Long Overdue Updates!

Well, I'm finally sick with the cold that's been threatening for a couple of months now. Which means, I have time to update! My apologies for the hiatus until now. The beginning of the semester was a frenzy of scheduling, e-mails, starting my teaching assistantship, and practicing like crazy. It was a big adjustment going from teaching 1 1/2 hours to 12 hours a week on top of my own practice, classes, and rehearsals! I'm absolutely in awe of how much I'm learning from this process and it's been a true joy to work with the students in Mr. Perlman's studio. 

Some highlights of the past two months include Perlman Music Program trips to Stanford, CA (a return to my Music@Meno stomping grounds!) and Stowe, VT, becoming my niece Juliette's godmother, baking multiple loaves of pumpkin chocolate chip bread, and experiencing Fall in New York (friends, it's a beautiful thing). I've also been spending a good deal of time ruminating on my future, both short and long term, something which has led to moments of giddy excitement, sheer panic, glimmers of faith, and joy.

With Radu at the PMP in Stanford reception in CA

Pumpkin chocolate chip loaf!

Pumpkin carving and general autumnal merriment

Gorgeous colors in Central Park

Snowy Stowe, VT

From the drive home after our concert in Burlington, VT

Next up on the concert prep list is the Juilliard Orchestra Shostakovich program with conductor Vladimir Jurowski, for which I will be sitting Concertmaster. In addition to the first symphony, we will be playing excerpts from Shostakovich's silent film score (who knew?!) New Bablyon, as well as his Hypothetically Murdered suite. Off to drink Emergen-C and read some ledger lines!

Until next time,

Francesca 

Life at Home: It's the Simple Things

For the last week and a half or so, I have enjoyed time at my family's home outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I can tell that I needed a break from the hustle and bustle of life in New York, mainly because of the joy experienced from the following simple things:

Life with cats: Bruno (top left), Cocoa (bottom left), and Charlie

Life with nature: our backyard, with a deer and a groundhog.
In addition to the animals picture above, there are foxes and rabbits

4th of July with my brother and his fiancee, some patriotic berries,
and Philly's City Hall 

Life with my family: my niece and goddaughter Juliette,
who is actually the happiest baby

It's been so nice to practice without a real schedule...it's amazing how much detail you can accomplish without any outside pressures! I will definitely enjoy the last few days of vacation, but I'm also getting very excited for Music@Menlo. Off to practice!

Until next time,
Francesca

QE Prep, Part I: Repertoire

Preparing for any competition is a daunting process and I must say that thus far, preparing for one as complex as Queen Elisabeth has been very challenging. Figuring out how to balance the extreme amount of repertoire alone is difficult, let alone everything else! For me, the best way to approach everything has been by thoroughly organizing my practicing, performing, instrument maintenance, traveling, and other logistics. That way, you have control over as many things as possible in a situation where anything can happen.

First, I started by organizing my repertoire for the competition. By going through a checklist of each piece, I was able to determine which pieces needed my immediate focus, those that needed review, and those that were in good shape.

New Pieces                                                                         Pieces for Review

-Schumann  Concerto, 1st movement                         -Bach Sonata no. 3 in C major, I & II

-Ysaye Sonata no. 3 "Ballade"                                      -Paganini Caprice no. 24 

-Kissine Caprice (commissioned work)                     -Ravel Tzigane
-Saint-Saens Havanaise                                                -Faure Sonata

Pieces (currently) in Good Shape
-Bach Sonata no. 3 in C major, III & IV
-Paganini Caprice no. 17 & 23
-Schumann Fantasie
-Mozart Concerto no. 5
-Sibelius Concerto

Next, I created a rough outline of when I would practice and perform each piece, starting with the repertoire which needed immediate focus and moving on to those that needed review. 

Eventually, the schedule incorporates the entire repertoire list and breaks them down into three lists:

“A” List                                                                    “B” List
-Paganini Caprice no. 17                                   -Paganini Caprice no. 23
-Bach  Sonata no. 3 in C Major, I & 1/3 II      -Bach Sonata no. 3 in C Major, III & 2/3 II 

-Schumann Concerto, 1^st movement                -Schumann Concerto, 1^st movement
-Ysaye Sonata no. 3 “Ballade”                           -Ysaye Sonata no. 3 “Ballade”
-Kissine Caprice (commissioned work)           -Kissine Caprice

-Saint-Saens Havanaise                                      -Ravel Tzigane
-Faure Sonata, 1^st movement                            -Faure Sonata, 2^nd & 3^rd movements 

-Mozart Concerto, 1^st movement                       -Mozart Concerto, 2^nd movement  

-Sibelius Concerto, 3^rd movement                    -Sibelius Concerto, 1^st movement

“C” List
-Paganini Caprice no. 24
-Bach Sonata no. 3 in C Major, IV & 3/3 II
-Schumann Concerto, 1^st movement
-Ysaye Sonata no. 3 “Ballade”
-Kissine Caprice (commissioned work)
-Schumann Fantasie
-Faure Sonata, 4^th movement
-Mozart Concerto, 3^rd movement
-Sibelius Concerto, 2^nd movement

The last few days before the competition will focus entirely on the repertoire for the first round, but for a week or so prior to that each day has a designated list of repertoire to practice, one to play through carefully and methodically at a slow tempo, and one to forego. This ensures that an extraordinary amount of repertoire is covered completely every two days! 

This kind of semi-maniacal organization and planning is rather intense, but it has definitely worked for me in the past. Of course, everything should be flexible--a piece might come together much faster than anticipated and not need as much attention, or another piece might take longer to learn and polish.

That's it for the repertoire planning. Next time, travel plans!

-Francesca