Some of you might remember that I recently made the decision to leave violin aside in favour of cello (I was planning to continue playing the fiddle, but not to have any more lessons and to reduce my practise times to allow around about an hour and a half for cello). This I have done, with great success and enjoyment so far. I've managed to keep playing my fiddle a little and actually it has been a great help - when I'm having a bad cello day, I pick up my fiddle and remind myself that I used to have the same problems on the violin and that now I can play relatively competently (sometimes... ) so it's gone rather well.

HOWEVER, way back at the beginning of the year, my teacher at the conservatoire (fiddle teacher) arranged an audition with the local amateur symphony for me and, would you believe it, I got an email today to say that I had been accepted and that I'm starting rehearsals in September for the 24th Caprice, Beethoven's 9th, The Mendelssohn and (strangely) the theme from Jurassic park and Harry Potter.

This orchestra only usually takes 'fin d'études' conservatoire students (somewhere between grade 8 and Dip) so I don't know how I got in (or maybe they're just running out of violinists - can't imagine it but you never know). It's only a second violin position, but still...

So there, my fiddle has had its revenge - I have called my teacher today and arranged more lessons.

Do you fine people think it's feasible to continue with cello at 1.5 hours per day too? It's just that I have fallen so much in love with the cello that it would be a terrible wrench to have to give it up, or reduce my playing time.

AAARRRGH!

Allan.

Yeah, if you've got the time, do it.

I used to play cello a bit - muddling the two up isn't really an issue, in my opinion, as they are very different from each other.

Good luck with it!

Well, congratulations on passing the audition. What a nice dilemma!

Thanks Katyjay

I had a big excited moment when I realised I had been accepted, but then it sunk in that I would have to go back to violin lessons which would undermine my original decision... Ah well, I think I'm going to try them both as Benjaminja suggested - I'll try to give an hour to each (reducing my cello a little) and see how it goes over the summer. If it goes horribly wrong, then I'll have to re-evaluate.

Tis a nice dilemma, though - thanks for pointing that out.

I have to agree with katyjay, it's a really nice dilemma!

Allan, you have a very rambly PM from me but my short answers is GO FOR IT!

(What else would you expect )

Well, Allan, you must be better than you thouht you were Congrats

Liz

Bet you half a dollar I'm not! I reckon there's just a shortage of second violinists in North West France and so they're signing anybody up who has a fiddle and can play most of the notes in the right order with something that approaches the rhythm on the page! Am doing some really technical work now, though, to tighten things up - dusted of Kreuzer and Sevcik this afternoon and worked on repetitions of each bar for intonation then some bow work over a few studies - tedious, but I think it will help lots.

Go on Liz, you're a tell it as it is kind of person - is it possible to keep my cello up whilst committing to playing violin in an orchestra? Bearing in mind that I teach at University and also have an evening job that I do 'for fun' as it were...

You want me to be honest? You'll end up practising the cello and just doing the violin at rehearsals. Not that it's a problem - you can easily learn to fake it, viola players do that all the time

Liz

well done alan.

Like you i have serious multi-instrument-itis. Across my instruments, I do put in three or four hours a day, most days. This is in addition to a full time job (also a uni lecturer), part time degree and raising a child. I feel sure that if you want to, you'll keep your cello practice up!

J

Thanks Liz, I had a feeling that might happen - it's nice to know I won't be the only one! I'm waiting for the scores to arrive and then I'll take them, in a big panic fueled frenzy, to my teacher and see what's to be done. I suppose it's only then that I'll have an idea of the amount of work I need to do.




Thanks Meerkat, I'm pleased to hear that you manage to do so much practise, it gives me hope! I won't manage quite so much, I think, because I've also got my other job too (and it's way too much fun to stop doing!) but I reckon if I can hold around 2.5 hours per day, I'll be fine (1.5 for cello, of course!).

And indeed 2nd violinists *guilty as charged*

How rude! Yet how true! Just take the orchestra pieces home and practise them once or twice a week and you'll have no worries, you'll still be able to focus on cello.