tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283000962011-04-21T17:03:49.709-04:00periodic posts pertaining to my privileged presence in aspen, CO.s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.comBlogger431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155963390678162752006-08-19T00:56:00.000-04:002006-08-23T20:45:56.916-04:00

It’s been a wonderful nine weeks, but I am ready for:Normal peopleMy familyMy own churchMy Mom’s cookingMy own bedA regular scheduleThings I am not ready for:80s and 90sHUMIDITYNo bike trailsNo mountainsAll-in-all, I think I can handle HOME. It will be nice.See (many of you) in a few days.

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155963324417663382006-08-19T00:52:00.000-04:002006-08-19T00:55:24.420-04:00

After all the high adventure of Independence Pass, I went back to my room and slept for perhaps 30 minutes, and then started my day again. I biked downtown to Main Street Bakery, where my quartet met with Mr. Graham, our coach. We treated him (and ourselves) to a delightfully delectable (and very filling) breakfast. We had a really nice time chatting and eating. Mr. Graham has taught us so much.

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155963046492278742006-08-19T00:50:00.000-04:002006-08-19T00:50:46.496-04:00

 

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155962869036481352006-08-19T00:45:00.000-04:002006-08-19T10:34:33.633-04:00

Today we carried out the crazy plan. Perry (collaborative pianist, Bible Study) and I awoke at 4:30AM and drove up to Independence Pass to watch the sunrise. Independence Pass is (if I’m not mistaken) the highest point in the U. S. that you can drive to. All the mountains around you are Fourteeners, because you’re standing at 12,000 feet in the parking lot. It was so beautiful. We got there just

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155962581289675152006-08-19T00:40:00.000-04:002006-08-19T10:36:11.156-04:00

This week our quartet had the privilege of two back-to-back performance opportunities for our Shostakovich 5. The first was on a program that one of the Seminar conductors was putting together. He had programmed Richard Strauss’ long and complicated Metamorphosen, scored for 23 solo strings. He needed something else to round out the program, so we gladly obliged. The concert was held in the

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155962151355803682006-08-19T00:34:00.000-04:002006-08-19T00:35:51.363-04:00

Yes, you read correctly, KBAPTET [kuh-bap-TET]. That is the name we had chosen for our quartet. It is a horrible Anglicized transliteration of the Russian for quartet. How did we come across it? It was printed at the top of our Shostakovich. Original? No. Quirky? Yes. Cool? We think so.

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155961984861544022006-08-19T00:29:00.000-04:002006-08-19T00:33:04.866-04:00

Thursday morning James (from my quartet and Bible study) and I took a 10-mile round-trip ride down the Rio Grande bike trail. It goes about 15 miles from Aspen down to Basalt. It’s a very pleasant, well-maintained path, with a nice gentle grade (downhill out of Aspen, uphill on the way back). It was a beautiful day, and we really enjoyed each other’s conversation, as well as looking at the

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155961444975903792006-08-19T00:06:00.000-04:002006-12-25T00:24:45.356-05:00

Tuesday evening I broke my concert-fast (which was self-imposed, regretfully, in favor of preparing for my weekly appointment with Masao Kawasaki). The delightful repast which I partook of was constituted of the Double Violin Concerto, and the 3rd, 4th, and 5th concertos dedicated to the Margrave of Brandenburg by the Great One, the illustrious, prolific, the masterful, the inspired and inspiring

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155960164181842332006-08-18T23:59:00.000-04:002006-08-19T00:02:44.186-04:00

Monday we had our last Bible study, so we decided to make it a grand event. We ordered pizza and drove up to Maroon Bells to study the Words of the Creator of all the beauty up there. And there was plenty of beauty to go around. We watched a nice sunset, and then the stars started peeping out one by one. By the time we left, about 10:00, they were all declaring the glory of God and boasting of

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155096806353496622006-08-09T00:11:00.000-04:002006-08-10T22:25:55.053-04:00

The first was spectacular not for the music, but for the thunderstorm. I went to hear Leonard Slatkin conduct the Aspen Festival Orchestra in Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony. I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, about the time they started the 1st movement, a great wind blew up and a storm started coming in. By the end of the movement, you couldn’t hear the orchestra (and they were

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155096661118430992006-08-09T00:08:00.000-04:002006-08-09T16:26:05.196-04:00

The other portion of time I spent at Wheeler was significantly more pleasant. It involved attending a portion of the dress rehearsal and the opening night performance of a brand-new opera, Our Town, based on the classic Thornton Wilder play, with libretto by J. D. McClatchy and a fantastic score by Ned Rorem. Interestingly enough, both Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein had sought permission

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155096346543166772006-08-09T00:03:00.000-04:002006-08-09T00:05:46.546-04:00

The last full week of July was occupied significantly with opera. Instead of repertoire reading sessions, we rehearsed Mozart opera scenes with students form the Aspen Opera Theatre Center (AOTC). We did duets, quartets and quintets from Die Zauberflöte, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Cosi fan Tutte, and L’Oca del Cairo. It was boring. some of the singers were very good. Others...were not. We

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155095888862547732006-08-08T23:56:00.000-04:002006-08-09T16:21:46.786-04:00

Two weeks ago today, we had Bible Study very much nearer the heavens than we had been used to. It was the annual AMFS President’s Picnic on top of Aspen Mountain, which rises about 3200 feet above the town to a height of around 11,000 feet. What all this meant was a free ride up on the new gondolas (this regularly costs about $20) and a very tasty free lunch from the restaurant at the top. With

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1155095263688420432006-08-08T23:46:00.000-04:002006-08-08T23:47:43.696-04:00

Yes, it’s been quite some time since I’ve posted. And I realize that some of you are getting very tired of checking my blog, only to find that the monotony and stagnation of postlessness continue. But here I am to counter all of that! Yes, I’m back into the blogging business. So, let’s see if I can remember what’s been going on for the past couple of weeks...

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1154924587502028552006-08-07T00:22:00.000-04:002006-08-08T14:19:58.083-04:00

I'll post something soon. Really, I will. You just wait and see.

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1153706580797394002006-07-23T21:57:00.000-04:002006-07-23T22:03:00.796-04:00

I was riding the bus up here to the Music School Campus, and I asked some of my conductor friends what they were doing up here. They told me they had a masterclass on Copland's Appalachian Spring (original chamber version for 13 players) with Leonard Slatkin. So I decided to sit in on it for a bit. Very cool. He says alot of the same things Zinman does. Just thought it was nifty, and would post

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1153706117142408602006-07-23T21:40:00.000-04:002006-07-25T19:12:59.030-04:00

Last night I heard something that I've never heard in my life, and likely will hear very few times in the years to come. It was a recital by the world's undisputed leading bassist, Edgar Meyer. It was unbelievable. I had seen him on TV and heard recordings, but I've never seen anyone play a bass that beautifully live.The first half of the evening was composed of some repertoire standards (mostly

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1153328487899999522006-07-19T12:58:00.000-04:002006-07-21T17:37:57.353-04:00

Life in this place can be very interesting at times. First of all, the residents: There are about 5000-7000 year-round residents. Most of the people who live here, though, come for a few weeks in the summer, a few in the winter. That doesn't mean that they all just rent a condo (though some of them do, for somewhere around $200,000 a year for several weeks of time). Many of them have a home (or

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1153325723336357202006-07-19T12:08:00.000-04:002006-07-20T13:09:27.150-04:00

On Monday we decided to have our Bible Study in the great outdoors. We hiked up to Ute rock, which is on the far side of the Aspen Mountain from where I'm staying. We had a really great Bible Study in Hebrews 5 and really enjoyed just being together as Christian friends.Here's us taking a breather on the trail. on Ute Rock Aspen from the top Ute Rock from the bottom 

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1153325071807355862006-07-19T11:56:00.000-04:002006-07-29T12:11:42.766-04:00

This is me with Lev, our concertmaster, last night after the concert. Lev is such a great guy. He's assistant concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra during the year. For a month in the summer, he fills the Isaac Stern Concertmaster's Chair in our orchestra (and no, I don't think Mr. Stern ever occupied that post). Lev's got a great sense of humor and has been such a grand leader for us (he can

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1153184298196407132006-07-17T20:52:00.000-04:002006-07-18T01:04:49.393-04:00

...I was a the concert the other night.Because you'll never guess who I saw...OK, so I'll tell you.MARTHA STEWARTAnd no, she wasn't in an orange jumpsuit. It's just so weird to be walking around and suddenly you recognize somebody you've seen on TV. (Yes, I actually watched her show at one time. She made cool food. How could I not watch?) :-)

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1152754717139852952006-07-12T21:36:00.000-04:002006-07-18T15:40:16.330-04:00

a forest of aspen looking back down the valley, away from the Bells Columbine, the state flower more wildflowers 

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1152754489620655382006-07-12T21:10:00.000-04:002006-07-20T11:11:02.160-04:00

Today I had one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. I went hiking in the Maroon Bells Wilderness Area. The Maroon Bells is a pair of peaks made of loose, reddish rock (actually, some of the mountains surrounding them are much more reddish in hue). They tower at least 4000 feet above the valley floor.This morning I boarded a shuttle that drove me up to the wilderness area, with a little

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1152751924516555522006-07-12T20:28:00.000-04:002006-07-15T15:38:54.373-04:00

There are a lot of things going on here every day, but my schedule is so tight that I can usually make it to only 2 or 3 events a week. I was there for Opening Night to hear Vladimir Feltsman play a Shostakovich Piano sonata, to be joined later in the Piano quintet by my teacher and other excellent artists. It was a very fine start to the festival. Several days later I heard the Jupiter Quartet,

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1151973771262923082006-07-03T20:41:00.000-04:002006-07-09T20:32:29.906-04:00

aspen groveI met this fine fellow when stopping to take pictures some flowers.We kept our distance from each other.

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1151973466923086232006-07-03T20:36:00.000-04:002006-07-04T00:00:27.646-04:00

Mondays are my days off. Nothing is officially scheduled until the evening. I had only unofficial things to do today. So, I unofficially decided that I would take a bike-ride. I had heard of a ghost-town called Ashcroft, about 10 miles from here, and decided I’d give try to visit it. Now, 10 miles is a long way, but it’s especially nasty uphill. So...I didn’t get to Ashcroft. I went probably 6-7

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1151964034206364692006-07-03T17:57:00.000-04:002006-07-07T15:50:04.786-04:00

Aspen has the peculiarity of attracting both the rich and famous of the music world and other disciplines. The other night, as I was waiting in line for my tickets to hear the Takacs in Harris Hall (directly next to the Music Tent), I popped my head in the Tent to hear John McCain speaking. He was answering a question on teaching creation and evolution. Very interesting, I thought. A little later

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1151963693647134432006-07-03T17:53:00.000-04:002006-07-03T23:57:59.076-04:00

Several days ago I had the great privilege of sitting in on the first rehearsal with soloist of Kevin Puts’ Cello Concerto, Vision. Maestro Zinman was conducting the Festival Orchestra, Mr. Puts was sitting five rows in front of me, and Yo-Yo Ma was the soloist. It was a pretty amazing experience. Yo-Yo was fantastic. The cello part is about the hardest, most random thing you can think of, but

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1151780055946834532006-07-01T14:34:00.000-04:002006-07-08T17:18:16.620-04:00

Just thought I'd let you all know that I'm still alive. Monday seems to be about the only day of the week that I can set aside some time to write at length. Here's a little update, anyway.My quartet, consisting of [Me, Violin, Greenville, BJU]; [James, Violin, Las Vegas, CIM]; [Christine,Viola, Spokane, U of M]; [Adam, Cello, Houston, CIM] had a wonderful coaching session yesterday at the home of

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1151363982334064292006-06-26T19:19:00.000-04:002006-07-01T09:32:06.983-04:00

You will most likely be happy to be informed that some friends and I started a Bible study today, which we hope to continue on Mondays following. We’re looking at a Psalm and a chapter of Hebrews each week. Very nice stuff. A pleasant surprise: two of the members of my quartet (yes, I’m in a quartet, and we’re playing Shostakovich 5) are taking part as well. So that’s a nice added blessing. Just

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1151363226593646052006-06-26T18:56:00.000-04:002006-06-29T07:34:18.716-04:00

Well, I’ve been in CO for two weeks now, and it’s about time I got down to writing something substantive and interesting. So here goes. As I wrote before I’m in the AACA orchestra. We’re basically the lab orchestra for the conductors of the AACA. The string section is made of fellowship students (like me) and conductors. The winds/brass/percussion sections are comprised of conductors and W/B/P

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1151115608472335422006-06-23T22:15:00.000-04:002006-06-26T06:45:55.620-04:00

This is my trusty steed, Trek. The Trek 800 comes fully equipped with wheels, pedals, seat, handle bars, and 15 gears which work (most of the time).[water bottle, water, lock, terrain and man-power sold separately]And I promise to actually post something interesting in the next couple of days... 

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1151003418019497672006-06-22T15:05:00.000-04:002006-07-15T22:21:11.516-04:00

My computer arrived yesterday. I hope to try to get on some sort of blog-schedule, so I don't go for weeks without posting anything, to the great frustration of those who check this blog several times a day (you know who you are :-)I have to go practice for my first lesson now, but let me leave you with a glimpse into the beauty of this place. This photo was taken about a 1-minute bike ride from

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1150415734375077992006-06-15T19:46:00.000-04:002006-06-18T07:45:44.416-04:00

Greetings from Aspen!I was finally able to get over to the library and on to a computer (I really hope my laptop is able to get here soon). I've gotten settled in just fine. I've got two roomates, a violist and a bassoonist. They share the back bedroom, and I have the front room all to myself :-) This weekend is when things start up for real with rehearsals and all that. My first concert isn't

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1150071734112523462006-06-11T20:07:00.000-04:002006-06-15T06:26:37.723-04:00

...well I am, at least. I take off tomorrow (dark) and early, flying to Denver by way of Atlanta. I'll stay a day with my friend, who works for this guy. Then on Tuesday I'll take a shuttle a few hours up to Aspen, and the journey will begin. Thank you for your prayers and support. I'll definitely be in need of them. Now, I need to get a little sleep. It's going to be an early morning and a long

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1149783443132458632006-06-08T12:07:00.000-04:002006-06-08T12:17:23.140-04:00

For those of you interested in finding out what the festival has to offer this summer, I highly recommend listening to these audio interviews that give an excellent overview of the events planned for the next nine weeks. The interviewees are AMFS administrators and directors of the major programs. I'm getting excited just listening to them...

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1149618065864220232006-06-06T13:53:00.001-04:002006-06-11T17:42:07.446-04:00

In exactly one week I will be arriving in Aspen for the summer. Kinda scary, ay? That means I have a LOT of practicing/packing/praying/preparing to do. I'm pretty excited to be going, and yet a little apprehensive at the same time. There's so much I don't know about the Festival, the town, etc. I’d appreciate your prayers as I get ready to leave. Anybody know some good preventions/remedies for

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1149032149266121902006-05-30T19:20:00.000-04:002006-05-31T11:11:02.660-04:00

That's right, folks. I've just been promoted to the rank of two-star uncle. Weighing in at a healthy 7 lbs. 13 oz, and stretching out to nineteen inches, GABRIEL ROBERT COLLINS was born at 4:50pm, EST. Both baby and mommy are doing well.An interesting fact: Gabe was born on Memorial Day (it's actually today, though we celebrated it yesterday). His almost-two-year-old cousin, Charlotte, was born

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1148839981077310312006-05-28T13:51:00.000-04:002006-06-10T20:54:38.206-04:00

It’s been several months since I first seriously contemplated applying for entry into the AMFS, and much has happened since then that has been amazing to behold. Credit goes first to my amazing mother, who acts much of the time as my agent, looking things up on the web, collecting information about competitions and programs, and generally seeing to my future. She brought Aspen up, and I

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1148754229316920792006-05-27T14:13:00.000-04:002006-05-27T14:23:49.326-04:00

Let’s talk about what this whole music festival thing is about. The nine-week Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) is the highlight of the cultural year for the town of Aspen, CO. There is an excellent year-round concert series (and great skiing in the winter), but the weeks from mid-June through August are when things really get exciting. Guest artists by the dozen come to perform chamber

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1148697925402054402006-05-26T22:33:00.000-04:002006-05-26T22:45:25.410-04:00

So glad you asked."Blog" is short for "web log." A blog is a personalized internet publishing format, usually consisting of a chronological collection of entries made of text, pictures, or links. A blog is anything the blogger makes it. Some are similar to personal diaries. Many blogs are topic-specific. For example, a blog may be dedicated to discussing a certain author, musical genre, or

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1148696620888989112006-05-26T22:17:00.000-04:002006-08-24T22:56:26.286-04:00

Just to be safe, I must notify all readers that I am not responsible for the content of any web site linked to from this blog. To the best of my knowledge, every link is free from inapropriate content. There is always the chance, however, that the site that I linked to could change, and introduce unwanted content. Please understand that it is my goal to direct you to helpful/interesting/

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28300096.post-1147969661131075442006-05-18T12:25:00.000-04:002006-05-26T22:31:32.996-04:00

9 May, 2006 MI

s'morehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01868528056854963366noreply@blogger.com0