Back to normal again after the Sgt. Pepper show.  It was fun (see above)!  Here is a short list of things about this concert that I wish happened in classical music more often.

1. Everyone knew every note of the music we were playing 

2. I got to wear a rockin’ outfit (I’m the guy on top with the vest)

3. I got to sing backup

We’re working on Sgt. Pepper’s again at the Hollywood Bowl with Cheap Trick and Co. The band sounds amazing, and Robin Zander again blows me a away with his vocal power and ability. The entire band is so focused and tight, but the atmosphere is relaxed and fun. That’s the way to rehearse. I spent a lot of time working with the musicians on background vocals this time, trying to get the voicings right and the kind of light, blended and punchy sound that the Beatles had. It’s amazing how well the musicans play by ear, nailing every harmony perfectly off the top of their heads — it’s something I wish I could do better. I guess I process music through the page first, but it seems much more primal to process music without the eyes, using only the ears.

Speaking of that — I’m finally getting to see Stevie Wonder on July 7! I think he may be the best musician making music right now, period. Check out this report of a recent concert. I’m so there!

…for a reprise of last year’s Sgt. Pepper concert. Lots of fun stories and pictures to follow on this blog, I’m sure. And my readership goes way up thanks to the Cheap Trick fans. Yesterday, I dropped by SF Opera for a reading of The Bonesetter’s Daughter. I’ll be assistant conductor of that show in August, and the score looks very colorful and fun. The composer, Stewart Wallace, and the conductor, Steven Sloane are cool, and I’m looking forward to the teamwork involved in opera … it’s a lot different than traveling from place to place by yourself to conduct. Steven Sloane went to my rival high school, Palisades High (aka PALI aka the Dolphins). We were laughing about that. Oddly enough, across the street at the Symphony, David Robertson is conducting. He went to my high school (Santa Monica High, aka SAMOHI, aka the Vikings) as well. It’s weird that three conductors from rival high schools are in one place. It’s happened before though — Michael Tilson Thomas used to face off with Leonard Slatkin back in the day in the LA-based nerd contest “The Knowledge Bowl.”

It’s a rare 90-degree day in San Francisco. And it might be worth a drive to the Sunset to sample some
Marco Polo Gelato. I just tried this for the first time last week and I can’t believe I’ve missed it all these years. The name of the place is apt: creamy Italian gelato with lush asian flavors. I had fresh mango and lychee gelato, but there was also sesame, jackfruit, durian, taro and more. It’s now one of my must-try’s if you’re visiting SF.

I finally got around to updating next year’s schedule on this site. Feel free to check it out if you are interested in such things. It’s the usual assortment of music and projects that are typical for me — meaning they’re all over the map!

Well it’s been a while since I posted. Since we last checked in I finished the season with the KWS, including a wonderful performance of Les nuits d’été with the fabulous Measha Brueggergosman. She has a nice history with the orchestra, having done her first Verdi Requiem and more with the orchestra. She has the bearing of a diva, but the truth is she is a very serious, no-BS musician who likes to work things out. We have plans for future concerts in KW, and they are cool.

After the season, Tom and I spent a week in “cottage country,” Stratford, Niagara Falls, Niagara wine country, and Tornoto. It was nice to hang out in Ontario with out work hanging over my head — it’s a beautiful, fun place to hang. Next summer I have to get more of my Cali friends up here.

Then three days in Cardiff, Wales with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW) for some radio recordings. Britten Cello Symphony with Danjulo Ishizaka and Hindemith Schwanendreher with Maxim Rysanov. These are two concertos that I’ll probably never get to do live without some serious explaining, but they’re both great works. The Cello Symphony in particular is not easy going for the listener. The music makes me feel trapped and empty. It is full of the intense yearning you find in Peter Grimes, but yearning for what? Britten never exactly answers the questions he poses in his music.

Now I’m back in SF, and I must have serious jet-lag because I heard Mahler’s Adagietto in the men’s locker room of my yuppie gym. This kind of stuff is what drove Daniel Barenboim out of this country. Anyway, I would like to believe that it subtly reminded all of us trying to keep fit, that we’re all gonna die anyway.

Last week I went to Amoeba Records again and picked up a rather edgy set of CD’s … it’s all pretty dark stuff.

Black Flag - Damaged (an old favorite — recently covered on an amazing record by the Dirty Projectors)

Portishead - Third (creeeeepy and cooooooool)

Justice - Cross (”as seen on MTv,” appparently. Nat Stookey and I got excited about this at the listening station. It’s fun dance music, and Nat is researching such music for his new piece of musical erotica, Zipperz, coming soon to an orchestra near you.)

Sparks - Lil’ Beethoven (a minimalist masterpiece)

Motörhead - Ace of Spades (cause I’ve never heard it)

BONUS: Michael Tilson Thomas gave me a recording of Schubert by Javier Perianes which is beautiful and haunting. I’d never heard of this pianist before but I’d like to hear more … it’s from another world which is how I like my Schubert.

When I was in high school, spending hours and hours listening to Beethoven string quartets and Mahler symphonies, I wondered to myself, “how is this music making me feel this way?” When I arrived at Harvard and started taking Music 51, this question began to be answered, thanks to John Stewart.

John Stewart is a composer and an educator, protégé of Harvard professor Luise Vosgerchian, who in turn was a student of Nadia Boulanger. John carried on the Boulanger tradition teaching harmony with only one “texbook” — the Bach Chorales. He knew every chorale inside-out, and taught us harmony from the ground up, using Bach for every example. What was extraordinary about John was that he taught us the why of harmony, not just the what. Every example was demonstrated with wonder at Bach’s achievement, and an emotional reaction to Bach’s every harmonic move. I like to think that I carry these emotional reactions with me when I perform, understanding the music simultaneously with the mind and the heart. If I am successful in this respect at all, it is thanks to John. Every week when I travel to conduct a new concert, I bring my scores, my tails, my batons, and John Stewart.

John is retiring from Harvard, and it’s not entirely clear that this wonderful tradition of music education will continue there. In fact, it’s rare to find this kind of awareness of harmony in many places these days. That’s because it takes great knowledge, effort, devotion and love to teach it. I hope the tradition that John inherited and passed on will continue. I’ll do my best in that respect.

For John’s retirement concert, there was music by Bach, Stravinsky, and John Stewart himself. It was played by his current students, former students from violinist Joseph Lin to jazz great Don Byron. We ended by singing a Bach chorale together.

John’s music held up very well with the two other greats on the program. That bodes well, since John plans to devote a great deal of his time to composing. Though I imagine that if some wise and curious music student came knocking at his door, he might be able to lend a hand. He is a truly great and generous person — so how could he resist?

electric:

acoustic: