Monday, December 20, 2010

Day 15 - Day of Rest

Day of rest for the orchestra. Do we really need it? Do we need to work on our parts still? Can a horse be flogged too much?

The answer to all those questions is YES.

Defining "horse": embouchure or lips

Brass musician "horses" have been pummelled over the past fortnight with this epic scale work. I have not touched my tuba since close of rehearsal yesterday and won't until tomorrow morning, Tuesday. Yes, I should be working on my parts as they do need work. But right now, I feel it's more important to be in control of what I can do rather than play all the notes right with splits and ptangs throughout the performance. As for the other brass performers, they will make use of this down time in their own positive way.

How are wind players affected with this intense and sustained rehearsal regeime? It's been 22 years since I played sax in high school and I can't remember a thing. Regardless of how they are affected, i'm sure they will relish this day of rest as much as the brass.

Strings? Ask them please. I can have a field day paying out on them about this but this would be wrong! hehe

Percussion? Even in rehearsal when they are not needed to play, they are always banging away, soft and not so soft. Energiser Bunny, they can keep banging away all day I think. But do the right thing and ask them yourself. Don't ask the tuba player about this!

Back to the first 3 questions. The answer is YES to all 3. Each individual will take care of themself in the best way possible to give their best possible performance on Wednesday the 22nd of December, Gothic night.

To those who let us down, you won't know what you are missing.

To every Gothic performer and organiser, none of us will look back over our shoulder in a few years time and kick ourselves for missing this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Thanks to who ever forwarded the idea of issuing everyone with a unique coffee mug. Thanks to Jenny who randomly reached for a coffee mug and handed it to me. Neither of us knowing how special this mug really is!

Day of rest, well, for the musician part of me. I woke up with a sore neck then developed a headache. Then headed out to mow 2 properties in this humid hot weather. I survived somehow! Now to chill out and prepare myself for 2 days of Gothic.

This will be something special.

Stay tuned with the Gothic Tuba Experience

John Szkutko

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