Power Outages

15. February 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Links, Opera

It’s very windy and rainy here today. At about 12:30 AM our power went out. Fortunately it came back on while I was sleeping … I’m a wimp when it comes to power outages. (After all, I have no computer then!) Yesterday, as I blogged earlier, the stand lights went out for a time before our performance.

I was just thinking about the “what if?” thing: What if the power goes out at the hall today?

This has happened a few times in my career. Once it was with opera, once with ballet, and once with symphony.

And now I read this:

The world of opera — famous for its implausible plots — acquired a new one last night when a new opera ended up being been premiered in the bar due to a power cut in the auditorium.

You can read it here, and even hear and see a snippet of the opera.

(As I type this I hear the wind howling I’d better hit “publish” now ….)

My Sick Mind

15. February 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Opera, Ramble

Tongiht, prior to the performance beginning, a very kind cellist came up to me. The gist of what she said was that she really loved my opening solo … and that I set the entire tone of the opera.

Yikes!

That sort of set me up for fear. I’m silly that way. I then couldn’t help but get this out of my head, and worried that I’d totally blow it. For the entire audience.

Funny how that happens.

Anyway, I played fine. Whew!

The pit was a wee bit more bearable, but not by much. Such is life. And when I first came in some of the stand lights were out. Soon after that they all went out. Oops! It was the wonderful space heaters they brought in for us; so much for those, eh? At least they got the lights back up before downbeat. :-)

What I Did For Love Work

14. February 2009 · 3 comments · Categories: Ramble

(Okay, I do love my work, so there’s that.)

So today is the start of the Amgen Tour of California. I canceled my students for both today and Monday, so that I can enjoy the race with my “boys”.

And where am I right now?

I’m sitting on the couch, watching the race on the TV. The boys, on the other hand, are in Sacramento, watching the prologue after, I’m betting, having a nice lunch.

I decided I had to skip today after all. The race didn’t begin until 1:30 or some such thing, and knowing I had a three hour opera tonight, and that it’s a two hour drive home from our state’s capitol, I decided that I act more responsibly and not go.

Such is life. I lost income due to the canceled students, and I still didn’t end up getting to enjoy the day. Figures.

I’m not even going to mention that it’s also Valentine’s Day. Okay?

Read Online

14. February 2009 · 2 comments · Categories: Read Online

What other music can I listen to other than classical that will make my baby more intelligent?

miZZkrisTinA asked the question:

I am right around that time where my baby can start hearing things outside the womb (im 20 weeks) so I want to start listening to music thats beneficial to my baby but I really don’t like classical music, is there anything else that is proven to make babies more intelligent?

My Reaction?

14. February 2009 · 5 comments · Categories: Links

George Washington University Hospital in downtown Washington, D.C., is part of a small and unconventional medical movement. Once a week, this state-of-the-art facility pays a harpist to play in the emergency room to provide patients with a measure of comfort and calm.

I read it here.

Okay … nice idea, I guess, but of course my first reaction, being who I am, was that some groggy patients might think, “Oh my! I’m in heaven!”

Yeah. That’s me.

My second reaction, again being who I am, is that I think I might get ticked off, depending upon what harp music is being played. (I won’t even go into the, “What if the musician isn’t very good?” because I’m nice that way.)

Yikes

14. February 2009 · 4 comments · Categories: Announcements

Update

I have heard from Martin Schuring and, with his permission, I’m posting his email here. I think some readers will be relieved:

I read your blog listing the ASU music programs that were eliminated recently. It is true that ASU cut quite a few academic programs this past week, mandated by very large budget cuts passed by our legislature. They also took that opportunity to clear off some programs that we had not used for years, and that had no students following those degrees. We haven’t had a masters degree in performance for years; we now call it masters in vocal performance, keyboard performance, orchestral instrument, etc. It allows us to be more specific in setting requirements for disciplines that are quite different from each other. So, nothing was lost and we will continue to educate masters students in music just as before.

Arizona State University is announcing program closures, including these:

Music

M.A. Music and Music Theory Concentration (applications closed; process of disestablishment has begun)
M.M. Music concentrations in
– Performance (Music Theatre/Opera Directing) (applications closed; process of disestablishment has begun)
– Music (Performance) (applications closed; process of disestablishment has begun)
– Performance (Music Theatre Performance) (applications closed; process of disestablishment has begun)
– Performance (Music Theatre Musical Director) (applications closed; process of disestablishment has begun)
Music Ed (Jazz Studies) (applications closed; process of disestablishment has begun)
Music Artist Diploma (applications closed; process of disestablishment has begun)

Martin Schuring is the oboe professor there, and is quite well known in the oboe world.

I’m just rather stunned.

So Cold

13. February 2009 · 3 comments · Categories: Opera, Ramble

Cosi went fine last night, but the majority of the orchestra froze. Deciding what to wear before leaving home was fairly easy; I knew it would be cold when I arrived at the theatre because they don’t heat the hall early enough to really warm the entire place before we arrive — or even before the audience arrives. I was glad I not only chose my warmest sweater, but also brought my black scarf and black wool coat; I wore the scarf for the entire time, and my colleague (and second oboist) borrowed my coat for the performance. Yes. It was that cold.

The heater was on, and I could feel it if I held my had up by the vents, but that was about it. After the overture, when the curtain opens, a huge rush of cold air comes pouring into the pit from the stage. During intermission we went up and asked what was up. The stage manager said she was freezing too, and that they don’t heat the stage!. That’s right. No heat there. It had something to do with a fire hazard or some such thing, I think. I wasn’t really listening all that carefully. I just knew that there appears to be no solution.

I’m a wimp. I get cold easily. My instruments don’t like cold. But I guess I’m going to deal. Fortunately I can wear my hand warmers (made by Janet Lanier) for the performances, and I just leave them on my tray so there are readily available.

Meanwhile…
I’m at my latest favorite coffee shop and the two women (I’m holding back from calling them girls so I don’t offend readers, but I really prefer the word girls to the word women … “women” sounds like old, uptight, dressed in suits sorts. Go figure.) who work here are loudly talking music and what they like and how on Fridays they ought to nix the softer stuff, “mix it up”, and play the lively music. I want to yell out, “NOOOO” (in good old Anakin Skywalker form I suppose), but I’m refraining. Still, if it’s loud, fast and annoying next week will I have to find a new favorite coffee shop? I hope not!

Read Online

13. February 2009 · 1 comment · Categories: Read Online

Can I have some classical music suggestions?

mylo asked the question:

I continue to hear about research done proving that listening to classical music while studying can actually make you focus better, and that it is the only music to not hinder your learning abilities while studying.
I’d like to give this a shot!

Can someone point me in the right direction?
I would like some good classical music to start off with. Maybe something nice and pleasant? Nothing too dramatic, startling, or distracting, but anything that is classical music will be fine!

So please, start me off in the right direction with classical music!

Screaming … Singing … What’s the Diff?

13. February 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Havin' Fun

Swedish police said they broke down the door of a hostel after hearing what seemed to be a woman’s screams, only to discover an opera singer was practicing.

Found here.

The Oboe

13. February 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Oboe, Read Online

Quotes from online:

Usually, the sound of the oboe is a bit irritating for me because the sound bounces back and forth between my ears, but this was sheer bliss.

An oboe played less-than-fabulously sounds much like a cat being tortured.

I too played the oboe for seven years in junior high and high school. I’m pretty sure it was the reason why I had so many boyfriends (too many to count, I assure you) in my adolescence.

I’m like listening to classical now. 92.4FM. Friggin’ weird, but who cares, who doesn’t like beautiful music? I LOVE THE OBOE SOLOS LAAAA.

Just three minutes long, it squeezes in several great bits within the first 11 seconds, all in a sort of oboe’n'bass hip-hop jazz style that owes more to Oliver Postgate than DJ Premier.

I read the last one here.

Hmmm. I listened to the music written about above, and I hear sax and clarinets, but I sure don’t hear an oboe! So tell me … do YOU hear an oboe in this?

Connecticut Opera

12. February 2009 · 2 comments · Categories: Another One Bites the Dust, Opera

I had read earlier about Connecticut Opera canceling the remainder of their season. On the opera link you can see their November 29 notice about that. Now it is reported that they are closing down permanently. It’s been all over my google news alerts. Sad.

Brief Times article.

Fear?

12. February 2009 · 6 comments · Categories: Links

The nonprofit group Americans for the Arts estimates 10,000 arts organizations could disappear in 2009.

I read it here.

I guess what I want to know is who cares? I really do. I mean, I know I care. I know my colleagues care. But of those who aren’t working in the arts, who cares?

Do tell.

I Can’t Even Imagine It

12. February 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Links, Opera

… or maybe I don’t want to imagine it: An opera about Anna Nicole Smith.

I read about it here and here.

I really know nothing about the woman, other than how she looked. I just don’t think I’m at all interested in learning more. But I guess some folks do want more …?

MQOD

12. February 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Quotes

When I mention to anyone that I’m crazy about opera, they usually ask me if I’ve been to Phantom,” he says. ‘But that’s not what I mean at all. Although I like a lot of modern opera –­ John Adams and Birtwistle, for instance – I think it’s become rather one-dimensional. I’m more interested in relating to that period in opera history when someone like Massenet could write the Romantic crowd-pleasers. And I think that because of my position in the pop world, I’m the only person around at the moment who can do that.

-Rufus Wainwright

I read it here.

And Today?

12. February 2009 · 14 comments · Categories: Links, Ramble, Reeds, TV

Yesterday I shaped cane and wound some reeds. Carving on these, the cane felt “just right”. I don’t know how to explain this to you, but I like to say the can is “like butter” in that the knife just seems to take cane off in a smooth way. It doesn’t feel too hard. But it also doesn’t feel squishy soft.

I played a couple of them during lessons, and while they weren’t great, they showed potential. (I rarely play my good reeds during my students’ lessons; it’s a great time to start up new reeds, my students get to hear me at my “new reed state” which I think might help them understand that we all go through the reed issues. And, mostly, I’m too worried about wearing out the reeds I like the most which I prefer to save for performances. Of course this probably means my students think I’m quite a hack!) So after lessons they get to sit on my shelf and think about life. Do they really want to live? Do they want to please me? Only time will tell.

Today I’ll sit down, shape more cane, wind a few more reeds, and see what yesterday’s reeds are thinking as of today. I do know that this wet weather makes reed making a bit more pleasant. The extremely cold dry weather we were having isn’t my cuppa … nor is it my reeds’.

Meanwhile I’m having my latté and listening to the “album” that Brandon is on. (Isn’t it odd that this is called an album? We need a new word, don’t you think? It’s not an album. It’s not a disk. Hmm.) Some folks are grumping because you have to purchase the entire “album”. Whatever. My kid is on it, so I purchased it. (But I won’t leave a comment … wouldn’t want to get labeled a “shill” … a word I just learned, believe it or not.) If you aren’t on emusic, or if you aren’t into downloading an entire album, but are curious about what an oboe player’s son might do musically (nothing at all like what I do, btw), you can always check out his free tracks at Altair Nouveau. (And yeah, that’s a sketch he drew of himself.)

Yeah, I’m a proud mama. Deal.

And just one more thing…
Yes, I watched Top Chef last night. Maybe I like it partly because it’s sort of like auditions; each week the chefs are (supposed to be) judged purely on that particular meal/assignment. (I actually think they do take other things into consideration, but I’m only guessing.) Even while some of the chefs annoy me, I hate seeing them get dismissed, for the most part. I’ve not done a whole lot of auditions, but I’ve been hired to do jobs and, a few years later, get taken off the list. I know how it is to put one’s self out there and give it all you’ve got and later be told, “Not good enough.” Kinda hurts. Big time.

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