OhMyTrill

Back

2011-03-28T15:17:00.003-05:00

Trio Arkansas had a successfull Little Rock debut last night...there were probably about 150 people in the audience. We played the Brahms C Major Trio and the Ravel Trio...I played a set of Beethoven Variations, and Geoff played the first movement of the Faure Violin Sonata. Not an easy program for the pianist! I was definitely feeling it at the end...my left hand was not happy about all of the trills in the last movement of Ravel!

We have a few weeks off now...starting to plan out upcoming concerts...we will be playing an all-Schubert concert sometime in May (Louis is making me learn Arpeggione! something I really should have worked on by now...so I guess its a good thing) and we'll be playing something at the Anthony Chapel at the Garvan Woodland Gardens on June 19 (piece TBD). Kimberly will be joining us for a concert the weekend after July 4th...

Now I start to get into extreme practice mode for the Utah Symphony audition in a few weeks. I did a good heavy week of practice about 2 weeks ago, so I think everything is in pretty good shape, but now I need to just keep it all at a high level.

Summer So Far

2010-07-24T14:36:00.003-05:00

Haven't written in ages...but thought I would check in with a little summer update. Currently in Little Rock with very little to do save walking the dog a few times a day...which is hardly possible since its so hot! We have reaching 110 almost everyday (heat index, not actual temperature!)

Most of my summer so far has been taken up with a Europe Trip with my parents. We took Baltic Cruise on the Crystal Symphony...flew to London (and spent a day and half there), boarded the ship in Dover...stopped in Oslo, Copenhagen, Visby, St. Petersburg (for three days), Helsinki, and Stockholm. The weather was amazing for the whole trip...sunny and 75 in most places (which apprently is very rare for that part of the world) I was totally messed up time-wise, for basically the entire trip we lost an hour every night, then when we stopped in St. Petersburg, got used to it, and the started getting them back as we went in the other direction. Add an eight hour flight back to Chicago, and I was super confused...I've started posting pics on facebook, so be sure to check it out.

Had a busy week upon arrival...annual July 4th Arkansas Symphony concert at the Downtown Ampitheater...performance of Brahms 1st Sextet for a local chamber music camp, a Sturgis performance of the Mozart Adagio and Fugue, and I played the Prelude to the 2nd Suite...all in the same week...made it through just fine despite the jetlag. (Although the Bach could have been faaaaaaar better!)

Now I find myself hanging out with not much to do...I'm gearing up to leave for Tanglewood in a little under two weeks...I'll be playing Knussen: Where the Wild Things Are as well as a Carter American premiere called What Are Years. Very excited. Next week I'll be teaching at an adult amateur chamber music camp here in Little Rock...so things are looking up in terms of boredom!

OhMyTrill Returns

2010-04-15T11:24:00.004-05:00

My schedule for the past week or so has been: wake up for Schoenberg rehearsal at 10-2, come home, walk the dog, take a nap, wake up and get ready for Mahler rehearsal at 7:30-10, go home and go to sleep. repeat.

Sturgis played Schoenberg 1st quartet at the Clinton Library last Tuesday...the performance wen't reasonably well, although it was definitely far from perfect. We had put tons and tons of work into it, rehearsing for four hours almost every day for two weeks. Its a beast of a piece, by far one of the hardest quartets I have ever played (Schoenberg 4, Pearle, and Plylar are all among the hard ones). The audience seemed to like it as well, they aren't used to hearing music like that as it isn't usually performed around these parts. But we didn't lose too many people, and they seemed pretty excited about it.

ASO played Mahler 2 this past weekend...I had never played the piece before, and had to do bowings from a completely blank part...so, needless to say, I kept changing everything during rehearsal. Oops. One of our cellists had to drop out at the last second, meaning we performed the concert with only 7 cellos...Mahler writes "as many strings as possible" in the score...I guess in Arkansas, seven is the max.

My parents were in town for both concerts...we dined at Loca Luna, Capital Bar and Grill, Flying Fish, Juanitas, and the River Market. They seemed to have a good time and enjoyed the concerts, even if a hike up Pinnacle Mountain turned out to be a very bad idea. Oh well...

Busy + Flu Vaccine

2010-01-14T18:10:00.005-06:00

For whatever reason, January-February are turning out to be quite the insane/crazy time for me this year. I'm subbing with the Quapaw Quartet for their next concert (Jan 19) which just happens to be next Tuesday...we have been rehearsing for a while now...Shostakovich 3 and Brahms 1. Its coming together, but that Brahms is just soooo hard...it seems like no matter what you do, it just never gets any better...ugh. I have talked to several folks about it, and they all agree...just doesn't seem to work very well!!

This week we are playing our 4th Masterworks concert of the year, which means we are also auditioning our 4th conducting candidate: Fusao Kajima. He was on a roll at our rehearsal on Tuesday night...naming cities in Arkansas for every rehearsal letter...he turned out to be very charming, and lead a pretty decent and effective rehearsal. We'll see how the rest of the week goes. He picked a pretty orchestra and audience friendly program: Villa-Lobos Sinfonietta No. 1, Grieg Piano Concerto, and Dvorak 8 (which just so happens to be one of my favorite symphonies...mainly thanks to a certain performance led by James Levine and Tanglewood...sigh).

In my infinite wisdom, I decided that I needed to get my flu vaccines...since we play for some many schools, I didn't want to pick it up from anybody, and I hear that H1N1 is coming around again...(I think Arkansas was hit pretty hard by it last time)...so I went over to Arkansas Children's Hospital (where I volunteer every other week) to get my shots...both seasonal and H1N1, one in each arm. About 8 hours later, during orchestra rehearsal I starting feeling a little sickish...by the next morning I had aches and a fever...still went to my Rheinberger rehearsal (since that concert is coming up on Feb 5)...but after that I made a steady decline...had to cancel an informal Quapaw Quartet concert and a Sturgis Quartet rehearsal because I had a 103 degree fever...ugh...sat around all day, and it got better and better...so I'm about to head out to orchestra rehearsal...we'll see if I make it or not...I'm feeling fine though.

Good Food etc...

2009-12-30T22:15:00.004-06:00

I think I need to stop giving Daisy tennis balls. She loves them, and will chase them every time you throw them across the room, but she always ends up chewing them up into a million pieces and I end up picking all these tiny little rubber chunks out of my rug. And there are a bunch of tennis ball scraps around all the time, as pictured. But she likes them so much, I'll probably just keep giving them to her.

My mom gave all of the dogs (Daisy, Gus, and Jo) tennis balls for Christmas. They all had fun chasing them around for a few minutes...Gus and Jo lost interest, but Daisy kept destroying them for days...and we got a few to take home. I gave her one yesterday when I got back from Chicago, and you can see what it looks like in the picture...

I went home for a week and a half...we celebrated my dads birthday, my recent audition success, and of course, Christmas. The highlight of the trip (besides getting to see my parents of course!) was eating at two of Chicago's best restaurants in one week. The first was Arun's, a Thai restaurant: no menus...they just bring you a 12 course tasting dinner (6 appetizers, 4 main courses, 2 deserts...with 5 different wine pairings) The highlight of the meal was definitely the one bite salad...so much flavor in one bite...it was kind of insane.

My favorite of the two was Topolobampo...you may have heard of chef Rick Bayless from Top Chef Masters (which he won)...we all got the tasting menus here too...only 5 courses this time (with a wine pairing going along with each course)...each one of my courses used a different kind of mole (who knew there were so many?!?!?) It was probably the best meal I've ever had!

Quick Catch Up

2009-12-14T16:05:00.003-06:00

Things that have recently happened:

On December 5th, I auditioned for and won the principal cello job in my orchestra. There were only three candidates, but they were all very good. I practiced really hard...doing a mock audition everyday, including two at 9am (which is when the actual audition was). It was the most prepared I've ever felt for an audition, and I'm happy with the results (duh)
The following day I played the Messiah at UAPB (University of Arkansas Pine Bluff). Their choir is very very very good, and its always fun to hear them. It is also the most complete Messiah I've ever played...I think they leave out 2 numbers. Maybe 3?
I have been super busy as I have been playing with Sturgis (my usual quartet) as well as subbing in the Quapaw Quartet fairly often. I'll be playing a recital with QQ in January, so we have already started rehearsing.
I went home to Chicago for the first time in several for Thanksgiving. I mostly just practiced that weekend. And I met my parents new dogs: Gus(tav) and Jo(hannes).
I played my first Nutcracker this past weekend. I was a little bit nervous, since it was my first service sitting principal and I had never played the piece before. I think it all went pretty well though. And we only played it twice, so I don't hate it yet.

Things that will be happening this week:

Several rehearsals with QQ (we are playing Shostakovitch 3 and Brahms 1).
Holiday Pops with the ASO (a brand new show...should be fun)
Rheinberger rehearsal at Cathedral of St. Andrew (performing with Drew and Phil in February.
Not 1, but 2 gigs!! This is unheard of for me in Little Rock...
More blog posts? Maybe people will read this if I actually write something once in a while. Hmmmmm...

Halloween?

2009-10-31T23:18:00.003-05:00

I'm have a very relaxed Halloween this year. No parties, no costume...I just walked Daisy, didn't see any trick-or-treaters...or anybody in costume for that matter. I wouldn't even know that it was Halloween if it wasn't for the fact that today is Halloween. Instead, I hung out with Phil...we went to Buffalo Grill (there was a crazy raccoon hanging out there, excitedly eating berries off of a tree...random), and then saw Cirque du Freak: The Vampires Assistant. I kind of liked it...but I'm sucker for anything with vampires in it. It was cute.

Now I'm hanging out on the couch with Daisy...gonna watch some Dexter and then head to bed. We have a rehearsal for our children's concert tomorrow night...which includes La Mer and the famous cello excerpt...we will only have 6 cellos (5 for one of the concerts) so its gonna be awfully exposed...and joy! I'm playing the top line. So basically, I will be hanging out at my apartment all day practicing (there are a few hard pieces on the concert that I've never played before). I'm glad we are presenting actual music to the kids!

Fortune

2009-10-25T20:30:00.002-05:00

I just got back from dinner with my friend Phil...we went to Pei-Wei, so of course opened fortune cookies. He opened his which said:

"No need to worry! You will always have everything that you need."

And then we were joking about mine being the opposite...and when I opened it, it read:

"Live, think and act for today. Tomorrow may be too late."

That is kind of the exact opposite in my book right? So to make the situation better, I opened a second cookie and the fortune read:

"Try to channel excess energies into rejuvenation." Do you think I should be concerned??

Busy

2009-09-03T14:24:00.004-05:00

I just finished putting together my part for the Bach Cantata we are playing next week. For whatever reason, all of the solo movements are written in the bassoon part, but they are actually played on cello. But all of the recits are written in the cello part...so I just combined them together. Now I need to sit down and really learn this stuff...I've worked on the main "cello aria"...but I have to go back and work on the recits...as you all know, this is something I really excel at.

Not so much...

Our season starts this week...Bach rehearsal on Monday...orchestra rehearsal on Tuesday...its going to be a bit busy for awhile, especially since I will be teaching at least 5 students at a church in Pine Bluff and teaching a college class at University of Arkansas @ Pine Bluff (string methods)...I'm still not exactly clear what is happening with this class...but I'll be meeting with the Music Department Chair tomorrow afternoon (and then teaching the class right after!!) Hmmmm...should be interesting.

And I really need to start going to the gym again. I think I will go biking this afternoon. And I will actually go!!

Quick Summer Update

2009-08-13T10:43:00.002-05:00

After the Braun wedding I went home to Chicago for a few days.
Heather came down to Chicago a day later. We had fun.
I received my new Chris Dungey cello in the mail...its pretty great.
Kimberly flew into Chicago and the 3 of us rehearsed for a day.
Then we went to Taste of Chicago...it was fun.
Then we drove down to Arkansas. It was also fun. But a long drive, as usual.
Jonathan Ware drove up to Little Rock, the 4 of us rehearsed for a few days.
Kimberly's and my picture was printed in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette...however, her's was next to a picture from Legally Blond with a woman holding a small dog.
We played two concerts in Little Rock, one at the Cathedral of St. Andrew with Phil) and one at UALR to benefit the AIDS Foundation. Both went fairly well, and we had a pretty good audience.
We parted with Jonathan, and the 3 of us drove back to Chicago.
We boarded a plane to Oregon, and then stayed there for about a week to play 3 concerts in Ashland (Kimberly's hometown).
I got to meet Chris Dungey, he drove down to Ashland to hear me play the new cello and do some adjustments. He is a super nice guy!
We spent a day in Portland decompressing after the many many concerts. I met up with Chris again and he did some minor work on my cello.
The 3 of us parted ways and I flew back to Chicago and stayed there for a few days.
I needed some alone time, so I drove back to Arkansas.
But 4 days later I drove back to Chicago.
K-Huf flew into Chicago, and the 2 of us drove up to Stevens Point, WI for two weeks of Suzuki Training.
We took Cello Book 1 with Jean Dexter...it was a fairly involved course with 28 hours of class + 15 hours of observation + some homework assignments + two optional lectures everyday.
We survived, but we were pretty tired everyday. Coffee in the morning, redbull in the afternoon.
We drove back to Chicago last Friday...K-Huf and I parted ways on Sat...I spent a few days at home taking care of some odds and ends and haning with my parents.
Yesterday I drove back to Arkansas and was treated to dinner by the one and only David Barker. It was a very nice welcome back to Arkansas.
I went to sleep cause I was really tired...and woke up this morning and paid some bills.
Then I wrote this entry. Hope I didn't leave anything out. It has been a crazy summer.

Wilmette-Milwaukee

2009-06-25T10:44:00.003-05:00

I'm back at home in Wilmette now...I drove up from Arkansas on Tuesday. For some reason, it slipped my mind that I would need to be going home at some point, so I was kind of scrambling to get things together on Sunday and Monday...but it all turned out just fine...well, except that I left my dress pants back in Little Rock, and I need to wear them tonight and tomorrow for the Braun wedding extravaganza. But since Moby ate my extra pair, I was in need of buying some new ones anyway...so I did...yesterday.

Since I've been home, I have practiced a bit, done a bit of CCE scheduling for the time we will be in Little Rock (well, really just typed up what I had already scheduled) and brought my bow in to get rehaired. All very exciting for you to hear, I'm sure.

In just a few short minutes, I will be en route to beautiful Milwaukee, WI where I will meet up with the one and only Heather Braun. Her sister is getting married tomorrow and I will be playing for the ceremony, and doing double duty as Heather's date.

Fun times!

Oh!! And my cello should be arriving on Tuesday!!! Yay!!!

Photo Shoot x2

2009-06-21T14:00:00.003-05:00

I have spent the majority of the last few days sitting under the burning hot sun getting 365 photos taken of me by the fabulous Sharrell Holcomb. Beth (who lives in my building) hooked me up with here, and the three of us met on Friday afternoon at the Clinton Library...and ended up taking about 200 pics around the grounds there...and then when were weren't satisfied...met the next morning and went over to the North Little Rock side of the River Trail and took a whole bunch of pics on a cement formation in front of the quarry...and then drove up to Fort Roots and snapped a few more!

Needless to say, it was a pretty tiring two days of sitting in the sun.

But I did get a whole lot of pretty cool pics. Sharrell has a great eye for catching some really interesting shots. Unfortunately I have been kind of sluggish in the eating and exercise department so I came out looking a little more porky than I wanted to. There are a whole slew of super artistic shots though, and some where I do look quite handsome...if I do say so myself.

The main reason (for me) was to get a head shot with my instrument that I could send to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette for the article they may or may not be writing about the upcoming Cape Cod Ensemble Concerts in July and I definitely got a few that I could use for that. I think I'm going to go with the one posted at the top of this blog. What do you think?

Dog Sitting

2009-06-16T14:10:00.003-05:00

For the past few weeks I have had the pleasure of dog-sitting Zhuzha. Zhuzha has stayed with me before when her mother (Tatiana, the violist in my quartet) has gone out of town for a day or two. However, she has been gone for nearly a month, and Zhuzha has settled right in with me. Its kind of nice to have someone to keep me company when I am sitting around at home!

I'm also getting very used to having a dog...and I'm thinking that I'm going to have to replace her when Tatiana comes back home. Well, at the end of the summer at least, since I'll be in and out of Little Rock for a few weeks!

Today I am doing double duty...my upstairs neighbor Beth is out of town for the day, and I'm taking care of her Dog, Ginger, as well. This morning I tried to walk both of them at the same time...but Zhuzha was not terribly happy about this (although they have shared plenty of walks before)...and I was going to have Ginger hang out in my apartment so she wouldn't have to sit by herself all day...but Zhuzha was not very welcoming, so poor Ginger has spent the day by herself upstairs. And they have been getting walked separately.

More exercise for me I guess.

Busy Busy...Busy

2009-06-15T11:53:00.003-05:00

The past few weeks have been super busy...much more so than I could have anticipate. I guess I was just super scared of having three months with nothing to do (since the ASO is off season right now) so I went ahead and over-scheduled myself.

I have been working hard on finding a venue for the Cape Cod Ensemble to perform...after many phone calls and visits, I finally was able to schedule Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall at University of Arkansas @ Little Rock. This concert will benefit the Arkansas AIDS Foundation...so tell everybody to come!! (Monday July 6th at 7:30pm) Special guests Kimberly, Heather, and Jonathan will be in town for the concert!!

This past weekend was the Arkansas AIDS Walk...I basically signed my life away for two straight days volunteering for this event. Friday night we had a wine and cheese kick-off event at the Boswell-Mourot Art Gallery in the Heights. I drove around with Michael all day picking up stuff for the event, and then getting the gallery ready. And then I had to play for an hour and a half! Then the next morning was an early morning and more running around picking up last minute items for the walk...set up and talk down...and many many hours standing out in the sun (it was a beautiful day)...needless to say, I passed out soon after I got home.

All in all, both events went very well and everything was a great success! Now its on to getting all the details in line for the concert...its only three weeks away!!

In other news...I was supposed to be going to Denver on Thursday to pick up my brand new Chris Dungey cello...but I got a call last week saying that he had fallen ill (possibly with the swine flu?!?!?) and he wasn't going to be able to get the varnish on there in time to bring it to Denver (and in fact, he canceled his whole Denver Trip)...so I'm not going to Denver anymore (sorry Mary...) and I'm waiting to hear what the new delivery plans will be! Should be any day now.

Lets Catch Up

2009-05-27T22:57:00.002-05:00

Its been too long between updates on here...but strangely enough, many things have been going on...or so it seems. We are wrapping up our season here at the Symphony and I'm trying to get everything organized for the summer. Here's what has been going on:

The Sturgis Quartet (along with the Rockefellar and Quawpaw Quartets) drove up to Mountain View, AR to do a short residency at the Ozark Folk Center. Sturgis had a fantastic time...we did two demos at the at the Folk Center for some kids from the area...took part in a concert in the evening, and then went down to the town square for a jam session with the folk musicians. I didn't participate in the jam since I can't play that genre of music to save my life...the musicians at the folk center are really great...and they dance while they play too. This was definitely one of my favorite things we did all season! (and we had some nice quartet bonding time too)
My parents were in Little Rock this past weekend for my birthday (which was Sunday)...we hit up all kinds of Little Rock restaurants including: Brave New Restaurant, Community Bakery, Ferneau, Damgoodepies, and Loca Luna. They all brought me some nice items from IKEA...I still need to put together one of them...it looks complicated.
Played a wedding in Hot Springs with Sturgis at the Garvan Woodland Gardens. My parents came with me and they got a very mini tour of Hot Springs. They weren't impressed.
Rehearsed for a pops concert to be played on my birthday (which included a terrible arrangement of Star Wars per my bday request) which ended up being canceled due to rain (it was outdoor, duh) I'm not complaining!!
Sturgis played our final demo of the season in Lewisville, AR on Tuesday. Maybe next season we won't have to drive so far for all our demos? hah...yeah right.
Finally got my Suzuki stuff in order...I actually got a scholarship to attend the Stevens Point Suzuki Institute...so after this summer I will be officially Suzuki Certified!! Maybe I'll get some students now...hmmmmm.
My final symphony service of the season is this friday... I've got about 2ish weeks off before I pick up my cello and the CCE tour begins. Its all very exciting. This will be a fun summer.

This Week I...

2009-05-14T13:32:00.004-05:00

Played at the Designer House on Mother's Day (and called my mom of course!!) It was kind of rainy and weren't to many people there for the first hour or so. We also had to play trios since Andy's finger is injured right now. I think my mom enjoyed the card I sent too. I hope.
Volunteered at the AIDS Foundation Monday-Thursday-and Friday (well, I will volunteer on Friday and I'm there right now). It has been pretty quiet around here lately.
Background gig at the Capitol Hotel on Tuesday evening (once again a trio) for Little Rock Arts Week. I'm not sure what Arts Week is, or what goes on as part of it...but we played trios for two hours while an artist sketched us. Its was kind of cool...and there were a good number of people there. Wish I knew more about the event though...
Played a demo in De Queen...this was a very very long drive, about three hours each way. (basically to Hot Springs, and then another 2 hours past) We were almost in Oklahoma. We also saw a very large woman wearing pajamas riding a moped with her helmet straps flapping in the breeze. Only in Arkansas.
Went out to the Whitewater Tavern on Tuesday and met Aaron (new friend) there. It was the first time I have been out in months and was exactly what I needed. Cheap beer, decent music, and cool people...whats not to like? I'll def be going back. And I may have even found a cello student? We'll see if she contacts me.
Actually started to feel comfortable here in Arkansas. Kind of scary...but much better than feeling uncomfortable I think. With the lack of auditions being announced and the lack of people actually getting hired (NY Phil took nobody) it seems like I might be here a little longer than planned. Which is not necessarily a bad thing...just not where I expected to be.

Crazy Summer??

2009-05-09T19:34:00.002-05:00

So, when I realized that I was going to be faced with a summer with no music festival...the first summer this has occurred in sometime...I was a little bit worried about what I was going to do with all my free time (since the ASO only has one concert on July 4)...people told me I will love having nothing to do the whole summer...but I'm not who does well with a lot of time on my hands, I like to be busy as much as possible...so here is how my summer is looking so far:

May 29...My final symphony service of the "season" playing at the Arkansas Children's hospital...
May 30-June 12...two weeks off, I'm probably gonna volunteer at the AIDS Foundation a whole lot...and maybe be completely insane about working out so I can get in good summer shape...yeah right...
June 13...The AIDS Walk...I'm working on getting an Arkansas Symphony Team together...do you think $500 is a resonable goal? or should I go higher?
June 14-20something...I will be in Denver at some point during this time to pick up my new Chris Dungey cello
After I spend a few days there I'm gonna drive over to Chicago (with both cellos in hand) so I can be at attendance at Heather's Sister's Wedding in Milwaukee...I'm playing something or other, not really sure yet...but it will be the first public appearance of my new cello!!
After the wedding is complete, Heather and I will head down to Chicago and pick up Kimberly, who is flying in on June 30...we will rehearse a bit, hit Taste of Chicago, eat some burgers as cooked by my dad...and then head down to Little Rock...
Heather and Kimberly get the joy of subbing with the ASO on our annual 4th of July Concert (I'm sure we will have a total blast!!!)
The three of us (possibly plus Jonathan Ware) will put on a concert at St Andrew's in Downtown Little Rock (program to include Rheinberger, Beethoven, Dohnanyi, Pleyel, and possible Dvorak...yikes, thats a ton of music)
After this, we head back up to Chicago and then fly out to the West Coast where we hang out in Portland a bit, and repeat a very similar concert somewhere in Ashland...I'll be out on the West Coast from July 8-15.
I'll probably hang out at home for a few days...but head back to LR for a bit as well (since I'll have been gone for about a month!!)
But July 26-Aug 6 will find me at Steven's Point with the one and only K-Huf doing some Suzuki training...
And after that, I will be hunkering down to learn Ives 1, Carter 2, and Rochberg 3 for a concert sometime in Little Rock...yikes...
And then regular ASO starts up again...I'm tired now...

If you will be in or around any of these locations...please let me know!!!!

This Week I Will:

2009-05-04T09:35:00.002-05:00

Go to the gym or bike everyday (most likely go to the gym, since the weather forecast looks a bit rainy)
Clean up my apartment a bit...I am slowly getting everything in order.
Play a quartet demo in Corning, AR...this is in the far far Northeast part of the state...I haven't been up there yet.
Go to the dentist.
Play a Pink Floyd concert.

Hello Friday

2009-05-01T09:49:00.002-05:00

Since I have been extremely lazy in updating lately I will provide another list of the things that have been going on in my life. Its not very exciting:

This week has been quite busy at the symphony with rehearsal almost every night for our concerts this weekend. The program: Appalachian Spring, Don Juan, and Symphonie Fantastique. I'm glad I've played them all before!!
The usual volunteering at the AIDS Foundation...it has been quite busy here...we just sent out two very large mailings about the AIDS Walk!
Played concerts in Russelville and Jonesboro last weekend with the ASO...this was not exactly fun since they are kind of far away...but I do like playing Schumann 2!
Beath and Fim are coming to Little Rock this summer!!! We will be playing a super fun concert at St Andrew's Cathedral...and then we will head off to Oregon. I can't wait!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MARY 'COUNTS' KEENER!!! YAY!!!

Whats Going On

2009-04-20T10:09:00.003-05:00

I haven't posted in a while...guess this is overdue...here is the current happenings:

Met to discuss possibly quartet concert with ASO friends...program to be Ives #1, Carter #2, and Rochberg #3...its kind of a crazy undertaking...but would be super fun! Estimated concert date sometime in August. Rehearsal all summer.
I volunteered a whole bunch at the AIDS Foundation...as usual.
I got my materials together for my Suzuki Teacher Training applications and recorded all needed materials (and converted my first masters recital from VHS to DVD).
When I assembled said materials and tried to compile some DVDs of recordings...it didn't really go as planned and I scrambled something together to send.
I still need to figure out how to get my two book four favorites onto a DVD (Breval Sonata and Chanson Triste).
Spent some time and my friend Michael's new condo...he has been doing some work getting ready to move in. I mostly just watch though.
Played at the Children's hospital on Friday...it was a quick visit.
Played at the Symphony Designer House twice...its kind of cool...still not sure how it has anything to do with the symphony...but its kind of cool.

Part of Your World?

2009-04-11T10:25:00.001-05:00

Since I have Disney on the brain here are two videos for you. And yes, we are playing this on our concert...but without a singer. (I feel like I've posted this before? Oops)

Haydn vs. Disney

2009-04-10T22:49:00.003-05:00

I just got back from our first of two performances of "The Magical Music of Disney"...I've found myself having a ton of fun playing this concert (probably more than any other orchestra concert this season...including the classical ones...oops) I haven't thought about any of these movies in years and years and its fun to go back and play things like The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast...all these movies that everyone saw and loved when I was growing up.

When The Cape Cod Experiment played Haydn's Sunrise Quartet a few summers ago, we used the opening scene of Beauty and the Beast as an image at the beginning of the first movement of the quartet (when the running 16ths notes start...) When got to the "Bonjour" part in rehearsal last night, I was totally expecting it to be the Sunrise Quartet...oops.

Here's the clip from Beauty and the Beast...in case you are confused...

Carney Concert Complete

2009-04-09T13:35:00.003-05:00

For the past few days I have been quite consumed with rehearsing for and performing a concert at the Clinton Library with Jon Carney (the concertmaster of the Baltimore Philharmonic). He came in on Monday morning and we had rehearsal from 9am to about 6pm...and then back the next morning at 9am...and the concert Tuesday night at 7. It was really fun to play with him...we did the Michael Nyman String Quartet No. 2 (just three movement) amplified and everything. That was a workout...I'm not exactly sure how people play the whole quartet...maybe the other movements aren't quite as loud and fast and repetitive? We also played the Piazzola "Fuga y Misterio" that was fun.

I was actually kind of nervous about a big solo I had the the Piazzola "Otono Porteno" but all went very well...and I even hit the extra shift I added high up on the D-String...maybe I'm actually getting better at hitting high notes??

This weekend we are playing a complete concert of Disney Music complete with clips from the movies projected above the orchestra. I think it will be really fun!! I have never played any Disney stuff before...the first rehearsal is tonight...

Cello Update

2009-04-03T09:20:00.003-05:00

I just received an update from Chris Dungey (who is currently in the process of making my cello).

Your cello is coming along. I have the back and top arching complete. The ribs are done and the scroll is rough cut out. Next will come the thicknessing of the T/B, inlaying of the purfling, cutting the sound holes. Assembling all the parts to then start the varnishing process!! I'll try and send along a few pics. When I get a chance. Cheers for now...

Its so exciting to know that things are finally moving along!! I can't wait to get my new cello!

NWS=Oh Well...

2009-04-01T17:43:00.004-05:00

As you were all aware, I was hoping to move down to Miami next and join the New World Symphony...I had subbed there about 2 months ago and loved it, and found myself in Chicago a month later borrowing a cello from Carl Becker and auditioning...and much to my surprise, the audition went really well! It was probably one of the better auditions I've played in my life. So I had a good attitude about the results...

I went into a constant state of panic/stress Monday morning when I hear that people were beginning to hear back...being a typical musician, I tried to analyze what everyone was hearing back and attempted to apply it to what my results could be. After a day of staring at my email and phone I had still not heard anything and was becoming a bit worried.

Much to my disappointment, I did received word late Tuesday morning that I had been placed on the Semifinalist list...I was bummed, not only because I hadn't been selected as a fellow (which was super tough this year as there may only be one opening...maybe none) but because I had been downgraded from finalist!

So it is def gonna be another season with the Arkansas Symphony for me...which really isn't all that bad...I mean, this is technically the type of job that New World is training for...and I already have one...so yeah. I can look forward to playing Bartok 3, Mendelssohn something or other and Schoenberg 1 with my quartet as well as Mahler 2 with the orchestra...and I'll keep getting a paycheck ;-)

Day 4+5

2009-03-29T09:20:00.003-05:00

I'm still going strong in my exercise goals...I have made it up to Day 5 (day four was spent biking the river trail and day five was spent doing my gym workout) I really expected there to be more people in the gym on a Saturday afternoon...I know that at EAC (my gym when I'm at home in Chicago) it is fairly busy on the weekends...but it was just me and one other guy yesterday. At last I didn't have to wait for any machines ;-)

Today I'm driving down to Monitcello with Tatiana and Algis for the first performance of the Pine Bluff Symphony...Monticello is not exactly close, but its an afternoon concert, so I will at least be back by the early evening (or maybe 8? ugh)...I hope. I am really looking forward to being done with this gig!

I'm gonna go and hit up the gym now...I bet I'll be the only person there...since all the good Arkansans should be at church now.

Above is the picture of a plant I seem to have killed. I don't seem to be very good at growing plants. I watered it just like my mom told me to (once a week) and it just shriveled up and died. I was also told this was a super easy plant to take care of. Oh well...at least my other three are still alive...well, kind of.

Pine Bluff Symph+Twitter

2009-03-27T11:01:00.004-05:00

Last night I drove back to Pine Bluff for another exciting rehearsal with the Pine Bluff Symphony. And by exciting, I mean not really exciting at all. Its actually kind of a fun concert, although it does seem a little bit difficult for the orchestra. I have never played in a community orchestra that attempted Schawnter and Korngold (and I'm not exactly sure how they ended up with a violinist that wanted to play the Korngold Concerto...hmmm) At least its a change in scene from the Arkansas Symphony...although many of the members of the PBS are also members of the Arkansas Symphony. Its also a welcome change in rep from the ASO where we only play super standard pieces on every concert...its nice to play something different for once!

For the past few days I have been very concerned with keeping an active presence on Twitter. I'm not sure why or how I developed this random fascination with it...but I have started a morning routine of listening to NPR (online of course) and logging into Twitter and talking to random people I don't know and posting random things and thoughts that most people probably don't really care about. And I have it set up to post my blog posts. As always...you can see my twitter updates at the right hand side of the blog!

Day 3 (second attempt) + Day 4

2009-03-26T15:04:00.003-05:00

I successfully made it to the gym this morning and did about 40 minutes on the elliptical. I am going to count this as day three in my attempt to make it to twenty days in a row of exercise, but if a day off happens again soon I'll have to start over. I think that the fact that I wasn't sitting on my ass all day yesterday gives me an excuse to not start the count over.

In other news, this is day four in a row of volunteering at the AIDS Foundation. I almost feel like I work here. Even though I don't. At all. But its much better than sitting around my apartment and doing nothing!

Above is the view from the elliptical at my gym!! It was kind of cloudy that day...I'm not sure why I took a picture.

Exciting Concert!!

2009-03-26T13:27:00.002-05:00

I'm actually playing in a fun concert in a few weeks!! Check it out...and if you are here in Arkansas, you should come!

The Mills University Studies High School Gold Orchestra will present an Evening With Jonathan Carney, "Old Bottles, New Wine" Tuesday, April 7th at 7:00 pm in the Great Hall of the Clinton Library.

The program will feature Seasons by Vivaldi and Piazzolla, Arvo Part Fratres, for Solo Violin and String Orchestra, and other seclections by Bach, Gershwin, Hindemith, and Cole Porter. The performance will also include a electronically amplified performce of movements from the Michael Nyman String Quartet No. 2 featuring David Gerstein, cello, Joe Joyner, viola, and Samantha Grelen, violin in performance with Mr. Carney.

Hailed as one of the great concertmasters of his generation, Jonathan Carney is the Concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and former Concertmaster of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London and has performed as soloist with many orchestras in Europe and the United States. Mr. Carney was a soloist with the Arkansas Symphony in 1998.

Tickets are $20 and are available online at www.izzyslittlerock.com , at Izzy's Resturant, or from members of the Mills University Studies Gold Orchestra

Day Three/Not So Much

2009-03-25T22:29:00.004-05:00

Well...I have to admit that day three did not actually happen...I lounged in the morning listening to NPR and having coffee and joined Tatiana for lunch and then headed over to the AIDS Foundation for some volunteering...and I assumed I would hit the gym after that...but I ended up sealing up some envelopes to mail until almost 6 and then went to help my friend Michael pick out some tile (for his new condo) at Home Depot (and help him carry it)...and we had dinner...and now its 10:30 and I am in no mood for exercise and its raining and I may or may not already be in bed.

So, I'm not sure how to treat this...should I start over with day one tomorrow? Or should I count this as a day of rest and continue with day three tomorrow? (see this post if you are confused) I did get a fair amount of exercise lugging those tiles around and was on my feet all afternoon at the foundation...hmmm...I guess thats not really the same as running on the elliptical for 45 minutes, huh?

At least I'm sore from yesterday's workout...I guess that means I actually did something.

Included is a picture of me and Marie-Michel on the stage of the shed at Tanglewood. It has absolutely nothing to do with this post. Thank you.

Pine Bluff Symph

2009-03-25T10:09:00.003-05:00

Last night instead of watching the Barack Obama press conference, I was in Pine Bluff, AR rehearsing with the Pine Bluff Symphony. It haven't been playing in community orchestra recently, but I really need to money right now, and we have this week off from ASO, so I'm putting up with the drive (about 45 mins one way). I have to admit, I was a little surprised at the rep: Overture to West Side Story, Korngold Violin Concerto, Barber 1st Essay, a Schwanter Piece, and Lincoln Portrait...its a pretty ambitious program for a community orchestra, no?

I'm glad to have had the chance to play in the Avon Symphony back at Eastman...this orchestra takes the cake for best community orchestra stories...perhaps we can discuss that in more detail at some point, but here's a few key points: conductor wears clothes similar to Cher at the Oscars, no violas, conductor's teenage children in principal positions, old church lady accidentally hitting the samba button on the electronic keyboard during a concert.

So, after that, all community orchestras seem very professional and put together. I do have to admit that there were some frustrating moments during the Pine Bluff rehearsal (mainly during the Schawnter) but at least everyone can kind of play it...and it is definitely nice to be playing some non-standard music for once!!

Day Two

2009-03-24T17:15:00.002-05:00

I have made it through day two of exercising (see the post below...I'm trying to do it for 20 days in a row so that it become a habit). Today, since it is raining, I went to the gym and did my routine (as assigned to me by my trainer, Brad)...however, I am kind of out of shape after not having gone for a while and while I am supposed to go through the routine three times...I only made it through twice. Oops...but I figure anything is better than nothing, right??

Day One

2009-03-23T17:41:00.002-05:00

Now that the craziness is over it is possible to introduce some things back into my life. One of these is going to the gym and exercising. This has totally vanished from my daily routine in the recent past, and it needs to be reintroduced. Somebody was telling me that it takes 20 days to establish something as a habit. After 20 days of doing something, it becomes a habit and you have effectively gotten yourself "over the hump."

My goal is to do some form of exercise (not only gym...biking or hiking or whatever...to keep some variety) everyday for 20 days. Today was Day One and I went biking on the river trail. It was insanely nice outside...sunny and near 80. However, it was very windy down by the river which provided a lot more resistance than I usually face...so I am very tired now. But suffice to say, it was a sufficient work-out!!

Craziness Over

2009-03-22T19:19:00.003-05:00

I just got back to my apartment after the final installment of my crazy-busy week...The Sturgis Quartet gave our third "formal" performance of the year at Old Washington State Park. We performed in the Old Courthouse...down on the floor, as if we were on trial. The acoustics were muuuuch better than we are used to, although it was a bit on the loud and boomy side...the Debussy sounded pretty good in there though. Most of the audience was very attentive and appreciative, but I'm not sure our program of Mozart, Debussy and Schumann was the most appropriate for the venue...perhaps Ives No. 1 would have suited things better...

We are all done with our "real" performances for the year...this one was actually a late season add-on in addition to our two Clinton Library performances earlier in the year. It was nice to have something like this to work and rehearse for, although it was a bit stressful.

Now its spring break...there are no symphony services this coming week, but I am playing in the Pine Bluff Symphony, so I'll have that to occupy my time...

Sad Day

2009-03-18T17:06:00.003-05:00

While I have not yet received my official notification, those members of the Cape Cod Experiment have passed along the information that we were not accepted to the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. Oh well...we had all placed our eggs in the one basket...so now we are all scrambling to figure out what to do for the summer. My options:

Attend some summer Suzuki Institutes and get some Suzuki training in.
Do some self-produced recitals (with or without CCE or CCE members)
Do some random gigs in Little Rock if they come up.
Do some random gigs in another city??
Visit you.

Please weigh in with your thoughts on any of these possibilities and suggest some others that may have occurred to you ;-)

Busy!

2009-03-16T13:57:00.006-05:00

For once I actually have a really crazy week here in Arkansas. As you may have read (in the post below) we had pops concerts this weekend...usually we wouldn't have another orchestra concert for at least a week (or two) but we have another concert this coming Wednesday. That means that I have had a rehearsal or a concert every night since Thursday, and will keep having them every night through Wednesday. I know, it probably sounds like I'm complaining about nothing...but on top of that, my quartet is playing a recital on Sunday which we couldn't start rehearsing for until just a few days ago, since Tatiana was in Russia and I was in Chicago. Oops.

Should be fun! I always like being busy ;-)

Our concert on Wednesday features Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos 1 +2 +3...I have never played any of these, so it should be fun. Its always fun to play stuff you haven't played before...and there are lots of nice cello melodies to play!!

Night Music

2009-03-14T10:50:00.003-05:00

This morning I am listening to Sweeney Todd in honor of our pops concert this weekend. Last night, and this evening we are playing A Little Night Music. I kind of wish we were playing Sweeney Todd...Night Music is really not my favorite show...there aren't very many memorable songs in it...just the famous Send in the Clowns, which comes all the way at the very end. It is also, by far, the worst cello part I've ever seen in a musical. They aren't usually very good, but usually a little bit more interesting than this one...

They did Night Music at Tanglewood this past summer...my friend Kathryn and I made of of/sang the song "A Weekend in the Country" all summer...here's the clip. Its kind of ironic to be playing it now for some reason...hmmmm.

Hello Clarendon

2009-03-14T00:05:00.004-05:00

Well, the Sturgis Quartet may have had some troubles getting started today...but we ended up having a successful demo in Clarendon, AR. We hadn't done a demo in Northeast Arkansas yet, so its always interesting to see new parts of the state. We drove through a lot of what is pictured above, but also through some swampy/delta type areas...and even went over a nice big bridge over the White River...of course I didn't photograph any of these things. Ooops.

During the question portion of the presentation the kids became fascinated with us all trying each others instruments...and we entertained them a bit...I played violin, and Andy played cello...but when they asked me to play Tatiana's viola, she put an end to it...

Audition Wrap-Up

2009-03-12T10:36:00.004-05:00

I am now back in (not-so) beautiful Little Rock, AR...I think it was 80+ everyday I was gone. Now it is supposed to be cold and rainy all week. So far, the weather guys have been right...it cold and rainy right now. The drive was uneventful as always...was great to catch up with some people and nice of them to help me pass the time!

The audition went pretty well...as usual I got there waaaaay too early. They auditioners were at lunch, but the whole thing was "self-serve" anyways...no check in or anything. So I warmed up/practiced for and hour and a half or so...I was the only cellist there, and one of three string players that I saw. There were three tubas though, and a whole bunch of woodwinds. That made the warm up room a little bit on the loud side. But I just sat in the corner with my Dr. Beat and freaked out about playing Mendelssohn Scherzo. That excerpt is just beyond me...there have been times when I've nailed it...but I can count them on one hand. Not the kind of odds you want going into an audition.

They started me off with Bach...I played the "old standard" as Heather calls it...Prelude to the 2nd Suite...I have been playing this piece since my first round of college auditions so I'm pretty comfortable and confident with it now ;-) They hear almost the whole thing, then we moved onto Dvorak Concert...they just hear the first page...I've also been playing this one for years and years (along with every other cellist on the planet).

Excerpts went well...Beethoven 5 was in tune and tempo appropriate (and steady)...I hit all the shifts in Heldenleben and didn't rush...Mozart 35 was clean and I didn't rush (thank you Dr. Beat for the help practicing) and La Mer was in tune! And they didn't ask for Mendelssohn Scherzo...2nd audition in a row that I have lucked out with that one. I truly believe that if they had asked for it in Arkansas, I would not be living here right now.

So now I have to sit and wait and wait and wait...they will let us know no later than April 15th...which is a little over a month away. Gah...I hate waiting. Any second I could get a letter or a call or an email from either New World or Norfolk...and I don't like the suspense!

Hello Chicago

2009-03-09T14:57:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates...I have been at home in Chicago for a few days now (I drove up last Thursday...that long super exciting drive up I-40 + 57). I have been practicing away, of course. My audition is tomorrow afternoon (at 2:40 to be exact). It has been a fairly eventful trip so far. Here goes...

My parents and I attended the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra concert at Mandell Hall at the University of Chicago. There was just an SPCO cello audition that I had been planning on taking...but New World called and I took a free trip to Miami Beach instead. They only have three cellos right now, and only used two of them for the majority of the concert. The highlight was definitely the world premiere of a piece by my friend Jake Bancks...the piece was great, the orchestra obviously enjoyed playing it! I have played a few pieces by Jake, and they are always a joy! Jake had a great following there to support him as well.
My mom and I attended the Metropolitan Opera HD Broadcast of Madama Butterfly starring Patricia Racette. It was the first time I had ever seen the opera...gotta admit, its not my favorite Puccini (which would probably be Boheme). It was kind of shocking that all of the theaters in Chicago totally sell out for these opera broadcasts...and they show it in theaters all over the city and suburbs. We bought our tickets online the night before, and had to go into the city because all the theaters close to Wilmette were sold already. Our theater also sold out. Pat Racette is a really great actress, btw. (and singer)
I managed to borrow a really good cello for my New World Audition. I will be playing on a Carl Becker cello made in 1940. I hope that is goes well...send me good vibes at 2:40 tomorrow. (see picture above)

Cello Backs

2009-03-06T12:21:00.006-06:00

I just got photos of the three possible backs for my new Chris Dungey cello. I think they are all beautiful, but I'm really inclined to go for the one-piece back. I mean, who wouldn't want a one piece back, right?!?!? For your viewing pleasure:

More Cello News

2009-03-04T19:36:00.002-06:00

Chris Dungey also told me that Lynn Harrell recently recorded a DVD with Anne Sophie Mutter and Andre Previn in which he is playing his new Dungey Cello!! I believe it is ready for purchase now, but you can also catch some of it on YouTube...as shown below. I think it sounds pretty good!! I'm so excited to finally be getting a new cello...the pieces are falling into place!

News of the Day

2009-03-04T16:02:00.002-06:00

Today the Arkansas Symphony announced, or at least told the performers, what we will be performing on the chamber series concerts next season. I'm not sure if this info is public yet, so I won't list everything out, but I will say that my quartet got totally screwed over. We are only playing one piece that we requested (on the very last concert) and only one piece besides that (a Bach Cantata). Meanwhile, the other two quartets are playing eleven pieces between them. My quartet gets 2. Needless to say, I'm not very happy with the Arkansas Symphony right now.

In other news, I'm leaving tomorrow for Chicago. I'll be there for a week (Thursday-Thursday)...we have some time off from the symphony and I will be taking the New World Symphony Audition. I hope it goes well!! Really really really well that is. The list is fairly standard...and it looks like I will probably be able to borrow a cello for a few days...well, maybe. I have an appointment on Friday with Paul Becker.

No matter what happens, it will be great to get out of the awful state of Arkansas for a week!

Cello News

2009-03-03T21:59:00.003-06:00

I had a nice conversation with my cello maker today (Chris Dungey) and its seems like things are really starting to move into place!! He will be sending me a choice of three different cello backs (two that are two-piece, and one that is one-piece...the one piece will cost a little bit extra however) Without having seen them, I'm inclined to pick the one piece...because I think it would be amazing to have a cello with a one-piece back!!

We also started to discuss some delivery options (the rough estimate places the cello being complete around the end of May beginning of June...sometime in June at the latest)...the options for pick up are: 1) Denver, CO!!!!! This would be amazing because I would get to see Mary and Daniel, and of course meet Emily for the first time!!!! It would be so nice to get to meet Emily in person...I see her every day, but only in the picture that is on my fridge. 2) Oregon/West Coast!!! This would also be fun as I would get to hang out with Kimberly! Whatever happens, I'm sure it a good time will be had by all.

And I should say that this image is from Chris's website...linked above, as well as here.

YouTube Symphony

2009-03-02T17:43:00.004-06:00

So ther winners of the YouTube Symphony thingy were announced (not sure if it was today or not) and I checked in really quickly...I haven't seen all of them, or even watch the full clips, but from what I saw, I'm not terribly impressed. And I can't complain since I didn't send in an audition clip. I have a feeling that lots and lots of really great people were passed over though. I really only looked at some of the American cellist's clips...the two I saw both played La Mer, and didn't seem to have a grasp of the style...although the one girl did play a pretty decent Bach First Suite Prelude. Well, at least the first few seconds that I watched...I certainly can't do the bowing as well as she did!! Well, maybe if I actually practicied it once.

I guess I'll have to try harder next time and actually send something in. Well, if there is a next time. Hmmm...

Check it out here.

Playing with Twitter

2009-03-02T10:40:00.003-06:00

I'm volunteering at the AIDS Foundation again which gives me time to play around with random things on the internet...since I just sit at a desk and answer the phone. Today I discovered some fun things to do with twitter...I had no idea you could post links (like the one about arts funding posted in my twitter box to the right) and you can also post pictures (like the one of my desk posted in the twitter box to the right). I learned all of this on a post at Jason Heath's Double Bass Blog...thanks for the info! Please be sure to check with my twitter, either in the box at the right, or on my facebook status as well!

My Cello So Far

2009-02-28T16:20:00.005-06:00

As many of you probably know, I am having a cello made for me by Chris Dungey in Pocatello, ID. His cellos seem to be all the rage right now (recent purchases have been made Lynn Harrell and the principal of the Oregon Symphony). I tried a few out around the country and decided to go for it. Today I received some wood samples of what the cello might look like. I say might, because he said to call him and he will tell me about what I'm actually looking at. I think they look very pretty...although in a perfect world, I would love a shade darker...but I'll see what he has to say about it. (they are darker than they appear in the photo)

I haven't called Chris yet because I have been feverishly cleaning my apartment all day. It looked so gross when I woke up this morning, and something had to be done. I've literally been cleaning it all day. Please enjoy this clip of Lynn Harrell playing his new Dungey Cello.

Good Morning

2009-02-27T12:23:00.006-06:00

Here I am...volunteering today. I'm sitting at the volunteer desk at the AIDS Foundation until one, and then I'm playing at the Children's Hospital from 2-3. How did I suddenly end up with all this volunteer work? Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I'm very happy to have something to fill up my day...for whatever reason it motivates me to do more...for instance, this morning I started working on my taxes...but when it got into school tuition and scholarship and interest, I got brain freeze and saved it to come back to later.

This morning I tried to pretend I was living in a real city, and decided to walk to Starbucks and get my latte...unfortunately, Starbucks is about 7 blocks (14 round trip) out of the way from where I was going...so I had to leave 45 minutes earlier than I wanted to. But believe it or not, I saw somebody reading the New York Times in there...not a very common site here in Arkansas.

Also, please note my very cute piano tie shirt. Thank you. I'm wearing it for the first time today.

Re: LOST

2009-02-26T17:19:00.003-06:00

I guess this post probably will be of no interested whatsoever to those who don't watch the show...but what in the world are they trying to do to us? As if there weren't enough unanswered questions already...do they really have to spend two entire episodes posing more? If it wasn't enough for us to not know what the smoke monster is, what the numbers mean, what the island even is, who Richard Alpert is, what on Earth the deal with Claire is (is she even still a character?), if Benjamin Linus and Charles Widemore ever tell the truth (and what exactly their relationship is)...now we have to wonder what happened to Aaron, who beat up Benjamin Linus, who that butcher lady is, why is Eloise Hawking worth killing somebody over, why everyone boarding that plane...and we have to deal with a new batch of 10 million characters who just crashed on the island...and apparently the Oceanique 6 all ended up in different points in time when they went back to the island.

Geez. I'm confused now.

For those of you who are just starting out watching LOST, take this as a warning, that is only gets more and more complicated every episode. I'm too involved now to stop.

Thank You Moby

2009-02-24T16:46:00.005-06:00

Today the Sturgis Quartet took another trip down to Hot Springs...it seems like its the only place we go these days. Not that I'm complaining, its just about an hour drive time, which beats driving to places like Yellville (which was over three hours away). I do have reason to complain however...after we made our usual stop at Starbucks, my pants got caught on some random metal bar when I was getting in to Moby (the ASO van) and ended up a little on the ripped side (as you can see in the picture). Luckily they were (are?) my back-up/extra pair of dress pants...but still, I wear them all the time!! And yes...I had to do the whole demo with my leg showing through my pants...I'm surprised I didn't get any questions about it at the end...just my quartet-mates laughing at me.

Volunteer

2009-02-23T13:03:00.005-06:00

Today I am volunteering at the Arkansas Aids Foundation. Its kind of exciting because I get a desk and answer the phone and direct calls. I guess its really not all that exciting. But it is nice to have something to do...its right across the street from my apartment, so they call me when a regular volunteer doesn't show up...and it seems like I might become a regular on Monday mornings. Which happens to be a symphony day off.

We are playing Beethoven 9 this week...which happens to be one of my favorite pieces to play. It was my first concert when I joined the Chicago Youth Symphony, back when I was a sophomore in high school, and we played it two summers ago at Tanglewood...its such an amazing piece, and is always so much fun to play. So I'm expecting to have a very nice week...thank you very much.

I did watch to Oscars last night. Perhaps this year I will make more of an effort to actually see more of the movies. I only saw Slumdog...which happened to win best pic. Go me.

Oscars

2009-02-22T14:49:00.003-06:00

So apparently the Oscars are on tonight...I really had no idea until my mom told me. Well, maybe I kind of knew, but just didn't really care all that much. I remember just a few years ago I was very involved in the Oscars and movies in general...so much so that I would make sure to see every movie that was possibly going to be considered for an award (sometimes multiple times). It was much easier back then as I had a membership to the Little Theatre, in Rochester, NY, which was always playing all the best movies and I could go there for free on Sundays.

This year I saw very few movies in the theater...and Slumdog Millionaire is the only one up for any awards that I'm aware of (Role Models and Mama Mia were not really up to snuff to win an oscar I think). I'm not sure if I'm even going to watch or not...well, if I'm not doing anything, which is likely, I probably will. Last year I didn't see them since I was traveling to Rochester and ran into major problems with Airtran...while the Oscars were on I was driving from Buffalo to Rochester in a rental car with a random guy and his daughter. And the year before I don't remember what I was practicing for, but I was practicing for something during to commercials. Possibly my masters recital?? hmmmm.

I Believe

2009-02-21T23:24:00.003-06:00

Cher believes in life after love:

The Chipmunks believe they can fly:

Hello Hot Spings

2009-02-20T16:35:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, my quartet did six demos at a school in Hot Springs, AR. Its the first time in a looong time when I really put in a full days worth of work. As an orchestral musician, its usually just random stuff here and there and it doesn't often make me very busy...but yesterday morning, we met at 8am and drove down to Hot Springs (where Bill Clinton grew up) and did six Images of America demos. It actually turned out to be kind of fun...although I was getting ADD for the last three and kept doing crazy stuff during Fig Lead Rag...just to see what I could get away with. Oops.

We also got about an hour to check out Hot Springs and grab some lunch (the downtown area was right down the street from the school). HS is actually a pretty nice town...we ate at Cafe 1217 which was pretty good, and ended up grabbing coffee at a place on Bathouse Row (where all of the baths with the hot springs are...duh)...pictured above, it happens to be the only picture I took, Oops.

During question time one girl asked me if I had a wife that played music as well. Not exactly a question I was expecting.

LOST...

2009-02-18T16:48:00.003-06:00

I'm a little bit confused as to why they never show LOST at the correct time here in Arkansas. I guess the show is just not remotely popular here and Arkansans prefer to watch college basketball. Which is always what they seem to show instead. Rather than just pushing LOST back an hour or so, they continue with regularly scheduled programming, including all the news and the late shows...and then LOST comes on at 12:30am or 1:30am or even sometimes 2:30am. This makes no sense to me. I have made some attempts to watch LOST at its late night airtime here...I usually fall asleep before it comes on, but once I actually made it to 1:30am, fell asleep right before it started, and woke up in the final moments. I was very annoyed and I have just given up trying to watch it since then and just visit abc.com the next day and watch in on my computer. Lame I know. In case you haven't seen lost before...here is a little summary of the first three seasons...you'll have to watch 4 if you want to get caught up all the way.

Carter??

2009-02-18T01:02:00.002-06:00

I just wanted to share with you that I listened to Elliott Carter's Sonata for Flute, Oboe, Cello, and Harpsichord tonight as background music when I made some soup (and ate it). I found it to be quite delightful. I'm wondering if this makes me "not normal." Please let me know. I couldn't find a video of this piece on youtube...so please enjoy Norman Fischer (my most recent teacher!!!) performing the 4th movement of the Carter Cello Sonata (at Rice). I also find this piece equally delightful. I know, I'm strange.

Hello Pine Bluff

2009-02-17T16:37:00.004-06:00

Since I have decided to really get back to blogging, this means that you will be forced to read about my regular everyday life which includes driving to random towns and villages all over Arkansas presenting one of two programs about the string quartet. Today's program was "Papa Haydn" and we drove to the not-so-far-away town of Pine Bluff to present it.

I had been down to Pine Bluff one time earlier this year to play the Messiah at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff...admittedly, its not the nicest place in the world. According to wikipedia, Pine Bluff is the 7th largest city in Arkansas, but used to be 2nd largest and one of the most wealthy in the state. It is not anymore. Its very run-down, and not very pleasant.

As for the demo, it went pretty well, only one class was a bit on the noisy side, which I'm never very good and controlling. Say "shhhhh" and "quiet down" didn't have much effect, but it didn't really seem like the teachers had much control over it either. At one point the principal of the school came in and interrupted our presentation to say he wished that some musicians would volunteer to teach music for free at his school. We were kind of surprised he did that...and he didn't even stay for the presentation. Hmmmm.

I forgot to take a picture today, so I have included a photo of the Arkansas Symphony van...which the symphony members have nicknames Moby. We drive Moby to every demo and I dread it every time...I really dislike driving big cars. It makes me uncomfortable.

Presidential Rankings

2009-02-16T17:10:00.002-06:00

C-Span released a list today of how a group of 65-historians thought all of the presidents ranked up. Abe Lincoln scored the top spot (just like he did back in 2000 when they last compiled the list). Bush is not surprisingly near the bottom of the list, ranked at No. 36 (should be lowed if you ask me)...of course I haven't really been alive long enough to accurately judge these rankings...I really only remember Dubya and Bill (who ranked No. 15...jumping up from 21 in 2000)...I wasn't born when Reagan was elected, and only 5 when the first Bush was elected...so I'm hardly an expert.

I found that there are actually lots of different opinions on this issue (well, duh)...and you can see them all compiled in a fairly large chart in a wikipedia entry. There are always the same ones at the top, obviously, but its interesting to see what everyone thinks. I trust Barack will work his way to the top of the list shortly.

Mardi Brawl

2009-02-16T10:24:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I attended my first roller derby bout. I had never seen anybody play roller derby before, or even heard anything about it...but Charlie's friend Megan was playing her first real match, so we went to support her. For those of you who don't know, roller derby consists of a bunch of girls skating around in circles in a pack...with two girls skating much faster (called the jammers). They go round and round and round and beat each other up and push each other on the floor and shove each other off the track and kneel down and let others trip over them. Its quite brutal.

I couldn't tell you how the scoring works...something about the first jammer to get in front of "the pack" is able to score each time they get around the track...but every time I tried to count how many points they scored, I was waaaay off. There are also penalties for violence, but for some reason or other, nobody ever gets called out on them, no matter what kind of awful things they do. Imagine that.

Each girl also has a very cute little nickname...such as Coco Booty, or Slaymaker, or Covalent Bondage. Those were all girls from the Little Rock team...and yes, we got totally killed. I think the ending score was something like 115 to 40 (we were playing Fort Smith). But what do you expect when the team prides themselves on not playing "too dirty"...it seems to me that its a pretty dirty game...hmmmm.

The whole thing seemed pretty Arkansas white trash to me. I didn't know they even made roller skates anymore.

Quick Question

2009-02-15T13:58:00.000-06:00

How did this: Become this??

Meat

2009-02-14T13:02:00.003-06:00

As I have no real news to report. I would like to leave you with this image of meat as cooked by my dad on Christmas. Thank you.

Hello Again

2009-02-13T08:56:00.005-06:00

Ok ok...its been over a month, but I think I'm finally ready to get back into this whole blogging thing. Famous last words, right??? Well, here goes, all sorts of crazy stuff has been going on.

I spent last week playing with the New Worlds Symphony in Miami Beach. I thought it would be nice to spend a week in Miami and see a ton of friends I hadn't seen in a while...but I ended up totally loving the orchestra. It was concerto week (we played seven concertos on two concerts...5 of them violin concertos) and it was great to play with Martin and KCB (yay Rice/Tanglewood!!)...all of the soloists sounded great. It was nice to have a dinner invitation every night I was there and to catch up with so many old (and new) friends. And yes....I'm doing the audition in a few weeks.

In other news...the Arkansas Symphony is having some trouble...we heard a rumor that the Sturgis Quartet (the one I play in) was going to be disbanded at the end of the season...and then the rumor became fact, and then the players committee freaked, and then the administration took it back...and then the executive director resigned and they kind of forgot about Sturgis. So now it looks like we will still have our jobs for next season...but nobody is really sure about anything. I don't think the orchestra is in the best situation: no music director, no executive director and financial problems...oops. But all seems to be running smoothly now. According to people who have been in the orchestra for a while, this happens all the time and they never end up getting rid of Sturgis...but keep threatening too. I'm sure it will happen eventually. Maybe not.

We are playing a Mancini concert this week...its kind of fun...kind of boring at the same time. A few weeks ago we played Shostakovich 5th Symphony...which was probably the best I've ever heard the Arkansas Symphony sound before. Still not as good as Tanglewood or Rice...but fun to play with. For a change.

I was actually starting to get used to Little Rock...the trip to Miami came at the perfect time, because I realized how many things I really don't like about LR. Its so easy to just get used to your surroundings and be happy with them...even if they totally suck.

A List

2009-01-09T17:37:00.003-06:00

I am back in Little Rock and have been for a few days.
Symphony starts again next week...I just had a few odds and ends this week.
We are playing Shosti 5 and Brahms Double Concerto. I really like both of those pieces.
My quartet is working on submitting our rep list for next season.
I requested Carter Quartets...I doubt we will get to play one.
But we will probably be doing a late Beethoven...I've never done one before.
I'm playing a gig in El Dorado, AR this weekend...that should be exciting.
I got a Dr. Beat, a baking pan, the new Harry Potter book, and a GPS from my parents and a cool candle thing from Mira for Christmas/Hanukkah.
I start my car with a screwdriver now.
I really hope that CCE will get to go to Norfolk this summer.

Holiday

2008-12-24T20:41:00.004-06:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to everybody!!

Things have finally picked up a little bit here in Little Rock...for the past few days I have been playing in a praise band at the Church at Rock Creek...which is a mega-church of sorts in West Little Rock...the music was easy, the time was little, and the money was good. A winning gig!! Tonight I will be playing a Christmas Eve service in North Little Rock and then its off to Chicago in the morning...I will be driving up through Illinois all day on Christmas and arrive in time for dinner. So please call me if you aren't too busy with your family.

I'm a little behind on Christmas shopping...which is bad, because Christmas is tomorrow. Oops. Maybe I can give some late gifts for Hanukkah...there are still 4 nights left, right?

It will be nice to have a break from Arkansas...although I am finally starting to make some good friends here and get used to things. I have a bunch of auditions coming up in Feb/Mar...I hope I can find a better cello to use, otherwise I think they are kind of a waste of money...since my cello just isn't good enough to win an audition on. (remember, I didn't use it for the Arkansas audition...I used Mr. Fischer's Perreson and it was the first audition I ever won!)

In cello news...Chris Dungey will be starting my cello after the new year and it will be ready in a few months (in the spring sometime). I'm soooooo excited to get a better cello into my hands...and it will be after nearly a year of looking. I should have it before the end of the ASO season and I'm starting to work on organizing a recital of works written for me to be performed on my new cello in June!! yay!!

I'm listening to the TMCO Spanish Concert from this summer...not very fitting Christmas Eve music...but I already listend to Charlie Brown Christmas a whole lot...

Spectacular Spectacular

2008-12-19T19:09:00.004-06:00

This weekend we are playing the Yuletide Spectacular here at the Arkansas Symphony. This is the second concert in our pops series (the first was with circus acrobats). Features mostly very poppy/rocky arrangements of Christmas tunes with some sort of dancing going on. There was a stage malfunction during White Christmas at the rehearsal last night, which ended in tons of white paper being dumped on the orchestra all at once. And we had no idea that it was coming. Surprise!! The picture is the rock-n-roll santa number...complete with dancing girls with reindeer heads.

Ice!

2008-12-16T14:32:00.002-06:00

Last night and today were my official first days of winter weather in years!! There was one time in Houston when everyone thought there was going to be winter weather and they canceled school...but then there actually wasn't any. All last night we were treated to freezing rain, so this morning everything is covered in a thing layer of ice...I had to use the ice thingy on my car and everything. I don't think I've ever done that before (since I didn't really have a car when I lived in winter places). Everybody is totally freaking out about it here...my demos this morning as well as my gig this evening got canceled...so I have an unexpected day off. So what do I do? Clean my apartment. Duh. And do laundry. Exciting, right???

Above is my balcony with ice...and my foot to prove its actually Arkansas.

Hi

2008-12-15T15:06:00.003-06:00

Hello. Yes I do still exist. I just have not been compelled to write here for some reason. Things are going well here in AR. I went through a dry spell with nothing to do whatsoever for a while, but now lots of my time is taken up with Christmas gigs and quartet demos. And I am muuuuuch happier to have something to do!!

Today it is cold and raining and a little bit icy and everybody is freaking out. They all go to the grocery store and buy all the eggs and milk etc. Its kind of hilarious. In Chicago this would be any normal day and here it is the end of the world to them!

Wait, what?

2008-12-05T12:35:00.003-06:00

I was slightly disturbed yesterday I heard an advertisement on the radio for the "Two Jewish Guys Hanukah Party" at the Clinton Museum, claiming it as a "Little Rock Christmas Tradition." When did Hanukah become a Christmas Tradition? Does this disturb anybody else? I know they are big on Jesus down here...bet geez.

Hello/Goodbye Snow/Little Rock/Chicago

2008-12-01T15:08:00.004-06:00

This is what I missed in Chicago:But this is what I had to drive through for several hours: And this is what my speed looked like in Arkansas because it was raining:Yes...it took a little longer than I would have liked to get back...but I'm here.

Back to Real Life

2008-11-29T16:44:00.002-06:00

Thanksgiving break has been a success in my book...plenty of food, and plenty of time not spent in Arkansas, where I will be headed back to tomorrow. I have a pretty light week coming up...just one concert and a handful of gigs...nothing remotely busy. So hopefully I will go to the gym everyday and lose fifty pounds...well, maybe more like four, which is also fine.

Yesterday I saw Quantam of Solace, that new Bond movie...which I was not a fan of at all. I really liked Casino Royale...but the action scenes in QoS where much too fast paced and heavily edited for me (I couldn't really tell what was going on at all) and I felt that the storyline wasn't really focused (and didn't really make any sense)...but that might just be me being stupid...as usual.

Feel free to call me tomorrow. I will be bored and sitting in the car driving through corn fields...really exciting.

Drive Complete

2008-11-26T23:55:00.003-06:00

Well...I made it all the way back to Chicago in one piece...thanks in no small part to all of you who called me to keep me from falling asleep...and of course, conservative talk radio...nothing like Rush Limbaugh to get me pissed off and to keep me from falling asleep. The drive ended up taking over 12 hours...I was making great time, until I hit Chicago, which of course had terrible traffic and took over two hours to get through. I was really stiff after that. I trust that the return trip will be a little smoother...but you never really know I guess.

Hmmmm...

2008-11-24T15:45:00.003-06:00

I don't understand why people are complaining that Obama's cabinet picks are not the change that he promised, as he keeps picking people from the former Clinton Administration. Do they not realize that this is a change from how things have been for the past eight years and that he is simply going back to an administration that worked?

Anyways...things are going ok here in Arkansas. Our quartet concert last week wasn't exactly a huge success, but we got through things without any major disasters, which is probably the best we could have hoped for. The review was far from a rave, but wasn't negative by any means. We are now done for the season...only weddings, random gigs and demos from now on. We will most likely do some concerts in the spring...but we are done with our appearances at the Clinton Library.

I'm excited to go home for Thanksgiving this week...I'll be driving up to Chicago on Wednesday and staying until Sunday. Thanksgiving is always one of my favorite holidays and I'm especially excited about being at home after my very draining past few months...

Busy Week

2008-11-10T15:28:00.004-06:00

This is shaping up to be my busiest week (and a half) of the entire season so far...this week we are playing an all Mozart program in orchestra (its only our third classical symphony concert so far this season) I am, of course, reminded of the huge 250th birthday celebration a few years ago when every chamber group and orchestra seemed to be playing the complete works of Mozart on every single concert they performed...and it got really really old

But this should be a pretty good concert...Overture to Don Giovanni and Symphony No. 41...and the Clarinet Concert, which is far from my favorite Mozart piece...ugh. Haven't played the symphony since 8th grade!! It was basically my first "big" orchestra piece that I played (in Midwest Young Artists Youth Orchestra)...always exciting to come back to music like that! Wait...I think I may have played it at Eastman too...oops...

Also...my chamber group is presenting our second (and final) concert of the season at the Clinton Library featuring the Schumann 3rd Quartet and the Enesco Octet. The Schumann is really coming together, but the Enesco is proving to be a daunting task. Its always frustrating rehearsing an octet...there are just too many people and too many opinions to review and everything takes too long to figure out. And the Enesco is really hard on top of it...so you can imagine how its going...we have exactly one week from tomorrow...I know CCE pulled off miracles like this all the time, so we'll see how it goes!!

Pictured above is me hugging Zhuzha...the violist in my quartet's dog at my Obama party on Tuesday night (note my Obama shirt!!)

Change Is Finally Here

2008-11-07T18:17:00.003-06:00

I'm happy to say goodbye to the last eight years. This is moment for our nation to be proud of.

Welcome to Yellville

2008-11-02T20:14:00.004-06:00

Last week the Sturgis quartet played our first demo. A good portion of my job is traveling to schools all over Arkansas and doing "Music For All" style demos for elementary school kids. Its a good thing that I got all that great training at Eastman!!! Anyways...our first demo was in a town called Yellville...and as you can guess from the name...it was very rural. We had to drive over three hours to get there (a good portion of that time on a windy mountain-type road). If you look it up on google maps, you'll see that Yellville is kind of in the Ozarks...it was very hilly/mountainy there...kind of pretty, but not exactly beautiful...if you know what I mean...

The highlight of the trip was when we passed a church that had a sign that read, "Don't be so open minded your brains fall out." This is probably the scariest/most fantastic thing I have ever seen. On the way out of Yellville we pulled into the church driveway and snapped a picture...and then promptly ran away before anyone could shoot us (we passed one scary looking man driving around on an ATV fully loaded with weapons...bows+arrows and shotguns among others...)

It was really interesting to me to see place like Yellville...I don't think I've ever been somewhere quite as remote as that...and never any place as conservative/republican as that...we didn't see a single Obama sign out there...it was definitely McCain/Palin territory...which was kind of scary. At least on the way there we stopped to see Arkansas's Natural Bridge...which turned out to be a typical roadside attraction...not very exciting.

Succesful Weekend

2008-10-27T10:12:00.004-05:00

My parents were in Little Rock this weekend with the single purpose of helping me finally get settled in my new apartment. As you probably assumed, it has been a complete mess for the month I have lived here so far...but over the course of two days it has been transformed into a space that actually resembles an apartment that people do in fact live in. I still have a few odds and ends to finish up...but its much much much better and is actually a nice place to be in now!

Pictured above is my bedroom complete with panel curtains from IKEA...we didn't hang them the way they were intended because I didn't buy all of the correct accessories...but I think they look pretty cool the way we ended up doing it! You should all come and visit! (more pics up on facebook)

Franck Complete

2008-10-22T14:27:00.003-05:00

The Franck performance went surprisingly very well last night...I think the energy from performing really helped us a lot and it turned out to be a really exciting concert. Much to my surprise, the concert was reviewed in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette!! The critic really liked the Sturgis Quartet in particular ("The four musicians played together as one, alternately handing off running lines and accompanying one another") and I even got a mention saying "David Gerstein's solos on cello were always welcome interludes to the frenzied parts of the movements."

Not exactly a rave review...but I'm just happy to have been mentioned for the first time in professional review...yay!!! Thank you to Laura Stevens for the great review!!

Franck Quartet

2008-10-21T17:09:00.005-05:00

Today the Sturgis Quartet (of which I am a member) will present Franck's String Quartet in D at the Clinton Presidential Center at 7pm...I think we are all pretty excited (and nervous) about it. This is the first time we will be appearing as a quartet and we have worked pretty hard to put this piece together. For those of you who don't know...its nearly an hour long...and its pretty crazy...and really difficult to learn as the first piece you've ever played together as a quartet...the pic is of the only solution I could come up with for my page turns in the last movement...its seven pages with basically less than one measure of rest...I have to use to stand extenders...its kind of ridiculous.

Jay was here last week subbing with the orchestra. We hit up all the regular Little Rock places: Big Dam Bridge, Pinnacle Mountain, River Market (those are basically the only three places to go in Little Rock...exciting, I know)...it was my first time doing Pinnacle Mountain, and everybody kept telling me how ridiculously easy it was...so Jay and I went over one afternoon, expecting a nice easy hike...we were very surprised to hit a ton of huge boulders that seemed to go straight up...it was super hard work, but we made it up to the top. We later found out that we went up the difficult side which was rated "strenuous," the other side is a simple stroll up the mountain...

I guess I'll know better next time.

Back in Little Rock

2008-10-13T08:24:00.003-05:00

As the title says...I am back in Little Rock now. The week in Houston went well...I think its safe to say the concert was a success. Everyone who came seemed to enjoy it and thought the poetry and silence was effective. And we managed to get through both of the pieces after a very crazy week of rehearsals.

Now I have roughly 80 billion things to take care of. I filled my entire dry erase board with a list of things to get done, and I'm sure when i finish that I will fill it up again with more things to get done. Sigh...on today's list is going to the gym, moving my living room shelf to my bedroom, building my new living room shelves, going through a million papers...and much much more!!

More from IKEA

2008-10-11T16:49:00.012-05:00

I think that I officially have a problem...I have gone to IKEA four times since I've been to Houston...and yesterday, I went twice in one trip...I went through once and paid, and brought the stuff to my car, and then I went back in and went through again. But I'm sure that all of the things I bought will help breath some life into my semi-unfurnished living space (also known as my apartment)...I am now the proud owner of two LACK bookcases, all sorts of curtains and fabric, and a million odds and ends. Now I just have to put everything together. Tell me what you think.

The two bookcases will go next to each other in the living room (I'll move the big Janus shelf from The Container Store to my bedroom and it will become the home for my music) the heart shaped pattern will become curtains covering my washer and dryer...they had it displayed with the hearts upsidedown at the store, and I didn't eve realize they were hearts then...I think I will do it that way...and the blue panel curtains will go behind my bed.

IKEA etc

2008-10-09T00:55:00.003-05:00

Today I went to IKEA to buy some fabric type thing to put behind my bed as well and a curtain to put in front of my washer/dryer...and I ended up leaving with a cart full of random items...none of which were the things I came in for. So I guess I'm gonna go back tomorrow and pick some things having thought about it for a day (none of the textiles are available online...).

My apartment will soon be equipped with new towel bar...a dish scrubber...a red ice cream scoop...a magazine file (to put my orchestra music in...right now it just sits on the kitchen counter)...some candle trays...and a bunch of candles...all sorts of things I don't really need at all...but I now own...

I really need to buckle down and get my shit together when I get back to Houston on Sunday night...I'm sick of living in a mess...my couch will be coming on Wednesday, and I want it to slip into a finished apartment...this probably isn't going to happen...but one can try, right?

CFP Day 1

2008-10-07T23:26:00.004-05:00

The first rehearsals for the Concert for Peace (CFP) went very well today! At an early morning Schubert rehearsal we got through the first movement, and worked a bit on the 3rd...and at our afternoon Brahms rehearsal we got through the entire piece (with work mainly on movements one and two)...I'm sure that is all very exciting to you guys...to CCE: I'm realizing that we took some pretty crazy tempos, since I thought I was taking the 3rd movement of the Brahms under tempo for rehearsal, and then everyone in the group told me it was way too fast....hmmm...I guess we also worked on it for over a year though.

I also think the trio to the third movement of the Schubert Quintet is really strange.

Its nice to be back in Houston and not have to worry about school at all. I just have two rehearsals a day, and then I get the rest to hang out and visit all of my old spots...have already been to favorites: House of Pies, Mai's, RA Sushi, and Miyako...I think tomorrow I will pay a visit to IKEA to see what I can bring back to my place with me...and maybe the Galleria as well...just so I can remember what being in a real mall feels like...

And I recieved word today thay my couch is ready to be delivered!!! Hope they can swing by on Monday morning!

Greetings from Houston!

2008-10-06T01:02:00.002-05:00

Hello! I'm in Houston for the week preparing for a concert this Saturday at St. Phillip's church. Its a "concert for peace" and I'll be playing the Schubert Cello Quintet as well as the Brahms Piano Quintet with some friends here in Houston (from Rice and elsewhere). We haven't started rehearsing yet...so I'm getting a bit nervous about throwing it all together...its going to be a crazy few days...and we just found out that we will be playing on the radio on Friday morning...yikes!!

I haven't updated in a while...so here's a recap of what has been going on:

I played two concerts this past weekend featuring cricus performers...it sounds totally cheesy, but it was actually pretty fun, and very entertaining.
I auditioned for the Milwaukee Symphony...I really hadn't prepared like I should have and I was playing on a cello that just really isn't good enough to be playing auditions on...so obviously, I didn't advance past the first round. But it was nice to see some friends there!
I spent some time at home in Wilmette with my parents (following the MSO audition)
I had a personal training session...it was really good, and he showed me a bunch of things I had never done before...now I just have to keep it up.
I rehearsed the Franck String Quartet in D major with my quartet (the Sturgis Quartet)...out first concert is coming up at the end of October, and we want to be ready!
I receieved and put together a MALM bed from IKEA...this was not very easy for me...but I managed to get it together...and it looks pretty good! And after a few days the matress has puffed out and become pretty comfortable. pictured above.
I drove to Houston...see the above paragraph.
Now you're caught up.

Dorm Room/Storage Unit

2008-09-23T22:22:00.004-05:00

Its not a good sign when the people that work at the Container Store recognize you and know your name. But since there is basically nowhere else to go here for more "modern" looking furniture, at least that I know of, the container store is it. I have spent more money that I had ever planned to there...but now I have three sets of Elfa drawers...two in the bedroom that function as a dresser (with wheels on the bottom) and one in the bathroom that functions as a...well...bathroom dresser.

I visited the container store again today and bought a Janus "dorm-room set" which is basically a lot of wires and shelves that you can arrange however your little heart desires (pictured above). I thought that I would need tons and tons of shelves...but apparently I have big shelf eyes...because I am nearly done unpacking all of my boxes, and barely any of the shelves are filled. I'm not concerned however, because the shelf looks cool, and I can come up with plenty of stuff to fill it with.

Thanks to the very smart people that work at the container store, my parents and I where directed to a wonderful store by the name of Garden Ridge...where you can find any and every kind of home furnishing for very very little money. I am now the proud owner of black table and four chairs for under $200. One of the chairs already kind of fell apart...but the other three are going strong.

The container store people also directed us to Hank's Fine Furniture...where I made my most exciting purchase of all...a leather couch!! I'm still trying to grasp the fact that I can actually afford something like a leather couch now (or a piece of furniture at all, for that matter)...but, in about two weeks from now, this couch will be arriving at my apartment...and it will be mine to use!!

And I'm still waiting for my bed...cough cough...IKEA?? Is anybody home? I'm waiting for all of my furniture to arrive, so I can decide where to put my art up...because that makes a big difference, right? I'm sure that once I put the art up, it will really start looking like a real apartment where somebody actually lives...right now it looks like a dorm room/storage unit.

I'm still not off my high from the Met Opening Night yet...I've been listening to Manon all day...and humming it in the car when I've been driving places (I just uploaded it to my iPod, so I can bring it with me tomorrow)...my recording is with Beverly Sills...so its kind of amazing...omg. I think since last night I may have become a big opera fan...how cheesy and random is that?

Met Broadcast

2008-09-22T22:55:00.003-05:00

I watched the broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera's opening night gala starring Renee Fleming here in Little Rock this evening...its really amazing that the met does something like this...broadcasting the opera to movie theaters all over the country. I had never been to a Met broadcast before, but I really wanted to see this one, as I had just played with Renee Fleming (cough...shameless self-plug) and performed under James Levine (cough...shameless self-plug number 2). They did three acts from three different operas...La Traviata (which I missed all but the final moments), Act 3 of Manon (my favorite of the evening) and the final scene of Cappriccio...each one featured Renee prominently...of course...

But it all got me thinking about what my favorite musical experiences have been thus far in my life...it was so exciting to see such an amazing performance from such amazing musicians in such an amazing setting etc etc etc...anyways...three performances came to mind. First, CCE's performance of Haydn's Sunrise Quartet at our very memorable summer (well, two weeks) on Cape Cod. I remember vividly getting to the coda of the last movement and Heather giving us all that smile that said "here we go!" and then we blasted through it...and it was soooo fun.

The other two were both orchestral performances at Tanglewood...Dvorak 8th Symphony this past summer, and Elektra my first summer...both conducted by James Levine. I've never felt that much energy during an orchestra performance, and I listen to both of those recordings nearly everyday...they sound sooo amazing.

Kimberly and I talked on the phone today...and we kind of thought that maybe the fact that CCE seems to not be materializing as a "real" chamber group could be a good thing...that way when we do get together and play it will really be just a fun great experience for us...just like that summer on Cape Cod was. We won't have to worry about booking concerts and finding agents and getting enough money for rent (well...we have to worry about that anyways)...but when we do actually play together, it will be just for the fun and enjoyment of it...like it should be. Great friends playing great music.

Also, I hope that sometime in the next few years I will get the opportunity to play in a really great opera orchestra...I know I won't be able to be a Tanglewood Fellow again (I exhausted my three years :-(...so my only chance to play really amazing operas would be to win a job in a great opera orchestra...so, I'll be checking musical chairs often...something has to open in the next few years...no?

Well, that turned into a kind of personal entry...oops. I'm just feeling very happy thinking about all of the amazing performances I have been a part of...thank you Met, for bringing those memories up for me.

Driving Etc...

2008-09-16T22:27:00.003-05:00

I left to drive to Houston yesterday at 8:45am...and less than 24 hours later I drove back to Little Rock. Needless to say, I am very tired right now. The drive is getting easier and easier every time...I never would have imagined after driving that stretch of road the first (when I drove down with my parents + uncle when I first started at Rice) that I would be driving it so many times. It was interesting driving into hurricane territory...getting further south there were more and more uprooted trees and random roofs blown off of buildings...but right along the interstate, there was little damage to be seen.

Starting about two hours from Houston, the gas stations stopped having gas (save the random one every once in a while...where there was a huge 2+ hour line of cars waiting...no joke). All of the fast food chains had power, so I was good to get some greasy fried food to sustain me.

It was really shocking seeing Houston in this state...I lived there for two years, in which time a hurricane never hit us. Ike was not good to Houston...I hadn't heard much about it on the news, so it was a lot worse than I expected. There is barely any power in the entire city...and tons of trees and branches down everywhere you look. I saw one traffic light that was on the entire time I was there. Its really just kind of scary to be there in general. There is city-wide curfew at 9pm...which is kind of self enforced, because there is just nothing to do...its sooo dark at night, and there is just nowhere to go.

I had planned well enough to have sufficient gas to get me into and out of Houston (far enough North to buy gas) but I though it would a good idea to get some if I saw a station with not too ridiculous of a line. I picked a Shell station near 59...waiting about a half hour or so...not too bad compared to the stations I had seen elsewhere...finally got to the front...the pump said to see the cashier...I went in, waited in the line...and then was told it was cash only...and that the ATM wasn't working...so I just went to my car and drove away...I felt soooo dumb! (turns out I had enough gas anyways)

My trip was a quick one...packed up my apartment, cleaned out my storage unit...went to sleep...and left very early in the morning. When I left there were already super long lines at all of the gas stations (which had probably just opened). I'm so glad right now that I'm no longer living in Houston (selfish I know). They are saying it may be a minimum of three weeks before power comes back, which would mean that I wouldn't have any sort of work for at least three weeks (the public schools are canceled for at least a week...could be more). I'm guessing that if I was stilling living in Houston now, I probably would have just moved back home by this time.

Pictured above is the yard right outside of my garage apartment in Houston...just a tiny idea of what everything looks like (everything is like that...everywhere)...

Goodbye Ike

2008-09-14T20:13:00.003-05:00

I couldn't escape the effects of Ike this past weekend, despite not being down in Houston. I was supposed to drive down on Friday to Houston so I could return Mr. Fischer's cello to him...(a bit of history...after graduation my parents took my cello back to Chicago with them to sell so we could have the funds to buy a new cello, Mr. Fischer generously let me use his spare for the summer while I was looking for a new one...unfortunately I didn't find one that I was looking for...ended up playing my Arkansas Audition on it, and now that I'm moving here, I can't use it anymore...which leaves me without a cello...Mr Fischer needs his spare back because he already dropped his principal cello off at the shop to get repaired...it was already in the middle of major repairs when the hurricane blew in, I couldn't drive down to return it as scheduled...) well, I guess that's the whole story...

I'm a little bit on edge, because this was the weekend for me to get all of my affairs in order in Houston, which obviously didn't happen. Now I'm driving down tomorrow morning and hoping that I'll be able to get into the city...need to rush around and remember everything I have to do (pick up bamboo...clean out apartment...pick up things that I have in storage) and I need to drive right back to Little Rock on Tuesday morning to be back in time for our first rehearsal Tuesday night...sigh...

Does that even make any sense?

I'm very slowly starting to furnish my apartment...emphasis on slowly. Since the only real piece of furniture I have right now is a stool I bought from Target, so I can sit at my kitchen counter (where I am right now)...I've been sleeping on an air mattress...which will change soon, since my parents ordered me a bed from IKEA!! yay!!

Speaking of my parents...they are totally drenched. Chicago has received a ton of rain recently...raining super heavy for over 24 hours. And now they have Ike merging with the storm they've had for over a day! Crazy...

Little Rock Update

2008-09-09T10:00:00.003-05:00

As of yesterday I have achieved the two major things I need to get done on this trip to Little Rock...I opened a bank account here, and I found an apartment. The first was fairly easy to do...I just walked into Bank of America and opened a checking account...finding an apartment was somewhat more difficult. Drew drove me all over the city and we looked at every place that had for rent sign in front...I ended up taking a place downtown...its kind of a loft style apartment (barely) but its a good size (not too big not too small)...hardwood floor in the living room, nice sized kitchen with dishwasher...washer+dryer in the bedroom...and its only $500...welcome to Little Rock!

I'll be moving in this afternoon...after I'm done with this quartet seminar thing. We had our first rehearsal last night, working on preparing our outreach program (Papa Haydn)...we will be talking about theme and variation and different moods and emotions that can be expressed in Haydn quartets...exciting huh?

Pic above is a quick snap of my apartment (with no furniture yet...of course)

More From Little Rock

2008-09-06T21:22:00.004-05:00

Hello from Little Rock...again!! A lot has been going on in my life recently...thus the lack in blogging...but if you read the entry directly below this you know that last weekend I won a job with the Arkansas Symphony (section cello + string quartet)...naturally I kind of freaked out a little bit and didn't know if I should take the job or not (a decision that seemed very obvious to everybody else that didn't have to make it)...but in the end I decided to take it and just see what happens...

So I'm back in Little Rock again...I'm here for a week this time...trying to find an apartment this weekend (which is proving not so easy after one day of searching)...later this week I have a few seminars with my quartet...we need to prepare our outreach demos. Our topic is Papa Haydn...something that CCE would totally have a ball with...three of the people in my quartet are brand new (me and one of the violinists just got the job last weekend, the other violinist, also the assistant conductor, has been here over the summer...the violist has been here for a while already) so we'll see how it goes...no telling whats gonna happen.

All of our concerts are happening at the beginning of the season...we are doing the Franck D Major string quartet (who knew?), the 3rd Schumann Quartet, and the Enescu Octet...should be interesting, never played any of those pieces. Have you??

Anyways...there are some really cute places to live here in Little Rock...I looked at one apartment today, one bedroom with a big big kitchen (with breakfast nook) big big bedroom (tons of closets) another small room, hardwood floors...and it was only $725...and my friend that has been taking me around (the concertmaster of the orchestra) says I can find something cheaper than that. I'm gonna try and look at a loft downtown tomorrow...could be nice.

As of right now I'm trying to keep my concerts in Houston, but as the schedule becomes clearer to me, I'm thinking that I'm not going to be able to keep doing that...there is a lot of time off from orchestra, but the quartet stuff can come up any time...and we will need to be rehearsing...we've got a lot of music to learn fairly quickly.

There was a huge football game here today that totally shut down everything...it was pretty crazy.

Arkansas Audition

2008-08-30T17:27:00.005-05:00

Hello from Little Rock, AR! I drove up here yesterday from Houston...up that terrible stretch on 59...the speed limit changes at every little town you enter...and there are stop lights along the whole thing...ugh...at least I had conservative talk shows to keep me angry and paying attention.

The audition was this morning, and I realized I was reading the schedule wrong and there were a total of six cellists there...a lot less than I was expecting. First round was behind a screen...Beethoven 5, Mozart 41, and Don Juan...we each had our own rooms, and there was no 'community room' so I just sat in my room by myself waiting to hear back...and then to my surprise I was advanced to the next round!! That was the first time that had ever happened.

Then I only had about 15 minutes before I went in again...this time the screen was down...there were supposed to be two more rounds, but due to the low turnout, the final two got compressed into one...I played Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Overture (random, right?) and Verdi Offertorio...then went back and read with the quartet, Beethoven 59 No.1 and Prokofiev 2nd String Quartet...and then I had to give a mini outreach presentation, as if the panel was a bunch of third graders.

I never really thought I would get that far, so I didn't really plan anything out...I just jotted a few notes down and figured that if I had to, I would just wing that part when it came to it...and then it came to it, and I winged it. I guess it was all that great training with Music for All at Eastman...

And then I found out that I won the audition. Totally crazy...so now I have to decide if I'm gonna take it or not...decided to stick around for another night so I could check out the town...and juts have a chance to look over all the stuff they gave me in the quiet of the hotel...what do you guys think??

Here We Go

2008-08-28T13:13:00.003-05:00

Moving to a new place...even if you've been there for the past two years...is not very easy. It looks like I'm finally going to be able to move into my apartment this afternoon...after much trouble from my previous residence of two years (my new landlord needed to check my references, and they made me bring over a signed release statement and then they needed him to send them the questions in writing so they could respond...totally ridiculous!!) I'm so happy to finally be done (hopefully forever) with that horrible building.

Next on taps...actually moving in this afternoon...not a complete move-in, but all the stuff from my car and maybe a few boxes from storage. I don't have a ton of time today, since I am leaving tomorrow for an audition...I'll get a little settled and then probably practice more tonight. I'm totally cramming for this audition, so I've already written it off as just another "audition experience" under my belt...I think I'm probably going to chicken out of next week's Alabama Symphony audition, and just concentrate on Milwaukee...

Too Much

2008-08-26T23:38:00.003-05:00

Made it all the way back to Chicago/Wilmette safely...(stayed overnight in Cleveland)
Spent two days in Chicago...mostly looking at cellos...more on that later...
Drove from Chicago to Batesville, MS to Layfeyette, LA, to Houston...
and then my car broke down after we (me and my dad) pulled up at our hotel.
So we had the car towed to the volvo place, and then we rented a car.
We drove all around Houston looking for a place and then found one that we both thought was too small and not enough kitchen...
and then after looking more decided it was by far the best one, so I took it.
But I can't move in for another day...so I have a car and a storage until full of stuff, and nowhere to put it.
And I need to pick a cello.
and I need to practice for my audition in Arkansas (on Saturday) and I'm not exactly sure which cello I will be using for it...
I've written this one off as a practice audition at this point...since I haven't played for days.
Even though I have practiced the music kind of a lot while I was at Tanglewood.
I miss Tanglewood
I'm kind of screwed...
omg

Goodbye Tanglewood :-(

2008-08-19T11:58:00.003-05:00

Hello from the New York State Thru-way...I left the Berkshires this morning (after frantically running around all morning getting my car packed up and trying to say bye to everybody). Can't believe that I'm done with my third summer at Tanglewood...that means I can't come back again as a regular fellow, only if they invite me to be a Fromm Player, which is a very small chance...could be the last time I was in Western Mass for a long time...sad day...

I'm on my way back home to Chicago now, I'll be stopping somewhere around Cleveland and arrive in Chicago in the afternoon tomorrow...two days of looking at cellos in Chicago, and then its three days driving back to Houston...I'll be there a few days with my dad finding and apartment and getting resettled...and then I'm heading out to Little Rock, AR for the ASO/Arts Partner Quartet audition...been working on the excerpts for a while now, so I hope that it goes well!

I need to get some red bull.

Post Carter

2008-07-31T15:17:00.005-05:00

As you have probably guessed, the Carter festival is now complete and we are on to tons and tons of rehearsals for Eugene Onegin...poor James Levine is recovering from surgery, so we have Sir Andrew Davis in his place...a really great conductor, but just not the same, as everybody seems to be feeling. Oh well...its still an amazing opera and we still have the amazing cast of singers including Renee Fleming (among others).

Everything Carter went really well...Enchanted Preludes was the best it ever was and even got mentioned in Sequenza 21, a contemporary music blog. read here. The Sonata for Flute, Oboe, Cello, and Harpsichord got mentioned in the New York Times...very briefly and without names of the performers, but still...mentioned. And the back of my head was featured prominently in a different NYT review (ok...maybe not so prominently)...but whatever...

We are starting to wrap up the summer here...less than 3 weeks left...two more orch concerts...my schedule is significantly lighter now that Carter is over...just one chamber piece and the few remaining orchestra concerts. Not really looking forward to leaving...so I'm not gonna think about it right now.

Carter Begins

2008-07-20T13:53:00.005-05:00

This morning was Concert #1 of the Carter Festival...it was really enjoyable to just sit back and listen to the craziness and not have to worry about playing correct rhythms and putting every tiny detail in its place. This morning we heard several small orchestral/chamber pieces featuring the Double Concerto for piano and harpsichord (and two orchestras). Pictured is Carter's bow at the end of the program standing beside Ursula Oppens and Charles Rosen (soloists on the concerto)...it was terribly well received with a standing ovation and everything at the end. I think it will be a very interesting week.

Tonight is the first of two orchestra concerts featuring the Variations for Orchestra and a world premiere of Carter's new string orchestra piece, Sound Fields.

Hello Carter

2008-07-19T14:56:00.004-05:00

The Miss Hall's wireless network has decided that my anti-virus software, which I had to jump through hoops to get (since I have a mac and we don't get viruses anyway) is no longer good enough and won't let me on the internet. So I will most likely do all of my internet related things from Lenox Coffee from now on...not that there is anything wrong with that! Its kind of fun to sit and and people watch and drink iced coffee.

I just got my hair cut...it was getting a little bit scary...I'm actually really happy with it. Maybe I'll get one right before I leave as well. (its pictured above)

Tomorrow morning is the beginning of Carter-fest. Starting tomorrow at 8am you will here exclusively music by Elliott Carter at Tanglewood through Thursday. (well, there is one BSO concert where Carter will not be played...but whatever). I'm pretty much brain-dead from it all...five orchestral pieces plus two chamber pieces (with no conductor) all being performed right now. Kind of crazy. But kind of amazing at the same time. I'm doing the Sonata for Flute, Oboe, Cello, and Harpsichord...we figured that we have spent seven hours on only the 3rd movement of the piece, which is about five and a half minutes long. I usually take a nap when we are done to recharge.

My parents are trying to make their way out here as we speak...they decided to brave the craziness and take in the entire Carter Festival...but they ran into car problems in Gary, IN that apparently can't be fixed fast enough...so the car is being towed back to Chicago and a car is being rented...and then they will drive late tonight and make it to Rochester...and then the rest of the way tomorrow. I'll have to play extra well now!

Rossini Complete...Now Carter

2008-07-14T11:31:00.003-05:00

I'm taking an afternoon break sitting at Lenox Coffee, and I figured it was about time to attend to the fact that I haven't made any updates here for quite some time. As you probably read in the entry below, Levine is out of the picture as far as Tanglewood goes. Everyone is pretty bummed about it...he was supposed to conduct both of the Carter pieces I was sitting principal on, but obviously, thats not going to happen...Stephen Asbury is doing it now, which is still pretty amazing.

Yesterday morning was my performance of the Rossini Duo (with Shaun). I was pretty happy with how it went. We each did our own cadenza type things, and I was really nervous about mine, since it involved a very large leap to a very high note...but it all worked out at the concert, and I'm glad I decided to do it...

We are in the midst of the Carter Festival now...two complete orchestra concerts of only music composed by Carter, as well as tons of chamber concerts...I'm playing on six of eight orchestra pieces and on two of the chamber pieces, so I'm getting my fair share of Carter. Now that the Rossini is over, I'm only playing Carter through July 23rd...its kind of crazy.

Pictured is my view from the back of the orchestra during Alpine Symphony, which we played about a week ago now. Its really hard sitting back there, especially for a piece like Alpine Symphony where everything is so loud and fast. And I hate wearing earplugs...but I guess you do what you have to to avoid complete hearing loss. Oh well.

Sad Day

2008-07-09T23:30:00.001-05:00

BSO Music Director James Levine regrets that he will have to withdraw from the balance of the 2008 Tanglewood season. Because of a cyst causing pressure and discomfort, Levine will undergo surgery this week to have a kidney removed. The procedure has been described by Levine’s doctors as curative, with no other treatment necessary and with every expectation for a complete recovery. The anticipated recuperation period is six weeks - leaving ample time to prepare and conduct the season openings of the BSO and the Metropolitan Opera in September.

“It is extremely frustrating that I need to have this surgery now,” said Levine. “My projects at Tanglewood have been planned so carefully and coordinated in such detail by the Festival administration. I especially regret not being here with Elliott Carter for his 100th birthday celebration, which I was looking forward to more than I can say. And I’m very disappointed at having to miss concerts with my colleagues in the BSO, as well as my work with the young musicians of the Tanglewood Music Center.”

Mark Volpe, BSO Managing Director, expressed the sentiments of everyone at the Festival: “All of us at Tanglewood are very disappointed that James Levine will not be with us for his remaining concerts this summer,” said BSO Managing Director Mark Volpe. “However, we are primarily concerned for Jim’s health and well-being, and that everything be done to ensure a complete recovery so that he returns as soon as possible to his musical life with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Metropolitan Opera.”

The 2008 Tanglewood concert schedule, which offers 67 ticketed performances and runs through Labor Day weekend, will not be disrupted, with all concerts to take place as originally scheduled. An announcement about guest conductors scheduled to take over Maestro Levine’s remaining Boston Symphony Orchestra and Tanglewood Music Center concerts will be forthcoming. Maestro Levine led the BSO, a cast of international soloists, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus in the opening weekend of the Tanglewood season, leading a performance of Berlioz’ monumental Les Troyens, July 5 and 6. Also last week, Maestro Levine led the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra in a performance of Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony.

String Sectional

2008-06-25T20:22:00.003-05:00

Today we rehearsed in this space. As you can see, its not very large. Luckily it was just a string sectional...the morning session was on Don Juan and Dvorak 8...and the afternoon session was on Eugene Onegin, even though that concert isn't for over a month. We were all a bit confused as to why we had a rehearsal for it on the first day of orchestra. Also, Don Juan sounds really bad without the winds and brass.

Its so nice to just spend time on the Tanglewood grounds. Today it was so nice and sunny and I spent most of the afternoon walking around the grounds, talking on the phone etc. I will be spending a lot more time on the grounds this year since I can't really afford to drive back and forth from Miss Hall's given the high price of gas. Good thing its really nice there! Now I just need to work on reserving practice space.

Post Quartet Seminar

2008-06-23T13:44:00.005-05:00

I thinks its reasonable to say that our quartet performance this morning went pretty well...especially given the circumstances. As previously mentioned, we were in the Tanglewood Theater (where they put on the operas) which is a much more outdoor hall than Ozawa is...therefore, it was very humid. There also happened to be a thunderstorm going on at the same time. It stayed quiet for our entire Haydn Quartet, but in the break afterwards, while I was about to start the Dvorak with my low C-String A-flat, there were rumbles of thunder. Good thing it matched the mood of the introduction. By the time we finished our one Dvorak movement, it was starting to storm. I feel bad for the next group because they had to deal with the really really loud thunder while they were playing. They still sounded great.

Mark Sokol came and gave us each a hug right before we played, and then did the same after. I still kind of love him. A lot. {the Lee Quartet is pictured above}

Right now I should be preparing for my New World Sub-list audition which is a little over an hour. However, I'm writing this blog instead. I've elected to play the old-standard: Dvorak Concerto along with three excerpts of my choice: Don Juan (the middle, not the beginning), Brahms 2 slow movement, and La Mer. I think that these are all in my fingers pretty well, so I'm not freaking out about it. Its not like they gave us a whole lot of notice anyways...I think they put up the sign-up sheets two days ago. Sigh.