Seylan Baxter and Cheyenne Brown

I "met" Scottish folk cellist Seylan Baxter through this blog a couple of years ago when she commented on my posts about attending Scottish fiddle camp. She sent me a copy of her cello and harp CD, "2:40" (with harpist Cheyenne Brown, originally from Alaska, but now living in Scotland), and I was an immediate fan. The name of the CD refers to the 2 performers, and the 40 strings they play.

So, when I learned they would be relatively close, at the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, Rhode Island, on their first U.S. tour, I drove the 70 miles to see them. It was a dark and stormy night, and I could barely find my way home through the torrential rains after the show, but it was a concert well worth seeing; I loved every minute of it.

I find it hard to describe Scottish folk music; it is fiddle music, Celtic music, but with an earthiness to it (perhaps the cello), a solidness and rustic flavor that appeals to me. The cello and harp are not a traditional instrumental duo, and the cello is not traditionally a solo instrument in Scottish music, but Seylan and Cheyenne make you believe that these two instruments, and Scottish music, belong together, and that the cello clearly deserves a starring role. The two instruments, the two young women, share the musical spotlight, and they were quite amiable and congenial as performers. In addition to playing the cello, Seylan sings; she has a wonderful voice, especially good for ballads.

I talked to them both after the show, and they said they hope to return next year for another U.S. tour. The Cumberland audience was wildly enthusiastic about their playing, and I think U.S. audiences will be very happy to see them again.

Seylan uses many contemporary techniques in her cello playing, chopping, rhythmic slapping of the wood, sliding up and down the string, pizzicato, and more. Seylan started out as a classical cellist, switching to Scottish folk music while in college. She did not learn by ear immediately, and had to work on that skill. She encouraged me in my continuing efforts to learn by ear. She was doing a cello workshop the day after the concert in Arlington, MA, and I wish that I had been able to attend (I had a fiddling commitment of my own and another concert to attend). Maybe next year!

The first think you notice about her playing is, of course, that she plays standing up, her cello balanced on a chair. Cheyenne stands as well, her harp elevated a few inches to make this possible. I talked to Seylan about the standing, and asked why she played that way, and whether it was difficult. She said she started doing it because she was often the only one sitting. She experimented with different methods, including strapping on an electric cello, but using a chair turned out to be the easiest thing to do. Some other fiddlers use a longer end-pin or other methods.

Not believing her, I gave it a try at home. It is easy to play this way, and I think the sound is more voluminous. Could be just from where I was in relationship to the cello, but I asked my husband for his opinion, and he agreed that I had a bigger sound when I was standing. I might have to explore this further.

It was a great concert; it was wonderful to see and hear Seylan and Cheyenne, and I hope they expand their tour next year to include a Cape Cod venue and cello workshop. There was one cellist (me) and one harpist in the audience in Rhode Island, and I think there would be many more of each on the Cape.

I am glad to have discovered the Blackstone River Theatre, a small 100-seat theater that offers a folk concert series, mostly Celtic music. I hope to go back again on December 5, when the Jeremy Kittel Band is playing. I have actually never heard of them, but cellist Tristan Clarridge plays with this group. (He is also in Crooked Still, another alternative folk, bluegrass group I enjoy.)

Orchestra semi-progress

It has been a busy summer and fall, and I have not written much here. Nor have I practiced much. For several weeks I continued to go to my lesson and orchestra rehearsal with NO practicing in between. Appalling. Especially given how much I need to practice. Now, in the last few days (I am on vacation from one of my jobs), I have found a little time to practice, and to blog again.

I am playing with a community orchestra, which I mentioned in an earlier post. Most of the music is easy, though a couple of pieces have challenging sections, and one, "The Hebrides," by Mendelssohn, does require a lot of practice. I have, thus far, concentrated my itty bitty practice time on "The Hebrides," as it is a beautiful piece and I would like to contribute to some of that beauty. But, it has been frustrating, as some of the fingerings are quite awkward, and the music flies by. One could spend one's entire practice time on a couple of measures.

So, my new strategy is to practice the easy pieces, to build my confidence. And then sneak in a few measures of the Hebrides. So far (two practice days), it is helping, and it is certainly a better approach than avoiding practicing altogether. Concerts are in November, all too soon.

Also in November I am going to a weekend fiddle camp. I haven't been practicing fiddle music either. But that's another blog post for another day.

09-09-09

Since today seems to be a lucky day, I thought I would visit my poor neglected blog and write a thing or two. I only have time for one thing, and that is that orchestra starts tonight, and if I am going to get there on time, I need to leave very soon.

So, briefly--it is a new orchestra for me, but one that has been around 20 years or so, the Cape Community Orchestra. It rehearses in Harwich, about an hour's drive from here. They play a mix of classical and pop music, and I think they already have quite a few cellists. Nevertheless, they are welcoming, and I am looking forward to tonight.

Have a fortunate day!

Arts Alive

A belated update on a couple of June concerts. I played cello and flute with the flute choir on a Saturday, three weeks ago. All went reasonably well, though I was thrown off balance when a piece we had been playing in 4 was counted off in 2, and went along faster than we had previously played it.

We had six flutists and me, playing mostly cello, sometimes flute.

It was a gorgeous sunny day, rare in these parts in June, and we had a great time. I spent most of the rest of the day listening to other performers.

On Sunday, it was overcast. I performed with the fiddlers in the morning, though did not get a photo. Playing with the fiddlers is always fun, in part because there is no sheet music, and always, for me, a bit intimidating, for the same reason, because there is no sheet music. People do not necessarily play the same versions of each tune, so there is a certain freedom, and, as the sole cellist, I can choose to play melody (if I know it) or some form of accompaniment.

After the fiddlers, my friend Laura and I hosted an instrument petting zoo, giving kids the opportunity to try out violins, violas, and a cello. One of the moms told us that her daughter had her first encounter with a cello at an instrument petting zoo three years earlier, and had been taking cello lessons ever since. It is always nice to hear that these events have some impact.

Getting ready for the chamber concert.

After the petting zoo, Laura and I joined Marv and Joyce to play chamber music. By this time it was sprinkling. Laura and Marvin, on violins, and Joyce, on keyboard began the concert with a trio:

Laura and Avis.

Then I joined them for Pieces en Trio by Marin Marais (1656-1728).

The Marais suite is easy and has a good cello part, as Marais was a viola da gamba player. It is also in the key of C, mostly first position, and the cello part doubles the keyboard left hand. The only problem was the way the keyboard was miked. Unless the speakers were turned toward us, we could not hear the keyboard. And if the speakers were turned toward us, the audience couldn't hear the keyboard.

So since the audience, by this time, because of the increasingly heavy rain, consisted mainly of our spouses, we opted to turn the speakers toward ourselves. Even so, the keyboard played as a harpsichord, when amplified, takes on the sound of breaking dishes, at least to me, and it was difficult to be sure I was always with the keyboardist.

We had two hours of music planned, but, after a piece by Marv and Joyce, we called it quits and headed home, through the raindrops. It might have been better with sunshine and an audience, but I enjoyed it nevetheless.

Waltzing Frenzy!

Our big waltz event was last night. Our little band (4 fiddles, guitar, cello, drum, and tin whistle) played five waltzes and kept the dance floor crowded (until another band took over for the contradances). It was somewhat terrifying, but we all noticed that it was easier to play, and we played better, when there were people happily moving to the music.

I took this photo from the stage, during a tin whistle guitar solo. Beyond the dancers are tables; there were about 200 people, and they all loved to dance. It was a wonderful first performance for our group, a great alternative to either being background music or a concert performance, with all eyes on us. At the dance, we knew people were listening--they were twirling about--but we were not the focus of attention.

These were fast fiddle waltzes, not "slow dances," though still relatively slow for fiddle music. I did bring my sheet music, but I did try to play without looking at it. Sometimes, I completely forgot what note was next, but often I it was easier to just go with the flow, without the music.

The party celebrated the 88th birthday of the father of our tin whistle player. An enthusiastic contra-dancer and all-around good person, he was awe-inspiring, and I was happy to be part of the celebration.

A table centerpiece.

Fiddle-dee-dee

The fiddle performance is next Saturday, and, while I can play the tunes, I still do not have them reliably memorized enough to play them without the music though. I am fine alone--but sometimes fall apart when playing with the others. And we added two tunes, making a total of 6. One is Ashokan Farewell, which I can play from memory (and I am playing the melody in this one, not a harmony part), but I am not familiar enough with the other new one, Midnight on the Water, to even attempt memorizing it in a week.

So, I will play with sheet music. All the others will play from memory. In my defense, the cello parts are harder than the fiddle parts, which are all played in first position, and the fiddlers are all playing melody parts. I am disappointed to have to use sheet music, but my practice time has been so limited that I am quite happy to be playing at all!

End of May progress report

Though it seems as though May began only yesterday, it is coming to an end and June is about to burst out all over. A progress report seems in order.

I had an ambitious plan for May and June cello practicing and performance and started out in a frenzy (for me) of practicing. Everything, every day. For one reason or another, I missed a couple of cello lessons and a few practice sessions.

I started to concentrate on the first performance, the fiddle group performance on June 13. I am making progress on that. I have the four tunes mostly memorized, but there are still a few spots where I hesitate, there are a few intonation issues, and there is one tune that is just going by awfully fast.

Yesterday, at rehearsal, I used sheet music because I did not feel secure without it (I tried not to look at it), and the others (who do not use sheet music) said it would be fine, if I used it during the performance. I have two more weeks, though, and am really going to try to get to the point where I am ok without it.

The fiddlers were more complimentary about my playing than my intonation called for, and, when we were listening to a tape of our session, and I was thinking, gosh, I need to play softer, one of the fiddlers said, "we need to mike the cello." I don't think this is in our best interests.

I am playing with the adult piano students on June 12, and have a rehearsal with them this week. The music is easy (including the Berceuse from Suzuki, book 3), so I am just working on making it sound expressive and musical.

I have not done much on the cello duets or Marcello in the last two weeks (very busy work weeks for me), but for a time there I was feeling competent.

The Haydn trios are coming along for the June 20 performance. Still a couple of fast parts to bring up to speed.

Tomorrow, I plan to attend a performance of a string orchestra that I am considering joining for the summer. It starts June 8, and runs for 10 weeks, which is a little more of a commitment than I wanted to make this summer. But, the conductor is an excellent cellist, and I might learn a lot (if I practice).