I just looked at my calendar. I’ve not had a day completely off since September 9. That day was free, but it was opening night of San Francisco Opera, so I still wasn’t entirely empty and it was a late night. I’m tired.
At the same time, I’m employed. So how dare I complain, right? I’m trying very hard to be grateful and not whiny. So far I’m not doing very well with that. Ah well. I was glad to talk to a violinist who had also done the run of Idomeneo (and she took a few nights off!) and she said she was still recovering as well. So maybe it’s not just my age. Maybe it’s just that all those late nights just hit some of us rather hard, despite the fact that we loved playing such a wonderful work.
Then again, maybe it is my age. Hmm?
Symphony opens its season tomorrow night. Here are a few photos from today’s final dress rehearsal. I don’t play the first work, so I was able to get up into the balcony for a short time.
And so while Opera San José has ended, Symphony Silicon Valley begins. Tomorrow is our first rehearsal for this weekend’s concerts. Included in the program is David Amram’s Triple Concerto and The Planets. So here’s a snippet of the Amram (the third movement with David Amram and the Chicago Symphony) and an album cover for The Planets. I don’t think I’ll be wearing what she’s wearing.
But hey … here’s Saturn and you can see and hear the bass oboe:
Does Ormandy look like he’s not thrilled with something at 2:48? Maybe I’m just imagining that look?
Despite a rich musical heritage, India did not have its own professional symphony orchestra until five years ago when the Symphony Orchestra of India [SOI] was set up to broaden the appeal of Western classical music in the country.
Be it Bollywood music blaring from a Mumbai taxi, or the sultry sounds of the shehnai at a wedding, or the vibrato-laden vocals of a south Indian Carnatic singer – India has been a melting pot of music genres for centuries.
“It’s shocking that we never had an orchestra like this before,” says Khushroo Suntook, who founded the SOI in 2006.
Much of the time I run across articles where people are complaining about “classical music” dying and realize they are talking about the classical music of India, so I was interested to read this article on western classical music in India, which is, in a way, experiencing a birth there — or so it is hoped by some.
Remember when I wrote about my issues with my eyes? Well, I am writing this publicly so the next time I have issues focusing someone who reads this will remind me of what the issue is really about:
It’s “eargraine” time!
Sigh.
Yeah, a few days of out of focus eyes means that eventually I’ll get an ear migraine. It arrived in its special wonderfully strong way this morning. Included in this little issue of mine is a painful outer ear (to the point where I can barely touch it) and incredibly loud night pitch screeching. I have to wait it out and while it hurts I know it’ll eventually go away. I just hope that it goes away before the next opera performance. It’s difficult to teach, but performing is even more difficult.
Meanwhile, I’m coping and I’m learning a new instrument!
Holst’s The Planets uses three oboes and English horn, and the third oboe part also includes bass oboe. What a section! Symphony rented it from Forrests, and I picked it up from the office yesterday. The fingerings are the same as oboe, and it sounds an octave lower. Thankful it’s written in treble clef so I don’t have to relearn bass clef. (I can play bass clef if I’m sitting at the piano, but otherwise my brain doesn’t really like to read it. At all.)
I’ll see if I can get someone to record me at some point so you can see and hear it. Meanwhile, here’s a photo for comparison:
The 84 musicians who make up the Wichita Symphony Orchestra voted recently to accept a 20 percent wage cut for the coming season, a move necessary to keep the orchestra viable in tough economic times, those involved with the decision say.
Reading the whole thing it gets even drearier; they took a 10 percent pay reduction two years ago and a 4 percent one last year. This has really got to hurt.
I thought the three Symphony Silicon Valley concerts I was involved in went quite well. I hope the others were equally successful. I also hope we do them again next year. Thanks, Target for putting these on! Now I have no paying work until Opera San José‘s Idomeneo rehearsals begin. Between now and then I will play one freebie with operamission, but that’s it. I was talking to some other musicians, and everyone seems to agree that we are getting less work these days.
This is the final week of Symphony Silicon Valley. For me there are three rehearsals, two concerts and I play all of one work. Yep … 3 – 2 – 1! There was actually another rehearsal that I skipped, but that was by choice: I decided that I just couldn’t cancel students yet again on a Wednesday afternoon, so I opted to move down to third oboe, take that rehearsal off and, with permission of the principal, take off the Mendelssohn and have the sub play it instead, as it was the only thing being rehearsed in the afternoon. In addition to the Mendelssohn (which uses two oboes) we are doing a Piazzolla work which uses only one oboe. So again, it’s 3 – 2 – 1! I feel like I’m counting down to zero. And then I’ll be done. For too long.
I’ll have a couple end of July Target summer concerts, and I’ll play (only) one of the “Some Assembly Required” events put on by operamission in New York City (I was hoping to do two, but flights didn’t pan out for that, due to the large increase in cost if I moved dates around to make that happen). It appears Merola is out for me this year, which I’m sorry about; I really enjoy doing that. But I’m not first call there ‐ heck, I’m not even second call. So there you go.
I really wish I’d gotten into the summer music festival thing when I was younger. I probably say this every year, right? But I didn’t so oh well. Money is always tight in summer (most students take off a large chunk of it), but I suppose I should be used to it by now.
I think these symphony concerts should be fun for the listener. First on the program is the Piazzolla and it includes, appropriately, a bandoneon player. The work I’m playing in is by Avner Dorman and it’s a work for orchestra and percussion duo. It’s pretty darn amazing to watch those two musicians … you have to see them (as well as listen, of course!). And finally there’s the Mendelssohn … which, if you know the lyrics, begins “Spaghetti, spaghetti, spaghetti for lunch!” Okay, maybe not really, but I did used to have a book that put words to famous classical works. I wish I’d hung on to it. Rats!
Here’s some of the PIazzolla with the composer at the bandoneon. The picture isn’t great. Neither is the sound. BUT it’s Piazzolla playing it! So there you go …
If you want to watch the other videos there are two more that I’m sure you would easily find if you clicked on the video above and watched on YouTube instead.
I don’t see a video with our percussionists playing the Dorman (I believe they played it at the Cabrillo Festival last year), but here’s the first movement with the duo PercaDu:
And if you want a sample of the Mendelssohn … well … those are plentiful on YouTube!
I don’t normally post anything but my Sunday music on Sundays, but we really DO need your vote, and some of you might need reminding. We are in 54th place right now. Can you help move us up?
While Symphony Silicon Valley was voted in the top 100 for Chase Community Giving (Thank you voters! Thank you Chase!), we now enter into a tighter race, competing for the $500,000 grant for our arts education program.. Because of that I’m going to remind you daily until the voting stops. PLEASE, if you are on Facebook, vote for us. This is a worthy and worthwhile cause … taking the arts to all 4th through 6th grade students in our county! That’s the goal. I — and all involved with Symphony Silicon Valley — appreciate your votes! Let’s get the larger sum of money for this project!
I’m home from the second of three concerts for Symphony Silicon Valley for this set. During Jon Nakamatsu‘s encore (he’s incredibly, by the way!) I heard this rumble and felt something. Looking over at the principal flutist we both mouthed “earthquake”. I assumed that’s what it was, but I’m not seeing any news about it and no one tweeted it. I’m assuming it was something else, then. But it was very weird.
By the way, our two soloists, Jon Nakamatsu and Jon Manasse are absolutely incredible. Really and truly.
After the Stravinsky tonight no one applauded. The conductor turned around and kind of gestured like “Yep, that’s it folks.” Then there was just a spattering of applause and again silence.
We have trained audiences to fear applauding at the wrong time so well they are now scared to applaud at all! I find this very sad.
Update
Our principal bassist writes this: “The pit part of the stage apparently dropped slightly.” Ah-hah!
So, with opera over ‘n out I moved directly on to this Symphony Silicon Valley set. We had our first rehearsal last night. Sadly it was in the rehearsal hall rather than on stage, so I haven’t a clue how my reeds are, really, but happily we began with Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite.
I’ve never played it!
I do, however, know the work. I know it incredibly well, actually. Dan and I must have listened to this a tremendous number of times when we first bought a record of it, because I know exactly what is happening when and there are no issues about counting, really.
And what fun to play it. Finally.
If you don’t know it at all, take a listen (and look):
There are places in the work that just fill me with joy. I’m so glad to finally get to perform it!
We are also doing a world premiere by Paquito D’Rivera (Cape Cod Concerto for Clarinet, Piano & Orchestra) which has no second oboe, and Tchaikovsky’s first piano concerto. Here’s how that goes:
… okay, okay, maybe not quite like that with Jon Nakamatsu at the piano … and a slightly larger (and older) orchestra.
There is certainly a good argument for maintaining huge symphony orchestras in every major city (and many minor ones) across the world. They have become symbols not only of Western civilization at its best, but of prosperity and the quality of life in the cities which they serve.
But these huge institutional orchestras are like imperialist armies that have over-extended themselves.
There’s much more where that came from, but I don’t want to steal the articles attention so go over there, read it, and leave your comments (but hey, why don’t you cut & paste and place your comments here too, okay?).
Do I have an opinion. Yep.
But so often I’ve heard “keep your thoughts to yourself” … so I will. ;-)
Peyton Place? Yep. Lots of times. And no, you won’t get stories from me! (But do younger readers even know what we’re talking about when we say “Peyton Place”?)
This article is about the married couples in the Virginia Symphony.
Orchestras, in general, can be kind of stressful places. Like Peyton Place, but accompanied by Bach. It’s hard to make a living. Full-time positions are highly coveted, then jealously guarded. If you are already married, and if both of you are lucky enough to land spots in the same orchestra, then it would be prudent to hang onto those jobs for as long as you both can. Especially if one of you plays a more obscure instrument. “For oboists, there are only a few jobs in an orchestra,” says Jorge Aguirre, who plays the violin. “I made the choice that if Sherie gets a job first, then I would follow.” Twenty-four years ago, oboist Sherie got the job in Virginia, and Jorge followed her from Spain. He got a position a few years later.
