Summer So Far

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!

Met Broadcast

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.

Goodbye Tanglewood :-(

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

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

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

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

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.

String Sectional

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

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.

Loud Frogs

I'd like to take the opportunity to tell you that the frogs outside of my window are so loud its ridiculous. I was talking to Kimberly on the phone the other day and she could hear them as if they were there with her in Seattle. Keep in mind that I'm on the third floor and the frog noise makes it all the way up here to my room from the courtyard below.

I'd also like to say that I kind of love Mark Sokol. For those of you who don't know, he was the first violinist of the Concord Quartet (they recorded all the Rochbergs that you all love...Mr. Fischer was in that group too). Anyways...I've had him as a coach every year I've been here at Tanglewood...the past two summers he has coached my group on Haydn. He always pushes us in such a crazy and unique direction...but it always ends up sounding so amazing. He has such an amazing ear for making sound different in a good way. He's also an amazingly nice person. He always hugs us after every coaching...and then has a cigarette. He's pictured above with said cigarette. If any of you every get a chance to do anything with him, please do!

I just decided to read the Orchid Thief again...now that I have it back from Heather. I kind of love that book too. I think I'll read some now.

Old Bass Road

Things are progressing nicely here at Tanglewood...tomorrow is our quartet seminar marathon performance. My first two summers here it was in Ozawa Hall, but I guess its overrun with dancers now, so we have been relegated to the Opera Theatre. As you can see in the pics...not nearly as nice. My group will be playing at approximately 10:30am...so we can expect a huge audience. If you are so inclined, and live in the Berkshires, you should come by...the concert starts at 10. We are playing Haydn and Dvorak.

I signed up to play the New World Symphony sublist audition...the only problem is that its tomorrow, and they just put up the sign up sheets. So nice of them to give advanced warning. I hear that its worth it to do it, even if you don't feel prepared. The only thing that stopped me from doing it last year was the fact that I was rehearsing Verlkaerte Nahct 24 hours a day and I had strep throat.

I've decided that I'm going to start sharing random pictures from my photo library with you all. Todays selection (seen above) is the road sign outside of our Bed and Breakfast in CT (where me and my parents and uncle stayed for a few days about a week ago). My uncle insisted on calling it "Old Bass Rd" and as you can clearly see, its just simply "Bass Rd."

Hello Tanglewood

Driving Day 5: Not as much driving today, but I was the most tired...I guess it kind of builds up over 5 days...I picked up a cello from Martin Cornelissen in Northampton MA, and then drove down to Clinton, CT (somehow making it there even though my Google Maps directions didn't exist...hmm) and picked up another one...by this time I was practically passing out and had to stop playing because I couldn't pay attention to it anymore!! Got back in the car...drank a red bull...and drove an hour to Windham Center (after finding out I was driving in the wrong direction, but only for 5 minutes).

Days in CT: kind of relaxing, but there was a fair share of family drama...as there always is.

Tanglewood: I finally have a single room (pictured!)...quartet seminar is now in full swing (or will be tonight) everyone is playing Haydn, my group's other piece is Dvorak A-Flat Major Quartet...not my favorite piece in the world, and no matter what we always sound bad, because its in A-Flat major...hmmm...but the group is fun and pretty good! I've been playing on the Wilke cello which I really like so far...but I think he will need it back soon...hopefully I can finagle it for a few extra days to use for the quartet seminar concert!

Ro-cha-cha

Day three of driving was uneventful...somehow two songs from Wicked have become our theme material with listenings happening at least hourly. Only two songs because I only have two songs (Popular and Defying Gravity) on my iPod and Steph's iPod doesn't work with my radio thing for some reason (maybe its too old?). Steph gets very emotional when we listen to these songs and choreographs dance routines in her seat (which are more restrained when she is driving of course)...I'm sitting on the floor of Sara's apartment right now...and I must admit its quite lovely. Rochester is nice and cool compared to where we have been (the South was burning hot!)...today marked 12 states in 5 days...tomorrow will bring 13 in 6...and Thursday will make 14 in 7. I'm very excited to finally settle down in Pittsfield/Lenox for a few months. I'm researching being able to take some yoga classes at Kripalu (two summers ago I got the royal treatment there as part of a music+yoga study) so hopefully I will be spending some time there again this summer!

{above: Me on the floor||Sara in a chair}

Tanglewood...Yay!

I finally got my assignments!! And they are good! I'm playing:

• Haydn Op. 33 No. 1 in B Minor
• Dvorak Op. 105 in A-Flat
• Rossini Duo for Cello and Bass
• Assistant Principal for Dvorak 8 (with James Levine!) and Don Juan
• Principal for Carter: Soundfields (World Premiere) and Variations for Orchestra
• Carter Enchanted Preludes (I just played it on my recital!)
• Carter Sonata for Flute, Oboe, Cello, and Harpsichord
• Brahms Clarinet Quintet

Should be a fun summer! Yay!

In The Past Five Days I Have:

1. Recorded Jairo's Piece (in about 2.5 hours!!!). I played OK (wish I could have done some things over again, but we didn't have much time) and there was a lot of traffic noise...hope it turns out ok!!
2. Went to Java's several times...and ate at Dim-Sum (see Heather???)
3. Had an uneventful flight back to TX (although it did leave very early) and I got to see the NYC skyline when we flew out of Newark (haven't been to NYC in a while now...)
4. Played the final performances of the six service gig (Tim Powell's Wedding Mass) out in Baytown. I have officially spent waaaay to much of my life in Baytown now.
5. Got lost driving to said gig and we were 20 minutes late and the choir applauded us when we entered. How embarrassing.
6. Taught at TH Rogers...always a joy.
7. Played my final orchestral repertoire final...and it wasn't too bad (well some excerpts were but surprisingly Brahms-Haydn Variation #5 was good!!)
8. Dropped by some favorite Houston spots: Mai's, Hans', RA.
9. Saw Mira play in the Houston Symphony Mahler 2 Concert!! Its an amazing piece...and thats all I'll say about that.
10. Waited for my Tanglewood assignments and still haven't gotten them.

I Heart Carter

I just returned from a performance of Elliott Carter's String Quartet No. 1...performed by the Pacifica Quartet at the Cy Twombly Gallery (part of the Menil Collection) here in Houston. I had never heard the piece before, and I listened without a score (Mr. Fischer was sitting a few seats away avidly following his). I guess that I can't claim to be new to Carter (since I just did a recital of four Carter works and recently played a movement of the cello sonata from memory!)...but I really felt that the piece worked on a musical level...most people have a hard time relating to Carter's abstract rhythmical language...but I think the real reason (aside from his obvious innovations to rhythm and construction) that he has become such a legend, is that his pieces work emotionally beyond all that.

I kind of realized in the end, during the final violin cadenza, that I was totally captivated by the piece. Even though it was over forty minutes long (of pretty abstract material) a lot of the piece really spoke to me, and it seemed to the audience as well. I really enjoyed the slow movement, with the dueling duos: forceful cello and viola recitative style against the two very high and slow violins. I really want to play this piece now (and not just becuase it starts with a cello cadenza).

I didn't realize that Carter was going to become such a large part of my life...I kind of ended up doing mostly Carter on my degree recital (4 Carter works and one other contemporary piece)...this was really my first experience with Carter, and I dove right in. This summer he will become a much larger part of my life when I take part in his 100th birthday celebration at Tanglewood...46 Carter chamber pieces have been programmed. I have no idea what I will be playing (hopefully something really good) but I know at least that I will be taking part in the two orchestra concerts consisting of only Carter music!! Yikes.

And with a face like that, who could say no?

Round 3

I had kind of planned on not going back, but it seems that life had other plans for me and in the past few days decisions were changed and I will be going back to Tanglewood for a third summer. Highlights of the summer include:

1. Dvorak 9 with James Levine.
2. Alpine Symphony with Bernard Haitink.
3. MASSIVE Carter 100th Bday celebration featuring two orchestra concerts (with only music by Carter conducted by James Levine and Oliver Knussen plus the cello concerto with Fred Sherry as soloist) and tons of Carter Chamber Music...all with the big man himself in attendance.
4. Eugen Onegin with James Levine starring Renee Fleming.
5. Fun in general.