Mozart and more planes...

Today is TECHNICAL EXAM day at the RNCM. All of the first, second, and third year students are tested over etudes/studies and scales. Sort of like a jury for music majors in the US... the difference here is that your scale requirements are (to quote one of the euphonium players here - "stupid hard"), and I would agree with that. For the musicians who are reading this... go play a F# melodic minor scale in 4ths for two octaves... you can't hear it, and if you can - good luck with the fingerings. Your only saving grace is just memorizing it...

So, that has most of the younger players pretty freaked out right now. But, after this afternoon it will all be over for them. Some will do well, some could have done better - we just hope no one fails. Because that means... you have to do it again, and again, and again - until you pass.

This past weekend I went again to see the Halle Orchestra at the Bridgewater Hall. It was a nice concert, a Sunday evening concert. Here was the program:

Petrushka (1947 version) - Stravinsky
Mass in C minor, K. 427 - Mozart

While I don't really have an attachment to either of these pieces, I have never seen Petrushka live before, and I don't think I have ever heard the Mass in C minor. So, two pieces crossed off the list. The Stravinsky was great, but the Mozart lacked a bit - probably because I wasn't too hip on the soloists that they had. There were some major pitch problems in the orchestra during some of the more tender sections. The orchestra has been doing a lot of concerts lately, and this one sounded a bit 'under-rehearsed.' But, it was still loads better than most other groups - and you can't beat the choir - very good.

Only a few more days until I head back to the US. Slightly apprehensive about my audition, but just going to play and not worry about the outcome. Yesterday, the 12th, a lot of my friends converged upon Washington, D.C. again for the Navy Band Audition (round 2) for their euphonium opening. One of the players from the RNCM went over there and took the audition and told me that they advanced 6 players to the semi-finals, and two went on to the finals. They went over two days, so we should hear something this afternoon. Hopefully, they will hire someone for the job... good luck to Jamie Lipton - good friend of mine, and she is in the finals... she has been wanting, and deserving one of these jobs for a while... go get 'em!

Anyway, I am trying to get all of my ducks-in-a-row getting ready to leave this place. I found out yesterday that our trip to Spain will be covered by the RNCM because we are going as 'recruitment officers.' Either way - free trip to Spain, gotta love that. More info later, and pictures - I PROMISE!