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.