Just One Of Those Times

03. April 2007 · Comments Off on Just One Of Those Times · Categories: imported, Ramble

We had our first of (only) two rehearsals for the 150th SJSU celebration. We played through the Ravel Piano Concerto, and I had one crack at the solo in the second movement. I’ll probably get to play it once more, at the dress.

This isn’t the first time I’ve played it, mind you, but it’s sure eons since I did it last. So it went … well … hmmm … you ever have one of those days when you just don’t know how you did? Or is this just my problem. The Maestro, right after, said something like “good job” or some such thing, but it was just one of those times … I honestly don’t know how I did!

How can that happen, I wonder? I was there. I was listening to myself. Honest! But I dunno. I’m just out of it, I guess.

Nothing new under the sun, eh?
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Woo Hoo!

03. April 2007 · Comments Off on Woo Hoo! · Categories: Announcements, imported

GO GIANTS!!

… only minutes until the game begins. Good times, everyone. Good times!

I only wish I could be there today. Sniffle, sniffle.

(Double posted at the pattyo)

Update
Just heard a “fantastic” (according the announcer) rendition of the national anthem. (Done by four men who are the stars of a popular musical.)

Truth is, it was absolutely abominable. They were out of tune. They had horrible tone. And it was, for this fan anyway, painful. Sigh.

I don’t care for the operatic treatment of the anthem either, but in tune is nice, and a good voice is kind of handy.

And Finally …
Well, what did we expect!? When the national anthem is butchered, how in the world could the team possibly play well? They needed to call it all off and come back another day. I’d lose too. 🙁
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From A Blog

03. April 2007 · 5 comments · Categories: imported, Other People's Words

flip-flops at the opera?

I’m happy that one can go to the orchestra or opera in Hong Kong wearing jeans and a hoodie and not be looked down upon. And I’m glad there are more mixed audiences for these events in Asia. (Whereas it’s really the old “blue-rinse” crowd in the West, or so everyone complains).

Maybe because Western classical music doesn’t have so much of a history here, Hong Kong’s classical music events don’t have the same pretentious, rich-crowd feel as they do overseas.

At the Renee Fleming concert on Saturday, half the audience was in jeans — with heels and a nice top at the top of the scale, with Converse All-Stars and school bags at the other end. I particularly liked the girl with the knee-high magenta suede boots.

But shorts? I pardon the Hong Kong Chinese boy in shorts and sneakers, carrying a sports bag, as he was probably 7 and had been dragged there by his parents. Who knew what they were thinking? “Oh, there will be two hours of Strauss orchestral works and lieder tonight. Let’s pick up the kids from badminton practice and go….”

But how about the foreigner in the t-shirt, shorts and rubber flip-flops? An adult foreigner. Did he get lost on his way from the Rugby 7s?

Found here.

More later … on my way to UCSC.