Less than two weeks... (PDQ)

7 days from our first rehearsal and I am totally ready to get started.

It is Sunday afternoon and I’m wondering what it would be like to not have to worry about the convergence of opening night and hurricane season… Since Wilma two years ago when we prepared for a concert week without power or hot water, I’ve become a bit obsessive about checking the National Hurricane Center website during the two weeks prior to concerts. What do music directors in Iowa fixate on without hurricanes?

I’m pretty excited that we’re performing with a period-instrument ensemble for this opening concert. I spoke with our concertmaster, Michael Albert, last week about the concert. He sent us his bowings to be put in the orchestra parts, and having looked at them, I’m really psyched about how good this is going to sound. [NOTE: For those of y’all reading who are not orchestral musicians, the concertmaster—aka the first chair violinist—writes directions in the sheet music for all the string players so that their bows are all going either up or down at the same time during the performance. This gives a “crispness” to the sound.]

I’ve conducted Dido and Aeneas before—about 6 years ago for my graduate recital at the Yale School of Music. The majority of the time with Seraphic Fire concerts, I am conducting a piece of music for the first time, so it has been really cool to be able to revisit a piece that I know so well. I’ve been looking at my markings from the last time I performed the work and to notice how much I’ve changed as a musician since that time. Some things I’ll do exactly the same, and some things completely different. Amazing the difference that 6 years makes.

In other news, I was interviewed on WLRN’s Arts Beat on Friday by Charles Greenfield (who is also the music reviewer for the Coral Gables Gazette). I’m really happy about the way it turned out. You can listen to it by clicking here. My portion starts at the 28 minute mark.

Also, Greg Stepanich wrote a great article on the smaller-is-better model for the 21st century orchestra. I’m a little biased, as he gives a great plug for our new chamber orchestra, but I think you’ll agree that it is a cool article.