The Brain

18. September 2008 · Comments Off on The Brain · Categories: Links

I just read this blog entry and listened to a few of the segments (who knew inderol would help with migraines? I wonder if that would help me. Hmmm.) and decided to take the little test to see if I am really right handed or if I’ve been fooling myself all this time.

Well, the “test” that we were told to take doesn’t tell me a thing; my straight lines drawn with both hands at the same time with my eyes shut were nearly the same length. The boxes I drew were the virtually the same size.

It made me wonder if using our left and right hands in a very “equal” way with the oboe might change the way we deal with things like that. Or maybe I’m just taking the test wrong. Could be.

Awww … We Even Get A Mention!

18. September 2008 · Comments Off on Awww … We Even Get A Mention! · Categories: Links, Opera

Founder and general director Dalis believes that everything in her life led up to creating Opera San José. “I love doing this. It’s my life, I eat, drink and sleep OSJ,” she says with great enthusiasm. While she takes pride that the company has never carried a deficit, last year gave her a real scare, and she wrote an appeal. “The response convinced me that we are meeting a need.” Even the orchestra members wrote out personal checks. “I was overwhelmed,” she declares with no small sense of relief.

And yes, we really did write checks and had them sent together. Often musicians are at odds with management. but I think we at OSJ do know how wonderful it is to have this group, and we wanted to show our support. The organization is run well, is in the black, and we’d like it to stay that way!

The article is primarily about Irene Dalis. She is our founder and our leader and I’m very thankful for all she’s done.

Oh C’mon

18. September 2008 · 5 comments · Categories: Havin' Fun, Huh?, Links

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Clarinet
Clar”i*net`\, n. [F. clarinette, dim. of clarine, from L. clarus. See Clear, and cf. Clarion.] (Mus.) A wind instrument, blown by a single reed, of richer and fuller tone than the oboe, which has a double reed. It is the leading instrument in a military band.

Note: [Often improperly called clarionet.]

Say … WHAT?!

My feelings are hurt. Besides, this simply isn’t true. “Richer and fuller” my foot! 😉

I read it here.

BQOD

18. September 2008 · Comments Off on BQOD · Categories: BQOD

I recreated the sound I hear in my head, down to the piercing oboe and distant english horn. Only now there are lyrics. Not just any lyrics though. These are words to the song of my life. It’s called “My Fears.”

Yeah. Oboe. English horn. My fears. I understand.

😉

The Divide

18. September 2008 · Comments Off on The Divide · Categories: Links, News

When she first started these concerts, she found it difficult to concentrate because of children crying in the audience. But she says she does not resort to playing children’s songs or popular themes from animated films to keep the kids’ attention. She plays only classical music, saying it sounds best and is loved all over the world.

“I want children to listen to real music when they are at such a sensitive age,” she said.

I appreciate what this woman is doing; concerts for infants and mothers (why not fathers too?) seems like a cool thing to do. I guess. But calling classical music “real music” just adds to the divide that we are often accused of creating.

The article and the performances are in Japan, so perhaps it’s just a language issue in the translation. I hope so.