Musings on ballet, classical music, the violin, and life
I’m an adult beginning on the violin and it’s been a rollicking adventure, chronicled here.
So. You’re thinking of buying a violin, making this big step. Exciting times, huh? Or are you rushing the decision and not giving it quality thinking time? How about a quick reality check from The Classical Girl before you take the plunge? Buying a violin: 10 things to consider Are you in love with the violin … Read more
This past weekend, acclaimed violinist Leonidas Kavakos performed the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the San Francisco Symphony. As you might know, I’m a big fan of this concerto. (Elaborated HERE.) I found Kavakos’ interpretation to be magnificent. Soul-stirring. No, not perfect. Sometimes a note didn’t land precisely right on the money. And there were moments where the pacing seemed … Read more
It’s complex, gripping, devilishly complicated, and sounds like no other concerto in the violin repertoire. Listening to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’ violin concerto, you hear dark, wintry night; pure, crystalline melody above a cushion of pianissimo strings (starlight has a sound!); brooding motifs; a violin that laments but never stops singing. In the second movement, … Read more
In my second year of playing the violin, back in 2006, I decided my $200 starter violin, initially a rental, had served its purpose, and it was time to invest in a quality advanced beginner violin. My budget was $2000. The search took five months as I sampled over forty violins, in San Francisco, Santa … Read more
Advisory: this blog entry carries with it a *NSPCMOBG rating and may not be suitable for young guitarists. Back in 2006 when I was a new violin student, I wrote this for my blog at Violinist.com (http://www.violinist.com/blog/Terez/). Dang. It STILL makes me laugh. Indulge me, dear reader. And laugh with me. Or maybe–gulp!–get offended. Um, please … Read more