Home For a While

30. May 2009 · Comments Off on Home For a While · Categories: Ramble, Videos

I’m home from playing for the Cantabile Intermediate choir. What a great group of singers! These young kids … probably third through seventh grades … were incredibly well behaved, and sure knew their music. The younger kiddos also sang while I was there, and they were extremely cute and again well behaved. I don’t know what these directors do, but they know how to get kids to pay attention without, from what I can tell, being at all mean.

Unfortunately I had to leave after the first half, so I missed the older singers. I just knew I’d have to get my ear out of sound for a time, and eating dinner before tonight’s concert is probably a good idea too.

Here is the Intermediate group at a Christmas concert:

One thing that always takes me a bit of time to get used to is choral conducting. I just want downbeats and you don’t always get them. The kids have no problem with that, though. And aren’t they cute?

Names

30. May 2009 · 8 comments · Categories: Reviews

When I see names of friends and colleagues in reviews it’s fun to paste them here for all to see. When it’s from an opera review it’s even more fun, since the orchestra doesn’t always get a mention for opera. Congrats, friends!

Concertmaster Tina Anderson, cellists Janet Witharm and Dahna Rudin, Peter Lemberg on oboe/English horn, clarinetists Bruce Foster and Susan Macy have earned special mention.

I read it here. 🙂

I’ll Stick To Oboe

30. May 2009 · Comments Off on I’ll Stick To Oboe · Categories: Links, Listen

The lituus looks terribly unweildy. Read this article and you can even listen to the thing.

I think oboe sounds better, but of course I’m biased.

YouTube Symphony Orchestra

30. May 2009 · Comments Off on YouTube Symphony Orchestra · Categories: Ramble, Videos, YTSO

“We were rehearsing from 10 am to 10 pm,” said Zavgorodniy, “Working hard. And there were no language barriers: we speak the same language — forte, piano, iminuendo, ritenuto…”

Sometimes I struggle with the iminuendo, though … 😉

The article is about the YTSO, of course. Interesting to read that one of the winners didn’t follow the rules on the second round; I suspected that rule following wasn’t completely necessary with this thing.

I read the reviews (not all that positive for the most part). I heard the orchestra (sounded like what it was). I know what a few colleagues think of it (thumbs down). But I just don’t get all that upset about the thing. It was a gimmick for YouTube. It was probably a great deal of fun for the winners. And I think it may have even gotten some folks to watch a symphony who otherwise would have skipped it. So … well … whatever!

I don’t think I would have wanted to do a 10-10 rehearsal, though. I guess I’m too darn lazy!

Intro:

Part 1:

Part 2: