Musings on ballet, classical music, the violin, and life
Call me sentimental, but when I hear a story about a talented performer in the arts world who suffers adversity and triumphs against tremendous odds, well, it steals my heart. It gets me rallying around that person. That I should be won over by the performer’s talent, musicality, peerless technique, before learning his backstory, well, … Read more
I am so very sad that the musicians and management of the San Francisco Symphony have not been able to settle their differences, as of today, March 18, and come to an agreement. Now cancelled is their prestigious East Coast tour, including performances at Carnegie Hall and Washington DC’s Kennedy Center. This is a disaster, not just … Read more
William Bennett, principal oboist with the San Francisco Symphony, collapsed onstage on Saturday evening, while performing as soloist in Richard Strauss’ Oboe Concerto. As I wasn’t there at Davies Symphony Hall that night, I’ll let the news articles do the explaining. http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_22661083/star-oboist-san-francisco-symphony-collapses-stage-mid and http://www.sfgate.com/music/article/S-F-Symphony-oboist-has-stroke-onstage-4304378.php From the news I can glean today, Tuesday, he is still in … Read more
Listening to a live performance of a Bach partita, by a master on the violin, on an instrument crafted by the world’s greatest luthier of all time, in a world-class music venue, is about as sublime as it gets. Almost holy. Certainly the silence, the attention from the audience was reverent, worshipful. Gil Shaham opened … Read more