Vaughan Williams 'On Wenlock Edge' & Shostakovich 10!

The concert the OSU Symphony Orchestra played last evening went very well. The orchestra played both pieces with attention to details that we hadn't even been able to rehearse. Perhaps it is the adrenaline rush of playing for an almost-full house of people that makes one get "in the zone" and have a super-high level of concentration.

Regardless, it went well and we received a standing ovation for the Shostakovich Symphony No. 10. Mr. Blosser, the tenor, sang Vaughan Williams 'On Wenlock Edge' very well and sounded very, very good.

The picture here is of my fellow colleagues in the orchestra. From left to right we have: Margaret Tung, principal horn; Steve Reeves, third horn, Maestro Haddock (behind me), conductor; Me, second horn; Jared Jodrey, assistant principal horn; Holly Lewis, fourth horn. These are the people that I make music with almost every day and they all played fabulously last eve. Bravo to you my fellow colleagues!

Upcoming OSU Symphony Concert

The OSU Symphony Orchestra, Marshall Haddock conducting, is performing the following program next week:

Vaughan Williams: On Wenlock Edge (featuring C. Andrew Blosser, soloist)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10

Details are:

Wednesday, March 5, 8:00 PM Weigel Auditorium

For more, see the OSU School of Music homepage.

The concert should be outstanding!!

Opera Rehearsal observations

So I'm writing after a LOOOOOOONG opera rehearsal. The rehearsals are from 7-11p every night this week. Long hours, but it will be worth it!

The opera is falling into place. I am learning much about playing accurately in these rehearsals. I get one chance to hit every note just the way it should be. If you frack (the technical term for missing a note!) it, you don't get a second chance. I know this and try to practice it always, but in this setting it is strictly enforced and is a good experience. Also, as an ensemble, if we don't play something exactly as we wished, then we DO NOT get to rehearse it. We get "the look" from the conductor, and, if you're wise, you pencil in a note that will help you to not do it again!

The opera is being sung in English and not the original language. Not too sure how I feel about that. There is a beauty of the original language in union with the music, but I suppose that the benefit of the audience being able to understand it without supertitles is outweighs the beauty.

I am still pondering the "deep, touch-feeling" questions. More on my thoughts later. For now, it is off to bed. I have a lesson tomorrow, lots of classes, and another 4 hour rehearsal tomorrow night!

Mozart's 'The Magic Flute' this weekend at OSU!

This coming weekend, the OSU Opera Department under the direction of Peter Kozma and the OSU Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Marshall Haddock will present the opera The Magic Flute (sung in English) in Thurber Theatre at the Drake Union.

Concerts will be Friday and Saturday at 8p and Sunday @ 3p.

Ticket cost for these performance are:
$20 reserved seating
$15 OSU faculty, staff and Alumni Association members
$12 seniors and students with ID

To purchase tickets, call the Theatre Box Office @ 614.292.2295

Hope you all will come out to see this peformance and support our local arts!