This year for lent I'm giving up the snooze button. My personal best(?) is 4 hours. Granted sometimes I'm overzealous about what time I think I'm going to get up so I can get stuff done in the mornings. Regardless, I'm hoping giving up the snooze button with force me to think about what time I need to be at work the next day, becaues now I use the method, 'eh, I'll get there when I get up.' And that doesn't really result in my getting to work before 10am ever. Granted my colleagues don't care and my work day is rather flexible, but getting there eariler would allow me to leave earlier meaning I can also stop being late for things like Blasorchester practice.
Along with giving up the snooze button, I'm going to try to not be late to anything. Even if I get up on the first buzz, I sometimes still sit around (usually on the computer) and end up leaving the house significantly later than I had originally planned. And I have a problem underestimating the time it will take me to get places.
Of course, I'm off to a great start considering I hit snooze twice this morning. But I didn't think of until the ride to work this morning. So now the big test will be whether or not I'm late to practice tonight.
Showing posts with label blasorchester. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blasorchester. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Gefühlssache Revolution
This was the title of our most recent colaboration project with the Blasorchester. They took players from three Orchestras: Zentralkapelle Berlin, Blasorchester das Jungen Ensemble Berlin (the one with which I normally play) and Bläser des Coppi-Gymnasiums, combined with singers for numerous different Choirs around Berlin plus three soloists (1 tenor, 2 basses) and together we performed some sort of Oratorium that was I think written by the guy who directed us. I don't know what it was about because I never read the words, and Miki couldn't get much out of it besides that he thinks it had to do with socialism.
I had gotten Miki a ticket since this was the first night he came to Berlin. The performers were allowed to watch the rest of the performance (our Oratorium was only about 20 minutes long) so I snuck in the side aisle along with a bunch of other young people dressed in black. I had no idea what to expect, because, like usual, I didn't really read up on anything or really pay attention when anyone said anything that didn't relate to when we had to be somewhere (even though I still ended up showing up late every evening thanks to the cat and my incredible cooking skills that set off the smoke detector one night).
**Side Note: I just answered the phone correctly in my office! I am learning how to be Germany.**
As it turns out the second part of the show that I saw (I missed a little during the transition) was at first two battling rock bands, one representing good, and one representing evil. They were getting challenges from the voice of God. He was asking them to answer questions about Revolutions (what makes a good revolution, what was the best revolution, und so weiter). They were earn points after each song and then the points were displayed on the walls (it was a multi-media production) and I learned later from Miki, that all of the point totals that were also years, were years of different revolutions. At this point, I was sitting on the steps and Miki was in the audience. It wasn't until after intermission that we sat together. It worked out nicely since my knowledge of European history doesn't really extend past the German boarders, and Miki doesn't have nearly the receptive German skills as I do (along he's studied it for about just as long). With our powers combined, his knowledge of unamerican history and my ability to understand fast speaking Germans, we were able to pretty much peice together the majority of the jokes.
Oh and I say rock bands because they were rockin'. However, they played a plethera of types of music and the instrumentation: flute/bari sax, 2 clarinets, 3 altos, 2 tenors, 2 trombones, 4 trumpets, 2 horns, 2 tubae, and a rythm section (minus a piano) so I guess they should be called jazz bands. And I actually listed the instrumentation for the band that played the entire second half, but the little bands were like that big one split in half essentially. They were really good. I was very entertained. They played until 11 and the whole thing started at 8, yet I wasn't getting tired or bored or eager to get going or anything. I'm not going to lie, there were some really bizarre guests they had come out to sing some songs. And some wierd costumes and/or videos that accompanied the songs, but that was all part of the charm.
I had gotten Miki a ticket since this was the first night he came to Berlin. The performers were allowed to watch the rest of the performance (our Oratorium was only about 20 minutes long) so I snuck in the side aisle along with a bunch of other young people dressed in black. I had no idea what to expect, because, like usual, I didn't really read up on anything or really pay attention when anyone said anything that didn't relate to when we had to be somewhere (even though I still ended up showing up late every evening thanks to the cat and my incredible cooking skills that set off the smoke detector one night).
**Side Note: I just answered the phone correctly in my office! I am learning how to be Germany.**
As it turns out the second part of the show that I saw (I missed a little during the transition) was at first two battling rock bands, one representing good, and one representing evil. They were getting challenges from the voice of God. He was asking them to answer questions about Revolutions (what makes a good revolution, what was the best revolution, und so weiter). They were earn points after each song and then the points were displayed on the walls (it was a multi-media production) and I learned later from Miki, that all of the point totals that were also years, were years of different revolutions. At this point, I was sitting on the steps and Miki was in the audience. It wasn't until after intermission that we sat together. It worked out nicely since my knowledge of European history doesn't really extend past the German boarders, and Miki doesn't have nearly the receptive German skills as I do (along he's studied it for about just as long). With our powers combined, his knowledge of unamerican history and my ability to understand fast speaking Germans, we were able to pretty much peice together the majority of the jokes.
Oh and I say rock bands because they were rockin'. However, they played a plethera of types of music and the instrumentation: flute/bari sax, 2 clarinets, 3 altos, 2 tenors, 2 trombones, 4 trumpets, 2 horns, 2 tubae, and a rythm section (minus a piano) so I guess they should be called jazz bands. And I actually listed the instrumentation for the band that played the entire second half, but the little bands were like that big one split in half essentially. They were really good. I was very entertained. They played until 11 and the whole thing started at 8, yet I wasn't getting tired or bored or eager to get going or anything. I'm not going to lie, there were some really bizarre guests they had come out to sing some songs. And some wierd costumes and/or videos that accompanied the songs, but that was all part of the charm.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Weihnachtskonzert in Mittenwalde
This weekend the Blasorchester had it's last concert of the year, followed by a party. However, as usual, I didn't exactly know what was going on most of the time. I mean I understand the stuff they tell me, like when to get there, what to wear, and what and when we're playing, but along the lines of what is going on where we are playing is what I never fully understand. I knew we were joining another group. But what I didn't realize is that this group was some sort of marching band consisting of drums, marching glockenspiels and piccolos. More piccolos than should ever be allowed to play together in one place. All of the piccolo players also had a bugel hanging on their belts that they would also play depending on the song. But mostly it was the piccolo. Let me tell you, you have not lived until you have heard the piccolo/glockenspiel/drum versions of selections from ABBA or Andrew Lloyd Webber. I should probably get out my flute and practice since it's been awhile, and I tried to play someone's piccolo later in the night and wasn't very successful. I mean I could produce a sound, but reading the music and forming any semblance of melody was very much lacking. In fact, I bet the majority of people around me wish I has been unsuccessful at creating a sound. This melodic failure could very much be the result of the celebratory Champagne and crates of beer that the Blasorchester provided its members in celebration of the last concert of the year and Christmas. That's right, I said crates of beer. Beer that I've seen bought it bulk in Germany comes in plastic crates instead of cardboard cases. I'm guessing this is to make it easier to collect and return the empty bottles, since Germans are much better at recycling than Americans. Plus they have the incentive of getting money back for returning most empty glass and plastic bottles. Aside from my atrocious piccolo playing, the after party was a very good time. It can best be described as like the dance portion of a wedding reception. The host band offered us a classroom in which to spend the night since we weren't in Berlin. About a dozen or so people did so, and then they provided breakfast the next morning (free food being one of the main reasons I stayed). It was an all around good time.
One thing I don't understand is that while I'm pretty sure the whole occasion for the concert was christmas, I didn't hear much christmas music. The set we did in the beginning was apparently standard German christmas songs. I recognized a couple as tunes to hymns at church (one of which was Thine is the Glory, so evidently the text is very different from the German version since, for us, that's a song about the resurrection and not the birth of Christ) but that was about all I knew. Our second set had no Christmas songs at all and from what I heard of the other groups, they didn't play much Christmas music either (though one group did don santa hats). The DJ did blast Christmas songs over the loud speakers during any down time. This includes when they introduced the Blasorchester at the very beginning, when the large white room divider (we were in a gym) that was constituting a curtain slowly rose during which a dramatic version of the little drummer boy was crescendoing in the background. It was intense.
One thing I don't understand is that while I'm pretty sure the whole occasion for the concert was christmas, I didn't hear much christmas music. The set we did in the beginning was apparently standard German christmas songs. I recognized a couple as tunes to hymns at church (one of which was Thine is the Glory, so evidently the text is very different from the German version since, for us, that's a song about the resurrection and not the birth of Christ) but that was about all I knew. Our second set had no Christmas songs at all and from what I heard of the other groups, they didn't play much Christmas music either (though one group did don santa hats). The DJ did blast Christmas songs over the loud speakers during any down time. This includes when they introduced the Blasorchester at the very beginning, when the large white room divider (we were in a gym) that was constituting a curtain slowly rose during which a dramatic version of the little drummer boy was crescendoing in the background. It was intense.
Friday, December 5, 2008
From Sea to Shining Sea
So a lot has happened since November 14th (like Ashley's birthday - Happy Birthday) and my surprise trip to America. It felt good to be back, even if it was only for a week. I ate so much junk that my digestive trac is still in the process of forgiving me. But it was good, American junk. The most important part of the trip (not relating to seeing people) was that Lehigh finally beat Lafayette. My excitement was slighty masked by the fact that I couldn't feel my feet due to the cold. But, such is life.
Immediately after my return to the Fatherland, I left to go to Bad Saarow (which is somewhere not in Berlin) for the practice weekend retreat thing with the Blasorchester. Think band camp without all of the wierd tradition stuff and more ping pong, but an equal amount of beverage consumption. It was a lot of fun. I talked to a lot of new people and may have even come out of it with a swimming partner. On the way back on Sunday, those that wanted to participate went to this indoor/outdoor heated pool of salt water. When we were outside in the cold air, but warm water, it reminded me of the hot spring Ashley took me to when I visited her in Alaska. It was very relaxing.
Then the next day (last Monday) I had to move after work. So there I was moving to a new apartment with practically no clean clothes. But the move went well. Monika and Dieter drove me and my stuff, and they brought a box and a couple of bags to help me fit everything into some sort of transport device. Living with more people is so much nicer. And the apartment isn't as old and crappy. My room is no longer big enough to do a cartwheel in, but it's bigger than the one I had in college on Polk Street (I think, I've never been good with spacial relations). And, I have a bed now. No more plain mattress on the floor for this girl. Mila, the kitten is adorable and everyone is really nice and asks a lot of 'how is it in America?' type questions. Fun Fact: Apparently Germans (or at least the ones I live with) don't just stick potatoes in the oven and then eat them skins and all (a la baked potatoes). Because I did that this weekend and they all commented on how they had never seen that before. The more you know. This is rushed and not as entertaining as usual because I'm hungry, and I get to go home now. One bad thing about the new place is we haven't gotten the internet figured out yet. So this weekend I watched an embarassing amount of Dawson's Creek on DVD.
Immediately after my return to the Fatherland, I left to go to Bad Saarow (which is somewhere not in Berlin) for the practice weekend retreat thing with the Blasorchester. Think band camp without all of the wierd tradition stuff and more ping pong, but an equal amount of beverage consumption. It was a lot of fun. I talked to a lot of new people and may have even come out of it with a swimming partner. On the way back on Sunday, those that wanted to participate went to this indoor/outdoor heated pool of salt water. When we were outside in the cold air, but warm water, it reminded me of the hot spring Ashley took me to when I visited her in Alaska. It was very relaxing.
Then the next day (last Monday) I had to move after work. So there I was moving to a new apartment with practically no clean clothes. But the move went well. Monika and Dieter drove me and my stuff, and they brought a box and a couple of bags to help me fit everything into some sort of transport device. Living with more people is so much nicer. And the apartment isn't as old and crappy. My room is no longer big enough to do a cartwheel in, but it's bigger than the one I had in college on Polk Street (I think, I've never been good with spacial relations). And, I have a bed now. No more plain mattress on the floor for this girl. Mila, the kitten is adorable and everyone is really nice and asks a lot of 'how is it in America?' type questions. Fun Fact: Apparently Germans (or at least the ones I live with) don't just stick potatoes in the oven and then eat them skins and all (a la baked potatoes). Because I did that this weekend and they all commented on how they had never seen that before. The more you know. This is rushed and not as entertaining as usual because I'm hungry, and I get to go home now. One bad thing about the new place is we haven't gotten the internet figured out yet. So this weekend I watched an embarassing amount of Dawson's Creek on DVD.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Success!
Simone, the Australian, is a genius. Simone is a guy here from Australia who is also in the Blasorchester. He plays the Baritone here, but trumpet is his main thing. I was talking to him about my situation with the fingerings this morning before the concert. And apparently, sometimes they switch the trigger. So that everything not with the trigger is the B flat fingerings, and everything with the trigger is in F. So all I have to do is switch when I use the trigger, or always use the trigger and play with mellophone fingerings. (which is what I did cause it's the easiest) This also explains why went I took out the valve pipes to empty the spit, it was backwards from the one in the states. When you take out the tubes you have to depress the valve or it creates a vacuum or something, and usually the top tubes are the single valves and the bottom is the valve plus trigger. On this horn, it's the opposite, and that's apparently because the trigger is the opposite of what I'm used to. My playing was much more successful today then at the concert.
The concert itself was about 45 minutes long at some horticulture place. We didn't tune, and he just called out the tunes 2 at a time before we played them. So it's really laid back. We do however, have uniforms: a white polo shirt with the name and logo on it, and a maroon sweatshirt with the same logo for when it's cold. Which it is already. The playlist consisted of the following:
Puttin' on the Ritz
ABBA Gold
A Billy Joel Portrait
Miss Marples Theme
Die verrueckten 20er Jahre
Udo Juerfens Live
Amsel-Polka
Dankeschoen - Heinz Ruehmann - during which we all stood up and sang "Ein Freund, ein guter Freund" and by we, I mean they sang, and I stood there
But, I'm doing my research. It's the chorus to this song.
There was another song, but I didn't have it and had to share and therefore don't remember the name. But it was a hogdepodge of a bunch of american songs. And we're not talking a medley, it was like a reckognizable line from a Burt Bacharach song and then all of the sudden a line from deck the halls and then a sousa march. It was weird.
The concert itself was about 45 minutes long at some horticulture place. We didn't tune, and he just called out the tunes 2 at a time before we played them. So it's really laid back. We do however, have uniforms: a white polo shirt with the name and logo on it, and a maroon sweatshirt with the same logo for when it's cold. Which it is already. The playlist consisted of the following:
Puttin' on the Ritz
ABBA Gold
A Billy Joel Portrait
Miss Marples Theme
Die verrueckten 20er Jahre
Udo Juerfens Live
Amsel-Polka
Dankeschoen - Heinz Ruehmann - during which we all stood up and sang "Ein Freund, ein guter Freund" and by we, I mean they sang, and I stood there
But, I'm doing my research. It's the chorus to this song.
There was another song, but I didn't have it and had to share and therefore don't remember the name. But it was a hogdepodge of a bunch of american songs. And we're not talking a medley, it was like a reckognizable line from a Burt Bacharach song and then all of the sudden a line from deck the halls and then a sousa march. It was weird.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Why isn't the French Horn a Universal Instrument?
This is what I thought I knew about the French horn:
There can be either an E flat horn or an F horn, depending on the size of the one tube.
There are single and double horns. Double horns have a trigger for the thumb which you press when using B flat fingerings. If you don't use the trigger, you're using F fingerings.
Apparently there's more to know, or I have something wrong. When attending my first rehearsal of the Blasorchester, I got my instrument from Micha (whom I have to call to find the place, but that's besides the point) and was relieved to find it had a trigger. For you see, every horn I have ever played was a double. So the fingerings I am used to are in F until the A above middle C, at which time I utilize the trigger and play with B flat fingerings. Even the one time when I was 16 and in Germany staying with Florian, and I played his uncle's horn; the fingerings I was used to worked. But of course they didn't this time. I had prepared myself for the possibility of playing a single horn, by printing out french horn fingering charts that I found via google. I printed out two because I found two that were slightly different. Here they are:
Number one
Number two
Upon further inspection of the horn, I see that chart number two has the fingerings I need to use. I can only use the second set of fingerings, the trigger doesn't move back and forth between the sets like it would on chart number one with a horn I played in the states. At least now I know the fingerings, but it still frustrates and confuses the daylights out of me.
Aside from the weird horn thing, practice was good. I jumped right into the performance time of the year (the first one is tomorrow) so during rehearsal we pretty much just ran through things ones, occasionally stopping to fix something. Those are my favorite type of rehearsals. And it was someone's birthday, so as is the German custom, she had brought beer and sweets for everyone. There's one other woman who plays horn (Karen). I was too busy consentrating on figuring out the new fingerings to really pay attention to how well she plays. She's certianly not bad (though during the warmup the band as a whole as the intonation akin to a middle school band). During the first half of practice she played first, and I played second, then after Pause, she asked me to play first. So I'm not quite sure what part I've playing tomorrow. I guess I'll find out when I get there (if I can figure that out too).
After the concert tomorrow (it's at 10:00am) I'm going to Munich to see Uncle Glenn. It's Oktoberfest. You can't have an extended stay in Germany and not go to Oktoberfest. In honor of Oktoberfest, I had my first German Bratwurst the other day from one of the venders by the S-bahn station. It was everything you'd imagine it to be. I took Monday and Tuesday off of work and Glenn is coming back to Berlin with me on Tuesday.
Oh, and I'm sorry to hear about the US economy.
Apparently there's more to know, or I have something wrong. When attending my first rehearsal of the Blasorchester, I got my instrument from Micha (whom I have to call to find the place, but that's besides the point) and was relieved to find it had a trigger. For you see, every horn I have ever played was a double. So the fingerings I am used to are in F until the A above middle C, at which time I utilize the trigger and play with B flat fingerings. Even the one time when I was 16 and in Germany staying with Florian, and I played his uncle's horn; the fingerings I was used to worked. But of course they didn't this time. I had prepared myself for the possibility of playing a single horn, by printing out french horn fingering charts that I found via google. I printed out two because I found two that were slightly different. Here they are:
Number one
Number two
Upon further inspection of the horn, I see that chart number two has the fingerings I need to use. I can only use the second set of fingerings, the trigger doesn't move back and forth between the sets like it would on chart number one with a horn I played in the states. At least now I know the fingerings, but it still frustrates and confuses the daylights out of me.
Aside from the weird horn thing, practice was good. I jumped right into the performance time of the year (the first one is tomorrow) so during rehearsal we pretty much just ran through things ones, occasionally stopping to fix something. Those are my favorite type of rehearsals. And it was someone's birthday, so as is the German custom, she had brought beer and sweets for everyone. There's one other woman who plays horn (Karen). I was too busy consentrating on figuring out the new fingerings to really pay attention to how well she plays. She's certianly not bad (though during the warmup the band as a whole as the intonation akin to a middle school band). During the first half of practice she played first, and I played second, then after Pause, she asked me to play first. So I'm not quite sure what part I've playing tomorrow. I guess I'll find out when I get there (if I can figure that out too).
After the concert tomorrow (it's at 10:00am) I'm going to Munich to see Uncle Glenn. It's Oktoberfest. You can't have an extended stay in Germany and not go to Oktoberfest. In honor of Oktoberfest, I had my first German Bratwurst the other day from one of the venders by the S-bahn station. It was everything you'd imagine it to be. I took Monday and Tuesday off of work and Glenn is coming back to Berlin with me on Tuesday.
Oh, and I'm sorry to hear about the US economy.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Blasorchester
I made the greatest discovery thus far today. This is another thing I found via the internet; through various links stemming from a question on the Toytown forum about Choirs to join in Berlin. I found my way to this website. It's the Young Ensemble of Berlin. It's an organization for people ages 18-35 that like music as a hobby. They have a chamber orchestra, a choir, and a wind ensemble. If you look at the information about the Blasorchester (brass orchestra), you'll find this:
ACHTUNG !!!! Wir suchen momentan insbesondere Percussionisten, Waldhörner und Tenorhornisten.
Translation: Attention !!!! We are momentarily especially looking for Percusionists, Horn, and baritone players.
Followed by a link to further information about when they meet and how to join. So, I clicked on that link to find out that they meet on Wednesdays from 7-9, and you don't need to audition. It said if you're interested to just come to a practice, or email this guy for further questions. So I emailed the address given and told them who I was, what I play and asked if they knew where I could rent a horn, preferably for cheap. I got a response that they're happy to have me and they have a horn for me! So next Wednesday I'm going to go check it out. They play show tunes and pop songs and classic rock song as well as some classical. The best part is, they're all (well, mostly) German. Meaning I'll actually be socializing with Germans instead of all of the English speakers I've been hanging out with.
ACHTUNG !!!! Wir suchen momentan insbesondere Percussionisten, Waldhörner und Tenorhornisten.
Translation: Attention !!!! We are momentarily especially looking for Percusionists, Horn, and baritone players.
Followed by a link to further information about when they meet and how to join. So, I clicked on that link to find out that they meet on Wednesdays from 7-9, and you don't need to audition. It said if you're interested to just come to a practice, or email this guy for further questions. So I emailed the address given and told them who I was, what I play and asked if they knew where I could rent a horn, preferably for cheap. I got a response that they're happy to have me and they have a horn for me! So next Wednesday I'm going to go check it out. They play show tunes and pop songs and classic rock song as well as some classical. The best part is, they're all (well, mostly) German. Meaning I'll actually be socializing with Germans instead of all of the English speakers I've been hanging out with.
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