zondag 31 december 2006

zaterdag 30 december 2006

We did it: we played Glazounow I and II by heart

We did it: we played Glazounow I and II by heart. I liked doing it, it makes you feel like you improvise. Maybe it's not necessarily better now but it's a start for something new!

Also we played through Wilson, his new piece that was written for us. That was ok, we still have rehearse some parts better.

Other than that nothing much going on. I saw Goldeneye again yesterday: good movie!

Now some more practicing and preparing for new year's eve. Happy new year!

December 30th. I have been practicing again and listening to a lot of music in a different way than I always do, at least I try. Fabian, Ailed's brother loves music too, he's a composer and we listen together, anayzing the music and talking about it. Especially Maisky is my favourite now. His Franck Sonata is so free, he plays together with Argerich. Their goal is not to play strictly together, but to make music. The tempo goes everywhere, it is so intuitive, melodic ánd harmonic. Great stuff!
Tomorrow is 'old year's day'. The day before new year's day. In the morning we have quartet rehearsal. For the first time in a long time. We are doing Glazounow I and II by memory. Hard stuff with all the chromatism and free form.

dinsdag 26 december 2006

Ties Mellema and Wijnand Van Klaveren play Milhaud's Scaramouche



Darius Milhaud - Scaramouche
Ties mellema, saxophone/Wijnand Van Klaveren, piano
Recorded LIVE at the Prinsengrachtconcert, Amsterdam

maandag 25 december 2006

Yet another blog entry on this boxing day, well still almost, it's 23:...

Yet another blog entry on this boxing day, well still almost, it's 23:30.
I have been trying Second Life, an internet game/chat thing, the real life being first life. It's quite funny, although for me not so addictive it seems. You can choose your own appearance and even fly. Strolling through Second Life is fun and you actually meet some friendly  people (so it seems, it is still the internet). NRC Next actually has a corresondent in Second Life, that's how I encountered it.
I played again today. For a quartet rehearsal I have to memorize 10 minutes of music, with a lot of chromatism and the baritone not being the melody part, hence hard to remember (I am glad I don't play the tenor part!)
Ailed's cousin is here now, form Venezuela, his first time in Europe. He likes it a lot.

Yet another entry today

Yet another entry today! I typed this one before but apparantly I still have to get used to the new editor window, because I lost the entry.
I discovered Second Life, the popular internet game. First Life being the real life of course. I have been playing itr for some hours now and it seems like fun. Although in the end it is a normal chatbox with the difference being a lot of nice graphics. And of course you can choose your own appearance, you can fly... Lots of fun, although I feel I might lose interest in some days.

I studied again today. I have to memorize 10 minutes of music for the quartet (Glazounwo Quartet) with a lot of chromatism, and I am not playing the melody, hence harder to memorize (not as hard as the tenor part I imagine!)

Ailed's cousin is here now for some weeks. It is his first time abroad and he loves Europe! Ailed is really happy to have him here.

Christmas today, well in Holland at least, second Christmas day now

Christmas today, well in Holland at least, second Christmas day now. Boxing day in the UK I think. Yesterday we went to the Dominicuskerk in Amsterdam during the day. There's a festival there for everyone, with free food and drinks and even a christmans dinner. We didn't go there though, it was very crowded. The athmosphere is great though, with lots of stuff to do, a.o. plaing chess and checkers against against former (world-) champions.
I haven't been playing this holiday. I wanted to let go a bit and have a fresh start. I have been listening to a lot of performers, my favourites now are Horowitz, Ma, Maisky, Argerich. Well, you know the standard stuff I guess. I am looking for freedom in interpretation (that's such a pretentious word...)

zaterdag 23 december 2006

Ties Mellema Management opened a Youtube page which contains fragments of Ties Mellema playing, a.o. during the annual AVRO Prinsengrachtconcert en VPRO's Vrije geluiden. Please click here to check out.

maandag 18 december 2006

vrijdag 1 december 2006

Nobody can see my website yet, but my blog has been integrated in my n...

Nobody can see my website yet, but my blog has been integrated in my new website. I felt like making a new entry but now I have to do it already here. The new website is nice. I had Christiane Smit design a new house style and Peter Grond make a website with this style. It turned out fantastic I think!

The functionality in my website is much better also. Now everything is real easy to do!

I just finished three days of teaching in Arnhem for a masterclass. We had a great time. Christer Johnsson visited us from Sweden and Johan vd Linden and I taught each others students. I think everyone learned a lot. I was real tired, still today, but it was very satisfying!