Practice Diary: violinist-violist Yura Lee

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This article was published in The Strad August 2016 issue

Monday

It is 1am and I’m stuck at the airport: my instrument isn’t allowed on the plane. The airline agent finally finds me a new flight – but it doesn’t leave until 8am. I go to the nearest hotel to sleep, then get up at 5.30am to practise some basics: firstly open strings with even bow pressure throughout each stroke, trying to feel as though the bow is part of my body.

Next I work through Ševčík’s op.1 no.1 first-position exercises, thinking about the energy I need to lift and drop my fingers. I listen for pure intonation and get into a Zen state of mind, but I have to move on to my Carl Flesch scales: I don’t have much time. When I’m tired, I tend to use too much force; I notice that I’m not releasing my hand as I shift, so I focus on that.

After my flight, I drop off my luggage and go to a Haydn trio rehearsal (violin) and then another for a Brahms Sextet (viola), which lasts into the late afternoon.

Later I practise Bach’s Partita no.2. I record myself, listen to the recording, then try to shape my phrases more coherently. I also play through Ernst’s Erlkönig, Ysaÿe’s Sonata no.5, some folk pieces, and Biber’s Passacaglia, where I have to work on keeping a constant pulse.

Tuesday

This morning is the dress rehearsal for the Haydn. In the break I work on Biber, thinking about pulse and the bigger musical picture. The Brahms Sextet dress rehearsal is next, until mid-afternoon.

Back at home I practise Bach’s Partita no.2, thinking about how to group the notes in the Gigue, and how and where to use my fourth finger. In the Sarabande I work on bow and weight distribution; in the Courante I place different weights on the dotted rhythms and triplets. Finally, in the Allemande I notice that I’m forcing the sound, so I try to let my strings resonate.

After tonight’s concert I mean to do more practice, but instead I have a text-message ‘meeting’ with my quartet until the wee hours, to set pieces for our next season.

Wednesday

Today I warm up on the viola, with scales in every key, starting with C major and working upwards. Then I move on to Bach’s Fourth Suite in E flat major, before looking at Beethoven’s Piano Quartet in the same key. The weather has changed and I am having problems with wolf notes. I try to focus the sound and change my intonation so that the pitches are pure and the phrases feel natural.

After I’ve practised Mozart’s String Quintet in G minor on my viola, I have a dress rehearsal of Bach’s Partita no.2 on the violin. Two run-throughs of Bach have been taxing; I take a pre-concert nap.

Thursday

This morning the rehearsal is at my place, so I warm up in a leisurely manner with scales, Bach’s Third Suite and a Mozart duo. Then I have Mozart Quintet and Beethoven Quartet dress rehearsals. I rest before the concert, then allow myself to enjoy the after-concert party – a rare treat.

Friday

This morning I drive as fast as I can to my rehearsal, so that I can warm up first. My Mozart duo partner is late, so I practise scales and Bach’s Sixth Suite for an hour.

After the rehearsal I work on some of the emotional aspects of Biber’s Passacaglia, looking at the high and low points of the piece. I also practise Enescu’s Impressions d’enfance, absorbing his instructions into my thoughts as much as possible; then a fiddle piece by Mark O’Connor, which has scordatura tuning, Ysaÿe Sonata no.5, the Ernst, and the Berg Violin Concerto.

The Mozart concert goes well. I don’t do any more practice tonight.

Saturday

Today I have to pack, practise, rehearse and play in a concert before travelling to another festival. I focus on the Ernst, then load my car with luggage and head to my next dress rehearsal. The venue is reverberant, so I need to play clearly and concisely. Next I return to the Ernst, setting my metronome at 𝅘𝅥 = 40. Two notches at a time, I take the speed up to around 𝅘𝅥 = 160, making sure that my arm isn’t getting tenser. No matter how slow or fast I play, I think about music, beauty, and emotion: it always makes difficult technical passages flow more easily and naturally.

After an exciting performance, I load up my car and drive to the next festival – and it all begins again