MTAC Piano Convention

Okay, so back from Piano Covention. Recital was standard procedure. =]

Now the really really cool thing was the Piano Concerto Competition. There was a ten year old playing Beethoven's first Concerto. An 11 year old playing Mozart's 24th. (I know!!! It's okay, I feel bad too). A 14 year old playing Beethoven's 5th Concerto and (wonder of wonders) a 15 year old playing third movement of Rachmaninoff's 3rd!!! It was quite amazing to say the least. =] And there was a 17 year old playing Prokofiev's 2nd, a 19-20 year old playing the First Movement of Rach's 2nd. And a 20-24 year old playing Saint-Saens' 2nd. Yeah. Wow.

Here were the demographics:

Asian.....Asian......Asian.....Asian....Asian....Asian.....Asian.......and....(think again!).....Russian!

Of course I've been spoiled by the great performers of these concertos (Argerich, Rachmaninoff, Lang Lang, Richter, etc.) so you could tell that they're performance still lacked experience (I'm just being picky here), but just to be able to even play these pieces is a titanic achievement at such a young age! (They each played a movement from the work). Especially the Rachmaninoff 3rd which is arguably the hardest piece of piano music ever written. (Listz would contend for that). =]

Quite inspiring. *nod nod* Now back to work.

Summer Boredom and Good Friendfulness

Summer's odd. You long for it for most of the school year. Then you can't wait for it to be over so you can go back to school. (at least for me!).

Good thing Wheatstone is coming up! *Jumping up and down doing cart wheels and almost hyperventalating*

Must first conquer piano convention and econ. final. And keep up trust in God.

Friends are good (very good) for this. Extremely kind friends who will graciously bear your ceaseless chatter around midnight (Friday night too!) and not disown you! How I recieved this inexplicably good fortune I do not know.

Thank God for incredible friends. =]

Slightly Better News...

The little flaps of skin in between my fingers are sore but I think if I really really really stretch hard enough I can reach them.

Some words from a master:

"Of course a very small hand will never achieve that feeling of freedom (and of might!), I would say of "mightiness" and "power" which is inherent in large hands able without discomfort or effort to grasp the biggest multipart chords and which is, so to say, their birthright. (Imagine, for instance, Anton Rubinstein's lion's paws, or the enormous soft and powerful hands of Rachmaninov). Small hands in such cases will not be able to forego the subterfuges, the ability to manage in a difficult situation which they acquired over the years by dint of hard work and not without the help of the intellect. In short, they turn their drawbacks into advantages and that is, of course, victory of the spirit over the flesh and consequently particularly precious. But, nevertheless, they will never be able to compare fully with hands which do not need any subterfuge and which, acting by instinct, at once, like nature itself, subjugate the piano and reign over it unchallenged. I know I shall be damned for this discouraging statement, "all wrong from the psychological point of view". But in fact there is nothing discouraging in this. One must reason soberly and not dodge reality. I often preach to my pupils that one plays with piano first of all with the head and ear and ony then with the hands, and that it is possible to play very well with "bad" hands and very badly with "good" hands. This is already a great consolation for those who need it."

-Heinrich Neuhaus from The Art of Piano Playing

I think he (Neuhaus) had even smaller hands then I! (He had problems with his middle [second third and fourth] fingers touching keys when he played octaves) But just listen to him play!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-UCUVtd2gA&feature=related

I'm encouraged. =] Besides. There is (Gasp!) more (much much much more) to life than Rachmaninoff.

Isn't God good? =]

Not So Good news...

My hands are tiny...

compared to Rachmaninoffs. (He could reach a 13th!!!)

*sniffles* I cannot practically reach a 10th.

The huge, thunderous begginning chords of Rach 2 have the left hand going from F to A flat with 2 notes in between. That's a 10th....and then some.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

This must've been a little bit of what Moses felt when he was barred from the Promised Land.

=[ This is a dark, dark day. =[

What am I to do? sigh.

Treasures Earned

Oooookaaay so, good news. =]

My good friend (who played the Rachmaninoff No. 2 with her friend in highschool) let me borrow the copy of the concerto (with orchestra piano parts). And (Gasp!) offered to let me have it (what a treasure!) if I could play the first page for her by next week. !!! *Many many many smiles*

You can bet I'll get started on it right away...

Oh, and I watched Wicked at Pentageus (Is that how you spell it). It was very well done. I might post something about it... A very thought provoking musical. Liked it very very much.

Its late, I'm tired, Happy Summering! =]

Car Craze

Unlike most boys, I never really liked cars. They were simply pieces of metal and plastic which happened to transport people around from place to place. Most boys have dreamed of the bright red convertible sports car since the day they learned to make the "vroom vroom" sound of an engine. In short, I had thought myself immune to this epidemic of car craze.

But not anymore. That's it, I've gone over the top! I'm quite smitten. =]

Isn't it adorable? It isn't as amazing in pictures as in real life. They've just recently become available on the U.S. market. On the way to class today I passed by a smartcar and oooggled for a good 5 mins. It's like a little puppy on four wheels!

I don't think I'll be getting it for Christmas anytime soon though. =]

My mom thinks I'm weird. =] (For good reason!)

Facebook

Open Question:

Should a (me) person who has a known tendency to become slightly addicted (3-5 hrs. a day) to online personal networks such as MySpace join Facebook?

This comes after about 2 years of 'abstinence' haha.

Motivations:
Friends. Summer's here, I don't see them that much. (Although Wheatstone is coming up)

Pros: Well, I'll get to 'connect' with a whole slew of people and at least stay slightly more in touch with them. Friends are good.

Cons: Eats away huge amounts of time. Especially since I have this tendency to become addicted to this stuff. There are better things to do with ones time.

Ahhhh! I don't know! Probably not though.

What do you guys think?

18 years

Weeeeee! Happy 18th Anniversary Mom and Dad! =] =] =]

Isn't it lovely?

We went out for dinner and had a delightful evening talking about stuff.

Here are a few anecdotes:

Some time after they met, my parents went on a college camping trip together with some friends. It so happened that my mom was washing the dishes that evening while my dad was taking pictures. hehe. So my mom asked why my dad wasn't helping and he said that being the camp photographer was a heavy burden of responsibility that outweighed menial labor. Ooooooh boy did that get my mom going! =] She got so fed up with him that she said "I feel sorry for the person who marries you". Haha! She's been happily eating her own words since. (And just in case you were wondering my dad has been reformed. =] )

Most romantic thing Dad ever did for Mom?

12 days before valentines my Dad was overseas and so he wouldn't be around for valentines. So he started sending love cards over beginning with an eansy weensy card all the way to one that was about 4 feet tall (which was delivered on valentines). I'll be honest, I'm definitely using this haha. (when i'm older, of course)

We're going to watch the wedding video now. =]

Have a lovely evening.