Transposition and transformation

Spent the evening tuning the timpani. Only managed to tune 2 (out of 4), partly because it's been a while since I balanced a timpani head. The other reason is that another band was practicing down the hall, and there's no soundproofing whatsoever. Their playing was a hindrance to my tuning, and probably I was disturbing them as well. Unfortunately the only "free" evening in Attila from any practice sessions is tomorrow (Thursday) and I have Finnish class then. Well, at least I took care of the 2 most used ones (for the pieces we're playing this season). I'll just have to find another time slot to do the other 2.

The band mentioned above is Torvikopla. They are a big band consisting of mainly students from the two universities in Tampere (similarly for the orchestra I'm in). I almost joined them last year when I was looking for a band/orchestra to play in. I emailed them in June or July and received a reply saying I was welcome to join them when they resumed rehearsals in August. But between celebrating my birthday, nursing a broken heart, getting sick in Greece, and falling out with a good friend, last August went by in a blur. For some reason I decided not to pursue it... having more pressing issues to deal with in my life then I suppose. It's a good thing I waited though, for I'm to hear about TASO from a friend only this year. While I do like big band music and will probably have lots of fun playing in Torvikopla, I simply *love* the music that I get to make with TASO.

And to think they both rehearse in the same premises - Attila, an old shoe factory now university library! Perhaps not too surprising, since they are both student music groups. In fact, the Tampere University Singers also practice here. Maybe I should just join all of them and spend all my evenings making music :)

Check out the following possible new skyline of Tampere. I hope this "facelift" plan gets approved! It'll be another reason to be proud to call this lovely city my home.

Tampere's Cityscape May Get Major Facelift

(photo source: yle.fi)