One of the questions that Minnesota Orchestra players are often asked these days is why we sit the way we do, with the second violins opposite the firsts and the basses on the stage right edge rather than the left. … Continue reading →
Yes, it’s time for The Omniscient Mussel’s third annual Twitter opera plot contest (which I also discussed a year ago). The contest; to summarize any opera plot within the constraints of a Twitter post (140 characters or less). One of … Continue reading →
I’ve never been the biggest Terry Gross fan, but this past week, I happened to catch her conducting one of the best interviews I’ve ever heard. Her guest was Stephen Sondheim, probably the greatest musical theater composer of all time, … Continue reading →
Or maybe not; check out Lang-Lang playing an encore after a concert with the San Francisco Symphony:
So, I see that City Pages, Mpls/St. Paul’s award-winning alt-weekly newspaper, is out with its annual Best of the Twin Cities issue, and perusing the parade of winners (Garrison Keillor as best columnist? really?), I find myself left with the … Continue reading →
Over at Slate, Jan Swafford has put together an excellent article on the history of tuning musical instruments. WAIT! Don’t go back to Facebook yet – I promise this will not be anywhere near as boring as that first sentence … Continue reading →
As I mentioned, we’re playing Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique this week, a meaty bit of core repertoire that usually makes for a relaxed atmosphere at work. While the challenge of learning a new or obscure score is exhilarating, there’s definitely something … Continue reading →
As the Honolulu Symphony attempts to emerge from its bankruptcy, the in-fighting continues. The latest development; reorganization plans will not only be submitted by the Symphony Society, but by the Symphony’s musicians and/or other parties as well. The Symphony Society … Continue reading →
It’s no secret, of course, that we in Minnesota are ridiculously spoiled when it comes to the arts. Week in and week out, there’s more to see and do in the Cities than any other comparably sized metro area in … Continue reading →
