by Kenneth Woods | Sep 15, 2007 | A view from the podium, Nuts and bolts
This post is part two of a group that began here. I’m currently in rehearsals for a performance of the ever-popular Ravel orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. I doubt there’s any classical fan reading this who hasn’t heard this beloved warhorse...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 15, 2007 | A view from the podium, Nuts and bolts
…. notation? * Back in Music History class we all learned how philosophers used to differntiate between “music of the spheres” and “practical music.” The now-quaint terminology masks a somewhat interesting and important differentiation that is actually an...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 13, 2007 | A view from the podium
This arrived in my inbox this morning. Well worth checking out if you need a one minute time waster today. It’s amazing how realistic the animation is- everyone is moving perfectly in synch with the music and everything’s going in the right direction. The only problem...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 11, 2007 | A view from the podium
Critical Praise “The true stars of the evening followed intermission. Kenneth Woods was confident on the podium, clear and economical in his gestures and knew when to actively lead and when to allow his players freedom to phrase. He delivered a Strauss...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 11, 2007 | A view from the podium
Concert Calendar April 18, 2009 Oregon East Symphony Beethoven- Symphony no. 2 in D major Mozart- Requiem Esther Mae Moses- soprano, Emily Muller Calendar- mezzo, Nick Fichter- tenor, Steve Muller- bass May 9-16 2009 Ischia Chamber Music Festival Wednesday May 14,...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 10, 2007 | A view from the podium, Performing Life
I don’t watch a lot of TV, and have gone long periods of my life without having one attached to anything other than a VHS or DVD player, but I do watch the odd cooking show when I’m chilling out. In spite of my initial misgivings about the sanity of anyone who would...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 6, 2007 | A view from the podium
Well, summer is officially over, as I am officially back in rehearsals beginning tomorrow. It’s been some weeks since I’ve been on the podium- my last major concert was Bruckner 4 on June 30, and then the OES Camp Honors Orchestra in late July. I’ve not conducted in...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 5, 2007 | A view from the podium
One of the nice things about having done a fair bit of teaching is hearing what your former students are doing, and this morning I had an update on one of my cello students from my days teaching at Eastern Oregon University. Jacie was already a prize-winning fiddler...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 4, 2007 | A view from the podium, Nuts and bolts
From my inbox comes a nice question from Felicity in Colorado, which gives me a rare, and nice, chance to answer a cello related question. “Dear Ken,” she writes, “when you’re playing the Bach Suites, do you use a baroque bow or baroque cello, what sort of A do...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 4, 2007 | A view from the podium, Music and Media
Thanks to AC Douglas for pointing out this little oddity (more here and here) about and orchestra and a conductor at each other’s throats. I hate to sound glib, but one should really not take these things too seriously. As one of my dear friends in grad school used...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 2, 2007 | A view from the podium
I’m tempted to start a new column here called “things that people state as facts but that aren’t.” Of course, I won’t because I don’t want this blog to be too much of a downer. Nevertheless, every once in a while, I hear or read a comment about music that I think...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 1, 2007 | A view from the podium, Music and Media, Performing Life
I’m back at VFTP International Headquarters after a nice little vacation, which means my musical summer is officially over, and it’s back to the musical salt mines for another year of hard graft…. One thing that I enjoy about the slightly more laid-back work load of...
by Kenneth Woods | Aug 23, 2007 | A view from the podium
As part of my summer of Wagner, I recently saw Tristan und Isolde at Glyndebourne with the London Philharmonic conducted by Jiri Behlolavek. Nina Stemme was Isolde, Robert Gambill was Tristan and Rena Pape King Mark. The production was designed by Nikolaus Lehnhoff....
by Kenneth Woods | Aug 22, 2007 | A view from the podium, News and Reviews
Just a quick calendar update, as I’ve had a couple of email inquiries about this program- My concert/recording with the Contemporary Music Ensemble of Wales scheduled for September 26th 2007 has been re-scheduled for March 9 2008. The performance is open to...
by Kenneth Woods | Aug 21, 2007 | A view from the podium, Mahler, Nuts and bolts
Yes, composition is analysis. Let’s start by remembering I didn’t say composition is only analysis. Take for a moment Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony, which I wrote about here. If one sits down and carefully analyzes the piece in its final form, you can’t help but be struck...
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