Monday, November 10, 2008

Humble Pie in 3-4 Time

Joining a Youth Symphony when one is very inexperienced and very bad at sight-reading is a sure recipe for Humble Pie. However, sometimes life switches on the oven at the most oppurtune, ripest moments; no extra ingredients necessary!

It happened tonight. Our chamber group was rehearsing, and Sharyn (our conductor) had to whisk away and help some violins or something. Which meant that the vocalists had no idea what to sing, while the bass, bassoon, violin and flute just bowed and blowed their way through the song. (No, "blowed" is not a word, but it rhymed...:)

Well, the bassoonist, being a rather sensitive soul, initiated the following conversation.

Bassoon: Well, this part is pretty easy for us, and you guys are singing; where would you like to practice?

Me: Erm...Uh...

[Silence]



[Crickets chirping in F Major]

Me: Erm...Uh...How about one before seven?

Bass: You mean six?

Me (probably rather red): Um, YES, six!

Okay okay. BEFORE you wonder, "How on earth could she not catch that?", I have an argument to make:

We often have letters in our music that mark a major change in the song, and they are often capital with circles or squares around them. To keep everyone on the same page, we say stuff "One before A" or "Three before B".

This particular Seven was big, it just before a major change in the music, and it had this lovely circle around it! OF COURSE a ditzy, tired, allergenic soprano is going to say something as ditzy, tired and allergenic-sounding as that. GAH!!!

...

Oy. It's late. Good night. Thanks for reading! (I think...)


P.S. Mr. Bass, if you're reading this, I choose cello.

:)