Jill Valentine

Early Music and the Renaissance

Welcome to our first installment of Listening Club. As we discussed this concept it became clear that in order to contextualize Western music of any time period, we’ll need to know its basic ingredients. In other words, we’re going to have to go very, very far back. Bear with us. Generally we say that WesternContinue reading “Early Music and the Renaissance”

Listening Club: Music in Isolation

The unprecedented measures being taken worldwide to control the COVID-19 epidemic are giving the average person much more free time, solitude, and anxiety than they probably planned on having during this otherwise beautiful early Springtime. Many of us are using our unexpected time to pursue hobbies, get back in touch with friends, learn a newContinue reading “Listening Club: Music in Isolation”

Campagnoli, Caprice no. 3

“Moto Perpetuo” Just an initial glance at this Caprice will tell you all you need to know: this one is for dexterity and endurance. Pieces of this style, a never-ending stream of notes, are called “moto perpetuo” which translates to “perpetual motion.” Both your hands and your brain are truly in perpetual motion here, andContinue reading “Campagnoli, Caprice no. 3”

Campagnoli, Caprice no. 2

Reflections on practicing the second of Campagnoli’s Caprices There’s no time like Summer to make headway on my Campagnoli project. Summer for classical musicians is often a mix of relaxation and opera playing at one of the many Summer opera festivals across the UK. When performing the same repertoire every evening it’s easy to fallContinue reading “Campagnoli, Caprice no. 2”

Campagnoli, Caprice no. 1

Reflections on practicing the first of Campagnoli’s Caprices At long last I am ready to share my initial thoughts after delving into my self-imposed boot camp of Campagnoli Caprices. The first thing we see when we open the book is a part-preface, part-manifesto by William Primrose, who edited this transcription. An apt warning for challengesContinue reading “Campagnoli, Caprice no. 1”

The Etude Challenge: Re-Discovering my Technical and Creative Confidence

The life of a London orchestral player is fast-paced and stressful, stretching one’s sight reading and quick-processing skills to the limit in order to handle more concerts, on fewer rehearsals, than any other orchestral scene on Earth. While a career of sprints develops a unique skill set in musicians here, a hectic schedule of short-termContinue reading “The Etude Challenge: Re-Discovering my Technical and Creative Confidence”

Practice Series for Strings: Warmups

Taking you through a successful practice session, one step at a time You’ve finally set aside the time to practice—no easy feat amidst all the commitments we have to our work, our peers and ourselves. Congratulations on choosing a rewarding and creative commitment to add to your schedule; you won’t regret it! Now, let’s makeContinue reading “Practice Series for Strings: Warmups”

Chipping away: Practice Takes Patience

Coming to terms with the slow process of learning and seeing the result of your work. Choosing to take private music lessons is an investment not only of finances but also of time. Aside from the hour each week spent with the tutor, you are then responsible for reviewing the lesson concepts each day onContinue reading “Chipping away: Practice Takes Patience”