Cayla Bellamy, bassoon
  • Home
  • Information
    • Biography
    • Events
    • SoundCraftEd
  • Gallery
    • Recordings
    • Press
    • New Music Advocacy
    • Method Books >
      • Daily Routine
      • Reed Making
  • Studio
    • Curriculum and Policies
    • Teaching Calendar
    • Lessons and Masterclasses
    • Colorado State University
  • Resources
    • Audition Preparation
    • Workshops and Presentations
    • Transfer Workshops
    • For Educators >
      • Bassoon Techniques Introduction
      • Philosophy >
        • Priorities
        • Fingering Logic
      • Fundamentals >
        • Assembly
        • Posture and Breathing
        • Articulation
        • Intonation
        • The Break
        • Vibrato
        • Daily Warm Ups
        • Contrabassoon
      • Reeds >
        • Characteristics
        • Diagnostics
        • Adjustments
        • Purchasing Resources
      • Equipment >
        • Recommendations
        • Cleaning
        • Minor Adjustments
        • Repair Resources
      • Fingering Chart
      • Summary
      • Continued Instruction
  • Storefront
  • Social
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • LinkedIn
    • Contact Form

Blog

Postings arise as time permits
and inspiration hits. Contact me
to request a special topic!

On the Potential of Awesome

9/9/2014

3 Comments

 
Do you remember the first time you thought your instrument was awesome?

I was a freshman at the University of Georgia, and a doctoral student performed Andre Previn's Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, and I am pretty sure my mouth actually dropped open.  I was so nerdishly giggly and head over heels in love.  I swore that I would play it "when I was ready" (whatever that meant to 18-year-old Cayla). I didn't even listen to it again for a long time, purely out of fear that in the harsh light of a second listening I would fall out of love.
Picture
I did in fact play it later (see a clip from my first doctoral recital here) and will again this coming spring.
It has not been until years later, though, that I realize what actually happened in that moment.  I thought the bassoon and its music were awesome.  After that performance, I started hearing the potential for awesome in everything.  There was a good bit in Saint-Saens, there was some in Mozart, there was a lot in Vivaldi, and most recently there was way more than I expected in Gubaidulina.  From that point on, everything new could potentially be knock-me-to-the-floor awesome.

So I'll ask again: do you remember the first time you thought your instrument was awesome?

In addition to being a warm fuzzy and self-assuring sentiment, this realization has motivated me through the tough practice sessions lately.  While I've written before about the tools of slow and the dangers of angry practicing, this is even more fundamental.  For me, this has been the answer to the "why am I doing this?"

These past few weeks, I have been working on David Maslanka's Sonata.  In a break from one particularly tricky section, I wandered my way onto Instagram:
Picture
Pouring in the blood, sweat, and tears for the potential of awesome is one thing.  For years, that has been enough.  Now I realize that I work not only to realize the potential of awesome in a performance, but also to potentially create a moment where someone first realizes that the bassoon and its music are awesome.  That music as a whole is pretty awesome.

What if you were the moment someone realized music is awesome?

Now get to it.  Go be awesome.
3 Comments
Garrett McQueen link
9/10/2014 05:19:28 pm

Good read.

Reply
Anonymous
9/11/2014 03:58:57 pm

Good good good! Hit it square on the nail. Totally agree with this post, it is an incredible moment when you realize just how much you love the bassoon, and the amazing music one can create with it.

Reply
Shortbread Cookie Recipes link
6/15/2023 12:44:40 pm

Hi thanks for posting this

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Archives

    October 2020
    September 2020
    April 2020
    November 2018
    August 2018
    September 2017
    January 2016
    August 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013

    Categories

    All
    Anxiety
    Auditions
    Collaboration
    Goal Setting
    Lessons
    Performance
    Practice
    Psychology

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • Information
    • Biography
    • Events
    • SoundCraftEd
  • Gallery
    • Recordings
    • Press
    • New Music Advocacy
    • Method Books >
      • Daily Routine
      • Reed Making
  • Studio
    • Curriculum and Policies
    • Teaching Calendar
    • Lessons and Masterclasses
    • Colorado State University
  • Resources
    • Audition Preparation
    • Workshops and Presentations
    • Transfer Workshops
    • For Educators >
      • Bassoon Techniques Introduction
      • Philosophy >
        • Priorities
        • Fingering Logic
      • Fundamentals >
        • Assembly
        • Posture and Breathing
        • Articulation
        • Intonation
        • The Break
        • Vibrato
        • Daily Warm Ups
        • Contrabassoon
      • Reeds >
        • Characteristics
        • Diagnostics
        • Adjustments
        • Purchasing Resources
      • Equipment >
        • Recommendations
        • Cleaning
        • Minor Adjustments
        • Repair Resources
      • Fingering Chart
      • Summary
      • Continued Instruction
  • Storefront
  • Social
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • LinkedIn
    • Contact Form