Back in the Swing of Things

I feel a lot better about the way things are going. I'm getting caught up and it should be just in time for third quarter grades.

I'm thinking of putting a more contemporary and atonal spin on my quartet. Maybe rearrange some things to be really different and unique. This could have the potential to be really cool but I will have to use these techniques sparingly or else some people might think it's too radical. One quartet that I have been especially listening to is Dmitri Shostakovich String Quartet #8. It's really interesting and modern sounding. Here's a link of it on YouTube  by the Emerson String Quartet.

P.S.Over the Summer I saw these guys play a Bartok quartet and some Haydn quartets and let me warn you, these guys are amazing players!

Shostakovich String Quartet #8 Movement 2

Update!!

This whole senior year capstone project is really taking a toll on my mental stability. In class I have been working a lot on independent research about quartet composition and I have been writing a lot of great music. Unfortunately I have a D because you can't get graded on the music you write. I am updating this blog because it is worth a grade and I really really hope I can get at least a C or else I'm literally going to go insane. I'm going to try harder to get on top of important deadlines from now on. Here's to keeping it real and getting some points back! Update number 1...check

Twenty Questions

For our Capstone project, we were supposed to write a list of twenty questions and post it...a very long time ago. Needless to say I forgot and now I have a pretty bad grade because I am really behind on a ton of things. Well here are a few questions I have about string quartets, just anything I wanted to know about a string quartet I am putting down for the blog.

• When were the earliest string quartets written?
• Are there any modern string quartet composers?
• Can you write string quartets like SATB choral music?
• Are there other ways to add color than using the bow, pizzicato or col legno?
• Does a string quartet always have to be two violins a viola and a cello?
• Are string quartets usually conducted or led by the musicians?
• Do I have to worry about some instruments overpowering the viola or others?
• How long are typical string quartets?
• What is the longest string quartet?
• How many movements are in quartets?
• Where can someone go to see a string quartet perform?
• How much do quartet musicians get paid?
• How much does the composer get paid?
• Why aren’t quartets as popular as grand symphonies?
• What are the most famous quartet players?
• What are the most famous quartets music wise?
• Do I have to worry about the quartet getting boring due to lack of winds or brass?
• Who wrote the most quartets in their lifetime?
• Why do some quartets sound more out of tune than an orchestral piece?
• How important is communication with body language in playing a quartet?

Passions

My passion is music. I love to play the double bass and play in orchestras with other great musicians. I really enjoy being with others that share my interest of music and listening to classical music. I have defied musical expectations by becoming one of the best young bassists in Ohio in a very short amount of time. I started playing bass three years ago and I focused and practiced very hard to become what I am today. The main thing that keeps me from pursuing my passion full forced is school and schoolwork. If I didn't have to go to school, I could practice music all day and worry about auditioning at colleges and eventually orchestras.

Overview and Expectations

As my first blog entry, I have decided to present an overview of a project for my senior year in high school. This "capstone" course is required of all seniors and it usually consists of a semester long research project that ultimately results in a research paper.

My favorite things in the world are music and a really good adventure story. My goal for this project is to combine these elements into one cohesive product. I brainstormed and thought of my favorite pieces of music like Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss or Gaspard de la Nuit by Maurice Ravel and noticed that they all told wonderful stories that are apparent in the context of music. You can really feel the adventure and emotion with every note.

I thought of different mediums to write a story in music such as a symphony, tone poem or string quartet. A symphony would be way too much work for one semester and a tone poem would be great but I don't want to use a full orchestra so I was led to a string quartet. I am envisioning a traditional quartet with violins, a viola and a cello. If I need to (and have time) I might throw in a flute and some winds or brass, like a miniature orchestra.

I think that this capstone experience will be wonderful because I have always wanted to make time to write a really substantial piece of instrumental music. I plan to manage my time very wisely and work diligently as a sort of test for college life.

I'm very excited to do this project on my own and can't wait to document the learning/writing process!