Tomorrow is opening - kinda terrifying but it was SOOOO much better last night. This is a HS production, they hire a few pros to scatter through the orchestra to sort of "coach". It is so great that they hired me AND my friend M to play clarinet, she was my college roomie and it is so fun to play with her (we also play together in orch, but in this show we actually sit next to each other, fun!) Also a form of sanity as she is a pitch ROCK. The horn player is great too, and the HS players are really coming around. This isn't the craziest show, but it isn't easy if it's your first experience; LOTS of cuts and added vamps and "after m35 go back to song 4 and play m25-130, then return to song 20 at m13 and play to the end" kind of thing. But great experience for them - my FIRST show was when I was in college - Fiddler on the Roof at a comm theater - I couldn't believe I'd never done something like that before it was so fun. Of course that is a great show.
Anyway, M and I are missing orch tomorrow to play for opening night. Next week we will do orch and apparently they are just going to cover our parts in the pit (keyboard I'm sure), DD is NOT happy we won't be there tomorrow, but what can he do? I feel bad, but it is a rehearsal vs. opening; gotta play the show. And we actually get paid 1.5x what we get in orch, which is nice (although not why I'm doing it - the orch has been very good to me!) I will practice the evil Schwantner - holy cow that is harder than Harry Potter (who would have thought?! teehee)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
oboe kicking me in the chops
Wow, rehearsal last night was killer. Mostly we are doing moventments from various concertos, but the one "big" piece is Chasing Light by Joseph Schw@ntner. He just wrote it last year, and apparently it is his 12 tone period. Also very minimalist. Which is ok, but sightreading was Nas-ty! I love doing new music, but I'm really hoping this one grows on me.
Tomorrow I have the sitzprobe for Secret Garden, lots o EH. Haven't touched it since November. I did this show in 1996 and really liked it then, but this is a HS production. Of course it was community theater (tiny community) when I did it before, so this could be better (at least in some ways!)
Tomorrow I have the sitzprobe for Secret Garden, lots o EH. Haven't touched it since November. I did this show in 1996 and really liked it then, but this is a HS production. Of course it was community theater (tiny community) when I did it before, so this could be better (at least in some ways!)
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Broadway!!!
So one of the big reasons for coming to NY is to see the shows - of course the biggest reason is to see C sing with the Cleveland Orchestra in Carnegie Hall (tonight!). Wednesday we went to a matinee of Wicked - really awesome, pretty much what I expected but so fun - the set was very cool. We walked around a lot but it was SOOO cold - I was wearing two extra shirts under my coat and my scarf over my head (I didn't bring a hat - who wears a hat?!) and it was numbingly cold. Today is the first day it isn't insanely freezing.
Thursday we saw Lion King - as everyone says "the costumes are amazing!" It really was a great thing to see. I am glad I went - looked in the pit and it was like a recording studio in there - all plexiglass partitions and clicktrack headphones and stuff, and obviously a lot of the band was in some other area because they weren't where I could see. The soundboard was immense! Disney production values. But it was WAY better sound than for Wicked - the mix was impeccable and all the instruments I noticed sounded great. The oboe was weak in Wicked - of course I would notice that but I wondered if they had a sub or wonky reeds, no technical issues I heard, just lame sound.
Yesterday we saw Avenue Q - OMG I was LMAO!!!! That is a very different kind of show too, but it was really great. I actually bought the soundtrack and merchandise (which I NEVER do, cuz I'm a cheapskate). Today we are going to In the Heights (matinee), which won the best musical last year, hopefully it isn't too much rap. But I think almost anything we decided to see would be great - all the shows are so good here. And tonight is the orchestra concert - my first time in Carnegie!
Thursday we saw Lion King - as everyone says "the costumes are amazing!" It really was a great thing to see. I am glad I went - looked in the pit and it was like a recording studio in there - all plexiglass partitions and clicktrack headphones and stuff, and obviously a lot of the band was in some other area because they weren't where I could see. The soundboard was immense! Disney production values. But it was WAY better sound than for Wicked - the mix was impeccable and all the instruments I noticed sounded great. The oboe was weak in Wicked - of course I would notice that but I wondered if they had a sub or wonky reeds, no technical issues I heard, just lame sound.
Yesterday we saw Avenue Q - OMG I was LMAO!!!! That is a very different kind of show too, but it was really great. I actually bought the soundtrack and merchandise (which I NEVER do, cuz I'm a cheapskate). Today we are going to In the Heights (matinee), which won the best musical last year, hopefully it isn't too much rap. But I think almost anything we decided to see would be great - all the shows are so good here. And tonight is the orchestra concert - my first time in Carnegie!
Flight to NY
Ok, first of all the flight DID get in and there were no plane problems, but I had a horrible flight. I was leaving at 11am (Pacific time) and supposed to arrive at 8:30 in NY (Eastern time). All was well with leaving, we got into Denver as scheduled. I was a little worried about getting my connecting flight as I only had 40 minutes and it is a big airport, but turned out the gate was right across from where we landed. So I am waiting while they board the plane...and about halfway through they get everyone off. Storm in NY, no more flights into LaGuardia until further notice! Fun.
So they tell us it will PROBABLY be at least 2 hours, maybe more, but they aren't sure and it might be less so we should check in every half hour. But I have a book and get a sandwich so I'm pretty good just sitting there. At least we're not on the runway! After the 2 hours, they start boarding again. We pull out of the gate and are driving around the endless maze of runway weirdness, and then we stop. Another halt from LaGuardia. So we wait for an hour on the runway - sooo fun. They decide to give us free tv to soothe the grumpy people (this was an excellent idea on their part). Finally we take off. Fly fly fly. We see NY, we descend, we land! I can see "Welcome to New York" on a sculpture out the window as we taxi into the gate. Wait! We stop before the gate - no gates available. The pilot announces someone is in our gate and they will be right out. Ten minutes later he announces the other plane is still in our gate but they are working on getting out. Twenty minutes after that he announces they have no control over the other plane as it is another airline, but he is sure they are pushing off soon. After 45 minutes on the runway, we finally pull into the gate. So I finally got to the hotel at 1:35...
So they tell us it will PROBABLY be at least 2 hours, maybe more, but they aren't sure and it might be less so we should check in every half hour. But I have a book and get a sandwich so I'm pretty good just sitting there. At least we're not on the runway! After the 2 hours, they start boarding again. We pull out of the gate and are driving around the endless maze of runway weirdness, and then we stop. Another halt from LaGuardia. So we wait for an hour on the runway - sooo fun. They decide to give us free tv to soothe the grumpy people (this was an excellent idea on their part). Finally we take off. Fly fly fly. We see NY, we descend, we land! I can see "Welcome to New York" on a sculpture out the window as we taxi into the gate. Wait! We stop before the gate - no gates available. The pilot announces someone is in our gate and they will be right out. Ten minutes later he announces the other plane is still in our gate but they are working on getting out. Twenty minutes after that he announces they have no control over the other plane as it is another airline, but he is sure they are pushing off soon. After 45 minutes on the runway, we finally pull into the gate. So I finally got to the hotel at 1:35...
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Movie concert
I sort of forgot to blog about the concert (obviously a huge thing in my life!) But it went very well, although I still think it was a bit long. Could have bagged Band of Brothers. But a lot of us were really distainful of the "Fifth of Beethoven" that disco version so popular in the 80s, and that was the favorite of many people I talked to! Who would have thought? I still liked our version of Pirates, and Harry Potter was not too bad (so hard! in places) My poor bassoon friend was all morning sick-y throughout the concert. Hopefully she will feel better soon.
Tonight is our only rehearsal for the Black & White Ball - that could be interesting. But I think it is mostly the principals, and we have done all this stuff before. EXCEPT...M is insisting that I need to play tenor sax! On just one piece. I keep telling her it is just not that big of a deal but it is a big band chart (String of Pearls) and she keeps thinking of the actual big band arrangement instead of the orchestral one. So she is bringing her tenor tonight. Which is super generous of her to let me borrow it, just what a pain for one chart. And the bassoon player (with the sickys) could play...M and the flute will play altos. Stupid. Get over it Jill!
Anyway, very exciting because I have coerced our neighbors to go and be "dates" for J. Such a drag for him to just be alone, but hopefully it will be fun. It seemed like a great time last year, although as always the advertising was ABYSSMAL. I don't think they even mentioned that there was dinner (snazzy 3 courses from a 5 star restaurant). Hopefully J will be infected by the fun-ness of all the people dancing, I'd love to take dance lessons (socially acceptable public groping - how can he not like it??!).
Tonight is our only rehearsal for the Black & White Ball - that could be interesting. But I think it is mostly the principals, and we have done all this stuff before. EXCEPT...M is insisting that I need to play tenor sax! On just one piece. I keep telling her it is just not that big of a deal but it is a big band chart (String of Pearls) and she keeps thinking of the actual big band arrangement instead of the orchestral one. So she is bringing her tenor tonight. Which is super generous of her to let me borrow it, just what a pain for one chart. And the bassoon player (with the sickys) could play...M and the flute will play altos. Stupid. Get over it Jill!
Anyway, very exciting because I have coerced our neighbors to go and be "dates" for J. Such a drag for him to just be alone, but hopefully it will be fun. It seemed like a great time last year, although as always the advertising was ABYSSMAL. I don't think they even mentioned that there was dinner (snazzy 3 courses from a 5 star restaurant). Hopefully J will be infected by the fun-ness of all the people dancing, I'd love to take dance lessons (socially acceptable public groping - how can he not like it??!).
Friday, January 23, 2009
Not a graceful loser
I just realized the bell choir never gave me a Christmas present, or even a going away card. Not to keep score, but we gave the choir director a nice thing, and even the organist who had only been there a month got this lovely gift. When H left (granted she had been there 9 years and I only 3) we got her a beautiful handmade wooden music stand. I guess it is more proof that the bells were too much trouble for anyone to deal with.
But tonight it dress rehearsal! I love that we are playing 2 songs with the youth orchestra, and a bunch of them thought you wore your concert dress for dress rehearsal. I remember my first dress rehearsal was for a piano recital, and I agonized over what to wear (cuz I assumed we had to dress up, but I couldn't wear the actual dress because I didn't have it yet). I showed up in a dressy pantsuit (it was the 70s) and everyone else was wearing cutoffs and jeans.
The music sounded better last night - we weren't in the hall as that apparently saves us $800. Which is a large part of our budget for this concert, so good for them. Tonight will be in the hall and I'm sure it will be fine. I kind of love that the stage crew is charging overtime if we are in the hall later than 10 on rehearsals - DD always dragged out the time to 11 or 11:30! NOT professional. This sort of forces him to organize his time better (not his best thing). We have a new orchestra manager - my good friend K! S is still around but busy with work/school for her new career, and I think this change will be good for updating some things in the orchestra.
But tonight it dress rehearsal! I love that we are playing 2 songs with the youth orchestra, and a bunch of them thought you wore your concert dress for dress rehearsal. I remember my first dress rehearsal was for a piano recital, and I agonized over what to wear (cuz I assumed we had to dress up, but I couldn't wear the actual dress because I didn't have it yet). I showed up in a dressy pantsuit (it was the 70s) and everyone else was wearing cutoffs and jeans.
The music sounded better last night - we weren't in the hall as that apparently saves us $800. Which is a large part of our budget for this concert, so good for them. Tonight will be in the hall and I'm sure it will be fine. I kind of love that the stage crew is charging overtime if we are in the hall later than 10 on rehearsals - DD always dragged out the time to 11 or 11:30! NOT professional. This sort of forces him to organize his time better (not his best thing). We have a new orchestra manager - my good friend K! S is still around but busy with work/school for her new career, and I think this change will be good for updating some things in the orchestra.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
No bells!
No bells tonight, or ever again - kind of a relief. Although I am a little sad too. Oh well.
This week is our Family concert - so Thurs/Fri/Sat all taken up with rehearsals and concert. But no stress at least, all easy stuff. EXCEPT Harry Potter - OMG hardest stuff ever and I do include everything. Only the 4th mvt of Chamber of Secrets - it is just insanely fast and with no pattern at all. But not exposed really, I decided to not spend the time to get closer (loser) and just noodle around the notes - that is what it sounds like anyway. I wish I was super dedicated and really worked this up, but I just can't get that excited about it.
This week is our Family concert - so Thurs/Fri/Sat all taken up with rehearsals and concert. But no stress at least, all easy stuff. EXCEPT Harry Potter - OMG hardest stuff ever and I do include everything. Only the 4th mvt of Chamber of Secrets - it is just insanely fast and with no pattern at all. But not exposed really, I decided to not spend the time to get closer (loser) and just noodle around the notes - that is what it sounds like anyway. I wish I was super dedicated and really worked this up, but I just can't get that excited about it.
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