Mental and Physical Exhaustion

I've been so busy with school I have really been neglecting my blogs. But today I finally had a day that was eventful enough to write about, so I'm squeezing in some time for it.

I had AIM auditions(Basically a piano achievement test) today. It was the first time I've done this so I was really nervous. I have only been taking piano lessons since last January so being in 10th grade, I really should be farther along, but I'm not because I haven't been playing terribly long. I actually started piano when I was 4(I think). My oldest sister started with basic stuff and I played with her and my second oldest sister off and on until age 10. But then, being 10 and 12 years older than me were in college during most of this time so it was all hit and miss. And since they were my sisters, I didn't feel terribly compelled to work all that hard at it. So, needless to say, I never got very good. But then summer 2007 I sorta randomly sat down at the piano (after not playing for several years) and started playing around. I kinda liked it and continued to play. I heard Fantasy (K. 397) by Mozart and fell in love with it. We had a rather large book of Mozart's music left from when my sisters were at home and it happened to have the piece in it. YAY! =D

I was really excited and just started playing it. I mean, it took me ages to learn it but I finally did. I'm sure I made my family sick of it with the hours I spent trying to learn it. But they must not have been to terribly sick of it because in December(Yes, it really did take me 5 or 6 months to learn it. =P) my mom sorta hinted that I should find a teacher and start taking lessons.

So I did. I found the AWESOMEST teacher. Actually, she is the wife of the conductor of the youth orchestra I was already in, so I sorta already had a connection to her, I just didn't know it. Luckily for me, the conductor put in a good word for me(still haven't figured out why since I'm convinced he doesn't like me at all). So I started taking lessons. And, with the playing around on my own, I really liked playing piano, but Mr. Roby made me fall in love with piano.

So today, after just over a year of lessons, I had this achievement test. Well, actually four. My first was sight reading and wow did I do badly. I think it is a bad sign when the 'judge' says after you are done, "You should practice sight reading a lot." A.K.A, you are so not good at this so go practice because you definitely need it. =P

Next I had repertoire. This was the part I was most looking forward to and it went splendidly. I mean, not perfect of course, but VERY well. After the sight reading, it was a huge relief.

Then I had keyboard skills. Scales went perfectly. Arpeggios were pretty good. Cadences were great. Chords and inversions... well, let's just say that I had played a few too many keys and E flat minor was a bit too stretching for me. =P I thought I knew it, but I went to play the chord and it just didn't sound.... minor?... I dunno, but it was embarrassing. The 'judge' finally just said, "You were right." And I was kinda dumbly like, "Oh, okay." Hehehehe, but I got through fine.

The theory test I really don't know about. I am not very good at listening to intervals and identifying them. And hearing a chord and identifying it isn't easy for me either. So that part I wont be surprised if I didn't do too well. The written theory I think was fine. Just writing out scales and chords and a little stuff with rhythms. Fun stuff like that. With musical terms (tenuto, molto, maestoso, etc.) it was just a matter of matching terms with definitions so it was pretty easy.

What did I do after frying my brain there? Go home and relax? Nope! Something way more fun. I played Ultimate Frisbee for about 3 hours (with a break for dinner). When we were done, I was exhausted. Physically and mentally. I know I will be very sore tomorrow, but pain equals growth so that's good. If I don't feel it, I didn't play hard enough.

Today was great. =D =D