Tuesday, 3 hours of practice!

Great day. I got through all my pieces! My view atm if getting smoother and intonation is improving! Yeah!!

Monday, 3 hours of Practice!

I first thought I'd only be able to get an hour in but luckily at the end of the day I had time as well as the energy to practice 2 more hours. I'm finally seeing lots of improvement on the the Scherzo Tarantella as well as the Winter. It takes me about an hour to warm up. I still do all the same training I've been doing for the past several months. I'm a little further on the Schradieck. The 3 octave scales can be a bit tough at times but they make a huge difference.

As I practice and focus on technique voices of past teachers from college such as Howard Hill and Egor Gruppman pop into my head. It's like they're right there teaching me. I'm understanding more about what they taught me now that my skill level has improved. Howard Hill taught me a lot about technique such as 3 octave scales and chords and Ego Gruppman was the teacher that completely transformed my playing. He changed my left hand holding position with the thumb as well as the way I lean into the bow, not to lock my wrist. He also taught me arm vibrato which I'm so grateful for! My former teacher Howard Hill I believe has passed on to the other side. I haven't confirmed it yet but that is what I've heard from a couple people. When I heard that I was so sad. He was my first real professional teacher at SDSU.

Playing the violin is one of the greatest gifts God has given me. The greastest gift is my daughter!

Sunday, My day of Rest!!

I had to have a day of rest after having such a big weekend! Looking forward to Monday and getting back to my solo practice!
Thanks to God for a safe and peaceful weekend! All the practicing is paying off. I noticed when I was performing that I wasn't nervous. I was focused and my fingers and bow just did what they were supposed to do. I know with all my heart its due to all the practicing I've been doing! It's truly inspiring me to keep it going strong!

Saturday, 2 hour Performance at the Del Mar Fair!

I had a wonderful day at the Fair! It went great! All the singers and instrumentalist did awesome! My husband and I are very proud!! I am totally exhausted though! I carried my little daughter around the entire Fair plus walking to tim buck too and back! It is Sunday now and I'm super tired and sore! It was worth it though! I enjoyed my time with family, students and friends!!

Friday, Rehearsal Practice!

I practiced solo for 30mins then rehearsed with my husbands students for the the Del Mar Fair performance thats happening on Saturday. Sometimes this will happen which means not a lot of individual practice time but at least its for a good cause! I'm looking forward to Saturdays performance with our students! Yeah! I'm performing "Impossible" "Good Enough", "The Passenger" and "Good Riddance". Nice songs!

Thursday, No Practice!

This is my second day off this week which means I can't allow any more days to be missed!

Wed, 2 hours and 15 mins of Practice!

Great day! Got my time in. Worked on all three pieces plus technique! Feeling the improvement!

Tuesday! Fair Day!

Today most of my husbands students and a few of mine performed at the Del Mar Fair. It was really an amazing performance by all three bands. I was very impressed and blown away. I reserved this day off from practicing considering the events that took place. I will for sure resume anxiously to practice tomorrow!

I did listen to a Youtube video of the Scherzo. I'm researching to find the best performer on this piece.

Monday, 2 hours of Practice!

I did my scales and Schradieck. I played most of the time on the Scherzo Tarantella. Then I played through the Winter 1st movement of the Vivaldi several times. Whenever I get the thoughts of "I'm so tired, I'm going to put my practice off and maybe make it up another day", I stop and say to myself where do I want to be in a couple years? If I put my practice off it's delaying my success and ability to get out and perform and reach my goals. What could take me 2 years could take 4 if I put off my practice time. And, my health is good right now, you never know what could be around the corner. I'm given the opportunity to practice right now so I've got to take full advantage of it now, not tomorrow or next year! I just love the pieces I'm working on. The Rondo Capricciosso I've have to really push now! The others will come but this piece is a monster and I need to be working on it everyday!!!

I listened to some Youtube video performance of the Scherzo Tarantella. I really love Heifetz's interpretation of it and Itzhak Perlman's! My two favorites!!

Good night Yal!! Oh, God Bless America!! I can't believe the White House had "God" taken out of the "Pledge of Allegiance" when aired on I think it was CNN or NBC. I'll have to research it again to get the exact details. I heard about it today on the news and couldn't believe my eyes! I'm outraged!! Apparently, many other Americans are too!! You can't take God out, no not here in America!!

Sunday, Fathers Day! Day off!!

It was a lovely day today spent with family and friends at my oldest sisters house. It was a blast. Delicious food especially the carnitas and the homemade corn tortillas plus the homemade Texas Sheet Cake that my mom brought made eggless for me. It was awesome. The kids got to swim in the pool and the adults hung outside in the sun drinking ice water and great conversations. It was especially awesome because it was a special day for my dad and my husband. I love them both so much!

Afterwards we went to the Del Mar Fair to check out the stages that our students will be performing on this Tuesday and next Saturday. It turns out that the stages are in awesome locations and are huge. Our students are going to have a blast. What an incredible opportunity!

We had pizza and Icee's. We stayed away from the deep fry section! I saw deep fried Frog Legs, Yuck!! I would like to try the chocolate covered bacon! :-)

No practice today since it is a Holiday! I will start back Monday! Excellent day!!

Sat, 2 hours and 45 mins of Practice!

Yes, today was great! I did my routine, scales, Schradieck, The Scherzo Tarantella (2 pages), the first movement of the Winter and 4 pages of introduction to Rondo and Capriccioso. I got a lot done. I spent most of my time on the Scherzo. It is so hard but incredibly fun to play. I'm going very slow paying attention to my bow sound and intonation.

Now I'm preparing for Fathers Day. I have to wrap gifts and think up a good recipe for a sweet drink for the kids tomorrow. I love that drink that has Sherbert Ice Cream and Sparkling Seltzer Water mixed with another fruit drink.. I can't remember the exact recipe but I will look online tonight. Im looking forward to Fathers day at my sisters house where the kids can swim and we all eat Carne Asada and hang out with family especially my dad!

Hope everyone has a great Fathers Day! Practice, Practice!!!

Friday, 50 mins of Practice!

It wasn't my best for putting lots of time in, but I managed 50 mins. I got my scales in plus the scherzo Tarantella then it was so late had to go to bed I also rehearsed with my husbands student acoustic ensemble. I will be performing with them at the Del mar Fair next saturday. It was a lot of fun and they are sounding really good. I really liked the song Good Enough. Tomorrow will be a better day. Looking forward to more practice.

Thursday, Day off from Practice!

I wasn't feeling very good today plus my daughter and husband needed me since they both were sick. I think I was too. I'm allowed a day off so this was the day. Dispite being under the weather it was still a wonderful day.

Wed, 3 hours and 15 mins of Practice!

There is still time tonight to get at least 1 more hour of practice in. I'm so tired today and it was very difficult to stay focused during my practicing. It's just one of those days! But, it still was a good practice.

I went on Youtube last night and listened to a few performances of the Scherzo Tarantella. I listened to Maxim Vengerov and then this girl named Akiko. She was very good but some parts of the song she was playing too fast. I love the song though! I really can't wait to get it performance ready!

(later)........I changed the amount of practice because I was able to get another hour and 45 mins into my day. It felt so good. That extra hour makes all the difference in the world!

Tues, 2 hours and 30 mins of practice!

Great practice today! Went through all three pieces, scales, Schradieck ect. I realize I need at least another hour of practice because I run out of time and some pieces need more work. I'm up to page 4pm on the Scherzo Tarantella. I love this piece. can't wait to finish it so that I can perform!

It was a lovely day! I have no complaints! Thanks to God for this amazing day!

Monday, 2 hours and 30 mins of Practice!

Yes, I got my time in! Yeah!! It felt so good to practice today. The time flew by so quickly. I practiced everything except for the new piece, The Scherzo Tarantella. I love that piece and can't wait to learn it. I spent a lot of time on the Rondo. This piece really challenges me. I'm making progress. I must be tired because I felt like my bow weighed a hundred pounds. I couldn't get it to play smoothly tonight.

I'm so thankful everyday that I can practice! :-)

Sunday, Family Day, No Practice!

I took the day off to spend with my husband and daughter plus my parents, sister and her family up in SC. It was a lovely day. My sister is studying to be a Beautician at Paul Mitchell and so she pampered me a little this weekend.

Saturday, 20 minutes of Practice!

I didn't get to practice very much because I was actually not feeling very well. Towards the end of the day I felt like I had a stomach bug like my daughter had.

Friday, No Practice!

It was a challenging day today. I couldn't get my practice in. So it looks like this week I'll be getting 5 days instead of 6 but that is still good! My daughter was miserably sick. I taught some students today. I was very pleased to see that my student Yvette has been practicing and using her blog to post it. I can see the difference in her already!

Soon I'll be performing some Pop tunes at the Del Mar Fair this year with some of my husbands students. It should be fun. The music won't be difficult but definately entertaining. I'm relaxing at the moment watching House Hunters International. I normally never have time to watch TV but I'm killing time while my husband is working on a few things around the house.

It's late, time for bed!

Thursday, 2 hours and 17 mins of Practice!

Yeah, I went over two hours. It was a great day. I did my scales and scradieck. I practiced my three pieces. I noticed changes in my bow arm. It's loosening up! It is hard sometimes to keep the practicing consistent. There are times I feel really tired and feel like putting it off but I tell myself no, that type of thinking isn't going to accomplish my goal. I don't have anymore time to waste. Plus when I don't practice I miss it so much.

I got to see my dad, younger sister and nephew today. It was a nice drive up north. Drove through my old neighborhood, picked up a chocolate yogurt at Jamba Juice for my daughter and I. It was a nice day off!

Wed, 1 hour and 45 minutes of Practice!

It felt so good today to practice. I am really feeling the work pay off. Of course I have a long ways to go still but I have improved a lot since March. Consistency works! I am going to find a way to get in a t least 3 hours a day if possible. I could wake up earlier and practice an hour and 30 minutes and then at night before I go to bed another hour and 30 minutes.

Our schedule is always changing. That is the life of a musician and a music teacher! I wouldn't change it for the world because at least it is allowing me to be at home with my child and if I ever needed to cancel because of her being sick etc it is very flexible.
With this, I am very blessed!

Tues, Day off from Practice!

This was the day I chose not to practice. I was exhausted from the days events as well as taking care of a sick child! It was a great day though and I just love our weather. I hope it doesn't get too hot this summer. It looks like the rest of the country is getting hit with some very warm weather! I'm thankful to be living in Southern California right now! However, I hope the big earthquake we are due for isn't going to be in my lifetime or my daughters. They say its coming. I'm going to get some of those emergency backpacks for each person in the house just in case! It's better to be prepared then unprepared! Have a fabulous and safe day!

Monday, 2 hours and 45 mins of Practice!

It was a great practice today. I practiced while my daughter napped, after my lessons I managed to get in 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then after my daughter went to bed I practiced for another hour and 15 minutes. It's very late now and feeling tired. I feel so good getting in my practice today. I just discovered my student Yvette's practice blog. Way to go Yvette! I'm proud of you for starting it!

Thought for the day: Have faith in yourself and most importantly God and nothing can stop you from reaching your goals and your potential to be great! Strive to be the best you can be in this life before it passes you by in whatever you choose to do!

Sunday, 1 hour and 30 mins of practice!

I didn't get as much time as the last two days but it was a better day for me. I'm taking it slow! I'm staying focused and reminding myself of my longtime goal and that keeps me motivated. I will reach my goal someday. I can't wait to start rehearsing with an accompanists. I need to start looking for one very soon!

Life is wonderful and I'm thankful to be alive and have my health! I have many things in my life to be thankful for!

Saturday, 2 hours of practice!

This particular practice was tough. I practiced in a different place and the acoustics were bad so it made my violin sound dead. I got a little discouraged. Sunday will be better! I will think positive! It's ok to have an off day once in a while!

Thursday, 3 hours and 10 mins!

Yeah, today was awesome except for the my little girl being so sick. I feel so bad for her. I got a lot done. I got more done on the Rondo. I went through all of the Winter. I then sight read the first 3 pages of the Scherzo and tarantella by Weinawski. Because of all the scale work I'm doing it made it easier for me to read this music. I think I'm going to add this to the songs I'm going to learn. I got up to page 8 in the Schradieck Book. I made some good progress today.

Wed, 1 hour of Practice!

I wanted to do more but couldn't. But I am thankful that I got some time in today. Yeah! I hope tomorrow will be better.

Tuesday, no practice!

I chose this day to be my day off for the day.