The Viola Thread, Everybody welcome :-D Options

[barry-clari]

I'd certainly be up for a viola day...

W (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

yes yes yes to a VIOLA day!!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) What a BRILLIANT idea!!!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/yay.gif)
We can get together, play viola and eat cake (the last bit is my idea but I think it is a good one!)

The Telemann canonic sonatas look like fun, 2childmum. I don't know them, but should be able to bash through a few.

I do know that there is likely to be a viola playday in Primrose Hill in London in 2012, organised by one of my friends and led by Helen Sanders-Hewett. I'll let folk know more when I get the information.

Oh bother, I keep meaning to look at that website, and I've double booked myself on Cello Love weekend. Again (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[2childmum]

In an ideal world I would have worked out how to do multiple quotes on here but as the world is far from ideal I shall have to answer people thus:

lottie - yes it is in G major and I would love to see a copy of a cadenza if only to get me started!

onion - cake. Goes without saying - preferably several sorts. With icing. And Earl Grey tea 'cos that's what my teacher makes me when I go for a lesson and so it sort of goes with viola playing in my mind now. I don't have a copy of the Telemann but a chance to play them with someone might set off a spending spree!


Purple viola - yes, that simple sort of cadenza is what my teacher means but it still ain't happening! I need to put some serious thought into it really.



I've played a couple of nice viola ensemble bits my teacher printed off of the internet. I'll have to find the web address and then we would have lots of nice stuff to play together.

[willobie]

*remains invisible*

[onion]

*remains invisible*

Sorry that you feel like that. I thought I included you! (I meant the (IMG:style_emoticons/default/yay.gif) for you and lottie!) I like playing duets with willobie, and at least one of my exam pieces have been chosen because you played it in a concert. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
Would love to get together with you for duets etc! Lots of fun.

[willobie]

*remains invisible*

Sorry that you feel like that. I thought I included you! (I meant the (IMG:style_emoticons/default/yay.gif) for you and lottie!) I like playing duets with willobie, and at least one of my exam pieces have been chosen because you played it in a concert. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
Would love to get together with you for duets etc! Lots of fun.

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Would love to do a viola event - do let me know if you know of one...

W (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[lilly763]

I could fly down from Scotland - how do you take a viola on a plane? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) It wouldn't fit overhead and there's no way I would put Hannah in the hold!???? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Are you sure you couldn't take it on board with you? The measurements for musical instruments are more generous than for ordinary hand-luggage. My daughter's trombone is within the requirements and a 1/2 size cello is as well. I can't imagine that your viola is bigger than either of those. (I am always slightly amused that one of the instruments they give you as fitting within the requirements is a piccolo (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) So do read the measurements and get out a tape measure).

Rules do change and depend on the airline, but I have gone on trans-Atlantic flights with orchestras on a couple of different occasion in the past few years, and none of the violists or violinists ran into trouble carrying instruments on board (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[purple viola]

Purple viola - yes, that simple sort of cadenza is what my teacher means but it still ain't happening! I need to put some serious thought into it really.

I seem to remember that the only important thing was that the cadenza should finish on the C two octaves above the open C. I looked at Telemann's method sonatas for inspiration and listened carefully to the my favourite recording of the concerto.
I actually wrote out the whole of the first movement, including my cadenza, as I needed to put in baroque-style ornamentation and at first I couldn't just add it spontaneously, so it has all my baroque-style ornamentation added in. You are welcome to have a copy of it if you want.

[STRINGMUM]

[

I could fly down from Scotland - how do you take a viola on a plane? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) It wouldn't fit overhead and there's no way I would put Hannah in the hold!???? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

But otherwise CAKE is a very good friend and invited to all my social events (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (with her twin COFFEE of course (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) )
[/quote]


Lottie my son and several of his friends have flown with a viola as hand luggage and their cases fitted the overhead lockers ok.

[lottie]

I do know that there is likely to be a viola playday in Primrose Hill in London in 2012, organised by one of my friends and led by Helen Sanders-Hewett. I'll let folk know more when I get the information.

I want to do this! I wish it was tomorrow - I need a playing boost among fellow viola people! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) SOOONN!!!

Can't practise at the moment though because yesterday I sliced throught the pad of my ring finger on my left hand (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) It was really deep and wouldn't stop bleeding for ages! It's still wrapped in a plaster and goes across my finger just where the string would go. I'm hoping it might have healed enough for my lesson on Friday.

How's your finger now? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I hope it's okay and you can still play!

Lottie my son and several of his friends have flown with a viola as hand luggage and their cases fitted the overhead lockers ok.

Thank you Stringmum - I'll speak to BA when we start to plan something.


If we do have a viola-day in London does it matter that I'm rubbish? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) What sort of standard are the Telemann canonic sonatas? I love Telemann so that sounds like fun!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

[2childmum]

My finger is better now thank you. I had to miss orchestra but was ok for my lesson on Friday (thankfully it had been moved from Wednesday) Have lost all motivation to practise this week though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) had to force myself this morning, but felt better for it afterwards.

I'm still trying to sort out fingering for ' I'll bid my heart be still' - what do others do for the jump between the E at the end of bar 4 and the A at the beginning of bar 5? I keep trying different things and at present either jump across with a 3rd finger or shift to a second on the A but neither really work.

I'm not sure about the Telemann - I sight read - very slowly - through the first one and I'm sort of grade 5/6 standard (although never tested in the exam room) Anyway, if we do have a viola day we will find music to suit whoever comes - so standard no problem (she says as if it's up to her - hopefully others will agree)

Is anyone else coming to the Egham concert? If so maybe we could bring some music and have a go ourselves in the morning.

[willobie]

At our orchestra rehearsal last we had 9 violas and only 5 cellos...

W (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[onion]

At our orchestra rehearsal last we had 9 violas and only 5 cellos...

W (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Excellent - my kind of orchestra! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I'm still trying to sort out fingering for ' I'll bid my heart be still' - what do others do for the jump between the E at the end of bar 4 and the A at the beginning of bar 5? I keep trying different things and at present either jump across with a 3rd finger or shift to a second on the A but neither really work.

I think I play that phrase from the upbeat to bar 4 in second position. Not sure if that helps you.

Is anyone else coming to the Egham concert? If so maybe we could bring some music and have a go ourselves in the morning.

Sounds great! I'm hoping to be there.

[lottie]

I am SO excited!!

I discussed my Grade 5 (for next session) with my teacher yesterday and we're going to look at a couple of the pieces next week (I only have ad-hoc lessons so I'm dying for another one!). I've definitely decided on my 'C' piece and it's between two for the A list. The B list I'm not so sure yet.

ALSO I have FOUR new bows arrived today to 'trial'. I live too far from a violin shop to be practical so I'm having eight in total sent in the next week (sorry muzikalbadger, I really need a new bow now but we can still go bow-trialing at Blackie Street in the New Year just for fun! (or camel cuddling (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ).

Thing is, I have to be out most of the day so I hope I don't miss the courier (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Hubby is away for a couple of days so I can play all evening if I want to... and I DO (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

[Degzi]

i switch from violin to viola in a week and 2 days (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) so cant wait now

[2childmum]

I'm still trying to sort out fingering for ' I'll bid my heart be still' - what do others do for the jump between the E at the end of bar 4 and the A at the beginning of bar 5? I keep trying different things and at present either jump across with a 3rd finger or shift to a second on the A but neither really work.

I think I play that phrase from the upbeat to bar 4 in second position. Not sure if that helps you.


Yes I play it in second as well but it needs a jump across the strings with a 3rd finger. My teacher has suggested shifting to a second finger for the A but that just results in an out of tune bump!

[quote name='lottie' date='Nov 22 2011, 05:39 AM' post='1107732']
I am SO excited!!

I discussed my Grade 5 (for next session) with my teacher yesterday and we're going to look at a couple of the pieces next week (I only have ad-hoc lessons so I'm dying for another one!). I've definitely decided on my 'C' piece and it's between two for the A list. The B list I'm not so sure yet.



So what have you chosen? Do tell!


Sorry this is a bit confusing - I got all excited thinking I had worked out how to quote and then answer two different posts but it turns out I haven't!