Getting Caught

03. May 2008 · Comments Off on Getting Caught · Categories: Links, Ramble

Most reviewers are, I truly believe, honest people who want to write up good reviews.

Okay. I read the above and have to laugh at myself. I am such a liar!

Maybe it’s more like this: Most reviewers are, I truly believe, people. They write reviews based on what they heard. They really believe they are correct.

Is that better? Because I’m really not sure what I think about reviewers. But that’s because they sometimes hurt my feelings. And when one’s feelings are hurt one can become irrational. So I don’t truly know if they are honest, and I don’t know if they want to write good reviews. (I’m not talking “good” as in “the concert was great!” but “good” as in well written and accurate.) I only know they can make me feel very, very good, or very, very rotten. 🙂

Seriously, though, I suspect most of them want to write good and honest reviews. I do think the ones around here these days are that way.

But sometimes a reviewer gets caught.

I do wonder about those reviewers. Why do they write reviews if they don’t know the difference between an English horn and a baritone horn (it happened, I was there), leave a concert early but write a full review (it happened, I saw it), sleep through it, or simply don’t attend at all (it happened, he was fired)? That’s puzzling.

Nearing the End

03. May 2008 · Comments Off on Nearing the End · Categories: Links, Opera, Ramble, Symphony

Tonight is my final performance (Magic Flute) of the Opera San José season. (There is one more performance tomorrow, but I’m unable to play due to my schedule; it’s very odd, and sort of sad, to have to skip the final show of the season.) I have two symphony sets left (first Gershwin and then Stravinsky, both not “normal” concerts, which is sort of strange), and a short run of Beauty and the Beast with AMTSJ. This all fits in between today and June 8. I do have one other small job the following week, playing for a Russian Music Piano Competition, and one even smaller job in August. That’s it.

But when we play our final notes of Stravinsky I do consider the season done. I always have mixed feelings.

I’m not very good at living in the moment. I tend to be looking forward to the next big thing. So as I’m playing something — even something I love — I’m busy looking at the upcoming work. And I frequently wish I could change that.

Meanwhile, I’m looking at next season to see what’s in store. I just can’t seem to help myself!

  • Opera San José 2008-2009 season
  • Symphony Silicon Valley 2008-2009 season

    (It looks as if AMTSJ is all doubling work next year, so nothing there. Such is life. Musical theatre is something I like to do — it’s sort of like being on vacation — but opera is my first love, and symphony my second.)

    This season has been, and continues to be, a bit of a blur for me. Wedding plans tend to take my mind elsewhere, so I’m not feeling terribly present. I’m guessing next year will be quite different, as I’ll have no more wedding work to do. I’ll have to start a new project.

    Most of my students know about my yard; how can they not see the mess?! I do occasionally offer them the joy of going out to work on it. Funny how they never jump at that chance. So maybe next year will be the year of the yard. Maybe I’ll get energy to work on it. But I don’t get your hopes up.

    I think I’d rather make reeds. And that’s saying a lot.