Practiced late last night and never got around to updating this blog. Another hour, another familiar list played, Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Ode to Joy, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Raglan Road, Scales, and Improv.

It's beginning to be a bit boring to report, but still really enjoying the moments when stuff sounds pretty good and that keeps me happy!

@Mouse - Thanks, just wish my progress was moving faster than it is.

Another hour today, and since it was such a beautiful day, I tortured my neighbors by practicing with an open patio door! Nobody screamed or called the police, so they either didn't mind or they stayed inside with the doors and windows shut! lol

Same old tunes for today, Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Raglan Road, Scales, and Improv. except I skipped the Ode to Joy!

Apathy has set in today. A three hour round trip into Chicago for blood work and two CT scans has left me unable to play today. Probably shouldn't, but sometimes all the medical stuff wears me down. I've been dealing with metastisized thyroid cancer for 26 years now and sometimes the constant testing and treatment gets the better of me.

Oh well, as Scarlett said, "After all, tomorrow is another day".

@Mouse - Tomorrow, I'll be fine again! These moods pass quickly as I've had enough practice! lol

Today is just about a little weariness. And I'll probably never mention this again, at least not here. This place is for music and joy! Let's keep it that way.

@ELCBK - Yep!

Got my hour of Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Raglan Road, Scales, and Improv. in this afternoon and it felt good to play again. Had a little trouble with sore upper left arm, and don't know if it from testing yesterday, taking a day off from practicing, or just getting old! lol 

Whatever, didn't stop me from enjoying the time.

And yet another hour today, playing Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Ode to Joy, Michael Row, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Raglan Road, Scales, Improv. 

Ode and Michael were added back in just because I needed to play some fun stuff (relatively speaking! lol).

And now for something different. As I've noted before, my musical background is rather diverse and one aspect of it was choral singing, both in church and junior college.

Previously I remarked about being part of the performance of the Berlioz Requiem, but another notable production was "Amahl and the Night Visitors" put on by our church choirs when I was a member of the Chapel Choir. It was a full costumed/set production that was done in our multipurpose room (and sometime basketball court). With the many talented people, it was a grand performance that was a lot of fun to participate in and was well received by the rest of the congregation and guests.

For those who don't know, "Since its first performance on Christmas Eve, 1951, Amahl and the Night Visitors has taken its place with A Christmas Carol as a holiday classic. Peformed on every continent and in many languages, it has been seen by more people than any other opera in history."

and

"‘Amahl and the Night Visitors is an opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti with an original English libretto by the composer. It was commissioned by NBC and first performed by the NBC Opera Theatre on December 24, 1951, in New York City at NBC studio 8H in Rockefeller Center, where it was broadcast live on television from that venue as the debut production of the Hallmark Hall of Fame. It was the first opera specifically composed for television in America.’".

ELCBK said
@JohnG -

Very interesting! 

Are you going to get back involved with choir?  

No, after one of my surgeries several years ago, a nerve was traumatized that caused me to lose my voice for about 6 months before it came back and my voice has never been the same, not that it was that great before! lol

Another something new! Exported the Raglan Road score from MuseScore as a midi file, brought it into Studio One where I Mixed it (with no changes) and saved it as an MP3. Ported it over to my phone via DropBox and got it into Pi Music Player in its own playlist with repeat turned on.

Then, using bluetooth to my hearing aids, was able to hear it playing and attempted to play along with it! Attempted being the key word. But I already feel a difference in playing it after just about 15 minutes. Time will tell how beneficial this will be!

But I'm optimistic!

Great practice tonight! In addition to the 15 minutes earlier trying out the music in the ears, got another hour in tonight. Concentrated on Raglan Road and then into Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Ode to Joy, Michael Row, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Scales, Improv.

Raglan was again mostly done with the midi playing in my ears. It actually seemed to help with the other tunes as well. Fingering? Bowing? Don't know just seemed easier.

I'm a happy camper tonight!