In York

A little bit of heaven on a muggy day...a new brand of cigar I enjoy, Padilla.

Standing O

They loved it! The crowd seemed to appreciate Penderecki's 2nd Symphony...

Out on the lawn

At the SPAC Friday night.

Cigar Saturday morning

A nice moment with an Edge Cigar by Rocky Patel.

SPAC

The entrance to the SPAC, Friday morning.

Spa Little Theater

This is where the interview took place, the Spa Little Theater.

Breakfast Saturday

I had a great muffin and coffee before the interview at Uncommon Grounds in downtown Saratoga Springs. (You can see the cds I had with me, by the liners on the table...)

More of a view

Here is a detail of the statue, Lady Earth, from the previous post.

Soothing Saratoga

It was a dreamy weekend in upstate New York...not only did I get to hear the Philadelphia Orchestra in rehearsal and in concert, but interviewed a hero of mine, Krzysztof Penderecki!
Here was my view Friday morning, looking across the pool near the administration building.

Les Six, Drugs and Baroque & Realized Figured Bass

There's a new viewpoint up on New Music Box about Classical Music "Doping."
Don't forget, though, this past humor...classical druggies!

I thought I'd share these other "real" connections to the new article...
Weight lifters, who are classical pianists:
Tzimon Barto and Leon Bates!







And who could ever forget violinists Michael Rabin or Eugene Fodor?

Baltimore Bound

“Composers in Conversation”
www.baltimoresymphony.org
Wednesday, September 26, 2007—John Adams
Wednesday, October 10, 2007—Tan Dun
Wednesday, October 17, 2007—HK Gruber
Wednesday, November 28, 2007—Aaron Jay Kernis
Wednesday, January 30, 2008—Mark O’Connor
Wednesday, February 6, 2008—Steven Mackey
Wednesday, March 5, 2008—Christopher Rouse
Wednesday, April 2, 2008—James MacMillan
Wednesday, April 16, 2008—John Corigliano
Wednesday, May 14, 2008—Thomas Adès
Wednesday, June 18, 2008—Joan Tower

NY Violists are scared

I have confirmed the NY Mills Phil'armonic Symphony Society Viola Society, as well as other NY State violists are going to fight this:

Newsday.com
'Truth in Music' law strikes protective note
BY REID J. EPSTEIN
mailto:reid.epstein@newsday.com&subject=
August 22, 2007
Musical fakers who illegally impersonate groups they are not affiliated with will now face up to $15,000 in fines after Gov. Eliot Spitzer signed the state's Truth in Music law yesterday."We'd like to see good, strong enforcement of it and the attorney general's office has tools to do it now," said the bill's state Senate sponsor, John Flanagan (R-East Northport). "If you go to a New Year's Eve party or you go to one of these tributes, you don't know if it's real or not."The bill, which will go into effect in one month, was prompted by groups representing themselves as doo-wop artists like the Platters, the Coasters and the Drifters. Jon Bauman, "Bowzer" from the group Sha Na Na, advocated for the legislation in New York and other states.Spitzer said the law will help musicians from the past and the future."Music artists work for years to build names for themselves in the entertainment industry," Spitzer said in a statement. "We should not allow others to impersonate their work and profit from that deception." Original band members are increasingly finding themselves squeezed out of profits that are rightfully theirs, said Bauman, whose own band made its name covering doo-wop songs. Bauman is scheduled to perform with his current group, Bowzer's Rock N' Roll Party, at the New York State Fair in Syracuse Sept. 1.The bill's Assembly sponsor, Peter Rivera (D-Bronx), said the law would protect both musicians and fans."Fans want to see the groups they love and should get what they pay for," he said. "In a sense, this also preserves our musical heritage." Suffolk County is considering a similar law, which would impose fines of up to $1,500. The county legislation was sparked by Lenny Cocco of Islip Terrace, who owns the rights to the name and music of his band, Lenny Cocco and the Chimes.
Copyright © 2007, Newsday Inc.

Interviewing a legend

I spent the weekend in Saratoga Springs and heard the Philadelphia Orchestra play Beethoven and Penderecki. Saturday morning I talked with Krzysztof Penderecki, my second chance to interview him, this time though, it was in person.

Here is a small portion of the interview, talking about the new Penderecki Center which starts construction this fall.

Interview excerpt [mp3 file]

It was a dream come true.

At the movies

I really enjoyed two flicks this weekend, first the Bourne Ultimatum on Saturday morning - even as I had heard great things and prepared myself to be let down, it was wicked cool.
Then Sunday early afternoon I caught the new movie Stardust. Sweet, witty and romantic I really dug it!
Then today another Bond fan sent me this related article about MARTINIS. Who stirs anyways?

Ala Nixon in China?

Perhaps Alan Gilbert can be an ambassador:
Report: NKorea seeks philharmonic visit
August 13, 2007, 11:01 AM
PYONGYANG, North Korea, Aug. 13 (UPI) — It may be left to the New York Philharmonic to open the diplomatic doors for normalization of U.S.-North Korea relations, a report said.
A Yonhap new agency report Monday said a Pyongyang date might be in the cards if the philharmonic visits South Korea, which is currently under discussion.
The news agency, quoting sources in Washington, said North Korea had shown interest in such a visit in July when representatives of the six nations discussing North Korean nuclear disarmament met in Beijing.
At the time, U.S. envoy Christopher Hill told his North Korean counterpart, Kim Kye-gwan, their countries start civilian exchanges as part of confidence-building measures, Yonhap reported, quoting the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Kim reportedly said his country would be interested in inviting the New York Philharmonic.
A philharmonic spokesman told Yonhap he was not aware of any North Korean trip but that a South Korean trip was under discussion.
Under a six-party agreement, North Korea has shut down its key reactor. The next step in the denuclearization process will involve the North disabling the facility it has closed and declaring all its nuclear weapons and programs.
Copyright © 2007 United Press International

In Hershey

Saturday Paul Z and I played the Kendall-Hughes Wedding at the Hershey Country Club. It was hot and a lot of fun. Here I am with the groom's parents, Ellen and Nick, two lovely people.

Fun Friday 2

After my marathon, I went out with friends next door at the Holiday Inn. We congratulated Angela moving on in her career. In the picture is Pete, Andrew and Angela (left to right).

All John, All the time

You might have heard me on air Friday from 9am to 6pm...here were the cds I played.

This is Tim Lambert, before we did our first break at 8:49am.

In the fishbowl

People often ask me what it is like to work in a room surrounded by windows. This is my pictorial reply...

Deems Taylor Quote

"If this book tries to say a few definite things, they are these: that behind every musician lurks a man, who is fully interesting as the trade he follows; that music is written for our enjoyment, and only incidentally for our edification; and that many a potential music lover is frightened away by the solemnity of music's devotees. They would make more concerts if they would rise from their knees."
From the introduction, Of Men and Music, 1937.

Get out the vote

My friend Joycee is up for Gramophone Artist of the Year!!! Vote for her here.

Read about Joyce DiDonato singing with the Wichita Chamber Orchestra oh so many years ago here.

And check out her own blog here.

But please go vote for Joyce DiDonato now at this site!

I'm not worthy!

My blog is worth $10,161.72.
How much is your blog worth?