Monday, June 23, 2008

The Arts Festival

We all agreed this was the best festival we have played and the best we have played in a festival. We have been playing as a quartet, and during the last week or so, added three very good players, doubling parts. In the past our flute choir has consisted of up to 8 players and we have tried not to double parts, but the doubling of parts made everything sound so much better, fuller, richer.

Our tent was well situated, and you can see we have attracted a small crowd. Sometimes our tent has not been so centrally located, and we have played mainly to relatives and friends. They were quite appreciative, calling us "excellent." The best part, for me, was a former flutist in the audience who came up and said the cello was the best part (even though I made plenty of mistakes).

You can't actually see me in this photo, just the cello, between the first and second flutes on the left.

Ok, here is what I look like, intensely intent on the Haydn, London Trios, as interpreted by 5 C flutes, 1 alto flute, and me.

4 comments:

Melissa said...

Hey! Someone else who plays at that angle besides me!

I'm always getting grief for playing at that angle. And my stand partner, who is now my son's cello teacher has threatened me, upon pain of using her totally disorganized music binder at rehearsals, not to teach him the same. :)

Glad to hear it went well.

CelloGeek said...

glad to hear your gig went well!

Maricello said...

I recently talked to my teacher about trying to change that angle. She thought it was ok, and that the more upright stance I was trying to achieve would be worse for me. Oh well, I do try to change, but I am kind of short and round, and blame it on that. :-)

There was actually another gig later that day, with the fiddlers. I was so exhausted by then I nearly nodded off while playing. My husband, nodding off in the audience, said he couldn't hear me, which, sometimes, is as good as playing well. :-)

cellodonna said...

Wow. You certainly do look intent.

I think being comfortable while playing is very important. It would seem unlikely that the same position and angle would work for everyone since we're all differnent sizes and shapes.