Pittsburgh Symphony

29. March 2007 · Comments Off on Pittsburgh Symphony · Categories: imported, News

Some orchestra members came prepared for very specific adventures: Bassist Don Evans, cellist Michael Lipman and librarian Lisa Gedris all brought their golf clubs. Early in the morning, they drove north from Ventura Beach to a course in Ojai, where they played a round together. Cellist Adam Liu accompanied them on the outing — his first experience observing the game of golf in person. He appeared on stage for the concert in the evening with sun and a big smile on his face.

So is the sun on his face or did he just bring the sun with him? I’m confuzzed. 😉

This is from an article on the PSO’s tour. Included is a photo of the principal oboist, Cynthia De Almeida. I’d love to hear her play Pulcinella Suite!
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I Hope …

29. March 2007 · Comments Off on I Hope … · Categories: imported, Ramble

… this isn’t supposed to sound like a real orchestra. I’ll have to read more to see if Notion is saying this recording sounds like real musicians, but this page makes me think that they think they sound real.

They don’t.

Maybe I’m not getting it though. I don’t get a lot of things. So I’m sure some reader out there will help me. You all are so nice that way!
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But What If They Like It?

29. March 2007 · Comments Off on But What If They Like It? · Categories: imported, Ramble

Authorities in Vienna are planning to drive drunks and drug addicts from the city’s main underground station, Karlsplatz, by the judicious use of the music for which the city has become renowned – opera.

I’ve written about this before, and I’m guessing I’ll write about it again. But oh well! It just irks me that we take something that many find wonderful and turn it into punishment. And the assumptions that are made drive me bonkers!

Now, the local council has a new tactic. Loudspeakers will pipe opera and classical music into the station, providing a calming, refined soundtrack and, officials hope, a gentler solution to the problem. “These sorts of people are not fans of such music. We believe they will not hang around,” a council spokesperson said (perhaps a trifle snobbishly).

… a trifle snobbishly? I’ll bet.

RTWT
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Want To Set Up A Play! Date?

29. March 2007 · Comments Off on Want To Set Up A Play! Date? · Categories: Announcements, imported

No, not the kind that parents set up for their children. (I actually despise the whole “play date” thing … when I was a kid I just walked down the street, knocked on the door and said, “Can Sherri play?” But now I’m sounding OLD, aren’t I?)

This “Play! date” is about a video game concert. “Symphony Silicon Valley” will be doing this again. I think I’ll be playing, but I haven’t seen the instrumentation list yet. But the show will be on May 26 at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, and is taking place during the Fanime convention.

I saw some fanime folk last year when I was doing something at the California Theatre and they were across the street at the convention center. At first I didn’t know what was going on—I just saw a ton of people all dressed up in the most elaborate costumes ever. I’m guessing this convention may be similar. I should bring a camera …?!
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Good Question

29. March 2007 · Comments Off on Good Question · Categories: imported, Ramble

“There are a lot of musicians who come here thinking that the most important thing is their art, and that other concerns—like making money—don’t matter.” Around the beginning of fourth year, though, “People start to get a little scared. They start thinking, ‘what am I gonna do next?'”

Read the article.

I think a lot of music schools and music departments in universities have done their students a disservice. I know I wasn’t told what to do with my degree once I had it. (I was fortunate; I won my audition while in college, but that was a long time ago. That doesn’t really happen much anymore, and there are more musicians and fewer orchestras these days.) No one taught us about business matters. No one said, “So what are your plans once you leave here?”

How much of the responsibility is on the instructors? How much on the students (or parents)? I honestly don’t know. But I do know we shouldn’t give our students the notion that they’ll manage to land that perfect symphony job. There aren’t any guarantees.
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MQOD

29. March 2007 · Comments Off on MQOD · Categories: imported, Quotes

No longer tired, Henry comes away from the wall where he’s been leaning, and walks into the middle of the dark auditorium, toward the great engine of sound. He lets it engulf him. There are these rare moments when musicians together touch something sweeter than they’ve ever found before in rehearsals or performance, beyond the merely collaborative or technically proficient, when their expression becomes as easy and graceful as friendship or love. This is when they give us a glimpse of what we might be, of our best selves, and of an impossible world in which you give everything you have to others, but lose nothing of yourself. Out in the real world there exist detailed plans, visionary projects for peaceable realms, all conflicts resolved, happiness for everyone, for ever—mirages for which people are prepared to die and kill. Christ’s kingdom on earth, the workers’ paradise, the ideal Islamic state. But only in music, and only on rare occasions, does the curtain actually lift on this dream of community, and it’s tantalisingly conjured, before fading away with the last notes.

-Ian McEwan, Saturday

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