Back in Biz

04. April 2011 · Comments Off on Back in Biz · Categories: News, Symphony

The Detroit musicians are going back to work:

DSO Musicians Decide to Return to Work Immediately – April 4, 2011

DSO ANNOUNCES FREE PATRON CONCERTS THIS SAT. & SUN.
–Call 313.576.5111 to reserve your free tickets–
This afternoon orchestra members assembled and agreed to return to work at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra so that rehearsals could resume this Thursday in preparation for free weekend patron concerts conducted by Music Director Leonard Slatkin on Sat., April 9 at 8 p.m. and Sun., April 10 at 3 p.m. The repertoire performed will include classical favorites including Dvo?ák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World.”

The DSO announced earlier today that late last night a tentative agreement was reached between the negotiating committees after 27 hours of bargaining over the weekend. The DSO is not releasing details on this tentative agreement at this time.

The DSO will make other announcements later this week about the 2011 Spring Season at Orchestra Hall and in the neighborhoods it serves.

“As we return to our home, I’m confident that the artistic product will continue at the highest possible level. There is much to be done but the DSO will emerge a healthier and stronger institution,” said Slatkin.

RTWT

Here is a bit more info about the free concerts this weekend:

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra will be holding two free concerts this weekend as a thank you to their fans as the musicians kick off the 2011 Spring Season.

The concerts, which will be conducted by Music Director Leonard Slatkin, will be held Saturday, April 9 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 10 at 3:00 p.m.

Tickets are open to everyone. However, they are general admission and can only be obtained by calling the DSO box office. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and can be reached starting Tuesday at (313) 576-5111.

Further announcements about the Spring Season will be made later this week.

RTWT

MQOD

04. April 2011 · Comments Off on MQOD · Categories: Quotes

J.S.: If you had not taken up the violin, what other instrument might you have played? The piano, the cello?

Perlman: Probably the cello. And then maybe, as a wood instrument, the oboe. I love the oboe.

I read it here.

English Horn Outside My Little World

04. April 2011 · Comments Off on English Horn Outside My Little World · Categories: OutsideMyWorld™

Ben Kono Group Live at Miles’ Cafe: Paradise in Manzanar

Alpin Hong

04. April 2011 · Comments Off on Alpin Hong · Categories: Read Online, Videos

“Once I had a totally gothed-out death-metal fan with tattoos and piercings come to me after a concert for advice. He was a singer, and I told him, ‘I know you can scream, but do you know how to sing? If you want to effectively scream, you have to learn how to sing first.’ He appreciated that.”

Hong draws on the history of classical music to show kids that rebellion isn’t anything new.

“Classical composers were the first rebels,” he said. “These were dark, disturbed, romantic individuals who were crossing the line. Chopin’s girlfriend wore men’s clothes and smoked a cigar. Even now George Sand would be stared at.”

For his Lied Center recital, Hong has chosen an audience-friendly program, including music by Frédéric Chopin, Johannes Brahms, Felix Mendelssohn, George Gershwin and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

“I’ll be doing some of Rachmaninoff’s preludes,” Hong said. “They’re such exquisite miniatures. I tell kids when they listen to the C-Sharp Minor prelude to imagine trick-or-treating on Halloween. Another prelude sounds like you’re chasing a butterfly and another one sounds like something Darth Vader would play on the piano in his living room.”

Unlike many doom-and-gloom types, Hong is hopeful for the future of classical music.

“I’m far from being cynical. I’m actually very excited about what’s around the corner. The whole notion of separate musical categories is falling apart. Classical, pop, R&B, country and, the most ridiculous of all, world music. What is that? Anything that isn’t written in America? I’m glad this stratification is coming down.”

RTWT

I like this guy!

A Different Carmen

04. April 2011 · Comments Off on A Different Carmen · Categories: Ballet

While I was unable to watch any of Ballet San Jose’s Carmen, I can easily see this one! Bizet is still there, but this arrangement is by Rodion Shchedrin. The choreography is by Mat Ek. (I do wish the camera just focused on the entire stage and let us decide where to look; this is an issue I have with staged opera that’s filmed, too. Oh well! I’m obviously not in charge!)

Wow … put the video up before I’d watched the whole thing. I found it pretty amazing. Not everyone’s cuppa, I’m sure, but I thought it was incredibly powerful.

(If you click on the video it will open in a larger format in another window.)

Ballet From My Point Of View

04. April 2011 · Comments Off on Ballet From My Point Of View · Categories: Ballet, Mr. Nut · Tags:

I’m done with ballet for this year. I really enjoyed this run, and it was quite unstressful — I had tiny solos, but they were the sort no one even notices, I’m sure, and certainly nothing that makes me nervous. We had a guest conductor who I found enjoyable to work with. He had us seated differently and I think it was an improvement from our normal seating, even while it meant I no longer get to see a thing; I was sitting underneath the lip of the stage. Ah well … the “best seat in the pit” was fun while it lasted! This new seat does allow me to hear the strings a lot better, and I like that.

Below are a few photos of my view from the pit.

Our conductor, Andrew Mogrelia (sorry for the dim photo):

Mr. Nut visited us at the final performance:

The brass section:

Some of the strings:

I always enjoy the differences between opera, symphony and ballet audiences. It would be very rare to see people dressed this way for a symphony concert!

Next up is La bohème, but this week I have no work at all … well … aside from seventeen students!

FBQD

04. April 2011 · Comments Off on FBQD · Categories: FBQD

Nathan just informed me he wants to learn how to play the oboe. Then he demostrated how to play one. Thanks, Little Einsteins….I think…..

Once Again …

04. April 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: Read Online

Classical music, used to prevent crime and loiterers:

Just feet from a methadone clinic at a grimy crossroads in far east Portland, Ore., transit officials and police are hoping a touch of class will chase off the vagrants, vandals and ne’er-do-wells that loiter near a busy transit stop.

Since November, the regional transit department has approved the playing of classical music in an effort to ward off the kind of crimes that happen when people just hang around.

A bill making its way through the Oregon Legislature would expand the program to all light rail stops in Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah counties deemed high-crime areas by police or residents.

“Classical music” in this case means opera, chamber music, choral pieces and music requiring a full orchestra. On a drizzly Wednesday morning at a pilot site in Portland, it was Bizet’s aria from Carmen, the one that rolls to a slow boil as she tells the audience she only loves those who refuse to love her back.

RTWT

I can’t tell you how tired I am of this idea, and yet I would be quite happy to hear some classical music at stores, rather than the stuff they are currently playing. So oh well!

But … here’s something that just hit me … while they are suggesting classical music will rid us of these annoying youth who are causing such a ruckus (or something) how many movies and TV shows feature serial killers who adore classical music? Really now … so perhaps we’ll rid these areas of kids and bring in the serial killers, eh? Hmm.

The best line of the article was this:

“You may not actually be safer, but you feel safer.”

Okay then.

TQOD

04. April 2011 · Comments Off on TQOD · Categories: TQOD

Thinking about buying a cello. That or a harmonica. I never got into playing a musical instrument, maybe it’s time…’Oboe’ is fun to say.