KCYO Stage Two

by | Aug 30, 2006 | A view from the podium, Performing Life

Day three of KCYO, and I’m well knackered. At this point, I can report the orchestra is getting better, even getting fantastic in places. I can also report my wasp sting seems to be getting worse- the giant red welt that I didn’t get on Monday has appeared today, and...

KCYO Stage One

by | Aug 29, 2006 | A view from the podium, Performing Life

This is my second visit to the Kent County Youth Orchestra. I was here in the spring of 2005 and did a huge program with them- Shostakovich Tenth Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini and the Liadov Eight Russian Folks Songs. I’ve been looking forward to seeing...

Error in the skies

by | Aug 27, 2006 | A view from the podium, Performing Life

Here’s an important piece from Steven Isserlis on the ever-worsening travel situation for musicians in and out of Britain. Let me state this clearly- these new rules have nothing to do with safety. I’ve been through several worst case scenarios with...

Fortune has turned

by | Aug 26, 2006 | A view from the podium

A new review of the recently-release chamber music CD “Fortune Has Turned,” which is a collection of chamber works by American composer Chris Lastovica. We recorded my parts in one night about 5 years ago in Cincinnati- my contribution was really...

Blondes

by | Aug 20, 2006 | A view from the podium

Best first six paragraphs in an article I’ve read in a long time, from this piece in Salon today-  “Three blondes have albums coming out in August: Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson and … yes, Paris Hilton, have already dropped their various single droppings...

Connections

by | Aug 18, 2006 | A view from the podium

One thing I like about blogging is that I can feel free to contradict myself.  “Concerts matter.   We’ve got to deliver. The best way to advance classical music is to give better concerts.”  Thus spake me….  I still believe that, but there are many examples of...

Delivering

by | Aug 18, 2006 | A view from the podium

In my post yesterday I was trying to make the point that when you compare top conductor salaries to other persons in elite positions throughout the professional world, they don’t look so massive. Also I made the point that in professional orchestras, the...

Haydn

by | Aug 18, 2006 | A view from the podium, Haydn

I’d say that admiration for Haydn’s music is a pretty good measure of anyone’s musicianship, taste, maturity, imagination, humility, education, wisdom, sense of humor, appreciation for craft and understanding of human...

Ullmann String Quartet No. 3

by | Aug 10, 2006 | A view from the podium

Contrary to popular perception, I believe that relevance is one of the great strengths of classical music. At it’s best, music can reflect human experience at it’s most personal, most historic, most universal, most tragic and most humorous. Because it is unhampered by...

Signifying ?

by | Aug 9, 2006 | A view from the podium

I want to thank A.C. Douglas, host of the always-readable blog Sounds and Fury for adding me to his blogroll this week. Mr. Douglas has a particular interest and expertise in the music of Wagner, and his post today does have a Wagner angle, but it’s most interesting...

What is Zen conducting?

by | Aug 5, 2006 | A view from the podium, Nuts and bolts

I seem to have a habit of referring to some conductors as Zen masters, and a friend recently asked what the hell I mean by this. First, though a disclaimer- I would never begin to claim any particular philosophical experitise or deep understanding of the true tenants...

Listen

by | Aug 4, 2006 | A view from the podium, Music and Media

I was making my daily visit to blognoggle to see who’s saying what in the classical blogosphere today, and, in amidst all the obituaries for Elizabeth Schwartzkopf, I saw a headline which was made up entirely of my name. Quite a surprise. So- big thanks to Steve...