http://kennethwoods.net/blog1/2006/09/01/kcyo-stage-3/ Music, opinion, life as a performing musician Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:19:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://kennethwoods.net/blog1/2006/09/01/kcyo-stage-3/comment-page-1/#comment-51855 Kenneth Woods- a view from the podium » Return to KCYO…. Sat, 23 Aug 2008 23:15:24 +0000 http://kennethwoods.net/blog1/2006/09/01/kcyo-stage-3/#comment-51855 [...] However, I can’t think of a more fun way to kick off the new season than with KCYO. I wrote quite a bit about our last course, which you can read here, here,  here,  here and here. I would be remiss if I didn’t say hi to the many wonderful young colleagues I’ve worked with there in the past, as I’ve learned that orchestra musicians always tend to read the blog a couple of days before we start a rehearsal sequence to see what I’m saying about them. This year’s course is in a different venue, further from my favorite pub in the region, the Star and Eagle, but we’ll cope somehow. Other than the wonderful players, my favorite thing about KCYO is watching the tutors in sectionals- they’re almost all members of the major London orchestras, and they are so knowledgeable and engaged that it is quite an education every time. [...] [...] However, I can’t think of a more fun way to kick off the new season than with KCYO. I wrote quite a bit about our last course, which you can read here, here,  here,  here and here. I would be remiss if I didn’t say hi to the many wonderful young colleagues I’ve worked with there in the past, as I’ve learned that orchestra musicians always tend to read the blog a couple of days before we start a rehearsal sequence to see what I’m saying about them. This year’s course is in a different venue, further from my favorite pub in the region, the Star and Eagle, but we’ll cope somehow. Other than the wonderful players, my favorite thing about KCYO is watching the tutors in sectionals- they’re almost all members of the major London orchestras, and they are so knowledgeable and engaged that it is quite an education every time. [...]

]]> http://kennethwoods.net/blog1/2006/09/01/kcyo-stage-3/comment-page-1/#comment-636 Kenneth Woods- a view from the podium » Halftime show part II Thu, 02 Nov 2006 23:36:18 +0000 http://kennethwoods.net/blog1/2006/09/01/kcyo-stage-3/#comment-636 [...] In part two of my halftime show, I want to have a quick look at some of the repertoire I’ve been working on since the season got started.                                                                                                     Popular as a few of his works are, I can scarcely think of a composer (other than Mendelssohn) who is more under-rated than Dvorak. Unlike Mendelssohn, Dvorak had a longer career and had the opportunity to develop his voice in more ways, and to explore other genres. While they both excelled in symphonies, chamber music, concerti, overtures and choral music, Dvorak was also one of the very greatest opera composers of all time. If you want to be amazed, check out Dmitrj, which you’ve probably never heard of, let alone heard. Hard to believe that there can be so many huge, amazing works by a repertoire composer that are never produced. Anyway, late in his life, after the last symphony and the cello concerto, Dvorak turned to a new kind of symphonic poem, one inspired by Czech myth and folk poetry. These are among his most forward looking works, and in many ways anticipate many of the innovations of Janacek. Of all of them, the Noon Witch, which we did in KCYO, is the most modern, the darkest and the most fun- after all, what other composer could make infanticide fun? [...] [...] In part two of my halftime show, I want to have a quick look at some of the repertoire I’ve been working on since the season got started.                                                                                                     Popular as a few of his works are, I can scarcely think of a composer (other than Mendelssohn) who is more under-rated than Dvorak. Unlike Mendelssohn, Dvorak had a longer career and had the opportunity to develop his voice in more ways, and to explore other genres. While they both excelled in symphonies, chamber music, concerti, overtures and choral music, Dvorak was also one of the very greatest opera composers of all time. If you want to be amazed, check out Dmitrj, which you’ve probably never heard of, let alone heard. Hard to believe that there can be so many huge, amazing works by a repertoire composer that are never produced. Anyway, late in his life, after the last symphony and the cello concerto, Dvorak turned to a new kind of symphonic poem, one inspired by Czech myth and folk poetry. These are among his most forward looking works, and in many ways anticipate many of the innovations of Janacek. Of all of them, the Noon Witch, which we did in KCYO, is the most modern, the darkest and the most fun- after all, what other composer could make infanticide fun? [...]

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