Category Archives: classical music

Carter Brey’s Cadenza.

classical music, images, mystical experiences, , , , , ,

CarterBrey's Cadenza.

On March 17, 1987, New York Philharmonic principal ‘cellist Carter Brey performed as touring soloist with the Erie Philharmonic. At that time, I was a hired member of the EPO cello section. Rococo Variations and another work on tap, his selected candenza was one written by famed ‘Slava Rostropovich, who had been his principal teacher.

After its rehearsal, I approached him in the wings with what could only be termed the vacant, simple-minded slog of a bedazzled twenty-something, who had squandered all hope of scholarly insight by daydreaming during Cutler Silliman’s music history class.

“So…! What did you think of the cadenza?”, he tried, looking at me keenly, with expectation.

My response was incoherent.

(Twenty-seven years hence, that loop would replay in my head like the Voice of Chucky.) Hell bent on redeeming myself, I’d scuttled home and gotten to work. The result: this little morsel, which he would receive from me in snail mail. A copy, of course; I’d kept the original, just in case I’d wake up, say, twenty seven years later and realize it had all been a………..yeah. Time to learn the tune.

.

.

.

.

.

© 1987 lettered collage by Ruth Ann Scanzillo, presented to Carter Brey that same year.

Originally published at littlebarefeetblog.com, with accompanying caption,  © November 20, 2014; Re-Posted on March 17, 2016

All rights strictly reserved, on the artwork and the blurb. Thanks. — Ruth Ann Scanzillo

littlebarefeetblog.com

BUTTERFLY!

classical music, Uncategorized

 

Listen. Those who know me know I always gush about the Erie Chamber Orchestra’s performances. Yet, this is a staged, fully costumed, fully dramatized, fully fleshed out musical production – MADAMA BUTTERFLY, the opera by the amazing Puccini. And, the English subtitles will be clearly displayed across the top of the stage, on screen.

EASY to follow the action.

But ….the music.
The music will completely o.v.e.r.t.a.k.e you. You’ll be totally dumbfounded. You’ll be weeping and screaming, by the end.
And, it’s free.

That’s what I said.
You’d pay $60 a ticket for a show like this, anyplace else.
That is, quite simply, the truth.
7:30pm Saturday, in the Prep Auditorium on West 10th and Sassafras, in Erie PA, behind St. Peter’s Cathedral. Seats 800.
FREE.

Parking at the corner of Sassafras and 10th.
Erie Chamber Orchestra, Maestro Matthew Kraemer conducting.
Stage direction by Brent Weber. All principals are established professionals – one of them nationally recognized James Bobick, bass-baritone, from New York/living in Erie, and my friend, soprano Margaret Andraso; plus, lead soprano Shannon Kessler-Dooley; mezzo Olga Flora; and, tenor James Flora.

Am posting this here, in my  blog, so the LinkedIn network will see it. If you live near, or are passing through, northwestern PA, take a look and listen. You won’t regret it.

You won’t.

Thank you!

R.A.Scanzillo

littlebarefeetblog.com

Just Do.

classical music, classical musicians, dance, drama, Good Food, health and wellness, human behavior, performance, psychology, social behavior, social commentary, sociology, Uncategorized, , , , , , , 
# break out of frames
<IfModule mod_headers.c>
	Header always append X-Frame-Options SAMEORIGIN
</IfModule>

Last week, Gary Viebranz said something striking. Now, anybody who actually knows Gary will find that statement amusing; indeed, he says something memorable every time he exhales air. The man is a comic legend.

But, beyond that. We were walking out of the Reed Union concert space, Penn State/Behrend following a wonderful performance by the Canellakis Brown Duo at his acclaimed “Music At Noon” Series last week (I missed today’s guests), and he said something to this effect: ” It’s nice when audiences appreciate performers, and performers appreciate audiences.”

I, of course, let being struck by that nestle in my ruminating lobe.

It’s funny. Have been almost embarrassed, as a fairly recent public blogger (just over a year and a half, this month) to admit how little I read published authors. Of equally awkward admission, having spent the past thirty years as a professional musician, I listen to far fewer fellow musicians than my colleagues. This is likely quite anomalous among performing professionals and writers. I do support them, and try to attend, but admit to finding what I need elsewhere.

Yes, I am devoted audience to two other art forms: drama, and dance.

Great acting absolutely fascinates me. I live for the story. Dance, equally so. Why? Oh, I love to dance, and had a blast taking some swing and salsa lessons; but, this scoliotic body, with these feet? Come on. I was definitely born to be audience in their room. And, when I am, nearly every moving image populates my imagination thereafter.

As for acting, well, I do dream. Would love to take a stab at a bit character. But, the sheer volume of memorized utterance is flummoxing; how they do it escapes me. Yet, what they do informs both how I think and what I create. To every single second of their offering, I am completely committed.

So, let’s just all relax. Stop the infernal, internal judging. If there’s a show, and you are busy creating, then you are where you belong. Be audience to just exactly whatever it is that feeds your fuel center. Take in what you need; then, go, and do. Please, do. Make something beautiful.

But, when you are the audience, immerse yourself. And, remember to appreciate your fellows, earnestly, even if it is in recording after the show. Locals, if you’ve never caught “Music at Noon” over at Behrend Campus, the quality is unsurpassed. Yes; even though some were born to write rather than read, to play rather than attend, just keep looking and listening.

And, then, like Yoda said: Just do.

.

.

p.s. While we’re at it: Actors and dancers: check out live music, in a genre unfamiliar. You might get some unexpected nourishment!

© Ruth Ann Scanzillo  3/1/16  All rights, please, to the author; however, sharing by ReBlogging and permission. Thanks so much.

littlebarefeetblog.com