Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Well, everyone was filled with good comments, to say the least. I really appreciate the feedback you guys give me constantly. I know it sounds like the same old song and dance, but I really mean it. And I promise to stop starting all my sentences with 'I'. Honestly. What are a couple favorite shortstories? Sandkings & The Wall of Darkness are two of mine. -- Check out the song 'Amaranth' on my playlist. It's a new Nightwish track, and despite ominous forthcoming feelings, it's turned out to be just the opposite of what I thought it'd be. And that makes me feel awesome. Listen to it. What do you think? Better than Tarja? I think so. Have a day. Maybe win the Lottery.

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Thursday, October 11, 2007

Well, tomorrow I get to see Franz. :D -- Quick question: Why are you here, on this site? All of you? Why? Why do you like to write about stuff? I asked this question about a year ago and still can’t figure an answer. Have an extra-plus day. Double-plus fun. Future language. (It’s a 1984 joke. Actually, that isn’t something to joke about.)

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Wednesday, September 26, 2007

What up? Life is going on, but just a couple of things. + School sucks because I might have gone to a Cleveland Orchestra rehearsal (I got permission to go) but it was at 11:00 AM on Friday. In other news, I will be suffering in school during this almost-glory event. Not fair? You've guessed it. + I watched this movie called Rosenstrasse. It wasn't the best film I've ever seen, but had a strong message: to me, the most important message of the film was that even little actions can make a big difference. Some women that had husbands imprisoned in a factory on a street named Rosenstrausse stood outside day after day--even once when the Nazis called reinforcments and had firearms--until their husbands were released. 'Tis a true story, as well. Other than those two items, I haven't been doing much. If anyone has listened to any good music lately, then feel free to let me know. I always love a new listen. And thanks for all of the advice concerning the mp3 players and iPods. I learned some things--and still think I'm getting an mp3. Grazie, folks. Oh, and have a nice day too.

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Monday, September 17, 2007

Lustige Sache: Ich weiß nicht, wenn ich eher Franz Welser-Möst als Mentor haben würde -- er würde sein Alter sein -- oder, wenn jünger -- weil dann ich in der LageSEIN würde, über ihm zu geifern, wenn irgendeine unbeständige Wahrscheinlichkeit des Schicksals uns treffen ließ -- aber ich denke, würde ich ihn eher haben, zum bis zu schauen, egal wie stattlich. A friend of mine told me that. Actually I told him and he told me. So ha to you, Stephen. I doubt you’re reading this. -- Anyways, I’m thinking about buying an mp3 player. I was wondering if anyone has any advice about which one would be a good one to buy, because I’m sort of in the dark about this and I don’t know what to get. And one thing—I’m not getting the iPod for a few reasons, so please don’t say, “get an iPod[insert type]. Just to clarify, I don’t want one because they’re just too expensive (because I want something with 8+ GB memory and has the capacity to play videos), and I have way to many WMA files, and iPod only plays the iTunes format. Sucks. Plus I’ve got a whole few bunch of FWM lectures and Advent Children movie, so there’s no way that I’m getting something that isn’t capable of supporting that type of file. Also, I don’t want a hard-drive memory. That all being said, please give away advice. Remember, it can grow on trees if you want it too. I’d love to hear any and all comments on mp3 players. Oh, and if you really want to talk about iPods, go ahead. This isn’t a fascist blog so go ahead and say whatever you want. I’m not going to string you up by your ankle with a fish-hook. Have lovely lovely day please.

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Thursday, September 13, 2007

Q: What got you so hooked on orchestra-type music in the first place? A: I don’t know, to be honest with you. I guess what I enjoy so much about it is that it can be very boisterous in-your-face type of music, and then all the same and sometimes only a few bars later it can be melancholy or mysterious. Besides, who wants a singer telling you what to think while you listen to music? Many composers leave the music to be interpreted by the listener. Orchestral music is something that you can’t force yourself to enjoy; if you don’t “get it” you never will. Now, if you want to “get it” than you can. And another reason I like it—much wider range of repertoire—seriously try a couple hundred years worth of joyous noise. Q: Do you play an instrument? A: Yes, I play the violin and piano. -- Well, those were the only two questions that I received (and then thanks to Le Kun and Crystal Flute for involving themselves.) -- On a much more interesting note, this is “be a fangirl for one moment” day. Go ahead. Squeal about some guy. Paste the link of his oh-so-hot picture in your comment. Just trying to make everyone feel like they can share. Or give someone a chance to be weird [because I know your dying to]. And I’ve just noticed that I always put words in those damn brackets. Oh well. I like them too, thanks for asking. -- 7 more days ‘till that concert which I haven’t explained about to anyone. You probably don’t need to ask. You probably already know. …okay, maybe not. But if you really want to know, go to TCO's Website. Ta-ta.

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Sunday, September 9, 2007

I’m glad that I got some feedback from the previous post. These were the questions, just for the record. 1. Have you ever been to an orchestral hall? 2. Have you ever given a concert? 3. Does silence between the Allegro and Adagio or Minuet/Trio bother you? 4. Do you have a clue what I’ve said? 5. Do you care? Le Kun: Since when did musicians not earn their applause. Their praise was never ending in my opinion. Well from me alone that is. I love them and never take anyone's part in a musical piece for granted. Nope~ Though I do not know how I'd go about contacting my local symphony orchestra. Believe me, I would if I could. Yamis Pharaohess: “Whatever concert I go, if I liked what I heard, I clap freely, not the same motion 5 times over, like I've seen some people do.” 1.) No, but I would given the chance. I've been to an orchestra concert at my school a few times, though. 2.) Yes, I was in Choir up until 8th grade. 3.) Hmm... 4.) The last question, I barely know what you said. (Yes, I know, I'm lame!) 5.) Yes I do! ^^ Whatever concert I go, if I liked what I heard, I clap freely, not the same motion 5 times over, like I've seen some people do. I hate it when people do clap like they are robots or something. Applause gives the concert-giver the satisfaction that what they gave the audience was pleasing to the group. Akiko44: 1. Have you ever been to an orchestral hall? Yup 2. Have you ever given a concert? Yup, a couple, twice a year for 3 years. 3. Does silence between the Allegro and Adagio or Minuet/Trio bother you? Very much so, only suceeds in making you even more nervous 4. Do you have a clue what I’ve said? Yup 5. Do you care? Yes. Shred: 1. i think so 2. does 6th grade count 3) what the hell? 4)ha guess i answerd that 5)yes -- Since it seemed like everyone was so eager to find out what they could do to help, I’ve gotten a list of pretty much every orchestra that is somewhat important in the country [ayuda de wiki]. Plus Switzerland. If you want any other, just ask or go look for it. California •Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra •California Symphony •Columbia Symphony Orchestra •Diablo Symphony Orchestra •Fremont Symphony Orchestra •Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra •Hollywood Symphony Orchestra •Long Beach Symphony Orchestra •Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra •Los Angeles Philharmonic •Merced Symphony Orchestra •Modesto Symphony Orchestra •Monterey Symphony •North State Symphony •Oakland East Bay Symphony •Pacific Symphony •Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra •San Diego Symphony •San Fernando Valley Symphony •San Francisco Chamber Orchestra •San Francisco Pops Orchestra •San Francisco Symphony •San Jose Symphony (defunct) •Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra •Santa Cruz County Symphony •Santa Rosa Symphony •Stockton Symphony •Symphony Silicon Valley •Temple Hill Symphony Orchestra Colorado •Colorado Springs Philharmonic •Colorado Symphony Orchestra Connecticut •Greenwich Symphony Orchestra •Hartford Symphony Orchestra •New Haven Symphony Orchestra •Orchestra New England •Waterbury Symphony Orchestra Florida •Broward Symphony Orchestra •Florida Intergenerational Orchestra •Florida Orchestra •Florida West Coast Symphony •Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra •Naples Philharmonic Orchestra •New River Orchestra •New World Symphony Orchestra •Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra •Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra •Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra Georgia •Atlanta Symphony Orchestra •New Trinity Baroque •Rome Symphony Orchestra Hawaii •Honolulu Symphony Orchestra Illinois •Chicago Sinfonietta •Chicago Symphony Orchestra •Elgin Symphony Orchestra •Grant Park Symphony Orchestra •Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra •Illinois State University Symphony Orchestra •Illinois Symphony Orchestra •Lyric Opera of Chicago •Peoria Symphony Orchestra •Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra Indiana •Carmel Symphony Orchestra •Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra •Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra •Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra •Lafayette Symphony Orchestra •Muncie Symphony Orchestra •Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra •Richmond Symphony Orchestra •South Bend Symphony Orchestra •Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra Iowa •Cherokee Symphony •Quad City Symphony Orchestra Kansas •Wichita Symphony Orchestra Kentucky •Kentucky Symphony Orchestra •Lexington Philharmonic •Louisville Orchestra •Owensboro Symphony Orchestra Louisiana •Acadiana Symphony Orchestra •Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra •Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra •Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra •Rapides Symphony Orchestra •Shreveport Symphony Orchestra Maine •Portland Symphony Orchestra Maryland •Annapolis Symphony Orchestra •Baltimore Symphony Orchestra •Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestra •Maryland Symphony Orchestra •Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra Massachusetts •Boston Classical Orchestra •Boston Modern Orchestra Project •Boston Philharmonic Orchestra •Boston Pops Orchestra •Boston Symphony Orchestra •Brockton Symphony Orchestra •Cape Ann Symphony Orchestra •Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra •Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra •Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra •Longwood Symphony Orchestra •Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra •New Bedford Symphony Orchestra •New England Philharmonic •New Philharmonia Orchestra of Massachusetts •North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra •Orchestra of Indian Hill •Plymouth Philharmonic •Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston •Springfield Symphony Orchestra •University of Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra Michigan •Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra •Detroit Symphony Orchestra •Flint Symphony Orchestra •Grand Rapids Symphony •Jackson Symphony Orchestra •Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra •Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra •Lansing Symphony Orchestra •Midland Symphony Orchestra •Royal Oak Symphony Orchestra •West Shore Symphony Orchestra Minnesota •Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra •Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra •Minnesota Orchestra •Minnesota Sinfonia •Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Mississippi •Mississippi Symphony Orchestra Missouri •Heritage Philharmonic •Kansas City Symphony •Lee's Summit Symphony Orchestra •Liberty Symphony Orchestra •Missouri Symphony •Northland Symphony Orchestra •St. Joseph Symphony •Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra •Springfield, MO Symphony Orchestra •University City Symphony Orchestra Montana •Billings Symphony Orchestra •Helena Symphony Orchestra Nebraska •Lincoln Symphony Orchestra •Omaha Symphony Orchestra Nevada •Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra New Hampshire •New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra •New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra New Jersey •New Jersey Symphony Orchestra New Mexico •New Mexico Symphony Orchestra •Santa Fe Community Orchestra •Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus New York •Albany Symphony Orchestra •American Symphony Orchestra •Amherst Symphony Orchestra •Astoria Symphony •Binghamton Philharmonic •Brooklyn Philharmonic •Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra •Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra •Clarence Summer Orchestra •Long Island Philharmonic •Massapequa Philharmonic Orchestra •NBC Symphony Orchestra •New York Philharmonic •New York Symphony Orchestra •Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra •Orchestra of St. Luke's •Orpheus Chamber Orchestra •Richmond County Orchestra •Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra •Syracuse Symphony Orchestra North Carolina •Asheville Symphony Orchestra •Charlotte Symphony Orchestra •Greensboro Symphony Orchestra •North Carolina Symphony •Wilmington Symphony Orchestra •Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra North Dakota •Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra •Minot Symphony Orchestra Ohio •Akron Symphony Orchestra •Canton Symphony •Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra •Cleveland Orchestra •Columbus Symphony Orchestra •Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra •Springfield Symphony Orchestra •Toledo Symphony Orchestra •Tuscarawas Philharmonic Orchestra •Youngstown Symphony Orchestra Oklahoma •Tulsa Symphony Orchestra Oregon •Eugene Symphony •Grande Ronde Symphony Orchestra •Oregon East Symphony •Oregon Symphony •Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra Pennsylvania •Allentown Symphony Orchestra •Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia •Erie Philharmonic •Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra •Johnstown Symphony Orchestra •Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic •Philadelphia Orchestra •Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra •Philly Pops •Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra •Pottstown Symphony Orchestra South Carolina •Carolina Pops Orchestra •Charleston Symphony Orchestra •Greenville Symphony Orchestra •South Carolina Philharmonic •Summerville Community Orchestra South Dakota •Black Hills Symphony Orchestra Tennessee •Chattanooga Symphony and Opera •East Tennessee Symphony Orchestra •Knoxville Symphony Orchestra •Memphis Symphony Orchestra •Nashville Symphony Orchestra Texas •Austin Pops •Austin Symphony Orchestra •Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra •Dallas Symphony Orchestra •East Texas Symphony Orchestra •El Paso Symphony Orchestra •Houston Symphony Orchestra •Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra •San Antonio Symphony •Waco Symphony Orchestra Utah •Orchestra at Temple Square •Orchestra of Sandy City •Southwest Symphony •Utah Symphony Orchestra •Utah Valley Symphony Vermont •Vermont Symphony Orchestra Virginia •Alexandria Symphony Orchestra •Charlottesville University Symphony Orchestra •Fairfax Symphony Orchestra •Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra •NVCC Annandale Symphony Orchestra •Prince William Symphony Orchestra •Richmond Symphony Orchestra •Virginia Beach Symphony Orchestra •Virginia Symphony Orchestra Washington •Mid-Columbia Symphony •Seattle Chamber Players •Seattle Symphony Orchestra •Spokane Symphony •Walla Walla Symphony •Vancouver Symphony Orchestra West Virginia •West Virginia Symphony Orchestra •Wheeling Symphony Wisconsin •Concord Chamber Orchestra, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin •Green Bay Symphony •La Crosse Symphony Orchestra •Madison Symphony Orchestra •Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra •Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra •Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Wyoming •Grand Teton Music Festival -- If I’ve seriously annoyed anyone, feel free to make note of it. Oh, and today is…[you know you want to know]… “Question the individual that writes these ‘what’s it’s’.” Here’s the fun part: you can ask me any question you want. Whether or not I’m going to answer it is an entirely different story, but if it’s relatively answerable, then I’ll answer it. However, I’ll be the judge of that. So have fun. And have a [insert your favorite color] day. So have a silver day. Addendum: I was looking through my archives and realize that I get sick at exactly the same time every year. Damn. Also: Severance>Carengie. Bye.

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Sunday, September 2, 2007

I support inter-movement applause. Know what it is? Exactly what it says. Now, I don’t know how many of you folks have ever set foot into an orchestra hall, but this “tradition” is getting ridiculously “old”. In other news I feel the need to talk about it. If you’ve ever played a concert, recital, or any type of musical performance, you can speak out of experience; I can, and there is nothing more nerve-wracking than the silence and/or occasional shuffle of the program by a nervous audience member (who by rights shouldn’t even be nervous; they probably have a problem with themselves), cough (by that poor unfortunate child who didn’t receive his Pertussis vaccination [and/or meningitis]), and shoe-scuffing irritation. We have to stop following silly twentieth-century traditions. (Ironically, it hasn’t even been around long enough to be called that.) 1. Have you ever been to an orchestral hall? 2. Have you ever given a concert? 3. Does silence between the Allegro and Adagio or Minuet/Trio bother you? 4. Do you have a clue what I’ve said? 5. Do you care? If you answered “yes” to question number five, feel free to contact your local symphony orchestra. It’s time for musicians to start earning their applause. I believe that it can be emotionally grating to hold back a strong urge to express approval at a conductor and orchestra’s triumph for a certain movement. After all, the next one might not be so good. I don’t mean for classical music to be like a jazz-hall or rock concert; fan-girl screeching punctuating every other bar (which is unlikely unless the conductor is [insert your favorite rock star’s name]) and impossibly fake singers (not all, I’m not generalizing, I promise), and annoyingly loud sluts that think just because they say meaningless things (at a conveniently elevated volume with the occasional head-turn/swish of the hair crap) and yet laugh with their huge group of friends everyone else is going to turn and think, “wow, I want to be just like that when I grow up.”; well, as I well started, I don’t want to turn a good ice-cream sundae into a pile of green and gray vomit on the pavement. What I do want is for everyone to feel comfortable. Come on, don’t tell me that it doesn’t embarrass the living hell out of a first-time concert-goer who is also an opera vetran who responds enthusiastically, “bravo, bravo!” when the conductor does something right. It’s like a big inside joke for classical musicians that make anyone else feel really weird. And everyone knows what it feels like to be on the butt end of not ‘getting’ an inside joke. So awkward. So impossible to nose-scratch and still not turn red. And besides, we need to boost musician confidence. After all, musicians are on the list of being the profession with the most mental problems (second to authors, of course), so they need to be emotionally stroked once and awhile. Applause does this. Just, to the point, this ridiculous “etiquette crap” needs to stop. Applause should not be a robotic move; it should be expressive, as the music is. Music should be an interactive experience between the audience, conductor, and orchestra. And cutting short applause is just like telling someone they have to listen to George W. Bush give his inaugural address with a piece of duck-tape attached to their mouth. Not fun. Oh, and trust me, I’ve already written a letter to my local orchestra. Enjoy the mental behavior. -- [This is the sane part] I hope everyone is doing okay. In all seriousness, you don’t have to read that post. You can skim it if you want. You can say whatever you want. I’m not going to tell you that being insightful is the best way to be. As far as I’m concerned, you can leave a comment that looks like this: .................................. However, I am allowed to interpret it however I want. Have a day.

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Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Hmmm. School starts tommorow. Now what did I ever do to deserve it, because as far as I'm concerning, it's a personal foul. Back off, man. Anyways, not really much to say. Since school has come trucking along at a faster pace than I would have liked; well, to repeat, not much to do or say about it. Holy shit. That was really bad. I mean level ten bad. Note to psychologists: let ever child know that they shall never be as follows-- Damn this planet and it's weird trends. -- Wozzeck was awesome. About this guy [methinks Franz Wozzeck] who lives with his 'mistress', Maria. He shaves/cuts his captain's hair [Franzie=soldier] for money, and also lets a doctor [coughcough] experiment on him for extra pay. Because of it, he is slightly insane and hallucinates/has visions. Well, to make a long story short, he finds out said mistress is cheating on him with a Drum Major, and he stabs Maria by a lake, then goes back to an inn where the people there ask why he has a bit of blood on him--he runs back to the place, thinking they've cornered him, finds the knife, chucks it into the lake, and, thinking it isn't far out enough, goes in and drowns. -- And I'll bet I'll see someone with an avatar of the latter. Just a little thing between me, myself, and I. Plus it's just human nature. Probably the reason this avatar is everywhere: -- Hug a doctor if your head is spinning in fifty different directions. It's probably a side-effect of medication. -- Have an awesome lovely whatever kind of day.

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Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Heyyo. Just need to get the horrible truth off my chest, first: SCHOOL STARTS ON TUESDAY FOR ME. DAMN THE UNFORTUNATE WHEEL OF LIFE. What do you all think of this? It struck a chord in me. Sorry, no new opera of the week [you know you're dissapointed]. I listened to Faust and Die Lusige Witwe. But...I did get this new one called Wozzeck, by Berg [remember Lulu? Same composer.], and I'm sort-of looking forward to listening to it. His operas are guaranteed to be really weird. All that being said, shoutout to the world. I just hope you're listening. Ta-ta, folkies.

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Monday, August 13, 2007

I watched the movie Life is Beautiful again for the millionth time. I really love that movie. Roberto Benigni is so brilliantly funny. Let's see, I'm starting this book called Mother of Pearl; it's a novel set in the South in the twentieth century [not later therein] and I'm hoping it'll be good. I'll let you guys know what I think of it when I'm done reading. Last night I went to see the play Othello. It was really good; there is just something about Shakepeare that is better when you see it on stage. Then, when reading the play by yourself, it comes to life. Although with some plays, the characters are already so colorful it doesn't matter [i.e. Cyrano]. And I listened to this opera called Lulu. It's really weird; has a modern theme. The main character, Lulu, is basically symbolic of women's sexuality. She goes throughout, by first with her husband, and then a painter, then a doctor, and then his son. At the end, both die to Jack the Ripper who was one of Lulu's clients (she is forced into prostitution after killing her doctor husband with a revolver and marrying his son). It was a "different" opera. Alright, but different. One of the best prologues, I think. Ta ta, todos, and have a good day.

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