Cool.

visual music

I just read an interesting article in New York Times. Personally, while I myself am distracted by overly theatrical performances, I have found that non-musicians actually react positively to this sort of behavior. Think of rock stars and their antics--no young person who goes to rock shows is going to be bothered by any of the much milder aerobic activity displayed by classical musicians. And I think that vision need not impede a concert experience--on the contrary, I think it is an essential part of what makes a live performance so exciting and personal. I even think it can help one listen better. For example, if I hear the strain of a particular melody on an instrument, and I think it's the oboe, I look at the oboe, and I can see that the oboist is indeed playing that melody, and then somehow I hear it better, or I can isolate it from the rest of the notes more easily. I think it's fascinating to watch people perform. I do agree with Mr. Holland, however, when he says that these histrionic performers use their onstage behavior to market themselves, which I find objectionable.

i voted!!!

I voted today! I was going to take a picture of my "I voted" sticker, but it fell off somewhere on the way home :( So here is my ballot stub instead.

carys

Last night a friend of mine from college (she got her masters at NU when I was 3rd-4th year there, and we were in a chamber group together at some point) posted pictures of her brand new baby girl on facebook. I am in awe. She is so tiny and beautiful! The idea that someone I actually know and is close to my age (she's only 2 years older) has her life together enough to have a BABY is kind of mind boggling. It just seems so, I don't know, grown-up? There's no way I would be together enough to have a family of my own in two years, that's for sure. Anyway, congrats to Sarah and Mike on the arrival of baby Carys!

always more

Well, I thought I was finally done with my run of concerts and constant rehearsals, so that I might actually have some time to practice for summer festival auditions, and even make a tape or two. But alas, I am in rotation at school again, a last-minute change. I will just have to do my best to squeeze in enough practice time and I have no idea about the tape(s). I just know I really need to do SOMETHING musical this summer, and not in LA. Why are they ALL in late January / early February? I mean, I know the lists are posted way early and that I could technically mail the tapes in before Jan 1, but honestly, who has the time during the holidays? First you're overloaded with Christmas gigs, juries, and finals, then school is closed and 1000 miles away so there's no good place to record anway, then you're doing last-minute shopping, and cooking, and traveling, and people want to see you and you might not get to see them again in a long time, so WHO HAS TIME TO MAKE SUMMER FESTIVAL TAPES???????

Oh well. I had my first viola lesson today! It was great fun. I'm struggling with alto clef, because I still have to translate it in my brain from treble clef rather than just read it straight, but I'm hoping to make flash cards to really learn it well and associate it with a place/feel/sound on the viola. It's an awkward instrument for me. And being a small person, the viola I got from school is of course on the large side (I didn't get to choose it). So it's a real struggle to play with my 4th finger in tune. And to extend my bow arm completely. But I'll work on it. It will distract me from reeds. Speaking of reeds, better get to work. Or maybe I'll take out my viola instead . . .

rainy roman carnival

I am enjoying a rainy morning at home, knowing that I don't have to be anywhere til 7 tonight. Last night I played 2nd oboe/English horn on Roman Carnival and Brahms 2nd piano concerto, so I feel entitled relax a little. Well, in addition, it was with Andre Watts and it was USC's "Presidential" series, and it was a live radio broadcast, so you might understand why I was a little tense. Andre Watts was amazing. A very powerful pianist, and the Brahms seemed to really suit him. Liz, our principal cellist, played the cello solo gorgeously, as well, and Brooke nailed the opening horn solo. And Kim played the oboe solos so beautifully! I was proud of her. The English horn solo went pretty well, I was happy with it for the most part. But since it was the first time I've played it before, I was very concerned with playing it RIGHT, and matching up with the strings even though I couldn't hear them very precisely. I wish it had flowed better, and that the last F# had a better attack. But all in all it was fine. And my parents were happy because they listened to a webstream of KUSC and heard the concert, and they announced my name, which of course my dad loved.

After the concert we were able to attend the president's reception, and they had beautiful desserts and delicious hot chocolate. So it made up for Wednesday night's rehearsal when LA was FREAKING OUT about the rain so it took me a HOUR AND A HALF to get to school when it normally takes me 20 minutes, and in rush hour traffic 45. So even though I left my house SUPER early I was still 10 minutes late to the rehearsal and it was POURING RAIN (wtf!!! this is LA!!!) and even though I had a raincoat and umbrella I was SOAKING WET from the knees down. Sitting through a three-hour rehearsal with wet feet isn't wonderful. Anyway, I was really embarrassed to be late to rehearsal, because I'm not that person.

Oh, and did I mention I am now taking viola? I have an extra credit to use, so that's what I'm doing with it. First lesson will be on Tuesday. I already have my instrument from school, and it's not bad. It even came with a shoulder rest. But no rosin, so I need to get some. I'm excited :)

el violín

I think I'm going to register in CA so I can vote in the primary. Need to do it ASAP. Plus this way I can actually physically vote! Absentee ballots are boring and kind of anticlimactical.

I forgot to mention that I saw an amazing film with Shirley and Mary: a Mexican movie called The Violin. It was very moving, with beautiful music and fantastic cinematography. The people in it were beautiful, too. They looked like they came right out of ancient Mayan times. The story reminded me of an Isabel Allende novel, and also of a certain John Sayles movie, Men With Guns. Anyway, I highly recommend El Violín (as well as Men With Guns and Isabel Allende!).

One more thing, speaking of movies and music. How come movie credits include every last person involved, down to the caterers and sometimes even including extras, when musicians who play on the soundtrack are never listed? Seems unfair. And I'm always curious. The newspaper for the AFM Local 47 here in LA usually has a spread on the the soundtrack for some big movie, and it has pictures of the scoring session and lists all the musicians, which I enjoy. But I wish the movies just listed them. Or IMDb.