A week or so ago, the orchestra played a concert featuring five Hungarian Dances, two choral works, and a serenade, all by Brahms. With the exception of one of the dances (the famous #5,) this was basically The Brahms You’ve … Continue reading →
Musicians are forever making up lyrics to go along with famous bits of music. This is partly because we’re incorrigible class clowns who never grew up properly, but mostly because, on your 138th trip through Handel’s Messiah, it helps you … Continue reading →
This evening, the orchestra wraps up what has felt like about a year’s worth of Christmas concerts, and thanks to this week’s split schedule, I actually played my last Sleigh Ride earlier this afternoon, and will be relaxing with a … Continue reading →
You guys, this is just the craziest thing I’ve ever read. It’s… well, I’m not even really sure what it is, or was, back when it was written in 1921, but as soon as regular commenter EmilyLiz brought it to … Continue reading →
It’s been a whirlwind week for the orchestra, and a bit discombobulating as well. Last Monday and Tuesday, we rehearsed in Minneapolis for a concert that we would play for the first time at Carnegie Hall. (This was a switch … Continue reading →
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m about ready for a break from the seemingly constant flow of terrible news. I’m not just talking about orchestra news, either. From the European debt crisis to the gridlock in Congress to … Continue reading →
I’m headed off on a road trip to upstate New York early tomorrow morning to see one of my very favorite cousins get married (and to provide a little musical backdrop as well,) so you likely won’t be hearing much … Continue reading →
It’s been an intensive weekend of patriotic-themed concerts (all conducted by the distinctly British Courtney Lewis, who played his accent for laughs more than once during the week,) and tonight, we wrapped things up before a crowd of thousands on … Continue reading →
Over the years, Sarah and I have made a habit of sharing some of the Minnesota Orchestra’s more, shall we say, peculiar traditions and inside jokes. Whether it’s yanking all our instruments skyward when someone in the brass section drops … Continue reading →
I didn’t actually intend to take most of this week off from blogging, but it does seem to have happened (the orchestra is off this week, and I’ve been taking advantage of the opportunity to catch up on seemingly endless … Continue reading →
