Mahler Owes Me Ten Bucks

$#!@ Classical Musicians Say

2012-01-24T22:43:00.002-05:00

This video is simply genius. I am pretty sure I've said, at some point, almost all those things, especially:

"Oh, I LOVE Mahler!"

"Dude, I'm gonna play so loud!"

"Dude, that guy's a monster!"

I however, have never said "I practiced for five hours today". Four was always my limit. Anyway, enjoy--this video really is awesome!

Mahler Monday: LA Phil's Mahler Project, Mahler 1

2012-01-23T23:30:00.000-05:00

I don't usually hop on a plane or drive many hundreds of miles to hear Mahler's First Symphony. My reason for that is that I have played it myself about five or six times, and also that there always seems to be an orchestra nearby playing it; I often figure I'll catch a performance of it at some point, close to home. This weekend however, was different. I hopped on a plane to Los Angeles to hear the LA Philharmonic under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel, play that glorious work, and also the Adagio from his Tenth Symphony.

I was torn about what performance to see in LA, as they are doing an entire cycle of his symphonies, entitled the Mahler Project. Having so many Mahler symphonies to choose from! What a wonderful situation to be in! I have already heard the LA Phil perform his sixth and ninth symphonies, and I had the pleasure of hearing the fifth symphony under Maestro Dudamel in New York City a few years back. I eventually decided on seeing the performance of the first and Adagio from the tenth, and am so grateful I did.

The words I have to describe the performance all seem like they'd be contradictory, yet there is no other way to describe the performance of the first symphony, in my eyes. It had such a sense of innocence, yet had an undercurrent of maturity and wisdom about it. It was pure, yet lush and passionate. At times it sounded whimsical, yet it never ceased being intense either. There was a constant emotion of joy throughout the performance, while simultaneously being serene and peaceful from the first high A to the exuberant D major chord at the end.

That Maestro Dudamel and his orchestra can bring out such seemingly clashing/opposite/contradictory feelings in a piece is truly stunning to me. Especially when you look at the Maestro's conducting! Don't take that the wrong way, as if I'm criticizing him---quite the opposite. It's simply stunning to see him move the baton in the tiniest way--so small you can barely see it--yet such deliciously overwhelming sounds and emotions come out of the orchestra. And then his grand gestures---forget it! You are simply taken aback by the sheer power of it all, and are left feeling slightly weak, and relishing every bit of it. Truly, out of all the Mahler symphonies I have heard (and as you know, I've heard a LOT), never have I been on such a wonderful rollercoaster of feelings and emotions. The performance satisfied every inch of my heart, and then some.

The more technical side of me was beyond satisfied as well. I wish I could adequately describe the rich, thick, and full sound of the string sections, particularly in the second movement. Oh how they dug into their strings! It was a sound that I wanted to sink my teeth in; it was a sound that was nearly tangible. The wind section was so solidified together, as if they were one person with many arms working in perfect accord. The horns gave me chills and made my hair stand on end at times. I could easily listen to a recording of just them playing their own parts for the Mahler and be quite satisfied. The timpanist(s) rocked my world as well. Don't ever think a percussionist just hits stuff with a stick or mallet. It is so much more than that, and that was beyond evident Saturday night. Think a timpanist can't play the opening part to the third movement of Mahler 1 with emotion? Think again. Do you think a crescendoing roll can't affect you? Think again. Every time his mallets hit the head, they oozed both precision and emotion. At some point after watching and listening to the percussion section, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor.

Based on the applause afterwards, I wasn't the only one picking up my jaw (and probably heart, as well). We, the audience, were of one accord. I didn't know anyone around me save my dear friend sitting to my left, but we were all of one mind, and made that apparent in our applause. What shocked me as I was clapping, and hootin' and hollerin', was the humility of Dudamel. I've seen him conduct many times before, and this was no different, yet I was still shocked, and deeply moved by his humility. He didn't just stand on the podium, and nod his head and bow to everyone. No, he stepped down, and stood alongside his musicians. He was a part of the orchestra, and while some say this man has too much humility, I say this man has nothing but absolute, pure class. He acknowledged everyone in his orchestra. His conducting and interpretations of Mahler symphonies have always captured my heart, but it was captured again when he walked all the way over to the principal bassist to shake his hand. Most conductors just kind of nod their head in the direction of the basses, but he walked over there! Pure class. Absolute pure class. Every single conductor on earth has much to learn from Maestro Dudamel. I don't care that the major conductors currently are all much older than he is--his dedication to being one with his orchestra is inspiring, and something that conductors everywhere should take note of.

And after all that, there was still a second half of the program!

The Adagio from Symphony no. 10 is a tear jerker--plain and simple. Poor Mahler was suffering deeply, because of a wife who went back on the vows she made to her husband. After all the love that Gustav had for Alma, she still went and cheated on him, and I remained convinced that that contributed to his heart issues. How could it not---just listen to the movement! It's the sound of a heart in agony, plain and simple. And the LA Phil played it in such a way as well. You wouldn't think that agony could be so exquisite, but oh how it was! Tears welled up and fell from my eyes as if I were the one in love, and being cheated upon, and when the tears stopped, part of me wished for more to fall.

More almost fell at the end of the work, after the last note had sounded, when the hall was utterly silent for what seemed like close to minutes. Dudamel ever so slowly brought his arms down, and close to his heart, and it was like everyone in the audience was holding their breath. There wasn't even a single cough at all, and it was the most intense silence I have ever witnessed and been a part of in my life. It made all the notes beforehand all that more valuable. Finally we all breathed and clapped, and the dear friend who came along with me and I were literally falling over ourselves in admiration and amazement over Dudamel and his orchestra. We were just flabbergasted, and nearly at a loss for words. When I walked out of the hall and overheard various conversations, you knew this was no ordinary Mahler concert. It was beyond extraordinary, and I am so grateful I got to hear it. It was truly unforgettable. I remember all the Mahler performances I've heard, but this one affected me on such a tremendously deep, personal level, as if it scarred me--in a wonderful, beautiful way, of course.

Thank you so much, Maestro Dudamel. Thank you so much, musicians of the LA Philharmonic. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for a performance that I will never, ever forget.

Apologies Are In Order

2012-01-13T23:03:00.002-05:00

I complained in my last post about a guy who left his cell phone on during a performance of Mahler's Ninth Symphony, and basically accused him of not seeming too bothered that he was interrupting the performance. Well, after reading this, I'm inserting my foot in my mouth, eating my words, and feeling a bit stupid. My deepest apologies to Patron X. I hope you are able to get some sleep, sir!

Can You Choose "Cowbell" as an iPhone Ring Tone?

2012-01-11T22:04:00.000-05:00

You may have heard the news today about the iPhone going off during a recent New York Philharmonic performance of Mahler's Ninth Symphony. Incredible, simply incredible.

The basic story is that some clown in the front row let his iPhone go off (it sounded like a marimba, apparently....would have been better if it were a cowbell) , and at first conductor Alan Gilbert (who I give major phatty props to) tried to ignore it, but then stopped the orchestra.

You can read the full account here, but basically it went like this: Maestro Gilbert asked the offender "Are you finished?" and after a moment he then said "Fine, we'll wait." The phone rung some more, and when it stopped, he made sure that it was done, and the guy nodded, indicating that it wouldn't happen again.

Now, everyone is up in arms about this guy who left his phone on---understandably so. If I were there, trust me, I would have gone ape as well. What amazes me most, is that in all the accounts I've read, this guy didn't seem to be bothered one single bit by what happened.

See, if it were me, I would be falling over myself apologizing left and right for such an offense. In fact, I'd be so embarrassed and feel so incredibly bad, that immediately after turning my phone off, I think I would just leave, simply out of shame. I mean, the 4th movement of Mahler 9? Come one! That's got to be the WORST. But no, this guy didn't seem too fussed at all. Never mind that he pissed off not only the entire audience of Avery Fisher Hall, but Maestro Gilbert and the orchestra. It didn't seem like he cared. What was wrong with this cat? He couldn't muster up an apology? He couldn't feel a bit of shame at all? He couldn't even reach down hastily to turn his bloody phone off??? Huh?? Seriously?

That's what gets me the most about this story, is his (lack of) reaction. Sure, it's always awful when a phone goes off in a concert, and it's even worse when it's in a symphonic piece that reflects on death and much of the audience may very well be in tears and deep in thought. But his lack of concern for his MASSIVE faux pas is what shocks me the most. We all screw up in life, it's true, and that's ok. We apologize from our screw ups, learn from them, and move on. This dude couldn't even get the first part of that right. Geesh!

Moral of this story? As awesome as your phone is, turn it off before a concert. If heaven forbid you forgot to, and it goes off during a concert, have the decency to shut if off as fast as you can, and apologize profusely, and actually feed bad about it as well. You might consider just leaving too, especially if I am sitting near you---I will give you the stink eye the rest of the night, along with confronting you afterwards, and will then write a blog entry complaining about you and your bloody phone.

Happy New Year! (a little late)

2012-01-09T01:00:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, readers! I hope 2012 is off to a great start for you all. It certainly is for me, I'm happy to report....I'm just running a bit late, ha!

I was happy to ring in the New Year at the beautiful Hilbert Circle Theater, hearing the lovely sounds of my beloved Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. They played a great program of Viennese waltzes and the like, and it was charming. The conductor, Ryan McAdams, was young, good looking, charismatic, and entertaining. He chatted with the audience quite a bit, and was always witty and humourous. At one point, there was a "Name That Tune" segment of the concert, and the audience had a chance to guess five different pieces. Guess who got the fourth one correct? Yep, me! I correctly answered the fourth movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony no. 4. As a prize, I won a bottle of sparkling champagne, which I hope to enjoy on a special occasion.

I always love going to the Hilbert Circle Theater and hearing the ISO. It was so wonderful to be there again! I think about how many great concerts I've heard....how much the musicians have taught me...and how my love of classical music was really cultivated and encouraged there, ever since I was 14. It's a special place for me, and the orchestra has a special place in my life as well. (sorry for the mushiness!) Being there was a real treat, suffice to say.

I had a fantastic time in Indianapolis over the holidays, but I'm very happy to be back in Houston, which is becoming more and more like home as time passes on. I know there are lots of great experiences, happenings, and concerts too, to be had here in Houston, and I'm looking forward to them all.

Anyway, all that to say---Happy New Year, dear readers! I hope 2012 is a good year for every single one of you!

Christoph EschenROCK

2011-12-07T01:24:00.001-05:00

I am an incredibly lucky woman. I have been to countless performances (so it seems) of Mahler's Fifth Symphony, and they've all been terrific. This past Tuesday night's evening concert was another one to add the list of great performances of that great work.

Christoph Eschenbach, former Music Director of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, came back for one night only, to conduct Mahler 5, and this one night fling got the house well packed. It was encouraging to see the seats filled--no doubt due to the awesomeness of Eschenbach (who I think should consider changing his surname to EschenROCK, as it's fitting), and of course, the awesomeness of Gustav Mahler.

In a recent interview, Eschenbach said that the Mahler held a special place during his tenure in Houston, and you could hear that in the performance. Perhaps it was just me, listening to my first Mahler concert in such a long time, but there was a smoldering passion about this performance. It was personal, focused, and intense. No doubt Eschenbach coming back had a major part to do with that--it was clear to see and hear how much the orchestra admire him. The audience love him as well--as he walked out on to the stage, he got a standing ovation! After the performance, I thought my hands would lose circulation from clapping so much.

That, right there, sums up the concert. I clapped so much that I thought I would lose circulation, and I'm not one of those people who claps a lot just because everyone else does. Sure, I could tell you all about the spotless trumpet intro, the beyond killer brass section, the spot on wind section, and all the musical moments that made me lose a breath here and there...but that doesn't catch the essence of this performance.

I had my pen and notebook out to take notes, to reference later as I write a blog entry. Yet, by the end of the performance, they were on the floor, completely unnoticed by me, without any words written about the performance. I was simply too busy trying to devour this work. I was too busy admiring Eschenbach's gestures, which can be grand to miniscule, but never without purpose or thought behind them.

I was simply too busy remembering what it's like to hear Mahler live--it's electric, it's satisfying, and it's joyous.Thank you, Houston Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Eschenbach, for reminding me of this!

Mahler Mondays: Mahler 5 in Houston

2011-12-05T02:00:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow evening I am attending the Houston Symphony Orchestra. It's a one night only kind of affair, and if you don't go, well....that's your loss. I assure you, as well--it will be a huge loss. You will be missing out on Christoph Eschenbach conducting Mahler's Fifth Symphony.

I have mentioned before that I became a big fan of Eschenbach when I saw him conduct Mahler 6 with the L.A. Philharmonic a few years back. I'm a fan of his intensity, his immense musicality, and his sheer presence, in my opinion at least, is worthy of respect. I mean, seriously--check this video out. If you don't get goosebumps, something's wrong. I watched this and just cried out. It was like someone was, I dunno....massaging my heart or something. The intensity and purpose of it just drove straight through me.

So, for Tuesday night, it's quite a combination: a deeply intense and moving symphony, a completely badass conductor, and a bloody good orchestra (with an incredible brass section to boot--always good for Mahler 5). It's a potent combination, my friends, and one that I wouldn't want to miss out on.

I look forward to telling you all about it afterwards!

Apologies and Explanations

2011-11-30T21:48:00.005-05:00

Hello, dear readers. It's been close to three months since I've written, and with good reason. I thought I'd share with you all that's been going on, and apologize for being so absent.

Last time I blogged, it was about all the cool concerts I hoped to attend in coming year. I was indeed getting excited for the new season!

Unfortunately before I could get out to any concerts, tragedy happened: my father, Sal Incandela, died on Oct. 3. I was fortunate that the very week before he passed, I was vacationing with he and my mum, and we had a great time together.

Obviously, my world was--and is--totally turned upside down and therefore many things took a back seat, such as seeing concerts. (In all honesty, classical music has taken a bit of a back seat for a while since moving to Houston; I've been rather absorbed getting to know and explore my new surroundings.) Classical music has really taken a major backseat since dad's passing however.

For a while after he died, I thought "I can't imagine ever enjoying classical music again", and that might sound dramatic, but to me it wasn't. After all, I have my dad to thank for introducing me to classical music; I grew up listening to it because of him. (My brother Daniel says the same thing.) Dad and I spent HOURS on end talking about classical music. I have lost count how many times I watched Amadeus with dad....probably well in to the hundreds. So, for about the first month after he died, I couldn't imagine ever listening to classical music again. It hurt too much, quite frankly.

In the past, I dunno, two weeks or so, things have begun to change, dramatically. I am diving back in to classical music with VIGOR. With relish, with passion, with an uncontrollable appetite. It's like we are old lovers, getting together to relive our fantastic flings. I am loving every single second of it! Right now as I type, I have Mahler 5 blasting from the speakers. I have no idea what changed, or what caused the change really. As cliche as it might sound, I think it might be because I have no idea how long I have on this earth, and I want to eat up all the good stuff--- which classical music is one of!

In keeping with eating up all the good stuff on earth, I'm resuming my Mahler and classical music adventures. I'm thrilled and terribly excited to hear the Houston Symphony Orchestra play Mahler 5 next week, with Christoph Eschenbach. (if you recall, some time ago I saw him conduct LA for Mahler 6, and I went ape for it.) I expect that this upcoming concert will be just as fantastic.

I'm thrilled to be getting back in to things, and I'm excited--although nervous too--to be writing again. It's been a while, and I'm a bit rusty. However, I really look forward to sharing all my music adventures with you all again. I'm sorry for the long absence! Thanks for sticking around, dear readers. It's much appreciated!

Good Stuff in Houston for 11-12

2011-09-05T20:27:00.007-04:00

When looking over the Houston Symphony Orchestra's classical season, I find myself saying "Ooh! I can't miss that one! Ooh! Or that one either!" It's going to be a good year here in Houston, for classical music. There are also some great specials concerts, not part of the classical season, that shouldn't be missed either.

All the goodies start this coming weekend, with the opening classical concert, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Now, if THAT isn't a way to open the season, I have no idea what is. I know a lot of orchestras play that piece for their season closer, but I think it's perfect for an opener. It sets the tone, if you will, for the rest of the reason.

Concerts that really interest me are:

Sept. 22, 24, and 25: Ein Heldenleben. As a double bassist, I love this piece. As a regular human being, I can't stand this piece, because I think it's ridiculous. It's pompous and arrogant and so self centered, and I hate it so much that I love it, and I love it so much that I hate it. It's a strange feeling, I know. I don't want to miss this concert. Also, Olga Kern is playing Liszt's Piano Concerto no. 2, another piece not to miss.

Sept. 30, Oct. 1, and 2: Schubert "Unfinished" Symph. No. 8. I remember hearing this piece as a youngster, and I've loved it ever since. Andre Watts will be playing Beethoven's awesome Emporer Concerto as well. I'm rather gutted that I'll be on vacation during these concerts, so sadly I'll be missing them.

Oct. 20, 22, and 23: Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe Suite no. 2. I don't miss out on this work--it's too spectacular. In general, I don't like to miss out on any Ravel. After Mahler, he is one of my fave composers. Also on the concert is Daniel Mueller-Schott, playing Haydn's Cello Concerto in D major. I'm really looking forward to this one!

Nov. 18, 19, and 20. Emanuel Ax is playing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25. Need I say more?

Dec. 6: MAHLER SYMPHONY NO. 5 Christoph Eschenbach is conducting. One night only. I cannot miss this. If I don't get to any other concert this season, I MUST make it to this one. It's Mahler. It's Eschenbach. It's going to be EPIC.

Jan. 5, 7, and 8: This is the first concert of the RachFest, which goes on throughout January, and it's a good way to start such a festival, with Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 and Symphonic Dances.

Jan. 13, 14, and 15: The second concert of RachFest: Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 and 4.

Jan. 19, 21, and 22: The third and final concert of RachFest, featuring Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2.

Feb. 18: Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra, Copland's Appalachian Spring, and Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine. In addition to those awesome pieces, they'll be displaying an HD film based on footage of the Earth, taken by NASA.

March 16, 17, and 18: Prokofiev Symph. No. 5. This piece is on my "Top 10 Fave Pieces" list, and missing out on it would surely be a tragedy. Also on the concert is awesome violinist Chloe Hanslip, playing the Bruch Violin Concert No. 1.

March 30, 31, and April 1: Hilary Hahn, one of the best violinists on the planet currently, will be here to play Prokofiev's First Violin Concerto. I'm sure these concerts will sell out--she tends to do that!

May 3 and 4: Shostakovich Symph. No. 11, "The Year 1905". This is an epic symphony that everyone on earth should hear. First time I ever heard it, I was left shaking. 'Nuff said.

May 17, 19, and 20: Orff's Carmina Burana closes out the classical season. I think many people just listen to the first movement of it, and forget the rest, but it is a fantastic piece of music from beginning to end. Not one to miss, for sure!

As you can see, there's a LOT of good stuff happening this season at the Houston Symphony Orchestra. I'm looking forward to it all!

Mahler in 2011-2012

2011-08-29T04:25:00.002-04:00

It's that time again! Time to see who's playing which Mahler symphony, and when.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 2 Jan. 26 and 28, 2012
Donald Runnicles, conductor Nicole Cabell soprano, Kelley O'Connor mezzo-soprano

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 2 Sept. 15, 16, and 17, 2011
Marin Alsop, conductor Layla Claire, soprano Susan Platts, mezzo-soprano

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 1 Nov. 25, 26, and 29, 2011
Ludovic Morlot, conductor

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 4 Oct. 20, 21, and 22, 2011
Bernard Haitink, conductor Klara Ek, soprano

Symph. No. 1 Dec. 1, 2, and 3, 2011
Jaap van Zweden, conductor

Symph. No. 6 Dec. 15, 16, and 17, 2011
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor

Blumine Dec. 8, 9 and 10, 2011
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

Das Lied von der Erde March 1, 2, and 3, 2012
Pierre Boulez, conductor Michelle DeYoung, mezzo-soprano, Stuart Skelton, tenor

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 1 Sept. 22 and 24, 2011
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra
Symph. No. 7 Feb. 9, 11, and 12 2012
Pierre Boulez, conductor

Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 5 Feb. 17 and 18, 2012
Leonard Slatkin, conductor

Ft. Worth Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 4 Oct. 7, 8, and 9, 2011
Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor

Houston Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 5 Dec. 6, 2011
Christoph Eschenbach

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 1 Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 2o11
Larry Rachleff, conductor

Kansas City Symphony Orchestra
Blumine Jan. 13, 14, and 15, 2012
Asher Fisch, conductor

Symph. No. 2 Feb. 3, 4, and 5, 2012
Michael Stern, conductor Jessica Rivera, soprano, Kelley O'Connor, mezzo-soprano

Los Angeles Philharmonic
Symph. No. 4, Songs of a Wayferer Jan. 13, 14, and 15, 2012
Gustavo Dudamel , conductor Thomas Hampson, baritone, Miah Persson, soprano

Symph. No. 1, Symph. No. 10, Adagio Jan. 19, 20, and 21, 2012
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Symph. No. 2 Jan. 22, 2012
*Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor Mia Persson, soprano, Christianne Stotijn, mezzo-soprano

Symph. No. 3 Jan. 24, 2012
*Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor Christianne Stotijn, mezzo-soprano

Symph. No. 5 Jan. 26, 2012
*Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Symph. No. 6 Jan. 27, 28, and 29, 2012
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Symph. No. 7 Jan. 31, 2012
*Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Symph. No. 9 Feb. 2, 3, and 5, 2012
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Symph. No. 8 Feb. 4, 2012
*LA Philharmonic and Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor TBD, soloists

Ruckert Lieder May 3, 4, 5, and 6, 2012
Simon Rattle, conductor Magdalena Kozena, mezzo-soprano

Mahler's World (Toyota Symphonies for Youth) Jan. 21 and 28, 2012
*Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 1 Oct. 14 and 15, 2011
Edo de Waart, conductor

Symph. No. 9 May 25 and 26, 2012
Ed0 de Waart, conductor

Minnesota Orchestra
Symph. No. 10 Cooke ed. June 7, 8, 9, and 10, 2012
Osmo Vänskä, conductor

Nashville Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 4 Nov. 17, 18, and 19, 2011
Giancarlo Guerreo, conductor Hila Plitmann, soprano

New York Philharmonic
Symph. No. 2 Sept. 10
Alan Gilbert, conductor Dorothea Roschmann, soprano, Michelle DeYoung, mezzo-soprano

Symph. No. 2 Sept. 22, 24, and 27, 2011
Alan Gilbert, conductor Miah Persson, soprano, Lilli Paasikivi, mezzo-soprano

Symph. No. 10 Cooke ed. Dec. 1, 2, and 3
Daniel Harding, conductor

Symph. No. 9 Jan. 5, 7, and 10
Alan Gilbert, conductor

Symph. No. 1 April 12, 13, 14, and 17, 2012
Jaap van Zweden, conductor

Philadelphia Orchestra
Symph. No. 6 Jan. 26 and 27, 2012
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 6 June 15, 16, and 17, 2012
Manfred Honeck, conductor

Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Symph. No. 2 Oct. 20 and 22, 2011
Arild Remmereit, conductor

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 1 Sept. 23 and 24, 2011
David Robertson, conductor

San Diego Symphony Orchestra
Symph. No. 9 Nov. 11, 12, and 13, 2011
Jahja Ling, conductor

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
Blumine May 16, 17, 18, and 19, 2012
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

Seattle Symphony Orchestra
Kindertotenlieder Oct. 6 and 8, 2011
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Nathan Berg, baritone

Symph. No. 1 April 5, 6 and 7, 2012
Gerard Schwarz, conductor

As you can see, there's a lot going on. If I'm missing a major Mahler-fest somewhere, feel free to comment!

Happy Mahlering!

A Sad, Sad Day

2011-05-18T06:36:00.001-04:00

One hundred years ago today, Gustav Mahler died.

What do I write about this? What am I supposed to say?

I'll admit that I'm crap when it comes to writing this kind of thing. Sure I can prattle on about a great concert, but this kind of thing? Not something I'm good at.

I know we all die---and I know that even if Mahler had lived longer, I still never would have met him, but...I keep thinking about what else he would have written, what other amazing things he would have shared with the world. Then on the other hand, perhaps death spared him pain, with finding out that Alma was cheating on him and whatnot. Who knows.

Today I'm sad, yet at the same time grateful that Mahler has such an incredible following. I'm amazed at how many orchestras play multiple Mahler symphonies, year after year. I think about all the Mahler concerts I've been to and how they've ALL been packed to the brim.

I think I'll go listen to some Mahler now.

(if you want to read something eloquent today about Mahler, head here.)

Saturday Night Plans?

2011-05-17T22:28:00.004-04:00

If you are unsure about what to do this coming Saturday night, fret no more! I've got great plans for you!

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Music Director Designate, Krysztof Urbanski will be in Indy to conduct a great program. No, don't worry, you don't have to fly to Indianapolis---IT'S GOING TO BE STREAMED LIVE!!

I'm gutted I'll be missing this (due to my drive to Dallas), but am happy to know that it will be uploaded to the ISO's Youtube page later on.

The concert is at 5:30pm, EST on Saturday. Head here to watch the show, and enjoy!!

Off to Dallas Again....

2011-05-17T12:16:00.005-04:00

In my senior year of high school, when I finally had my license, I drove to school with either Rage Against the Machine belting from my weeny factory stereo, or Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. When I want to celebrate something and need some music, I put on the Ninth Symphony. If I want to just marvel at this awesome thing known as LIFE, I often listen to his Ninth Symphony. It's simply sublime music from beginning to end, and if you don't like that symphony, then I question if you have a heart.

Naturally with my great love for this work, I'll be driving 4 hours this weekend to hear it! The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will be finishing out their season with the Beethoven, and also Shostakovich's First Piano Concerto, with soloist Conrad Tao.

Here's a little clip of the Beethoven here, and the program notes for the concert can be found here.

Hope to see you there!

Exploring Mahler 10

2011-05-16T05:56:00.004-04:00

In general, I don't think anyone can say that any Mahler symphony is more moving than the other. Sure, there are parts of symphonies that have more emotional depth than other parts, but really, trying to compare them is a foolish endeavor. That said, however....

I wonder if there is something extra to Mahler's Tenth Symphony. Poor Mahler had a terminal heart condition, and his skanky wife was having an affair. This man's heart was, in more ways than one, being torn apart, and I think you can truly hear that in his last symphony. At least, it's my opinion that the highs are higher and the lows, lower, compared to his other symphonies.

Minnesota Public Radio Host/Managing Director Brian Newhouse was host for the evening, but didn't spend a great deal of time talking. He went through and talked about Deryck Cooke, and about the symphony, and the orchestra played examples. I was grateful that he didn't talk much (not because I'm not a fan of him, but I worry about people zoning out), but was even more grateful that when he DID talk, it was short, to the point, interesting, and never above our heads yet never pedantic (no wonder he's on the radio.) So, after a bit of talking about the work, the orchestra set off for the 75 minute journey that is Mahler's last symphony.

Gut-wrenching. That's the best word I kind think of for the HSO's performance. Maestro Graf and the orchestra took the amazing emotional highs and lows of this work and fully embraced them. The orchestra moved past the mundane issues of intonation and whatnot, and were in full on deep emotional territory, and navigating it like true professionals.

I have gotten in the habit of writing a few notes during a performance, often to help me write a blog entry about it, but my pen this time was never put to use. I was far too mesmerized. (I'm kind of kicking myself now about that--I'd like to give an account of sorts of the movements, but I can't really).

Perhaps I don't need notes though, because this might sum it all up. In the last movement, towards the end in some more quiet moments, I heard sniffling EVERYWHERE. It wasn't the kind where you just kinda clear your nose. No, this was the kind where 75 minutes of snot has built up because you have been crying but unable to REALLY cry out loud because you are at a concert hall. I looked to my left, and there was a woman in tears. Behind me and to the right a bit I heard more crying. Then at the end, I too was crying quite a bit, but able to hold the sniffling until the applause, which at that point, a bunch of people in front of me turned around to look at me, and make comments about the girl clapping really loudly with tears down her face and sniffing a lot. Normally I'm one to cheer and make all sorts of noises of appreciate, but I couldn't on Saturday night.

What added to the emotion I think is that the 100th anniversary of Mahler's death is this week. I think about what wonderful pieces Mahler would have composed if he'd been on earth longer, and it saddens me deeply.

But then I am thankful that he was able to write what he did, and particularly for his Tenth Symphony, for its sheer beauty. I'm thankful for Deryck Cooke's work on it. My thankfulness then turns towards the musicians, particularly in this case, to Maestro Graf and the Houston Symphony Orchestra, for so eloquently and passionately bringing Mahler's music to life. It was an absolutely unforgettable performance.

Maher in Houston This Weekend!

2011-05-10T09:31:00.001-04:00

This weekend there will be a VERY interesting concert at the Houston Symphony Orchestra--Maestro Hans Graf and Brian Newhouse, from Minnesota Public Radio will be exploring Deryck Cooke's edition (I hate saying 'completion', as I don't believe it can be truly completed, and actually Mr. Cooke said something similar--he called his work a 'performing version') of Mahler's unfinished Tenth Symphony.

Often when someone mentions Mahler, I have a lot to say---for instance, if you want to argue with me about his Sixth Symphony and the proper order of the middle movements (scherzo/andante is correct), I could do that or hours on end. Literally. When it comes to the Tenth though....I'm essentially speechless (which is probably a good thing). I'm so thrilled for so many reasons that we get to listen to the work, as incomplete as it is, yet....no one can truly complete Mahler's work, so why have we tried? I dunno. I'm rather iffy on that.

Perhaps after the exploration and performance this weekend, I'll have more of an opinion. I hope so. If you are in the area, or within driving distance, I'm sure it'll be well worth coming out for! Check out info here.

Mahler Epicness in Dallas

2011-03-28T00:15:00.002-04:00

For the second weekend in a row, I drove to Dallas. Before it was for an epic performance of The Rite of Spring, and this time it was for a truly epic performance of Mahler's Symphony no. 6. Yet again, things don't get better than what I heard on Saturday night.

The joys, my friends, of seeing Mahler 6 live are endless. You get a HUGE orchestra---violins seeming to spill out of an entire side of the stage, percussion instruments everywhere, and two harps sticking out, instead of the usual one. There's the joyous spectacle of the winds with their bells up, along with the french horns. Then there's horns again, only this time they are quickly emptying their instrument of spit/condensation/whatever, then going back to playing some amazingly intense line. I almost enjoy seeing the spectacle of this symphony as much as I enjoy hearing it.

The level of playing this weekend was off the charts. Talk about everyone being on their toes! Oh the glorious brass section!! The winds!! The strings!! If I could have hugged each and every musician, I would have.

I would have hugged Maestra van Zweden first though, of course. Yet again, he steps up to the plate with an intense vision and directs his orchestra to achieve that vision with precision. There seems to be no struggle whatsoever for his ideas to get across to the orchestra--they are in sync together, from beginning to ending.

This performance was sizzling with electricity; it knocked you back with its power, and it left you breathless with its tenderness as times as well. I should say that is also did a brilliant job of terrifying me, with the two hammer blows in the fourth movement. This is the fifth time I've heard this piece live, and I've been listening to Mahler 6 since I was 16---I KNOW the hammer blows are coming up, yet they still terrify me each time. (it's a good kind of terror though, the kind you dread, yet can't wait to experience all at the same time)

Joining the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for the first time together, were the new co-concertmaster designates, Alex Kerr and Nathan Olson. Having these two men as co-concertmasters is truly genius, for about a billion reasons--a few of which I will go in to.

Alex Kerr has been concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and also a co-concertmaster at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (where I first heard him play--he is GOOD). So here we have a concertmaster with some serious experience, who knows what he is doing, and who is working under a conductor who ALSO used to be a concertmaster, who is now a genius conductor. All sorts of amazingness is going on there, obviously. Then you have Nathan Olson, who is ridiculously talented (he was under the tutelage of the famous William Preucil, concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra.) Nathan is....wait for it... 24 YEARS OLD. 24!!! He has chops galore, and is sitting with Kerr, so he'll be in the best possible position to really solidify his skills. Being concertmaster isn't just about playing all the notes right and playing some solos here and there---it's about leading an orchestra. The concertmaster basically does everything his power to help get the vision of the conductor across, and that is no small job. I have no doubt, especially after hearing Kerr several times in Indy, and seeing both he and Olson on Saturday, that they are valuable assets to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

The DSO, as I've said before, is an excellent orchestra, led by an excellent conductor. Now they have two excellent co-concertmasters! This orchestra is going to explode, seriously. I mean that in the good way--excellent leadership all around, musicians of integrity and talent, a management team that really seems to support its orchestra, and from what I've seen and been a part of, an audience that deeply loves its orchestra. Success is theirs for the taking.

I cannot being to explain what a thrill it is to be able to hear an orchestra like this, during such an incredible period of growth and success. You hear people complain that classical music may be dead, but I tell you no way---just look at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Look at the standing ovation they always seem to get, the truly glowing reviews from critics, and the sold out seats. Classical music is alive and well in Dallas, and I can't wait to go back to hear them again!

More Epicness In Dallas This Weekend: MAHLER 6

2011-03-22T00:01:00.000-04:00

So there was The Rite of Spring this past weekend in Dallas, and again in Dallas this weekend is Mahler's Symphony no. 6. Things, my friends, just don't get any better than this.

I'm happy to report that conductor Jaap van Zweden puts the middle movements in the correct order--Scherzo, then Andante. (I was fretting about this for a while). I'm also equally chuffed to report that the maestro considers this symphony as one of his favorites, as you can read here, at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's blog. Of course, my opinion of van Zweden, which was already very high, skyrocketed after reading that entry.

There are some pieces in the repertoire that you just don't want to miss out on. This has got to be one of those works--it's simply so EPIC. Please, fellow Mahler 6 lovers--chime in, tell me you agree! From the marching entry to Alma's beautiful theme to cowbells to gut-wrenching beauty all throughout to utterly terrifying hammer blows to the world's most scary, depressing ending of a symphony---there is NOTHING forgettable about this symphony. I remember the first time I ever heard it live vividly. I remember the hammer blows (and how they made me cry) and the seconds leading up to them as if they just happened yesterday, and I know I'll never, ever forget them. I remember the peace I felt as the cowbells were played. Oh friends! I could keep going on and on about this work, but I'll shut up now. I urge you---if you live within driving distance of Dallas, or you don't but have lots of frequent flyer miles---please please please, find a way to get here to hear this performance. You've got, just like last week, an incredible composition played by an incredible orchestra under the direction of an incredible conductor.

What more could you ask for? See you in Dallas!

Dallas Gets It Rite

2011-03-21T00:08:00.001-04:00

I don't know if the super full moon had anything to do with it, but this weekend's Dallas Symphony Orchestra concert was simply out of this world. It was one of those concerts that you remember vividly while composing your list of best concerts ever.

The first half was devoted to Mozart--his Masonic Funeral Music and Piano Concerto no.25, with soloist David Fray. The Masonic Funeral Music is a very short piece (approximately 6 minutes) and to me seemed to be an understated way to start a concert, but it mattered not--it was a polished, articulate reading that no one could find fault with. Much of the same could be said about the piano concerto. David Fray is my kind of soloist--he is not pompous, he's not full of himself, he's not out to be all splashy and self-important. Instead, he turns attention away from himself and directs it to the music, and there are many musicians in this world that could learn some serious lessons from him. Fray went from note to note with certainty and fluidity, which was a potent combination. This was the first time I'd heard him play (and to be honest, heard of him at all) and I will not be surprised when he starts showing up at orchestras across the US.

The Rite of Spring took up the second half of the show--and there wasn't an empty seat in the hall. In fact, there was a waiting list of people, hoping and praying for last minute people turning their tickets in. To see that made me sad for those people, yet thrilled for the orchestra.

The super full moon must have had an effect on everyone for this performance. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is already an excellent, excellent orchestra led by one of the greatest conductors in the US (no, that is not an exaggeration), but I'm telling you....they were on FIRE Saturday night. I'm surprised there wasn't smoke coming out of instruments. This was some of the best playing I've heard, and I've been to a lot of concerts by a lot of orchestras.

From the solid entrance of the bassoon to the very last note, I felt as if I were on the edge of my seat. An intense commitment to accuracy in every respect, and an overall deep respect for the sheer genius that is this composition led to a truly profound performance. I felt as if I were on the edge of baring my teeth and ripping off my neighbor's arm, or leaping out of my chair and dancing wildly in the aisles. The performance truly was bewitching!

It goes to show the utter brilliance of Stravinsky, that this famous work of his packs concert halls to the brim, and brings audiences to their feet and causes them to go hoarse with yelling out "Bravo" as loud as they can. And then to experience all of that!!! There is no place on earth I would rather have been Saturday night, than listening to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra kicking major musical ass. Thank you DSO, for one of the best concerts I've been to in my 31 years!

Heading Rite Up to Dallas This Weekend...

2011-03-14T22:10:00.004-04:00

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring isn't something I like to miss out on. Along with anything Mahler, it's the only work I'll travel to hear; I'd be happy to jump on a plane to hear this most awesome piece of music.

I don't have to hop on a plane to hear it this weekend though---I only need to get in my car and drive 4 hours north, to hear the Dallas Symphony Orchestra !

You know that queasy feeling you get in your tummy when you're really excited about something that's coming up soon? That's what I'm feeling already about this concert. It's not just that it's The Rite of Spring, or that it's the Dallas Symphony Orchestra--an orchestra I very much respect and think highly of. It's also the fact that Jaap van Zweden, their Music Director, will be conducting.

I've raved about him before, so I needn't take up space again to do so. I'll just say that I'm giddy at the thought of watching him conduct this incredible work, with an incredible orchestra.

Unfamiliar with The Rite of Spring? There's a great youtube series about it, done by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, which you can check out here. Enjoy!

How to Know If You've Written A Mahler Symphony

2011-02-23T19:31:00.004-05:00

Conductor/blogger Kenneth Woods has compiled what is probably one of the most important lists about anything in the history of the world, ever called "Top Ten Signs You May Have Just Written A Mahler Symphony".

It's quite funny; I'm especially fond of #6: "You’ve just written a footnote explaining that “the Luftpause notated above should not be so long that it actually sounds like a Luftpause, no so short that it doesn’t sound almost like a Luftpause”

Funny--yet so true!

Something To Look Forward To...

2011-02-09T21:58:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately I wasn't able to hear Gil Shaham this past weekend---I had a rather nasty cold. Normally that wouldn't stop me, but I had a cough that refused to go away, and I didn't want to be one of those annoying people who cough during concerts. I can't even stand the coughing in between movements, let alone during the concerts. Anyway, from what I read, the concert was awesome.

I won't be attending any concerts for about a month, so no reviews for a while....but I will be compiling the big Mahler concert list, for the 11-12 season. Not all the major orchestras have released their concert schedules yet, so I will wait til more do, to write that blog entry.

To get you excited though (and this certainly has me excited), here is one amazing dose of Mahler for the 11-12 season.

More to come later!!

Shaham in Houston

2011-02-01T21:35:00.007-05:00

At some point in college, I was chatting with a friend about great violinists, and great violin concertos. My pal said to me, "Stop talking. You need to RUN--not walk--RUN to the nearest music store and pick up the recording of Gil Shaham playing the Barber and Korngold concertos. Do it now. See you later."

I ended up not needing to go to a store---I rummaged through my roommate's collection of CDs (she was a violinist) and found it. That was the first time I'd heard Gil Shaham (and those concertos) and I'm rather chuffed about actually getting to hear him live this weekend, as he will be playing the Walton concerto with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. (check out this cool link to hear what he says about this concerto)

The rest of the program is great too---Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem and Beethoven's Symphony no. 7, but it's Shaham that I'm most looking forward to.

I have listened to tons of his recordings, and that original one I heard, of the Barber and Korngold is probably listened to at least once every other week, and it's one of those CDs that if I was driving along listening to it in my car and it got jammed and scratched and stopped playing, I'd be really, really, really angry. (other CDs I'd just say, "meh. no biggie. I'll just listen to something else now.) It's one of my most beloved CDs, obviously.

There's something in Shaham's playing--it seems to create this layer of peace underneath everything else that I'm hearing, even if the concerto is going nuts and haywire, and all hell is breaking loose. Is it something in his tone? I don't know exactly; it's nothing I can put my finger on. It's something that my ear, mind, and heart thoroughly enjoy though---I look forward to telling you how it went, after the weekend!

Verdi in Houston

2011-01-25T19:25:00.004-05:00

I've only been to two concerts in 2011 so far, yet they have both been seriously badass, if I do say so myself. There's no other word for them.

First was Mahler 9 in LA, and then this past weekend I was back home, in Houston, for the Houston Symphony Orchestra's performance of Verdi's Requiem. WOW.

I almost missed the concert--somehow I had some concerts in my calendar mixed up, and thought it was a pops week, but found myself eternally grateful to the radio announcer, who was listing all the concerts that weekend. I quickly got myself some tickets, and breathed a sigh of relief. There are some works that you simply do not miss out on---this is one of them.

This work has serious intensity to it, and so much so that it could be overwhelming in the wrong hands, but the HSO was in the excellent hands of Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard. He leaves no room for questions--it's clear what he was looking for, and he invariably got it, from the delicately hushed introduction, to the terrifying Dies Irae to the freeing Libera me, Domine.

A conductor such as that often gets the best out of their orchestras, and the Houston Symphony and Chorus was no exception. The choir had excellent diction, and a wide range of dynamics. The orchestra was solid on all fronts as well.

Then there were the soloists! I've been to many a concert where only one vocalist is really solid, or worse, all are great singers, but together are a mess. This quartet was different though--they sung as if they'd been singing this together for a long time. Mezzo soprano Angela Meade was born to sing Verdi, I swear. Her voice is rich, exciting, and powerful. The same can be said of mezzo soprano Margaret Lattimore. When the two came together in Libera Me, it was perfection. Tenor Garrett Sorenson has a voice of conviction and strength and was a pleasure to listen to. My absolute favorite was baritone Morris Robinson, who owned this piece, hands down. With one of the richest voices I've heard (yet not syrupy), he could have just sang the names in a phone book and it would be been deeply moving. Next time he's in Houston, I'll be there, no matter what he's singing--children's songs, heavy metal, opera---I don't care. I'll be there.

I haven't been to every single HSO performance this year, but I think I can safely say this was a highlight. I know it was for me--it was a satisfying and fulfilling performance to hear. Musicians weren't worrying about playing the black notes and being quiet during the white spaces. They were intent on making real music, and bringing Verdi's work to life, and they certainly did that--and then some!

Starting 2011 with Mahler

2011-01-17T19:26:00.004-05:00

I headed over to the west coast to hear my first concert of 2011 this past weekend, and it was a truly spectacular way to start the year. The LA Philharmonic, under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel, played Mahler's 9th symphony. Talk about AMAZING...

I'm not sure if it's all the new music they play, but there is something extra refreshing and exciting about their playing. It is full of life and vigor, and a real sense of vitality. Perhaps it is because of all the new music they play--perhaps it is Dudamel (who is thrilling to watch, and must be thrilling to play under). Perhaps it's that they don't seem the kind of orchestra that wants to rest on its accolades--they seem to be on their toes, reaching for the next musical high.

From the start, with its uneven heartbeat, to the silencing end, Maestro Dudamel and his orchestra pulled out all the stops. The beginning was tender and peaceful--amazing that such beauty can come from such sadness (poor Mahler found out he had heart disease around this time, and a year earlier one of this daughters died of scarlet fever). Later on in the movement though, the anguish he must have been feeling certainly made its way through, and the orchestra expressed it well.

The second movement, with its funny bassoon intro, was lively and energetic, yet never comical. At times Mahler had the energy of this dance-like movement turn almost twisted and deformed, something the orchestra brought out well without becoming too grotesque. The third movement was an intense ride from start to finish, with playing that nearly smacked you in the face with its ferocity. The intense ride was never out of control however--Dudamel and the orchestra had absolute control over each measure.

The intensity continued on in the gut-wrenching fourth movement. Slow and other-worldly, the orchestra went far and wide to bring out the desperation and acceptance of this movement. The ending was amazingly well controlled, and Dudamel and the orchestra were frozen for about a minute after the last sound, and I swear everyone in the audience was holding their breath--I know I certainly was.

On the flight to LA, the person next to me was rather chatty, and asked why I was coming out to LA. When I responded, she said "You're flying out from Texas, just for a concert??! Seriously??" I told that was sure it would be worth it, and it was---it was more than worth it. My trip was insane--I had to fly out of Dallas instead of Houston, which meant a 4 hour drive. Then I found out, right before boarding, that my Visa number had been stolen, and some loser in Georgia went to town with it, cleaning me out. I didn't stay in a hotel--I slept at LAX (don't know if it's really sleep I got with me waking up every half hour). I arrived in LA at 3pm and left the next day at 7am, and then drove 4 hours home. All of this sounds like a pain in the butt to deal with, but I tell you--there is no other way I'd spend a weekend, if it means getting to hear a concert as awesome as I did. The LA Phil is a joy to watch and hear, and I'd pretty much do anything to get out there and hear them again!

ISO Press Release on YouTube

2010-10-20T00:01:00.001-04:00

If you weren't there in person, you can check out the ISO's press release naming Krzysztof Urbanski as their new Music Director on YouTube. Check it out...

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Appoints Krzysztof Urbański as Music Director

2010-10-19T13:44:00.003-04:00

MIRACLES HAPPEN IN INDIANAPOLIS!!! Krzysztof Urbański is the ISO's new Music Director, and this has got to be some of the greatest news I've heard all year! Here's the press release:

INDIANAPOLIS—The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra announced today that conductor Krzysztof Urbański will become their next Music Director effective Sept. 1, 2011 for an initial four-year term and becomes the Music Director Designate effective immediately. Mr. Urbański is the seventh Music Director in the Indianapolis Symphony’s 80-year history and, at age 28, is the youngest among major orchestras in the United States.

Born in Poland, Mr. Urbański has attracted a considerable amount of attention with orchestras throughout Europe and in Japan during the last few years. He was named chief conductor of the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra in Norway after just one appearance with that orchestra in September, 2009. Mr. Urbański’s highly acclaimed U.S. debut occurred in concerts with the Indianapolis Symphony on April 16 and 17, 2010. After making an extremely positive impression on the ISO musicians, he was invited to return to Indianapolis to lead the orchestra at the opening of its summer series, Marsh Symphony on the Prairie. In September, the search committee unanimously voted to appoint Mr. Urbański to the post, and the ISO musicians overwhelmingly supported the recommendation.

“It’s such an honor for me to join this great orchestra,” said Urbański. “When I was here for my debut, I found the musicians so inspiring to work with and responsive to my direction. I look forward to creating music with this extraordinary orchestra, making a home here in Indianapolis with my wife, Joanna, and becoming a member of this community.”

As Music Director, Mr. Urbański will be responsible for leading the artistic vision of the ISO; strengthening the organization’s profile at home and abroad; providing insight and service to the organization’s educational and community initiatives; and presiding over auditions for vacancies within the orchestra. As Music Director Designate, Mr. Urbański will return for concerts on May 20 and 21, 2011. In the 2011-2012 season, he will conduct for six weeks, including the ISO’s Opening Night Gala in September. The following seasons, he will conduct a minimum of 10 weeks. In addition, the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music will be honoring Mr. Urbański by appointing him Adjunct Professor of Music (Orchestral Conducting) when his tenure begins in 2011.

“The musicians are excited to embark on the next chapter of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra with Maestro Urbański,” said Rick Graef, Assistant Principal Horn and member of the search committee. “He has shown the energy, artistic vision and passion to take us to new musical heights. His skills, when combined with the talent, creativity, and musicality of our ISO musicians, will create exciting experiences for our audiences.”

“From the moment that Krzysztof arrived on the podium we knew that he was extraordinarily gifted,” said Simon Crookall, President and CEO. “We were electrified and inspired by his passion and artistry and the audience responded immediately to his energy and musical vision. We are all looking forward to seeing what the future holds for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.”

Following his U.S. debut with the ISO, Mr. Urbański made his celebrated debut with Chicago’s Grant Park Orchestra and the Houston Symphony and continues an extensive schedule of guest conducting engagements this season with orchestras throughout Europe and in Japan. He graduated from the Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw in 2007, and in the same year was the unanimous First Prize Winner of the Prague Spring International Conducting Competition.

The search for a new Music Director began in September 2009 after Mario Venzago’s seven-year tenure concluded. During the 2009-2010 season, the ISO invited 18 guest conductors to lead the orchestra in various performances within the ISO’s Lilly Classical Series and Symphonic Hits Powered by Lilly series. Prior to Mr. Venzago, Maestro Raymond Leppard served a 14-year term as Music Director of the ISO from 1987-2001 and currently serves as ISO’s Conductor Laureate. Jack Everly serves as the orchestra’s Principal Pops Conductor.

“The ISO has served as a cornerstone of the city’s cultural community for 80 years,” said John Thornburgh, chairman of the ISO Board of Directors. “With Krzysztof’s leadership, we anticipate the continued transformation of the organization as one that will present innovative concerts to reach more diverse audiences, bring collaborative music education programs into our schools and neighborhoods, and be fiscally secure and valued by the central Indiana area and beyond.”

This is incredible news for Indianapolis! Finally, the orchestra can begin to crawl out of the slump it's been in! This is beyond exciting for me--I imagine even more so for the orchestra! I can't wait to see and hear their 2011 Opening Gala--I wouldn't miss that for the world!

Right now I'm too giddy to write much more--but I'll be commenting on this wonderful news again soon. Time to go CELEBRATE!!!

Warning: Big ISO Announcement Coming Soon!

2010-10-18T11:24:00.002-04:00

I got an email this morning, advising me of a major announcement the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will be making tomorrow---THEIR NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR!! Check out their press release..

"INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will host a news conference on Tuesday, October 19, at 1 p.m. on the south steps of Monument Circle to introduce its new Music Director. This individual will become the seventh Music Director in the Orchestra’s 80-year history.

The speakers in attendance will include the Hon. Greg Ballard, Mayor of Indianapolis; ISO President and CEO Simon Crookall; Indiana Symphony Society Board Chairman John Thornburgh; and the new Music Director.

Following brief statements by all, the new Music Director will be available from 1:30-2 p.m. for interviews. To schedule some additional interview time for the afternoon of Oct. 19, please contact Jessica Di Santo at jdisanto@indianapolissymphony.org. "

Personally, I'm gunning for Krzysztof Urbanski. The man seriously knows his stuff, to say the least. He also is young and handsome. Yes, I know these things might seem like they have nothing to do with conducting--and they don't, per se. However, these things can charm people, which is not a bad thing for a conductor to do, especially if you are looking for new audience members!

As soon as I know anything, I'll of course be blogging about it. I tell ya, I would give ANYTHING to be back in Indianapolis right now, so I could be there for this. On the other hand, maybe it's good I'm not--if they announce that it IS Urbanski, I will literally go ape. (which means screaming, jumping up and down, hugging the nearest available human being, etc etc). I doubt the rest of the media people would appreciate such a response. So, perhaps it's good I'm not there.

Well, anyway--as soon as I know, I'll post it. (and possibly go ape here on the blog). Stay tuned!

Brahms in Dallas

2010-10-18T08:07:00.007-04:00

After hearing the Dallas Symphony Orchestra this past Saturday evening, I FINALLY understand all the hype about Jaap van Zweden, and his orchestra too. Their performance of Brahms German Requiem was simply stunning. (as you can see below, I had a good seat.)

This was the first time I have ever heard the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and I was impressed with their high level of performance. I am more than sure that it's due to their dedication and hard work--yet I also believe that Maestro van Zweden has something to do with it as well.

Being that he spent quite a bit of time as a concertmaster of a major orchestra, he clearly knows what it's like to be on both sides of the podium. He understand what an orchestra wants and needs from their conductor, and vice versa. He clearly knows what effective communication is! As I was watching him, I thought about how clear and precise his demands on the orchestra and chorus were, yet they were never pedantic. He has an incredible power within his hands, to create and mold a sound like I've very rarely seen. Add to that an orchestra that seems to want to be created and molded, and voila--you have an amazing collaboration.

There was a very good balance between such a large chorus and the orchestra; such a large group could easily overpower an ensemble, but it didn't happen. The Dallas Symphony Chorus was just as responsive to van Zweden as the orchestra was, showing their incredible range and control over dynamics and phrasing.

Baritone Russell Braun gave a compelling performance, as did the last minute replacement for Laura Aikin (who came down with an bad bronchial infection of some sort), Jeanine Thaimes. She especially had remarkable control and command over her voice and an astounding dynamic range.

On top of all the chorus/conductor/soloists/orchestra goodness, the HALL was fantastic. Well, first off, it's truly beautiful--but even more beautiful were the acoustics. At the end of each movement you could hear the sound ringing throughout the hall, which is testament to the orchestra and choir's excellent intonation, as much as it the hall.

While I am no fan of the four hour drive to Dallas, I know I'll be making it again--I am really, really looking forward to hearing them again!

I'm also looking forward to visiting their little store--it's pretty awesome, as far as symphony stores go. Check out my new mug:

They had everything you'd ever want--music PJs, CDs, mugs, magnets, guitar shaped purses, beautiful earrings, shirts, oven mitts--you get the point. I could have easily dropped tons of money there, but the mug sufficed for me.

It'll be nice to visit the symphony store again--but it'll be even nicer to hear and watch van Zweden and his amazing orchestra!

Getting My Classical Music Fix in Dallas

2010-10-13T10:53:00.004-04:00

While the Houston Symphony Orchestra is away, I've enjoyed reading their UK blog, while drinking tea in my new favorite mug. (pictured below)

Pretty cool, huh? I think I'm going to start collecting orchestra mugs. Every orchestra should sell one!

Anyway...while the HSO is away though, I still need my classical music fix...so this weekend I'm heading up to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

I have a few friends that have told me at great length how awesome Jaap van Zweden is, and I am looking forward to seeing him in action this coming Saturday--along with hearing the orchestra. They will be performing Brahms' German Requiem, which is a favorite of mine.

Unfamiliar with this work? Check out the video below of my favorite movement from the work--it's quite stirring!

HSO Travels to the UK

2010-10-05T10:38:00.003-04:00

The Houston Symphony Orchestra is headed to the UK today, for their first tour in over decade. In looking at their tour website, it's kinda cool to see that most of the shows are already sold out.

They also have a blog for the tour, which of course I'll be following (and you should too). I'm also looking forward to photos--especially the obligatory tour photos, like snaps of the orchestra on the plane reading their Kindles or listening to their iPods, and of course photos of people doing their laundry at the laundromat, eating various odd dishes (although it's the UK, it can't get that weird, and trust me I know--I was born there!), and standing in front of statues, etc etc. Gotta love those classic shots, ya know?

Anyway....we'll have more on the tour as it gets going. Have a safe trip, HSO!!

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra 2010 Opening Gala

2010-10-05T08:00:00.004-04:00

It saddened me to miss out on the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Opening Gala this weekend. It's always such a fun event: people get decked out, lots of yummy food and drinks, the decorations are gorgeous, and the guest artists are always incredible (Itzhak Perlman was there this year, to a sold out house!) Sigh...I'll try to make it next year!

I came across a great picture from that evening, and thought I'd share it with you. It's a picture of an incredible section: one that never let me down! I have always been impressed with their tight, solid sound, and I hope I make it back to Indy this season to hear them again!

Cool Conservative Concert at the HSO

2010-10-04T21:12:00.003-04:00

In bringing in violin superstar Joshua Bell this past weekend, the Houston Symphony Orchestra guaranteed themselves a full--and happy--house.

The program for the evening was rather conservative; the scherzo movement of Mendelssohn's Octet for Strings, his Violin Concerto in E minor, and Schubert's Symphony no. 9, "The Great". The first Mendelssohn was played well (some minor sloppiness in the violins) but was nothing terribly moving--but that's ok. It was fun and had a good energy about it, and I don't need something to be as deep as a Mahler symphony to enjoy it.

It was the Violin Concerto that had everyone going nuts, and I understand why. Joshua Bell plays fantastically--hardly a note misses, great tone, fingers flying at a hundred miles an hour, etc etc. Who doesn't love that stuff? His playing was of course impressive, yet to me it's not memorable. What distinguishes Bell from other extremely talented violinists? I don't feel like he has his own sound, his own signature sound that sets him apart from other amazing violinists. I was looking (hearing) for that, but never found it. I did find a great performance, just not a unique, distinct one. Regardless of what I thought--he came back out about four or five times, due to the insistent audience!

The Schubert is a pleasant, enjoyable piece--again, nothing terribly deep and monumental, but enjoyable nonetheless. As a bassist myself, I relished the third movement, with the great bass licks in it (which the cellos and basses nailed).

This was a more low-key kind of concert, but that's ok since other matters are more pressing: the Houston Symphony Orchestra leaves for a tour of the UK tomorrow! They need not play the entire Ring cycle or Mahler symphonies and song cycles before leaving for such a big undertaking!

MOMTB would like to with Maestro Graf, the musicians, and all the staff going along with them to the UK, the best of luck! I'm sure that you will all do Texas proud, and I look forward to reading the reviews! We'll be keeping up with them here, so stay tuned!

Joshua Bell Visits Houston

2010-09-27T23:44:00.004-04:00

I've been listening to so much violin music as of late....therefore, it's not surprising that I'm going to hear Joshua Bell this weekend, at the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

Some of my favorite playing of his hasn't necessarily been classical...Short Trip Home is one of my favorites, which you can hear below:

But, if you're a regular ol' lover of his classical stuff, this should keep you happy, and give you a great preview of this weekend...

Either way...I'm looking forward to the concert this weekend!

Symphonic Opera

2010-09-27T23:44:00.003-04:00

This past weekend the Houston Symphony Orchestra embarked upon an operatic voyage...sans words. John Adams' Doctor Atomic Symphony (an orchestral setting of his opera Doctor Atomic) emcompassed the first half, and the second was comprised Lorin Maazel's arrangement of Richard Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung, entited The Ring Without Words.

When you go to an opera, chances are it won't be in english, and you'll have supertitles to help you get the gist of what is going on. With that in mind, you might think you'd need them for hearing an orchestral rendering of an opera. How else would you know what was going on?

However, an audience member could have no clue what Doctor Atomic is about but still very much understand the emotions and moods the work invokes. I found myself feeling deeply, deeply burdened while listening to Doctor Atomic Symphony.

It's almost horrific in some ways, to read in history books, the story of the atomic bomb. It's horrific to know the damage it did and the panic that ensued as a result, yet at the same time realize that it was a massive scientific breakthrough. To have that conveyed through music is an entirely different matter, however. Adams' writing is astounding in the sense that it gets right to the heart of the issue, yet is never just at surface level. His writing isn't afraid to plumb the depths either, which makes for compelling music, to say the least. I was immensely grateful to Adams this past Saturday evening for his writing, but even more so to the Houston Symphony Orchestra, for doing it such justice. It was well done technically (particularly in the brass), yet the sheer rawness of the performance was what was most astonishing. I don't know where the musicians went in their minds/hearts to dig up such intensity, but wherever it was, it worked.

For Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung, you could be clueless about the story as well, but still in many ways get what it's about. It's about a fantastic, crazy, out of this world adventure. Sure that sounds simplistic, but...that's what it is. It's got dragons, chicks with metal boobs, precious rings, gods who live in fat cribs, dwarves, a dash of incest...need I go on? Because of that very fact, a symphonic arrangement can never truly do it justice--for there's so much to include--yet at the same time can still give a convincing portrayal of the general adventure that it is. For that, I give Lorin Maazel kudos for taking on the big task of arranging it, and kudos yet again, to the Houston Symphony Orchestra for bringing the adventure to life.

Yet again, for another week in a row, I was blown away by the brass section of the orchestra. All their principal players were yet again it tip-top shape, and their sections were no slouches either. I questioned the solidity of the cello section at times; they seemed occasionally sluggish or hesitant, and I thought the same of the violins at times. Then again, perhaps leeway should be given--the concert was quite a workout for all musicians.

This was my third Houston Symphony Orchestra concert, and I'm continuing to enjoy getting to know them and their sound. I left the hall, for the third time, a happy camper. I hope this trend continues!

Sections of an Orchestra...???

2010-09-23T10:27:00.004-04:00

I saw this on GraphJam today:

see more Funny Graphs

I thought "That's not true!" while laughing at this graph. Yes, yes, I know it's not cool that people think that orchestra is nothing but a big geek fest. (My sister used to call orchestra "DORKestra"). Still, I laughed at this as I noticed that I, a double bassist, would be a part of the Dweeb section. Go Dweebs!

I don't get mad or annoyed with people who make graphs like this, or call musicians geeks, because I know they say it out of ignorance. I'm glad my sister is no longer ignorant, and even though she isn't a musician, she loves going to orchestra concerts with me. Bless her heart, she came with me to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra last year, and heard Rite of Spring. What's even more awesome is that she LOVED it!

See, a state of ignorance doesn't last forever! It can drastically change, obviously. So, with that, I invite whoever wrote that graph to drop me an email, and I'll get you two tickets to the major orchestra closest to you. After seeing a concert of 90 or so musicians working together to creat aural art, you might not be calling them dweebs anymore!

Bronfman Rocks Tchaikovsky

2010-09-20T06:34:00.000-04:00

Upon announcing to my musically-inclined friends that I'd be hearing Yefim Bronfman play Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto no. 1, I got many replies such as "I'm so jealous!" and "He's AMAZING!!" and other such variations on a theme. I've heard about Bronfman for a long time--just never heard him live. I had no idea how much I was missing out on!

I'm trying to sit here and write a professional, straight forward review of the man's playing, but I am finding it difficult. The man is simply a monster at the piano--the good kind of monster, of course. Bronfman sat down, and got straight to work. He meant serious musical business on Saturday night, and the results were astonishing.

There's no fuss with Bronfman--no dramatic sweeping of the hair, no humming along, no frantic head shaking, no goofy looks on his face...just pure, unadulterated commitment and passion to the music. The intensity and clarity he brought to the famous opening chords was beyond satisfying, and things just got better after that. His fingers flew up and down with a deep sense of purpose and thoughtfulness; not one measure was wasted on simply trying to impress us. In the second movement he wooed us with a tenderness I felt I hadn't heard anywhere in a while, and the orchestra complemented him very well. The third movement had me wishing there were a fourth movement, simply so I could hear more of Bronfman, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one thinking that. We all were on our feet at the end, and many were even clapping before the work finished.

The Tchaikovsky finished out the program, with two other Russian works preceding it: Stravinksy's Song of the Nightingale and Shostakovich's Symphony no. 1. The orchestra gave sound renderings of both, but the Shostakovich stood out to me in particular.

Musically it stood out--how can Shostakovich NOT??--but I mean in terms of how I heard different sections work together, and essentially how solid they are. With Shostakovich's often unforgiving writing (his music is not easy to play--he demands a lot from you, in different ways), cracks can show up easily--yet so can spectacular playing. I was blown away by the brass section. Ah, such unity! Such solidarity! Such intensity! It was equally enthralling to hear the cellos and basses work together as a cohesive unit--they also caught my ear quickly on.

I'm thoroughly enjoying getting to know the Houston Symphony Orchestra, musically speaking. Here is an orchestra that I'm not just travelling to see once, and then perhaps again in a few months, or next season. This is now my new regular, week-in, week-out orchestra. This is the group I'll go on the most musical adventures with!

It's exciting, to say the least!

Violin Viewing

2010-09-16T10:47:00.003-04:00

I don't miss Indianapolis a whole lot...I mean, I miss my family, my friends, the orchestra, and having a Trader Joe's nearby. But in general, I don't find myself pining away for the city....except for a ridiculously exciting event going on right now: the 2010 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis.

This competition is simply incredible--every violinist that is accepted is stellar. It's basically two weeks or so of incredible musicianship, right in Indianapolis! I'm bummed I can't hear it live....but at least I can watch it streaming! Yep, you can watch performances live, or check out contestants from earlier in the competition. It was a good move of the IVCI to do this---it will help generate more interest in the competition, and it's good for people like me, who aren't able to actually be there in person. Nothing beats a live performance, AT ALL (as ISO bassist Brian Smith so eloquently states here), but in lieu of that, I'll happily watch it over the internet!

Houston Symphony Orchestra Opening Night: A Vienne Soirée

2010-09-13T10:27:00.004-04:00

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Houston Symphony Orchestra, for their opening night, and it was quite a charming evening.

Being new to Houston, I find pretty much everything here amazing and cool, one example being the tunnels underneath downtown. I parked my car in an underground garage and walked through a tunnel to get to Jones Hall. Pretty awesome if you ask me--you don't have to worry about an umbrella, or sweating your makeup off (which is a likely possibility here in Houston, where both temperatures and humidity reach in to the thousands of degrees/percentages, I swear). I arrived at Jones Hall looking great--and I have the tunnels to thank for that, partially.

Upon walking in, I was warmly greeted by an usher, and also by the sound of live music--a quartet was playing, with a nice crowd gathered around them. I walked around a bit until I saw the complimentary champagne, and made a beeline for it. I then continued to walk around to admire everyone in their tuxes and beautiful dresses (including myself), and eventually sat down. I had a great seat, smack dab in the middle of the main floor, and it was pretty much perfect.

I listened to a lot of Strauss waltzes as a kid. My dad had quite a few of them on record, and I had actually forgotten about them until the orchestra started playing, as though it were helping me recover a repressed memory--and a very good one, at that. I had images in my mind of seeing the records, and record player, all while hearing the music, which was utterly charming to me. It made me grateful that I was introduced to classical music at a young age.

The Houston Symphony Orchestra is a very good, solid orchestra. They followed their Music Director Hans Graf well, through the roller coaster-like waltzes. One minute they're hanging up in the air, and the next they come soaring down around a bend. I think that is part of the delight of such waltzes--the ride they take you on.

The orchestra took a break from waltzing however, to showcase their new concertmaster Frank Huang, and prinicpal violist Wayne Brooks in Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major for Violin, Viola, and Orchestra. For me, this was another blast from the past--I remember seeing a tv program about Mozart when I was around 9 or so, with this piece being featured, and it has long been a favorite of mine. Before playing it however, the stagehands came out to reset the stage for a smaller ensemble, and while we waited, we watched a video interview with Huang. I thought this was a great idea, as it helped us to get to know our new concertmaster a bit more. It was mainly Huang talking about when he started violin, where he grew up (he's a Houston native), etc etc and it was a good way to cover up a stage change.

When it came time to play, both Huang and Brooks did admirably. There's a delicacy about Mozart--not quite walking on egg shells delicacy, but more of a graceful stepping, and the orchestra and soloists understood that well. Huang's tone was sweet but never syrupy, and there was a great sense of liveliness about his playing. Much of the same can be said about Brooks, whose playing was to be commended.

The orchestra did some more waltzing afterwards, and even played an encore for us, Strauss' Radetzky March. Now, who doesn't love this piece? It's a chance for the audience to join in on the music, and everyone has a hoot doing it. I found it a very fitting and fun way to close out the evening.

This was my first ever real HSO concert (I'd attended a preview concert of sorts a few weeks back), and what a delightful evening it was! From the parking, tunnels, kind staff, complimentary champagne, and great music, I had a blast, and am looking forward to the next Houston Symphony Orchestra concert!

Deep in the Heart...

2010-09-09T10:50:00.003-04:00

For many years, Indianapolis was my home. I grew up there, went to off college, and came back. However, the Indianapolis chapter of my life is now done, and I'm on to the next chapter...

HOUSTON TEXAS!

Yep, MOMTB is now based out of Houston Texas! I moved here close to three weeks ago, and am having a blast here. There's a pretty intense arts scene here, so I know I will be busy checking out all sorts of concerts, galleries, shows etc.

I heard the Houston Symphony Orchestra give a little preview concert of sorts not long ago, and I'm really looking forward to hearing them further--my first impression of them was great. I also look forward to hearing the orchestras of Dallas , Ft. Worth and San Antonio one day soon.

While it's great I have those four orchestras to hear on a regular basis, I am kinda sad about not getting to the many orchestras that were only a five hour drive (or less) from Indy, like Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, St. Louis, Nashville, etc etc. I will especially miss hearing the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra...words can't begin to describe how much I will miss walking in to the Hilbert Circle Theater most weekends. I really miss my orchestra! Alas, I will make the best of things here in Houston!

When I flew down here close to three weeks ago, I brought 130lbs of luggage with me, plus Mahler the cat. Out of all that, I somehow forgot my Mahler CDs. (and no, I don't have any on my computer). How did that happen? I have a cat named Mahler. I brought my Mahler books with me. I keep a blog about Mahler and classical music in general. Yet somehow I forgot all my Mahler CDs. FAIL. I feel like such an idiot!

Depsite forgetting those CDs, things here, in case I haven't said it enough, are GREAT. I'm a happy camper, and am looking forward to writing about all my classical music adventures here in the Lone Star State!

ISO Recipe for Success

2010-09-07T23:59:00.004-04:00

Sorry for the relatively low-posting this summer....that's about to change though!

Many orchestras are beginning their season in the upcoming weeks, and it's an exciting time for concert goers (like myself). I thoroughly enjoy getting dressed up for Opening Gala concerts, I love checking out orchestra's programming, and in general, I'm thrilled to hear a classical concert--after all, it's been a few months since I've done that!

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has an exciting Opening Gala concert coming up, but on top of that, it's a (potentially) exciting year for the orchestra. In June, CEO Simon Crookall announced that Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts, and Herb Simon, CEO and Chairman of Pacers Sports and Entertainment, will head up a Capital Campaign Committee. The rest of the committee was rounded out with some major names from the Indianapolis area, and personally, I'll be excited to see the results of their efforts.

True success for the ISO, however, cannot be just boiled down to a successful replenishment of the endowment. Success isn't simply getting more donations, and selling more tickets. Those are good, and everyone wants that for the ISO--but those aren't the end all, be all of achievement. I believe a few other things are needed along with a successful endowment campaign, such as...

GETTING A NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR HIRED

One might be thinking "Duh!!" to this...it IS a bit of a no-brainer. It's a two-fold no-brainer though--not only is it advantageous to the orchestra, but also for the public.

Regarding the orchestra, it means they will have solid, consistent leadership. The ISO will have someone steering them through the season, and knowing how to best work on whatever issues they are having. Not having a music director doesn't do an orchestra any favors; a different conductor each week who doesn't know how good/bad they sounded the week before, who has no true idea of where the major weaknesses are (nor can they truly work on them in any kind of consistent way), who has no idea what the orchestra sounds like at their best...you get the idea.

A new music director will not only be good for the orchestra musically, but also in a public relations kind of way. Who wants to board a ship with no captain? Yes, a plane can fly on autopilot, but I'm not getting on one without a qualified person in the cockpit. What I'm saying is, is that people are hesitant to support something without adequate leadership. With a qualified canditate at the podium, people's confidence in the ISO can begin to be restored. Restored confidence means more butts in seats, and more checks coming in.

Confidence in the ISO overall isn't the only thing that needs to be restored. People--concert-goers and musicians alike, absolutely MUST have confidence in another person leading the organization, which leads me to the next big ingredient of success for the ISO....

CEO SIMON CROOKALL NEEDS TO GET HIS ACT TOGETHER

I'm not trying to have a go at Crookall, or vent any anger or frustration towards him, and have a finger pointing fest. I'm not interested in that anymore. I AM interested in Crookall making sound decisions for the ISO and proving to the orchestra that he--and the rest of the administration and the board of directors-- are on their side. I am interested in Crookall being completely and totally transparent with everyone about all his decisions regarding the ISO. Unfortunately, Crookall has not always been that way.

Last year in July, Crookall sent out an email, explaining that he was the one who decided that Music Director Mario Venzago's contract was not to be renewed, and that he had the support of the board. Yet in May of this year, in a Q&A session with the orchestra, Crookall stated that it was the BOARD who made the decision not to renew Venzago's contract, and that he personally did not support that course of action, yet, as CEO, he felt it was his responsibility to go forth with their decision. With this type of flip-flopping, why would anyone have any confidence in this man? THINGS LIKE THIS CANNOT HAPPEN AGAIN. He cannot take responsibility for something and then lay blame elsewhere later on. Which instance was he telling the truth? IT DOESN'T MATTER. What matters is that at some point, he lied to the orchestra.

The summer of 2009 was also rocky for the orchestra because of contract negotiations. The orchestra knew they'd be taking a cut, yet the first concrete offer Crookall and his team present was so awful, so unacceptable, that the ISO's vote on it was 76-0. 76 members voted NO. If that many people are saying the same thing, it's rather significant. It is clear that they were offered a sub-par contract. That says a lot about Crookall and his team--it gave the message that he/they did not truly value the orchestra and their efforts, artistry, and dedication. I'm sure that Crookall would say that he DOES value the orchestra, and actually I wouldn't doubt him (why WOULDN'T a CEO value their company??) yet the first contract offer made it appear differently. Things like this cannot happen again!

I could give other examples, but my point is clear. Crookall has an opportunity this season to really clean things up, and make sound decisions for the orchestra. He hasn't always done that in the past, yet he can do so in the future.

The next thing that needs to happen to ensure success is...

HIRE A PRINCIPAL CELLIST

I know that this might sound out of left field...after all, what impact does a cello section truly have on the success of an orchestra?? Actually, a lot. When they are as bad as the ISO cello section is, it is quite a lot. After each concert, no matter if I thought the concert was amazing, I always believed the cellos to be lacking, in many ways. Intonation is a foreign concept, the idea of unity is simply that--a concept, and actually seeming to care about those things is like a joke. They have been without solid leadership for many, many years, and deserve to be led by a competent principal. They need to be inspired and motivated. They need a good kick in the butt to get them going! For the musical success of the orchestra, they need a principal cellist, and pronto! The ISO will be able to hire for their open spots when they get their new music director, and they need quite a few chairs to be filled. The first should be principal cellist, even before their new principal oboe. (Acting principal Roger Roe handled his responsibilites very well last season, and am sure he will continue to do so).

Yes, this list might sound simplistic, yet these are like pieces of a puzzle--you need them all to make the picture complete. The orchestra needs to improve musically--a new music director and principal cello will help to do that. A new music director will help instill people's confidence in the orchestra, resulting in a renewed interest in the orchestra (i.e., butts in seats, money donated). A CEO who is dedicated to restoring people's trust in him, to making sound decisions for the orchestra, to being transparent about all his decisions---I need not explain why those are integral for the ISO to be completely successful.

I believe things can really take off for the ISO this year. They have exciting programming, awesome guest artists, and are beginning a promising Capital Campaign. I believe that everyone in that organization knows what it takes to make the 2010-11 year a complete and total success. I know they can do it!!

Star Trek + Mahler = AWESOME

2010-07-08T14:51:00.000-04:00

I'm a huge Mahler fan, and a huge Star Trek fan. I never thought the two had ever collided until I saw this video. (thanks to oboeinsight) You'll hear the Mahler around 1:10. Amazing! I haven't actually gotten in to Star Trek Voyager, but am totally up on the TOS, TNG, and DS9 series. Looks like I'll checking out some Voyager soon.

And more Star Trek goodies--George Takei (Sulu from TOS) will be in Indianapolis! He'll be appearing with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra at Symphony on the Prairie, the weekend of July 16th. I'll be there for sure, and will do my best to sneak backstage and meet him.

I simply have to end this blog with a Star Trek phrase....

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER!

Awesome violin videos, anyone?

2010-07-08T12:23:00.002-04:00

I think it's awesome that classical musicians are making music videos these days. I recently saw two that I thought were fantastic, and worth sharing.

Augustin Hadelich is one of my favorite violinists around, and this video is breathtaking. Simple, yet sublime in every way.

This one totally kicks ass--it's filmed in the dark, with LED lights attached to his bow and fingers. Lots of fun to watch!

Enjoy!

Happy 150th Birthday Mahler!

2010-07-07T13:02:00.001-04:00

It's Gustav Mahler's 150th birthday today! Celebrations are certainly in order!

I want to write about what Mahler means to me--yet it's impossible. I keep this blog to chronicle my many Mahler adventures, yet even they do not truly do my feelings for the music of Mahler justice. All I know is that when I first heard Mahler at age 14 (I played his First Symphony with a local university orchestra), I had no idea the journey it would take me on! Sometimes just thinking about his music leaves me speechless!

Other wonderful people have chimed in to talk about what Mahler means to them and/or celebrate his birthday--be sure to check outTim Smith , The Cleveland Orchestra, oboeinsight, Sound Mind, Classical Iconoclast, The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Superconductor, and Poor Richard's Anorak.

Happy birthday, Gustav Mahler!

BBBBBBBZZZZZZZZZZ=music???

2010-06-25T14:08:00.004-04:00

If you are like millions--possibly billions--of people these days, you are watching the World Cup. I certainly am, and being a British citizen, I'm rooting for England. (That's beside the point though--I just wanted to let you know where my football [aka soccer] loyalties lie.)

There's a constant buzz whenever you watch a World Cup game, and that's due to the vuvuzela. Some people hate it, some don't mind, and some even have vuvuzela apps for their phones. AWESOME.

Personally, I think they are hilarious. I know they are annoying to the players, yet there is still something funny about them.

I was wondering the other day though, if the vuvuzela can be considered a musical instrument. A friend helped me put an end to that wondering with this video (these guys are AMAZING):

Yep, it's a musical instrument, and a badass one at that. No question about it.

For more vuvuzela entertainment, this video is simply a classic:

Interested in owning your own vuvuzela? You can buy one here.

Happy playing! And happy 2010 World Cup! COME ON ENGLAND!!!

Time to Raise $$$

2010-06-09T14:35:00.004-04:00

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is getting geared up for their Capital Campaign--they are hoping to increase their endowment by $100 million. Check out their press release below

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Announces Capital Campaign Committee

Effort to Raise $100 Million Toward the ISO’s Endowment Spearheaded by Jim Irsay from the Indianapolis Colts and Herb Simon from the Indiana Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS – In an unprecedented partnership, Simon Crookall, president of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra announced today that the owners of two of Indianapolis’ professional sports teams, Jim Irsay of the Indianapolis Colts and Herb Simon of the Indiana Pacers, will serve as Co-Chairmen of ISO’s Capital Campaign Committee. The campaign will focus on strengthening the ISO’s endowment by $100 million in order to sustain the Orchestra’s year round activities and to ensure the long-term financial stability of the organization.

“We are delighted to have the leaders of our community’s preeminent sports teams involved with our campaign,” said Crookall. “All three organizations strive for top quality performance in every aspect of our businesses and we look forward to working with Herb Simon and Jim Irsay and the members of their teams as we embark on our first major capital campaign in many years.”

ISO’s Capital Campaign Committee includes: John Cannon, executive vice president and general counsel, WellPoint; Scott Jones, entrepreneur and founder of ChaCha Search, Inc.; Sarah Lechleiter, ISO board member; Marni McKinney, chairman, Community Bank Advisory Board/Indiana Region, M & I Bank; Bart Peterson, senior vice president of corporate affairs and communications, Eli Lilly and Company; Marianne Williams Tobias, ISO program book annotator and board member; and John Thornburgh, partner, Ice Miller LLP and ISO board chairman.

“As it should be with any great musical performance, timing is critical,” stated John Thornburgh, chairman of the ISO Board of Directors. “With our economy showing signs of recovery and the willingness of Mr. Irsay and Mr. Simon and the other members of the Capital Campaign Committee to lead the campaign, the time is right to seek support for this important community organization.”

The ISO Foundation was established as an additional source of long-term funding for the Orchestra and to reduce the reliance on annual fundraising and ticket sales. In 2007 it reached a high of $128 million, falling during the economic downtown to approximately $90 million. Increasing the endowment by $100 million will help secure the ISO’s future as a full-time symphony orchestra presenting quality concerts and community programs in Indianapolis.

“Indianapolis is very fortunate to have many significant cultural assets, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is one of the most outstanding,” said Herb Simon, chairman and CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment. “The opportunity to work with Jim and this outstanding committee is a natural extension of our commitment to this community, and will insure the important role of the Symphony.”

“The ISO is such an exceptional organization,” said Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts. “The musicians are incomparable. The range of music the orchestra offers and the scope of its reach are so inspirational and entertaining. Excellence in the arts, paired with high quality in professional athletics, creates the type of community that is attractive to people looking for a place to live, work and play. ISO’s contributions to our city’s personality are invaluable,” Irsay said, “and I am fully on-board to help this campaign succeed.”

As an organization committed to community involvement and outreach, the ISO has partnered with the Pacers and Colts on several occasions over the years. Former players for both teams have graced the ISO stage including Pacers All-Star Reggie Miller (narrating Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf in a special family concert) and Colts tight end Ben Utecht (with host Sandi Patty during the annual Duke Energy Yuletide Celebration). In addition to playing the National Anthem for games, the ISO was the first musical group to perform for the grand opening celebration in the Colts new home at Lucas Oil Stadium, and on Aug. 7, 2010, Pacers Sports & Entertainment and the Orchestra will present the award-winning concert VIDEO GAMES LIVE at the Pacers home court, Conseco Fieldhouse.

MOMTB wishes the ISO the best in this endeavor. The campaign committee is made up of an impressive list of people who I am sure will do well in securing such a large amount of money for the orchestra!

End of the Classical Season

2010-06-07T01:00:00.001-04:00

Last night was the last concert of the 09-10 Lilly Classical Series at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The ISO has a pops concert this coming weekend, and then they are off to their summer season, Symphony on the Prairie.

In some ways, the concert was quite fantastic--it featured two of the best violinists you'll find anywhere--Bella Hristova, 6th place laureate of the 2006 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis and Augustin Hadelich, Gold medalist of the same competition. The first half was Hristova's stage, where she played Wieniawski 's Pollonaise Brillante Vaughn Williams' The Lark Ascending, and Jeno Hubay's Carmen Fantasy. She is a brilliant player, to say the least, and creates an incredible sound on her Amati violin. Up in the first mezzanine, it sounded as if she were just a few rows in front of me. I have nothing but praise for Hadelich as well--he had utter mastery of Barber's Violin Concerto, from the lyrical beginning to the organized chaos of the third movement. His sound is pure as can be, yet can also make it gritty and biting when so desired. The orchestra also played Strauss' Don Juan, under the able leadership of Sean Newhouse. (In September, he will take up the position of Assistant Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra--we wish him all the best!)

Despite all the great things in this concert, it was lackluster. It was the last classical concert of the season, and my estimate is that the house was only half full. I envisioned the last concert of the season to be one of the most spectacular, well attended, celebrated concerts, yet it was not.

In some ways though, it was a nearly fitting end of the season for the ISO. It has been a turbulent and sad year that began with the dismissal/firing of Mario Venzago. The orchestra and administration appear unstable, and it appears from my point of view that people have lost some confidence in this organization, even if just temporarily. Perhaps that accounted for the lackluster evening, who knows. I know that's what accounted for my lack of enthusiasm, at least. I was excited to hear the violinists, for sure, yet the cloud of all that has happened this year was quite strong, and my enthusiasm did not hold.

It's been a long year for me, musically speaking. With Venzago gone, and not much Mahler happening, I went through a musical depression of sorts, and one I've been struggling with all year.

I hope next year is different.

Mahler Mondays: Mahler in the Midwest pt. 2

2010-05-24T00:54:00.002-04:00

We go through life pretty much asking ourselves questions all the time, don't we? Questions such as "why am I here?" and "what am I supposed to do?" and one of my most common ones, "is this how things are supposed to be?" Well, on Saturday night at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's performance of Mahler's Fifth Symphony conducted by Semyon Bychkov, I saw and heard musically, how things are supposed to be.

How do I follow that statement up? How can I adequately describe to you how utterly perfect Saturday night was? I simply can't. I'll try, but words can't really do it justice.

Part One seemed to jar me in to seriousness, to a state of intensity. Gone were thoughts of how happy I was with my seat, how I felt about the night before, how much I was enjoying Chicago. The first movement at times almost made me want to despair (why? I have no idea, it just moved me in such a way) but the second movement made me feel like a mad man of some sort. It was savagely played, and I mean that in a very good way. Bychkov and the orchestra took the music to the edge of cliff, and we all looked down for a while, terrified, but were never let go.

The third movement turned things around immediately. I love the horn introduction, and always have, but on Saturday a light bulb went off in my head when I heard it--THAT is what joy sounds like! Yes, I know that not every measure is necessarily all chipper and happy, but those darker moments only make the light of this movement shine more brightly. I was smiling like I was in love throughout all of this. When the movement finished, I had to remind myself that I'm NOT in love with anyone, and that it was just the music getting to me. (not a bad thing, by any means).

The Adagietto is a beautiful movement that I have always loved (just like every other movement of every other Mahler symphony) but it has never been one that has "gotten" to me, like the way other movements of other symphonies do. Often for the Adagietto, I'm the one person not sniffing and reaching for a kleenex. And thus, I didn't bother to pull one out before the movement began.

So the orchestra is going along, and I'm content and happy and enjoying this more and more, but not getting worked up in any way. There was no lump in my throat or anything of the sort, but then the harp was playing a series of notes, and each pluck all of a sudden out of nowhere began to tug on my heart. I was confused and taken aback when the tears started to build up, but quickly reconciled myself to them after they fell.

You're probably wondering when I had the epiphany that this performance was musically the way things were supposed to be. It didn't happen--or rather, I didn't fully realize it, until the last movement.

Things were truckin' along and I was marveling how perfect everyone sounded, how this was probably the millionth performance of Mahler 5 for these genius musicians yet they still gave it an abundance of life. I was beyond pleased with Bychkov who never wasted a gesture, who asked for things with the utter confidence that the request would be honored and then some. But then, the moment hit me:

I don't remember exactly what part it was, but Bychkov made a few gestures with his left hand that were obeyed immediately by the orchestra. He wanted to shape them in a certain way and they gleefully molded themselves as they were supposed to. It wasn't like he was dragging anything out of them, or forcing them to do a thing, yet his command of the orchestra was never in question. It was simply that he knew what was best for them, and the orchestra seemed to concur wholeheartedly and therefore happily did what he asked. It wasn't like they were just merely obeying though--it was much deeper than that. It was like there was deep purpose and meaning in their playing, and wasn't just them doing what they were told to do. It was the epitome of collaboration, to say the least.

So all of that hit me like a ton of bricks--that plus realizing I hardly heard a technical mistake, and musically speaking it was moving in a way that I felt like I hadn't experienced before (or if I had, it was a looooong time ago). And then I said to myself, "This is how things are supposed to be!" I realized this in such a way that it wasn't surprising--it felt perfectly natural. How often do we humans think about how things are supposed be? You know when you say those things like, "well, in a perfect world..." and then you kind of daydream to your self about that perfect world, and it's so easy to get lost in that dream, and each time you return to it, it feels natural, doesn't it? That's how I felt at Saturday's concert---the way things are supposed to be, and it felt NATURAL. It took me a while to realize that I'll admit, but it didn't shock me in a way that something new and strange does. It was something I hadn't seen/felt/experienced in a while, but can never, ever forget.

It was, without a doubt, one of the most incredible performances I have ever been to. It will hard to top that performance on Saturday night. I wish I could shake the hand of every musician in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Semyon Bychkov. I simply cannot thank them enough for such an incredible evening!

Mahler in the Midwest

2010-05-22T13:39:00.002-04:00

Last night I attended the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, to hear Mahler's Second Symphony, and tonight I'll be hearing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra perform his Fifth Symphony. Yes, lucky me--a Mahler filled weekend!

My weekend didn't start off too well though. I was unimpressed with the ISO's performance last night. I've read a few glowing reviews of the performance, and afterwards I heard many a "wasn't that incredible!" but I heard differently. Yes, people might have given them a standing ovation, but who DOESN'T stand after a Mahler concert? I have yet to attend a Mahler concert where people did not give the orchestra a standing ovation. Plus the ending of Mahler 2 is so triumphant, simply in it's writing, it's almost understandable that people would go ga-ga for the concert simply because of the last page of the piece.

Last night was, in my humble opinion, a sloppy mess. All the depth and emotion and meaning that is inherent to this piece came through on occasion, but was surrounded--perhaps bogged down--by all sorts of nasty errors. Pizzicatos resembled the game of dominoes, entrances were anything but solid, intonation was often questionable. The ensemble playing was like that of a university orchestra--no real cohesion, no sense of unity.

Don't get me wrong--conductor Juanjo Mena did an admirable job. He clearly knew the work on a deep level, and he had a clear vision of it, and led the orchestra through the mountains and valleys of that incredible work. Despite his best efforts though, the orchestra was still messy in a myriad of ways.

I was thinking that perhaps I'm being too hard on the orchestra--it's been a while since they've played a Mahler symphony--3 years or so. And then I thought perhaps the fact that I've heard the orchestras of Chicago, Cleveland, and Cincinnati--all superior orchestras to the ISO--playing Mahler 2, has jaded me in some way. Or maybe where I was sitting affected how I heard things?

No. When the violins come in on a high note, and they aren't together and aren't in tune, any prejudices I might have thought I had don't matter! The evidence for it being a sloppy performance was plentiful, and I wasn't hearing things. I wasn't comparing the orchestra to anyone--I just heard it for what it was, simple as that.

So, my start to the Mahler weekend didn't start off that well. It wasn't an utter disaster, but it wasn't the enlightening evening I thought it'd be. No matter--I'm now in Chicago, looking forward to another Mahler adventure.

Until later....

Mario Monday

2010-05-17T15:57:00.003-04:00

Mario Venzago has recently been announced as Chief Conductor of the Bern Symphony Orchestra. You can read the entire story here.

Congratulations, Maestro! We wish you the best of luck with this new appointment!

Final Happy Hour

2010-05-10T00:01:00.002-04:00

This past Thursday was the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's final Happy Hour of the season, and I think it'll probably be the last ISO Happy Hour concert I'll attend. Simply put, I do not enjoy going.

Don't get me wrong--Time for Three, who headlined the show, were great. No one would deny that. They weren't really my issue with the concert--other things were.

The week before the orchestra played Rimsky Korsakov's Scheherezade under the direction of Miguel Harth-Bedoya, and Alex Kerr was guest concertmaster, instead of the usual concertmaster, Zach De Pue (who I presume was either taking a vacation week, or with Time for Three). It was a fabulous concert, to say the least, and Alex Kerr's solos were impeccable in every single way. For Happy Hour, they played the fourth movement, and this time Steve Hackman was conducting, and Zach De Pue played the solos. I was amazed at the difference.

I am no fan of Steve Hackman's conducting--it is, simply put, BAD, but I expected the orchestra would sound decent since they'd played the piece less than a week before. Unfortunately, it was lackluster and a little sloppy. When it came time for De Pue's solos, things weren't much better either. His intonation was poor at best, and musically he said nothing. I actually thought he was trying to rush through it all to get it over with. It left me kind of sad, since I know he is capable of so much more.

The orchestra as a whole simply don't sound up to par for these concerts, and that disappoints me. They didn't do it this time, but I'm not a fan of the Coldplay-arranged-to-fit-in-to-a-Beethoven-symphony thing either, which they have done on two previous Happy Hour concerts. Those don't exactly entice me to come back.

I do like Time for Three--they are a wonderful group, and I even said so when I reviewed them for NUVO about 2 years ago. I actually gave them five stars, the highest I could give out. However, I prefer them when it's just the three of them, and not with the ISO, so that's that.

Other things bothered me during the concert--I kept trying to think of the costs involved with this series. Happy Hour isn't meant to be a series that entices a newer, younger audience to come to the usual Friday/Saturday shows--the administration has made that clear. It's just about a good evening at the Hilbert Circle Theater. I wonder if it's financially sound though. Sure, you could say that NO orchestra concerts are financially sound in some ways--and by that I mean that ticket sales do not pay for the cost of the concert, by any means. However, I was thinking about money for much of the show.

There's a fancy little light show of sorts going on during the concert--sure it's kind of neat, but I know it was an additional cost for the orchestra. I also counted at least 7 extra musicians, not including the drummer that Time for Three brought along, and conductor Steve Hackman. (what was wrong with associate conductor Sean Newhouse? Why couldn't he conduct this series? He is young, very good looking, and very hip--perfect for Happy Hour. I'm sure that Time for Three could have easily have worked with him, yet still played Hackman's arrangements of pieces). How much did all those extras cost? And while they sell tickets for $20 a pop, I also know that tickets were available through Groupon, which is a way to get butts in seats, yet make no money of any kind off those tickets. Granted, I don't know all the finances involved and whatnot, but I was left wondering about financial wisdom of this series, even with the sponsors and all (and if it's even meant to be about money--but that's a philosophical question of sorts that we can deal with another time...or never, really. It's almost too big to think about--the worth of a concert, ya know?).

Then, finally, at the end of the show, I witnessed some serious tackiness that literally revolted me. After I saw this display of tastelessness, I got up and left.

Time for Three were thanking all the sponsors of the series, and the last one thanked was Stella Artois (which in case you haven't had it, is a really good beer). To toast to them, Time for Three had three tall blond women come out in ridiculously short shorts and super high heels, and they each handed the dudes a beer. Come on. Is this what the ISO is getting reduced to? Using sex to sell concerts/thank sponsors? It's tacky, it's tasteless, and it's disgusting to say the least. I'm no feminist by any stretch of the imagination, but the whole image of scantily clad blondes coming to serve men beers after a concert--it's simply revolting, and in many ways it's highly offensive.

So, these things that bothered me so led me think that I really don't want to hear another Happy Hour concert, if it's going to be anything like the ones I've attended before. It's simply not my thing.

Mario Monday

2010-05-03T08:43:00.001-04:00

I watched this video of Mario Venzago (I got it from Jay Harvey's awesome blog) and afterwards I cried. I miss seeing Venzago at the podium so much.

We here in Indianapolis are missing out on so much, without Venzago here. The orchestra has yet to sound as good as they did under him, and I have yet to see an audience react to any concert like the way they did under Venzago. I know for a fact that I certainly haven't. Going to the Hilbert Circle Theater is always something I look forward to, but each time I go I am keenly aware that Venzago is not there. It just doesn't feel right without him, really.

Harvey writes in his blog about Venzago that the "ISO management could not be bothered to hold on him" and how true that is. Before when thinking about that foolish decision of CEO Simon Crookall, and I would get rather angry, and I still do at times. But now it's more like a grief of sorts, grief over someone making the worst possible decision, and how everyone basically suffers as a result. Indianapolis has suffered in many ways over Crookall's foolishness. I don't know if he knows that--and if he does, if he even cares.

In the mean time, I will watch this video a few more times. I've only watched it 5 times so far.

I miss you, Maestro. Indianapolis misses you. We miss you very, very much.

Mahler Mahler, Everywhere

2010-04-26T01:00:00.000-04:00

The 2010-11 classical season, in general, is chock full of Mahler. It's not surprising, with the 100 year anniversary of his death in 2011. Finding these concerts, in general, was kinda fun. However, it wasn't fun when certain orchestras had 98 different series to choose from, and I had to go scouring through all of those to find performances, rather than just a big fat list of what is playing, and when. But I digress....without further ado, here's the list. (feel free to email me with any corrections, or additions).

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Symphony no. 1 Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 2. Robert Spano, conductor
Totenfeier April 28, 30 Roberto Spano, conductor

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Symphony no. 7 and J.S. Bach Suite arr. Mahler Sept. 24, 24. Marin Alsop, conductor
Blumine Oct. 14, 15, 16. Ilych Rivas, conductor
Beethoven Leonore Overture no. 3 arr. Mahler, Adagio from Symph. no. 10, and Alma Mahler Seven Songs Nov. 4 Marin Alsop, conductor
Analyze this: Mahler and Freud (a reenactment of Mahler and Freud's meeting in 1910. Check out this link for more info) Nov. 5, 6
Beethoven Symph. no. 3 arr. Mahler Nov. 12, 13 Marin Alsop, conductor
Smetna Bartered Bride Overture arr. Mahler April 28, 29, 30 Cornelius Meister, conductor
Das Lied von der Erde May 6, 7, 8 Marin Alsop, conductor
Schumann Manfred Overture and Symph. no. 1 arr. Mahler May 12, 15 Marin Alsop, conductor
What the Wild Flowers Tell Me arr. Britten May 27, 29 Carlos Kalmar, conductor

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 2 Oct. 7, 8, 9, 12 James Levine, conductor
Symph. no. 5 Oct. 14, 15, 16 James Levine, conductor
Symph. no. 9 Feb. 24, 25, 26 March 1 James Levine, conductor

Carnegie Hall (various orchestras)
Symph. no. 6 Oct. 17 Marinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev, conductor
Symph. no. 2 Oct. 20 Marinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev, conductor
Symph. no. 8 Oct. 21 Marinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev, conductor
Symph. no. 5 Oct. 22 Marinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev, conductor
Symph. no. 1, 4 Oct. 24 Marinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev, conductor
Beethoven Symph. no. 3 arr Mahler Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop, conductor
Songs of a Wayfarer arr. Schoenberg Dec. 3 Risor Chamber Music Festival
Das Lied von der Erde Jan. 23 Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, James Levine, conductor
Symph. no. 9 March 17 Boston Symphony Orchestra, James Levine, conductor

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Das Knaben Wunderhorn Oct. 28, 29 Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Symph. no. 7 March 3-6 Esa Pekka Salonen, conductor
Symph. no. 9 June 2-5 Bernard Haitink, conductor

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 7 Feb. 3, 5 Paavo Jarvi, conductor
Symph. no. 5 May 13, 14 Paavo Jarvi, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra
Symph. no. 1 Dec. 2, 3, 4 Pinchas Steinberg, conductor
Symph. no. 4 March 10, 12 Franz Welser-Most, conductor

Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 6 March 23-26 Jaap van Zweden, conductor

Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 5 May 20, 21, 22 Leonard Slatkin, conductor

Houston Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 10 May 13, 14, 15 Hans Graf, conductor

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 5 Nov. 5, 6 Juraj Valcuha, conductor

Louisville Orchestra
Symph. no. 4 Sept. 30, Oct. 1 Jorge Mester, conductor

Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Symph. no. 7 April 9 Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 7 Oct 1, 2 Edo de Waart, conductor
Symph. no. 2 June 10, 11, 12 Edo de Waart, conductor

Minnesota Orchestra
Symph. no. 6 May 27, 28 Osmo Vanska, conductor

Nashville Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 8 Sept. 10, 12 Carlos Guerrero, conductor
Symph. no. 2 June 2, 3, 4 Carlos Guerrero, conductor

New York Philharmonic
Symph. no. 6 Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 2 Alan Gilbert, conductor
Das Knaben Wunderhorn Dec. 2, 4, 7 Sir Colin Davis, conductor
Kindertotenlieder Jan. 6, 7, 8 Alan Gilbert, conductor
Symph. no. 4 March 3, 4, 5 Daniel Harding, conductor
Symph. no. 5 April 28, 29, 30 Alan Gilbert, conductor

Oregon Symphony
Symph. no. 10 "Adagio" Nov. 20, 21, 22 Carlos Kalmar, conductor

Philadelphia Orchestra
Symph. no. 1 Sept. 24, 25 Charles Dutoit, conductor
Symph. no. 5 Oct. 29, 30, 31 Yannick Nezetr-Seguin
Symph. no. 4 April 14, 15, 16 David Zinman, conductor

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 10 "Adagio" May 13, 14 Manfred Honeck, conductor
Symph. no. 5, Das Knaben Wunderhorn May 20, 21, 22 Manfred Honeck, conductor

San Diego Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 2 Dec. 10, 11, 12 Jahja Ling, conductor

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 9 May 5, 6 Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Symph. no. 2 May 7, 8 Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Symph. no. 6 May 12, 13, 14 Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Symph. no. 6 Feb. 4, 5 Semyon Bychkov, conductor
Symph. no. 2 April 8, 9, 10 David Robertson, conductor

So, as you can see, this is quite a season, to say the least. I'm wishing I had an endless amount of money, so I could make as many of these as possible. I want to endeavor to make it to every single performance of Symphony no. 6, of course. And I'd give just about anything to be in New York for the cycle at Carnegie Hall. I also wouldn't mind being in San Francisco for a while, for all of their Mahler performances. I can dream, of course.

Be sure to email or comment with any more Mahler concerts you find, or any corrections that need to be made. I'd love to hear from you guys, about what concerts you hope to go to as well--and who knows, maybe I'll see you there!

A Little Too Much Russian

2010-03-17T20:32:00.004-04:00

Last Saturday's Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra concert was rather intense, in many ways. It was a lot to take in, and has been rather difficult for me to try to write about. This concert really had the good, bad, and the ugly in it, and for a few days, I've been unsure where to start.

This was another all-Russian program, and I'd certainly support such a program if it weren't so ridiculously packed full of difficult music for your average ears to take in.

It began with a piece that should be forgotten and never played again: Mussorgsky's Dawn on the Moscow River. Littered with intonation issues that began at measure one, it wasn't a stellar performance, nor was it really a stellar piece. Kinda boring, actually.

Next on the Russian menu was Stravinsky's Violin Concerto, which in some ways is very taxing on the ear. If you are used to the good ol' usual concertos, you are probably used to having a melody to hum, or a tune that catches in your ear and doesn't leave for a few days--not so with the Stravinsky. From his neo-classical period, it's a piece that tries your ear. I'm not saying it isn't enjoyable--it is in its own way. Yet my ear kept reaching out for something to grab on to, to enjoy, digest and remember, only to no avail. Cerovsek is a monster player, to say the least, but this piece did not show him off the best, unfortunately.

The concert ended with a monster of a work, Shostakovich's Symphony no. 11, "The Year 1905". This piece was my biggest issue with programming. The audience has just had their ears stretched, so to speak, with the Stravinsky. Then they got hammered, almost literally, by a gigantic, intense, long, expansive, emotional, trying mammoth of a symphony--that commemorated the massacre of peasants who marched on the winter palace of Czar Nicholas II. If you are unfamiliar with the work, go take an hour and a half of your time (a little bit less than that, actually) and listen to it. If you aren't wiped out by the end of it, you probably weren't listening. This is a work that tries the listener (and musician) to their fullest. The best way for anyone to understand what I'm saying is simply to listen to the work. I could go on about how the quiet, slow and solemn first movement, and how traumatic the second movement is, with its musical depiction of Bloody Sunday. It was terrifying at times, to say the least, yet nothing other than a listening of the work would truly convey the depths of this work. Words seem pretty flimsy, and ineffective.

Musically speaking, the orchestra did incredibly well with this work, aside from some pretty awful flubs, to say the least. The "machine gun fire" of the second movement nearly disintegrated the orchestra; I was waiting with bated breath to see if they'd all stay together. Then afterward, the violas had a massive blunder--as in they didn't come in when they were supposed to. I'm sure some people would want to blame it on the conductor, (Hannu Lintu, a rather all-over-the-place kind of conductor, who was interestingly vague yet intense about being vague). But come on! Counting is something you learn to do when you first start playing your instrument--it shouldn't be an issue when you're a pro, and especially when it's the second performance of the weekend!

There were other flubs, but ones that are easily forgiven and forgotten, especially when there were numerous positives to the concert. The bass section was absolutely air-tight, and they gave the cellos a run for their money. I'd go as far as to say they completely owned the cello section. The orchestra as a whole did extremely well, especially emotionally. This is a taxing piece, and they pulled it off remarkably well.

Next time this piece is played though, two things need to change. First: the orchestra needs a new hall. This work simply gets too loud for the Hilbert Circle Theater to handle.

Second: it must not be programmed with ANYTHING ELSE. This work is long enough, and trying enough, to get an evening or two all by itself.

So, all in all, a terribly odd evening. An opener that was easily forgotten, a soloist who played a piece that did not entirely capitalize on his talent, and a symphony as huge as the universe with amazing pro's and con's that tested everyone's mind, emotions, and ears. By the end I was utterly exhausted. Heck, I'm even exhausted writing about this, and have been tired for a few days, thinking about what to write.

If you, dear reader, were there, please share your thoughts. I'd like to know how other ears handled such an intense evening! Or if you are a die-hard Shosty 11 fan---what do you think about it having a concert to itself? Does such a piece warrant that?

Chime in readers!

Learning to Love Mahler

2010-03-15T19:04:00.002-04:00

Richard S. Ginell of the Los Angeles Times writes about Mahler. Well worth it!

Never Enough Hough

2010-03-07T21:41:00.003-05:00

After the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's concert this past weekend, I hung around to chat very briefly with pianist Stephen Hough, who played Tchaikovsky's Piano Concert no. 1. As I was shaking his hand, I said to him, "Thank you so much--it's performances like yours that are why I enjoy classical music so much." So, needless to say--it was an incredible performance.

When I hear virtuosos, like Hough, I don't want to be thinking mainly about their virtuosity, or how I'm wowed by their fast hands or anything like that. In fact, I often want to forget about the soloist entirely, and become enamored with the composer/composition. When it happens, that, to me, is the mark of an incredible musician. Hough is just that kind.

Hough took us through a Tchaikovsky that was exciting yet never overly bombastic. He played incredibly loud at times, yet he never banged on the keys. At times he sounded delightfully playful, yet was never irreverent. He had an intriguing disciplined passion about his playing that captivated the audience like I'd never seen, or been a part of before. Never before have I seen an audience anywhere leap to their feet as quickly as I did on Saturday at the Hilbert Circle Theater--it literally shocked me, which I think is hard to do. I was of course, a part of that, and was delighted when he came out for an encore. He played his own arrangement of Tchaikovsky's None but the Lonely Heart, which had an exquisite melancholy beauty about it. I left the concert kicking myself for not going on Friday--if I had done that, then I could have gone on Saturday to hear Hough again. Oh well...

The entire concert was enjoyable--it wasn't just limited to the concerto. Conductor James Gaffigan led the orchestra in a fun, yet well controlled and managed reading of Rossini's Overture to Semiramide. Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 came afterwards, unfortunately I was having a hard time enjoying it. I kept thinking to myself how difficult the bass part is, and I unfortunately couldn't get past that. I went over the part in my mind several times, and how I remembered at one point in time working on it intensely, thinking the more I practiced it, the worse it got. I don't think I'm quite scarred for life, but unfortunately that memory is still rather fresh.

I can tell you however, that the orchestra sounded very good that evening. Of course there were
flubs, but I can't really remember who made them, and when, so that's a good thing. I do recall being thoroughly impressed with the horns (I often am--other than the bass section, they are clearly the best section of the ISO) and the piccolo player, who was simply smashing in the Rossini. Gaffigan, who is all of 30 or 31, did a very good job with the orchestra--they sounded clean, cohesive, and mature. Much like Hough, I look forward to Gaffigan returning to the ISO again.

He's Everywhere!

2010-03-05T00:29:00.003-05:00

Guess who made the Indianapolis Business Journal's "Forty Under 40" list? And whose house got a spread in the Indianapolis Star? And made Indianapolis Monthly's "Best Tressed" list?

Not me.

But, the brother did. Check out the awesome links:

Indianapolis Business Journal

Indianapolis Star

Indianapolis Monthly

Also:

El Tercer Brazo

Silver Square

And as always..

www.danielincandela.com

Double Bass Doubled

2010-03-04T17:13:00.001-05:00

What are you doing on Tuesday, March 16th at 7:30pm? Having guests over for dinner? Cancel them. Your in-laws are visiting? Strategically come down with a nasty virus, like ebola or something. Your kid has a recital/game/play? Pawn them off to a neighbor.

You have new plans, and they are much better than whatever else you had planned.

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra double bassists Brian Smith and Bennett Crantford are giving a recital together--and it's free! Eugenio Urrutia will be joining them, on the piano.

I've long maintained--and I know you might think I'm biased because I'm a double bassist myself, but I swear I'm telling the truth--that one of the ISO's best section is the basses. They are a solid group of musicians, so if we use a little logic, it probably means that Smith and Crantford, being members of that section, are really good musicians. Get the picture?

The program will include a sonata by Hungarian composer Vilmos Montag, Schumann Fantasy Pieces Op. 73, Dave Anderson's Sonata No. 2 (which premiered at the International Society of Bassists Convention last year), and a duo Vinicio Meza, entitled Three Latin American Miniatures.

The recital is at Northminster Presbyterian Church, at 1600 Kessler Boulevard East Drive, in Indianapolis. You can read more about these two musicians here, and visit the Facebook event page for it here.

If you need help coming up with other excuses to get you out of your lame book club or rugrat babysitting job that night, simply email me. I'd be glad to help you out.

See you there!

Russian Night at the ISO

2010-02-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

This past weekend's concert at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra took the audience to Russia, with a program consisting of Tchaikovsky's Slave March, Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, and Prokofiev's Symphony no. 5. It was a bit of a heavy concert, to say the least.

Under the baton of Larry Rachleff, the ISO played a rather loud, bombastic, and excited concert, but unfortunately that was it. I want to add nuanced, sensitive, and other such adjectives to describe the concert, but I cannot. The concert reminded me of a college orchestra that gets to play something like Mahler Symphony no. 5 for the first time. They get excited and all worked up and they play that way, yet there is little depth or emotion to the concert, because they simply are not mature enough for it. That's what it sounded like at the Hilbert Circle Theater on Friday. Add to that, the concert was sloppy beyond belief.

The Tchaikovsky was littered with problems: intonation issues in almost every section, and during the strings unison section, I was worried that things were going to crash and burn.

Unfortunately the Rachmaninoff wasn't terribly memorable. Pianist Terrence Wilson is a very good pianist, but it took him a while in the piece to distinguish himself as that. His encore, Prokofiev's Etude in D minor was wonderful, however, from beginning to the end.

The last work on the program, the Prokofiev, was a slight messy, much like the Tchaikovsky. Last week I traveled a bit, and heard an orchestra of 80 to 90 people that sounded like they were playing as one; this week I came home and heard an orchestra of 80 to 90 separate musicians, each playing their own thing. Nine of them were especially in their own world--the cellos. Unfortunately, I was not surprised by that. The violins weren't that far behind either, with their ragged playing.

Things got very loud at the hall, along with bombastic and energetic and hyped up, but there was no sensitivity in anything. No nuance, no digging in the corners of the pieces to find hidden gems of emotion, integrity, or anything else. It just got loud and soft, and was sloppy and ragged.

While I'm rather happy to hear reports of the orchestra enjoying the conductor (and vice versa) and how musicians had a great time playing the concert, I wonder how such sloppiness was tolerated. Was Rachleff not listening? Did the orchestra not care? There are many questions I have about the performance, but alas--it's come and gone. Perhaps Saturday was much better; who knows. Either way, I want to hear an orchestra that is excited to be playing and full of joy--but I want to hear an orchestra playing accurately, sensitively, and with depth.

In other words, I don't want to hear what I heard Friday night again.

Happy Hour at the ISO, Round Two

2010-02-18T21:05:00.003-05:00

I attended the ISO's second Happy Hour this evening--interesting stuff. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Ensemble in Residence, Time for Three, were there to jam along.

I wrote rather extensively about the first Happy Hour, and some things have transpired in regards to the series since then. The administration sent out a memo, clarifying what Happy Hour is. At first it had aimed to bring in a younger audience, and hopefully get them in to more classical orchestra concerts. However, the memo stated that no longer is the purpose; instead, it is to be a social, fun, and entertaining evening at the symphony. It's not meant to serve as a feeder to the classical series, or anything like that. It is its own series, of sorts.

So, since that's the objective--I have to say, it's a rip-roaring success, especially with Time for Three headlining it. To say that those guys have fans in a massive understatement--the place was pretty much packed this evening. They played many of their own compositions, with some orchestrated to include the ISO, and the ISO also played a few works by themselves.

I don't know what else to say about it really. It's not the type of concert I would flock to, but it was well performed, and very much enjoyed by a lot of people. For me, my mind is full of questions about this new series, about Time for Three's residence at the ISO, and many other things related. We've got the occasional Thursday evening packed---what about Fridays and Saturdays? What are we doing about them? What are we doing to get people interested in classical music?

(If anyone has any answers, let me know).

Cleveland Orchestra: Above and Beyond

2010-02-13T00:29:00.006-05:00

I imagine this entry will be filled with superlatives--that's the kind of concert I heard this past Friday night.

Under the baton of Pierre Boulez, the Cleveland Orchestra played an all Mahler program, consisting of his Adagio from Symph. 10, and Das Knaben Wunderhorn.

Last time I was in Cleveland, it was for Mahler's Symphony no. 2. Everyone knows that famous beginning--the tremelo G's command your attention. The intro of Mahler's Tenth grabs your attention in a different way, with the haunting viola melody. The hall was silent as it could be for that beautiful, moving introduction.

After that, the orchestra demonstrated measure after measure what a tight, cohesive group they are. There were between 80 and 90 musicians up there, approximately, but they play as if they are one. It sounds effortless and natural. After the concert, my friend with me said "I've never heard anything so perfect!" That pretty much sums it up. Boulez and the orchestra were able to take Mahler's Adagio, with all its thick layering, and showcase each part beautifully while leaving it intact as a part of the larger piece. The second violins were a perfect example of that; they are normally used to their secondary supplemental parts, but they easily took to the melodies in Mahler without running away with them.

Das Knaben Wunderhorn is a delightful collection of orchestral songs, ranging from songs about the military to love. Joining the orchestra were mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená (making her Cleveland Orchestra debut) and baritone Christian Gerhaher.

Both had rich, supple voices, but Kožená was clearly the star, animating the stories and making an excellent connection with the audience. Gerhaher tended to cling to his stand, singing in to it, and as a result, he was not well heard. Both singers at times were very difficult to hear, but Gerhaher more so. The orchestra excelled in its role as collaborator, showing itself to be an attentive, alert and alive partner to the vocalists.

Musically speaking, this has made my list of favorite concerts, but it has also made the list for one of the most memorable concerts. As many of you know, I love the entire part of the concert-going experience, from getting ready to talking with an usher to visiting the gift store. Right from the start, administration from the Cleveland Orchestra were helpful beyond belief. I emailed them, letting them know of my travel plans, and they were eager to suggest accommodations and other such things. Then at the hall, ushers were kind and helpful, as were people in the ticketing office. After the concert was the real kicker though--my friend and I had called our hotel, to request a ride back. After an hour and a half, and a few phone calls, we still did not have a ride. Who took us back? A member of the Cleveland Orchestra's administration. Above and beyond the call of duty, indeed!

Add to that the incredible musical experience I was able to witness, and the evening was as close to perfect as an evening can get. Yet again, it was more than worth the six hour drive, and I look forward to making it again--hopefully sooner, than later.

Horn players..?

2010-02-12T17:36:00.002-05:00

Hmm...I have many horn playing friends, but none of them look like this....

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

ISO + Varga +Tetzlaff = AWESOME CONCERT

2010-02-09T16:25:00.002-05:00

I'm fumbling around for words to describe this past weekend's concert at the ISO. Conductor Gilbert Varga and violinist Christian Tetzlaff joined the ISO for what was a simply spectacular concert. Another way to say it is that Saturday's concert kicked major ass.

To get straight to the point, I'd love for Gilbert Varga to be the ISO's next Music Director. No joke. The man is a superb conductor who clearly knows what he's doing. I hate to admit this, but I was worried that the Overture to a Midsummer Night's Dream would be rough--you know that really difficult violin part. I was envisioning it always being on the verge of crashing and burning, but how surprised I was! The violins were TIGHT, and their intonation was excellent. For a while I thought, "is that Venzago at the podium?" THAT is the kind of performance Varga drew out of the orchestra.

Then add to that the violin genius Christian Tetzlaff and you have recipe for an amazing concert. The order of the program was switched on Saturday, as Tetzlaff had a plane to catch not long after he played, so the concert began with Brahms' Violin Concerto. Last time I heard this piece was also at the ISO with another soloist, and I just kinda yawned through it before, and wrote the piece off as one I wouldn't mind never hearing again--that type of thing. But now that I've heard Tetzlaff play it, I'm all over it. I'm gonzo for that work, but even more so, I'm gonzo for Tetzlaff's playing. Here is a musician that digs in deep, to every nook and cranny in a piece to bring out its' brilliance. This man can wail away on all the high fast stuff perfectly, and right after that can be as quiet as a mouse, yet with that same intensity and integrity. He also shows you that you don't need an old instrument made in 1655 to sound good--he plays on a modern violin, made by Peter Greiner. I automatically thought he was playing a Strad, until I read his bio in the program notes.

You know what else I like about Tetzlaff? He was humble and kind to the Indianapolis audience. When he came out, he of course bowed and whatnot, and was smiling as though he was really, really happy to be there. Not just the I'm-supposed-to-smile-because-it's-what-you-do-and-I'm-getting-paid smile. It was a genuine, honest smile. Then Varga came out, and realized that he didn't have his score with him! So, Varga turned around, and headed back to get his score, and we all had a little laugh. Tetzlaff then went to the podium, grabbed the baton and acted as it he were about to start the show. It's the simple, small things like that that are delightful to me--for a second you forget you are wearing your really nice outfit, that you want to get champagne during intermission and all that other pompous stuff, and you just laugh and enjoy a little moment, such as that. Varga came out with his tiny score, and the concert began.

Tetzlaff had to catch a plane after the concert, yet he was gracious beyond belief and came out for bows a whopping four times. Then he played an encore for us (some Bach, I'm not sure which but it was out of this world) and we made him come out two more times after that! All that, even with having to catch a flight! What a gentleman; what class!

I walked out of the concert sort of a changed woman in some ways. I was not excited about hearing Brahms at all, but walked out loving it and whistling it. I didn't want to hear Schumann's Rhenish Symphony either--I'd had a bad experience with it before, and was still suffering some trauma as a result. In fact, I almost didn't stay for the Schumann, because that's how bad my experience has been. Yet, just like with the Brahms, I was a changed woman, and began calculating how much it'd cost for me to renew my British passport and get a flight to Germany and find a nice little place on the Rhine to stay. Thank you, Varga, for doing that!

And thank you, ISO, for a damn good concert. See you in a few weeks!

Mahler in 2010-2011

2010-02-07T02:01:00.000-05:00

Some orchestras are already announcing their seasons for 2010-2011, and I simply love them for it.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has an incredible season ahead of them, and not just because they have some Mahler in it. But since this entry is mainly about Mahler, we'll stick to concerts with him in them.

Feb. 4-5, 2011 Symphony no. 6 Semyon Bychkov, conductor

April 8-10, 2011 Symphony no. 2, "Resurrection" David Robertson, conductor

I am so thrilled to get to hear the 6th again. Hearing it live is pretty much one of the most amazing experiences ever, in my humble opinion. It's one thing to put on a CD, and crank up the volume, but in person---WOW. I've heard a few orchestras play this amazing work, and I'm glad I'll be able to add the SLSO to the list.

St. Louis is a mere 5-hour drive west from Indianapolis, and if I head 5 hours south, I run in to the cool city of Nashville, Tennessee. Sure enough, the Nashville Symphony Orchestra will be rocking out some Mahler as well.

Sept. 10 and 12, 2010 Symphony no. 8 "Symphony of a Thousand" Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor

June 2-4, 2011 Symphony n0. 2 "Resurrection" Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor

And about...oh, a 15 hour drive south of Indianapolis is Dallas, Texas. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will be busting out a few cow bells and hammers for the 2010-2011 season as well.

March 24-26, 2011 Symphony no. 6 Jaap van Zweden, conductor

I'm looking forward to hearing other 2010-11 announcements. Let's hope there's even more Mahler to be had next season!

More Mahler in Indy!

2010-02-06T13:38:00.003-05:00

Mahler made his way to the Hilbert Circle Theater, and now he's en route to Butler University, for their Midwinter Dance Festival.

Anthony Tudor's ballet, Dark Elegies, set to Mahler's Kindertotenlieder will be performed Feb. 12 and 13, at 8pm, Clowes Memorial Hall. You can get your tickets here.

Mahler visits Indianapolis

2010-02-04T19:44:00.002-05:00

Finally! After years and years (so it seems at least), the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra actually played Mahler! Joy of joys, hallelujah, a miracle occurred this past weekend!

It was quite a good performance as well--Mahler's "Songs of a Wayfarer" has always been a favorite of mine, and baritone Hugh Russell did well. I thoroughly enjoyed his work a few years ago at the ISO, when he participated in "Carmina Burana", and it was great to hear him again.

Russell did a fantastic job of conveying all the emotions of Mahler's song cycle, and I found myself going from deeply upset to bubbly and cheery, all in a matter of a few minutes. His voice is rich and intense as well--perhaps too intense for the first two movements--but perfect for the last two. I attended Saturday night's concert, but if I'd gone on Friday, I might have tried to go Saturday as well, just to hear the Mahler again.

It's delightful to see Mahler back at the Hilbert Circle Theater. For two years I've been hopping on planes and putting many a mile on my car to hear Mahler. It's finally great to just drive a couple of miles to hear him! Thanks ISO!

Mahler 's Uncylopedia Entry

2010-01-22T12:55:00.002-05:00

I've loved Wikipedia for a long time, but now I've found another site I love even more: Uncyclopedia. The entry for Gustav Mahler is one of the funniest things I've ever read as well.

Here are a few of my favorites:

In describing his 6th symphony, it says "Symphony No. 6, “Angsty,” for orchestra, cowbell, and OMFG scary hammer. Order of the movements may change without notice"

And a rewritten quote of Mahler's:

"I am thrice homeless, as a bohemian, as an Austrian, and all over the world, you guessed it right I am Jewish."

Hopefully you have a sense of humor. If you do, then head here. (thanks to Marc Geelhoed for the link)

Happy Hour aka Getting Whored Out Hour

2010-01-21T22:41:00.002-05:00

Forgive me for the dramatic title, but there's no other way to describe this past evening at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Happy Hour is a way that the ISO adminstration gets people--specifically 20-30somethings back to the symphony. They throw free food and booze at you, and give you a nice hour long concert after work, where you can mingle with your friends. Sounds cool, eh?

It's also where everyone who attends gets misled as to what a classical music concert is about.

Tonight when I entered the hall, the lights were down very low, and there were blue lights at the back of the stage. The conductor/host, Steve Hackman was playing the piano quietly while everyone was finding their seats and chatting. Later on the ISO came on stage, played a few pieces. The lights in the background were changing constantly and sometimes were almost mesmerizing. Hackman, while not exactly a good conductor, is a very fit and good looking man. So far, your eyes are entranced. Then the orchestra starts out Beethoven's "Eroica" symphony, which is harmless, right? Then, however, it morphs in to Coldplay's "Fix You", complete with Hackman singing the last line while playing the piano, and then it goes back in to the symphony. Hackman spoke to us briefly about the works, and he certainly is charming. He's got those looks, and then he also talks to the orchestra in a comfortable manner. He's not pretentious, yet he's not irreverant, but perhaps close to it, in an appealing manner. Then we get to some movie music, complete with two dancers who come out and prance around the stage, enacting a boy-girl chase type thing. On we go, back to classical music, complete with those nice lights, that hot conductor, and booze in our hands. At the end, everyone is standing up, loving what they just saw and heard. I bet a few of them might even come back for an orchestra concert!

Yet those people who come back will probably be a bit shocked. See, on Friday and Saturday nights at the ISO, you have to pay for your drinks. There are no fancy lights at all, and a lot of the time, the conductor is kinda old, and nowhere near as hot. He certainly won't stop to chat with the audience either. In fact, he'll walk out and be pretty serious and intense. The orchestra won't be playing snippets of symphonies either, with Coldplay stuck in the middle. They'll be playing full out works, complete with no clapping in between movements. The first half will be about 45 minutes to an hour long---as long as your Happy Hour concert was! The demographics might be a bit different as well. Your row might not be made up entirely of pals from work, is what I'm trying to say.

Do not think I'm putting down Friday and Saturday nights at the ISO--by no means. No one loves going to an orchestra concert more than I do, I assure you. I haven't been misled though, as to what an orchestra concert is. How many people at this past evening's concert have been misled though? And then how many won't return to anything but Happy Hour, when they realize there's no free drinks, fancy lights, and a hot conductor?

ISO Vice President of Artistic Administration Martin Sher told the orchestra at a rehearsal earlier this week that this concert would "revolutionize classical music concerts across the country". Really? Some lights, a hot conductor and Coldplay thrown in will do that? There's another word for this revolution: SELLING OUT. It's almost sick to me to see that the administration of the ISO will do anything to get butts in seats.

I mean, come on--this concert really didn't have anything to do with classical music. It didn't honor the work of Beethoven really in anyway. Sure, Hackman did tell us that it was one of the most important compositions ever, but in the middle of it was Coldplay. Coldplay, my friends, might sell millions of albums, but they aren't anywhere near on par with Beethoven. In fact, it's almost insulting to Beethoven. Well....it IS insulting to Beethoven, actually!

And not only to Ludwig, either, but the musicians on stage. How many years were they in school for their profession? How many auditions did they take before they finally got a job? A recent principal chair winning friend (not in the ISO) told me that it took him 21 auditions before he got his first job. That was after his undergraduate degree, and a performer's certificate as well. I look through the roster of the ISO, and I see that many of them have a bachelor's AND a master's degree. I reflect on the life of Beethoven, his compositions and what they entail, and what immense joy they bring people. I review the Happy Hour concert in my mind, and all I can think of is what an insult it is to those musicians who work their asses of to be in an orchestra and play symphonies the rest of their lives, and they are stuck playing Coldplay. The administration of the ISO, who know how many degrees their musicians have earned, who know how hard auditions are, who know how amazing and out of world and intense classical music is, decide to use fancy lights and free drinks to con people to come to the symphony. There's nothing said about how our lives can be enriched with classical music. Nothing about how deep those works can be. Nothing about the impact music can make on a human being.

Back to what Martin Sher said--if a concert like this revolutionizes classical music, then I want nothing to do with it. I'm not against enjoying a concert and having a good time. I am however, about appreciating classical music for what is, and not just what comes along with a concert.

Now, maybe I'll proven wrong or something--that would be nice. It would be nice if a concert-goer this evening comes back for a Saturday night concert and loves it. It'd be nice if they didn't care one bit that the conductor wasn't a stud muffin, or that there weren't any fancy lights. It'd be awesome if they loved hearing an entire symphony, without a pop tune stuck in the muddle. If that happens, then awesome. However, that just doesn't seem realistic...

The ISO administration: tonight certainly seemed like a success. It doesn't mean that just because the hall was filled that it was a good thing though. If this is the path you will continue to take the orchestra on, then you should know that you are selling your orchestra out. You are whoring them, essentially. You are making a mockery of their hard work, and a mockery of classical music from every era and part of the world. Is this what you want for your orchestra? Are you willing to do that, just to have the hall filled up?

And to Martin Sher specifically: your title is VP of ARTISTIC Administration. Artistic. NOT selling-out-just-to-fill-seats administration. You are a violist; you've played in an orchestra before, and you of all people should know what little real integrity this concert had. You know how little this concert had to do with classical music. Shame on you, Mr. Sher.

Yes, ISO admin--I know you are worried about selling tickets, and getting people to the symphony. I know you're gonna have to start being creative and innovative to do those things.

It doesn't mean you have to sell out though.

Rite on!

2010-01-17T21:31:00.002-05:00

I got some good Christmas gifts this year, one being tickets to the Rite of Spring this past weekend at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I was overjoyed to be in the Windy City again to hear this amazing work--I heard them do it a few years ago, with Esa-Pekka Salonen.

I've enjoyed the Rite of Spring ever since I can remember. I recall being on a bus one day, with a bunch of musicians, and I was about 14 years old or so. I had my walkman on, and was blasting the Rite of Spring. Someone said to me, "It's great you are in to this stuff Chantal, but you are going to go deaf early!" I also remember my orchestra teacher giving me the score to ROS when I was a freshman, and I couldn't keep up with it. It became my goal to be able to follow along with it by the time I left high school. (yeah, that was a pretty long time to reach the goal, I know. I had it down before then actually). Ask me to sing the intro of it, and I can hit that C perfectly--it's memorized in my mind, and vocal chords. I had the joy of even playing it once, with a regional orchestra (it was actually really good!). It was undoubtedly a highlight in my musical career. So, all that to say---I don't like to miss a Rite of Spring that is with one of my favorite orchestras, and conducted by a man I have mad amounts of respect for, David Robertson.

What a concert!! We first enjoyed some Messiaen, and then Berg's Violin Concerto. Unfortunately I couldn't hear Kyoko Takezawa's playing all the time; she seemed covered up. Maybe it was where I was sitting? (Gallery, Row A). I dunno. It was a shame to, because she is such an amazing violinist. I wouldn't mind going to the concert again on this coming Tuesday, to listen to her again.

And, to listen to the Rite again! Of course I was all excited and nervous and giddy and beside myself as we got in to the second half. I calmed down slightly after the bassoon solo (which was incredible) but still had the jitters, which made it all the more fun.

Robertson didn't go all ape on us--he didn't present a Rite that was on the verge of really actually turning in to some crazy pagan ritual, if you know what I mean. He kept it on the edge of that though, and I respect him for that. It was exciting to say the least, and especially in the second half of the work. I was glad he didn't take much time at all between the halves (I feel that some conductors do, and doing so you lose some of the momentum that the piece creates naturally). I think from the second half onwards, I had constant goosebumps, and I was sweating slightly. I could use a few analogies right now, but I'm gonna save the risque' stuff for another entry later on down the road.

I wish I could say more to describe the concert. I'm sure I could if I sat down and really put my mind to it, but what I just really want to say is "You should have been there!" I had goosebumps. I was sweating. The place erupted in applause at the end, and jumped to their feet. I want to use some risque' analogies to describe the concert. That should tell you how it went, ya know?

I've droned on about it before, so I won't go on too much again, but I love the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I'm so happy they are only 3 hours from Indy, and I'm thrilled that seats aren't really that expensive either. This certainly won't be my only trip to the CSO this season.

What about you, dear reader? Are you a fan of the Rite of Spring? When did you first hear it? Was it watching Fantasia? Fill me in, let me know your ROS stories. I'd love to hear them! And if you were at the concert, let me know what you thought of it!

Back at the ISO

2010-01-11T01:00:00.005-05:00

For the first time in months, I went to the ISO on Saturday! It felt like I hadn't been gone long though--I didn't feel weird or anything like that. The feelings I did have (that I thoroughly enjoyed as well) were the butterflies that were in my stomach, while violinist Vadim Gluzman was playing the Tchaikovsky concerto.

I could write about his impeccable intonation, gorgeous and lush tone, and how he makes the violin sing, but that still wouldn't adequately describe his playing.

Now, I'm certainly not admitting to any experience myself or anything, but from what I've read in books/magazines, seen on TV, etc etc, I think I know the attributes of a good lover, and Gluzman's playing has those same attributes. His playing is confident, sure of itself, After commanding our attention, he then...yeesh, how do I say it? He met our musical needs, and then some. After he commanded our attention with the introduction, he went on to mesmerize us with his knowledge of and mastery over the violin. The man soared over his violin as though it were easy as breathing. Right as we were enjoying being mesmerized by that though, he took a turn and then showed us how sensitive a player he is. He got our attention and mesmerized us in the first movement, and then went on to WOO us in the second, and oh how glorious it was!! The giddy butterflies that were in my stomach had flown away and were replaced with a more relaxed, but much more sensitive species. The sparks had flown in the first movement, and then they smoldered for the second. What a beautiful tone, what lush vibrato! Then after enjoyed all his sensitive playing we hopped on to the third movement where sparks turned in to fireworks! It was a wild ride all the way to the end, to say the least, and of course when he finished we were all on our feet going mad with applause. We demanded more of him, and he came out to give us an encore which of course, floored us all over again. Ah, the playing of Vadim Gluzman! I would gladly travel far and wide to hear him play again. I'm glad the ISO was able to snag him this season.

Now to something not as sexy, but just as interesting although in a different way....Andrew Litton conducted this concert (and he did well, might I add. The orchestra sounded good too--a little rough around the edges, but overall pretty good). Litton has been coming to the ISO for about five or six years, and had apparently enjoyed a great relationship with musicians, and management as well. After Mario Venzago was fired, I heard a small rumor here and there that perhaps Litton might be up as a possible candidate for the next Music Director. Again, nothing confirmed or anything--but, as I said, he has been coming to the ISO for quite some time, and things seem quite peachy with he and the ISO. Then at their last rehearsal for this past weekend's concert, Litton told the orchestra that he had very much enjoyed working with them over the years, but that he has not been invited back for any future engagements.

Now, is that odd or what? Why on earth would he have not been invited back? He's had such a good relationship with the orchestra, and obviously with the management, or else he wouldn't have been here every year for the past five years! What happened that caused this?

I'll be honest and give you my hunch: I think Litton WAS a possible candidate for Music Director. Maybe not in an "official" way, as on the conductor search committee's list, but in the back of people's minds as someone to keep an eye on. I wonder if he wasn't in some very preliminary talks with management--as in getting to know them a bit more, and perhaps he became wise to CEO Simon Crookall, and the way he wants to run thing at the ISO. (you know, firing conductors via email mere weeks before the season starts. Spending money that isn't in the budget. Making bad decisions overall. Changing the business structure of the orchestra in that the board seems to be run by him, rather than he being run by the board--that type of thing.) Perhaps Litton basically let Crookall know that he was on to his game, and boom--no invitation back.

Granted, all that is speculation, I have no proof of anything. I can tell you this though: it's pretty damn odd for someone to come to conduct each year for such a length, only to then not be invited back.

Think about it--Litton could have told the orchestra "It's been great working with you, I'm sorry it can't happen again, here are the reasons, etc etc". He could have lied and said his conducting fee is getting way higher, or whatever. But he specifically said that he has not been invited back. Hmmm. Interesting. I'd love to know the full back story to that. I'd love to be wrong, honestly. Who knows.

I do know this though--after all the drama of Venzago's firing calmed down, I had been thinking I wouldn't pay anymore attention to what goes on at the ISO. It's 2010 though. I've made some resolutions, things are changing for me, and I'm feeling much more frisky than I did in 2009.

I'll be watching and listening to the ISO like a hawk.

Boasting

2010-01-07T16:10:00.001-05:00

I can't help it--when anyone in my family does something cool, I boast about it, and am super proud. Check out my bro's site: danielincandela.com

Inspiration via another blog

2010-01-07T15:26:00.004-05:00

Over at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, they are blogging about all sorts of goodies--creativity, spontaneity, inspiration...you get the picture. It had me thinking about all that stuff, and also how I wish I could produce hilarious videos about Roman art, like the one featured in that post.

That entry helped to recharge my blogging batteries. I've been way low on the radar for the past few months for a myriad of reasons, and I'm just now back on the screen. I also made a resolution to see more concerts (which ensures more blogging) but this entry really gave me an extra nudge that I needed. It made me remember my initial inspiration for doing the blog, and all the fun I've had along the way.

I write a post like this every once in a while, and I always will, even if it bores you to death, because I need to remember how much fun I've had keeping this blog. Here, check this list out--it's all the orchestras I've seen and had a blast blogging about:

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra
Columbus Symphony Orchestra
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
LA Philharmonic
Minnesota Orchestra
National Symphony Orchestra
Nashville Symphony Orchestra
New York Philharmonic
Royal Concertgebouw
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

That's not a bad list, to say the least. I really need to see the orchestras of Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco this year, so I can say I've seen all the Big 7 orchestras.

But anyway--all that travelling, all that fun, in search of good music, in search of inspiration, in search of an amazing experience. Every single trip was always an amazing experience, and I am totally in the mood for more of those.

2010 is looking and feeling more exciting all the time! Allow me a toast, my friends---to inspiration!!

New Year's Resolution

2010-01-06T19:27:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you brought in 2010 (pronounced 'twenty-ten') with a bang. Personally speaking, I brought it in with pizza and cheap wine, and that was fine by me.

I made a New Year's Resolution, and actually think I can stick to it. It's nothing stupid like "go to the gym three times a week" or "be nicer to people". No no, none of that nonsense here. My resolution is:

Attend a classical music concert at least once a week.

Yep, that's my resolution. I think it's a good one too, for a few reasons:

1. I haven't been to any concerts in a loooong time, and that just isn't cool.
2. It will give me more things to blog about.
3. When I blog more, I get more readers.
4. When I get more readers, I feel like a slightly cooler human being than I really am.

So, bring on the concerts! This week I'm attending the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra--if you can believe it. It'll be my first time I've seen them this year.

Next week I'm attending the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Rite of Spring. To say that I'm excited for that is a slight understatement. Then next Sunday is the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Look at that program--isn't it terrific??? Can't wait!

With all that said, I hope you are able to keep your resolution, whether it be a cool one like mine, or something like losing weight, etc etc etc. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors!

Happy New Year!

Venzago at Northern Sinfonia

2009-12-20T16:09:00.002-05:00

Mario Venzago has found a new orchestral home! Check out the news here.

Congratulations Maestro! I wish you the best of luck in your new position!

Blogging, or lack thereof....

2009-12-01T16:55:00.002-05:00

Many people have been asking me "what's up with the blog? when are you going to post again soon?" I figured it was time for me to actually answer those questions....

I am officially in a blogging funk. I simply am not bothered about blogging anymore. Maybe it's due to circumstances. Venzago getting fired by the ISO's incompetent CEO was a major blow to me. I have yet to see a classical music concert this season, actually. (I've played in 3 concerts, but haven't attended one yet). His firing really, really bummed me out.

Then I was supposed to head out west for some Mahler, only to have massive circumstances and all sorts of other drama stop me.

Then of course, there was the summer---where I hardly blog at all, because I'm too busy enjoying the summer.

But now it's fall/winter, and you'd think I'd be back in to the swing of things, but...sigh.....I'm not. I moved six months ago, and now have unfortunately moved back, due to all sorts of ridiculous, stupid, and horribly sad reasons. But even before this move, I've been just kinda layin' low.....I've been kinda silent in all areas of my life. To call it a depression would be going a bit too far, but it's not been far from that, really.

So, all that has added up, and VOILA! No blog postings. Plus I haven't been reading other people's blogs, really. I haven't been following up on what's going on in the musical world, save anything to do with Mario Venzago.

I do have an entry I hope to post semi-soon, about young whipper snappers who want a job in an orchestra, and how to go about it. (first bit of advice: find something else to do, because you won't make it.) That's in progress, currently. Yes, I know everyone else has written on that topic. But I'll throw in a bit of my amazing personality, and it'll be a rather fun take on that topic. I hope.

Anyway, enough blabbing. I'm sorry I haven't been around. I don't know when I'll be around again regularly. It's occured to me that I might NOT be around regularly again, and I've entertained the idea of shutting down the blog. I dunno. I care, yet....I don't have much energy to care right now, not when there's so much going on around me.

So, dear readers. That's that. I'm sorry if I've let anyone down. Until later....

Visual Art of Venzago and ISO

2009-11-19T00:24:00.003-05:00

The situation regarding Venzago and the ISO has made it in to all kinds of newspapers and blogs, and has now made it in to visual art as well.

A friend tipped me off about a painting at the Harrison Center for the Arts in Indianapolis. Via their Flickr site, I viewed a stunningly morose piece by Kyle Ragsdale, entitled "Maestro Farewell From the Prairie: The Orchestra Wore Black". I was literally taken aback by this work. The sadness--and depth of it--hit me with a force I did not expect, and brought up intense feelings regarding the whole mess that CEO Simon Crookall created when he fired Mario Venzago, only 5 weeks before the ISO season began.

This painting, for me at least, captures the mourning the ISO and its concertgoers, fans, and patrons felt at Venzago's departure, and are still feeling today. The funeral-like procession the musicians are on in this painting is such a good representation of what is going on with the orchestra right now, in so many ways.

Yes, the orchestra played the national anthem at a recent Colts game, and there's been announcements of a group in residency at the orchestra, and other things, but in general there truly seems to be a cloud over the ISO, and there has been ever since Crookall made his unwise, and foolish move. We now hear of the largest deficit the ISO has ever seen--$2.8 million. Statements are being issued that sound akin to "donations need to be beefed up or there's gonna be serious trouble". People have been let go. The musicians accepted a contract that cut their salary by 12%. (can you imagine how bad that the contract they rejected, 76-0 was??) Rumor on the street is that things at the ISO feel odd, and strange. No doubt many of the musicians are missing Venzago, and very much so. On his site you can read some feedback that people had in response to his dismissal/firing. Some of them are deeply touching, and it's obvious that many of them are from musicians.

This painting embodies all the sadness and pain that has come about since Venzago has been gone. No one can deny how empty things feel without him; how odd, out of place, and just how wrong things seem since his involuntary departure. Kyle Ragsdale's work of art captures these feelings, and more, perfectly.

This painting, and others in the collection will be at the Harrison Center For the Arts through early December. I urge you to see it as soon as you can.

Venzago speaks

2009-10-20T22:05:00.001-04:00

It's been over two months since Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra CEO Simon Crookall emailed Mario Venzago, informing him that his contract for 2009/2010 would not be renewed. We have not heard anything from Maestro Venzago until now. You can read his statement via the Indianapolis Star.

As he stated, Venzago and the administration had been planning this upcoming season for two years. While there was no contract signed, there was a contract implied, no doubt. As Venzago said (and many of us has recieved in the mail), brochures were printed. Tickets were sold. Soloists were contacted. On and on...

Crookall decides not to renew a much implied contract, and let's Venzago know this through a short email.

Venzago issues the above statement.

It's not hard to see who's the ass, and who's the gentleman.

More on this later...

ISO musicians reject contract offer

2009-09-15T02:50:00.003-04:00

This past Friday, Sept. 11, the musicians of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra voted against the management's most recent contract offer. The vote? 76-0.

Yes, you read that right. 76-0. I've been sitting and thinking about this unanimous vote, and other things surrounding it.

First off, I think it is safe, and very realistic to say that the musicians of the ISO all realize that in this economic climate, they will be taking a paycut of some sort. Look at orchestras around the country---Cincinnati and Baltimore for example---they and others have taken some serious paycuts in order to survive this climate. I remember speaking to a musician in an orchestra which made some serious cuts this past year, saying "Wow, that must have been a hard thing to decide upon. You all took such a big hit!" His response was something akin to "Well, we knew what we had to do to survive, and so we did it. It actually wasn't that hard at all." Musicians obviously know what it takes to keep orchestras surviving, and understand that cuts need to be made.

So, with that in mind, the musicians of the ISO still said no to the management's most recent offer, and that says a lot about the management's offer. I have no clue what the offer was--no one does, save management and the ISO musicians--but it obviously had to have been bad, and unreasonable. Why else would the vote be 76-0?

I do hope in the next contract, if musicians are taking a paycut (which based on other orchestra's negotiations, they probably are), that Crookall takes a paycut. And, not just any paycut. If musicians take, say, a 10% paycut, then Crookall had better be willing to take a 10% paycut as well. Whatever he asks the orchestra to do, he should be willing to do it as well. Otherwise, he looks like a jerk. There's no other way to put it, really. How would you feel if your CEO asked you to take a 10% paycut, yet he only took 5%? AND, he makes substantially more than you do? It makes that CEO look like an ass.

Crookall already made himself look that way with the Venzago mess---I truly hope he doesn't do it again with contract negotiations.

More from Adaptistration on the ISO

2009-08-17T12:35:00.003-04:00

More from Drew McManus on the ISO! As usual, it's good stuff, and you can read it here.

More blogging about Venzago and the ISO

2009-08-14T14:05:00.002-04:00

Drew McManus of Adaptistration, a most excellent blog, has chimed in on the situation in Indianapolis.

He breaks down CEO, Music Director, and musician salaries in his entry, and you'll be able to see pretty clearly that Venzago was not a highly paid Music Director, in comparison to orchestras with similar budgets. It's a very good read, and I high suggest you check it out, here.

It's time to let the ISO board of directors know how we feel

2009-08-06T12:35:00.003-04:00

The gist of all the blog posts I've featured, and many of their comments, is that Simon Crookall made a poor, unwise, and foolish decision in deciding not to renew Mario Venzago's contract six weeks before the season begins.

Then, on Monday, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra held their usual monthly First Monday Music Club, where fans and patrons of the ISO meet up once a month to discuss all things ISO, and often hear from a special guest. There were two orchestra members scheduled as guests, but the first ten or 15 minutes were to be filled by Simon Crookall. He talked briefly and took questions, and that ended up going for approximately an hour! From all the reports I have heard, it was a tense, and nearly uncomfortable evening for Crookall. He heard some difficult questions and faced some very unhappy people. One guest (whose hand I'd love to shake) asked Crookall, "So, will you be taking a 50% pay cut next season?" All in all though, Simon was not well received, and had very few supporters there.

Also, it is more than reasonable to say that the orchestra is not pleased with Crookall either. They liked Venzago a great deal, and under his leadership, they were sounding the best they ever had.

What's the point in telling you all of this?

It's to show you the overwhelming response to Crookall's idiocy. YET, Crookall himself chooses to be blind to this. As an article in the Indianapolis Star article stated on Tuesday,

"Crookall said ISO patrons and the public have been supportive of the recent change."

It's clear that Crookall really has either lost it, or he doesn't care about reaction to his decision, and is just plowing ahead with his foolishness.

It's time to take action. It's time to write in to the board, letting them know how we, the public, ISO patrons and fans, really do feel about this. It's time to let them know that we have no confidence in Simon Crookall as CEO.

Normally, letters addressed to the board of directors would be sent to the orchestra's address. However, in these circumstances, there is a good chance those letters would not be received. Instead, they should be sent to the chairman of the board of directors, Robert S. Kaspar. (I found his work address by doing a simple Google search). Send your letters to:

Robert S. Kaspar
The Windsor Group
500 East 96th street, Suite 450
Indianapolis, IN 46240

After you have done that, please consider writing directly to the architect of this mess, Simon Crookall. His ISO email address is:

SCrookall@IndianapolisSymphony.org

Crookall claims that ISO patrons and the public support him, and nothing could be further from the truth. The board needs to fully understand this. Write in today!

The blogs just keep on comin'....

2009-08-06T02:57:00.004-04:00

Yet ANOTHER excellent blog post, although not specifically just about the ISO this time, but certainly about issues surrounding the debacle going on there.

Charles Noble, assistant principal violist of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra, maintains a terrific blog, daily observations. (yes, another blogging violist!) In a recent post, he talks about the roles of artistic administrator, and music directors. It's a great read, and you can find it here.

Yet another blog about the ISO...

2009-08-06T02:22:00.003-04:00

Robert Levine, principal violist of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra comments on the situation at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in his blog, entitled Abu Bratsche:

"Few decisions, and announcements thereof, are more important in our business than the coming of a new music director and the departure of the current one. Something that important really should be handled better than this."

Well put! Read the entire post here.

Another excellent blog about the mess at the ISO

2009-08-05T23:34:00.003-04:00

Indianapolis Star critic/blogger Jay Harvey posted a damn good blog regarding the awful situation that Simon Crookall has put the ISO in. He sheds much light on things, particularly with a quote from former music director, Raymond Leppard:

"Comparing his place as music director (1987-2001) in the organization to Venzago’s, Leppard told me: “I reported to the board, and so did the general manager. And that was the better structure.”

Read the entire post here.

Crookall and his foolishness

2009-08-04T01:16:00.000-04:00

Amid the blog posts, newspaper articles, reports, etc etc, I have been trying to set my brain wrapped around the whole situation regarding the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. CEO Simon Crookall decided not to renewal Music Director Mario Venzago's contract, a mere six weeks before the season starts, and quite simply, this nearly leaves me dumbfounded. Let's look at certain parts of this situation a little more closely.

Crookall informed Venzago of this by email, last Thursday. Can you imagine getting an email, with those contents in it? This is an awful way to let someone go. As Ken Turchi said in his blog, Mario was let go unceremoniously, and without dignity. This was essentially a slap in the face to a man who was worked hard in Indianapolis, and done some amazing things for the orchestra. This also demonstrates, in my opinion, that Simon Crookall is a man without a sense of common decency. Only someone without a sense of common decency lets someone go this way, without dignity, and without a proper farewell.

This has happened, as I stated, only weeks before the season starts in Indianapolis. Brochures have been printed. People have subscribed under the impression that Venzago is leading the orchestra. Also, Venzago has also set aside all those dates to conduct in Indianapolis, and has had to turn down other invitations, most likely. Who makes such a decision with these things (and more, of course) to think about?

The orchestra currently looks bad. They have a CEO and board of directors making poor decisions at the worst of times, and many people are wondering what really is going on at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The organization is currently flailing about, with the CEO saying that he decided not to renew Venzago's contract for various reasons, but it's come out that the only contract he offered him in the end was a 50% pay cut for the coming year, and then no salary for the season after that. Explain to me WHO would want to donate to the orchestra right now, when it looks like such a mess? Does Crookall think his decision not to renew Venzago's contract would pull in more donors? Who wants to put their money in to an organization that looks so unstable right now?

Crookall has also epically failed at making the most of a conductor leaving. First, a conductor should leave under good terms--not by email, six weeks before the season starts. Even if this had been Venzago's last year, imagine the big deal the administration could have made out of it! Imagine the farewell hoopla they could have created! I can just see Hilbert Circle Theater packed to the BRIM for this season, to say goodbye to Venzago. They could have run a campaign of sorts, to raise funds for the orchestra in the spring, asking the public to help keep the orchestra's vision alive while they search for a new music director. Essentially, if Crookall had let Venzago leave in an honorable way, with dignity, he could have completely profited off of it! Instead, he makes a decision that makes people question him, and the ISO as an organization. Again, who wants to donate to an orchestra that looks like it has no idea what it's doing, that looks like it has no vision?

Another side effect of this whole debacle directly affects the musicians. Without a music director, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra must go without some important chairs filled. (their contract states that vacancies cannot be filled unless there is a music director). This means the following chairs will remain vacant: principal oboe, principal trumpet, principal cello, associate principal viola, second bassoon, bass trombone, and one section first violin. These are important chairs to fill, and some have already waited a while to be filled, and will now have to wait further to fill. Orchestras want vital positions like these to be filled because members of sections want to look up to the principals for leadership, to help build their solidarity as a section. Not to mention having vital positions left vacant can, and does bring down morale in the orchestra. Ask any orchestra musician, and they will tell you this.

In addition to that, the orchestra will not have a conductor to work with them on a regular basis. Pretty much week in and week out, there will be guest conductors. None of them really know the major issues the orchestra has, or what issues they've been working on for quite a while, or what are new challenges. That's the wonderful thing about having a music director in place---to consistently work with an orchestra, to know their weaknesses and strengths, to know where the pitfalls are, and to know how to communicate well with them because you're with them regularly! This is the relationship Venzago had with his orchestra: HE UNDERSTOOD THEM. He knew the issues, strengths, concerns, etc. That's why you can hear from the time he got to Indianapolis, to as of late, and the complete difference in sound there is. He learned what the weaknesses were, and little by little, chipped away at them. He worked with them to create a more solid, and confident sound. I've said it before in this blog, and even in my newsweekly reviews, and I'll say it again: the orchestra was improving in leaps and bounds under Venzago, and were well on their way up. Now, the orchestra has had the rug taken out from under then. You can nearly guarantee that the quality of sound will go down with a different conductor each week, and without the same person to work with them on a consistent basis.

In an earlier blog entry, I stated that Crookall made his decision without having the best interests of the orchestra at heart. An anonymous commenter asked me how I truly could know that, and the answer to that question--or rather, answers to that question, are above. Crookall's foolish decision has so many awful consequences, that there is no way it could have been made with the orchestras best interests at heart.

The ISO deserves better. They deserve not to have the rug pulled out from under them. They deserve to have their music director leave in an honorable way. They deserve to have their best interests taken to heart.

They deserve a new CEO.

Crookall to appear at ISO First Monday Music Club tonight

2009-08-03T16:10:00.004-04:00

Simon Crookall will be at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's First Monday Music Club this evening, starting at 7pm. He'll be speaking for a few minutes at the beginning, and will then take questions.

The FMMC meetings are held in the Wood Room of the Hilbert Circle Theater. Entrance is through the doors on Schafer Court (the alley) that is behind the parking garage on Pennsylvania Street.

I should add however, that this is not the main thrust of the evening. The FMMC is a gathering of ISO fans once a month, and there often is a guest speaker from the ISO. Tonight the main part of the evening will feature ISO violist Terry E. Langdon, and Associate Principal Second Violinist Mary Anne Dell'Aquila. With that in mind, this is not a rally cry of sorts for those who are upset with Crookall's decision. Please be mindful of that!

Excellent blog post on the Venzago/ISO mess

2009-08-03T13:57:00.003-04:00

Thanks to a friend, I found a blog entry that speaks unbelievably clearly about this whole mess at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Ken Turchi writes about Venzago, saying:

"The way he was fired – by e-mail, unceremoniously and without dignity – does not befit a fine orchestra made up of civic leaders. The board of directors should and does know better."

Check the entire post, here.

Mario Venzago says: "Stop blaming, hurting, and damaging one another"

2009-08-03T12:56:00.004-04:00

In a statement made today, Mario Venzago said:

"I would like to request that everyone who is making comments about the termination of my Music Director post in Indianapolis stop blaming, hurting and damaging one another. When I have all the information to evaluate the current change in my situation I will make a personal statement. For the moment I want to confirm my love and respect for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Staff and the City of Indianapolis.”

One cannot deny that Mario Venzago is a true gentleman, and a man of class.

Crookall offers Venzago 50% pay cut, refuses to negotiate further

2009-08-01T09:13:00.003-04:00

Simon Crookall, CEO of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, should be ashamed of himself. In his email to the orchestra, he stated that he decided not to renew Music Director Mario Venzago's contract for "various reasons". Thanks to the Indianapolis Star this morning, more light has been shed on this awful situation.

Crookall---whose name seems quite apt for this disgusting predicament---offered Venzago a 50% paycut for the 09-10 season, and then no salary (just conducting fees) for 10-11. He would not negotiate beyond those disgusting terms. This is simply beyond unacceptable. I mean, what else can be said about that? It would be understandable if he were offered a contract with some sort of paycut, as we are in a recession. But 50%? That simply boggles my mind. So much for "various reasons".

I find it humorous, in a sad way, that of course Crookall has not taken a pay cut this year. He did oversee the laying off of 8 staff members at the symphony this year (one of them including Cassie Goldstein, Venzago's executive assistant), but he himself did not take a paycut, even though administrators of orchestras around the country have done that. (Cincinnati is a prime example--everyone in admin, plus the music director and musicians, took a pay cut).

Again, as I said at the top of this post, Crookall should be ashamed of himself. Ashamed that he did not take a pay cut when others were in the field were doing so, and when he was overseeing the laying off of staff members. He then has the audacity to offer the Music Director, who is well loved by critics, audiences, and musicians alike, a 50% pay cut, and then no salary for the year after that? Ludicrous, absolutely ludicrous.

If anyone should be leaving the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, it should be Simon Crookall.

More to come, later.

NEWS FLASH: CEO OF THE INDIANAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA DECIDES NOT TO RENEW MARIO VENZAGO'S CONTRACT

2009-07-30T16:49:00.008-04:00

Yes, you read the title correctly. Mario Venzago is no longer the music director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Simon Crookall, CEO of the orchestra, made the decision not to renew his contract for the 09-10 season. Here is the email he sent the orchestra:

Dear Friends

Apologies for conveying such important news by email, but I wanted you to know as soon as possible.

For a number of reasons I have decided not to renew Mario Venzago’s contract as Music Director of the ISO. The Board of Directors fully supports my decision. We have been engaged in discussions to extend his contract for nearly a year, and it became clear that we were not going to reach a satisfactory conclusion. Mario will not be appearing during the 2009/10 season and his concerts will be conducted by other conductors. I have, however, invited him to return to Indianapolis for a farewell week in which we can celebrate his artistic achievements and say goodbye. The search for a new Music Director will begin immediately.

Mario Venzago has brought tremendous artistic success to the ISO over the past seven years. His interpretations of the great symphonies of Schumann, Brahms and Beethoven have received critical acclaim and his partnership with the orchestra has delighted and entertained audiences. One of the highlights this season was our production of Wagner’s Das Rheingold with the Indianapolis Opera. I am sure that you will want to join me in wishing him every success for the future.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss this decision further.

With all good wishes

Simon

To say that this is a major blow to the organization is an understatement of mass proportions. This was a foolish, foolish decision made by Simon Crookall and the board, and one that was made without the best interests of the orchestra at heart.

I will have more on this later.

Happy birthday Mahler!

2009-07-07T10:39:00.004-04:00

How I wish I'd been born 12 days earlier, so I could share a birthday with my favorite composer! Oh well, I'll get over it.

So, how are you celebrating Mahler's birthday? Putting on a symphony of his at full blast? Taking a hike and admiring nature? Personally, I think I'll blast the 5th symphony a little later today, but for right now, I'm celebrating with the 6th symphony, particularly with those kick ass hammer blows. Here's one by the amazing Chicago Symphony Orchestra, around 4:30. Enjoy!

Heifetz the Hilarious

2009-07-06T20:49:00.002-04:00

Who knew Heifetz was so funny? Here he is, imitating an audition he had to listen to. Hilarious stuff! (thanks to Miika for the link)

Mahler Mondays: Butler University Mahler/Germanic Creative Expression Project

2009-07-06T01:00:00.003-04:00

I have such bad timing! I've moved away from Indianapolis, yet this coming year, Butler University is having a Mahler-fest! Oh well, I guess I'll just make the drive up. (Butler University, in case you don't know, is a private university in Indianapolis that was founded in 1855.)

This coming fall, Butler will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of Mahler's birth, along with commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and celebrating Germanic creative expression. That's a lot of things to celebrate!

The festivities include performances of some Mahler symphonies, and his one and only piece for wind ensemble. There will also be many films and lectures related to the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Germanic creative expression, and even some opera.

The list of events isn't complete yet, but still, what is scheduled sounds promising, and highly interesting. I applaud Butler for choosing to hold such festivities, and I truly hope it is a success. I can't promise I'll make it to every single event, but I hope to make quite a few of them!

Happy Birthday Mario!

2009-07-01T00:07:00.002-04:00

I hope you all will join me in wishing Maestro Mario Venzago, the conductor of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra a very happy birthday! Many happy returns, Maestro!

I have no idea what year the Maestro was born in---all I know is that I am THRILLED to bits that he was born. To say that I'm thankful for this man is an understatement; he truly has done wonders for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and for that (and a myriad of other reasons), I respect and admire Maestro Venzago a great deal.

This brilliant conductor has brought a vision to the ISO, and he has goals he wishes to accomplish, and I tell you friends, I can see this vision, and hear these goals on their way to being accomplished. The sound of the orchestra is vastly different than it was a few years ago, and the orchestra is on its way up, up, up!

So, Maestro, if you are reading this, I wish you the happiest of birthdays. I hope your day is filled with much joy and love (and perhaps some Mahler somewhere in there? Maybe?), and that you celebrate well. I hope you are surrounded by friends, family, and loved ones on this very special day!

Happy birthday Mario!

Mahler movies

2009-06-28T22:30:00.002-04:00

I'm not much of a movie-goer. I mean, I'll go and see the new Harry Potter or Star Trek movie, but in general, sitting down for a few hours to watch a movie isn't my idea of a good time. (however, I'll gladly sit down for 7 episodes in a row of Lost, like I just did today. I'm nearly caught up--I just finished season 3.)

This coming week however, I have quite a large amount of spare time on my hands, and I'm going to be checking out a Mahler movie--actually two that come as one, entitled Conducting Mahler/I Have Lost Touch with the World, by filmmaker Frank Sheffer. After I watch it, I'll be sure to let you know what I think.

I'm wondering if any of you, dear readers, have watched any Mahler documentaries. I'll be honest--I have seen a few clips of What the Universe Tells Me about Mahler's 3rd symphony, but that's it. What about you? And what do you think of them? Are there any that you absolutely love, or completely hate? What would you recommend I check out next in my quest for Mahler DVDs?

Personally, I'd love to make my own Mahler movie. I wouldn't mind doing one about how I think Alma was far more responsible for Gustav's death than anyone/anything else. That would be pretty awesome. I've also thought about getting a video camera and taking it with me to concerts and making a little documentary of sorts of my next Mahler tour, but I'm no movie-making genius. (but when has something like that ever stopped me? I'm no Pulitzer Prize winning writer, yet I happily type away on my blog.) We'll see about the little documentary, although the idea of it right now sounds AWESOME, and my brain is all lit up right now, thinking about it and all the possibilities.

Anyway, back to reality for a moment: let me know if you've seen any Mahler movies, and what you think of them. Feel free to comment, or email me at mahlerowesmetenbucks at hotmail dot com.

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra blog

2009-06-27T22:35:00.003-04:00

I have no idea how I missed this---the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has a blog now. It looks like the first post was June 1st! I never received any information about it, or heard about it, nor have I been to the ISO's website in a while, so that's why I had no idea about it.

There's only a few posts up right now, and I hope they will post entries on a regular basis. I'll wait a while before offering an opinion on the blog....they've just started up, and I'm interesting in seeing how it develops and fleshes itself out before commenting.

Dreaming big...

2009-06-19T13:45:00.002-04:00

Another gem from my favorite website. Enjoy!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Summertime doses of Mahler

2009-06-18T07:17:00.002-04:00

Should you need to hear Mahler this summer, and not wait for the fall season to begin, you have some options!

NY Philharmonic - Symph. no. 8, June 24-28.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Ravinia Festival) - Das Lied von der Erde, July 10.

Boston Symphony Orchestra (Tanglewood Festival) - Symph. no. 6, July 17. Oh man. My favorite Mahler symphony, 2 days before my 30th birthday! Oh what I'd give to be there, sigh...

Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Ravinia Festival) - Symph. no. 9, July 19. Hmmm. Perhaps I'll drive up for this as a birthday gift to myself? Hmmm.....

LA Philharmonic - Symph. no 5, July 28.

Grant Park Symphony Orchestra - Symph. no 9, Aug. 7&8.

LA Philharmonic - Blumine, Songs of a Wayfarer, Aug. 20.

Have I missed anything? Know of any other summertime Mahler concerts? Please let me know!

Proof that I have been living under a rock for a while

2009-06-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

I blame my lack of checking the classical blogosphere for approximately 2 or so weeks on my move, plus Lost. In fact, I blame everything on those things.

As a result of those two things, I missed out on Alex Ross's list of favorite Mahler recordings. Then Opera Chic also made a list. And then Tim Smith made a list. And after that, Mahler himself came back to life and made a list.

Kidding, kidding.

These lists had me thinking about my favorite recordings, and how I simply don't have favorite recordings of some of his symphonies. Some I can't decide, and some I just haven't found the one that really grabs me. I don't own a million of each symphony, but a few of each, but nowhere near as many as I'd like. I haven't done much comparing and contrasting in quite a while, I'll freely admit. Some symphonies I have, and others not so much. I'll tell you the ones I'm certain of, and you can love/hate/feel indifference towards my choices, and that's fine by me:

Symph. no 6 - Bernstein, Vienna Philharmonic all the way. 100%. What's that you say? You think it goes Andante/Scherzo? Oh. DID YOU KNOW YOU'RE WRONG? Oh, and huh? Bernstein is too whatever-it-is-you-think-he-is-too-much-of? Oh well! I care not. I adore this recording, and listen to it weekly. It also has a kick ass recording of Kindertotenlieder with everyone's favorite dude to be singing Mahler, Thomas Hampson.

Symph. no 9 - Bernstein, Berlin Philharmonic for the win. I remember my first year in college, I'd listen to the last movement, and every single time I did, I would burst in to tears. Every single time, no matter what. Now it's the first movement that makes me do that. Anyway, this recording is powerful and intense. I'm also fond of Bruno Walter's recording of it, but the sound quality unfortunately ain't so hot. But his is also quite wonderful.

I realize that's only two that I've listed, but the others.....I just don't know. I've listened to many that I enjoy, and then there are some where I just haven't found the right recording, I think. I dunno--all I do know is that I feel uncomfortable making a list of the rest.

Do you have a list? Or how about we flip the tables--what are the WORST Mahler recordings, in your opinion? Here, I'll start with just one, and keep in mind this is just my humble little opinion, so if you love this recording, don't get offended: Symph. no 9, Boulez with Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Oh man. This recording....oh man. I listened to it, and afterwards said as strongly as I've ever said this phrase, "That sucked!" Enough of this "Boulez brings out the orchestration" and "Boulez is clean and showcases inner voices" blah blah blah......the recording is BORING. The recording is static, it goes nowhere and says nothing. It's a fine waste of 79 minutes and 46 seconds of your life.

Now, if you agree with me---or say you have another Mahler recording you hate and despise, allow me to give you some suggestions to make your CD more useful to you, since you obviously won't be putting it in the CD player too often.

Coaster--CD cases make GREAT coasters. I'm proudly using this CD as my drink coaster. Thanks Boulez/CSO!

Ice scraper--CDs made EXCELLENT ice scrapers. Imagine, it's a cold, freezing morning, and there's ice all over your car. But where is your usual ice scraper? Can't find it? Never fear! Just grab your most hated Mahler CD, and get started on your car! It'll be ice-free in no time.

Frisbee--do I need to explain?

Window-stopper--Don't you hate it when you have a window that's old and janky and won't stay up when you want it too? Just put your CD case in standing up to hold that window. Problem solved.

Please, please, please share with me your least favorite Mahler recordings. Please insult them give me a good laugh. If you can throw a 'your mama' joke in there, all the better too. Any new suggestions for use of the CD and its case are also more than welcome.

Universal Edition's Mahler blog

2009-06-17T10:54:00.002-04:00

Universal Edition has a blog dedicated to all things Mahler. If you call yourself a Mahler fan, check it out.

Bachtrack

2009-06-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

Did you like yesterday's list of Mahler concerts around the US? Well, I found a site that kicks my little lists ass. I have no idea what took me so long to find this site---I'm sure everyone and their mother is checking it out, but apparently I have been living under a rock that shields me from finding useful and interesting stuff as of late. I will blame it (yet again) on the move, and watching hours upon hours of Lost.

Anyway, enough of my rambling--this site is called Bachtrack. You can find schedules for orchestras, or a chronological list of who is playing what piece, and where. It's absolutely brilliant, if you ask me. They cover tons of European orchestras as well, but you have the option of searching US-only concerts. It's a great site, and I hope my readers take advantage of it. I know I certainly will!