UW Weeks- pre first rehearsal thoughts

by | Nov 24, 2009 | A view from the podium

In about 2 hours, I’m going to start rehearsals for my concert next week with the UW-Madison Symphony. There are gigs, and then there are gigs- this is really a gig of gigs  for me. I’m a Madison native and a faculty brat (my dad is still teaching from the same office...

Finally getting it

by | Nov 23, 2009 | A view from the podium

We had our first rehearsal last night of Mozart 40 with the SMP. Wow. Is it his best symphony? His best piece? Is this the greatest symphony ever written? Is it the greatest piece of music ever written? Whatever it is, it makes you feel like it must be all those...

Terrorists

by | Nov 20, 2009 | A view from the podium

“The piccolo player seemed to be having a rough night. I might even go so far as to call her a terrorist.” With this remark from a colleague in one of my orchestras to a recording of one of our recent performances, a new term entered my musical lexicon. I’d never...

Teach them to finger themselves

by | Nov 19, 2009 | A view from the podium, cello

I’ve been delighted to see how many responses I’ve had to my last post on fingerings and bowings. By a complete coincidence, I found this morning I have another comrade in arms, Alban Gerhardt, who writes – I don’t know how it sounded out there in the hall...

Ischia Festival 2010- dates announced

by | Nov 15, 2009 | A view from the podium

Chamber music played with passion, coached professionally, in a truly stunning Mediterranean setting May 8-15, 2010. The Location The fabled southern Italian isle of Ischia – dreaming with Capri in the timeless blue waters of the Bay of Naples, is home to the...