Snow Day!

Snow day instead of recital day!  What a strange, odd, unsettling feeling.  Our February 8 concert for the Celebrity Concert Series at McMaster University was buried under a mountain of snow.  Even though my big silver 4 x 4 kingcab pickup truck had a tank full of gas and snowtires ready for anything, the university wasn’t taking any chances and cancelled all activities early in the blizzardy day and they  will reschedule us.  Stay tuned to my website for the Hamilton date (and others!).


Yesterday evening was another concert by my wonderful chamber orchestra, Group of Twenty-Seven, founded and led by the hyper-musical Eric Paetkau.  Because my recital clashed with the rehearsal days, I did not play this concert (Sam Banks moved to principal and my stellar student Bianca Chambul played second). I came to listen to the music and to join Gabe Radford in speaking before each half about the conflict between faith and reason that lay hidden in each work.  In the warm, dim light of the richly-decorated-yet-somehow-homey old Holy Trinity Church, so many artistic things came to life... amazing when you realize this is the direct effort of the young conductor and not just another normal symphony concert supported by a staff.  Maybe all symphony concerts are organizational miracles.  Anyway, joined by the Larkin Singers, the music included Schubert and Haydn masses along with a vivid, beautiful violin solo by Michael Oesterle played by our concert master, Etsuko Kimura.  Vocal soloists were very good and in the background was a large painting by Paula Arciniega.

Today, Guy and I rehearsed for our concert next week in Gananoque with a new programme including an Antoine Dard Sonata played with corno and bassoon... the corno da caccia sounds like a counter tenor in this galant music.  Here is a nice article though reading it reminds me that I should update all of my publicity sources... (I have produced way more that 7 solo CDs!)  Anyway, they's all be with me for the show and here is a link for tickets --- we would love to see anyone who can make the trip!

I also spent time spreading the word via FaceBook about Prairie Debut, a Canadian touring organization that takes all kinds of musicians into the rural reaches of the Canadian Prairies and beyond.  So many of my students think about "getting jobs" yet a really rich life is to be had by developing wider skills and contacts and having the gumption to travel and play.  Here is something to aspire to and a forum for our music.  Guy and I are touring for them in March, 2014 and I am definitely going to apply to take my strings to play Vivaldi across the noble grasslands of this great country!  Actually, what I would really like to do is bring the Valdy - Vivaldi concert to life!  Folk Baroque, that's gotta sell!