2 E-flat Clarinets - Whoa.

Well, we've got another piece. To open the second half, we'll be playing the reduced instrumentation version of Holst's First Suite in E Flat. Now, the irony here, is that although the instrumentation is reduced, it calls for two E flat clarinet parts. And yours truly will be playing the second part.

The E Flat Clarinet is to the B Flat Clarinet as a Piccolo is to a Flute. It's smaller. It's higher. It's much harder to disguise in the midst of the section. So, now there's two of us. Great!

It's really not that bad, and I definitely know the parts to lay out in where the lovely and talented Pam Harrison should go solo. And overall, the Holst is a great piece. It's the kind of repertoire you usually get to touch in high school (and do an alright job at), and maybe again in college (and do a better job at).

It's quite an honor to get to play this kind of piece with such a talented group. I'm looking forward to it and I know the audience will love it!

Can't say we always end on a positive

The last few rehearsals, we wind up working on Lollapalooza at the very end of our rehearsal. I find this an interesting tactic, because we're starting to get tired, and then throws us into one of the most challenging pieces on our program that requires the most attention.

No one ever said being in a band was easy. And I guess that's why we have rehearsals.

Although, one of my conductors in middle school once said, "There are no rehearsals, only concerts." Meaning, of course, that you need to bring your A-game to each rehearsal, but come on. We all make mistakes.

John tells us at the end of each time we get through Lolla that we are making progress, but it's hard to hear. I think, again, for me, at least, I'm so focused on my own part that it's hard to understand how this all fits together or if it even sounds cool at all.

I am putting all my faith in the fact that John said he was blown away by this piece when he heard it. I'm also counting on the concert getting closer and closer, when I know I'll have excerpts of it in my head at any given moment.

Pictures: Gnomus

We're working away on Pictures at an Exhibition, and specifically on the timings in the first real "movement", Gnomus. This movement is representative of a sketch depicting a little gnome, clumsily running with crooked legs. Musically it's captured through quick bursts of notes, sustained notes and pauses with cut offs.

Essentially, this means a lot of communication with John. Seeing how fast he starts, seeing when he wants the long notes to cut off, and seeing when he starts again after a caesura. It's a lot of eye contact and knowing exactly how to execute the style.

We started and stopped several times - the opening 5 measures, that is. After which John said, "All I can tell you is try and watch and figure out what I am doing."

Hopefully in a few weeks I'll have a better report. But now we're kind of fumbling like clumsy gnomes.

But again, that's just this clarinet player's perspective...