Pianoversary
On September 18th, my 20th pianoversary came and went. Yes, I have been doing the ivory tickling thang for the vast majority of my life.
Here's a picture of me and my stuffed monkey Chee-Chee at my very first recital in December 1985.
September 30, 2005
July 29, 2005
When piano teachers go bad
BRIDGETON, N.J. (AP) - A 16-year-old pianist is suing his music teacher for allegedly confronting him on stage during a Carnegie Hall competition and slamming the keyboard cover on his fingers as they argued over what piece he would play.
Geez, I'd have just sporked the kid! ♫♪
May 26, 2005
Best. Lyrics. Ever.
The best line I've heard in Aperitif For Destruction so far has been, from We Are The World:
We are the world, keep Michael Jackson away from your children...
May 12, 2005
Name That Tune
This morning, I heard an absolutely beautiful piece on Classical 96.3 FM, but did not catch the title. I called them up to see if they could help me, and lo and behold, I got connected to the Music Librarian, who quickly let me know that the mystery song was To The Rescue from the Rocketeer soundtrack.
May 09, 2005
Richard Cheese countdown
T-minus 15 days and counting for the new Richard Cheese CD, which will include a lounged up, swinging version of People=Shit by Slipknot. I can't wait!
April 25, 2005
Finally, a winner
February 04, 2005
PSA: awesome band
Black Bullet by kidneythieves is a fucking awesome song. I just discovered this band thanks to ChroniX.
December 11, 2004
Pa rum pa pa pum *doublekick*
I think there should be Christmas albums by metal bands.
November 02, 2004
Countdown to January 9/05
Tickets bought. Has it already been over 3 years since I last saw the wondermous Slipknot?
September 09, 2004
For your online moshing needs
[ChroniX Radio] :listen
August 29, 2004
Anthem Flap
So, all this panty knot-tying over weird harmonies?!?! I would LOVE to know what the venerable Joe J. Ringhofer (my history/harmony/analysis teacher, current Chief Examiner of theory at the dastardly RCM - which means the man KNOWS HIS SHIT!) thinks about this.
my comment over at marmalade:
as a person who has a BA in music...the first version is "interesting". It's not necessarily bad, but if a theory student handed that in for an assignment, I'd still probably fail them :) the 2nd arrangement, too-slow tempo notwithstanding, is actually pretty good. There are some suspended chords that are just beautiful. Sometimes you gotta think outside the musical box a little, you know?
May 29, 2004
Carrot Concerto in g minor
HAMBURG, Germany (Reuters) - The sound of 90 pounds of finely tuned cucumbers, leeks, potatoes, radishes, peppers, aubergines and marrows entertained a German audience at a weekend concert by the Viennese Vegetable Orchestra.
The nine-piece orchestra plays a range of original compositions on instruments constructed from vegetables -- including a flute made from a carrot, a saxophone carved out of a cucumber and a pumpkin converted into a double bass.
"I would never have thought you could get sound out of a cucumber," a young woman at the concert said. Others commented on the raw vegetable aroma accompanying the melodies.
The Austrian ensemble, three women and six men, said their instruments are freshly sliced and put together only an hour before each performance to enhance the sound. Size, texture and water content are vital to achieving the correct sound.
"Ordinary vegetables work better together than organic vegetables," said Matthias Meinharter, who plays a violin fashioned from leeks.
The musicians must also work against the clock. To protect their instruments from drying out during the performance, they place damp cloths around the vegetables when they're not in use.
At the end of the performance, the instruments were turned into vegetable soup.
[from Yahoo! News]
January 20, 2004
3rd time's the charm, right?
Piano exam today at 2:45pm EST. Think good thoughts for me please! :crossfingers
December 14, 2003
Early Christmas Present
Evanescence concert tonight, woohoo! :headbang It's snowing like crazy outside, but I will not miss this concert for anything!
November 10, 2003
Tra La La
Today and tomorrow I am competing in the voice festival. Wish me luck! :sing
September 24, 2003
What the fuck did you say?
September 16, 2003
Moderately happy dance
The good news is that the only part of the exam I have to redo is the fucking technique. :dead
September 11, 2003
I ain't no singer
I've been trying to narrow down my song choices for the Newmarket Voice Festival. I said before the exam flunking shit happened that I was going to sing in this festival. Here's what I've got so far:
Songs from movies
Only Hope
Spirituals
Rise Up Shepherd and Follow
Modern Folk Songs
Homeward Bound
Across the Wide Missouri
Musical Theatre
I really can't decide here. I want to sing something that's not very well known, but one of my absolute favourites (Home) definitely doesn't fall under that category. I can get away with choosing 2 songs from this category; I can enter one in a novice class and the other in a regular musical theatre class. Someday, if I find sheet music with the printed lyrics, I'd love to sing Inte Jag (Someone Else's Story in Swedish). It would totally blow everyone away. :sing
Home (Beauty and the Beast)
Someone Else's Story (Chess)
Heaven Help My Heart (Chess)
Nobody's Side (Chess)
A New Life (Jekyll & Hyde)
Hold On (The Secret Garden)
August 27, 2003
My own boss
I got 'fired' today. Well, not exactly.
For 2 years I have been the sole employee of an impromptu music school. The boss lady got me the students while taking half the student rate as her fee. Now the students are all my own! Which means I will be making twice as much money from these students without having to work one bit more.
That is good news in the music teaching department after yesterday's hell.
August 26, 2003
Flunkee..again
The good news (if it can be called that) about the supplementary exam is that I only have to take the technique section again, since that's the only portion that I got below 70% in. :bang Unfortunately, the next exam session isn't until December. So, no Sweden for me...yet...
August 25, 2003
A note to parents of prospective students
No, I will not teach your 3-year-old kid unless they are a fucking prodigy. There are programs specifically geared towards pre-school children that they should be in, not formal piano lessons.
August 21, 2003
Pass...I hope
I'm supposed to get either 75% overall OR 70% in each section. (repertoire, technique, teaching skills) There's still a chance that I failed since I fucked up a couple of scales. I won't know how I really did until I get the mark breakdown and I don't know when that will be. So don't start celebrating just yet.
August 12, 2003
This is it
I'm already starting to get nervous, and there's still 12 hours to go...
More good thoughts from you are needed tomorrow morning, 9am EST as I do the practical exam. I will be thinking about that trip to Sweden to get me through! and please don't say 'break a leg' as I fell off my step at the gym today and twisted my ankle. But it's my left ankle, I only need my right to play piano!
August 07, 2003
Exam Time
My written teacher's exam is tomorrow morning from 9:30-12:30am EST. Think good thoughts for me then, will ya? :crossfingers
P.S. It may be amusing to some (especially Vin) to know that the next comment posted will be #666. :evilgrin
July 15, 2003
I Love Little Pussy
In some older piano method books, there are some antiquated/non-PC song lyrics and titles. Example seen today: I Love Little Pussy.
July 08, 2003
ugh, blah, feh
I've got a lot to worry about lately and it doesn't help that tonight I have to tell one of my students that unless she gets her ass in gear there's no way in hell I'm going to let her take the piano exam in a month. There are 2 major problems here:
1. Her younger sister has already taken this exam, so delaying it will put her further behind.
2. Her mom is a neurotic freak who insists that they do exams quickly, against my better judgement, because I think slow and steady is the way to do things.
So I sense some sturm und drang in the near future. I'm also planning something nefariously evil, expect a private post about it soon.
June 18, 2003
Plinkety plink
Tonight my teacher and I had a little recital for our students. It was the world's shortest recital, 16 students playing and we were done in well under 30 minutes. They were so cute playing. :pleased
Now I'm going to OD on Reactine and hope it takes out some of the inflammation, heat and itching from that damn mosquito bite. Anyone have any miracle after bite remedies? I want to hear them!
May 16, 2003
Hamilton Stories
• Passed by this cathedral. The weather was horribly rainy and gray today, so it looked so mysterious and beautiful wreathed in fog and clouds. It sits high on a hill and totally dominates everything else nearby. Must explore someday. It's hard to believe there's a building like that in Steel City.
• I got to McMaster about an hour before Paul, it gave me plenty of time to practice piano and study for my teaching exam. He arrives; we practice for a bit.
Paul: it's :hot in here! (small tiny practice room)
Me: because I'm so damn hot, baby! *pelvic thrusts*
Paul: just play the fucking song...not the Fucking Song...umm...
• We pull up to Tim Horton's for lunch.
Paul: Holy crap! It's Frank!
God, I wish I had my camera. The guy sitting in the window having an iced cappucino could have been Frank Barone's evil twin. :rotflmao
• Mom gave me an old map of Hamilton, with the bus station marked. I arrived at the same bus station in the morning, and it was fully intact. So I navigate Paul's dad to the station. And it's a pile of rubble.
Paul's Dad: I seriously doubt the station was demolished since you were there this morning.
Damn old map...
• I bought Spirituals for Solo Singers today, it comes with a CD of piano accompaniments so I can focus on singing. My only complaint is that some of the accompaniments are too slow for my taste, but they will suffice for practice until the next festival in November and I'll get my teacher to play for me. :sing
May 02, 2003
This is My Letter
Gawd. I have never been so fucking glad it's Friday!
(this is a real letter that I'm giving to the woman today, names changed to protect the guilty, personal asides in italics)
Dear Mrs. Bitchy Voice Teacher,
I feel that I must write to clarify a few things.
First of all, I would like to apologize again for being rude to you. I was not trying to give you attitude, but it appears that you took it as such. It will not happen again in the future, and again, I am sorry. I don't think I should apologize for shit I didn't do but I will anyways!
Secondly, when I first started taking students to accompany, I was asking them to bring me music themselves. This proved to be difficult and that is when I asked you to bring me the music for your students who had not done so already. However, M.D. and B.H. were two of the people who did bring it to me, and therefore, their music was not included in the pile that you brought to M [my piano teacher] for me and did not have any key changes marked on it. In the future, I will be certain to ask you and/or the student to let me know of any key changes.
Lastly, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to accompany your students. I enjoy accompanying very much, and sincerely hope that in the future I will again have the chance to work with your talented students. Despite my mistakes, I see them as a learning experience and a chance to improve my shortcomings. Grovel, grovel, ass kissing noises.
Yours truly,
Zorbs
Here goes
Here's a chat transcript of what happened today. Let me know if you want explanations of the technical terms.
Eternal gratitude to Babs and Chris for being great friends and listening to me.
Theme song of the day: Spit It Out (gee I wonder why)
April 18, 2003
Hell weekend
I have a pretty hellish accompanying schedule this weekend (April 18-21, inclusive). I'm accompanying 32 solo singers for their classes at the Lions Club Music Festival which takes place in the last week of April. In case you've forgotten I am competing myself at the same festival. These singers are performing a total of 99 songs. Combine that with practices for and the actual Easter Masses this weekend and you've got one busy Zorbie.
Furthermore, since my piano teacher has been doing the accompanying thing for a long time now, she has worked with most, if not all of these kids I'm seeing before. She told me dirt about these kids that I'm not sure I want to know. One of the girls starred in Lion King downtown and is no doubt a bratty little diva. Another girl (~13-14 years old) showed up at a theatre camp dressed like such a slut that my teacher had to send her home to change.
It reminds me of why I disliked vocal students so much in high school. Back then I probably would have been taken advantage of by them. Now, I keep something nearby to remind myself who's Boss. :spork :devil
March 05, 2003
Holy shit!
When's the last time you heard a band so kick-ass that you instantly creamed your pants?
I'll be honest, I hated Slipknot the first time I heard them. So I'll have to say, not since I heard Skrape live have I been so impressed.
You gotta hear this band: 12 Stones
Runner-up: Evanescence
February 23, 2003
Mother Nature is a bitch
After teasing us winter-weary Ontarians with nice, warm springlike weather for the latter part of last week, she struck again with a vengeance. Mom and Dad woke me up from my sleep to tell me that the driveway was all iced up and I managed to get a ride from someone and make it to church. Seems like I spent a lot of time at church-related activities this weekend. Last night Dan braved the ice and snow to go to a dinner for the church volunteers.
press alt-f4 if you don't want to read mean people-bashing >>>
February 08, 2003
Are you sleeping?
Last night I went to a piano recital by André Laplante at SAC and I was sitting there, and my eyelids got heavier and heavier. It's not like I was falling asleep - rather, I don't think it should be expected of a classical music concert-goer to sit up tall and watch attentively. If you aren't sitting right in the front row (I was near the back) there is absolutely nothing to see. I feel the need to close my eyes because it helps me to concentrate on the music. No, I won't fall asleep, I am actively listening. But concerts should be more condusive to relaxed active listening and provide comfy recliners instead of expecting people to sit up straight and proper.
So if you ever see me looking like I'm :sleeping at a concert, don't bother me, I'm trying to listen to the music! :piano
January 31, 2003
Not the competitive type
I did something yesterday that I haven't done since 1994 - I signed up to compete in the Newmarket Lions Club Music Festival. I am horrible when playing in front of people, but I really need the practice prior to my exam, which will occur this June. It is the last music exam I have to complete, as I did all the theory and history co-requisites years ago, and a total monkey on my back. So if I don't pass this exam, it's the equivalent of being one final exam short of being able to put a bachelor's degree after your name.
I last attempted the exam in 1997, the summer before starting university and I failed only by about 5%, the examiners are notorious for being assholes, and since I was on the borderline, I suppose I didn't charm them enough to pass me. It's no wonder I have nightmares all the time about the university suddenly discovering that I didn't complete my course requirements to earn my degree, and that 'they' are after me to take back my diploma.
Then I wake up in a cold sweat.
January 13, 2003
Adventures in Accompanying
Last night, the same woman who tracked in crap all over my front hall phoned. I thought she was calling to confirm that her son's violin exam (that I am accompanying) was at the church that's a 5 minute drive from my house.
Here's where it gets funny.
Turns out that somehow when they filled out the exam application, she managed to put Barrie instead of Newmarket, which is about an hour north of here. When the exam centre listings are in alphabetical order, I don't even see how that is even possible, but she somehow managed it. Fortunately she offered to drive me there as well and pay me extra, or else she'd be even more frantically trying to find a new accompanist this morning.
What's worse is the weather today SUCKS - 10 cm. of snow here, probably more up in Barrie, and cold enough to freeze your knockers off (judging from the poll results you guys liked the term 'knockers', right?)
So I'm waiting for her to come pick me up, I'm sure I'll have more stories to tell when I get home later. Hopefully I'll make it home in one piece, because although I haven't seen her car, she exudes an aura of being an SUV-driving maniac. LOVELY!
update: this is the view from my window. It's not a blurry pic. The white is SNOW. :cold
December 06, 2002
In his own words
December 05, 2002
Get Inside
December 01, 2002
I MUST GO!!!
AHHHH!!! Stone Sour are in Toronto on Friday!!!! :shocked :listen :headbang
November 30, 2002
Concert summary
I can summarize the whole concert in one word: INTERESTING.
Those of you who know me well know what I mean by that...and can also extrapolate from the following excerpt from a concert review how I made the night interesting. :mischievious
The most controversial thing about last night's performance was the parade of exhibitionist-happy women in the audience who -- whenever the video camera zoomed in on them -- flashed bras, breasts, bums, and the occasional thong, or made out with each other. :boobies
November 14, 2002
Musicians and their gutter brains
[e] it's like an all you can eat buffet
[s] but you like to be served!
[e] oh, i do
[s] lol
[e] i could use some servicing
[e] but anyway
[Z] hahahah
[s] im sure there are places in TO that could handle that :P
[e] yes
* Z sucks
November 06, 2002
Into the fire
So next Tuesday night I'll begin my marching band gig career playing at the mall when Santa comes to town to listen to the wishes of the lil' brats. I hope I can walk and play at the same time. I hope I'm in good enough shape not to pass out in the middle of a parade. I hope I don't step in horse :shit. Even more so, I hope I don't step in horse :shit, slip and have my flute stuck where the sun don't shine.
I got my uniform and nifty armband music stand last night, Santa Claus parade season is coming up (something like 7 in the next 3 weeks) and I am grateful that I sight read very well because sight reading while marching is somewhat of the newbie initiation. Maybe I'll get so absorbed in looking at the music that I'll walk into a telephone pole.
Maybe I'll just try practicing with the stand strapped to my arm instead of letting my imagination run wild.
October 30, 2002
The return of band syndrome
Back in the high school days, I'd get whatever song we played last at rehearsal stuck in my head. (and god forbid if it was the 5-Tylenol A Copland Portrait)
Well last night I joined the community band after a 5-year hiatus from band. They certainly weren't of the caliber I was used to but it was fun. Despite the headache I have today. :headache
October 29, 2002
Currently reading...
The Definitive Biography of P.D.Q. Bach (1807-1742)? Heehee. It be phunny!
October 19, 2002
Patience
"Need a little patience, yeah, some more patience..." to wait till November 29th. Yeah Soul, I know you hate them but STFU, ok? :listen
October 07, 2002
A whole 2 octaves!
:piano
I'm gonna compose a concerto for this.
It's got a range of 2 whole octaves, imagine the possibilities!
:headache
September 06, 2002
Weekly Wrap-up - Music Revisited
1. What kind(s) of music do you listen to regularly? Does it change at all depending on your mood or the moods of those around you (like playing upbeat music as a motivator)?
If you take a look at my playlist, you'll see that I have everything from Britney Spears (ONE song, OK?!?!? :shrug) to Mozart to Slipknot. Of course what I prefer to listen to on any day depends on my mood, but I really like to load my entire mp3 collection, set Winamp to play at random and see where that takes me.
2. Do you listen to the radio (NPR and other talk radio, too, not just music stations) or CDs/audiobooks more while in the car? What do you consider to be good "driving music"? Any particular bands, songs or albums that seem to make long trips go faster?
I don't listen to the radio at all; I don't find there to be any good radio stations in this area. I have a "heavy rotation" of CD's for driving - this is what I have in my sunvisor organizer currently:
- New Killer America, Skrape
- The Lonely Position of Neutral, Trust Company
- Self-Titled, Headstrong
- Lost Angels, 3rd Strike (GAAAAAAAAAAAAABE!!)
- Available in All Colors, One Minute Silence (no Mazzy :cry)
- Self-Titled, Stone Sour
- Sevas Tra, Otep
3. Anymore, a lot of concert performances sound close to their professionally recorded conterparts. Do you thing this is true to some extent? Why or why not? Which do you prefer - live music or recorded music? Why?
I used to hear live recordings and be disappointed that they didn't sound like the CD, but now I know to appreciate the live concert as its own thing, it's like comparing apples and oranges.
4. With the abundance of music available to download, and the tools to make CDs on your own, how often do you actually buy CDs? Is there any artist or group that you prefer buying their CDs instead of downloading/burning a copy? What was the last CD you bought?
I still buy about the same number of CD's, the only thing I do less with the advent of mp3 is I no longer buy a CD for one song, that's what downloading is for. The last CD I bought was Stone Sour, it rox!
5. We all have maybe one similar music interest as our parents, especially if we grew up in a home where music was played often. So, 'fess up - what artist/group do both you and your parents like? Why do you like them? Also, do your parents like anything you listen to?
My parents and I definitely don't have any artists in common that we like, but my parents like classical. Obviously because of my education I like it too, but my parents tend to go for the popular stuff, whereas I have had exposure to all sorts of art music. I'll admit that I don't mind the soundtracks that my dad listens to, but I DO mind the fact that he'll listen to the same CD on repeat several times in the course of a day! When that happens I blast my stuff on headphones or make a strategic retreat into my room.
August 30, 2002
You might be a pianist if...
- you expect a singer to pick up a part on the first try sight-reading, because after all, it's only one note at a time.
- you inform your fiancé that he'll have to share you - you're in love with a Steinway Grand.
- you can sense if a piano is in the building.
- the first thing you look for when visiting someone's home is a piano.
- you can stretch you hand so that your little finger nearly forms a 90-degree angle in relation to your fourth finger. (note: I can do that!)
- you hear any random song on the radio and find yourself pondering whether it is in the key of G major or F major and go home to find out once and for all.
- you wince when you walk into a house that contains a piano as "furniture."
- you hear a child pounding on a piano and think, "Hey, cool! Twelve-tone!" (note: actually I CRINGE when I hear a child pounding on a piano)
- you even know what twelve-tone is.
:piano
August 27, 2002
Listen up!
:headbang
August 16, 2002
Soul's Definition of Power Metal
oasis100374: i hate power metal
zorbslovessporks: me too
oasis100374: you listen to one power metal album, you've listened to like 99% of the catalogue
zorbslovessporks: hahaha
oasis100374: no, i swear to god
oasis100374: tehy all start the same
zorbslovessporks: i believe you!
oasis100374: some cheesy-ass intro about wizards and shit, then the guitar goes chun chun chun chun, the drums break in and the vocalist have his nuts squeezed and goes "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!"
:laugh :rotflmao
August 08, 2002
Part II - Ozzfest adventures
Woke up bright and early (yes, Vin got up at 6:30 am) and drove to the venue. Because of a few lucky breaks the previous night, we got to bypass the masses with passes to the 2nd stage that he scored for us.
Here's my thoughts on some of the bands we saw.