Post-Concert Let-Down

Playing Mahler's 5th Symphony is a privilege many musicians never have during their lifetimes, so I feel so lucky that I have had the opportunity to play it 3 times over the last two years! Last night rounded up a month of grueling Mahler rehearsals at the U (including a double rehearsal at Utah State on our President's Day holiday!). The Utah Philharmonia combined with the Utah State Symphony for 2 performances of this monumental piece; one on Thursday at Libby Gardner Concert Hall and then again on Saturday at Kent Concert Hall in Logan. I played concertmaster last night and it was a spectacular concert! Although we had to perform in Utah State's sub-standard concert hall, the performance was tight and inspirational in parts. I even found myself getting a little emotional a couple of times in the Adagietto. The brass and percussion sections raised the roof in the last movement! It was really exciting. With today comes the concert hangover, and I'm sure I will drive my husband crazy all day with my moping around, wondering if I'll ever get to play concerts like that again after I graduate. No wonder I have been in school for so long. I need the fix!

On a side note, my husband was brave enough to bring our 2 children to the concert last night! Georgie's first concert (outside of the womb) was Mahler 5! She loved it!

I'm Back! And Jimmy Lin!

After a long absence, I have returned to the land of music posts! I will try to keep them current but life with a new baby (she is 4 months old now!) is rather hectic. Being a new mommy and a musician is wonderful, and I feel so blessed to have both in my life, even if it means playing a graduate recital when you're 8 months pregnant or a masterclass when you have had no sleep!

Speaking of masterclasses, I played the first movement of the Beethoven Violin Concerto this week for Cho-Liang Lin. He was very kind, but very adamant about playing the violin well! Although I could sense his slight frustration with my "lazy right arm," he gave me some great advice on sound production and freedom in playing. Despite the fact that I was asked to play for the class at the last minute and had to scramble to find a babysitter, I was grateful for the opportunity!


Check out the sidebar for some upcoming concerts!

Recording of the week and an update...

J.S. Bach-- Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin
Rachel Podger

It's shameful that I haven't kept up on this blog like I should, and the irony lies in the fact that I'm too busy being a musician to blog about being a musician! School has literally taken over all of my once limited extra time, and much to the annoyance of my family, is causing more stress than it should. I am trying to remedy that by adopting an "I simply don't give a shit" attitude, but that never works for me!

This week will be filled with excitement! I have 2 concerts coming up on the 20th and 21st, a masterclass with the KUSS Quartet on the 18th, and I am literally cramming for my upcoming masterclass with Joseph Silverstein on the 25th. I basically have learned the Bach Chaconne in a about a month. It will be a miracle if I can get through it next week! So for my recording of the week I decided to post Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for unaccompanied violin. This is an interesting recording because Podger plays with much more Baroque authenticity then say Pearlman or Milstein. The poor girl is in dire need of a makeover, but man can she play Bach!

Recording of the Week

Joshua Bell

Voice of the Violin

Now, I am a little infuriated with myself because I just discovered this album a few months ago while I was browsing around Barnes and Noble. It came out in 2006! Those of you who are really my friends know that I love Joshua Bell and I will take any criticism you have on that matter very personally! No one (since Kriesler) SINGS it like he does, so how fitting that he made a record filled with famous vocal pieces arranged for violin. This album features works like Schubert's Ave Marie, Rachmaninoff's Vocalise, Debussy's Beau Soir, and even Orff's In trutina from Carmina Burana.

Let me take this opportunity to apologize to the 2 or 3 people who actually read this blog. I know it's been a long while since I have posted anything. In case you care, here is a run-down of what's happening musically in my life: 3 concerts this summer with the Utah Symphony (see upcoming performances for details), recording gigs here and there, and the big news: DMA program at the U in the fall. Right now I am studying for my placement exams and practicing the Barber Violin Concerto, still teaching 11 private students and will be back teaching at SLCC in the fall, at least until my head explodes!

A few weeks ago I was hired to play in a concert featuring Monteverdi's Vespers with the University of Utah choirs, conducted by Brady Allred. It was a fantastic experience to play this amazing music and the concert recieved a great review. Read it here:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695270362,00.html

As promised...

The album, Man of Honor, has just been released and is now available to the public. It is a collaboration of songs written in commemoration of the late President Gordon B. Hinckley. I had the opportunity to record the song, "They Testify of Christ" with my friend Marshall McDonald. You can purchase the album here:



http://http//www.yourldsneighborhood.com/JumpPage.aspx?id=63

New Recording

This week I will be involved in a recording project. It's an album produced in commemoration of President Hinkley, former president of the LDS Church, who recently passed away. I will be playing violin on one of the songs. The album will be released just before Mother's Day. I'm not sure what the title is but I will find out and post more information.

Ding! Round 4!

Recording of the Week: Mahler Symphony No. 5
San Francisco Symphony
Michael Tilson Thomas, conducting




There must be something seriously wrong with me. Today I auditioned for the DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) program at the U. I just can't get enough of school! The audition went well and they seemed very interested in me. The program there is solid, much improved since my days there 8 years ago. We'll see if they make me an offer I can't refuse!

The Salt Lake Symphony is taking on the phenominal task of Mahler's 5th Symphony next weekend so I will be spending my week practicing that. I like the San Fran. Symphony's recording with Michael Tilson Thomas. You MUST come to the concert just to hear the Adagietto. Simply stunning.

Recording of the Week

Vivaldi-- Four Violin Concertos
Itzhak Perlman, violin
Israel Philharmonic




Since several of my violin students will be playing Vivaldi concertos this year and I will soon be teaching the Baroque period in my class at SLCC, I thought this would be a good recording to post. Even if you are not a music freak like I am, you will enjoy Vivaldi's concertos. There's a reason they are timeless. Lovely, elegant, classic. Try them!

Recordings of the Week

Chopin Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Krystian Zimerman
Polish Festival Orchestra

Holst: The Planets
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
James Levine, Conducting

Ok, I couldn't choose so I posted 2 recordings this week. I heard this recording of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 on sirius radio the other day and thought it was fantastic. It's so great to be back at work at SLCC. I am teaching 2 classes this semester, doing my best to convince these eager young students that going to the symphony and the opera is FUN! We'll see if they buy it. They did last semester! Today I gawked and gooed over The Planets so I thought I would post my favorite recording. You can't get much better than the Chicago Symphony!

Recording of the Week

Brahms Violin Concerto

Itzahk Perlman

Berlin Philharmonic, Daniel Barenboim, conducting

Wow! I just realized how long it's been since I posted a recording. Sorry to my students! This is my all-time favorite rendition of the Brahms Violin Concerto. Although I do love Anne-Sophie Mutter and Hilary Hahn, this is still the best.

Recording of the Week

Renee Fleming
Works by Puccini, Massenet, Bizet, Catalani

A beautiful woman with a beautiful voice, Renee Flemming is the hottest thing in opera these days. Anything her voice touches turns to gold. Her singing is pure, lush, and powerful without being overbearing or distracting. She is a real artist. Even if you don't like opera, you will fall in love with Fleming.

Christmas on the River

That was the title of this weekend's concert in Kansas City. Interesting...Anyhoo, another concert down, a few more to go until my artist's diploma. Yay! This was an interesting weekend in KC. I have now been hammered again for the millionth time on "when am I going to switch to viola?" The answer is...I don't know. I'm hoping to be hit over the head with an answer very soon, at least before I turn 30!

Last year, when I was playing viola, the KC Star did an article on the music program at Park U. Paul Horsely did a nice article that was on the front page of the arts section (with a picture of the back of my head). Here is a link to the article and the clips of us playing:

http://sb1.thefifthnetwork.com/VCMS/Player.aspx?id=67051ef1-8609-4194-a38a-732f97a5e041&PlayerTemplateId=95a123a6-2be0-4450-97bf-07abbf425f4d&videoGUID=9A45FFAB-787D-4ABF-A302-C3155569A82E&channelId=ID0EFF

Recording of the Week

Romance of the Violin--Joshua Bell, Violin

Acadamy of St. Martin in the Fields.

Ok, not to sound like a giddy high-school girl, but I LOVE this recording. I LOVE Joshua Bell on this recording. I have been criticised for that statment, but I don't care. I once had a teacher who told me, "if you want to be a great violinist, listen to the great singers and try to sound like them." In my opinion, no one (at least in this generation) makes the violin sing like Bell. If you want a cd that is chalk-full of gorgeous music that is easy to listen to, this is the one. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!

Looking back...

Check out this picture of me! I think I was around six years old. Classic. Hard to believe I have been doing this for nearly 25 years!

I'm a sap

This week in my class I taught about romantic symphony, concerto, and opera. My class is probably so sick of me emoting on Brahms but I can't help myself. I need a whole semester to just talk about Brahms's symphonies alone. Oh, and don't even get me started on the Violin Concerto. My mom came to lecture on romantic opera. I think I got a little weepy when she discussed Madame Butterfly. I loved it. Thanks mom!

Recording of the Week

This week I chose Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola. It's a classic. Everyone should listen to this piece at least once (or a hundred times) in your life. You won't be sorry you did! I think next year I will take on learning the viola part.

Composer: W.A. Mozart
Title: Sinfonia Concertante K. 364 (for violin, viola, and orchestra)
Performed by: Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta.

Success

I just returned from Kansas City yesterday after a long weekend of practicing, rehearsals, lessons, and concerts. A friend of mine sent me a link to the concert review in the Kansas City Star. It's a pretty good review; feel free to follow this link to read it!

http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/story/347428.html

It was a great experience to play the Brahms Double Concerto with Martin and Kanako. I felt honored to be a part of it and I'm so glad to have them as friends and teachers. It was so good to see all of my friends from ICM. I'll see y'all again in a month!

I am trying to upload a video of me playing but unfortunately, I am way too stupid to do that myself so I will have to get my brother to help me. Hopefully you will be able to hear and see me play soon.

Demons out!

It's funny that I can stand up in front of a hundred strangers and play in a concert or recital and keep my cool, but when I am asked to play in church on Sunday I get a knot in my stomach. Of course, anyone who performs knows that it is much more difficult to stand up in a room full of your friends than one full of complete strangers. Today I performed in church for the first time in our ward in SL. It went well and now the demons are out.

Lately I have been listening to a lot of piano music: Chopin, Debussy, Schumann to name a few. I never fully appreciated the piano as a solo instrument until I started my graduate work at Park U International Center for Music and met some of the most amazing pianests on the planet! It is such an incredible instrument. I wish I could play it.

I will be returning to KC, MO this week to play in a concert. On the program: Brahams Double Concerto for Violin and Cello (amazing!) and Elgar Enigma Variations (also amazing!). Did I mention it will be amazing?

Recording of the week: Brahams Violin Concerto and Double Concerto
Anne-Sophie Mutter and Antonio Meneses with
the Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan

What's up with the symphony?

I played with the Utah Symphony this past weekend after a 5-year hiatus. It was good to be back. A string quartet is coming soon. Stay tuned!

Since I am a musician, many of my friends and family often ask me for a list of recordings I would recommend so I am going to start a column on my blog of my favorites. This spring I will be playing Dvorak's Romance in F minor, op. 11 in a concert in Kansas City so I have been listening to various recordings of that piece. My favorite is a performance by Gil Shaham with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. He has the most gorgeous, rich sound and the orchestra is fantastic. You won't be disappointed!