Hey y'all! Today I found out that I won my first concerto competition!! (In case y'all are wondering, a concerto is a piece where an orchestra "features" one particular instrument.) My audition was yesterday, and I think it was the best I've ever played. I am absolutely thrilled because I have tried out for this competition thrice before, and I've been "Runner Up" or "Alternate" each time. It was super frustrating, and I started wondering if I was going to end up like Mr. Dreyfus from the Pink Panther when he says, "I've been nominated for the Medal of Honor Seven Times. I've never won."
This competition was for my youth orchestra, the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra (GNOYO). My audition piece was Hunter's Moon by Gilbert Vinter, which is technically not a concerto (don't worry I got it approved with my orchestra conductor haha). I absolutely love it; it reminds me of horses galloping over autumn leaves with a harvest moon illuminating the sky. It has a technique called stopped horn, where you stick your hand really far in the bell of the horn and play the fingering a half step below the note you want and end up with an eerie, muted tone. If y'all listen to it I promise you'll love it.
Or better yet, y'all could come see me in person (if COVID-19 guidelines allow). I'll be playing it at a GNOYO concert in May, so hopefully by then enough people will have gotten the vaccine and developed immunity that it will be safe to have a normal concert and y'all can come see me.
Sorry this post turned out really long, but let me just say thank you to everyone who follows my practice account, supports me in my musical endeavors, or just listens to/reads all the way through my music rants. I really appreciate y'all!
Musically,
Clara
6 comments:
Congrats! I think that it is great that you won, and I hope that I can go come May! I totally understand what it feels like when you try hard to do something and never win. That was my experience with Cross Country, and it was the ultimate reason that I did not continue running. I figured that I would never win, so why keep putting energy into it? Anyway, I and glad that you did not fall to the fate of Henry Clay, who ran for Pres. 4 times and never won. I can't wait to see YOU perform the piece (I listened to the youtube video you sent me), and I hope that by May I can see it in person.
Thanks, Renee! Haha I'm glad that I didn't end up like him, too. The third time he ran for president, he didn't even get the nomination of his party.
Just curious, what season does Hunter's Moon remind you of? It reminds me of fall, but everyone else thinks of winter.
Thanks for your support! Love from
Clara
Hi Clara, I just wanted to to say how proud I am of you! Throughout these past few years I have seen you grow so much as a person, and have seen growth in you passion for music. I wish you the best in your future endeavors, and I hope I can join in on watching you play! Take care.
Thank you so much, Adriana! I really appreciate your kindness and support. :)
Love from
Clara
Hi Clara! I am so, so proud of you. I am so excited and I know you must be so proud of yourself as well. I know you're going to go so far in this life and I can't wait to watch it all play out:)
Thank you so much, Catherine! I really appreciate your kindness :)
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