Tomorrow

24. April 2009 · Comments Off on Tomorrow · Categories: Baseball, Ramble, UCSC

Tomorrow is gonna be a tough day, I think. It’s not that I won’t like what I’m doing, but it’s that I’ll be very, very tired.

I begin at UCSC. At 10:00 AM. According to the schedule I finish at 5:00 PM. I’m working with the orchestra as they go through all of Marriage of Figaro. I think I have a lunch break of 45 minutes in there, but I’m not sure there’s another break. I suppose I should check the schedule.

Then of course I have Carmen at night, beginning at 8:00 and ending at 11:00.

Oh yes, I’m going to be tired. So as soon as the Giants get this game over with (it’s 5-1 right now, in favor of the good guys, with only one inning left) I think I’d better hit the hay. (Lincecum has been amazing … 12 strikeouts!) I’m guessing you won’t see a lot of posts tomorrow; there isn’t any wireless access in the UCSC concert hall, which is where I’ll be sitting.

I do have some things I want to blog about … just no time or energy at the moment to get into it. Later, folks!

Cafe Trieste

24. April 2009 · Comments Off on Cafe Trieste · Categories: Links, Opera, Other People's Words

A few words about Opera:
I’m a big opera fan, and I’m so happy that the performers, musicians, and staff at Opera San José are our regular customers. I make sure I see every opera performed at the California Theatre and went to see Carmen last night, and I have to say it is absolutely one of the best operas I’ve ever seen. If you’ve never been to the opera, Carmen is an ideal one to start with and one of those where you soon find out you know all the songs already. All the artists are amazing, and I am definitely going to squeeze in another performance before they close on May 3.

After the performance we had a party at the café for all the cast and crew, and it was a special occasion for principal baritone Krassen Karagiozov as he received his US citizenship yesterday and celebrated by playing jazz versions of the Carmen tunes on the piano. Congratulations Krassen!

This is from an email I received from Roger Springall, of Cafe Trieste, a place I visit when I’m downtown. (We orchestra folk weren’t invited to the little party, but I’m guessing they don’t have room for quite that many, so I’m not going to have hurt feelings. For now.) I can recommend their coffee, of course, along with the soups I’ve had, and their delicious lemon bars.

TQOD

24. April 2009 · 1 comment · Categories: TQOD

Wish I would have picked up a classical instrument in grade school. The oboe or sumthin. Would have been worth the ridicule and pounding.

Um … I Don’t Think So!

24. April 2009 · Comments Off on Um … I Don’t Think So! · Categories: Links, Read Online

If you’ve ever watched “Grey’s Anatomy” or “Desperate Housewives” or “Brothers & Sisters,” or any drama on ABC other than “Lost,” you probably know what I’m talking about. Whenever one of those shows goes into a comic scene, the musical score immediately starts featuring a jaunty oboe, or pizzicato violins, or a tinkling piano or some combination of the above. The point is to explain to the audience that the scene they’re watching is supposed to be funny, and that it’s okay to laugh even though the previous scene was dead serious.

I’m going to guess that the writer doesn’t really mean oboe. Oboe isn’t usually used as “jaunty”. We are the ones who play when someone is sad. We don’t do happy like the flutes or clarinets and even bassoon. I could be wrong, of course, but I’m just guessing ….

I skimmed it here, but I don’t have time to read the whole thing right now. Gotta get to UCSC.

BQOD

24. April 2009 · Comments Off on BQOD · Categories: BQOD

used to listen to Hard Rock and was extremely wild, mischievous, energetic, and fun! Today I am more mature, I listen to softer music and I am more calm, laid back, carefree, and less energetic.

Now focus on music and setting the mood. Again, going back to the heavy rock, how does that make you feel when you listen to it? I can tell you based on experience that metal music gets my adrenaline rushing, my foot pounding, my head pulsing. It kicks me into overdrive! Now, how do you feel when you listen to light music? Let us go to the opposite side of the spectrum and use classical music as an example. If you are listening to a song composed by Beethoven, how do you feel? I am generally feeling very upper scale, sophisticated, makes me feel like learning, opening a book, become a better person. It puts me in a totally different mindset. What does it do for your mindset?

No, I’m really not going to comment. But I did laugh. 😉

Oh. I guess that’s sort of a comment, isn’t it?