Emilie Autumn - "Face the Wall"

This is a video of Emilie Autumn playing her instrumental song, "Face the Wall", at the Grammercy Theater in NYC on February 11th 2011. I look to her as an inspiration musically and as a person, and very much admire her passion for performance. I was actually at this show, and so that's why I selected this video.

Update - 4/14/11

So, I finally remembered to bring my rosin home on Tuesday, after having forgotten it in this very classroom over the weekend. I was able to begin to attempt to play my violin, and, well, it isn't going as well as I could've hoped. I am having difficulties in relearning; it's not an easy instrument to play, especially since I am years out of practice and this violin is not quite suited to me. However, all I can do is keep practicing, as I still cannot yet afford to purchase the new violin from Hot Strings.

Cremona Premier: Student Violin

This is an image of the Cremona Premier: Student Violin that I hope to purchase in the next 2-3 weeks.

Classwork 4/7/11

In class today, we discussed the 5 parts of an interview. They are:

1. Before the Interview
2. The Start of the Interview (Beginning)
3. The Interview (Middle)
4. The Interview (End)
5. The Follow-Up

On Tuesday we had talked about part 1; today we finished the other 4 parts. We also covered an auxillary step: Why People Aren't Hired.

We talked about what people should know and what they should do to prepare for an interview, and how they should behave during. Many aspects of behavior were covered, from respectfulness to hygeine. The importance of being honest with a prospective employer and showing one's determination and geniune interest in a field of work was greatly stressed. We were told to ask questions when necessary, to pay close attention, and to be sure to send a thank-you letter after the interview. The importance of following up with a prospective employer or college was also made clear.

We were warned that poor hygeine, the inability to communicate, lack of planning or enthusiasm, and/or bad manners could all be highly detrimental to an interviewee's prospects. Being cautious with one's behavior and appearance, and the way you present youself, is just as important as being intelligent and friendly.

Update - 4/7/11

I finally got my hands on some rosin! The shipment that Jaime had ordered still had not come in, but he managed to find a little tin in his shop that he had overlooked the first time I came in. It is Hidersine brand 3V Violin rosin, made in England, very clear and fine. I can tell that it will work well, and I can't wait to try it out. Getting the rosin means that I can finally begin learning how to play again, after much delay. I plan to start tonight, when I get home.

Update - 4/5/11

I went to Hot Strings Guitars again today after school. I went to see if the rosin that Jaime had ordered had come in yet. Unfortunately, it had not. He told me that it would hopefully come in in the next few days, as it was being shipped out from California. I will go in later this week to check with him again, as I cannot begin to play until I have some rosin; doing so would be detrimental to the condition of both the strings and the bow and would produce a most unpleasant sound.

Update - 3/31/11

Today, I went to Hot Strings Guitars with Mary to see if the owner had any rosin for my violin. He did not have any in stock, but said that he would order some for me. I also looked at the violins in a catelogue that he had and decided that I would purchase one when I had the money. I can get a brand new Cremona Premier Student violin for approximately $140, much less than the other new violin that I had considered. I will be ordering it as soon as possible.

Update - 3/24/11

I have learned today that I will most likely not be able to purchase the Knilling violin that I had wanted for this project. Instead, my teachers have found a violin that I will be able to use on loan from the Milford Board of Ed. As of today, I know nothing about this instrument or its quality, but I can only hope that it is in decent condition and that it will be good to learn on.

I intend to pursue this interest even after this class finishes. My continuing to study the violin after the culmination of this class was part of the arrangement made with the school administrators in order for me to be able to choose this as my project at all. Because of this, I still plan to find a violin of my own.  It is a necessity; as I will not be able to continue my learning experience if I do not have a violin after the school year ends, using a violin on loan is not a viable long-term option for me. At the moment, however, I definitely cannot afford to purchase any violin of a quality that would last me more than a few months.

I have yet to make contact with possible mentors in order to find one suitable to aiding me in this learning process.

A picture of the violin I want:

This is the Knilling Perfection I Violin Outfit. I found this violin on Amazon after searching through the lesser-priced models for a while. I ended up going with a Knilling instead of one of the cheaper Cecilios because the Knilling models are of a higher quality, and every single review of the Cecilios had some negative comment to it. Knillings may not be the best violins on the market, but they are the best I could see myself getting at the current time. While it's no Stradivarius, or even a Glaesel, it's a decent, well-built instrument that won't fall apart after a month or so of steady practicing.

Welcome~

Thank you for joining my blog. Here you can track my progress through learning to play the violin during my time at The Academy. Feel free to add comments, questions, or any suggestions :)

My plan is to train myself in the art of classical violin. I played for approximately two years when I was much younger, and have wanted to relearn for a long time. So far, I have made a plan for acquiring a violin and lesson books, and have created a schedule for what I think will be an appropriate timeline for me to learn by. However, I can't be entirely sure of this schedule until I have the violin and lesson books in my possession.

I still have to purchase the violin and lesson books, and I plan to search for a mentor who can help me along the way with my lessons. Hopefully I can get my violin soon so I can begin learning to play.