Full Team Circle with Frank and Performance Team Rehearsal with Bill and Frank

A Tuning the Air Journal

Saturday January 28, 2011 – Full Team Circle with Frank and Performance Team Rehearsal with Bill and Frank

Carl and Bob out today. For the full team circle, the remaining 8 from the performance team were joined by Joel and Bill. Frank continued with the exercise he presented last week, but this time instead of passing objects around the circle – “This is a ball.” A what?” “A ball.” “A what?” “A ball.” “oh, a ball.” – we passed around notes - “This is a (plunk).” A what?” “A (plunk).” “A what?” “A (plunk).” “oh, a (plunk).” In some ways this was more difficult since the “identity” of the object was not as self-evident. On the other side of the ledger, we are musicians and we are accustomed to solving musical problems, and when approached that way we managed to discover the groove of the exercise. Remaining awake, of course, was as elusive as ever, but Frank gave us good opportunity to find ways to continue to come back.

The second hour was a series of grueling ear training exercises inflicted by Bill. These are the sorts of things I put the Music Lab through on a regular basis, but rarely do I find myself in the circle dealing with them. It was a welcome change. Tough stuff, and humbling.

For the final segment of the day we addressed Invocation – not the Guitar Craft Theme of the same name, but the Bill Rieflin composition once performed by the Seattle Guitar Circle. Along with the Shostakovich Prelude, an piece of shelved repertoire that has called to Chris for resuscitation. Not an easy piece. Chris proposed that we take on the challenge of having it ready for opening night, even if it is only a trio rendition. Dmitri will take a bit longer.

Monday is “dress rehearsal” night at the Abbey, which really means we will do a full setup, and then run the likely pieces for opening night, although not necessarily in the final set order.