It’s pretty typical that I take breaks from practicing – after all, I do have a full time job and little kids to take care of. I tend to make myself practice by scheduling performances when I know that I might feel the urge to not practice – like summer time. So, I didn’t practice for the last week and two days, and boy did it feel good. The usual knots in my back were not there at my monthly massage this Wednesday: I take it as proof that not practicing on occasion is healthy. Today I started working my way back in with a good 45 minutes of warm-ups. There’s something so very soothing and comforting about the warm-ups: in the best possible situation I do the same routine daily, as I have for the past 25 years…
So I’ve picked these things up here and there. Mostly there, since I wasn’t here yet. Open strings to start with, always. Finger exercises from Seppo Laamanen (My first Liminka music camp, maybe 1984?) and Sevcik. Shifting exercises from Lauri Laitinen, my first major teacher with whom I studied for ten years. Scales in thirds, courtesy of Kazimierz Mikhalik, Poland (1991).
This got me thinking: I started playing cello in November or December, 1981. Exactly 30 years ago!! My first concert was in the spring…I better ask my mom for the date, even if it’s just an excuse to bake a cake and celebrate the 30th anniversary of my first performance :)
So I’ve picked these things up here and there. Mostly there, since I wasn’t here yet. Open strings to start with, always. Finger exercises from Seppo Laamanen (My first Liminka music camp, maybe 1984?) and Sevcik. Shifting exercises from Lauri Laitinen, my first major teacher with whom I studied for ten years. Scales in thirds, courtesy of Kazimierz Mikhalik, Poland (1991).
This got me thinking: I started playing cello in November or December, 1981. Exactly 30 years ago!! My first concert was in the spring…I better ask my mom for the date, even if it’s just an excuse to bake a cake and celebrate the 30th anniversary of my first performance :)
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