Surface Drifts (first session)
Warmup (for the day) – started with SI, DV techniques, improvising and working on scanning body for freedom/non-tension; SI exercises included unison intervals octaves-two octaves with all two mallet combinations, and alternating 3rds, 4ths, etc.
Insert mini improvisations on the graphic score movement of the marimba piece – I haven’t forgotten you!! Generally, when I am warming up, I like to take at least 10-minutes to improvise (sometimes thinking about this piece, sometimes not)… it definitely helps me to loosen up physical, and it makes me feel more connected to the instruments, and/or the sounds I make (in both improvised and composed music).
Mm. 40-92 – memory check (I quickly visually read through the sheet music, setting my body in the appropriate positions as the music dictated, continually switching eyes from sheet music to mallet/note shapes at the instrument before attempting to play without music.) The result = first time not great, second time much better (complete accuracy on pitches, though durations and some dynamics off)
Suface Drifts (second session)
Mm. 40-end – mm. 40-92 memory check (no peeking first); 93-end read through
Mm. 1-25 -mm. 1-14 worked on each phrase separately and together, including memorization (hand/arm/shoulder placement and footwork feels very comfortable today, and this is pretty much memorized…except the grace notes); mm. 15-25 worked on each phrase separately and together, including memory; worked mm. 1-25, again phrase by phrase, and then as whole. Note/rhythm memory in this section is very good, though I have yet to make myself honor the rests/spaces between each phrase. I am playing this at about 50bpm (should be 80bpm), so the one- to two-measure rests are pretty excruciating.
Goals for tomorrow: mm. 26-39 (learn notes), 5s (build tempo), grace notes (learn notes in each hand separately), memory checks, and tempo building/checking for mm. 1-25, and 40-92, read 93-end
