oboeinsight

A RETIRED Army officer has become a cartoonist – in a bid to help people of all ages get to grips with the world of classical music.

Roger Chapman has created An Old Person’s Guide to the Orchestra as an easy and amusing introduction to orchestral instruments, to conductors and the history of classical music from the 17th to the 20th-centuries.

Singers and choirs also come in for his special treatment, with caricatures including Pavarotti. There is even advice about how to behave at a concert – arrive in time, don’t clap in the wrong place, don’t eat sweets.

A former major in the Green Howards, Mr Chapman was curator of the regiment’s museum in Richmond before his retirement.

He lives in Grewelthorpe near Ripon and since his retirement he has developed his skills as a caricaturist and cartoonist.

As well as An Old Person’s Guide to the Orchestra he has produced a book of cartoons on art, Art for Heaven’s Sake, which encourages retired people to pick up a pencil, brush or crayon and start a new hobby.

“It’s sometimes hard for older people to find a way in to something unfamiliar,” said Mr Chapman.

“My book of musical cartoons, with short accompanying text will help them – and raise a smile, too, I hope

“And in ‘Art for Heaven’s Sake’ they can see an older artist – a caricature of me – learning how to become an artist.”

Both books are on sale in The Little Ripon Bookshop, White Rose Books in Thirsk and in Ripon Cathedral shop; all profits from both books go towards music in the cathedral. An Old Person’s Guide to the Orchestra is £6.99 and Art for Heaven’s Sake is £5.

The books are also available on the website – http://chapmancaricatures.com

Read here.

I went to the site but I am not seeing how to order the book. I’ll have to email him and ask. (He’s in the UK, so I don’t know if he can ship them our way, though.)

Michael Tilson Thomas found a novel way to deal with bronchial Chicago audiences last weekend.

Last Thursday night’s opening performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 with Tilson Thomas leading the Chicago Symphony Orchestra was plagued by audience coughs, which proved especially distracting in the hushed pages of the final movement.

On Saturday night, there was even more coughing throughout the first movement. The conductor went offstage and emerged with two large handfuls of loose cough lozenges, which he tossed underhanded into the main floor audience seats. He said he hoped that would solve the problem and encouraged audience members to pass them on to those that need them.

Celeste Wroblewski, the orchestra’s vice-president of public relations, confirmed the details Monday, adding, in an email, that “the audience responded in the same good-natured spirit, with laughter and applause.”

I read it here.

… and another write up.