Part of my own personal journey to get better at playing this instrument has been to seize opportunities to play and get as much experience as I can.   Last summer I attended the Cascadia Irish Music Week (CIMW) which was an intense week of learning Irish fiddle tunes (all by ear) and learning/playing with some fine fiddlers from Ireland and from all over the US as well.   This fall I joined my local community orchestra which really has been pushing me forward as well (and which I am going to continue doing because it is so much fun and I am learning so much).   And now, another opportunity has presented itself.

Thursday night, at my regularly weekly lesson with my violin instructor, I agreed  to participate in the Washington State Music Teachers Association Chapter Adjudications that will take place March 6th and 7th. I will be performing two pieces from memory (as polished as I can get them between now and then) with a piano accompanist. I will then receive written and oral feedback from the adjudicators - and my violin teacher will also receive feedback. My teacher does this every year and takes a large group of students. This is the first time she has asked me to do it.

We decided that I would perform the Vivaldi Concerto in A Minor, Op. 3, No. 6, 1st mvt. and Dvorak Humoresque. The Vivaldi being my "challenge" piece and the Dvorak being my "I love it and it is a little easier for me" piece.

I said yes because March seems so far away at the moment and I am not one to turn down a challenge. I suspicion I may be kicking myself when the day actually does come that I have to stand on my own on stage and play these two pieces well enough to do honor to my great teacher. (She really IS great.)    The good news is, is that my ear training at CIMW is really helping me with memorizing the pieces.   As of this morning (Saturday), I already have much of Humoresque memorized.