oboeinsight

I’m exhausted. Cooper and I had a great time. Or I suppose I should just speak for myself; I had a great time! And I learned a lot.

Now to process it all. And attempt to remember it.

But today I’m going to rest. Learning is tiring work. :-)

Cooper, Namju and I went to my church this morning, and then we said our goodbyes. I’m going to miss them. (Cooper and Namju, please know our guest room is here for you. Really.)

I feel as if I have this new world to explore when it comes to reeds. I’m looking forward to the adventure, but I’m also worried. Forever the fear of failure. (Yeah, always the optimist!)

Opera? Musical Theatre? Jazz?

Yeah, I know, these are labels and can kind of be tossed around. Or tossed out.

But because of my lack of intelligence when it comes to jazz (I really know next to nothing) I can’t answer Nat’s question, when she asked in response to my jazz opera post: “Wasn’t Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess a jazz opera?”

I’ve always thought jazz needed improvisation. Or at least the feel of such. And yet I know there are these pieces that are “jazz” which, I suppose, are all “prepared improvisation” … or are they? And if one utilizes aspects of jazz do we then call the work jazz, or just “uses jazz idioms”? Is Stravinsky jazz sometimes?

I’m not asking this sarcastically. I think some people think I’m being sarcastic when I’m not. (I know, it’s hard to tell since I bounce back and forth!) Of course I also think some folks are angry at me, or putting me down, when, perhaps, they really aren’t. It’s hard to communicate with tone of voice in print.

So … all you wise ones … fill me in!

Yikes! Gotta get ready to teach ….

It’s “back to school” time for a lot of folks. This means my studio is getting back to normal, and today I have all three students, one of whom has been away all summer. I’m really looking forward to my usual Saturday morning schedule. (I don’t teach in the afternoon because of matinees, although those are getting few and far between so I might reconsider this policy.)

Then I need to clean … at least a little! … because I am going to have some visitors! Yep, Cooper and his wife are driving down. He says we’ll play duets until we drop. Truth be told, I planned on handing him some garden gloves, sending him to the back yard, and locking all my doors. Hmmm. Do you think he didn’t understand? ;-)

I’m looking forward to the visit, even while being nervous. (And yes, I’ve told him I’m nervous, so he won’t be surprised to read this.) I’m just such a hermit.

But I think I’ll have Dan take some pictures (Oh Daaaan?!) to prove we did meet, and who knows, maybe a quick video (but that’s doubtful). And perhaps Cooper can fix ALL of my reeds.

After the yard work.

Hah!

I know, I know, I am not all that smarrt when it comes to jazz, as has been pointed out in the past. But still … I’d heard of opera. And rock opera. But not jazz opera.

Knowing I’d be stuck in a hospital to get some immunizations, I decided to have all of my bloglinks up on the computer so I could read while I waited. (I’m not good at waiting, and I’m worse at getting shots, so you put the two together and I’m one unhappy camper!)

I’m so glad I prepared with my reading material … I’ve been waiting for over 30 minutes just to let someone stick a needle (or will it be needles? (Of course I couldn’t post this until I got back home. It was needles: Tdap, Hep A and Hep B. It was time to do this stuff … I work around too many kids and university students and I don’t want to get any of their bugs!)

In reading one blog, I started thinking, “Man, I wish I could write like that! It’s so artistic and beautiful. This blogger just has a way with words.”

But then I paused.

While it was lovely and moving and incredibly attractive writing, I just didn’t feel like I was meeting up with a real person. It seemed so carefully wrought, I suppose. And that seems … I dunno … unreal.

I’m guessing I actually was meeting the true person though.. I’m guessing that I just can’t connect because I write in my plain & simple style.

And it made me think. I’m “just me” and I write in “just me” style. I guess that’s okay.

I’m an expressive player. At least I think I am, and I’ve been told I am. And expression is, to me, of utmost importance in music. I’ve often wondered why I can’t write expressively. Believe me, I’ve tried. But when I made the attempt poetically it just came out as maudlin or silly or simply horrendous. I guess I’m just not a wonder with words.

I am envious of the Artistic Writing Style (AWS™), but I guess I’ll stick to plain old me.

Oops. I mean Boosey & Hawkes. So sorry.

Welcome to the world’s finest selection of classical music ringtones! From Bach, Brahms and Beethoven to American icon Aaron Copland to modern pioneers John Adams, Steve Reich and more, you’ll find an exceptional sound to match your exceptional phone.

Read about it.

I can hear it now … I’ll be on stage, about to play some Copland or Adams (if we ever program Adams) and all of the sudden some audience member’s phone will play the piece.

It could happen ….

I suppose Boosey & Hawkes just doesn’t make enough money renting out their music. This side business should really help them with financial difficulties.

Wonder what living composers think of this. (Would it be flattering or distressing to hear their “tune” ringing as they were out shopping for groceries?)

So the Music Department at the University of Pittsburgh has a blog. I’m gonna have to check it out. I think it’s kind of cool.

AND the Giants just won their game against the Cubs. Too darn cool.

Now I’m off to practice. Which is, of course, the extreme of coolness.

Or not.

The trio is on tour in Greenland, where you don’t find cornfields — 80 percent of the land lies under ice — and where the local language, Inupik, doesn’t have a word for oboe. (The Inupik word for “bird song,” used to describe the flute, will have to suffice.)

I say call an oboe an oboe. Not that I’m opposed to “bird song” … except that describes a flute and what oboe wants to be described like a flute? I asked both of my oboes and they said, “No thanks.” I’ll bet yours will too. Or maybe your instrument(s) will say hautbois, hobo, hoboj, obo, or some such thing, eh?

I read about Trio La Milpa and their trip to Greenland after visiting this blog entry by Letter V.

I’d love to put together the Beethoven works for a recital. Doing so, though, takes time and work. So I’m just waiting for someone else to do the work and plan the times and then I’m there.