Klarinet Archive - Posting 000376.txt from 2004/04

From: "Keith" <100012.1302@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] motivation
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2004 18:00:46 -0400

Rien,

Well done, that is great! Though I have to say you're a youngster, I'm 63.
And the man who shows the most improvement year on year at our annual
Kammermusik workshop, Marvin Belveal, is 75. We oldies at least know how to
learn!

Abime des Oiseaux is a perfect piece for that occasion. It will be very
special.

Keith Bowen

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 23:49:37 +0200
> To: "klarinetlijst" <klarinet@-----.org>
> From: "rien stein" <rstein@-----.nl>
> Subject: Re: [kl] motivation
> Message-ID: <001701c427ea$aedbfde0$a7bb6dc2@-----.nl>
>
> "Keith" <100012.1302@-----.com> wrote
>
> >>
> But I heard an incredible piece of advice from a
> professional at a recent workshop, which casts some light on attitudes
> (mine
> anyway) and how they can be trained.
>
> "Amateurs practice a piece till they get it right. Professionals practice
> till they can't get it wrong".
> <<
>
> Thanks for the tip, Keith. You won't believe it maybe, but at age 60 I
> have
> begun to make the change-over from the "amateur"attitude to the
> "professional" attitude!
>
> Maybe some on this list know I always looked at my playing as that of a
> very
> mediocre amateur. But in the spring of last year my teacher made me study
> "Abnme des oiseaux" from Messiaen, and within a week I could play it,
> well,
> sufficiently, i.e. without playing the wrong notes. Then she made me study
> "In Freundschaft", written by Stockhausen. Took me four weeks of intensive
> study, but somehow I managed. Then she gave me a cd with her final
> examination. Those two works were on it.
>
> In January the conductor of one of the bands I play with handed out the
> "Concertino" by Weber. When he started to do so I said: "Oh, I know that
> one, give me the solo part." "No", he said, "you don't know this one, it
> is
> for oboe", but gave me the soloist part nonetheless. I had never seen or
> heard the piece! But I played it, nonetheless, with only minor errors.
>
> I still didn't think much better of my playing, but then my teacher told
> me
> some day she had heard the "Quator pour la fin du temps" in the radio, and
> she preferred my way of playing "Abnme des oiseaux".
>
> That suddenly changed the way I looked at my playing! I decided to enter
> conservatory (if possible, I am 60!), and study with Herman Braune. At the
> NERV convention (I reported about it) I spoke to Herman, but he said there
> will be no chance, as I am too old. At that moment I decided I will *not
> be
> able to make a mistake anymore* and at my old age be able to play in
> public.
> The first test will come May 4, when in this country we conmemorate the
> people killed during WWII: when the organising committee asked me whether
> I
> knew someone who could do something special on that occasion I told them I
> can play the "Abnme" and am willing to do so. And at this moment I know I
> can do it right, but do not yet quite have the feeling I cannot do it
> wrong,
> but by the time I have to play it I am sure I will have the feeling I
> cannot
> do it wrong.
>
> Though probably I could not have it expressed that way.
>
> Sorry for this long mail.
>
> Rien

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