nj string orchestra - get strung along~

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Hello fellow friends, this post is about (the long awaited + overdue) SENIORS' FAREWELL!!!~ Hahaha here are the details (where when):

Date: 7th February 2010, Sunday
Venue: Natalie's house (thanks for booking the function room for us :-))
No. 1 Holland Avenue
Willyn Ville
Nearest MRT station(s): Commonwealth & Buona Vista
Buses that go to her house: 7, 48, 61, 77, 106, 165, 970

The time in which we need you all to reach there will be confirmed again, both existing juniors & seniors :-) If you need any more info about how to get to Nat's house or where it is please ask her!!! Or Google Maps can be your new best friend :-)

Okay see you all on 7th February heehee!

Cassandra :-)

Cassandra :: 10:12 PM

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Hey Stringerssss!! (:

Just a few updates:

- Practice next Wednesday will be from 8 30 till 11am
- pleasssssse be punctual
- if you have any songs you think should be included in our CD project, do feel free to let the exco know :D
- the strings' rules should be up in the room by the following practice!(:
- please let me know if you can't make it....bearing in mind that reasons like PW meetings should not and cannot be used as valid excuses!!!

Enjoy your holidays!!!

-Wenhan (:

han :: 7:47 PM

Friday, May 8, 2009

Hello stringers :)

Regarding exco elections, please submit your exco forms by this coming Friday, 15th May 2009. You can simply drop me an sms, or meet me in the Strings room in the morning :)

There are several posts you can run for:
1. President

2. Vice President
- deals with administrative issues
- takes care of discipline issues
- assists the President

3. Treasurer
- deals with almost anything related to $$$ in the cca
- collect money from stringers
- manages the Strings Fund
- in charge of tickets during concerts (issuing tickets, collecting ticket money, calculating our profits, etc.)
- in charge of FOOD (ordering dinner/lunch during longgg cca practices, concerts, etc.) and making sure everyone pays for food they ordered!
- when people buy stuff for the CCA, MUST collect the receipt from them before using the fund to pay them back

4. Librarian
- related to the welfare and maintenance of scores
- various drawers and cupboards in the strings room (which contains scores) should be properly managed and organised by the librarian
- in charge of copying scores for the whole ensemble and ensuring that all members have a copy of the current repertoire
- before concerts and performances, the librarian should also keep tabs on original scores and ensure that all are intact before and after the event. Should anyone misplace their original score, the librarian is in charge of supplying them with a new one and imposing the appropriate fine. If the photocopied score is misplaced, it is the responsibility of the Stringer to photocopy it himself/herself.

5. Quarter Mistress
- Stock-taking and management: Taking stock and updating the inventory list after each purchase; purchase orders and liaising with the teachers as well as shops
- Instrument and equipment: Loan of instruments to String Orchestra members as well as to other CCAS (CO) and managing these loans
-In-charge of other equipment required for concerts e.g. Amps, chairs etc.
- In-charge of strings-related items like stoppers, mutes, stands etc.
- The strings room: Keeping the room clean and tidy; spring cleaning the room at least once a year

6. Welfare Head
- takes care of the general welfare of every member in the String Orchestra
- includes taking charge of birthdays, purchasing of meals during late-practices/snacks for the orchestra, bonding matters, and assisting in maintaining basic discipline.

But, remember that your job scope isn't limited to simply your role and honestly, theres so much more to be done than what is being written here (but these are the basic golden rules). As a member of an exco wholly, and as a member of the String Orchestra, we all help each other bring out the best in everyone in the Orchestra and bring strings to greater heights together (:

there'll be more writeups on the roles soon so do keep checking the blog! :D

Exco interviews will TENTATIVELY be on 18th and 19th May (if there are changes we will let you know).

love
sherlene
ps: if you want to hear some recordings of bach: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xXspgdoD74&feature=PlayList&p=B7914BE3154FFFD6&index=10 :) there are LOTS of them!

Sherlene :: 11:44 PM

Sunday, May 3, 2009

NJStringers, you guys rock.

No matter what happened on 29th April, I want to let you all know that you guys have been the very reason why I truly enjoy coming for CCA practices. I never really understood why people can LOVE their CCA so much and cry tears of joy for CCA, until I joined the NJC String Ensemble. It started when I found that the reason for going to school every day was really just to go for CCA. Every day I looked forward to going for CCA to see us improve, to feel the awesome sensation when I get my freaking pizzicato part right, to play as a section and to play as an orchestra. And you guys are the ones that have made this journey all the more awesome for me.

You guys have never given me reason to stop believing, and even till the very last moment when they announced the results and till now, I still truly believe that the process we went through is worth more than a G. We came at 7am almost everyday, we practiced till our fingers became hard, we stayed back in school till 8.30pm, we recorded, listened and replayed, rerecorded, relistened and rereplayed.

I want to thank so many people, from the depth of my heart, for my journey in NJ SE would never have been so fulfilling without them:

1. Violin 1s

You guys have been the most amazing section, maybe its just a violin thing, since I felt the same way about Violin 2s, my ancestral section. The small smses Wenhan sends to wish me good luck for NAPFA, and to tell us to relax before the announcement of results; the strange fringe-combing our dear Wenman does and the crow-cackling she has never fails to amuse me; the always-poking Shuangyang who refuses to NOT poke me (hahahaha. NO ONE pokes me okay) and always relaxed even when playing fast passages from Mozart; and of course, my beloved section leader who has never failed to be there to help each of us improve, give advice.

2. Violin 2s
I was previously from violin 2, and I can totally understand how it is like to be given a ... strange part, with ... funny interceptions of melody lines here and there, difficult to play because 1. Its not totally accompaniment 2. It’s not totally melody, so you’re in a fix. But you guys did an awesome job. Really. You did. Thank you for putting in the effort, to play, to practice, so that Mosssart rocked socks.

3. Lower Strings

I took the Facebook quiz, and found that I’m a true cellist within. Okay digressing. But, guys you are the ones I look at the most in the Orchestra because I’m just opposite you. Thank you for putting in so much effort, for working so hard to sound together, to matching with the entire Orchestra. If we are the planets that orbit the earth, you guys are the universe that pulls everyone together. Without your beat, we would have no music to start with.

4. Seniors and Juniors

I am very proud of you, and i love you all so so much. And I mean it. Juniors, thank you so much for coming to support us, for helping us through SYF day itself and the rehearsal.

We're ONE strings ensemble, magnificent, marvellous, you name it, we've got it. :) let's all bond and share the passion for NJ SE.

<3>

Sherlene :: 1:12 PM

Monday, April 6, 2009

Hello lovelies!

Remember Jie Ying came back? :) She gave me the comments she wrote on that day (regarding our playing) and here it is! :) Sorry it's so late, but... Better late than never!

Bartok

Movement I:

- Violin 1s: Melody should sound like there's NO bow change (when there's supposed to be smooth)

- Lower strings: your role is to KEEP THE PULSE, NOT stand out.

- General: everybody LOOK and bring down volume when needed.

Movement II:

- Audrey (me ._."): Just watch Mr Oh's upbeat and just close your eyes and play

- General: play CUTESY!

Movement III:

- LOOK at Mr Oh above all else

- ~b53, TOO LOUD. ON the fingerboard!

- Before you start, make sure you are in sync with each other and that you feel the pulse

- Intonation: the whole orch needs to be tighter. Center around B natural.

- Stay SOFT throughout though, naturally, it may be hard to.

- VIBRATE especially the 2nd note of the "ambulance" (a/n: I don't think it's supposed to sound like an ambulance. haha)

Movement IV:

- Needs work. (a/n: haha so vague)

Movement V:

- 1st note must crescendo!

- Whatever you do, don't stifle the vibration of the string!

- 4 bars before b5: make sure that the semi-quavers are VERY CLEAR

- Violin 1s: accompany the cellos at the cello melody part - means you've gotta LISTEN to cellos!

Movement VI:

- Please look at conductor's "volume" signals!

- The discordant harmony part: closer to the fingerboard for open strings esp.

- Last note: same length; all release together

- cellos and violas: Harmonies Fsharp and Csharp (a/n: sorry, my keyboard is unable to type the sharp sign. AGAIN.)

- accents are BOUNCY, not heavy. Simulate skipping, not jumping

- Cellos: mezzo accents, not "kaa-aa" sfz accents

Movement VII:

- Please KEEP the (fast) pulse

- mezzos are WAY TOO LOUD; comes immediately on downbeat, not one quaver after

- come down even more! keep the articulation and energy, but reduce volume)

- b7 1st violins - TOP SPEED FULL BOW

- 7 before end: syncopation must be STRONG and CLEAR

- 2nd Violins: (a/n: i have no idea what Jie was trying to write here. I shall leave it out :P)

- Cellos: sustained 'A's - NO STOP in sound when changing bow or otherwise

- 1st Violins: (7 from end) you have to PUSH the tempo cuz often late

Yup, that's about all she did, so READ THROUGH, ok! and do look through your parts AGAIN :)

OK I HAVE TO GO AND SLEEP I am so so so tired. anyways, just wanna take this chance (before i knock off) to apologise for losing control of my emotions so damn easily. Will try not to do that again. haha.

love you all loads,

Audrey

Audrey :: 9:36 PM

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

"We are as strong as our weakest player."

<3 strings.

Jiayou everyone!!

28 MORE DAYS! WE CAN DO THIS. TOGETHER.

Sherlene :: 10:52 PM

Friday, March 20, 2009

Bridging the Gap with a 16 year old
Mozart's Divertimento in D major, K. 136 (K.125a) is the first of a group of works collectively known as the "Salzburg" symphonies. These works stands apart from Mozart's remaining symphonies, in that they are set for strings alone, rather than for the otherwise customary mixed instrumentation including winds. A further point which separates these compositions from Mozart's others in the symphonic genre, is that they are comprised of just three, rather than four individual movements, each lacking the usual Minuet. And lastly, the compact three-movement form further distinguishes the "Salzburg" symphonies from Mozart's true Divertimentos and Serenades, which were mulit-movement creations on a large scale, regularly spanning six movements and sometimes even more.

In keeping with Classical conventions, works such as these for string orchestra could also be played by the four voices of the string quartet when the occasion demanded. Indeeed, a likely explanation for the origin of these so-called "Quartet Divertimentos" is to be found in the facts of Mozart's life at the time of composition, early in 1772. Mozart was then just 16 years of age, and already held the post of Court Concertmaster to Hieronymus Coloredo, Prince Archbishop of Salzburg. This period fell between Mozart's second and third visits to Italy, where he may well have found the impulse to compose works in the style of the three-movement Sinfonias and Concerti Grossi which had been popular since the times of Corelli. This, however, is still a matter of considerable conjecture, and besides, had these been pieces to be played exclusively by solo instrumentalists, Mozart surely would have considered them as true string quartets.

Mozart's Divertimento (125a) seems indeed to closely mirror the style of the Italian concertos for strings, which he must certainly have encountered during his several visits to Italy. The work consists of a lively opening Allegro, in simple sonata form; a charming central Andante; and a brilliant concluding Presto. It is interesting to compare this work with its close companion in B flat, K. 137, which follows a slightly different general scheme, in which the main Allegro is placed second, and follows (unusually) a first movement headed "Andante." The brilliant inventiveness and virtuosity of the D major Divertimento is, to echo the words of Alfred Einstein (writing about another closely related work, Mozart's perennial Eine kleine nachtmusik, the Serenade in G, K. 525) "a masterpiece of masterpieces, on the smallest possible scale." ~ All Music Guide

On Bartok
My comments are in italics!!

The Rumanian Folk Dances are works based on folksongs and dances collected by Bartók from peasants and Gypsies during his pioneering ethno-musicological field trips through Hungary in 1910-14. Both works (this includes his Sonatina) were first arranged for solo piano, though Bartók would have originally heard these tunes played on fiddle, shepherd’s flute, or bagpipe. In these, as well as his other folksong arrangements, Bartók provides simple yet imaginative settings for the folk tune, like a master picture framer crafts a matte and frame to compliment, yet not compete with, the painting or drawing it surrounds. Even in the simplest setting, Bartók often varies a voice in the accompaniment, slightly changing the "color" of the chord, avoiding verbatim repetition of a phrase. All of this happens in the briefest of time spans. Between these two pieces (Bartók scrupulously notates the duration of each movement, down to the second, in the score). He never inflates folk material. Paradoxically, this is also what makes these settings "art music." Dance music, given its function, must be repeated. A dance, where people are movin’ to the groove, cannot last for 25 seconds. In their brevity, they share a quest for concision sought by such other "avant-garde" composers such as Schönberg and Webern to name the most obvious.

The Rumanian Folk Dances presents each of the seven dances (the sixth movement is actually comprised of two distinct folk tunes) without any reprise of material. The Sonatina, though partitioned into three movements, is actually comprised of five folk tunes. The first movement uses two dances, the first of which is repeated to give an A-B-A form. The Finale is also comprised of two dances. After they are heard, Bartók combines fragments of both to form a coda. The composer here manipulates the folk material for use in "art music" forms; thus the justification for the title "Sonatina" (little sonata).

Though both works started out as piano solos, they also appeared in arrangements for violin and piano as well as orchestral transcriptions by the composer. For its orchestral arrangement. The "Rumanian" music he collected was from Rumanian inhabitants of Transylvania. In 1920, the Treaty of Trianon ceded Transylvania to Rumania. This resulted in strained relations between Hungary and Rumania, and prevented Bartók from continuing to collect folk music in the region.

The first dance, which translates into English as "dance with a staff" or stick (what the dancer is doing with the stick is anyone’s guess) is from the Maros-Torda region. Bartók reported that it was played to him by two Rumanian Gypsy violinists from Màramaros. The Bràul is a dance that involves the use of a waistband or sash.

The lovely third dance, in which the violin imitates the sound of a rustic flute, while the piano acts as a drone, translates roughly into "the Stomper." Both of these dances are from Torontàl. Another lovely melody is presented in The Dance of the Buscum People from Torda-Aranyos. Next we have a Rumanian "Polka" from Bihar. Finally, the last movement is made up of two fast dances; Manuntelul for couples, from Behar and Torda-Aranyos.

1999-2000 Season, Program IV, Sunday April 9, 2000
editted by yours truly.

I hope that after reading this, you guys will be able to spend the weekend building a relationship with the piece. I just wanted to thank everyone for working so hard for strings camp, and to tell you guys not to give up! No matter what happens at SYF, I'm proud to say that I'm part of the group we all comprise- the NJ string orchestra.

<3,
nush.

Miss Sheep :: 11:49 PM