Posts from — June 2008

This week I’m up in Kenmore, Washington teaching and performing at the Max Aronoff Viola Institute, which I helped to found 18 years ago.  The facility that we use is Bastyr University, which has all the classrooms and the lovely Chapel which is acoustically renowned (and used for a lot of movie scoring work during the year) - and not air-conditioned. 

Yep, we’ve been sweatin’ to the oldies up here in the normally temperate city by the shores of Lake Washington.  Our dorm rooms are on the top floor, and it takes some time, despite exhaustion, to get to sleep most nights.  The chapel, however, is a giant masonry sweat-box, which makes performing a true test of mind over matter.  The brain cells grow listless and despondent, and the fingerboard grows either sticky or slippery depending upon the propensity of one’s fingers to sweating, and one’s well-chosen concert outfit begins to look like an outdoor shower has been taken.

But, it’s a fun time for all of us on the faculty to play chamber music together, catch up on what’s happened since last year’s camp, and hear some new repertoire that we don’t know.  It also provides a great opportunity for us to share our experience and artistry with a collection of violists, cellists, and violinists from several generations, and that feels awfully good after a long season in the orchestra.

I was forwarded this information from Janet George:

Fivea Sharipoff was sentenced June 24, 2008 in a 3 hour hearing. Family members of Kjersten and Angela read statements, Kelly Gronli read her own statement and one from her parents, and members of Fivea’s family read statements as well. In the end, the judge sentenced Fivea to a total of 16 years and 8 months in prison with no chance of early release. Upon her release, her driver’s license will be suspended for 8 years, and she will also be required to be under post-prison supervision for 3 years.

Here is a link to the Eugene Register-Guard’s article.

Pettygrove Park

Tuesday morning Heather and I went to Pettygrove Park, and small urban oasis set in a 70’s urban renewal zone largely characterized by monolithic, concrete apartment blocks.  It is one of three plazas in the area designed by renowned landscape architect Lawrence Halprin, along with the Keller Fountain (formerly the Forecourt Fountain) and the Lovejoy Fountain.  We went there, instruments in hand, to check out the acoustics of the site for a planned installation of music and dance for the 2008 PICA TBA Festival (Festival of Time-Based Art). [Read more →]

Last Friday, a group of us from the OSO went up to Seattle to hear a matinee performance of the Seattle Symphony.  It was a group of management, staff, and musicians who made the trek.  It was quite the interesting experience.  Primarily, I’d like to provide my basic impressions of the experience as someone who’s only been to Benaroya Hall once before (to hear the Philadelphia Orchestra on tour last year). [Read more →]

I’m taking a break from posting, at least with any regularity, for much of the summer.  Enjoy the weather wherever you are, and see you in the Fall.

Today I played a gig at a local mall.  It was for the opening of a new hearing aid store which specialized in their own brand of high-end hearing aids.  The ensemble for the group was a traditional string quartet.

As we were walking up to the store, I remarked to my wife that at least we wouldn’t have to play out in the mall.  Famous last words… [Read more →]

wildflowers at rowena viewpoint | Originally uploaded by nobleviola
click photo to enlarge

The weather has finally turned appropriately beautiful, and in honor of the occasion, I’m posting a photo I took last year at Rowena Crest viewpoint in the Columbia River Gorge. Hopefully I’ll be able to get out there and capture some more of the wildflower goodness this year.

David Stabler wrote yesterday about the passing Thursday of former OSO cellist Naomi Blumberg, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.  She will be missed, as a warm and hospitable person, a caring and gifted teacher, and a fine cellist of long standing.  My condolences and best wishes go out to Naomi’s family and friends.

This was forwarded to me by Janet George:

A jury found Fivea Sharipoff guilty as charged today after approximately 2.5 hours of deliberation. Charges are 2 counts of manslaughter in the first degree for the deaths of Angela Svendsen and Kjersten Oquist, 1 count of assault in the second degree for injuries suffered by Kelly Gronli, and 1 count of DUI for driving while intoxicated. Sentencing is currently scheduled for Tuesday 6/24 1:30-4:30 pm at the Linn County Courthouse.

The Oregon Symphony announced today that they had achieved double-digit gains in both average concert attendance and ticket sales revenue.  For the 2007-2008 season, the OSO sold $5.64 million in tickets, up over 15 percent from the previous season.  As for audience attendance, the symphony sold 7,878 more tickets that last season, which, combined with six fewer concerts that last season, made for just over a 14 percent increase in average paid attendance. [Read more →]