Category Archives: Inspiration

Events and ideas that inspire musicianship and a desire to play.

by | June 15, 2011 · 10:34 pm

BSO Academy, Day 4 (Georgeann)

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Music Director Marin Alsop took the podium in our string sectionals this morning to work through some of the rough spots in Paul Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphoses.  At one point, in the second movement, she turned to the violins and said, “Let’s do that section with the nightmare triplets.”

About three minutes into the movement, the first violins, second violins, and violas have about 30 measures of triplets – sometimes in chromatic scales, but other times in unpredictable patterns that we are all struggling to master.

Tonight at dinner, we did the math and realized what we are trying to do.  The movement is in 2/2 time, with each half note having an assigned value of 96 beats per minute.   That means each quarter note has a metronome value of 192 beats per measure.  Subdivide those quarters into triplets, and that means we are trying to play 576 beats per minute. Put another way, we are playing more about 9-1/2 notes PER SECOND!  Sheez …

The other night, on the phone with Chuck, I told him I didn’t think I had ever played this fast in my life.  Now, I have an idea what my speed limit is!

The good news, I suppose, is that Marin and many of the top players in the orchestra have told us repeatedly to “focus on the rhythm, not the notes, because the brass is so noisy no one will notice if you make a mistake!”

The section I’m talking about can be heard in this YouTube video – just when the worst run of the “nightmare triplets” for violins begin.  It sounds on the video like one continuous line, but let me assure you, we are sawing our hearts out!

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by | June 15, 2011 · 10:08 pm

Interlochen, Day 4 (Chuck)

We are starting to see an increase of activity around the camp as college students begin to arrive for the official opening of Summer Camp. Over a thousand students are employed as cabin and dorm monitors, security, life guards and other camp functions.  They are also sprucing up the camp in preparation for Saturday’s Garrison Keeler’s Prairie Home Companion radio broadcast.

Meanwhile, New Horizon campers are busily preparing for Thursday evening’s small group performances.  The Jazz Ensembles along with the various instrument choirs will be performing, all proceeded by a strolling band outside the Fine Arts building.

It is amazing how much progress the Intermediate Band has made in the past few days, thinking back to  when we were stumbling over “La Cumparsita” and Bob Margolis’ “Fanfare Ode” and “Festival for Concert Band”. Tonight’s run thru of Sousa’s “Northern Pines March” may have had the March King turning in his grave, but hopefully we can get the kinks worked out in the final rehearsal tomorrow morning.


It is just hard to believe there is just one more full day of camp before heading back to the real world. It’s just amazing how many mid-lifers (and older) are enjoying a chance to play (and sing) many for the first time. There have been so many stories about other camps. I am already starting to eye the calendar for October 2012, they say Chautauqua, New York is a great camp….

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by | June 14, 2011 · 10:38 pm

Interlochen, Day 3 (Chuck)

I took my first stab at conducting this afternoon, did ok on preparing the group for the downbeat and release. However once I was finished conducting part of Haydn’s Surprise Symphony in 2/4 time there was a nice pile of firewood for the meeting room.

It’s still an informative class and former Wayne State professor Joe Labuta does a good job of teaching.  Joeis also director of the Saline, Michigan New Horizons Band.  It’s just another chance to put a face and meet some of the legends of Detroit’s music history as well as some of the best band teachers around the country.

Some of the music we have been playing is starting to come together. The saxophone ensemble has been working on Duke Ellington’s “Satin Doll”, a great version of “Jeri co” and an “Amazing Grace” arrangement that gives each individual in the group a chance at the lead.

The Intermediate Band has been supplemented the last couple of nights by members of the Advanced Band, which has helped a lot. I’m finding myself keeping up with the “more experienced” players. I even held my own with a solo on a version of the Shaker Dance.  The Tango (La Comparsita) is coming along nicely the St. Louis Blues. I’m not sure what part I’ll end up with since I’ve played both first and second, I ended up doing the sax solo during the sectional.  We are also starting to get a feel for  Sousa’s Northern Pines March.

Another full day of music, more tired lips, the night’s finale, 1812 Overture, running thr0ugh my head, the good news is we all finished at the same time.

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by | June 14, 2011 · 10:31 pm

BSO Academy, Day 3 (Georgeann)

A marathon day of playing in Baltimore, starting with my own need to practice and work out some issues, followed by strings sectional.  Then, one of the key moments of the week, our first rehearsal on-stage at Meyerhoff Hall sharing stands with the professional musicians of the BSO, rehearsing with Marin Alsop.

In all, the rehearsal was very business-like and moved quickly.   In the middle of the Rimskey-Korsakov, I heard something remarkable:  the shuffling of musicians feet on the floor in applause for an extremely beautiful harp cadenza performed by our amateur harpist.   It was very cool.

After a break for lunch (and another hour for me in the practice room), BSO concert master Jonathan Carney led a string orchestra workshop, and I was proud to hear Mike, the cellist from our string quintet, performing another beautiful solo in the middle of Grieg’s Holberg Suite.

Then it was on to chamber music rehearsal, with our quintet coming together astonishingly well on the piece we plan to at Friday night’s concert.  Then another break for dinner, and class on getting most out of practice time.

In all, I calculated that the violin had been under my chin for at least seven full hours today.  Made me recall another quote from Monday’s session with the physical therapist:  “People don’t realize musicians are elite athletes.  It takes great strength to hold and play your instrument.”    Amen.

Sidenote:  Along with the intense schedule, the midlife musicians who decided to stay in the nearby dorm for the week were promised today they would finally have hot water tonight.   Can’t imagine what they’ve been putting up with!

 

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by | June 13, 2011 · 10:41 pm

BSO Academy, Day 2 (Georgeann)

A very jam-packed day in Baltimore, with six hours of playing and a whole lot of music.  Some phrases that stick in my mind from the day:

  • “Use less bow.”  From my private lesson this morning with Gregory Kuperstein, a BSO first violinist, originally from Russia, and a long-time orchestra member.
  • “In this section, it’s very noisy with drums and horns, so if you get the notes wrong, it’s not a big deal.”  GK, again, commenting on the Hindemith.  (You have to imagine the Russian accent).
  • “Balance your skull over your spine, and release your legs to the floor.”   From this morning’s class on the Alexander Technique.
  • “When you are exhausted, you start muscling through, and that’s when injuries happen.”  From this morning’s session with a physical therapist, who warned that unless a therapist specializes in musicians, they may give you the wrong treatment.
  • “Here’s a simple stretch for string players to relieve tension in your hands before and after you play.”  Advice from same physical therapist.  One hour later, therapist is mentally subjected to some choice language when stretching results in a cramp in my left hand (the one that fingers the strings) just as sectional practice is beginning.
  • “Have any of you tried playing the first violin solos in the Rimskey-Korsakov”.  In violin sectional practice. Several players start demonstrating their proficiency.  I am firmly shaking my head — isn’t the concertmaster supposed to play those and let me just do the pizzicato?
  • “In this section, it’s very noisy with drums and horns, so if you get the notes wrong, it’s not a big deal.” Igor Yuzefovich, Assistant Concertmaster leading the string sectional, commenting on the Hindemith.  He was born in Russian, but doesn’t have the accent.
  • “Each of you WILL play a violin solo in the Rimskey-Korsakov.  Expect Marin to call on you during rehearsal tomorrow.”  IY’s announcement at the end of the string sectional.  Yikes!  Where is the practice room?
  • “WE DID IT.”  Group chorus after our string quintet manages to sight-read through the entire Dvorak Quintet in G Major, before deciding to focus on the Scherzo (2nd movement) only for Friday night’s concert.

And finally,

  • “Thank goodness we decided not to stay in the dorm.”  Viola Judy and myself, as we return to our hotel room after a 12 hour day of music to freshly made beds and clean towels.  The folks staying in the dorm have been without hot water because of a malfunction, and have to get through the week using only one towel.
Tomorrow, our first full rehearsal with the musicians of the BSO and Marin Alsop.   That will be me ducking when the Rimskey-Korsakov solos are assigned!

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by | June 13, 2011 · 10:12 pm

Interlochen, Day 2 (Chuck)

Today was the first full day of band camp. In many ways it was a feeling of back to school. The beautiful campus at the Interlochen Center for the arts, people scurrying in all directions heading to class, instead of a backpack of books, instruments in hand, folks getting to know each other during meal time in the cafeteria. I’ve met midlife musicians from California, Montana, Florida, North Carolina, as well as members of New Horizons Bands from around the state.  They all have pretty much the same story, they either played when they were younger and  began playing again after 30 or even 40 years, or decided it was something they wanted to do after they retired.  Many of them have been only playing a couple of years, and a few have attended several camps each time coming away learning something new.

Bears statue at Interlochen

This statue of a mother and baby bear is a favorite meet-up point at Interlochen.

I’m taking a fairly basic schedule this week: there is a saxophone ensemble class first thing in the morning. There are six of us in the class, two are good, the rest of us are fairly green, but we manage to get through the music without too many major mistakes.  The Intermediate Band is fairly small, the woodwind section is fairly green (there were two alto’s at the sectional rehearsal) but with practice I think we will sound okay at our concert Friday morning.

After the morning sessions, I need to rest my lip a bit, lunch, and a free period. Today was spent in one of the practice huts working on Intermediate Band music. Tomorrow may be used to work on technique for the only afternoon class I have, beginning conducting.  Gotta work on what comes after the downbeat.

Other courses being offered this week include, conch shell  playing, introduction to percussion for wind players and a class that seems a bit intriguing, “Way Back and Far Out”…(Bach and after Beethoven). There is also a strolling band class, and classes on jazz styles.

Then there is dinner and another chance to meet my fellow campers, and an evening session for the Intermediate and Advanced bands. Then maybe a little time to unwind, and maybe a little more practice if the lip holds out.

So far lots of walking, enjoying the wonderful Northern Michigan weather (sunny, highs in the low 70s) and casual conversations with some great people.

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by | June 12, 2011 · 9:56 pm

BSO Academy, Day 1

The afternoon performance of Verdi’s Requiem, with more than 120 voices joining the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, was alternately stunning, ethereal, and emotionally moving.  So it was amusing to learn, talking to members of the brass section after the performance, that they nearly “lost it” midway through the performance when a cell phone went off at a critical moment, with a ringtone that was perfectly in key.

Marin Alsop addresses the BSO Academy Musicians

BSO Music Director Marin Alsop addresses the BSO Academy Musicians

That casual, companions-in-music camaraderie, set a great tone for the opening day of the BSO Academy.   As music director Marin Alsop told the assembled musicians (mostly midlifers like me), “it’s about the passion we all share for music.”   The BSO Academy, now in its second year, is a very different experience for the musicians, too, she says.

“We are here to help,” she told us.  “It’s not about pressure.  Any pressure you feel, you are putting on yourself.  We just want to help you improve your skill set and music making, so you can reach new goals.”

At the same time, Alsop warned that she would not go easy on the BSO Academy musicians, just because we are amateurs.  “I can’t help it,” she said.  “I work with every orchestra as if it is a major orchestra.”  But she also promised that the experience would “take you where you are and move you ten levels up.”

There are a lot of people here who do other things for a living:  a doctor, a nuclear physicist, a retired marketing executive, and so on, with home addresses that include Maryland, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Massachusetts, and California.

Crab Cake Sandwich at Phillips Seafood at Harborplace in Baltimore

As the schedules were passed out over dinner, it’s clear it will be a challenging week.  I have my first private lesson at 8:30 a.m. on Monday morning, followed by classes on preventing injury, Alexander Technique, sectional rehearsal, chamber music rehearsal, and — after dinner — another class on sight reading.

Good thing I got my crab cake fix at lunch today!

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by | June 12, 2011 · 8:29 pm

Interlochen, Day 1

Chuck is attending the New Horizons Band Camp at Interlochen this week, and is filing his reports, while Georgeann attends the BSO Academy in Baltimore.  This is the first of Chuck’s daily reports.

Practice Hut at Interlochen Music Camp

A practice hut at Interlochen. Each has a grand piano inside.

New Horizon Band founder Dr. Roy Ernst has described Interlochen Center for the Arts as the Carneige Hall of Music Camps. It has a history dating back to the mid 1920 as the nation’s premiere music camp. John Phillip Sousa conducted the National High School Band here in 1930 and wrote his Northern Pines March after that experience.

This week about 200 Midlife Musicians from all across the country are spending time among the pines, soaking up the atmosphere, renewing old friendships and and playing what to many of us is somewhat challenging music. It is the New Horizon’s Music Camp, one of several held around the country each Summer.  New Horizons Music programs were developed by Dr Roy Ernst 20 years ago as a way to give adults an opportunity to learn music in a setting similar to that offered in school. Many of the participants have either played at one time and and came back after a long absence or taken up music for the first time. The organization now has over 182 bands, orchestras, choruses and other ensembles across the country.

Classes this week include ensembles for Brass, Woodwinds, Saxophones, Flutes, Clarinets and Percussion. As well as a few fun things like Dixieland Band, Strolling Band, Conch Shell Choir and introduction to conducting, a look at music before Bach and after Beethoven.

It’s going to be an interesting week, I’ve already had great conversations with midlifers from Florida, San Diego, Durham, NC as well as fellow midlifers from Michigan. We all have one thing in common, a love for music, most of us took it up again after leaving it in high school or college.

We will stumble this week, make a few mistakes, but have fun. And live by Dr Roy’s New Horizon Band Motto  ‘your best is good enough.’

http://www.newhorizonsmusic.org/nhima.html

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by | March 12, 2011 · 12:34 am

29 Musicians Make A Wonderful Sound

Just back from Camerata Ireland’s performance at the brand-new Palladium in Carmel, Indiana.

Palladium Stage, Carmel Indiana

The view from our seats in the new Palladium in Carmel, Indiana

First of all, the facility is a winner.   Chuck and I bought seats in the choral terrace behind the stage, and they were great.   It was almost like sitting in the orchestra, with a full view of Barry Douglas conducting and nearly close enough to read the music on the stands. Continue reading →

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by | March 4, 2011 · 2:51 pm

Camerata Ireland Begins U.S. Tour

Camerata Ireland at Castletown House

Members of Camerata Ireland

Camerata Ireland, the all-Irish orchestra founded by Barry Douglas, plays Carnegie Hall tomorrow night.  It’s the first stop on a week-long U.S. tour that includes stops in Nashville, the Chicago area, and Indianapolis.  They’ll be playing Mozart, Bunting, and works by the Irish composer John Field, who is said to have invented the nocturne form perfected by Chopin.

It’s part of a year-long celebration of Irish culture in the United States sponsored by the Irish tourism department. Continue reading →

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