Recital day

Oh hello!

I am glad to report that I made it through the recital day! Actually, I shouldn't say "made it through," because that makes it sound like I didn't have a great time. Quite the contrary: I had a super terrific day.

On performance days I'm always reminded of love and community.  Before, during, and after my recital today, my phone was blowing up with texts and voicemails of encouragement and congratulations.  It was a great reminder that I am not alone, because I often feel alone here. NIU is more than 10x the size of where I went for my undergrad.  I also rarely feel a strong sense of community here, but yesterday I did.

I walked out of the greenroom, and the room lit up with smiles.  My family was there, my amazing boyfriend was there, and some great friends were there.  Thanks to the webcast, many of my friends in other states were able to watch my recital, too. I felt loved by the audience, and that is something I never expected to happen at NIU.  It reminded me that community is not necessarily something that can be seen at every moment of every day.  Community takes time, and yesterday I saw a great deal of it.  It made me glad to be at NIU.

So if you're reading this, thank you.  And if you watched the recital online, thank you. I couldn't be happier.

Love,
Blakeley Woessner

Calm

Hello!

I'm giving my graduate recital at NIU in 2 days. How scary! Surprisingly, I'm feeling calm today. Here's the proper definition of "calm" in my current situation:

Calm: Shaky hands. Weak knees. Excited. Nervous without feeling like I'm about to throw up. Prepared. Ready.

My definition probably seems a bit oxymoronic, but those are the feelings I am experiencing. I may be jittery, but I am okay.

Preparing for this recital has been unlike any other experience in my musical life.  I've worked harder for this than any other performance I've given. I suppose that's where the "calm" comes in. I know that I am able to play everything on my program. Earlier this week, there were about 18 measures that were causing me problems, but after ironing those out for hours and hours, I feel ready.

On Wednesday, someone asked me, "Are you ready?" I said, "As ready as I can be today." Everyday I grow more and more ready. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't mean that Sunday at 2:50 p.m. I will be cool as a cucumber (I wish!). It means that because I've worked hard, I have nothing to fret. Hard work pays off.

Keep calm and practice on,
Blakeley Woessner

Graduate Recital!!!

Hello!

I am so excited! My graduate recital is Sunday, February 3rd at 3:00pm CST! If you're in Dekalb, IL....stop by the NIU recital hall! But for the rest of you, you can watch a LIVE WEBCAST of my recital! How cool is technology? I hope you can tune in before the big game!
The program will include Bach, Brahms, and Hindemith.
Should be a fun time! I'm looking forward to sharing my heart with music.

Happy practicing, and see you on the 3rd!

Blakeley Woessner

Tone

Greetings, dearest music lovers,

I would like to share an amazing essay that my very first viola teacher wrote. I hope it inspires you to have wonderful tone, and focused practice.

In hope of a ringing tone,
Blakeley Woessner

Great Thoughts on Practicing

Hello, friends!

Check out this great article about practicing! It's a quick read, and a wonderful reminder!
And even if you're not a musician, it can apply to your life.

Here's to improvement,
Blakeley Woessner

Hardcore Awesome

Hello, friends!
Hardcore music is not for everyone. But who doesn't love the 'cello? Anyone who watches this video will have to pick their jaw up off the floor after they watch it. Enjoy!

Peace,
Blakeley Woessner

Chosen

Check out this really cool video! It's my friend Alex Lyon's testimony, and I'm playing viola in the background!

Peace,
Blakeley