Our last week of school was filled with playing exams, getting our final grades, and many hours of rehearsals for our final concert. My playing exams went as well as can be expected, that is poorly. I get so nervous playing for judges. They were very kind when they gave me their feedback; I have come to the conclusion that while Scandinavians are not particularly great at giving positive encouragement along the way, the are exceptionally talented in giving advice after the fact.
Our rehearsals for the final concert were long and exhausting. Ånon jumped in and helped us with arrangments and tune selection. He both gently and not-so-gently stripped away the parts that were unworkable and pointed us in the direction he thought would work. We didn't always agree with him, but we managed to make some good music. The concert itsself couldn't have gone better; we played our hearts out in the shadows of Dyre Vaa's enormous sculptures cast by the hot summer sun to an audience of locals and relatives. And then we were finished!
Showing posts with label exams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exams. Show all posts
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Catching up
Since we got back from Shetland things have been in fast forward. We had our last week of classes, followed by the Seventeenth of May, a visit from my mom, our written exam, lots of rehearsals, a few sunny days on the beach, fylkeskappleiken, and today I had my playing exam. Saturday is our final concert and then this crazy year winds to an end. It's hard to believe.
We celebrated 17. mai by sharing a long and delicious breakfast with our friends. We dressed up in bunad, sang songs, and watched the parades in other parts of the country on TV. Around noon, the local parade made it's way passed us. After cheering on the school children, we joined the end of the parade down to the school. There were games and a raffle, lots of food, speeches, and a short concert. In the evening we relaxed at home and watched the re-run of the Eurovision Song Contest Finals (which Norway had won the night before).
The next day, my mom came to visit for her birthday. It was really great to see her. We went for a walk down to the lake, which has been drained and now has at least a hundred feet of beautiful sandy beach. Mom was only here for a two days, so I didn't really get to spend much time with her, but I'm glad she made the effort to come all the way out here to the middle of Norway.
After Mom left I began studying for my final exam. This was interrupted by several opportunities to bbq and the fylkeskappleik. The fylkeskappleik itself was inspiring in that it made me feel more like I am part of this community and also helped boost my confidence in playing for judges. I'm still struggling with stage fright and nerves when playing for judges, but I'm hoping that will pass with time. The kappleik was held at the hotel; we danced teledans for hours and hours in the bar!
The next Tuesday we had our written exams. Six hours to answer questions ranging from, 'When was the first extant hardingfele built?' to, 'Discuss professionalism in folk music.' I was very happy with most of my answers and that's the best you can hope for on an exam like that. We get our grades tomorrow for the whole year.
Since the written exam we have had both really good weather (four days sun-bathing on our mountain beach) and heavy rain mixed with snow. We have spent a large part of our time rehearsing for the final concert that's coming on Saturday, and the rest of our time rehearsing for the playing exams. I've managed to squeeze in a few parties, cleaning at the dentist's office, and a hike up Falkeriset. I also helped out at the town bazaar yesterday - I sold pizza and hot dogs (including gluten free pizza and milk free hot dogs)!
The main topic of conversation these days revolves around who will be here next year and where we will live. I have wanted to live in the house in Nesland basically all year, but it wasn't a possibility until yesterday. I had in the meantime decided that I would really like to live alone, or rather that I thought it would be a bad idea to live with my classmates. I don't want to get sick of them, since they're the only people I see up here. Nesland is cheaper, but farther away; it would be with my classmates which means it would be more social, but there would be a greater opportunity to get tired of each other. What to do?!
We celebrated 17. mai by sharing a long and delicious breakfast with our friends. We dressed up in bunad, sang songs, and watched the parades in other parts of the country on TV. Around noon, the local parade made it's way passed us. After cheering on the school children, we joined the end of the parade down to the school. There were games and a raffle, lots of food, speeches, and a short concert. In the evening we relaxed at home and watched the re-run of the Eurovision Song Contest Finals (which Norway had won the night before).
The next day, my mom came to visit for her birthday. It was really great to see her. We went for a walk down to the lake, which has been drained and now has at least a hundred feet of beautiful sandy beach. Mom was only here for a two days, so I didn't really get to spend much time with her, but I'm glad she made the effort to come all the way out here to the middle of Norway.
After Mom left I began studying for my final exam. This was interrupted by several opportunities to bbq and the fylkeskappleik. The fylkeskappleik itself was inspiring in that it made me feel more like I am part of this community and also helped boost my confidence in playing for judges. I'm still struggling with stage fright and nerves when playing for judges, but I'm hoping that will pass with time. The kappleik was held at the hotel; we danced teledans for hours and hours in the bar!
The next Tuesday we had our written exams. Six hours to answer questions ranging from, 'When was the first extant hardingfele built?' to, 'Discuss professionalism in folk music.' I was very happy with most of my answers and that's the best you can hope for on an exam like that. We get our grades tomorrow for the whole year.
Since the written exam we have had both really good weather (four days sun-bathing on our mountain beach) and heavy rain mixed with snow. We have spent a large part of our time rehearsing for the final concert that's coming on Saturday, and the rest of our time rehearsing for the playing exams. I've managed to squeeze in a few parties, cleaning at the dentist's office, and a hike up Falkeriset. I also helped out at the town bazaar yesterday - I sold pizza and hot dogs (including gluten free pizza and milk free hot dogs)!
The main topic of conversation these days revolves around who will be here next year and where we will live. I have wanted to live in the house in Nesland basically all year, but it wasn't a possibility until yesterday. I had in the meantime decided that I would really like to live alone, or rather that I thought it would be a bad idea to live with my classmates. I don't want to get sick of them, since they're the only people I see up here. Nesland is cheaper, but farther away; it would be with my classmates which means it would be more social, but there would be a greater opportunity to get tired of each other. What to do?!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Exam time
Last Wednesday we had our first exam. The subject was music theory and ear training. I think it went pretty well. In addition to the exam, it was an awfully busy day; fortunately the fire drill was canceled, since it was supposed to be between rehearsal for the evening's concert and the concert.
My sections of the concert went pretty well. My group played the same two tunes from before, but we sounded better. I sang a solo that I had been stressing about all day. I really wasn't sure that I could do it for an audience, but it was sounding so good in the shower I just had to try! I'm pleased with the result; it wasn't the greatest performance, but it wasn't terrible either and I made it through the whole song.
The student spelmannslag played for some of the dancing afterward. That was exciting. There are about twelve of us, all operating on the assumption that some one else knows most of the tunes a little better. Fortunately, Ånon plays with us, so there is someone who knows the tunes a little better than we do. The dancing was good all evening, plus we were in the gym hall and not on the stone floor we usually dance on. Several of my coworkers from the hotel joined us for the party as well. It was a good time all around.
Since then we've been studying for our exams than are coming this week. Lots of reading, or trying to read. The study train got a little derailed yesterday when the ukulele's arrived. All 17 of them :D.
I also worked all weekend at the hotel. Lots and lots of guests means lots and lots of dirty dishes and empty glasses to wash. It's going to be really crazy when we get a little further into peak season.
Today I changed my ticket back to Seattle. I needed to change it from January 4 to April 4. First, I called SAS USA, but they were closed, so I called SAS in Norway. They said I had to talk to the travel agent. I called Travelocity and after talking to two very nice gentlemen, I decided that $1300 to change my ticket couldn't possibly be right and that I would need to call them back. Instead, I stressed out for a couple hours, waiting for SAS USA to open and then I called them. After a few minutes on the phone and a $300 fee, I am the proud owner of a ticket dated April 5. See you soon, Seattle!
My sections of the concert went pretty well. My group played the same two tunes from before, but we sounded better. I sang a solo that I had been stressing about all day. I really wasn't sure that I could do it for an audience, but it was sounding so good in the shower I just had to try! I'm pleased with the result; it wasn't the greatest performance, but it wasn't terrible either and I made it through the whole song.
The student spelmannslag played for some of the dancing afterward. That was exciting. There are about twelve of us, all operating on the assumption that some one else knows most of the tunes a little better. Fortunately, Ånon plays with us, so there is someone who knows the tunes a little better than we do. The dancing was good all evening, plus we were in the gym hall and not on the stone floor we usually dance on. Several of my coworkers from the hotel joined us for the party as well. It was a good time all around.
Since then we've been studying for our exams than are coming this week. Lots of reading, or trying to read. The study train got a little derailed yesterday when the ukulele's arrived. All 17 of them :D.
I also worked all weekend at the hotel. Lots and lots of guests means lots and lots of dirty dishes and empty glasses to wash. It's going to be really crazy when we get a little further into peak season.
Today I changed my ticket back to Seattle. I needed to change it from January 4 to April 4. First, I called SAS USA, but they were closed, so I called SAS in Norway. They said I had to talk to the travel agent. I called Travelocity and after talking to two very nice gentlemen, I decided that $1300 to change my ticket couldn't possibly be right and that I would need to call them back. Instead, I stressed out for a couple hours, waiting for SAS USA to open and then I called them. After a few minutes on the phone and a $300 fee, I am the proud owner of a ticket dated April 5. See you soon, Seattle!
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