Reading, Midori’s blog
April 27, 2013 § Leave a Comment
These two weeks went so quickly. First in Little Rock, then in Reading. It was a very exciting time! Now, I am on a flight back to LA.
Today, in Reading, was the final concert. With the Reading Junior Strings, I played the Second Movement form the Bach Double Concerto and with the Youth Orchestra, we repeated the performance of the Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins, which was already done last night during the subscription concert of the Reading Symphony. But today was very different. Moni had suggested a few days ago that we might play it without the conductor. What a scary thing to do initially, but then everyone’s ears just open up so much that it becomes really so interesting and fun. It’s always amazing to experience how listening affects everything we do with our instruments—both technical and musical.
There is no ORP until next season now…what a pity. I am so invigorated, as always, by the energies behind the youth orchestras. The parents, the community, and the teachers that make it possible for the young musicians to have hands-on orchestral education of quality. I am fortunate to be exposed to such inspiring experiences.
Moni and I will keep working on refining the ORP activities in the months to come. Always looking for betterment and new ideas, we welcome everyone to send us comments. These two ORPs were the first in which Moni was both the on-site assistant and the pre-residency coordinator as the director of the Project. If you were involved in any ORP activities in the last two weeks in any way, please join me in thanking Moni for meticulous scheduling and working out of the details, as well as being the one to poke and nudge me going when necessary, and suggesting invaluable ideas behind-the-scenes. He is always swift, discreet, and adroit, never getting in the way but making things that should happen, happen.
Reading, Final Day
April 27, 2013 § Leave a Comment
The Junior Youth Orch played about 5 pieces and the Youth Orchestra matched them. Midori played with both groups, but also decided to include a surprise encore – the Bach Chaconne. That put the concert over the 2.5 hr mark that would have ended in overtime had these been older players, but instead – both audiences and musicians were ecstatic, and I felt like they didn’t want it to end. I definitely didn’t.
The meet and greet took another 45 minutes and then we said our good byes with the management and the artistic staff. Sad, but optimistic. Lots of new ideas will come to life now. I can feel it.
Carol and Steward Cohn took us to the airport and we had a nice chat on the way to Philly. Then I fell asleep and don’t even remember arriving at our destination.
Another unforgettable week. The Star Wars March from the YO concert is still ringing in my ears.
Reading, Days Three & Four
April 27, 2013 § Leave a Comment
Over the last two days, Midori and I had quite a few activities lined up. What really sticks out, though, is our impromptu chamber music reading session with members of the youth orchestra and Peter, their conductor, who is also a wonderful cellist. Peter had brought an awesome number of pieces and we split into two stations. Midori and Peter took half of the kids and I – the other half. They played in an enormous ball room and we set up in a dining area. Just the way Haydn was supposed to be performed. The youngsters plowed through some movements as if they knew them. Perhaps they did, but how could they have? It was a surprise session anyway. Afterwards I met with some of the parents and heard their take on having Midori in town. I very rarely see so many adults in one place looking happy and carefree. It’s perhaps the town, but people seem to have left their daily worries at home when attending these events. It’s refreshing. I need to learn how to do that.
I had a short session with Midori’s partner for the Bach double concerto. Daniel – 7th grade. He’s only been playing the violin for 4 years and he is intimately familiar with its intricacies. His teacher must be proud. His brother plays the cello and his father – the trumpet.
Afterwards I got together with Ben, the older brother of two Youth Orchestra violinists. All of the eleven siblings play musical instruments. Ben is a chemical engineer, buffer than an amateur body builder, and a gentle violinist. We played for each other some. I always get amazed when people who play music “for fun” perform at the level of those of us who are hoping to turn it into a profession.
The Youth Orchestra rehearsals went splendidly too. We ran through one of the pieces without a conductor and everyone listened really intensely. This exercise works well at the professional level too, but the kids really loved it; it gave them the extra confidence they needed for tonight’s concert.
As I’m writing, Midori is performing the Brahms cadenza in front of a sold-out hall. I’m listening through the intercom. I usually get more nervous about these things than she does.
Reading, Day Two
April 20, 2013 § Leave a Comment
I practiced for most of the morning. Midori had a radio interview. We brainstormed on a few upcoming projects, and some hopefully such. Next event was at the Exeter High School. About 300 students were sitting in the auditorium and about 50 formally dressed orchestra musicians on stage. Derek, a blond-haired violinist, played the first movement of the Mendelssohn concerto for Midori. After a short lesson, we also played for them. I hope we get to see these kids again.
Midori headed out for a podcast interview and I played and ate fruit.
The pizza party started at 6.00pm, and by the time we got there, most of the slices were gone. We performed again. Midori taught a two-hour masterclass. Very talented players. They weren’t as nervous as you’d expect for the large crowd that had gathered.
The stage quickly transitioned from masterclass setting to the Youth Orchestra rehearsal setup. Midori and her fellow soloists went over the Vivaldi a few times. I think they are ready. I joined in the back of the section and jumped in with some comments.
We are now sitting at the office. She’s practicing her Bartok for next week’s performance with the Baltimore Symphony and I am eating chicken with mashed potatoes.
good night
m
Reading, Day One
April 20, 2013 § Leave a Comment
Our first activity was at 10am - a school visit. We both played and listened to a student play in a masterclass setting. I was dosing off pretty regularly and made a resolution to check into the hotel and nap in the afternoon. Midori was as functional as ever.
We had another school visit, a rehearsal with the young soloists for the Vivaldi and Bach concertos, followed by a “Know your symphony” lecture. The talented students got to perform the recently rehearsed concertos before about 200 people on the first day. They responded to Midori’s and my remarks very quickly, and delivered a convincing performance. A long day, followed by a long sleep session.
Midori’s in-between blog
April 16, 2013 § Leave a Comment
We are back in LA for just a hop. Tomorrow we will already leave for Reading via Philadelphia.
The final day in Little Rock turned out to be unnecessarily dramatic with last-minute flight changes as a result of weather but all worked out in the end. These flight irritations are a part of my touring life but I survive them every time. In fact, I am surprised how infrequent are these problems considering how much I travel.
The morning was the chamber music meeting with the. members of the youth orchestra. A good number of the players attended! We read through some Mozart and Haydn quartets. Everyone who participated seemed to have enjoyed it a lot. Sight reading is always intimidating in the beginning but actually becomes more enjoyable once “in the groove”.
Now back in LA, these two days are filled with lessons (they pretty much take up all the time), some meetings, events (we have our final Masterclass of the season with the cellist David Geringas. and a student recital where my student is performing only modern repertoire), etc. Busy but quite interesting and exciting as well!
More thoughts to be shared from Reading in a few days!
Little Rock, ASYO conductor blog
April 16, 2013 § Leave a Comment
A week after Midori and Moni left Little Rock, I had my first rehearsal with the Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra since they performed with us. Even before rehearsal started, watching the students warm up, I could tell that the group remained transformed by the experience of performing and learning from Midori. For young performers to have moments onstage where music is truly being made, where minds are reacting in real-time to the sound swirling around them, where silences feel like magic hanging in the air – there is nothing more inspiring and motivating. It was a special evening for the young musicians of the Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra.
The ASYO has two rehearsals remaining before the last spring concerts – those concerts are May 5th in Hot Springs Village, and a Side by Side performance with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra on May 10th in Little Rock. On May 5th we will perform Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 for the first time in its entirety. I decided yesterday that we should play the whole symphony through, to work on endurance and assess our level of preparation. We had just performed the 3rd and 4th movements the previous week, but hadn’t played the first two since January. At the end of the first movement, which we played through with great energy and few trouble spots, I commented to the orchestra ‘That sure seemed a lot easier than in September, don’t you think?’ to which there were notable nods of agreement, and we kept going. I think at that moment the students realized that they were playing and interacting with each other on a completely different level than just some months earlier.
There were moments during this year when I doubted the wisdom of selecting the ambitious repertoire that I did for this year. Dvorak 8, Beethoven’s Egmont Overture, Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, and Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite just seemed like it might be too much music. I feared that I was sowing seeds of discouragement, rather than setting achievable goals. But now, with just a few weeks left in the season, a wonderful performance with Midori under our belt, and our music well in hand leading into our final performances, I have never felt better about the direction this group is heading.
Witnessing Midori’s artistry, as well as experiencing her unstoppable energy and incredibly gracious, thoughtful, and accommodating personality has left an impact on the musical community here, students and professionals alike, that will not soon be forgotten. My job with the youth orchestra will be to nurture this atmosphere of excellence and understanding, through striving for constant improvement, cultivating leadership skills in the ranks, and stressing the importance of individual responsibility in a collaborative group setting. I can’t wait; thank you to Midori and all who helped make this residency possible.
Geoffrey Robson
Associate Conductor, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra
Music Director, Arkansas Symphony Youth Ensembles
