by Kenneth Woods | Mar 3, 2011 | A view from the podium
Regular Vftp readers will have read before about my colleague at the Wrexham Symphony Orchestra, Nigel Hughes. Nigel is the orchestra’s principal trombonist. He is also blind. (He also designed the orchestra’s excellent website). The fact that someone can play...
by Kenneth Woods | Dec 28, 2009 | A view from the podium, Nuts and bolts
I remember my first encounter with Elgar 1 very vividly. I’d only known Enigma, Falstaff and the Cello Concerto for many years when I learned he’d written two symphonies. Excited and curious, I went hunting recordings and found only two- one by Haitink (which I still...
by Kenneth Woods | Dec 16, 2009 | Nuts and bolts
I’ve had so much to say about Elgar 1 lately in the run up to my recent performance of it with the UW Symphony that I haven’t been able to channel it all into readable form, especially while continuing to travel. Finally, with a slightly calmer schedule, I thought I...
by Kenneth Woods | Dec 2, 2009 | A view from the podium
Well…. What an interesting afternoon. Those of you who have read the last installment here on Vftp will know that my master plan for world conquest today involved stretching out our time on two Mahler songs that use few or no strings to maximize time for sectionals. I...
by Kenneth Woods | Dec 1, 2009 | Mahler, Nuts and bolts, Performing Life
It’s been a quiet couple of days here at Vftp- these silences are sometimes the result of not having anything to say and being wise enough to recognize it, sometimes the result of having something I need to say and not knowing how to say it or having too much to say...
Recent Comments