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that was a week.
Thursday I ushered at Hill Auditorium for the Orchestre De Paris concert. It was fine, other than how hot it got in the balcony during the first half of the concert. The pianist on the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto had an off night. He's supposed to be really good (Van Cliburn award winner), but he missed a few phrases and there were a couple of times when he and the orchestra were not in time with each other. The orchestra closed with the Firebird ballet (not the Suite). I prefer the Suite, because the music for the ballet is just that - music to dance to - and it doesn't tell the story as well as the Suite does. It's just fine when there are dancers. :)
Friday I had FCB stage rehearsal at the Hawk. JL ran the video for Sanctuary so we could see it, and thus not be distracted during the performance on Sunday. That was when I realised that J had forgotten to send over the pictures he'd intended to. foo. (JL put together a video of "pure Michigan" images from band members/families, because what good's a postcard with no pictures?)
Sunday was the concert. FCB concerts are harder than LCCB concerts in many ways, and it's not just because I do set-up/tear-down for FCB. Yes, the music is harder; but that's only part of it. DC expects a lot more (attention to detail, concentration) from the band than DM does. And it snowed on the way home after the concert. Add in the detours due to construction, and it was a long day.
There are red winged blackbirds, grackles, and starlings in the backyard. And the requisite cowbirds, cardinals, and sparrows. The pond is skinned over with ice thick enough for birds to stand on -- it's been below freezing with no sun since yesterday afternoon -- and they're hopping about looking for open water. Eventually they give up and go over to the birdbath for a drink.
Thursday I ushered at Hill Auditorium for the Orchestre De Paris concert. It was fine, other than how hot it got in the balcony during the first half of the concert. The pianist on the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto had an off night. He's supposed to be really good (Van Cliburn award winner), but he missed a few phrases and there were a couple of times when he and the orchestra were not in time with each other. The orchestra closed with the Firebird ballet (not the Suite). I prefer the Suite, because the music for the ballet is just that - music to dance to - and it doesn't tell the story as well as the Suite does. It's just fine when there are dancers. :)
Friday I had FCB stage rehearsal at the Hawk. JL ran the video for Sanctuary so we could see it, and thus not be distracted during the performance on Sunday. That was when I realised that J had forgotten to send over the pictures he'd intended to. foo. (JL put together a video of "pure Michigan" images from band members/families, because what good's a postcard with no pictures?)
Sunday was the concert. FCB concerts are harder than LCCB concerts in many ways, and it's not just because I do set-up/tear-down for FCB. Yes, the music is harder; but that's only part of it. DC expects a lot more (attention to detail, concentration) from the band than DM does. And it snowed on the way home after the concert. Add in the detours due to construction, and it was a long day.
There are red winged blackbirds, grackles, and starlings in the backyard. And the requisite cowbirds, cardinals, and sparrows. The pond is skinned over with ice thick enough for birds to stand on -- it's been below freezing with no sun since yesterday afternoon -- and they're hopping about looking for open water. Eventually they give up and go over to the birdbath for a drink.
