Explanation for the name of this blog

When I started playing my husband bought me this tshirt as a present from cafepress.com. It is hilarious, and it made my cello teacher laugh a lot when i (accidentally) wore it to my lesson! There was also an amazing one that said "say cello to my little friend", but it was more gruesome that this one!

I also like "i'd rather be playing the cello" a lot:

But you can't go wrong with "I'll be Bach" (said in the Govenor of California's accent, obv)!:


other funny cello things at http://shop.cafepress.com/cello

lesson 6: extensions

So, today I had my 6th lesson, and although I hadn't done very much practise this week, my teacher seemed surprisingly pleased! He said my ability to play a piece sightreading for the first time was "very promising" - wow, I feel really good! The extensions were fine, although not that easy really, but apparently I will get the hang of them. I am currently finding them awkward and I don't yet feel comfortable moving my hand that much, I feel all lost unless I am in first position!

Also this week I played Phantom of the Opera for the first time. It's so much fun (and really easy)! I haven't yet tried playing along with the CD but i am really looking forward to doing that. I also went to Dave Mann, a music shop about 5 minutes from my house to pick up my cello stand and played about on their double bass. It was so much fun, they are so deep! I am definitely going to get myself one of those when I have a big enough house! But right now I am more than happy with the cello, and have no aspirations beyond learning my piece for next week.

For next week I am doing a piece called Tanz (Bach), and continuing to work on Gavotte and Poloniase from last week. I am enjoying them, but I feel like I could do with a new book so I can move at my own speed. However, as my teacher said, i don't want to get ahead of myself, and it's nice to have a piece you can play well. So that's my plan - play well! Then I can get a new book...

Lesson 5: pachelbel and gavotte

I know that I should be writing my essay right about now, so this is going to be a short update of how things have been going. I am much too busy with uni work at the moment to write too much on here which is a shame because lots of fun things have been happening in the world of my cello.

I finally have decided on a name for her, for a start. Ursula it is. Love that name (and Ursula le Guin), and it has started to sound right! Phew, glad that's decided because obviously it is impossible to play an instrument without anthropomorphising it as much as is realistically possible.

I am really enjoying playing Pachelbel at last. It it starting to sound.... presentable?? No, not presentable, but I think if someone knew the piece, and heard me playing it, they would recognise it. I am also enjoying playing Gavotte by Handel, but am finding Poloniase (Bach) Hard Work. It sounded so great when my teacher played it though, so I will perservere.

Bow hold is no longer causing me any pain, but now my left thumb is starting to ache, so I think I need to stop gripping the neck as tight. Also getting pins and needles in my bum all the time from the chair I use and back and neck are aching loads from essay writing. This instrument is slowly killing me, I swear.

However, it is my birthday on Sunday, and for my birthday I am receiving:

• cello lessons (from parents as I can't afford them)
• cello stand (from thomas as Ursula doesn't appreciate being leant against a book case)
• stool (from thom's parents to stop my bum ache)
• some new music (from a friend)

So it is a cello themed 24th birthday in store for me! yayyy!!

lesson 4: for free!

i had my fourth lesson yesterday. My teacher phoned me earlier int he day and warned me tthat he was ing to be busy, but I can't go any other days (essay due friday) so i went along anyway. He was very busy, so i only saw him for a few minutes, and he said he wouldn't charge me which was nice of him.

i had a chance to ask 4 questions, play a small amount and get some new music. it was definitely worth the walk up the hill because there were a few things i had been doing wrong!

my 4 questions (my teacher's answers)

1. if there are no markings telling you which direction the bow should be going in, how do you know if it is an up bow or a down bow? alternate, unless it says otherwise. which makes a lot of sense, but for some reason that didn't occur to me! It seems so obvious now i know!
2. Why would you play an A on the D string, instead of just playing the A string? you wouldn't. it's a totally pointless exercise at this stage, so unless it is easier to do it that way, just play the A string.
3. Should you move your left hand when playing flats? those are extensions, and we will talk about those another time.
4. My bow grip is horrible, what should I do about it? Play open strings and scales and when you do, really think about how you should be holding the bow. if you do that often enough you will start adopting it in your normal playing.

So those were my questions. Bear in mind that i am NOT offering this as advice to anyone, it is just what my teacher told me at the time, and in my case this is what he suggested.

I also got 3 new pieces of music. 2 Bach pieces, and a Handel piece called Gavotte which is the easiest one. It's really fun to play, I am going to try to get it presentable for my lesson next week. We are also going to play Pachelbel's Canon as a duet. I can't wait for my first proper lesson in weeks!