I do miss blogging but somehow it has always escaped my to-do list.
So what has been going on in my GAP year life?
I have so much to share.
It's not really anything exciting. I haven't been partying till 3am, knocking back couple of beers with a bunch of hot girls at my side. I haven't even been going out that much but somehow I seem to be busy every day, I still have many stories to tell.
So where do I start?
Well, for one, for those who don't know, I'll be leaving for Frankfurt on August 7, on a 20+ hour flight, not really knowing what to expect. From Frankfurt, I'll be catching a shuttle bus with my fellow piano classmates and my piano teacher to a village in the Southern regions of Germany called Bad Bertrich.
I can't wait to see what the Autobahn's like. We'll be travelling on that and I think I'll be sitting in the front, watching the driver's speedometer. Do they use kilometres over there? It's only the Americans who use miles yeah? I hope they go in the 200s XD
Bad Bertrich is a really small village and known for its scenery and HOT BATHS! I think it's kinda like Hot Springs, but maybe with a German twist to it. I'm thinking hot baths and maybe a really cold beer. Delightful =)
But besides relaxing, I'll be going to masterclasses everyday. Many people nod when I tell them of my masterclasses, do they actually know what they are? Well, Masterclasses for Dummies. :P
Imagine a hall around the size of the School Hall and in the middle are two shining black grand pianos, lined up together. I'll be playing one of them and my Professor will be sitting by the other one. I'll play my piece once and then he'll start to rip my playing apart. He'll be telling me to play this softer, louder or if I'm actually terrible, he'll leave. I hope not.
There's this story that some piano student was playing for him in a Masterclasses and halfway through his Mozart Sonata, the Professor leaves and doesn't come back until the end of the Sonata with a toilet roll. He shoves the toilet roll into the poor piano student's face and growls "Here, wipe this on your ass, cos that's what I think of your playing!" D:
I hope that doesn't happen to me !
Oh, and did I mention that there's a whole audience watching the entire one hour long lesson. Oh, the joy!
So i'll be spending around 2 weeks there, practicing, learning and getting to know piano students from all corners of the world. There'll also be professional concerts every night by well, professional pianists from around the world.
I guess the thing I'm looking forward most is to seeing what the real standard is out there. To experience what it's like to be learning from the best in the world, listening to the best and be amazed by their talent, then crawling back into my practice room to try and outdo them!
After the two intense weeks, I'll be going to Luxembourg. In a small town called Vianden, there's a music festival being held there that I'm going to attend. The only difference is that, the one before, is just a piano festival. This one is a Music Festival, so there's violinists, cellists, opera singers, flautists, you name it, they're gonna be there.
Also, I'll be told to practice a particular Chamber Music Work, which will be a Piano Trio or Piano Quartet (maybe even a Quintet) and I'll have lessons on it there and perform it with the other players. Man, I'm scaring myself just writing this up. I should be practicing !!
Well, I'm going to leave this short. I have to leave soon. Gonna do some driving, take my sister to Canley Vale to coaching. You all have to try this restaurant there called Holy Basil. The food is EXCELLENT. Quite cheap but seriously worth every cent.
I'd recommend the Ox Tongue, Thai Fried Rice with Pineapple and Cashews, their Pad Thai and if you're up for it, their salads and stir fries. Very spicy though, their salads. Almost burnt my tongue off :(
Alrighty, gotta be off!
Hope to see you guys soon.
Take care and maybe I'll see you all sometime =)
