Bass Blog

Michael Hovnanian formerly played bass with an orchestra located in a large midwestern city.

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Monday, December 10, 2007

Week 13


December 10-15

This week’s program of ‘the orchestra that dare not speak its name’
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JANÁCEK Jealousy
RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 4
INTERMISSION
KANCHELI ...à la Duduki
JANÁCEK Taras Bulba
Mark Elder, conductor
Stephen Hough, piano
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Monday
10-12:30 rehearsal
7-10 CBE reheasal

Tuesday
10-12:30 rehearsal
7:30 concert (Delius, Sibelius, Webern, Brahms)

Wednesday
12-2:30 rehearsal

Thursday
10-12:30 rehearsal
8 concert

Friday
8 concert

Saturday
10 CBE performance
8 concert

Sunday
off

Monday orchestra rehearsals make me about as depressed as anything I can think of. To make matters worse, the reason we lose a day off is so Welcome Yule can have a dress rehearsal on Wednesday evening. Thank heaven that has gone back to being a members-of (optional) program this year. Needles to say, I’m not playing.

Yes, Mark Elder is conducting us for another week. Somebody upstairs must really like him. I mean that literally; somebody upstairs (in our management) seems to like him a heck of a lot. Maybe God does as well, but that isn’t my affair.

Someone in our management sent orchestra members an email the other day informing us this coming Friday is “blah, blah, blah Symphony Day” (he used the real name) at the nearby Chipotle Mexican restaurant. Anyone with an orchestra ID gets a free burrito. It is a generous offer, as the burritos there are pretty good. I’m waiting for some zealot to jump up and challenge the use of the orchestra name, but I’m not holding my breath. Nothing messes with scruples like a little free food. I’m curious to see how many musicians take advantage of the offer. With the possibility of a stage full of burrito-stuffed musicians, the Friday matinee concert might be one to approach with caution.

1 comment:

Marc van Bree said...

You're welcome! :)