Charles Noble’s audition story continues. But doesn’t finish.
Sigh.
I guess I should do the same … take my time with all I post. Make readers wait. Have you keep coming back for more. Instead I just blab on and on and on and … oh … yeah … that.
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Listening is an ability that gets developed by doing it. You have to both listen to the same thing often enough to get beneath the surface and to constantly listen to new things. And by new things, I mean things you’ve never heard before, things you don’t like on first hearing, even things you hate. The constant consumption of the same old, same old kills off the ability. If you want to see where the exclusive snobs are, it’s in the people who will brush off the work of great pioneers like Coleman, or Betty Carter or Arnold Schoenberg or Milton Babbitt as they go back to not listen to the same, sappy three minute tune for the thousandth time. To deride music as carefully and daringly produced as theirs because it failed to entertain on the first hearing, to think that such a superficial brush off was worth the breath wasted to express it, now that’s snobbery.
-Echidne of the Snakes
RTWT
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Within the next five years, Turkey might become the center of opera and ballet for kids.
RTWT
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Someone landed here doing a search on the above.
So … well … okay. Why not?
A 20 minute pretty darn lame poem for you—
It’s not that I expect each one to make
the oboe his career. It’s not that I
would tell a student to pursue and take
the path I chose. I won’t cajole and cry,
I won’t manipulate. I cannot shove
you into busy weekends and low pay
although this truly is the life I love.
I must confess it’s fun to say I play
and work, doing the two at once. Can you
proclaim the same? But don’t think I would force
someone to major in the field —it’s true
we also need an audience, of course!PEM 4/23/07
Yes, I’ll stick to my day night whenever job. :-)
Moving on …
Someone else searched on “normal life of an oboe reed”. Hmmm. What to say? The normal life of an oboe reed is … wake up, take a little water bath, climb into oboe, get a bit of a workout, go back into reed case, sleep. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
I return to my hosts’ home for a wonderful dinner and then head downstairs to woodshed everything that I felt didn’t go as well as I would have liked today. The committee issued written comments from the first round, and I read these and go over what they have noted as needing improvement. It’s a nice surprise, to receive these comments, and it helps to focus me for the next round’s rigors.
The audition story I blogged about earlier continues. (But Mr. Noble is taking his time and I want the rest!)
I was surprised that the committee sent out comments to the auditionees after the first round, but what a nice thing to do! This allows the auditionees to fix things they need to fix, and also helps the committee see just how the follow what was suggested. Nice.
So stay tuned. I’m sure we’ll read the outcome soon!
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The Merc has a video that features just a few of the auditionees for “Saratoga Idol”. The little violinist is adorable. The singers don’t thrill me and one—I’ll let you guess which one— just pushes all my “ugh” buttons. But me? I’d choose the “Eucalale” player. (Even if the Merc can’t spell Ukelele/Ukulele correctly.)
Speling iz ovurraited aniweigh.
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This is as close as I’ll ever get to seeing our Opera San José Madama Butterfly production. He describes the stage well enough that I actually have a bit of an idea of how things look.
Someday, video monitors?
Naw. A video monitor is merely a dream. So far so is a sound monitor. But one of these days everything is going to fall apart and then perhaps the company will realize that we might actually benefit from hearing the singers.
Ya think?
And yes, in case you are wondering, we do follow the conductor. And, for the most part, that is just fine. But, at least for me, there are nuances— individual things the singers do that I want to hear, in order to either mimic or play against. And I want to see and hear them breathe, so that I can do the same with my line when we are in unison (often the case with oboe and soprano). Maybe I’m just being silly. Maybe none of this matters. But I can tell you that back when I could see the singers there were little magic moments that felt like bliss … something about working as one, adn all that jazz. Or opera.
Just a thought: in this day of high tech. In this valley of silicon. In our wonderful, newly refurbished California Theatre. Might someone think about donating monitors? Might someone think about making it wonderfully high tech. Might someone understand that the instrumentalists might benefit and, thus, the stage and audience might benefit as well, from our being more connected?
Ah, the mighty might.
Or might not.
Truth be told, it’s more about the almighty dollar. Sigh.
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Read the “Guide to get the most of arts experience”. Included are these:
What to wear
To the symphony: Dress at most concerts ranges from students in sweatshirts and flip-flops to ladies in gowns and men in tuxedos. You?ll probably be most at home with something in between.To the opera: A night at the opera does not have to be akin to attending the adult prom. Just obey the basic dress guidelines (shirt and shoes), although you might feel most at home in a mix of business/church attire.
A refreshing intermission: Most classical music concerts are at the Koger Center, where you can get a glass of wine, M&Ms and the weakest Starbucks coffee on the planet, but at half the price of a regular Starbucks. And if the music isn?t stunning, the sunsets on the terrace by the entrance can be. At least until that new parking garage is completed.
A great deal: Concerts at the USC School of Music recital hall. You might hear a top-notch faculty member or a high-profile guest performer. The music ranges from all electronic computer pieces to pipe organ recitals. And it?s almost all free. But beware of students attending to fulfill a course requirement who don?t mind making it known they?d rather be playing ?Ratchet and Clank.?
The one big rule for concerts and plays: Be on time. Nothing ruins a great performance like a squeaky door. In most cases, tardy patrons will have to wait until there is a break in the action before they can enter. Some will even be shut out for an entire act.
… but the thing that really got me? This:
A worthwhile splurge is $30 for one of the Charles Wadsworth chamber music concerts at the art museum.
SPLURGE?! Hah! $30 hardly seems like a splurge. At least around here. At least to me. Is this the difference between South Caroline and California?
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Oh dear, this could be addictive! I read about this over at adventures of an idaho violist, So I went for it. I decided to Ask the Magic Eight Ball. And here’s what I now know:
Is it time to retire?
Very doubtful.Do you like my oboe playing?
Signs point to yes.Will I ever make a decent oboe reed?
Most likely.Is it time to paint our bedroom?
As I see it, yes.Will I get any summer work?
Very doubtful.and, UGH …
Should I do the yard work myself?
It is decidedly so.
Well, obviously this 8 ball has a major problem. It started out okay, but then it must have gotten confused.
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I came home to find that Eugene Onegin is on PBS. Rats. It’s too late to record it now.
But anyway … they are now playing the Polonaise. When I did this opera the company shortened that piece quite a lot (and I believe we skipped almost all of the following piece). The only time I play the Polonaise in its entirely is during our annual Ballet San José production of The Nutcracker.
Yes, you read that correctly. I will remain silent on that subject except to say … Wow! The tempo I’m hearing now is so refreshing! Our ballet likes to really slow things down.
Opera had its moments today. Some interesting* little things occurred. I’m not sure the audience knew a thing, though. I didn’t do anything incredibly wrong, but I just felt a disconnect that I hate feeling. It happens ….
Now we have a day off. Good old Monday: catch up day. Time to dust, vacuum, and, I hope, look (and even do something about) reeds!
*Interesting … is an interesting word to use for when things go wrong, or when you don’t like something. (As in, “That dinner was … um … interesting!”) Funny … and interesting … don’t you think?
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I wonder how it will end?
Charles Noble is writing about his recent audition experience Hmmm. I’m not young, certain, and I’m not even his age (38), but am I an “elder statesman”? At 50 I’m not sure where I fall. But I am sure I don’t take auditions! I like what I’ve got.
A little bit of this.
A little bit of that.
The stage.
The pit.
That’s where.
it’s at.
(Ah yes, so many reasons I’m not a poet! But now you have to tell me what I’m basing the “poem” on. I’m sure Mike R will get it!)
