Why I love the viola
A couple of months ago I borrowed a viola just for fun, and to make a long story short: I am in love – and for 2 very good reasons. First of all, I love the sound of it. There’s something about the slightly melancholic and very singing, smooth sound of the viola that speaks to me. It seems, at least to me to be closer to the human voice. I also discovered that it fits my body like a glove. I have very long arms and long fingers, and surprisingly some of the things I struggle with on the violin, becomes easy and natural on the viola. With the violin, my left elbow is very closed, and in recent months that has created some discomfort during the long opera performances I have been involved in – playing the viola opens up my elbow more, and the discomfort is gone. Of course, violists do get performance related injuries even more often than violinists, and certainly run the risk over contracting the pectoralis minor. I believe, as I do for violin playing, that the key is learning to suppurt the instrument more with the left hand, also during shifting.
Over all, I am seriously contemplating focusing on the viola, i.e. become a “real” violist. I love the violin, and will certainly continue playing it, but maybe the viola will suit my personality better? I am about to find out in the coming months.
Back in business
My wrist is fine again, and I’m playing full time. It took about a month, and according to medical science I should count myself lucky, as it can take up to 3 months for the overstretched ligaments to heal and fully contract. I have been busy freelancing a lot with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra in Sweden and practicing for upcoming auditions. I have also been preparing a few pieces to record for this website and expect to upload material within a week.
In other news, the article about my story in “Musikeren” (”The Musician”) is coming out in a few days. Stay tuned for more….
A sprained wrist and a gig
Just as things where going really well I have sprained my left wrist and thumb. That means I’ll miss the audition in the Suth Jutland Symphony I’ve been preparing for, and quite possibly I will also have to cancel an orchestral gig next week – the first in a month. It has reminded me of two things; First how vulnerable you really are as a musician, how quickly you can loose the ability to do what you have spent a lifetime learning, and secondly how easy it is – especially as a freelancer – to give in to the pressure of the business and begin playing too soon after an injury. Even though this is just a sprain that will heal again, I once again find myself in the uncomfortable position of weighing the pros and cons of doing the gig next week, even if I still have pain: What will the orchestra manager think, especially given my recent year long absense due to the shoulder injury? My colleagues? Is this going to affect my chances of getting work there in the future? And then there’s the fact that I need the money! Put all this up against the fact that if you begin using your wrist too soon after a sprain and you will prolong the healing time and risk chronic injury. The answer should be obvious, but it is really tempting to just plough ahead and start learning the music for the gig.
So what exactly is a wrist sprain and why do they usually take so long to heal? I’ve put together a little info here….
Staying busy
Ok, so work on the site has slowed down, but for good reasons; I’ve been busy doing what I’m supposed to do, namely play the violin for a living. Having been out for almost 2 years with the injury, starting from the bottom of the freelance scene has proven harder than I imagined, but now gigs are slowly starting to come my way. I just spent 2 weeks working in the South Jutland Symphony, one of the 5 regional symphony orchestras in Denmark. This past weekend I played Brahms Requiem in a church in Sweden, and this saturday I am going back to Sweden to play in the Malmö Symphony Orchestra in a stadium concert (yes!) with Jose Carreras (yep, one of the 3 three tenors). It’s nice to finally be a struggling musician again – before I was just struggling.
Other upcoming projects include an interview and article concerning my injury and return to playing in “Musikeren“, THE magazine for professional musicians in Denmark. They (and particularly the editor) have (more…)
Still Working
Work on the site is coming along nicely, as you can see. I expect to be done with the last few minor tweeks in the next few days, then add all the content concerning my anatomy lecture before the end of the week.
Stay tuned!
Nicolaj
Hang on…
I’m working on a brand new version of the thesteelydane.com! This will center not only around my activities as a violinist, but also my role as an advocate for prevention of music performance related injuries. I plan to have a members section for people who have attended one of my lectures with relevant info, links and reminders of what we talked about.
Stay tuned, it should all be ready in a few days…
Nicolaj
Nicolaj Møller Nielsen
Latest: Nicolaj featured in Danish magazine “Musikeren” (”The Musician”). Read the article online here or download a PDF here.Nicolaj Møller Nielsen is a Danish violist (and on occasion violinist), based in Copenhagen. He has since graduating from the Carl Nielsen Academy of Music in 2004 had a diverse career, including solo recitals, chamber music, orchestral work and studio sessions. Although classically trained, he’s is constantly exploring uncharted territory and seeking new ways of expression. He is a Banff Centre alumnus and in 2008 he commissioned a large scale work for solo violin from American composer Jenny Olivia Johnson. In 2009 he also began playing the viola.
Having recovered from a near career ending shoulder injury, Nicolaj is an active proponent for the prevention of performance related injurys, both as a writer and lecturer and in working with the medical community to promote more research on the subject. As a speaker on the subject he has appeared at the Banff Centre (with Canadian physiotherapist Hugh Simson) and The Royal Danish Academy of Music as well as numerous other places.
Nicolaj has received grants and awards from all the leading Danish cultural foundations, including the Augustinus Foundation and “Knud Højgaards Fond”. He plays a gorgeous modern instrument build by Pierre Dalphin in 1984.
Nicolaj on Facebook: thesteelydane