Christmas shopping for violin aficionados

Here's a list to help you find that right download or cd for someone special this holiday season who digs violin:

10. Viktoria Mullova/Guiliano Carmignola: Vivaldi Concerti for 2 violins (DG Archiv)

9. Lara St. John: Corigliano Red Violin Suite (Ancalagon)

8. Joshua Bell: Vivaldi Four Seasons (Sony)

7. Gil Shaham: Elgar Violin Concerto (Canary Classics)

6. Lisa Batiashvili: Beethoven Violin Concerto (Sony)

5. Leila Josefowicz: Knussen Concerto (DG)

4. Hilary Hahn: Schoenberg/Sibelius Concerti (DG)

3. Janine Jansen: Bach Itunes album -Trio Sonata & selections(Decca)

2. Janine Jansen: Shostakovich Quintet/Trio (Onyx)

1. Anne-Sophie Mutter: Bach Concerti/Gubaidulina In tempus praesens (DG)

Piano mystere

Was it a theft? A prank? A roundabout effort to bring some holiday cheer to the police? Authorities in Harwich, Massachusetts, are probing the mysterious appearance of a piano, in good working condition, in the middle of the woods.
Discovered by a woman who was walking a trail, the Baldwin Acrosonic piano, model number 987, is intact -- and, apparently, in tune.
Sgt. Adam Hutton of the Harwich Police Department said information has been broadcast to all the other police departments in the Cape Cod area in hopes of drumming up a clue, however minor it may be.
But so far, the investigation is flat.
Also of note: Near the mystery piano -- serial number 733746 -- was a bench, positioned as though someone was about to play.
The piano was at the end of a dirt road, near a walking path to a footbridge in the middle of conservation land near the Cape.
It took a handful of police to move the piano into a vehicle to transport it to storage, so it would appear that putting it into the woods took more than one person.
Asked whether Harwich police will be holding a holiday party in the storage bay -- tickling the ivories, pouring eggnog -- while they await word of the piano's origin and fate, Hutton laughed. No such plans.
Harwich police have had some fun, though. Among the photos they sent to the news media is one of Officer Derek Dutra examining the piano in the woods. The police entitled the photo "Liberace."

More to come

Read about and watch an interview I did with Joe the Author at the Juilliard School over on the KPAC blog...here is a detail from the book that he inscribed for me.

The night before I worked with friend and composer Richard Danielpour on Souvenirs, a 75th birthday tribute to Philippe Entremont.

Tribute to Elliott

Monday night a played a recital in Madison, WI and started with an improv for Elliott Carter's 100th birthday next month.

MP3 file

Read about Carter concerts I've heard and written about here.

Seven Meme

Something in seven and other numbers as well.
Well, Alex Shapiro has tagged me. A meme of seven! The game: post the rules of this meme, answer them, then tag other unsuspecting bloggers.
The rules:
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog - some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog (this is excellent for driving traffic to their sites, so do your pals a favor by participating).
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
5. If you don’t have 7 blog friends, or if someone else already took dibs, then tag some unsuspecting strangers.
The facts:
1. My favorite game in Las Vegas is three card poker.
2. I really like argyle socks and paisley ties, but not necessarily together.
3. While I have drank many a fine wine, port and scotch I really don't have a favorite.
4. I have taken harp lessons because as an undergraduate I witnessed a guest conductor say the stupidest thing ever to an orchestral harpist, and thought, I never want to sound so stupid when addressing a harpist.
5. I'm an ordained minister of new music in the Universal Life Church.
6. I love to play Name that Tune with classical music, and to the nth degree of who is playing it, when it was recorded, etc.
7. In high school, college and up to a few years ago, I would find the cutest grocery store clerk, bring up a box of eskimo pies, and ask if I get them free by showing them my Dept of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs card with proof of Indian blood. It never worked :(

Here are the bloggers I am tagging: Steve Smith; Joyce DiDonato; Jann Nyffeler; Barney Stinson; Stu Kennedy; Molly Sheridan; and Amanda Ameer.

Prep

Getting ready to take a trip to Madison and NYC tomorrow, will post when I can! Haven't been happier or more in love. ever.
Lots to do, but stay tuned for great things. I'm trying to stay tuned for my recital, hahaha.

Some more

And a few pictures from that sweet day

I volunteered to play, which turned out to be during a small communion service, besides a little gathering.

It was nice to have my folks hear me, it's been awhile since they have heard me in public, so it was great to share it with them and their friends at church.

1000th post/1000 words

Taken a few weeks ago...just received today.

Serious music making

I'm trying to stay healthy, but am feeling the effects of the flu - which figures as I am trying to practice violin, work and get ahead before my trip and recital next week.

I did interview and have the Prazak String Quartet in the studio last Saturday night. See and hear them here.

When we finished I got a picture with them...here's my fave, I had no idea what they were doing behind me!

Even more pictures

Maggie with my folks Monday evening.







John and family.

Looking up I saw the sky

A view from the Riverwalk today at lunch...



who is that cool shadow lady?

Visiting San Antonio

It's been a blast having my friend Maggie visit from Las Vegas. She has hung out at the apartment complex, enjoying coffee and grilling; met my folks, and then we've been to concerts, concerts and some concerts.





We've also hit the Riverwalk, and some of my favorite restaurants including Alamo Cafe and Liberty Bar.

Sunday I heard from my friend Lonnie (right), who came to town to hear the Texas State High School Marching Band competition, and was joined by his family too.

It's been way cool to share friends and my new town with folks - come on by and stay awhile!