Fortunately Nico Muhly isn’t all haughty like most classical-music types.
i wish i wouldnt have dropped out of college. i wish i was a pro oboe player.
Me: “Sorry, honey.”
Son: “That’s okay. I just wish I was an oboe.”
Now that might be totally baffling to readers, yes? So here’s the rest ‘o the story:
At the kiddie concerts the conductor, Peter Jaffe, would ask various people to hold up their instruments to show the kids. When he did that with the harpist, he said, at least at one performance, “Dan, toss your harp in the air!” or some such thing. At that point I looked at the principal oboist and said, “Could you toss your oboe in the air even a little?”
“No,” she said. And then she popped up with this, “But isn’t it funny that we can toss our babies in the air?”
I agreed. I can’t even fathom letting go of my oboe. Not even as a joke, knowing I could quickly catch it again. But I’ve tossed each of my babies in the air, although of course not terribly high. I never doubted I’d catch them.
So I was telling this story to Dan and Brandon just now, and that’s when I said, “Sorry, honey.” And he responded as he did.
;-)
I love that my kids are so fun … and funny!
I. Coro.
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben
Muss von Christo Zeugnis geben
Ohne Furcht und Heuchelei,
Dass er Gott und Heiland sei.
English:
Heart and mouth and deed and living
Must for Christ their witness offer
Without fear and falsity
That he God and Savior is.
Hi, I made a cute lamp from an oboe awhile back. It has a custom made mahogany base and functions perfectly, but the oboe needs to be glued back together in one place where my roommate dropped and broke it. Very simple fix for a very interesting piece of art/furniture. Come and get it, I’m moving!
Some time ago I played “Baz Luhrmann’s La Boheme” when it began its short life in San Francisco (prior to moving to Broadway). I loved it. The conductor, Constantine Kitsopoulos, was a delight and so wonderful to work with (I wish I’d get to work with him again. Sigh.). Mr. Luhrmann was gracious and extremely energetic and a kick to watch in action. And all the singers we met were very kind. I was sorry that the production got slammed so much; I really enjoyed it and it’s a highlight of my little career no matter what the critics said. (It gets called “controversial” and I guess it’s because of using mics. Good thing no “real” opera companies ever [cough cough] do that sort of thing.)
One of those singers was this guy named Alfred Boe. He was introduced as “Alf” and of course some people giggled a bit at that. Or chuckled. But anyway … rambling on … he was, in the opinion of one of my colleagues, the best Rodolfo. I’m not a good judge of voice, but I did enjoy hearing him and certainly thought he had a wonderful voice. And he was quite nice, even to us lowly pitfolk. (Side note: I’ve read that he met his wife while singing in San Francisco.)
But he’s no longer Alfred of Alf, I guess. He’s now “Alfie”. (Maybe he always was and we just didn’t know? It’s possible.) I just read about him here. And it sounds like he’s doing quite well at what he does. Go good for you Alf Alfred Alfie!
So … here’s Alfie … with an oboe, no less (using, I believe, the thumb plate system).
But of course I’m mostly a sucker for those romantic Italian ditties …
In one of my google alerts I read the title “Making Students Love Music”
That bugs me.
How about “Getting Students to Love Music” or, better yet to my ear, “Helping Students Love Music”?
There. I feel better now. :-)
Carmina Burana without an orchestra is like Thai curry without peppers
-Harry Rolnick
I read it here.
Emanuel Ax has a blog. Who knew? Well, I guess Mr. Ross did, but he knows a lot more than I, so that’s not surprise. Drew knew too, but, well, that’s Drew. I think he spends more time online than even I do. And that’s a lotta time.
But anyway, Mr. Ax’s latest entry deals with applause. During pieces, not after. Or, well, he talks about the rules of “only after” too, but he’s encouraging applause during. Not just between movements even, but during.
Next week I’m doing Roman Carnival Overture and New World Symphony, and I’ll be playing English horn. I wonder what would happen if my fan (yeah, I think I have one … hi Mom!) applauded after my solos. I’m going to guess other audience members wouldn’t be terribly happy. But maybe she should try it and see? Oh … my sister will be there too (hi Carolyn!) … so two fans could applaud. That’s four hand applause. I might even hear it.
Truth be told, I really do wonder about all the “rules”, but I am not sure that’s one I’d like to have broken. Applause at the end of a movement? Sure, if it’s something that just screams for it. But during? I hate applause during jazz too, so you can tell where I’d fall on that one.
Oh … and while it’s true that people applaud after something in opera, our opera company pauses for that applause. Well now, there’s an idea! We can just pause if applause starts happening in the middle of a movement. Or maybe not.
Anyway, silliness aside, I’m curious what readers think. Would you mind if someone went ApplauseHappy™ in the middle of a movement because he or she just loved what someone on stage did? I’d love to hear about it.
Meanwhile, I’m going to go check out more of Mr. Ax’s blog. (Oh! Here is his first post about applause, so you might want to read that as well. Heck, read the entire blog … I only see four entries so far. You know you can do it.)
Ack! I’d better get dressed. I might have a student in 30 minutes. (I write “might” because I honestly don’t know if he is planning on being here or not, due to a mix-up on my part.)
The season is now announced, and you can read it in the Merc. For the first set we’re doing the Ravel Piano Concerto in G again, so I have that solo to look forward to it. In the same program we are also doing Mother Goose Suite, which I simply love. To see the rest of the season just click on the link.
(Symphony Silicon Valley hasn’t posted the news at the site yet.)
More than a month after controversy erupted over Corona del Mar High School’s reported cancellation — then rescheduling — of a production of “Rent,” the American Civil Liberties Union sued school officials Wednesday for fostering a “sexist” and “homophobic” atmosphere.
Since they are now doing the musical after all, someone ought to sue them for poor taste in musicals.
I read it here.
Someone landed here by doing a search on: dumbest music blogs
Oh dear oh dear oh dear ….
;-)
Parking can be an issue at UCSC. We have to pay for parking, and because I’m SO part time I’m only allowed to purchase 25 “scratchers”, the least expensive thing that works for me as an extreme part timer. These parking permits are useful, since they can be used any day, but of course use one once and it’s gone. I teach 30 times per year. Yep. There’s the problem. 25 scratchers for at least 30 days of teaching. Hmmm. Do the math. So I use scratchers for the first two quarters, and in the third quarter I have to make absolutely certain I know which day I’ll be teaching and I purchase for a “limited day” permit. It’s a bit more costly, but there you go. (It’s not horrendous, so I deal.)
Yesterday was my final day at UCSC for the winter quarter. I’ve been teaching on Fridays this year, but had moved this one day (a make up day for students who had canceled a lesson) to Thursday. (Thank goodness for the “any day” scratcher, yes?) While there, I thought it would be great to pick up my Friday parking permit for next quarter, so I didn’t have to drop by before class — knowing there would be a long line then — the first week. I went to the kiosk where I’ve picked up permits in the past, but was told I had to go to the office to pick up this pass, since it’s a permanent Friday-only sort of pass (or some such thing). Gee, I picked this type up at the kiosk before. Oh well. But then I was told that it was too early to pick it up, because if I picked it up then (Thursday) I could use it today (Friday). I explained that I was on my last day. The helpful woman called up to the office and whoever she talked to agreed that I could go ahead and get it.
Until I went up there.
Then I was told, “Oh we can’t give it to you now, because you could use it tomorrow, and you aren’t supposed to start using it until next quarter!” Hmmm. But then I was told, “Well, okay, we can give it to you, but you have to give us TWO (?) scratchers in order to get it.” No way was I going to sacrifice one of two of my few remaining precious scratchers with no expiration date at all that I can use on any day I want. I assured them that I would not use the Friday pass since I would be done teaching before that, but they wouldn’t budge. Instead, the young woman said, “I can mail it to you right away for free.” Well, okay then, that’s fine. I haven’t a problem with that. They can spend money mailing me a permit. Whatever. So addressed an envelope for them, and left the office.
I received the parking pass today.
I can’t tell you much I wish I had time, energy, and desire to drive up there and park my car today, just because I can and because they were so darn silly about this whole thing. They thought I’d abuse the privilege of getting the parking permit early. Sort of makes me want to use it. But I won’t. The drive is nearly 35 miles one way. I’m not that silly!
So they wasted an envelope, spent .76 in postage and mailed me a parking permit they could have simply handed to me in order to avoid having me use it illegally today.
And I receive it today.
Yeah. That’s the parking office!
[name taken off because I'm nice]
A former piccoloist and flutist turned oboist. Why? For scholarship purposes, of course! Ah, yes. I do indeed plan ahead too much. I am often misunderstood, but I don’t mind too much. People may believe what they like, I don’t really care. What matters is my ambition, and I endure the monotony known as “school” for my education alone.
Ah yes, the old “I’m playing oboe only because of scholarships,” thing.
Sigh. (And grumble.)
