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 →
Happy New Year to all out there in the blogosphere! I’m hoping that everyone joyously rang in 2011 – I kept busy with a New Year’s Eve concert with my other orchestra, the North Carolina Symphony. It’s not always tons … Continue reading →
Yes, I post this every year, but every year I get asked about “You know, that really whacked-out Messiah clip with the funky ending?”. So, here it is. Funky or jazzy or laugh-out-loud funny, you decide. Awesome-est ending to the … Continue reading →
Yes, it’s that time of year; subzero temperatures, Holidazzle, Christmas muzak playing everywhere…Sorry for the prolonged absence – holiday time also brings a deluge of festive concerts which are logistically far more complicated than even your average pops concert (which … Continue reading →
So, everyone shaken all the tryptophan out of your systems by now? Everybody live through the Black Friday sales stampedes? Take in the Holidazzle, didja? Very nice. And hey, from the looks of Orchestra Hall last Saturday night, a whole … Continue reading →
Late last week the city of Turku, Finland announced the launching of a new initiative, the distribution of 5,500 “cultural prescriptions”, available through doctors’ appointments at city health centers. Vouchers for cultural events ranging from art exhibits to a children’s … Continue reading →
I mentioned this song a couple of weeks back in the post about best/worst holiday music. I’ve never been much for carols, on the whole, but this Dar Williams song is Christmas to me, encapsulating all the familial gulfs and … Continue reading →
OK, Sam, that Hallelujah video was nothing short of brilliant. Here’s something way short of brilliant, which I find mysterious on several levels. First of all, why does it start in major? And what’s up with the shadowy Milla-Jovovich-in-”The Fifth … Continue reading →
Everybody loves a good Hallelujah Chorus, especially at this time of year. And if there’s anything more uplifting than listening to the most famous movement of Handel’s Messiah, it’s singing it yourself! But what if you’re a devout monk (I … Continue reading →
Speaking of the inner grinch, Sam… Yes, it’s hard to maintain the holiday spirit while doing the umpteenth performance of some Christmas chestnut. But sometimes, the unexpected pops up, and we’re reminded of how much of what we do, presenting … Continue reading →
