Post by Dawn B. on Jun 18, 2009 2:32:15 GMT -5
www.okmozart.com/
I took my son to Bartlesville today, where he attended an orchestra workshop (he's a cellist), with instructors from New York (I'm assuming Amici). He learned so much in those few hours, but the key lesson was not the technical side of things, but she talked about creating sound textures, and feeling the music resonating from the instrument to him, and learning the techniques that will help him express himself through the music. My son performed la Cinquantaine for the instructor. All that and pizza for $10!!!! I can't tell you how invaluable that workshop was.
While he was doing that, I roamed around the Community Center, and listened to first a Celtic ensemble while checking out the crafts of the many talented artisans in Bartlesville. After I picked up Willy from the workshop we listened to a jazz ensemble that we both enjoyed greatly, playing over by the Cafe Mozart.
We had some time to spare, so we drove around Bartlesville and checked out the Kiddie Park, and a giant well (which is actually an oil derrick, not a wishing well as I'd thought. DUH, Oklahoma...) We stopped at one of the big fields there and tried out his new boomerang that we'd picked up from the artisan section of the Community Center. I sucked, he was pretty accurate with it. Sorry Rogers, there were no water taxis, but at least this time if anyone had asked me, I was able to say I'd seen some of the sights on this adventure.
We headed back to the Community Center and attended a concert with the Amici New York resident orchestra which featured pianist Robin Sutherland and violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. I have never seen such energy in a violinist, she was phenomenal. This was the first orchestral concert my son and I had ever attended, and I have to say it was the experience of a lifetime for both of us. However, when we attend next year, I'm bringing a change of clothes for the concert, boy was I under-dressed!
This is an annual event; this year was the 25th Silver Anniversary. If you're planning a trip to Oklahoma sometime, or just a fan of classical music, I highly recommend coming for next year's festival.
Repertoire:
Mendelssohn: The Fair Melusine Overture, Op. 32
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491
Astor Piazzolla: The 4 Seasons of Buenos Aires for Violin & Orchestra
Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1, Op. 25 'Classical'
A funny side story -- while sitting in the class room watching the kids' perform and receive instruction, I suddenly had an "urge" to leave the room. As soon as I stood up, the door opened and 2 professional photographers entered. I booked it out of there and counted myself lucky, I HATE being photographed. Later, while I was browsing the crafts and looking at some really clever braided necklaces and chatting up one of the volunteers, another photographer came over and asked if it would be all right to take our pictures for the local paper. The volunteer said "yes" and I went along with it. I mugged it up and tried my best to look enraptured with the necklace. I'm pretty sure I looked like a big dork, thank goodness I don't get the Bartlesville newspaper! Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire.
I took my son to Bartlesville today, where he attended an orchestra workshop (he's a cellist), with instructors from New York (I'm assuming Amici). He learned so much in those few hours, but the key lesson was not the technical side of things, but she talked about creating sound textures, and feeling the music resonating from the instrument to him, and learning the techniques that will help him express himself through the music. My son performed la Cinquantaine for the instructor. All that and pizza for $10!!!! I can't tell you how invaluable that workshop was.
While he was doing that, I roamed around the Community Center, and listened to first a Celtic ensemble while checking out the crafts of the many talented artisans in Bartlesville. After I picked up Willy from the workshop we listened to a jazz ensemble that we both enjoyed greatly, playing over by the Cafe Mozart.
We had some time to spare, so we drove around Bartlesville and checked out the Kiddie Park, and a giant well (which is actually an oil derrick, not a wishing well as I'd thought. DUH, Oklahoma...) We stopped at one of the big fields there and tried out his new boomerang that we'd picked up from the artisan section of the Community Center. I sucked, he was pretty accurate with it. Sorry Rogers, there were no water taxis, but at least this time if anyone had asked me, I was able to say I'd seen some of the sights on this adventure.
We headed back to the Community Center and attended a concert with the Amici New York resident orchestra which featured pianist Robin Sutherland and violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. I have never seen such energy in a violinist, she was phenomenal. This was the first orchestral concert my son and I had ever attended, and I have to say it was the experience of a lifetime for both of us. However, when we attend next year, I'm bringing a change of clothes for the concert, boy was I under-dressed!
This is an annual event; this year was the 25th Silver Anniversary. If you're planning a trip to Oklahoma sometime, or just a fan of classical music, I highly recommend coming for next year's festival.
Repertoire:
Mendelssohn: The Fair Melusine Overture, Op. 32
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491
Astor Piazzolla: The 4 Seasons of Buenos Aires for Violin & Orchestra
Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1, Op. 25 'Classical'
A funny side story -- while sitting in the class room watching the kids' perform and receive instruction, I suddenly had an "urge" to leave the room. As soon as I stood up, the door opened and 2 professional photographers entered. I booked it out of there and counted myself lucky, I HATE being photographed. Later, while I was browsing the crafts and looking at some really clever braided necklaces and chatting up one of the volunteers, another photographer came over and asked if it would be all right to take our pictures for the local paper. The volunteer said "yes" and I went along with it. I mugged it up and tried my best to look enraptured with the necklace. I'm pretty sure I looked like a big dork, thank goodness I don't get the Bartlesville newspaper! Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire.