Back from rehearsal

Just about half an hour ago, I reached home from rehearsal. Actually, to be accurate, from supper that happened after the rehearsal.

This afternoon, there was an one hour sectional with our double bass tutor. He taught us a few things. If I had remembered and expressed these accurately, they go like this:

1. To articulate accents on notes that are supposed to be played softly (in terms of volume), the left hand could be employed to articulate the accents by trying to achieve something quite like a fast and quick vibrato on the left hand.

2. To make that leap from the C# on the first position of A string to the A (thumb position) on the G found in the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony, we could raise our wrist to prepare to move the A note. This also applies to a few other passages.

Sectionals with our tutor have generally been enriching, in fact, always. I thank my tutor for being such an inspiring and responsible tutor.

Following sectionals was orchestra rehearsal. We played the second and the fourth movement from Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony. There was a short break mid-way during the orchestra rehearsal. When I returned to play after break, I felt my fingers were feeling tired from all the playing. Anyway, practice has helped. I managed to be able to play through most of the second and fourth movement. More improvement will be needed, but at least I managed to play through most of the passages. Now I could feel those hours spent on practising on my own were not in vain.

Practising scales and exercises have also helped me too. I wish I could somehow encourage one of my section mates to do more of this. He sounded very out of tune. I was too far from him to give him the feedback this evening. Could anyone tell me how to encourage him to do what is necessary to improve his intonation, without hurting his feelings or pride?

The double bass that I regularly used at the orchestra sounded more full in its sound. It had just returned from repair and maintenance. I thank the Luthier for the job well done.

For now, I look forward to the rehearsal held this coming Sunday. Yet first, I should find more time to practise and improve my intonation. It was not as bad, but it was not perfect. My friend who has perfect-pitch will still be able to find flaws in my intonation.

After rehearsal, YY was nice enough to give us a lift on his car to a fast-food restaurant. Emily had needed supper for she was too busy to have her dinner before the rehearsal. For myself, I had the Berrinice Yogurt (I hope this is its name).

So because of returning home late from rehearsal, I had missed writing a post for 11 May 2005. Anyway, it did not quite matter, would it?