Tuesday, December 29, 2009

A very good year

Enjoy this look at 2009 through the eyes of John Clare, family & friends.
Here's to a great 2010!

John Clare's 2009 from John Clare on Vimeo.

Rate decrease?

So I love looking at trends, etc...have you seen the numbers for this blog?
► 2009 (61)
► 2008 (213)
► 2007 (321)
► 2006 (308)
► 2005 (140)
► 2004 (12)

I was doing really good there in 2007 wasn't I?
Of course, these days I tweet for work, as well as blog, here are a few of those numbers:

► 2009 (284)
► 2008 (160)

1,972 tweets and 530 followers

It really is a matter of time...I take care of my folks, work fulltime @ TPR plus I'm involved with SOLI, SACMS, friends, et al...

Monday, December 28, 2009

2000-2009

Ten years ago, I was unemployed, engaged and living in Dallas (December 1999). I was about to turn thirty. Soon after, I broke up with Jann, started teaching violin & viola for a couple of school districts, gigging in various orchestras and worked part time at Tobacco Gallery.
I left for the summer (2000) to Wichita and returned that fall, again teaching, playing & gigging/selling cigars. It was a grand time with Jack and friends - Cindy, Shana, Jonna, and that blonde in Shreveport (what was her name?!)
In the summer of 2001, I started applying for radio jobs, and had interviews in Indiana and New York, finally making the cut in August 2001 at KNPR in Las Vegas. In September I was packing on 9/11 to go to Las Vegas. That Christmas was hard but the desert was pretty amazing. I helped the local scene with the Philharmonic, Studio One performances and even founded the Chamber Music Society there with my friend Bob Stewart. But a few years in management, hard work for new music, and wacky relationships - by May 2005 I was ready to leave.
June 2005 found me in Harrisburg, PA working for WITF. I loved being so close to Philadelphia (I saw my friends JoAnn Falletta and the Galways @ Mann Center that summer!) and NYC (seeing Thomas & his beautiful wife that August!) and all of the arts in the region. I got a call that September about ASCAP's Deems Taylor Award, I would receive it in NYC in December. I was on cloud nine. Lots of music talks, preconcert talks and gigging in coffeehouses with Paul Z was just right!
Again, lots of work for new music, tons of concerts, interviews and amazing food. By May 2008, I was ready to leave WITF had made the finals in Houston and Buffalo for management jobs in radio. It was San Antonio though where I was meant to be. Happy at KPAC, it's a 24 hour classical music station where I have an afternoon shift, and feature local music events. It's a dream. Keeping me sane for creative, new music is SOLI Chamber Ensemble, who have asked me to be their Executive Director - I said yes!
What a great ten years! Hard to believe it has gone by so fast. I am turning 40 and getting grey hair. My planned recital isn't going to happen on my birthday, but later in the year, keep an eye out for that. Here's to the next decade.

Best of 2009/Aughts

From June 2009, on location in Vienna with the WKO (Vienna Chamber Orchestra), Philippe Entremont on the eve of his 75th birthday - one of the moments of the year AND decade!

Romanze K466 from John Clare on Vimeo.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Great gesture!

Sam Weiser, the fifteen-year-old violin prodigy from Connecticut, will be donating the profits from his debut album 'Sam I Am' (2.16/ Disappear Records) to honor the memory of slain journalist Daniel Pearl. A talented musician in his own right, Pearl played several instruments, including the violin.

Proceeds from Weiser's debut will be donated to the Daniel Pearl Foundation and Friends of Daniel Pearl's FODFest, a nonprofit organization who looks to promote and empower communities through the universal language of music. Daniel Pearl was a successful Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and murdered in 2002 by Pakistani terrorists.

In 2008, Weiser was awarded the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin and was inspired by the significance of the foundation: "It's made me want to send a message of peace through my music and inspired me to find new ways to connect with people and promote Daniel's mission of tolerance."

Weiser's debut, 'Sam I Am,' will be released on February 16th on Disappear Records and will feature interpretations of songs by musical heavyweights such as Carlos Santana, Eddie Vedder and Mark O'Connor, in addition to four compositions written by the album's producer Sonia Rutstein (a.k.a. SONiA).

Thursday, December 17, 2009