ESO Concert

I'm not tired, so I figured I'd blog about the concert I went to tonight.

First off, there was a couple sitting next to me who didn't really know what was going on. They kept talking at a relatively high volume throughout the first half, which annoyed me, but I understood when, as we were sitting back down after intermission, they asked me what the big violin was called. I told them it was a viola, and they looked not quite happy. Then, they asked what the woman with the grey hair was playing. It was a cello, I told them, and for good measure, I told them which ones were the double basses, too. ^_^

We all know that the non-trumpet music isn't important, so I won't talk about it. The Hummel was up first, and, I gotta say, I didn't like the performance. I seemed kinda phoned in. It lacked energy and tension. I think the main reason is that the piece just wasn't challenging enough for him. I was telling Peter over the break that the trumpet world needs a Christian Loba (Lauba?). Then, after the break, was the Jolivet, and that made me happy. I've always called music like that "Post-Romantic." Stravinsky's good stuff, ie, when he's not the model of Neo-Classicism, is also in this category. It's got the intense feel of Romantic Music, but has more complexity and interest. Ole Antonsen delivered a much better performance on this piece, I think.

When I went backstage afterwards, I saw a bunch of people I knew, but no Ole Antonsen. Russ showed us to him (Ian Trace was there to, and he's dating Cathy Glasper, which floored me, since I didn't know they knew the other existed), and so I got to congratulate him, but I didn't get to talk to him about the Jolivet. Russ gave a lecture on it before the concert, but I missed it, so maybe I'll get him to give me the jist of it in lesson on Monday. That should eat up some time. ^_^

Tomorrow: I continue to lounge around! Yay!

Post #72

So I caught up on my blog reading. Ali's took the longest. She's wondering whether she's possessed by demons. Somebody needs to get that girl to a psychiatrist. Quickly. She's so obviously suffering from depression that I'm amazed that an intelligent person like her doesn't realize it. Poor Ali...

So I'm going to the Symphony tonight. Yay, Ole Antonsen! His C trumpet rocks. It was sent to him by Bud Herseth, and it even has this neat colouring to it. That thing will be worth a lot of money one day... But if anybody doesn't have anything to do tonight, student rush tickets are cheap! I was telling this History prof on Thursday night how easy it is to get backstage. If you go in through the back door, there's a guard, but if you go in through the front door, you can walk right in. It's kinda funny, actually. ^_^ But I suppose most people reading my blog know that already...

I also dug out the sweatpants I bought in highschool for lounging around this weekend. They say "jazz" on the bum. ^_^ I'd wear them more often, but my dog chewed through them a number of years ago, so there are holes in the legs.

Oh, and I took the Which Famous Leader Are You quiz that Jo had on her blog. I'm Hitler, apparently because I'm paranoid. Huh... I think I'll do that pictures thing later, too. For now, though, I'm going to go pour myself some more tea. :-)

*does happy dance of no more insane workload*

Hey, Cheney's cronie resigned. Spiffy.

Alrighty! Week of Hell is OVER!!!! And it went well, all things considered! Yesterday I had to skip my afternoon class to get my two projects finished in time to go to the bar, but I did it, and so I rewarded myself with a horrible, but free, "vodka and seven." See, last night was the graduate history students' Hallowe'en party, as a believe I mentioned, and for the event, the Iron Horse had been booked, even though there were only about 100 people there. The tickets entitled people to a free drink before 10, but it was restricte to highballs. Now, you tell me to find you a 60-40 cab-bordeau wine and I've got no problem, but I have no idea what the hell a highball is. I tried ordering a vodka and cranberry, but they wouldn't let me do that, and suggested the vodka and seven. I figured what the hell. Yeah, that was a mistake. Later, I gave Peter five bucks and got him to get me a vodka and cranberry. That was much better. Oh, and many people met, yada yada, but they were all in costume, so I totally won't be able to recognise them later. ^_^

Okay, I've decided that this weekend, I will catch up on the past, like, two weeks of blog reading. The only ones I've been able to keep up with are Kaitlyn's and Joyce's, and that's because they don't update that often. All the others I read, though, have fallen by the wayside in my mad mid-semester crunch.

*does another happy dance of no more insane workload*

Maybe Only the Seventh Level

Well, today hasn't been as bad so far as I was expecting it to be, mostly because my Score Study project and Text/Character Analysis project weren't due today after all. Friday, instead. So I hope to work on one of them tonight after the masterclass, and finish both tomorrow by dinner so that I can go to the Hallowe'en party at the Iron Horse tomorrow night. It's the gradute history and classics students' association (or whatever it's called) who's putting this on, and apparently this one Russian history prof is quite the amusing drunk. Plus, I'm not sure that I'd believe that Peter went to a Hallowe'en party at the Iron Horse unless I saw it with my own two eyes. ^_^ We'll see if I get everything done in time, though. I'm not sure if I'll have any time tonight if we go out after the masterclass. I've resigned myself to doing this masterclass without really knowing the piece I'm playing. There's just no time. Stupid no time.

Anyway, maybe I can go do some reasearch on Handel before I have to leave.

Tweak

The changes I've made to my blog aren't permanent. I don't think. It's just something to muck around with during a short break. But tell me what you think--I might keep them for at least a while.

Descent

I'm staring down the gullet of the week of hell. As far as I know, I present in my Scene Study class tomorrow, but it might be Wednesday. I still need to memorise the last two sections of my monololgue, but the last one can be fudged pretty easily. Then, on Wednesday, I have the Text Analysis/Bone Structure due for that project, as well as my Score Study project for Conducting AND the masterclass with Ole Antonsen, which I'm guaranteed to play at. Thursday is my Percussion Techniques playing mid-term, which would be easy if I'd go out and buy the goddamn book already, and I can't remember whether my Conducting Assignment is on Wednesday of Friday, although I suspect it's Wednesday. Wednesday will be the day of the Ninth Level. Anyway, off to work~!

Mmm... Cherry-Flavoured

Ok, so I promised that I'd come back today with a happier spin on things. And today actually wasn't that bad. I ate a pomegranate (sp?) at lunch! It was messy and tart and very yummy. It made my afternoon happy. :-)

I... did surprisingly little today, considering I really haven't stopped. Went to class this morning and watched presentations. Yippy. Went to see my doctor in Mill Woods, went and ate lunch, went to Conducting class and came home and worked on my monologue. Now I'm thinking about what to eat for dinner. If I wasn't so hungry, I'd go grocery shopping. I'm almost out of cereal and microwavable stuff. Mmm... student chow.

Jenilee and I have been playing phone tag since Wednesday. I'm hoping to be able to see her this weekend, but tomorrow I have rehearsal at 10 and Dave's slightly belated birthday dinner, which, yet again, I am surprised to be invited to. Oh, well. I like Dave, and I guess he doesn't think of me a his brother's annoying girlfriend, so it's all good. Plus, yay yummy food at Jack's Grill! Mmm... not student chow.

I tried taking my dog for a short walk to the mail box today and he ran all over the neighborhood, eventually stopping to accost a couple of kids with his barks, tail and tongue, at which point I was able to catch him and carry him home. I think he's slightly resentful. Maybe I'll give him one of those chewies he likes. Would that be reinforcing his behaviour, though? Or is his memory short enough that he wouldn't remember? Hmmm...

Oh, and in the mail was a photo radar ticket for my dad. I was quite delighted at the addition to my arsenal of things to bring up if my dad ever criticises my driving. ^_^

Anyway, I require food. Maybe a bagel and a package of Hallowe'en candy. Mmm...