Basic Drawing

I started a basic drawing class tonight at the adult ed program. There are about nine people in the class, all of whom have taken previous classes, so it isn't strictly beginner. I have taken art classes too, long ago, before the kids were born, and then again when they were little. But I haven't done much drawing lately, so decided to take the most basic course.

After seemingly obligatory Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain introductory exercises which bore no relationship to anything we did afterward, we set about drawing a still life consisting of a brown teddy bear perched on a brown hat-box-shaped box, with a brown tin container on one side and a brown wicker basket on the other side. The teacher walked around and made humorless comments like, "your drawing is too small," "you are including too much of the table," "you are not leaving any space for the bear," "your basket is not properly shaped" (this to me, as well as others). And my favorite, "er, why don't you start over?" I didn't see any of the other drawings, but they sure sounded dreadful!

It can only get better! I will try to whip my basket into shape before the next class. One advantage of drawing over playing the cello: the eraser. But for both, it's practice, practice, practice.

Happy Again

I finally took my cello in to have the soundpost re-positioned, and my cello and I are feeling fine again. The luthier is a cellist who lives at the other end of the Cape, so my husband and I journeyed out together to enjoy a few minutes on the endless white sands of Nausett Beach. Not too long, as the cello was in the car, but long enough to bask in the warm fall sun.

This evening I attended the Scottish fiddle workshop which, it turns out, was sponsored by the Scottish Fiddle Camp people. It was good to see some of the campers again, as well as local fiddlers. It was a great session, though I only played a few notes correctly. We learned two tunes and ornamentation for them. Douglas Lawrence spoke of putting joy and lightness in your playing and admonished against playing too fast and out of control. Ah, this too-fast-and-out-of-control comment made me smile. I have a hard time keeping up with the fiddlers most of the time and often have this feeling that the music is played too fast to sound good, and, even when it does sound good, too fast for the brain to take in, enjoy, and savor. His comment may not slow down any fiddlers, but it pleased me.

He did give us the sheet music so I can work on the tunes we learned tonight. Actually he gave me the sheet music early, recognizing that I was [still] having trouble with the learn-by-ear element (especially as the only cellist in a room full of fiddlers), so that I could play the chords. I enjoyed the session, not because I learned a new tune, but because I learned a little more about the style of Scottish fiddling, what gives the music its distinctive sound, and how one might ornament it and accompany it. Doug Lawrence is a very talented fiddler, and I enjoyed just listening.

Oh, and Doug told a cello story for me, about the time he shook hands with Rostropovich, when, on stage, after a performance, the cellist mistook him for the second violin section leader.

The monkeys were happy to see the cello again.

Scottish Fiddle Workshop on Monday

I just found out that Johnson String Instrument of Cape Cod is having a Scottish Fiddle Workshop this coming Monday. So, for those of you in the Falmouth, MA area, here's the official notice: (I will be there with a cello.)

Scottish Fiddle Workshop At Johnson String Instrument

Douglas Lawrence will conduct a workshop in Scottish Fiddle at Johnson String Instrument in Falmouth on Monday, September 24, 2007 from 6 to 8 p.m. The suggested donation is $20.

Douglas Lawrence hails from Buckie in Banffshire where he was born in 1957. He started playing the violin at the age of nine when given the instrument by his grandfather. At school he was given violin tuition from Steve Merson, who then introduced him to Hector MacAndrew, one of the greatest exponents of Scottish fiddle playing.

Douglas went on to become Hector's most distinguished pupil, winning every major fiddle competition, including the International Gathering Of The Clans in 1977 and the Golden Fiddle in 1979. Douglas excelled equally as a composer, his compositions winning at the Elgin, Banchory and Kirriemuir festivals.

"Arguably the finest performer of the music of the North East today, Douglas is equally brilliant in interpreting the music of the bagpipe on violin. His repertoire includes a high content of pipe marches…” --Doug Veitch

For more information please call Johnson String Instrument at 508-495-5551. Johnson’s is located at 49 North Main Street in Falmouth in the Queens Buyway.

Sad and gloomy

My cello case fell against my cello, dislodging both the bridge and the soundpost. No serious damage, but I can't play my cello until I take it in to be repaired. It's a long drive and I don't have time to do it right now because of my work schedule. I do have my old cello, but I am feeling gloomy nevertheless.

Pie and Cello lessons

After an enjoyable Simon Sinfonietta concert on Saturday night, which featured a jazzy contemporary bassoon solo (Concert Piece for Bassoon and String Orchestra by Burrill Philips), we had pie and ice cream at Pies a la Mode.


This morning, I played some Scottish fiddle tunes for Danny and Barbara, then gave them both a quick cello lesson. My brother, who is an accomplished banjo player, was able to play a bit of "Old Joe Clark."

My daughter and her uncle bow each other's cellos, while Barbara plays my octave mandolin, which is strung as a mandola.


Everyone loves the cello.


Barbara tries the fiddle.


All too soon, it was time for them to go, and me to get back to work. ~sigh~

Bloggable Moment

My brother and his wife viewing my blog at an local coffee shop. What could be more bloggable? We're having fun, honest, despite the fact that they look like they are nodding off at the very thought of looking at my blog. :-)

Scottish fiddle practice

I've been swamped with work lately and have not been practicing (or writing) as much as I want to.

Yesterday, though, I worked at the string shop and had a few moments of downtime, so worked on my Scottish fiddle tunes from camp. I sort of learned these by ear at camp, and am now learning/memorizing them by referring to the sheet music. I brought them to my lesson this week, and my teacher noted the discrepancies between what I was playing and what was written in the sheet music. Some differences where those I had decided to make (that was the way I learned it at camp), and others I was completely oblivious of. In particular, there was a part where I felt I was rushing, and could find no way to slow down. My teacher noted that I was dropping an eighth note. Suddenly it made sense. I didn't add the note back in, but extended the previous note. [It's folk music, and, as I said to my teacher, it is my tune now. :-)] She suggested a bowing change, which was a great improvement. She recommended marking in all the bowings on the music, even though I don't use the sheet music when I play, just to clarify to myself what I am doing. Also very helpful.

There is much more I want to say about fiddling. I have had some good discussions with various people, including Seylan Baxter, a Scottish cellist who plays with harpist Cheyenne Brown. You can hear their music on their MySpace site. We've been talking about learning by ear, what octave to play in, and other interesting topics. More later, when I have a bit more time!

My brother and his wife are visiting, and I would like to wish my in-all-ways-beautiful sister-in-law Barbara a very Happy Birthday!