread title are wonderful too! Thanks!!





Chy
Member

07-19-2003

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 1:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chy a private message Print Post    
Who!!
I just wanted to tell you that same thing about the Moderator's note! I stayed clear from the thread for a long while....

The thing you described about band leaders/ music teachers picking the same day of the week is a great big problem. My DD is finally going to play in the Community Orchestra for the first time next semester since she's HS Senior and she won't care too much about dropping grades for that last bit. Isn't it a shame?

There's also a local Jazz Band teacher I'm tasselling with(Is this the right term?). He "has to" announce if that week's rehearsal is going to be on Wed. or Thursday on Monday of that week! So I play along and tell the girls I need in my group to inform me asap so we could start the phone tree going! Thank Goodness most members in my group just adore those girls and do not mind the madness! And it's a good thing it's not on Monday or Tuesday which are permanently taken by my other more established groups!

Who, DD started violin at 2nd grade. It was Suzuki to begin with, But I had a talk with her teacher, who's an Ithaca grad and plays with me from time to time, and changed that.

I respect Dr. Suzuki's brilliancy and dedication to teaching. I also understand that the Suzuki method is said to be able to help you focus on the playing technique and is meant to start you reading some time later. But most of the kids only take instruments for a few years. Even if they stay on, the good ones get too frustrated when they had to go back in baby steps with the reading of notations.
If any of you have kids who's about to start any instrument, I recommend reading and even learning basic music theory from the start!

I'll be back. Can't cover everything in one post!

Saxywildcat
Member

05-30-2005

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 4:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Saxywildcat a private message Print Post    
Yay! The post for me.
I started singing off key in church at a young age.. LOL I started piano at 5 and in 4th grade I made it into an audition only youth choir. 5th Grade I started alto saxophone. I was first chair sax in band and jazz band and a member of our A Cappella choir and show choir (Viking Voices). I took piano lessons through senior year. I started voice lessons freshman year of HS... I was in the high school musical productions. Oh yeah, I took flute lessons.

In college, my major was music ed. I focused on band. I was in the Kansas State University Marching band for four years and in their Concert Band all of my time there. I spent time in University Band. I played trombone, clarinet and french horn in that group.

Since college, I've been playing in my local City Band and in August I starred as Marian the Librarian in our Community Theatre's production of Music Man.

Is that enough?

Oh yeah, reading music is good. And practice your scales!! :-)

Oh yeah, I teach my nieces piano lessons.

Schoolmarm
Member

02-18-2001

Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 5:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Schoolmarm a private message Print Post    
More later after I finish grading all my musicians' finals! :-) And get all my music ready for Christmas Eve.

Yeah, working musician here. I love that I can make my living at something so wonderful, but sometimes the sheer amount of music (and the quality level I have to perform at) just sucks the joy out of it and makes "cranking out music" a job.

Someone on an academic forum was trying to work only 9-5 and the musicians all laughed!

My roughest concert week is over. Y'all might see a little more of me next week.

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Monday, January 28, 2008 - 11:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Whoami a private message Print Post    
Thought it was time to revive this thread! LOL.

So, any favorite/not-so-favorite pieces you've played in your musical career?

My #1 not-so-favorite was Sleigh Ride. The viola part was the most boring viola part I ever played. And I'm sure I had a bit of green-eyed envy too. Cause the 1st/2nd violins had the lively melody. Even the cellos had a featured jazzed up section. The violas? Ugh. Since its been a couple of decades since I even tried to read music, and when I did I was not adept anyway, I can't tell you the actual note (eighth, sixteenth, whatever). But it was basically the same four notes, note-rest-note-rest-note-rest-note-rest throughout the whole tune.

Favorites:

St. Paul's Suite - Holst
Hoedown - Copeland

Both songs had some great viola parts, and even solos in St. Paul's Suite. I just listened to St Paul's Suite on YouTube. Brought back some great memories.

I have another favorite, but there's a special story that goes along with it. So I'll save it for another post.

Schoolmarm
Member

02-18-2001

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 - 6:33 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Schoolmarm a private message Print Post    
Love playing Sleigh Ride on the piano. It's harder than snot!

Right now, the choir I sing in is doing Carmina Burana and that is fun.

Least favorite? Maybe the new liturgy that we are doing at church. It bites.

I want to hear your special story, Who!

Ophiliasgrandma
Member

09-04-2001

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 - 9:20 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ophiliasgrandma a private message Print Post    
In my dreams I play the piano beautifully. I've had this dream several times. Even when I am dreaming I'm confused as to how I am able to do it. That dream is so real!

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 - 9:31 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Whoami a private message Print Post    
Probably my all time favorite song to play was the Hallelujah Chorus. Our school went all out with it. The orchestra teamed up with the band players to make it a full orchestra, and the Choir put it's choirs together to stand on the risers behind us and sing.

Our school also had a tradition that invited alumni to come and sing with the choir, or play with the orchestra. It was awesome to see members of the audience get up, join us on stage and participate.

My Freshman year, it was just an awesome experience. The auditorium just filled up with this electric energy impossible to describe. Mom (sitting in the audience) said she'd never felt a room so charged up like that. She came away from it just awestruck.

My Junior year, I remember a young lady in our second violin section who, though she had nice tone, had absolutely no emotion in her playing. She sat with her butt towards the front of her chair, and then slumped back onto the back of her chair. Her violin usually rested in her lap as she sawed her bow across the strings with a bored look on her face. Expressionless in her face, and in her playing. There was nothing you could do to inspire her.

Come the Christmas Concert (yea, we were allowed to call it that back then), and I'm enthusiastically looking forward to experiencing the Hallelujah Chorus again. My second time around, I know now that you don't play it, you experience it.

Just like the previous year, the auditorium surges with energy as we do the song. At the end, we stand to take our customary bows. I look over at the young lady in the second violin section, and she is lit up. Her eyes are shining, her face flushed and glistening. She's even breathing hard. I see a wide awestruck grin on her face I didn't know she was capable of.

As the applause is tapering down, she plops herself down in her chair. Sitting on the edge of her chair, back straight and erect, violin held in the air under her chin in a perfect position. She places her bow on the strings and exclaims, "Lets do that again!!"

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 - 6:10 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
Piano player of 35 years here -- and hands down the song that drove me most batty was "a lovely night" in the musical Cinderella. ALL of the ending measures were boring in that musical (and Cinderella drives me nuts w/her spineless submissiveness!), but that song drove me right over the edge. The sound director and I were on headsets during performances, so I'd make up new words as we went along! LOL

My favorite -- playing the musical Footloose. Grease is a close second, but Footloose (the entire musical, not just the lead song) is just fantastic! :-)

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 - 6:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
My favorite thing to play is Rachmaninoff's Concerto in D minor. I like to play most of Rachmaninoff's stuff because its so big and majestic and fun to play.

Racsan
Member

04-09-2004

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 7:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Racsan a private message Print Post    
Piano player here. Lessons started at age 4 and ended when I started University. Just play for fun now. Fun meaning NOTHING classical.

Egbok
Member

07-13-2000

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 8:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Egbok a private message Print Post    
I always wanted to learn how to play the piano but never did. So I did the next best thing. I had my kidlets take 10 years of piano lessons and it's paid off leaps and bounds. They are all young adults now and have this magical lifetime gift which they tell me is meaningful to them now as young adults.

I love hearing them play when the opportunity arises and Carol of the Bells is one of my favorites at Christmastime.

DS#2 also plays the guitar and writes his own songs, just for fun. I love hearing him strum on the strings and sing to himself...so peaceful.


Hukdonreality
Member

09-29-2003

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 9:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hukdonreality a private message Print Post    
Lol Teach about Cinderella. I played in a pit orchestra last year and the play was the Rogers & Hammerstein version of Cinderella. I play viola and the song I hated the most (because it went on and on...) was Cinderella March. We had to repeat it maybe 5 times so the stage crew could change scenes.

This year we're playing Into The Woods. Not a fan of the songs, or the part for the viola. It's repetitive and boring (oh wait, most all viola parts are). I am going to play it though, because my two sisters and I get to sort of relive our orchestra days and play together again. Good bonding thing.

My best friend plays the Bb clarinet and she and I have started to play a few duets, and our favorite is Bruch Concerto for A clarinet and viola. She just got an A clarinet and is having fun with it. It's not a difficult piece, but we like it because we echo the melody throughout.

Rascan, I take it you're not a fan of classical music, lol? I grew up in orchestras, and loved classical more than anything. Even now, it's my music of choice. Maybe the love for it comes with playing a stringed instrument or something.

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 10:01 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
Classical is my favorite music also and I love to play it. For me it is fun.

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 10:51 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Whoami a private message Print Post    

quote:

It's repetitive and boring (oh wait, most all viola parts are).





Boy ain't that the truth!! And that's exactly why I loved playing Hoe Down and St. Paul's Suite. The violas actually get to PLAY something!!

Hukdonreality
Member

09-29-2003

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 1:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hukdonreality a private message Print Post    
I found mp3's of St. Paul's Suite on the internet and it does sound like some fun! When I played in the pit for Cinderella, we had the melody or harmony throughout most of it, so it was a real blast. I play Viola I, and had I think 3 solos. THAT was the best!

Weinermr
Member

08-18-2001

Thursday, January 31, 2008 - 12:56 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Weinermr a private message Print Post    
I adore classical music too. I never could find anyone here at TVCH to share it with. I'm glad there are a few here that confess to it now.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Thursday, January 31, 2008 - 6:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
I grew up on classical music and still love it, but musicals offer more of an "adrenalin rush" with the performances! LOL

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Thursday, January 31, 2008 - 7:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
I played classical from the age of 7 and its by far my favorite music. The funny thing is, I hate musicals. I played a few times for the local theatre and never once enjoyed it. Put me with an orchestra and I'm in heaven. To each his own, I guess.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Thursday, January 31, 2008 - 9:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
Did your theater company have an orchestra or just piano? I've done both, but it's way more fun w/a full orchestra. We're doing Guys and Dolls middle of March, but I'm doing the "strings" on a keyboard -- not as much fun, but I've got the entire string reduction, so at least I'm playing 90% of the time. :-) (Drives me a bit batty, though, not having words, cues, etc!)

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Friday, February 01, 2008 - 2:20 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
Weinermr my dh Vinblanche LUVS classical music! :-) And he adores opera too. Me, I love Broadway type musicals. Sometimes I wish life was a musical rather than a sitcom.

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Friday, February 01, 2008 - 10:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Whoami a private message Print Post    
You folks are far more advanced musicians than I could ever have hoped to be. Of course, I need to remind myself I only made it through HS, and was intermediate at best at the time. Its been far too long since I tried to really play anything. I can poke around on various instruments and bring notes out of them, and maybe even pluck out a simple tune.

Interestingly enough, despite having grown up in an orchestra atmosphere, and being exposed to classical music from age 8-ish to 18 (as a player), my main exposure to many classic songs is through drum corps. Most of my old cassette tape library is made up of songs I first heard a drum corps play, and then went searching for it at the music store. Songs like American In Paris, Slaughter On Tenth Avenue, Fanfare For The Common Man, Malaguena, Children of Sanchez, Young Person's Guide, Capriccio Es Spaniol, Appalachian Spring, the list goes on and on and on!