Intermediate Strings Course

Yesterday was the last day of the course at the Haliburton School of the Arts. Bethany, the instructor, was so well prepared. It was way too much fun playing music with people for so many hours every day. We had six who played violin, one who played cello and of course Bethany played whichever was needed at the time.

On Monday we started working on a Gavotte composed by William Boyce (1711-1779). We were told that we would be performing on both Thursday afternoon and Friday morning in two different areas. I thought there was no possible way we would be able to perform this by Thursday, it was way too complex.


Bethany had us plugging away, both in smaller groups and all together. We worked on several other pieces at the same time, Andantino by Suzuki with violin, violin II and cello parts. We had a version of Twinkle with four parts, we played through twice and everyone had to play a different part both times. Each day we did some discussion on theory, music appreciation, technique, and caring for the violins and cello, but mostly we played.

On Tuesday we were given a piece composed by Bach called "Two Gavottes from the D Major Suite", I was playing the second violin part - yikes! It was unbelievably difficult, moreso than the Boyce Gavotte. We worked in smaller groups trying to figure it out. Then we were handed a version of "The Irish Washerwoman" ... yay ... fiddling. Then I looked at the arrangement - holy crap! It had notes way higher than I've ever played or my fingers had ever even looked for, never mind found.

Every day we played our pieces a lot! By Thursday afternoon we did it, we played a concert in the building where our class was taking place, there were a few people who were right there and many who watched us as they passed by. Some bits of the Bach Gavotte were a little rough, the Irish washerwoman was pretty good, except the really nasty high part was rough. Our cellist played Two Grenadiers with Bethany accompanying and also a duet of The Entertainer with one of our violin players, both of those pieces were great. The Boyce Gavotte we pulled off really well and it had gone from being a cluttery mess to a beautiful piece.

Friday, at lunch time we performed in another building in the cafeteria for an audience of around sixty people. We ended with the Boyce Gavotte that went really well. As we played the last note, you could have heard a pin drop in that cafeteria. It actually brought tears to my eyes, sap that I am. I was so proud of us.

Those of us who live in the area are going to be getting together on a weekly basis to play; it will be so much fun. We're just looking for a place to play.

So here I am, in a worse state than I was before the course started, I'm an addict. I was already like a junkie, and my bi-weekly lessons were my fix. I am still addicted, but now I'm starting into withdrawal. Bethany, my "dealer" is on vacation from teaching now until September. Last night, I got home, we started working on supper, and before I'd been home for an hour, my fiddle was out of her case and I was playing it. The only reason I'm not getting a fix right now is that it's only 6:30 in the morning and the sound would carry across the lake waking all of the neighbours. Oh, the hell with it I have the shakes, I'm sweating and I think the belly cramps are starting. I'm going to play anyway. I guess there's a good reason they used to call it a Devil's Box!

LATE ADDITION: I remembered while we were driving a couple of hours after I'd already posted this that I forgot to mention one really important thing. We got treated to a mini-concert when Bethany and her sister Jessica played a violin/cello duet for our class. It was absolutely beautiful, I had goosebumps as soon as they started. Thanks Bethany and Jessica!!

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