College Degree?

I've been thinking about trying to get a bachelors degree. I had gotten an AA back in 1976 from the local community college which at that time was only a two year college. Attended the state four year university and hated it. Entered the work world and didn't look back (except for taking some courses for fun). Since I quit my day job (4/15/06) I was thinking on working on the 4 year degree. I enjoy taking classes and now the local community college offers Bachelors Degrees but only in Education.

Tried to register for some Fall courses this week and they will all need overrides as I had taken the prereqs too many years ago.

On a whim, I did some googling and found that Thomas Edison State College in New Jersey is an accredited distance learning college for adults and through credit transfers, life learning credit, testing, etc. one could possible reduce getting a Bachelors to about one year of college courses. This is very appealing although it would cost twice as much as going to the local community college. I figure I should at least look at their propaganda.

Ouch $#@!

Jammed my left index finger in the dishwasher yesterday. It's too sore to try to use on the cello.

My husband says inanimate objects hate me. Kitchen knifes are always flying through the air trying to stab my toes. They happily haven't succeeded. A block of frozen food did though. Had to go to the podiatrist that time to get my toe fixed. I've even manage to break corning ware over the years.

While I was studying classical guitar, my usual problem was ripping my right thumb nail. Then I'd have to deal with creating an acrylic nail so I could continue to practice. Of course, now that I haven't picked up the guitar for awhile, my nail is intact. Grows quickly and I have to keep filing it down.

Guess I'll have to concentrate on bowing. Was too upset to pick up the cello yesterday.

Return to Miami

Just finished writing up my travelogue for St. Petersburg, Russia.
It's at http://www.galitz.com/2007-Russia
Now to get back to cello studies.

Day 45

Not too happy with this progress report video from Suzuki Book 2, Bach Musette. I should have spent more time working on it. I found the bowing challenging. On a positive note (pun intended) I think my bowing and tone is pretty good.

My camera battery was ready to die so I have to make do with this "Take 3" video. The first two takes I had to throw out because I stopped in the middle of the piece. However in this version, my 2nd position intonation is terrible and dynamics went out the window (what dynamics??)

Oh well, that's life. Perhaps I'm getting more self-critical now that I've been practicing for a month and a half. Still, this is part of the deal in learning an instrument. Setting a benchmark and trying to meet the challenge. I wanted to post this before I ran away to Russia for two weeks.

I leave at 3pm today. Didn't get a lot of Russian language study done other than the Pimsleur I. My feeling is that a little knowledge of the language of a country one is visiting is better than none. Got a couple of tour guides for St. Petersburg out of the library and there are lots of recommended walks.

More fun later.

Stats 6/9 - 6/15/07

6/9 Attempt Thumb D Major scale. Review M1, M2, M3. C Scale Thirds, start vibrato exercises.
6/10 Another attempt at thumb D major scale, Work on rhythms and thirds for F Major Scale and Dminor, silent bow exercises, Weiner exercises #1-4a
6/11 F# Major and C Major Scales with rhythms and bowing exercises
6/12 Work on M4 Musette, C Major Scale thirds
6/13 Break for fiddle music
6/14 DAY OFF (BY ACCIDENT) Too much trip prep and lots of visitors
6/15 Work on M4, G Major Scale.

Fiddlin' Around

Thought I'd try out some fiddle tunes on the cello tonight. After trying to play "Liberty" from memory I pulled out the old fake book from the closet. Found out that I can read treble clef pretty well. Just have to play everything several octaves lower. It was a good exercise for intonation and shifting.

Application

Finally put in my application for "Substitute Teaching". Been procrastinating since April when I took the certification workshop. Figured I should get the paperwork done so when an opportunity presents itself at the Local Magnet School (LMS), I can jump on it. Trying to think ahead to when I have to do my internship. It would be nice to do it at LMS which is only a 10 minute drive from my home.

The Fatal Fall of the Metronome

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.
My poor old 'nome, my spouse does knock.

Over it falls, loud crash I hear.
Say I, it survives, I do not fear.

For twenty years of falls, it misses not a beat.
What's one more fall of just a few feet?

But now it quietly goes tick tick.
Fainter, fainter, it goes click click.

Alas, I cannot hear my metronome.
It must go to its final resting home.

Praise, I'll Take Some...

Just got this note from my other string teacher friend...

Sorry for delay in responding. In large part delay has been caused because of the extra time I spent training our visitor from Indian - it was time well-spent and she was able to accomplish a great deal while she was here. She left Ft Lauderdale yesterday.

Glad to read the good news on http://travel.galitz.com about finding a way to get Earl's passport. Have forgotten when you plan to leave and return.

I had viewed the latest installment on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEzqDF_ApMQ and it seems like you have done remarkably well with your cello study. Intonation, left hand, bow hold, forma and position are all excellent. I think that you might want to pay attention to sound produced by the bow, namely, your sound may be even better if you can add bow weight.

Hope that you have a great time in St Pete.
-R

3 AM - Why Am I Up in the Middle of the Night?

I was so tired I went to bed at 7:30 pm. Then of course, I woke up around 11 pm and have been fussing with various projects. Its been a roller coaster ride this week between passport woes for my husband, death of a friend, and getting used to new surroundings and people at the local Magnet School. Also, my husband demanded that I should learn to play "The Swan" which is jumping 200 years ahead in my cello studies. No pressure, right?

Stats 4/30 - 6/8/07

4/30 M - Winer 123, Scales: C, D, F, Reading Rubank 34, Bow exercises, Thumb (D, A)
5/1 T - Winer 123, Bach Minuet #1 (M3), Scales and Arpeggios: C D F, Bow exercises
5/2 W - Work on M3, Scales: C and Am, Reading Rubank 36, Thumb (D, A), Bow exercises
5/3 R - Work on M3, Read Pachebel Canon, Exercises on Bach Prelude #1, Measures 1-3

5/4 + 5/5 OUT OF TOWN

5/6 U - Scale & Arpeggio: C, Read Suzuki Page 8 & 9. Work on M3
5/7 M - Scales: D & Bm. Bow exercises, Read Pachebel Canon, Review M1, Thumb (D,A) Exercises on measures 1 & 2 of Bach Prelude #1
5/8 T - Scales: Bflat. Read misc pieces out of Suzuki Book 2 and 3. Work on M3
5/9 W - Work on M3

5/10 - 5/23 OUT OF TOWN

5/24 R - Scales: C, Am, G, Em, D, Bm, F, C#m, Bflat, Gm, Eflat, Cm. Exercises on measures 1-4 from Bach Prelude #1.
5/25 F - NEW Attempt to read Treble clef. Not feeling well...

5/26 - 5/30 NOT FEELING WELL

5/31 R - Winer Exercise 1-4b. Scales, Arpeggios, Octaves: C D G, Silent Bow Exercises, Thumb (D A) Review M3
6/1 F - Scales: F and Bflat, bow exercises, Read Tartini Trio measures 1-8 (oops what are those intervals, oh those are just octaves!)

6/2 S - String crossing exercises, Work on Bach Musette (M4), Scales: Eflat, Cm. Thumb (attempt D major scale) Read: Tartini measures 1 - 8
6/3 U - Winer 1-3c, bow exercises, M4, Scales: Aflat, Fm, Prelude exercise measure 4, silent bow exercises, Thumb (D A)
6/4 M - Bow exercises, Scales: Dflat, Bflat minor, Thumb (D A)

6/5 T - Thumb (D scale) Work on M4, Scale: Bflat, silent bow exercises, Read (very slowly): Haydn Trio #1 - pg 1 & 2 (oh look, there's treble clef again and a few double stops), NEW Attempt Measures 1 to 4 of the Swan (My husband's request). Will try to prepare this piece for Chamber Music Class December recital.

6/6 W - Scale: Bflat, silent bow exercises, Read (very slowly): Pg 1 of Mozart's Piano Quartet, Thumb (D scale), Work on M4, Swan measures 1-4. Review Swan Video.
6/7 R - Winer 1-4, Scale: G, Swan measures 1-4, Work on M4, Review M1 - M3. Thumb (D A). Review Video on Vibrato.

6/8 F - PRACTICE DAY OFF, This week has been tiring with the 30 hours of community service. Also index finger on left hand is a bit sore.

Orientation

Today I finish my 30 hrs of service-learning with the Local Magnet School that's a ten minute drive from where I live. It only has 550 students and they are chosen by lottery. It is the only school in America with Jr. Rotc Coast Guard. The school's marine theme works for me and I love the library. I registered to do volunteer work there once a week starting in July. It will be good experience.

Getting Organized.

Finally broke down and got some binders and page protectors to put all the various music scores, photocopies of cello book instructions, internet printouts, etc. that I had floating around my cello practice area. Now I can actually flip from page to page to do my daily exercises instead of shuffling through a stack of papers and books.

Tomorrow I begin 30 hours of service-learning (aka community service) which was required for the courses I took last January. I'll get to see how the I.T. world works in the realm of education.

Midi - Part II

Scanned the Suzuki Cello Book 2, page 12 Musette into a midi today but couldn't remember how to convert it to mp3. I have so many different programs in my computer that I couldn't remember which one I used last month! I ended up using iTunes to convert the midi to aac and then Super(c) to convert from aac to mp3. I know last time I didn't have to do a transition step. Anyway, I also took advantage of the scan to create a copy of the music without all the fingerings.

Hooked on Numbers

Tried playing Tartini's Sonata for 2 violins and cello today. I was dismayed to find out that I had a bad case of "number dependency". All my beginning cello books have fingerings written into the pieces. I've been relying more than I thought on those little numbers on top of the notes to sight read Bass clef. Time to get unhooked.