Back in the Good Ol' U.S. of A!

Hello Readers!

After my trek across the globe, I've now returned to the States and am working to get into the swing of things as I finish up my undergraduate degree and prepare to move to Cleveland in just two short weeks--YIKES!

Since I've been away for quite a while I thought I would share a few posts with pictures and "what I've learned" comments from my time away. To catch you all up in case you missed past posts, I spent about a month overseas in Duino, Italy, a relatively small port town on the coast of the Adriatic.  In Duino I attend the International Festival of the Adriatic, a chamber music festival hosted at the United World College of the Adriatic. From the window of my dorm room at the UWC, I could see the coasts of both Slovenia and Croatia--amazing! It was such an exciting and eye-opening experience so please indulge me as I'm sure I proceed to overshare photos and information. 

Here are some photos from my first couple days in Duino!

Due to jet lag I woke up at 4:30 the first morning in Duino. Luckily, it gave me time to take a little hike around the coast and see this stunning view!

My morning espresso (most of the time, cappuccino, actually) that
I got at a local bar/cafe called Mickey Mouse. :)

The view of Il Castello di Duino from the back patio at the UWC. The dormitory of the UWC was originally the servants quarters of the castle, so we're pretty much neighbors with the princess who lives there!

View from my dormitory window. For some reason the colors really remind me of Van Gogh. 

These views though! I felt like I was taking a picture every time I looked out the window (in actuality I probably was!) but how can you resist when every day you're presented with a view that's as new and exciting as this!

The pictures below are of the nearby city, Trieste. It's about a 30 minute bus ride away and is the closest "hub". It's a lovely city to be in as there are no cars within the city limits (the streets are too small) and so it doesn't feel stressful to navigate and/or wander around. 

The port! 

We got to watch the sun as it set over the port. So beautiful. The buildings in this Square, called La Piazza dell'Unita d'Italia, had that gold-flecked paint (what do you call that???) and so as the sun set it reflected brilliantly on the buildings. Unfortunately, I'm a terrible photographer so I wasn't able to capture its beauty in a photo well. 

One of my Butler gals, me, and my roomate at the UWC at the statue in the middle of the Piazza. 

Here's a wonky photo of the statue with a bonus feature of someone's head. Wait, I think that's mine!

Hope you enjoyed the photos! More to come soon!

On Flying With A Cello

In just a few days I will be leaving for Duino, Italy where I'll be participating in the International Music Festival of the Adriatic. While I won't be flying with my cello this time (they've generously offered to rent cellos for those attending IMFA), I know that many other cellists will be taking their instruments on board. To help navigate the craziness that is flying with an instrument,  I've made a detailed checklist of how to order tickets, prepare your instrument, get through security, and board the plane!

Ordering Tickets:

• Always purchase a second ticket for your cello. Do not simply assume there will be seats on the plane. Reserve seat under Cello (Last Name).
• Read and print out the Instrument Policy for the airline with which you will be flying. Keep it on hand (in a carry-on) in case you need to show a TSA agent or steward.
• Be aware that the seats in the back of some small aircraft (specifically the ones that only have 3 seats across instead of the usual 4 or 6) will not have leg room enough to fit your cello. If you are flying on a small aircraft, do your best to get seats near the front where there tends to be more legroom. 
• A ticket for an instrument should always be the window seat as it is safety hazard for the instrument to be blocking a passenger's access to the aisle. 

Preparing your instrument:

• Loosen the strings. Not so much that the bridge isn't supported but enough that there's no worry if the air pressure changes slightly a string will snap. 
• Place a scarf or small blanket underneath the fingerboard. Be careful not to stuff it under there. I always use a scarf which is smaller and fits more comfortably inside a case.

In the Security Line:

• When your ID and tickets are being checked, point out to the TSA agent that you have purchased a ticket for your cello. {One time the agent checking me in only scanned one of my tickets not realizing I was holding two! Thankfully, a person working at the terminal desk realized the error before I boarded and "checked-in" the other ticket for me.}
• When it's your turn to remove your shoes, belt and other items for scanning, simply place your cello (in a sealed hard case!) on the conveyer belt to be scanned. Don't worry, this will in no way damage the instrument!

Boarding the Plane:

• Most stewards and airline workers know right away that you're a musician and that, yes, your cello will be boarding with you. If, however, you're flying out of smaller airport, you may want to walk up to the check-in desk at your terminal and inform them that you're bringing your cello on board and that you purchased a ticket ahead of time. 
• Carry your cello in front of you, not on your back, when walking through the airplane aisle so that you don't get stuck and/or bump passengers. 
• Place your cello in the seat closest to the window, ask your airline steward for a seat belt extender, and then buckle the seat belt and extender over top of your cello. 

If you all have any questions, advice or experiences you'd like to share, please comment below! It's always great to hear which airlines people have had success or trouble traveling with so that others can follow suit. 

Have a great start to your summer and happy travels!

Announcing . . .

After more than a year of preparation and months of auditons, I am pleased to announce that next year I will be moving to Cleveland, Ohio the pursue a Masters of Music at the Cleveland Institute of Music. 

This has been a dream of mine for years. Even during my last round of auditions (when I was looking into transferring) I had a poster of CIM hanging on the wall next to my bed. Words cannot explain how devastated I was when I was not accepted in as an undergraduate. So now, after working dilligently for the last two years, I am excited to be pursuing a degree at my dream school. 

Thank you all for your support and encouragement!

Summer in Duino, Italy? You Can Help!

Hello Readers!

A few weeks ago one of my friends (a violinist at my school) encouraged me to apply to a summer festival she would be attending in Italy this coming June. After some research I applied to the festival not really expecting to be accepted or be given scholarship.

Welllll . . . I was indeed accepted and actually given a substantial scholarship. Unfortunately, I still need to pay for 2/3 of the tuition and my airfare to get over there. This is an amazing opportunity and I would feel silly to pass it up, thus I am asking for financial assistance from friends, family, neighbors and music lovers! Feel free to take a look at my fundraising page here and familiarize yourself with the festival here. 

Small donations are welcome and if you are unable to donate, feel free to share the link through social media or on your own blog. Any help in this process is greatly appreciated!

Thanks in Advance!

Ellie

Photocredit: www.uwv.org

Photography Feature

Hello All!

I'm back from my hiatus to hopefully post more consistently now. 

This past autumn I had some photos taken by my favorite photographer in town (check him out on FaceBook here or on his website here). I was in desperate need of some new headshots to send with my grad school applications (the last one's I had taken were my high school Senior pictures . . . 5 years ago) and Christian did a fantastic job. Check out his work and, if you're in the Indianapolis area, maybe book a shoot!

The thing I love about these photos is that they have an editorial edge to them. A lot of headshots turn out stuffy and posed looking and I love that these look classic and professional but simultaneously look like art! Also, I happened to have these pics taken at a time when I was being loaned a fantastic 1760 Landolfi cello so I love that I will always have these pictures to commemorate an exciting year of playing a beautiful instrument. 

My Newest Obsession: Cello Talks

In my lesson this Wednesday my cello professor (his website is here) showed me the Youtube channel Cello Talks created by David Finckel, cellist for the Emerson String Quartet and duo partner of Wu Han. The thing that I really appreciate about David's channel is that it has a really diverse amount of information and that it's good for both beginning and advanced cellists.

Below is one of his vidoes, this one being about the proper way to rosin your bow (including some unique tricks he's picked up along the way. Bass Rosin?)

In other videos he explains different bow strokes, the sound of different bridges and strings, gives advice on managing practice sessions, demonstrates multiple vibrato styles and so much more. 

The 100 videos in his series cover such a wide range of topics and are applicable to every level of cellist. Check it out!

5 Tips on Summer Practicing

School's out. The sun is shining. The pool is open. 

And yet, you need to practice. 

So the question is: How can you use this new-found free time wisely in order to progress on your instrument while still making time for fun and rest!

Here are my tips!

1. Make a Schedule

The beginning of my summer was a mess. While I had plenty of things to get done, I had no organization to my day and this made me much less productive. Organizing the rest of my activities allows me to be more reliable in my practicing - forcing me not to delay it until later. Below is a sample of how I like to organize my schedule.

2. Choose a Time

Whether we like it or not, it has been proven that humans are creatures of habit. Frankly, it helps us maintain our sanity when we can rely on things like schedules and regularity from day-to-day. Applying this to music: regularity and order can help maintain your practicing when you choose a specific time to practice and stick to it! Mine is in the early afternoon.

3. Designate a Practice Place

I am lazy. I detest moving my cello, books and stand around. Sometimes my laziness affects me so strongly that I neglect my practicing simply because I don't want to move all those things to a different location. SO (!!!!) instead of having to move things I have a designated corner in my apartment that is Cello Central. I give myself permission to leave books out, a mug of tea on the floor, and my cello unpacked. In this way I've created an environment that a) encourages me to focus (the same effect that a practice room might have) and b) feels inviting and thus makes me excited to practice (not at all the effect that a practice room has)!

I use this memory board to hold notes with my goals, technique reminders, and pictures of inspiring performers.

Cello Central! 

4. Find a Friend

Practicing on your own is very difficult. But unfortunately, as a university musician, this is the gist of summer life - no one's around! So instead of losing steam from the lack of motivation, contact a friend near or far away and ask them to be your practice buddy. Exchange practice times at the end of the day, send recordings to one another and text them for motivation when you need an extra push.

5. Make Lists

When I was struggling to make it through all my repertoire, my amazing sister (also a musician) told me  that I needed to have a more organized practice schedule. She (or rather, her teacher) suggested that I split my repertoire into two different plans - Plan A and Plan B. Half of the movements of my concerto go on Plan A, the other half on Plan B. Etude #1 goes on Plan A, while Etude #2 goes on Plan B. I've written out both plans and taped them to my stand so that I have a structured method of getting through material. Otherwise, your practice sessions goes something like "uhhhh, what should I practice today? I guess I'll practice the piece that's fun and easy . . ." and that's NEVER a good idea. ;)

The index card on the left side of my stand has my practice schedule for the day written on it!

Well, I hope these 5 points encourage you in your summer practicing and help you stay motivated! 

Shout out to all my awesome friends (and Jordan) for pushing me in my own practicing and occassionally yelling at me through text messages when I watch one too many episodes of Portlandia....