1 month

It has been almost a month since I updated here last time. Lots of things happened and there were quite many ups and downs, of course.

So glad that I still survive in my theory class. My theory professor's class is so intensive and it takes so much time to complete the assignments. I used to do very well in ear-training part but this semester I totally suck in it. The professor likes to use orchestral works or string quartets and then we are asked to dictate the soprano and bass line. I always fail to hear the bass line and I can't really analyse the harmony.

I started to slack off after the first few weeks of school. I have trouble in attending 8am class again. It's quite strange that I can stay up late to work but I never succeed in getting up earlier.

There is one Undergraduate Honors Recital every semester. The faculty of each division selects students to audition for the recital based on the performance in the jury exams of the previous semester. For piano division, the professors usually pick students of senior years instead of freshmen and sophomore. Surprisingly, I was nominated as the alternate student to audition for the recital. Yet, my professor didn't tell me about that and I didn't even care about the audition. The audition was held on Wednesday night and I suddenly got a call from my teacher on Sunday night. He said that someone had dropped out and he asked me if I wanted to take the place. Of course, the first question was "Will you have anything to play?". I remained silent for a few seconds. Then I answered, "Perhaps Liszt La Campanella?". Frankly, I still hadn't memorised the piece when I decided to play La Campanella as the audition piece. I had been working on the piece for more than 1 month but it wasn't very refined. There were only 3 days till the audition. I couldn't resist frowning and sighing after hanging up. At last, I managed to memorise the piece completely on Wednesday morning. Of course, I was nervous during the audition. At last, I couldn't get into it. I was a bit unhappy but the "results" were actually quite good. 3 out of 5 piano majors were chosen; 1 student of each professor's studio. Including me, there were totally 2 students of my professor's studio taking the audition for the honors recital. The other student is a senior and he plays well. There is no reason for the jury to choose me if they can select only 1 student from my teacher's studio. Besides, I have signed up to perform in a formal dinner organised by the alumni association at the same time of the Undergraduate Honors Recital. I can't do both performances. So, not being able to perform in the recital is not a bad thing.

I got my first job last Friday. It was sort of teaching and accompanying. My "student" was an eight-year-old cellist. She had problems on the rhythm and her mother wanted me to help her. Therefore, I taught how to get the rhythm and also, how to use a metronome, as well as accompanying the piece. As it was my firs time to "teach" a little kid, I was very nervous. And because I am a very picky person, I was worried that the little girl would feel unhappy and frustrated when I told her what she had to change or improve. Yet, her mom was glad that I gave so critical comments and she asked if I would have time to have a lesson next week. Of course, I was happy when she asked that. The little girl played very musically but the tempo spoiled everything. I would be happy to help her to deal with this problem though it's very challenging.

The contents in the post seems quite random. However, I really want to write about some special things that happened last month.