Playing music is fun

Emrah might be right to say that I should consider myself a lucky person because I have experienced the bliss of playing music.

I was awfully tired when I left office this afternoon. I took time-off from work to go for double bass sectionals and rehearsals. When I was travelling on the cab to the rehearsal venue, I actually feared that I would be too tired to play well. My brain has been working very hard since the beginning of the week. The social worker job is quite a mentally demanding job requiring not "a big heart" but more, a mind that reflects and thinks critically. Nevermind about the job, I just wanted to stress that I was very tired that I took quick short naps on the cab.

I sat in for Emily's double bass lesson with the orchestra's double bass tutor. He is simply one of the most inspiring tutors I have encountered. When Emily played the Introduction & Allegro before the lesson, I heard it and I could make no sense of the music at all. When I sat in to listen to Emily having her lesson, and listen to the tutor trying to guide her on the work, Introduction & Allegro just simply started to make more and more musical sense. I wish I could have Emily's better sense of rhythm, I often struggle on rhythms during many of my double bass lessons and practices. Anyway, I shall also honour that I should have my own merits in some ways.

When it was turn to have sectionals, it was probably a good choice that our tutor decided to work on Mendelssohn's Fingals Cave. I had practised it several times, yet there is just simply more practice and work needed. It has demanding passages for the double bass. My tutor spoke about how we could play certain passages so that we could sound more musical. We had one hour of sectional. Sectionals and lessons with our tutor have always been enriching. Cheers to our tutor. I think by the end of the lessons and sectionals, our tutor must have been dead tired. His lessons are always so intensive. So were today's. Anyway, I am thankful.

MC sounded obviously better. I wonder if he had practised over the weekend? He also seemed more willing to play certain difficult passages than he had used to be. Maybe his lesson with our tutor just before the sectionals had helped? Keep it up MC.

After sectionals, we have orchestra rehearsal. Strangely, I had not feel as tired when sectionals started. Sitting in for Emily's lesson had also allowed me time to recharge my tired self. What good things music can do. I think I should say, playing music can make miracles.

We played Mendelssohn's Fingals Cave. I still have difficulties with the last few passages. My left hand's fingers did not seem to meet up to the demands of the challenging passages as yet. More to practice. I shall start at a slow tempo when I practise on my own. I hope to spend more time practising on my own. The fun thing about playing Fingals Cave is the challenge to reach what seemed quite impossible, at least I had never played the entire Fingals Cave without missing a few bars due to the passages being too difficult.

For the past week, I have not been practising much on my own due to poor health. While I no longer have the runny nose, but my cough has seemed to worsen. No sign of me recovering from the cough. In fact, I was coughing and coughing at various points of the rehearsals, and well even after the rehearsals. Do I blame it all on my sensitive respiratory system, or the irritating phlegm in my throat?

During the orchestra rehearsals, we also played the first, fourth and third movement from Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony. Playing Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony felt very satisfying and fun in that playing it allowed me to find an outlet for creative expression. Tchaikovsky's must have had a painful and sad life. I felt pain and suffering listening to his music. Yet, I suppose it provided an avenue for me to find a way to express and get in touch with some of my own pains and hurts that I have felt in my life? All that expression being done in the name of giving life to music and creativity. Then what seemed negative forces are now turned to much bigger, positive forces: Music and creativity. Maybe that was why I actually felt touched at certain points while playing Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony?

Playing music must have been so fun that it kept me awake at this hour. It is actually 12.50 a.m. at the point of writing this sentence. But I shall sleep soon. My eyes are now tearing from tiredness.

I heard the orchestra might have a concert coming up later this year at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Do come and listen to us if you happen to be Singapore. I will post the details when I get hold of them.

Meantime, may you find things in life that will bring life and joy to you.