The Bulletproof Musician has an interesting post this week on his blog: “Rehearse to practice or practice to rehearse”. It’s about being well prepared for ensemble practices. It really spoke to me, because so often I think of ensemble meetings as “practices” and go thinking I will learn my parts as I practice them with the ensemble. I do go over my parts during the week. But I’ve never spent nearly as much time learning my ensemble parts as I have on pieces I am preparing for lessons.
This post really suggests a better way! If one goes to an ensemble practice with one’s parts fully prepared, then the ensemble “rehearsal” becomes a time when you can truly focus on playing with others, listening to the other parts, adjusting intonation so it fits with the other musicians. You can work on dynamics, watch the conductor and follow him, watch and interact with the other players, really work on playing the pieces, not work on learning the parts. I agree with everything that was said in this article, and I’m hoping to live up to those ideals in my preparation when ensemble begins for the fall next week.
Rehearse to practice or practice to rehearse