I have decided to not get scared at the thought of performing in the ward talent show tonight. I’m just not ‘going there,’ to the fear, that is. I just remembered something from my past where I literally ‘didn’t go there.’ It was back when I was a teenager and I had been asked to play a saxophone solo at MIA opening exercises. Well I got talked into it–I thought it would be so embarrassing. I remember there was a boy I liked who would be there. The night came and I just didn’t show up. I just couldn’t do it! All I remember is there were people who were disappointed in me–I was disappointed in me, too. Oh well.
But tonight I will be playing my bassoon with a cool CD accompaniment from Warner Bros. Last year, my first year performing an instrumental solo since high school days, I played “Hedwig’s Theme.” I was pretty nervous but it turned out fairly well. It was exhilarating!
I was hoping to play “In Dreams” this year but there’s this high F# that I have only recently learned the fingering to and I’m (I almost used the word “afraid”) concerned that in the excitement of it all, I would falter. I absolutely love that song from Lord of the Rings and I want it to be as perfect as I am capable of so I will wait til next year. I’m pretty sure I will be playing “Theme from Jurassic Park” tonight. I had good intentions to practice on a regular basis and especially to get all ready for the talent night when it came again, but it just didn’t happen.
Yeh, I have a lot more to say on the subject of music. I love good music!! I can’t even imagine what my life would be like if it weren’t for music. It seems like my teenage life would have been a disaster had it not been for music!
Back to the ward, actually, neighborhood talent night, Holly is going to display some pictures she took of her niece last summer. Maddie is spraying herself in the face with a nozzle on the hose. She got three really good shots. They are so fun!
Okay, that’s it for now. Time to get out the bassoon and have a morning practice and make sure I have at least one back-up reed that works well and pray that I will be in tune tonight and that my favorite reed won’t give out because I really don’t think any of my others will do as well…Oh, yeh, and don’t worry!
June 22, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Can’t wait to hear how the Talent night turned out. Hope you were pleased with your performance. I love music, too. I make my own CD’s from songs I buy from Walmart.com for $.88 a song. I can play the song for 30 seconds before deciding if I want to buy it. That is so much better than in the olden days when I would buy a CD from the store, and come home and find out I only liked a couple of the songs. Now I can make my own CD with songs I know I like. It is Great! I listen to them in the car going to work and have some CD’s at my desk at work that I can listen to. Of course I’ve gotten spoiled now and “only” listen to the ones I make. Lots of nights, I will play a CD softly while I’m trying to fall asleep. I may only play one song or 30 minutes of songs. It all depends on how tired I am. But the music is so calming at the end of the day. I agree with you that music is wonderful in our lives. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
June 23, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Shirley,
That is so cool. Heather and I used to play the viola. We had very wonderful instruments compliments of a school district and a youth symphony. After almost 7 years of not having an instrument to play, I don’t think that either of us would pick one up and play in public. Perhaps some day we will get instruments again.
My friend’s father makes violins and was going to teach me how, but his wife didn’t want me to see his messy shop so his talent will die with him. I was so disappointed because I am really good with my hands and he was a really good violin maker…the $25K variety of good. Anyway I really appreciate talent whether it is performing or creating.
Congratulations on your courage to perform.
June 24, 2007 at 6:49 pm
First I will report on how it went at the talent night. I did really well at not getting scared. Having made that committment to you all must have helped. Of course there was not a total absence of nervousness at the very time of playing. I had quite a vibrato on the sustained notes–just couldn’t help it. A couple of times I didn’t quite come in just right, but I corrected myself really quickly. One seemed almost like a miracle. I momentarily forgot that it was just a two-measure break for me while the accompaniment went on and I missed my entrance but somehow I ended up at the right spot. I was amazed when I realized I was right with it again! I thanked the Lord for that. So overall, I thought it went well.
Barbs: That sounds like a good alternative to buying a CD and only having a song or two that you like. I’ll have to look into that. I just bought The Best of Saint-Saens CD and the only one I really like and the reason I bought it was for the “Organ Symphony” which is in the movie, Babe. I loved that and finally wanted to have it but I was disappointed in the rest of the CD. OOps I don’t remember if I ever did listen to the whole thing though. Maybe there will be another one or two I like.
When I was having trouble sleeping, I started listening to music on CDs, too. One I used over and over was Consider the Lilies by the Tabernacle Choir. It really worked. Yep, music is wonderful!
Janet: I really do hope you and Heather get instruments again! I have to tell you that when I was in high school and then one year at BYU in the concert band, a bassoon was provided for me, but then I was without one until the year 2000 when I bought myself a used one–expensive though it was–over $1,000. So that was 37 years without playing! I worked at it on my own for a while but didn’t make much progress until I got into a community orchestra. That really made me stretch and gave the needed motivation. Most of the music in the orchestra is really difficult (professional level) so it is pretty frustrating at times but they are really easy going about it and I just do what I can, learning a new fingering every so often.
We have a little ward orchestra that performs maybe a couple times a year. The ward choir director and I were talking a few years back and she said something and I said something and we decided to put one together. It has been fun getting the youth involved and people who hadn’t played for years–they can’t use that excuse because my years of not playing are longer!
Oh, that makes me sad to think that you could have learned how to make violins even but for that fussy wife! Ooo that hurts! Holly would love to teach some of her nieces to play on one of the smaller-sized violins.
Boy, I could go on and on about this stuff but will stop for now.
June 26, 2007 at 8:11 pm
My oldest daughter lived in Longview, WA until a short time ago. They have a project there where violin makers make instruments for the kids in the school programs and only charge $100 for a very nice violin, case and bow. I would have loved to join the project, but I guess some things are just not meant to be.
I used to have a piano but gave it to my daughter who plays beautifully. I think that if I invest in something a piano would be first on the list because Heather wants to learn to play. She was very disappointed that her sister got the piano so early but we were moving and I had no place to put it…the timing was just right. When Heather graduates and get through her masters, she will be able to get another viola and I know that she will.
I’m glad that your performance went well. Congratulations.