Concert Over and Out

10. December 2005 · 2 comments · Categories: Announcements, imported

Tonight’s concert held a couple of surprises.

I had planned on using “Reed A” for the first half (which I believed to be the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante and Tchaikovsky’s Mozartiana Suite No. 4) and “Reed 1” for Mozart Prague Symphony. Both reeds were okay … neither made me entirely comfortable, but that’s often the way things go and I play fairly well on bad reeds. (It’s a gift!) Reed 1 was definitely the best for the Prague, although it was at it’s best Thursday afternoon and was now clearly contemplating retirement. Or at least a bit of rebellion.

But then I pulled out another reed that I’d been working on and had played while I taught today. Hmmm. What to call it? “Reed Blue” I guess. And it just felt right. Like it was meant to be played today.

The concert began 10 minutes late, due to the parking problems in the area; what with Christmas in the Park, a Nutcracker at the CPA, a Sharks game, and various other events going on, traffic is bad and parking is worse, especially since two lots that were around last year have now been taken over for construction. I hate beginning concerts late. But no one asks me.

So I began with Blue and it was quite agreeable in the Concertante. The soloists did a fabulous job, too. Some fine music was heard!

Then I thought we had a quick furniture change for the Tchaikovsky. I was a bit surprised that the stage folk were taking their time moving furniture, and was even more astounded that the audience started to get up and leave. I thought it was sort of odd and maybe a bit rude of them … were they going home after just one work? Were they just bugged that there was a bit of commotion on stage? Say what?! So I sat, along with my colleague on second oboe and the two bassonists. We sat. And sat. It took me at least 15 minutes to realize that I was sitting through intermission (Yes. Yes I can be rather slow sometimes.), and that I could and should have gone backstage to tell Pam Hakl how much I enjoyed her oboing during the Concertante. (The other soloists played the rest of the concert so I could catch them later, but Pam was done after the solo so she left for home during intermission and I missed her. Rats! Sorry, Pam.)

So it was then too late to get up, or to try my other two reeds, to warm them up for the symphony. Ah well. This is life, yes? Full of surprises!

But, in fact, Blue really came through on all three pieces. Yay Blue! You rule!

I thought the concert went very well. The conductor, George Cleve, did a great job. I had a great time! Now we do it all again tomorrow.

This time, though, I think I’ll get out of my chair during intermission. That’ll be the plan, anyway!

Blogging and Its Dangers

10. December 2005 · 6 comments · Categories: imported, Ramble

A short time ago a singer, Canadienne, blogged about not blogging for a while. She may not come back at all, in fact (although I enjoy her blog and certainly hope that she does). Then Anne-Carolyn over at The Concert blogged in reaction to Canadienne’s post. Both are worth reading.

And of course I think about this stuff as well.

I don’t receive the emails some bloggers do— no people are asking for my autographed picture or anything. (And I don’t think asking a singer for an autographed picture is all that bizarre … but asking for an oboist’s picture would surely be!) I don’t get a whole lot of responses to posts, in fact. That’s okay.

I blog because I teach and I want students to understand this “glamorous life” for what it is. I blog to show, I hope, both the wonderfully good and the woefully stressful things about being on stage and in the pit. I blog because I really do love what I do. I blog because I think some concert goers enjoy seeing what goes on in the mind of a (perhaps crazy) oboist. I blog because it’s a bit cathartic sometimes. I blog just because sometimes.

But I don’t blog to air dirty laundry. I don’t blog to badmouth anyone else in my field. I’ve worked for stars and with colleagues who were less than pleasant. (Some were a genuine pain in the butt.) But I won’t talk about them here. This is, after all, about me! (Kidding. Sort of.) I refuse to expose anything that should be left unexposed. I try, as much as I’m able, to only write about the good, the interesting, and, if it’s about me, the terribly goofy. I’m also willing, as everyone has seen, to write about my own fears and foibles. If I see these things in other musicians, and I do, I leave it to them to write about it or leave it a secret. I will write about great performances, and I don’t hesitate to comment on colleagues who have “wowed” me with their music making. Heck, we all need kudos now and then. This is no easy business we are in.

While I get very few comments (but oh how I love it when you do comment!) in the discussion area, I do hear from a fairly good number via instant message. I love that. It’s great fun to chat with readers of this blog. However, the minute someone asks me if certain personal or harmful things are true about someone else other than myself, I will stop the conversation or direct it elsewhere. As I’ve said before, I will now answer those kinds of questions, even if I have answers. And if I’m asked too many times I will block that person from my buddy list for a time. So just know that I will not go there! Period.

Anyway, this is merely a ramble because I read those other two bloggers’ posts and I like to turn everything into something about me. I’m humble that way.

Music Quote

10. December 2005 · Comments Off on Music Quote · Categories: imported, Ramble

Nor do I hear in my imagination the parts successively, I hear them all at once. What a delight this is! All this inventing, this producing, takes place in a pleasing, lively dream.

-Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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