It’s that time of year again, when the average Minnesotan starts salivating profusely and planning their foray into the great culinary unknown. Yes, folks, it’s just around the corner, only three months away. The great Minnesota get-together known as …….. The Minnesota State Fair!!!! WHEEE!!!!! Heart surgeons within 500 miles are on high alert…
Lost World
Cliburn Soundoff! – It’s OVER – wrap with James and wild closing!
I wanted to post Monday, but it was such a blur! For the final post from this year’s Cliburn, I post the final two parts of my conversation with James Conlon, and I edited a two part audio clip of the closing ceremony complete with wild (and very frank) opinions, Van speaking, the awarding of medals and my brief interaction with the Gold medalist(s) at the closing reception. A little Rachmaninov thrown in also!!
Peoria Symphony – Where the walls come tumbling up!
I’ll never forget watching a NBA post game news conference when the winning coach was asked what made him think to put the ball in the hands of a rookie who then scored seemingly at will to win the game. His response and I paraphrase:
I didn’t, the guy thought we were in trouble and he stepped up to help the team, he led the leaders and we won the game!
The Peoria Symphony needs someone like that to step up to save their team…well someone has tried and failed, so now someone else needs to ……Time for some Schock treatment!……not a misspelling I assure you…..
Today in Calaveras county, the Frogs have stopped jumping….
It was with a great deal of sadness to learn of the passing of Lukas Foss, an icon of 20th century American music. Whilst as a student in London in the late 80’s I attended the European premiere (it may have been the world premiere) of his Renaissance Concerto with James Galway and the London Symphony, and in 2003 I actually got to work with him….
Legacy
Donald Erb has died. I am saddened to hear about the passing of this very interesting American composer. I have the feeling that there is a certain passing of an era going on these days, and it’s confirmed by Mr. Erb’s biography. This is a “first generation” that is saying their last goodbyes, and I wonder if my fellow Americans realize how much this generation, and American music in general, owes to one woman.
Flashback(s) 100 years……
I rarely attend concerts. It is not that I have no interest in music but rather than I have interest in things besides music. Being “seen” by the appropriate people is definitely not on that list. Playing with my kids is. So it takes a lot to get me out the door for an evening of classical fun. Thank God it happened Tuesday…..
Words that can and DO hurt!
And so it goes, Shreveport claims it’s now fiscally responsible by implementing their cuts. However the cuts run deeper than just in financial terms. The musicians probably feel like the they have been on the losing end of a game of Whac-A-Mole after reading final sentence in the article that reported the imposed decision…..
Coming Home Crazy……
Bill Holm is a Minnesota writer who penned a fabulous book several years ago called Coming Home Crazy. It is a collection of stories about the time that this 6’5″ descendant of the Icelandic warriors spent teaching English in the middle kingdom – China – during the mid ’80s. It’s fabulous, very intuitive and insightful, and an absolute must-read for anyone with an interest in the Land of the Dragon. It’s also the book I took on my recent vacation to Mexico.