Maya's Daily Musical Diary


May 15, 2007

I am beginning to work hard on etudes 2 and 3 now! So many different things to work
on! Claire and I are practicing the Corelli duo tonight which should be a lot of fun!
We aren't doing it with harpsichord yer, just with the two of us. Claire and I will
be playing again outside a coffee shop on Thursday so that will be really good
practice for the Corelli. We will also pick out a selection of Bartok duos to work
on for the concert!

May 14, 2007

I've been working on the Etudes super hard, but yet number one, 'Sfida' still isn't as
good as I would like. I am using to much forced bow pressure instead of letting the
weight of my arm do the work for me. That is one thing that I have been working on
this morning!

Playing outside with Claire was fun. We made $4.50 each...enough for a coffee! :-)
We on doing it every week especially going up to the concert so that we get extra
practice during the week!

I have a bunch of rehearsals this week. Linda tonight, Grace tomorrow afternoon and
Claire tomorrow evening, coaching with just me on Wednesday, Claire and Linda Thursday
evening, and then I am unsure...! Vivaldi is going well, but the group sound still isn't
the way we would like. Some more rehearsals and hopefully it will be MUCH better!

May 11, 2007

I have been really busy lately with rehearsals, practicing, lessons, etc. It seems like now
that my classes at UT have stopped I have gotten more busy...! This week I had a lesson
with my will be teacher at Meadowmount, Alan Bodman in Akron. It was really fun and
I look forward to studying with him this summer.

Yesterday I had a full rehearsal day. I had one with Linda in the morning, one with Grace
in the afternoon, and one in the evening with Claire. Claire and I will be practicing again
on Saturday afternoon and we will also be playing outside in front of Beaners or Starbucks
for fun!

May 4, 2007

Hello! Things have been busy busy busy with all the rehearsals with the group, finishing
up school, working SUPER hard on the new Etudes,and just everything! It is all
going well. The concert is in 25 days and I am sure that it is going to be one of the
best! La Stravaganza, new Etudes, and more! 

What I have been working on--small finger movements in fast passages so as to be able
to play faster. If  anyone has any suggestions feel free to email me!

April 29, 2007

Hello everyone! This past week has been full of learning. On Monday I had a bow
discovery and also I discovered a new plant on the bicycle path. It is called burning
nettle and it is everywhere. Practicing has been going well and so has all of the yoga
and running. The weather is getting nice so hopefully I am going to be able to spend
even more time outside!

April 20, 2007

People in Kremerata

7 first violins
6 second violins
4 violas
4 celli
2 basses
1 percussionist

This is just so that when I look back I can remember! My lesson this week went really
well. All about relaxation of the left hand when playing fast passages and keeping my
bow in line. Etude 1 is going really well. I am going to record it for the first time tonight
and have a good recording to put up by next week!

April 15, 2007

I just got home from the Kremerata Baltica's concert and I am in completel awe!
Gidon Kremer is wonderful and the group is fabulous! They all look so vibrant
and like they are having the best time in the world playing! My goal in life would
be to have my own Kremerata Baltica...SO FUN!!!!

April 12, 2007

Well, it has been a while, so let me catch you up! We have had a WONDERFUL
Spring Concert with the Cheltenham Performance Circle. We performed two of the
Vivaldi concerti from Op. 4 or 'La Stravaganza.' We are now working on the
second two so that at our next concert we can play all four!
I am working on the new Etudes to play at the concert. Right now I am focusing
really hard on No. 1 and doing No. 3 (the pizzicato one) on the piano. All VERY
fun!

I have had orchestra concerts...and so much more! I can't even think of it all!
Rehearsals have been in bounty!

February 24, 2007

Hello there. Not much time to write now, but I wanted to update everyone. Bartok
concert went great, and so did the Paganini in Oberlin. I played No. 20 all by myself
and No. 16 with Mr. Fulkerson's entire studio. It has all been SO much fun. We are now
getting ready for our concert in March!

January 28, 2007

Here are the Bartok quotes we will be using for the concert! They are really great.
We got them from a new Bartok documentary by Hungaraton (the big Hungarian
recording company).

1. Roots

Every artist has the right to take root in the previous art. In fact he not only has the right to take root, he must do so. We all have to start somewhere before we find our place. We may take our first steps in the tracks of someone who has long been part of the past or in someone else’s who is just a strides distance from us in the present. Eventually however, we can only choose only having tried both parts. In my case, at least it was like that. My first real impulse I got from Richard Strauss’s Symphonic Poem, Also Sprach Zarathustra and since it didn’t satisfy me and I turned in the opposite direction and rolled boldly down the path that lead to the very beginning. While I was searching for my own voice I was strengthened in my belief that the entirely new can only be born of the entirely ancient. Because all the complications which jostle between the two are purely barriers blocking the many, many branches of the zig zagging path. And after the first hesitant steps I find my own track and I walked past shoots of all shapes and types wedged between the past and the present and I cut down everything that came between me and the original, strong, dead straight root and ignored every branch which sprouted in one or other age.

2. The Arab Drum

I’ve been collecting in the villages around the Oasis for eight days now, and thanks to my letter of recommendation the work is going more easily than it does in Hungary. The Arabs accompany almost all of their songs with percussion, sometimes with very complicated (complex) rhythms or rather the different accentuation of the equal parts of a bar gives the various rhythm patterns. This is the greatest difference between the singing of their region and ours. Incidentally, there are many primitive tunes, three neighboring degrees of scale. There’s hardly any ambitous bigger than a fifth. They no longer have any original stringed instruments, violin instead. Their wind instruments produce quite strange scales.

3. The Source

I consider myself a Hungarian composer on the basis of my original works in which I use my own songs drawn from Romanian folk music or inspired by it. I have just as little reason to be considered a Romanian composer as Brahms, Schubert, and Debussy have of being called Hungarian or Spanish composers on the basis of the Hungarian or Spanish themes they’ve used in their original compositions. I don’t evade any kind of influence whether in comes from Slovak, Romanian, Arab, or any other source. Just let the source be pure, fresh, and healthy.

4. Real Bread

Call that bread? You must bake it at dawn. At dawn...when the darkness left over from the night mingles with the light of the rising sun. And in the kitchen which isn’t cold from the china and enamel dishes from the hospital. Yes. In the half darkness and half light of the kitchen in the floating scent of the close warmth and in a deep wooden troth. A wooden troth, not china, wood. Because its fabric has more affinity with our bodies. The troth must be deep and long enough to have room for the cumulated flour at one end. And at the other end a dark pool of fermenting, rising, moving, living leaven which is full of germs of yeast in which they always put a tiny bit of the dough of the last loaf so that the centuries old chain of bread baking should not be broken. Then,till the swelling, gently breathing dough grows into a mound, they knead it. Not with a metal utensil, but with a woman’s hand, whose life giving warmth flows into our daily bread.


January 26, 2007

Hello everyone! This week has been extremely crazy!! Rehearsals all the time...
Emily is coming tonight for a rehearsal of 5 of 10!!! It should be SUPER fun!

The concert is quickly approaching and I am becoming a little nervous. I ran
the whole concert today without stopping and when I was done I was completely
spent!!! This is going to be a big one!

Well..I'm off to yoga!!! :-)

January 16, 2007

It is such a beautiful day today!!! I have orchestra tonight..which should be
fun. We have a pianist coming today to play with us on Fallen Angels by
Gillingham. I also have already had a rehearsal with Linda today and another
one with Grace in a couple of minutes. Busy, busy, busy!!! Well...I will write
more later, I just thought I would get some things down!!

January 11, 2007

I just got back from orchestra, it was a string rehearsal today. We worked
on Fallen Angel and Death and Transfiguaration. I found out today that
I still have my place as concertmaster after the auditions.

I worked with Emily today on the Bartok and am working with Linda
tomorrow morning on different Bartok pieces for our upcoming concert.

Life is busy, busy, busy, but I hope everyone else is doing well!!!! :-)

January 10, 2007

So much has happened since I last wrote. We had a fabululous concert...
Claire came back and practiced and played with us which was sooo
much fun! We played some really great stuff and it all went great!

The group is now getting ready for the Candlefest Happy Birthday
Bartok concert on February 1 at Wildwood.

Orchestra has resumed practice again. We are playing Death and
transfiguration by Strauss, Apocolypse by Liadow, and Fallen
Angel by Gillingham.It should all be quite fun.

December 14, 2006

Working hard on my winter concert. I'll get back in touch later!!!
Check out the poster! New--Winter Concert Poster
PDF

Download the PDF of the
Winter Concert poster.

I'm working on the Bartók Rhapsody No. 1, tons of Bach, Schubert, Arvo Pärt, and
Berio, and Uccellini.

At the moment I am listening to the Berlin radio..I reccomend it highly to everyone!!


November 17, 2006

My lesson this week went really well..we talked about how to make
a bigger, more resonant sound by just physically moving how you
hold the instrument. We talked about keeping the violin flat during
large, heroic of resonant sections as opposed to scrunching into oneself.
This all helping my sound immensely! We also worked on placing
the bow before playing and starting with a clear instead of foggy sound!

October 30, 2006,

Sooo much has happened since I last wrote. I have had lessons and
concerts galore! My most recent concert was this past Thursday, our
Autumn concert which went really well and was tons of fun since
my harp friend, Emily, was in it too. The Scherezade concert also went
spectacularly, as did the Music Department's Gala Concert which was
way too hectic for its own good! Not being able to tune before playing
as an ensemble in orchestra was not such a good idea on the organizers'
part!!

In my lessons we have been doing a lot with bow and bow-hand technique.
It is really fun, and it is helping everything that I am playing!! More updates
after my next lesson...

September 24, 2006

This past lesson on Wednesday went really well. Here are a couple
main points...

1.) Pay attention to how much arm weight is needed for a full, rich
tone on each string.
2.) Notice the shape of the arm when on the diferent strings in the
different areas of the bow.
3.) On up bows go in a straight line up the your nose.
4.) When playing chords the attcks are very important, make sure
to bite but not scratch, so experiment with pressure and speed.

The next day, Thursday, after ochestra a large group of orchestra
kids went up to the Max M. Fisher hall up in Detroit to hear the
Detroit Symphony play Scherezade. We had a wonderful time and
a great group, Mr. McNeela would have been very happy with us.
We knew the piece so well sometimes it was like we were playing our
parts...and now we know that we want to sounds just as good for
our performance!!!

September 10, 2006

I forgot to update everyone on how orchestra is going. For this
upcoming concert in October we are playing Rimsky-Korsakov's
Scherezade and the Introduction to Mozart's The Magic Flute. We
have been working very very hard on Scherezade since there are
solos everywhere played by all instruments and the parts are also
quite challenging. WE are havinga wonderful time working on it though!
I was given concertmaster after the seating auditions, so I am also
extremely excited that I get to play the beautiful solos! It's a lot of
work though..which is why there have been many sectionals as well!

September 8, 2006

My lesson went really well this Wednesday. We are still working
on lots of bow arm and hand stiff. Here are a couple of points...

1.) It is good to learn to use only the fingers on the bow hand instead
of using the wrist or the arm.
2.) Be very aware of the left hand positions on the violin. When your
hand shape switches between half and whole steps be very aware and able
to hold the hand still while moving fingers.
3.) Once passages are clean begin to add all of the expessive things,.
USE THE CLEAN MACHINE!

September 1, 2006

This past Wednesday I had my first lesson of the Fall semester!
It was a really great lesson where we covered a lot of ground!

1.) Sometimes it is not necessary to use the wrist or arm when
bowing, only the small finger muscles are needed. To work on this flex
fingers first without and then with the bow.
2.) Passages can be "cleaned up" by using four simple ("clean machine") steps...
-Use strong strokes with no rhythm and no vibrato.
-Use strong stokes with no rhythm and vibrato.
-Use completely legato strokes connecting each stroke
shifting carefully and never lifting the bow (with vibrato)
-repeat step three but with vibrato.
Now try the passage normally and see the difference. Work this a
couple of times to get passages clean. Can be used in excercises such
as Kreutzer or Bach solo or concerto!
3.) After working hard on finger technical passages make sure to even
it out with bow work.


August 23, 2006

Well...my oh my what a summer. I had a wonderful time in Italy
with the Oberlin in Italy program. It was great fun and I met some
wonderful people.

UT classes have now started and the first orchestra rehearsal was
yesterday along with my audition (which I was pretty happy with).
We are playing Scherezade by Rimsky-Korsakov along with the
overture to the Magic Flute by Mozart.

I hope everyone is enjoying their last days of summer vacation and
spending lots of time outside in the beautiful weather! It is great to
be back and writing again..so, as always, write me with any comments!!

May 16, 2006

Points from Saturday lesson

1.) When shifting around the bout keep the hand position looking
the same as when in third position
2.) With thirds make sure that the hand has the specific shape
for either a major or minor third
3.) In the Bach make sure to work on articulation with the music
so as not to learn something wrong
4.) With the Bach be very careful to stay consistent with the
articulation
5.) When in sixteenth note passages, make sure to keep the bow
in the "straight line" which is actually more of a 'U' shape

New Exercise for people to work on intervals

1.) Make a sheet with 20 numbers
2. Pick at random 20 intervals (be sure to get them all)
3.) Begin on C and then go from there (ex. m7 from C
is B flat, now a M3 from B flat is C sharp...keep going
from there)
4.) Now play bottom note on piano and sing bottomand then
the interval
5.) Play bottom note then sing top
6.)Now the hardest, play bottom note and sing top simulateously

I hope that this is all useful!!! Have a great day!

May 10, 2006

Here is a recording of the Bach Siciliana!
A lot has been going on these couple of days...keep posted and
I'll be able to update you on all of the goings on here at
Cheltenham!


May 3, 2006

Hello again! I forgot in my last entry to talk about my lesson...on Saturday
it went really really well...I worked on thirds and Bach and octave sliding
exercises! I had worked really hard on it all, so it was really well!

Yesterday was a crazy day full of rehearsals with Linda, Grace, and
Claire..and today is pretty much the same and tomorrow! haha

I hope that everyone is enjoying this LOVELY day!

May 2, 2006

Happy May....it's pouring....I guess the April showers are coming a
bit late!!!

I was working on the Berio sequenza yesterday over at Todd, and we
came up with a GREAT system to work on it, here are the steps....

1. play a line of notes straight without rhythm
2. sing the rhythm while conducting
3. play the rhythm on an open string while tapping foot to beat
4. play the notes with the rhythm but without bowings
5. YAY..the last step...play the whole line with bowings and rhythm!

Now, on to the next line, and repeat the steps all over again!

I hope these steps come in handy to other people...it sure helps me...
it works WONDERS!!

Have a wonderful day...and remember, slow and steady wins the race!

April 25, 2006

Hi everyone..I hope everyone is doing fantastically!! Things have
been quite hectic here, so I apologize for the delay of this entry.

I have something to make up for it though..here is a recording
of the Bach Presto from the first solo sonata!! Have a listen!!

Everything has been going really wel here..lessons, the group,
orchestra. Orchestra actually end tonight..it is the last last
rehearsal and our final concert..weird huh?! I am also finished
with chamber group at UT too...the Beethoven quartet performed,
it went really well..and now we are finito until next semester.

Well, I plan on recording the Siciliana either today or tomorrow
and putting it on as well...so look out! Have a WONDERFUL
day!!!

April 6, 2006

So much has happened since I last wrote! The Thursday concert
on March 30 at UT went wonderfully!! We had great fun, and
now we are starting our new project for our May concert called
'L'arte del'arco'!

I am now 17!!! I can't believe it!

My lesson this past Monday went really great. I am working on so
many technical things and Bach. I have also switched my lesson
back to Saturday, so we will only be going to Oberlin once
a week.

This Sunday I am going to hear Claire (violinist in the CPC) peform
with Youth Orchestra...I can't wait to hear her!!

Lastly, I have heard from all the camps which I have auditioned for.
I made it into all of them, including the Interlochen Advanced String
Quartet Program. I have declined Interlochen, because my teacher,
Mr. Fulkerson ahs invited me to go on the Oberlin in Italy Program
which he is teaching this year, so I will get to keep taking lessons in
the summer!!! I am sooo excited about this trip!!!

I hope that everyone else is having a wonderful April full of showers and
flowers!!!

March 27, 2006

Hello everyone!!! Life has been CRAZY DAISY!! With all the
practicing and concerts and everything. There were three Peter
Pan performances this weekend that went really well, and the
Cheltenham Performance Cirlce Concert on Sunday which was
amazing!! Lot's of rehearsals this week too because orchestra is
still on and the group has another concert (at UT) on Thursday
night which should be great!! Well...I'll write later, hopefull with
a recording of the Bach to put on!!! Have a wonderful Tuesday!


March 16, 2006

Hello! My lesson this past Monday was really great...we were
working on the balance of my hand so that all fingers are
comfortable and balance (especially the thrid and fourth
fingers) so that the fingers can move with ease and be independant.

I have an extremely busy day today...recital hour, chamber coaching,
coaching for my solos in Peter Pan, and then a full rehearsal
tonight. Along with my regular practice, running, yoga, and
Practice Musica..I will be exhausted tonight!! Have a great
thursday, and get a GREEN outfit out for tomorrow!!

March 12, 2006

Rehearsal went really well yesterday with the group..we have so
much to work on and I think it is going well! We also have a
rehearsal today just with the violins and Linda, I hope to just
tweak some things and work with the Fuga on both parts along
with me on guitar, which is going quite well if I do say so myself.

So, that is today, practice and rehearsal. Oh, and do wait for a recording
of the first page of me rehearsing the Fuga..should be on very soon!

Talk to you all soon, and have a great Sunday!

March 11, 2006

Hi!! Well...I am stil trudging along with my Practica Musica!
The intervals are really great...and the singing is getting bettter,
but I am still having a little trouble with the chords. I keep
second guessing myself and then I have to listen to the
chord arpeggiated (then it is fine), but I would really like
to be able to hear what chord it is without the arpeggio...
I'll just keep working, it will get better!

Well...I have someguitar practice to do, so I better get going!!
Have a WONDERUL saturday!

March 10, 2006

Hello! This week is sure going bizarrely...there is Spring
Break, and then my uncle Cliff is working so I can't go
over and work with him! I have been practicing my normal
amount (probably more) and have been doing my Practica
Musica (a program to help to help me work on intervals
and chords) and having regular group rehearsals, but
it feels so different..oh well ,next week will be back to
normal!

My unlce is working on the COOLEST quartets (I put the
pizz one on my iPod this morning....it is sooo much fun)
Go and listen and see the score at...
http://cs-music.com/whatsnew.html

Well...this has been a pleasant practice break, but I should
get back to it!!! I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!

March 9, 2006

Hi!! Well...today I was looking at the photos from the
Mozart concert and I noticed that there was one that
I haven't shared with you all yet....


(from left) ME! and Grace
rehearsing our lines together
before the concert at Wildwood!

Today I have a bizarre Thursday...
it is still hectic with all the things that I must practice and
get done, but usually I am out at UT all day, but they are
on Spring Break...how very inconvenient since our orchestra
performance is approaching! Tongiht I have a rehearsal with
Claire at which we have a lot of things to get done..so wish me
luck!! Remember to write to me if you have anything to say!! I
LOVE to get feedback!


March 8, 2006

Hello everybody..sorry that it has been so long, I was
doing well...and then things got crazy, but that will not
happen again!! My life has been pretty busy with the
group, and my lessons in Oberlin, and orchestra (with
the Peter Pan), and the chamber music (we won the Chamber
Competition by the way..so that was fun). I got all my auditions
in on time, and I have heard back from MYA and Luzerne
Music Center (I was accepted to both and given scholarships,
I actually just got the letters today!). I am still awaiting the
big one though, Interlochen! Also, my letter from SOundfest
should be coming soon.

The Bach Fuga is getting better daily, though working on all
the stops can be tiring after awhile! I have written out the
arpeggios to the stops and that helps a lot! I can just play
straight through the stops witholut having to worry about
the context which they are in (I just have to make sure that my
fingerings are correct!!).

Here are a couple more pictures from the Mozart concert rehearsals.



Grace getting her lines down
at Wildwood



(froml left) me and Claire
practicing the Mozart Table Music
and Bartok Duos at Cheltenham



Olga practicing Mozart sonatas
at Wildwood



Claire practicing at Wildwood



(from left) Grace and Claire
rehearsing their Mozart skit
together


February 12, 2006

Hello!! Here is a new recording of me playing the
Bach Sonata No. 1, Adagio. It was one that I did
in preparation for my audition cds. And don't forget
to check out my latest recording on my front page
of Linda and I playing the Bartok Rhapsody No. 2!!

My audition CD will be done very soon too, so watch
out for that recording!!

January 27, 2006 Early Evening







Hello again! I have a new recording of a rehearsal with
Claire and Jon playing two of the Bartok Duos!! Take
a gander!

January 27, 2006

Hello everyone!! Yesterday's concert went ah-mazingly!!!
Everything went so perfect...no problems with the HUGE
cake..Claire and I could read off of it perfectly!!
HAPPY 250th BIRTHDAY MOZART!!

Be sure to listen to public radio to the concert in Mozart's
honor in Salzburg!

January 26, 2006

Hello again...here is a recording of Grace (our MC for
tonight's concert) reciting some fun facts and quotes for
tonight. She is joined by me in the first and Claire in the
second!

January 26, 2006

Hello!!! Today is the day of the Happy Birthday Mozart
recital at Wildwood. It is going to be a huge celbration,
lots of fun!! It is at the Wildwood Manor House tonight
at 7:30...be there...there will be cake!! hehe

Listen to a recording of Claire and me rehearsal a
Mozart Table music and a Bartok Duo!!!

January 18, 2006

Hi!! I have another recording...the third page of the Biber!!!
Well..I should go..long day awaiting..rehearsals, music history,
practice!!

January 14, 2006

Hello!! I was having problems putting this Biber yesterday,
so this is a little delayed...but here it is...
the second page of Biber!!

January 11, 2006 Evening

Hello everybody!! I am in the process of changing my website
to another computer..hence not having written for a couple of
days!! Tomorrow I will be putting the second page of the Biber,
so be ready!! Have a wonderful evening!

January 5, 2006 Evening

Here is an MP3 of me playing the first page of the Biber!!
Click on the underlined words and have a listen!!


January 5, 2006

Wow, it has definitely been a loong time since I have written!!
Happy New Year!! I hope that everyone had a happy and
healthy holiday season! I have been working extremely hard
lately on the Bruch G minor concert for my lesson on Sarurday
and also scales and arpeggios. I am also practicing the Bartok
for a recital coming up and the Mozart Violin Sonatas which
are on the upcoming Happy Birthday Mozart Concert at the
Wildwood Manor House on Thursday, January 26 at 7:30!!

There is always a bundle of stuff to do at the beginning of the year!!
Have a wonderful day!!

New--Winter Concert
Poster

Have a look at my program from the Winetr Concert!

Maya's Musical Diary Fall-Winter 2005

Maya's Musical Diary Winter-Spring 2005

Maya's Musical Diary 2004