Yesterday -Day 164- I put in another 3 hours! YAY!!! Balloons!!! Good Job!!
Today is day 165. I'm feeling a little bored with working on the same pieces and the same problems, and unsure if I am making progress. I wanted to do a play through for someone today but didn't get my ducks in a row.
So...
The best question so far when I don't know what to do... What would I tell a student?
#1 is Being Healthy mentally/emotionally/physically.... so go ahead and take time to notice and address any of these issues... you did this over the week end with your mental health and that was wise and now you can move forward. Even though you've lost a little of the mental picture for the audition you are still in the game fighting for it. fighting to be prepared... Your shoulder is acting up... take time to do yoga today and be cautious about how much you practice. Do not practice cold Esther!... take time for exercise and personal time as well as practicing...
#2 You Still have things that aren't working... Stay on it! Make a list if you need clarity. Target several of these in very specific/intentional/focused ways. Keep asking: Why isn't this working? What am I missing? What element am I not good at yet? Again (for the 151st time) is okay! Keep recording small sections and listening back and practicing right then what you don't like.
#3 Boredom can take away from the joy and productivity. So deal with it. Practice those elements that aren't working away from the music... improvise/scales/arpeggios/etude... Rotate pieces to help with the boredom part. Which song do you need a break from today. Sometimes the tea needs to seep anyway...
No need to overdo it and be irritable and negative. This is about right notes but also conquering yourself and being inspired to share...
#4 Schedule a play through for two people this week end... anything even if not ideal, don't worry about the time or how/who it is...
#5 If you really don't know what to practice imagine yourself the night before the audition, what do you wish you felt more solid on? or had practiced more? Do that. Terry King said once to practice anything you don't feel confident about. And if you only did one simple thing... sit down and play one section very slowly with mind ON. Self ON. Emotions ON. TURN UP THE ESTHER ATTENTION. Its okay if 3 hours isn't the right thing today. Its not okay to check out.
#6 You are still feeling guilty about losing the emotional connection last week end and going to a bad place and needing to take time out to deal with it. If you don't let go of that it will ruin the rest of your preparation. You have 6 hours behind you clearing the crap, today is going to be a more productive day. You have run throughs ahead of you... you have another whole week of solid practice time and then the week of the audition for space and inspiration and time off from teaching. This week you need to keep attacking the problem spots. This week you need to get in some more run throughs. This week you need to not let Esther get in the way. Its not about minutes its about not giving up. If you don't feel the focus and motivation work anyway. Do not let go. Fight if not inspired and Seek ways to rekindle that.
Now make a plan for your practicing then forget about cello and do other stuff.
Today is day 165. I'm feeling a little bored with working on the same pieces and the same problems, and unsure if I am making progress. I wanted to do a play through for someone today but didn't get my ducks in a row.
So...
The best question so far when I don't know what to do... What would I tell a student?
#1 is Being Healthy mentally/emotionally/physically.... so go ahead and take time to notice and address any of these issues... you did this over the week end with your mental health and that was wise and now you can move forward. Even though you've lost a little of the mental picture for the audition you are still in the game fighting for it. fighting to be prepared... Your shoulder is acting up... take time to do yoga today and be cautious about how much you practice. Do not practice cold Esther!... take time for exercise and personal time as well as practicing...
#2 You Still have things that aren't working... Stay on it! Make a list if you need clarity. Target several of these in very specific/intentional/focused ways. Keep asking: Why isn't this working? What am I missing? What element am I not good at yet? Again (for the 151st time) is okay! Keep recording small sections and listening back and practicing right then what you don't like.
#3 Boredom can take away from the joy and productivity. So deal with it. Practice those elements that aren't working away from the music... improvise/scales/arpeggios/etude... Rotate pieces to help with the boredom part. Which song do you need a break from today. Sometimes the tea needs to seep anyway...
No need to overdo it and be irritable and negative. This is about right notes but also conquering yourself and being inspired to share...
#4 Schedule a play through for two people this week end... anything even if not ideal, don't worry about the time or how/who it is...
#5 If you really don't know what to practice imagine yourself the night before the audition, what do you wish you felt more solid on? or had practiced more? Do that. Terry King said once to practice anything you don't feel confident about. And if you only did one simple thing... sit down and play one section very slowly with mind ON. Self ON. Emotions ON. TURN UP THE ESTHER ATTENTION. Its okay if 3 hours isn't the right thing today. Its not okay to check out.
#6 You are still feeling guilty about losing the emotional connection last week end and going to a bad place and needing to take time out to deal with it. If you don't let go of that it will ruin the rest of your preparation. You have 6 hours behind you clearing the crap, today is going to be a more productive day. You have run throughs ahead of you... you have another whole week of solid practice time and then the week of the audition for space and inspiration and time off from teaching. This week you need to keep attacking the problem spots. This week you need to get in some more run throughs. This week you need to not let Esther get in the way. Its not about minutes its about not giving up. If you don't feel the focus and motivation work anyway. Do not let go. Fight if not inspired and Seek ways to rekindle that.
Now make a plan for your practicing then forget about cello and do other stuff.
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