{"id":13167,"date":"2014-01-19T00:20:43","date_gmt":"2014-01-19T08:20:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/?p=13167"},"modified":"2014-01-24T08:07:56","modified_gmt":"2014-01-24T16:07:56","slug":"vast-expanses-and-warm-embraces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2014\/01\/19\/vast-expanses-and-warm-embraces\/","title":{"rendered":"vast expanses and warm embraces"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tonight’s concert with the Oregon Symphony was tremendous for me in so many ways. I feel like I’m entering a new phase of my life, full of possibilities, and in particular, undergoing a sort of renaissance in my artistic life. I’m enjoying playing in the orchestra as I have not in a very long time, and am just soaking in the music that we’re playing like a sponge. The orchestra is just sounding tremendous these days, and has been for quite some time. We’re a mature ensemble near the height of its powers.<\/p>\n

Some impressions from tonight.<\/p>\n

Glanert – Shoreless River<\/em>: Incredibly soft and delicate playing from the cellos and basses at the beginning, and glorious English horn playing by Kyle Mustain. Ferocious virtuosity by principal violist Jo\u00ebl Belgique. A frenzy of plucking by the two harps – Jennifer Craig and Jenny Lindner. Singing trumpet\/viola section melodic lines played as one.<\/p>\n

Wieniawski – Violin Concerto No. 2: Concertmaster Sarah Kwak – a ‘gutsy angel’, as described by retiring violinist Kathryn Gray. We’re so lucky to have her here.<\/p>\n

Sibelius – Symphony No. 1: Yoshinori Nakao is one of the finest principal clarinetists in the country, and perhaps the entire world. His opening soliloquy over Jonathan Greeney’s timpani roll was indescribably sublime. The wind section had so many shining moments, it’s impossible to pick just one, but perhaps I will, in saying that the flute duet followed by the oboe duet in the first movement was the epitome of Sibelius at his happiest – played by Jessica Sindell and Zachariah Galatis\u00a0Alicia Paulsen<\/del>, flutes; and Martin Heb\u00e9rt and Karen Wagner, oboes. Nancy Ives’ cello solo in the second movement, over icy woodwinds, was the embodiment of molten lava flowing under glacial ice. The brass section – well, they’re just awesome. Everyone is awesome – it’s an honor to play in this fine orchestra, an orchestra that is full of the finest people I know, and is a real family to me.<\/p>\n

We’re repeating this concert only once, on Monday, January 20th at 8 pm. You really ought to be there.<\/p>\n