Alana Bennett, Cellist

Change of Scenery

2009-08-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

A week ago I moved to Bloomington, Indiana to begin work on my Masters degree. Having spent most of the past four years of my life in New York City, I found myself having to adjust pretty heavily to the small town/rural environment that I now find myself in. I must say that this town is growing on me every day. The picture perfect homes with their perfectly manicured lawns and the statuesque architecture of the Indiana University Campus have really made an impact on me. I now find myself in a serene environment with smells of freshly cut grass and the sounds of birds chirping.

That being said I do still miss a lot of things about New York City. Although I have been walking everywhere here in Bloomington, it is not as much of a walking town like New York City is (I have yet to visit a place that has been). This is evident by minimal sidewalk space and poorly lit streets. I find myself, for the first time, considering the conveniences of having a car. It would be so easy for me to get groceries or it would be so easy for me to have flexibility in the jobs I take. Right now there is a sense of being limited to the general vicinity I find myself in. Can I walk there or take the bus there with relative ease? If not, then let the planning commence. As time progresses, I'm sure this will not be as much of an issue as it appears to be currently.

One of the things that I've been loving about being here is the passion of the people who surround me. Not to say that passion did not exist in New York City (it definitely was there) but I feel as though the people that I have met here are not as jaded in some way. They are all still madly in love with their callings and still have every faith in their abilities. In New York, with the competition so fierce and the jobs so limited, there seemed to be a sense of dejection among many of my peers. That environment motivated people in varying ways, with some people feeding off of it and others not so much. Here in the Midwest, everyone seems to be having a positive reaction to this environment. I'm so excited to see where my musicality will go while I'm here and the kind of musician that I will be when I leave in two years. Now, I'm off to go practice my orchestra excerpts.

Fine Instrument Withdrawal

2009-05-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

I had the fortune during my final semester at New York University to play on a the best cello I have ever played on. It was a Thomas Kennedy cello, made either in the late 18th or early 19th century. It belongs to my teacher, Marion Feldman and she loaned it to me for my grad school auditions as well as my senior recital. It was amazing. My confidence on this instrument (which I nicknamed Sir Bob) soared. I found interesting colors which I had been unsuccessful in finding on my personal instrument (a 1920 Juzek cello from Prague I nickname Princess Sophia).

Needless to say, with the end of my time at New York University I had to return Sir Bob to his rightful owner and I am left with Princess and my not-so-high-quality carbon fiber bow and it's difficult. Frustration and lack of endurance and confidence have settled back in as I find myself searching high and low for fragments of the sound that I was able to create with Sir Bob. Although there are moments when I can hear a beautiful moment lurking in the background, I know that the sound has probably reached its peak and won't become any more magical.

My goal for this summer is to try and find a bow that works properly for Princess. I think that will add a lot as far as finding all the many colors of my instrument that I know it has. I must say though that I'm incredibly inspired, however frustrated I am, to overcome the obstacle of my instrument and bow and one day reward all my effort with a nice cello of my own.

What the future has in store....

2009-05-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

Recently I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Music from New York University. Although I am going to miss my friends, teachers, and New York City terribly I am incredibly excited to start the next stage of my life. So what exactly does my future have in store for me???? GRAD SCHOOL!

This fall I will begin my M.Mus. at Indiana University in the studio of Sharon Robinson. I'm looking forward to the change. I think it will help make me into a more versatile cellist. I will be inspired by different people and definitely a different environment. Right now, at the beginning of the summer, the fall seems like it will be so new and fresh, but I know as time approaches I will be growing steadily more nervous. Here's to excitement jitters!

The Website

2009-04-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
I am currently working on a website that will hopefully be a helpful tool in this whole music business. Having no experience with programming or html or any of that stuff I am hoping to create something that will be a way for people to get in contact with me and find out more about me. If anyone has any pointers on how I can make my website a better place, I am soooo open to hearing your suggestions!

Always,
Alana

alanabennettcellist.com