Monday, January 30, 2012

Climb till ya drop

Lots of sessions at the climbing gym, which will make me stronger or destroy me; thus far, I'm becoming a monster.
Slowly, gradually picking away at the speedy passages in our concert music; it amazes me when I go over them and find they have stuck in my brain and fingers. Would that I had the boiler plate runs under my control, but there's a price to be paid for decades of neglect.
Really liking the lyrical passages of the "Jupiter" movement.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Slushball earth

What a bizarre week of snow, sleet, cold, and now the messy aftermath we've had. We've been deprived of a weekly band rehearsal, and forced to toil on our solitary own. Bits and pieces are starting to come together in the solar system.
Another fine session at the climbing gym with our dear kid; he's such an amazing athlete, and has become very patient in encouraging his old mom to get up the walls. I'm taking advantage of these little bits of time with him.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

beyond the Oort Cloud

The exploration of the Solar System in band has expanded to several more planets; the Mercury piece looks pretty zippy. Uranus was safely probed; Venus didn't get its fly by yet.
Meanwhile, the ostinato engines are revving up for Jupiter and Mars...

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Into orbit

Back in the saddle with the concert band; we began work on some of Holst's planets. We've always enjoyed the Planet Suite, and now we are immersed in it. We started with "Jupiter" and "Mars", both of which have me and my fellow clarinets beavering away on many fronts. And we have yet to get our hands on "Venus", "Saturn", and didn't delve into the problematic "Uranus." (Cue Beavis and Butthead chortling). A satisfying few months lie ahead before the spring concert.
Poor old clarinet broke a spring on the F sharp key; I thought she was a goner. Fortunately the repair folks were open, having a slow day, and cheerfully fixed it. Back to the speedy sixteenth notes...