I Hate Practice

A Rhapsody On Rehearsals, Relationships and Rachmaninov

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Music, Music Styles, Classical & Opera, Classical
Cover of the book I Hate Practice by Akira Nakano, BookBaby
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Author: Akira Nakano ISBN: 9781483583136
Publisher: BookBaby Publication: October 5, 2016
Imprint: BookBaby Language: English
Author: Akira Nakano
ISBN: 9781483583136
Publisher: BookBaby
Publication: October 5, 2016
Imprint: BookBaby
Language: English
Classical musicians are just musicians. Buttoned up and tuxedo clad on stage, behind the scenes, their lives can be as insane as rock stars'. I HATE PRACTICE - A RHAPSODY ON REHEARSALS, RELATIONSHIPS AND RACHMANINOV BY A CLASSICAL PIANIST was originally intended to a one man show. Except when I told my sister the plan, she immediately said, "But you're not funny." I completed a draft, excited to go into production, and then my director gave me notes. She was hoping to see more of a “play” with a stronger thematic through line. She wanted me to go deeper into the struggles of practicing and quitting the piano; and somehow, over the course of ninety minutes, find redemption. I had viewed the show as the opportunity to play some songs, get some cheap laughs and include a couple of way-too-politically-correct behind-the-scenes stories of concert prep. She wanted something stronger. Less gloss, less sanitized, less safe. Fine. Problem… I am not an actor. Meanwhile, one of my best friends from college read the script and made an off-handed remark that I should write a book. Suddenly, I could take the director's notes which were undeniably insightful, and save everyone the embarrassment of watching me “act”. I could talk about the extreme hilarity and epic failures during rehearsals. The perils of dating while prepping for a show. My love/hate relationship with Rachmaninov and the stupidity of putting up his “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” with full orchestra having played it in its entirety only one time before performing it. I decided not to go all the way back, but rather use one piece of music, "Totentanz" by Franz LIszt, as a marker for discussion at various performances over a span of twenty-plus years. I would have included Liszt in the title of the book, but Rachmaninov fit the alliteration better, is a far more vexing piece of music and was with me during the same time period. I am clearly procrastinating from the piano, as I HATE PRACTICE.
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Classical musicians are just musicians. Buttoned up and tuxedo clad on stage, behind the scenes, their lives can be as insane as rock stars'. I HATE PRACTICE - A RHAPSODY ON REHEARSALS, RELATIONSHIPS AND RACHMANINOV BY A CLASSICAL PIANIST was originally intended to a one man show. Except when I told my sister the plan, she immediately said, "But you're not funny." I completed a draft, excited to go into production, and then my director gave me notes. She was hoping to see more of a “play” with a stronger thematic through line. She wanted me to go deeper into the struggles of practicing and quitting the piano; and somehow, over the course of ninety minutes, find redemption. I had viewed the show as the opportunity to play some songs, get some cheap laughs and include a couple of way-too-politically-correct behind-the-scenes stories of concert prep. She wanted something stronger. Less gloss, less sanitized, less safe. Fine. Problem… I am not an actor. Meanwhile, one of my best friends from college read the script and made an off-handed remark that I should write a book. Suddenly, I could take the director's notes which were undeniably insightful, and save everyone the embarrassment of watching me “act”. I could talk about the extreme hilarity and epic failures during rehearsals. The perils of dating while prepping for a show. My love/hate relationship with Rachmaninov and the stupidity of putting up his “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” with full orchestra having played it in its entirety only one time before performing it. I decided not to go all the way back, but rather use one piece of music, "Totentanz" by Franz LIszt, as a marker for discussion at various performances over a span of twenty-plus years. I would have included Liszt in the title of the book, but Rachmaninov fit the alliteration better, is a far more vexing piece of music and was with me during the same time period. I am clearly procrastinating from the piano, as I HATE PRACTICE.

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