"Use this APP to shoot, I have already adjusted the mode, don't change it randomly."
Lu Xiang'er stood in the square in front of the church, handed her cell phone to Fang Xing, and prepared to take a photo with the church.
Fang Xing took a look at the photo mode she had set. It turned out to be a beauty filter. He couldn't help complaining: "Using this kind of filter will cause distortion. How can you take natural photos that look good?"
"I don't care, just use this mode to shoot." Lu Xiang'er still insisted.
Fang Xing shook his head and smiled, taking photos of her as she requested to satisfy her anxiety about appearance.
In fact, Fang Xing's aesthetics is more natural.
The photos with excessive beautification and distorted light structure were actually quite scary in Fang Xing's opinion.
Lu Xiang'er's filter is okay, not too excessive.
However, Fang Xing still prefers the truest appearance of things.
In the square in front of San Lorenzo Cathedral, there are many couples from foreign countries taking photos and kissing here.
Fang Xing glanced at the couple next to him.
Lu Xiang'er glanced sideways, then covered her mouth with a smile, hid her head in Fang Xing's arms, and said coyly: "There are too many people."
"Hurry up." Fang Xing hugged her waist and urged.
Lu Xiang'er stood on tiptoes, raised her head, and kissed her quickly, then quickly lowered her head to hide her face, her heart pounding.
…
In the afternoon.
The two went to watch the violin competition today.
After listening, Fang Xing found that the players in the second game were also of very high standard.
After watching the game, Fang Xing made a reservation at the Harbor Restaurant for dinner.
Since they had a flight to catch in the evening, the two of them moved their dinner time a little earlier.
The two of them looked at the blue water and the few cruise ships in the harbor, eating pasta, and the time flowed leisurely.
After dinner, the two pulled up the wicker chairs, sat in front of the restaurant's terrace, ordered two drinks, and continued to watch the sea.
On the sea, seabirds fly across the water from time to time.
Lu Xiang'er suddenly sighed and said: "After listening to the second game today, I feel that my game is more difficult. I may not even be able to enter the semi-finals."
Fang Xing stretched out his hand to rub her head and said with a smile, "Why are you worried about this?"
Lu Xiang'er poked the lemon slices in the cup with a straw and said: "The participating players are all very high-level. I feel that even if I can enter the semi-finals, I won't get a good ranking."
Fang Xing thought for a moment, took her violin, set up the bow, and played a trill on the E string. The sound was like the chirping of birds in the morning.
The chirping was very pleasant to the ear.
"Can you vibrato the E string?" After the demonstration, Fang Xing asked.
Lu Xiang'er's eyes widened, with an expression of sudden realization: "Why has your violin level improved... Damn it, you played it on purpose this morning, right?"
When Fang Xing played the violin on the street in the morning, he deliberately played badly in order to give her a cushion and make her less stressed.
"It's not important. I'm asking you if you can play the vibrato on the E string." Fang Xing waved his hand to fool him in the morning.
When talking about violin playing, Lu Xiang'er also became serious.
She took the violin, tried it, and replied: "Yes, I know this technique."
After listening to her attempt, Fang Xing said, "How about this? As long as you can enter the semi-finals, I will teach you a very unique piece of music and you will be able to win by surprise. Maybe you can get a good ranking."
"Really? Where's the music score?" Lu Xiang'er wanted to see the music score now.
"We'll do it when we get back." Fang Xing agreed and planned to come up with that unique violin piece when he went back.
The two cuddled together and sat in the harbor restaurant until evening.
I had to catch a flight, so I reluctantly left.
…
After returning to the East China Sea.
Fang Xing composed the violin piece "Skylark" by Diniku and listened to it on the music workstation. He felt very good and then sent it to Lu Xiang'er.
The preliminary round of the Paganini International Violin Competition has only reached the third round.
The final results of the semi-finals have not yet been announced.
However, after Lu Xiang'er got the score of "Skylark", he tried to play it first. He immediately fell in love with the piece and started practicing seriously.
a week later.
The preliminary results of the Paganini International Violin Competition are out.
Lu Xiang'er entered the semi-finals with ninth place in the preliminary round.
As soon as she got the notice to participate in the semi-finals, she ran over excitedly, jumped up and hugged Fang Xing's neck, forgetting herself with joy.
"I can participate in the rematch, and I can play your music on the court."
Lu Xiang'er was so excited that she wanted to spin around in circles. Those who didn't know it thought she had won the championship.
"I'm just entering the semi-finals, do you need to be so excited?" Fang Xing shook his head and smiled.
"Of course I'm excited. As for Paganini's semi-finals, you know, if you enter the semi-finals while still in school, you can guarantee your postgraduate qualifications." Lu Xiang'er corrected seriously.
Dongyin does have guarantee quotas for international competitions.
Not only the Paganini International Violin Competition, but also all instrumental music majors, if you participate in international competitions recognized by the school and get ranked, you will have the opportunity to maintain your postgraduate studies.
There are many international musical instrument competitions, some with high gold content and some with low gold content.
Therefore, Donghai Conservatory of Music will only guarantee research places for high-value competitions.
The Paganini International Violin Competition is the most valuable violin competition.
In the youth group competition, as long as you enter the semi-finals, you can apply for postgraduate guarantee.
However, many students apply for the Paganini International Violin Competition every year, but very few qualify for the preliminary round.
Therefore, in fact, there are actually very few undergraduates who obtain postgraduate placements through international competitions every year.
…
After Lu Xiang'er entered the semi-finals of the Paganini International Violin Competition, the school arranged for professors to give her tutoring to help her achieve the semi-finals ranking.
In this year's Paganini International Violin Competition, in addition to Lu Xiang'er from Dongyin, another student entered the semi-finals.
However, it is not an undergraduate degree, but a graduate degree.
Both of them are tutored by Professor He Zhaolin, who majors in violin, and they are dedicated to competing in the Paganini semi-finals.
This afternoon.
Lu Xiang'er came to the violin classroom at two o'clock. She originally thought she had arrived very early.
When I came to the door of the classroom, I heard the sound of a piano in the classroom.
When I opened the door, I saw that graduate student Chen Wenhan, who had also entered the semi-finals, was practicing piano in the classroom.
When Lu Xiang'er saw Chen Wenhan, she quickly nodded and said hello: "Hello, senior."
Chen Wenhan put down his violin and greeted him with a friendly smile: "Are you here so early?"
"You were earlier." Lu Xiang'er took off the violin case and put it on the desk next to the wall.
"I didn't go back to the dormitory at noon. I came over right after lunch." Chen Wenhan replied.
Lu Xiang'er raised her eyebrows and said in surprise: "So hard?"
Chen Wenhan shook his head and said with a smile: "Aren't you the same? Otherwise, how would you enter the semi-finals? Entering the semi-finals as an undergraduate is a bit impressive."
"The senior is also very good. The second place entered the semi-finals." Lu Xiang'er gave a thumbs up and sincerely praised her.
Chen Wenhan said modestly: "Professor He's coaching is so good that you are really good if you can enter the semi-finals."
Lu Xiang'er quickly said modestly: "I'm just lucky. I entered the semi-finals in ninth place, but I almost didn't make it."
There are only ten places available for the youth group’s semi-finals of this year’s Paganini International Violin Competition.
Therefore, Lu Xiang'er entered the semi-finals with ninth place in the preliminary round, and indeed stepped on the line to enter. If the judges' score had been slightly lower, he might not have been able to enter the semi-finals.
Chen Wenhan is different. He entered the semi-finals with the second place in the preliminary round.
There is only one player in front of him, and that is Patrick Pate.
The two chatted for a while.
Lu Xiang'er took out the violin and started practicing.
Chen Wenhan pointed out from the side: "You are very skilled in playing the bow, but you need to pay attention to your fingering. If your fingering is not accurate, calluses will be left on your fingers."
In fact, for violinists, the fingers of their left hand will be more or less calloused.
Because the fingers of the left hand have to press the strings, if the posture of changing the strings is wrong, the fingers will rub against the strings and form calluses.
Of course, the number and thickness of the calluses are related to the correct action of pressing the strings.
The more standard the movement, the thinner the cocoon.
If you don't practice so hard, there won't even be any cocoons.
Lu Xiang'er's string-pressing movements are still very standard, but she usually practices hard, so there is still a layer of calluses on her fingers.
For girls, having calluses on their hands is a very low self-esteem thing.
Therefore, she usually hides her left hand when she is with Fang Xing.
When Lu Xiang'er heard Chen Wenhan mention cocoons, she subconsciously hid her left hand behind her back, and then showed a naive smile to hide her inferiority complex.
Chen Wenhan saw what she was thinking, stretched out his left hand and said, "Look at my fingers. The calluses are very thin, right? As long as the string-pressing posture is accurate enough, the calluses will fall off. Let me teach you."
"No... no need..." Lu Xiang'er was a little embarrassed to refuse, but also embarrassed to accept his kindness.
It didn't take long.
Professor He Zhaolin, who was tutoring the two, walked into the classroom, asked them to sit down, and said: "I tutor all the students who participate in the international violin competition every year.
“However, usually more graduate students are tutored, and undergraduates rarely enter the semi-finals.
"For about five or six years, no undergraduate student has entered the Paganini semi-finals.
"Lu Xiang'er, you are indeed very talented.
"However, you should also know that you have some shortcomings in terms of age and skills.
"So, you have to be extra serious in these two weeks of coaching to have a chance to get ranked in the semi-finals.
“Since there are only two weeks until the rematch, I won’t teach you the basics.
“It’s too late to teach basic things now.
“So I will help you achieve your ranking based on some rules for Paganini’s rematch.
“This year, our school has two students entering the semi-finals at a time, which is a good opportunity to get a ranking.
"Especially Chen Wenhan, your goal is to secure three points and compete for one.
"If you can win this year's Paganini Youth Championship, your place as a doctor next year will be guaranteed."
Later.
Under the guidance of He Zhaolin, the two began training for the Paganini rematch.
to 5 p.m.
The tutoring was over and He Zhaolin left after class.
Lu Xiang'er started packing her things and getting ready to eat.
Chen Wenhan suggested: "Lu Xiang'er, why don't we have a meal together. Let's talk about the semi-finals by the way. With my help, you can still hope to get a good ranking."
Lu Xiang'er was stunned for a moment. Faced with Chen Wenhan's invitation, she didn't know how to refuse, but she hesitated and said: "Well... I want to go home for dinner today..."
"That's it, let's do it next time. By the way, when we go to Genoa for the semi-finals, do you want to go together? It will be more convenient to have each other look after each other." Chen Wenhan suggested again.
"My mother will accompany me then." Lu Xiang'er replied.
"That's okay. You can go back and tell your mother. It's more convenient for classmates from the same school to enter the semi-finals together." Chen Wenhan argued.
"Uh... I'll ask first." Lu Xiang'er had no choice but to agree.
However, after she returned home, she forgot about it and didn't mention it at all.
…
The next afternoon.
Lu Xiang'er went to the small classroom for class as usual.
After the tutoring session, Chen Wenhan proposed to have dinner together.
Lu Xiang'er squeaked again, trying to cope with it.
"Are you too shy? We just have a meal together, and we are going to compete together. We can get to know each other better, and we can help each other when the time comes, right?" Chen Wenhan argued.
"No, thank you very much for your help, senior. I really have something to do today." Lu Xiang'er apologized quickly.
"Okay. Let's talk about it next time. Don't be so nervous. Don't worry, I will take care of you during the competition." Chen Wenhan was not too anxious.
After a week of tutoring in a small classroom.
He Zhaolin began to choose the music for the competition based on the violin level of the two people: "In the Paganini rematch, there are no special restrictions on the selection of music.
"However, Paganini's competition requires higher skills than other competitions.
"Chen Wenhan, I think you can choose one of Paganini's pieces for the competition, and try to choose one that is more difficult.
"Lu Xiang'er, the difficulty of your competition song can be slightly lowered, but it cannot be too low.
"Do you have any ideas about the music for the competition? You can tell us and discuss it."
Chen Wenhan had already thought about the music for the competition, which was Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor.
He Zhaolin agreed with his decision, and then asked Lu Xiang'er what he thought: "What about you? What are your thoughts on the song selection?"
Lu Xiang'er said directly: "I have prepared a competition song."
"Which one? Tell me, and let's consult together to see if it's suitable." He Zhaolin will not force students to choose a song for the competition, but if the song is really inappropriate, he will definitely suggest changing it.
"It's called Skylark." Lu Xiang'er replied.
""Skylark"? I don't think I've heard of it. Which concerto is it from?" He Zhaolin frowned. He had never heard of such a violin piece.
"Professor, a friend gave it to me." Lu Xiang'er replied.
When He Zhaolin heard that it was composed by a friend, he immediately felt that it was unreliable.
The semi-finals of the youth group of the Paganini International Violin Competition is no mere play. Getting a good ranking is something that will benefit you for a lifetime.
"Lu Xiang'er, this competition is very important. You should be more careful when choosing songs." He Zhaolin subconsciously thought that the music Lu Xiang'er mentioned must be unpopular, and began to dissuade her.
"Professor, how about I do it again now?" Lu Xiang'er argued.
"Okay, play it again. If it doesn't work, just change it. It will definitely be right among Paganini's twenty-four capriccios." Although He Zhaolin felt that the music Lu Xiang'er said was definitely unreliable, he still agreed.
She pulled it once.
Lu Xiang'er took a deep breath, tightened her bow and began to play "Skylark".
At the beginning, when He Zhaolin heard the first half, he felt that the music was better than expected, and much better.
When I listened to the second half, I became more and more surprised.
This piece of music was completely on the level of a classic, but he had never heard it before.
When the "skylark" chirped, He Zhaolin couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, showing an expression of surprise.
When I first heard this piece, I felt amazing, especially the vibrato on the E string, which is so unique.
