random update
I’m all over the map (in more ways that one) but thought that I should still try to do roughly one post a day. Here’s what I’ve got for y’alltoday: 1. Shipping my car back to CA and buying…
Emily Wright
tales from the stage
When I was in high school, I got to play a Vivaldi cello concerto with the orchestra. There were several concerts, one of which was mostly families, the other comprised mostly of friends. During the “family” concert, I noticed…
you’ll know.
If you (or your child) are considering giving up on playing an instrument, here’s a little checklist to see if it’s the right thing to do. The Quitting Checklist: 1. Have you tried private lessons? Individual attention helps,…
game changers.
I was at dinner with GGP and Nancy Jo tonight, and we were talking about the Masterpieces class she gives over at AU. I brought up Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians as what I consider a seminal work,…
there’s not always room…
…for cello. So I love playing with bands. Love, love, love it. Every now and again, a songwriter will come to me with some ideas or even a written chart for a tune. And I play it. No sweat.…
if you don’t want to practice
That’s fine. No really. It’s totally fine. Do your thing. Strange that you don’t want to improve today, though. I mean, it’s understandable. You’re tired. Or have ennui. Or lost sight of the goal. You’re bored. Or…
strange flattery
If you keep up with me on Twittaw, you know I’ve become something of a swing dance addict. There’s something uniquely satisfying about learning a new discipline that, if you’re doing it right, requires lots of awareness and technique and…
stoke factor
I was at a party last night where we were discussing all of our respective job situations and future plans. With about 2 weeks until my Hopkins studies are ostensibly done, the situation is getting, to put it…
Lucy finds a computer
Bless her furry grey heart: Lucy’s been trying to email you guys. While I’m gigging like crazy and finishing up at Hopkins, she was hoping for some pen-pals to keep her company. Don’t tell her I know about her little…
hee hee
Anna sent this to me with the subject line: “personal cello transport solution”. Of course she’s at Cambridge, clever thing.
music saves the day, again.
I am so overwhelmed by this final push at Hopkins. It’s a summer of “capstone” classes, each designed to sum up an emphasis with a large-scale project. The reading has been punishing in sheer volume, and a little frustrating…
knowing in your bones
A friend of mine is going through what she’s calling a breakdown. After having pushed herself to the limit for the past 5+ years with the supposed goal of becoming a physician’s assistant, she got into a prestigious program…
Stage fright
I still catch a case of the stomach-jumpies when I get on stage. Not all the time, but I’d say at least half of my gigs (including workshops, seminars, etc) have some added zesty to them. The key to…
questions from the Twitterverse, part 2.
Back for more, eh? Here are some additional questions from the Q&A on Twitter: @CatePolacek asks: Oh, oh, can you explain the false string thing? I’ve yet to change mine, but your recent experiences are…
questions from the Twitterverse, part 1.
I thought it might be fun to answer some questions from the good folks on Twitter, so here goes: @mstcambot asks: 1. Do cellists like violinists? When I played in middle school, the pecking order seemed to…
This.
Pretty much the whole point of my blog. And maybe my life.
Memorial Day.
EW: I posted this last year but thought it was worth revisiting. Have a wonderful Memorial Day, lovely readers. Someone whom I respect and care very much for said about Memorial Day, “It really has no meaning for me at all.”…
Cheers, Socrates! A commentary on YouTube haters.
I’m used to being misunderstood. Heck, I’m used to being understood and then despised for what I genuinely mean. Anyone who has ever posted or commented on YouTube knows that it is a haven, a sanctuary….a sucktuary, if you will,…
Sometimes the music looks back at you.
It’s been busy times in the stark raving life of your friendly neighborhood cellist. I suspect this will be one of the last blogs at this address: the whole shebang is going to move over to my big site. But…
Striking out.
Ryan Howard is a baseball powerhouse. He’s led the majors in things like slugging and home runs, and is known as a Big Bat, for good reason. If you’re not a Philly fan, you probably just feel a little uncomfortable…
Rock and Roll, part 2
It’s been a fabulous week of playing, meeting, planning and general mayhem. It looks like I’ll be heading into the studio around the end of summer to record an EP. September should be an exciting month. By then I hope…
Rock and Roll
In an alarming number of ways, it’s been so easy to be away from the classical world. I mean, look: everybody’s foaming at the mouth about declining audiences, gigs are scarce, and the likes of me was always begrudgingly admitted…
Untold inner monologues of great composers
My new cello crush.
I know I’m totally late to the Stjepan Hauser party, but watching him have a great time with the cello is a reminder of how much fun it is to do this thing we do, and also of the fruits…
From the mailbag.
Today, I got two emails. One, from someone I have known for a long time. Another, from someone I have never met before. Email #1: Hi again, I’m no avid reader of your blog but I do admit to checking…
Cat vs Metronome
For those of you who detest working with ol’ metro, this is for you. I enjoy the McTwitchersons action.
A quick reflection about practice.
I was practicing yesterday and encountered, for the first time in a long while, the temptation to stop after the first 20 minutes. I’ve set about going through the Popper études and plowing roughshod through the repertoire to prime myself…
Dive in.
One of the most rewarding things about this blog are the emails I get from people who have been touched by something I’ve written. I react anywhere from “Aw, shucks” all the way to ten-minute cathartic bawl-fests, and I am…
The Nice Lady
As some of you may have gathered, I’m hustling out here in Baltimore. Gone are the days of composers calling me up for last-minute tv gigs, of weeks full of teaching my beloved students, of having the luxury of near-daily…
The Best Valentine’s Day Ever
You know you love the music. Buy it here.