The LO's Dancing with the Stars

I was fortunate enough to sit in on a few rehearsals for The Louisville Orchestra's Dancing With The Stars event which is coming up this Friday.

The Stars this year are having so much fun, I had to share some footage of the rehearsals.

Remember these are just rehearsals. The stars are a retired pro basketball player, a realtor, and a lawyer. While they are paired with pros, they have only been dancing for a short time.

I am by no means a professional videographer with equally unprofessional equipment. I edited on Microsoft Movie Maker, again, not the most sophisticated technology. With that in mind, check out my latest film.



If you want to have FUN, FUN FUN and have a few Laughs, laughs laughs...
I think there are a few seats still available. Check out the webpage FMI.
http://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/?page_id=1855

Jack Griffin on WUOL

Photo by O'Neil Arnold

Jack Griffin, principal viola for the Louisville Orchestra, chats with Dan Gilliam on WUOL. Jack tells the story of his beginnings with music and how he got his first violin. Listen to the interview HERE.

Jack's disarming demeanor really shines through in this interview. He says "I'm the luckiest person on the world to be able to wake up everyday and play music."

That kind of passion shows, and you will see it when he performs "Herold in Italy" with the Louisville Orchestra on Thursday, March 25 at the Treyton Oak Towers Coffee Concert at 10:30am and Friday, March 26 for the Hilliard Lyons Classics concert at 8pm at Kentucky Center. Click here for tickets or call 502.584.7777.

He has a bit of a surprise for the audience, but you won't hear it if you don't come!

Fantastic Fan fara

The Louisville Orchestra had quite a weekend! Friday, Joshua bell came to town and had a chat with Scott Dowd on Classical 90.5 FM (WUOL). You can download the podcast here.

Joshua Bell goes over a few details with Jorge Mester before the rehearsal of Symphonie Espangnole

Later that evening, the Orchestra had their amazing season images by O'Neil Arnold that were enlarged and streached on canvases on display for the Gallery Hop. The image transfers were not as vibrant as the glossy brochure, but they were still quite impressive. A string quartet performed as well.

All of this was just a sample of an amazing week of events and performances gearing up for Saturday's Fanfara Gala and concert. Saturday evening started with cocktails atop the Humana Building. It was a lovely evening to be on their observation deck for cocktails. Joshua Bell made an appearance and was swarmed! After a lovely dinner the dinner guests were a part of the Jorge Mester procession crossing Main street ed by the Male High School Color Gaurd and up the stairs of the Kentucky Center flanked by the Male High School marching band.

All of the efforts to make Fanfara fantastic worked perfectly.

Art at ArtSpace

The Fund for the Arts has spruced up the second floor of Artspace. We have four original pieces of art from Eric Brinley. They were "unveiled" at the Opera Guild's event, Viva Voce, last Thursday.

He worked from photos which he got from the various arts groups represented. He simplifies the image to the simplest line and uses color to create the emotional experience to go along with the image.




The image at the top is of a violinist representing the Orchestra, which is at the top the stairs as you approach the rehearsal space.
The bottom images are the main area of the second floor. Images represent Actors Theater's production of Dracula and The Louisville Ballet's Nutcracker. The opera does have an image but it is actually in the rehearsal room, which I could not access into when I was snapping photos.

What are your thoughts?

LEO photography issue

Yesterday, Friday, March 26, I had the pleasure of attending a gathering at the Lime Tree Gallery on Frankfort Avene. The party was a celebration of LEO Weekly's latest issue featuring local photographers shooting our fair city. Participants in the photo issue include David Harpe, Frankie Steele, John King, Leslie Lyons, Marty Pearl and Mary Yates. See all the photos here.

Unfortunately I got to the event a little early and didn't get to see all of the photographers, but I did see Frankie, who does a lot of work for Kentucky Opera and the Louisville Orchestra, and David Hawp, who I met when he won the signature artist for Kentucky Opera's Viva il Vino event.

David's photos (the attached Louisville skyline is one if David's pieces) have always been impressive to me. His work looks so very photoshopped, but infact, they are not. That is what makes them impressive. That he is able to create such uniqe imagry that has not been manipulated by computers... Wow.

LEO's creative director, Brittany Baker hung the show very well. It was clean and easily navigated. Too bad the show was only up for one night, but you can still pick up the issue and see the work in their new glossy magazine format.

A couple of very cool things I found today

Its been an ineresting day in the music world for me today. I happened upon a couple of very cool gems. The last (only because it was easier for me to find) was a story on NPR on my way home from the office. It was about a new book by Lemony Snicket called The Composer is Dead. Its a murder mystery looking for the killer of a composer and looking to the orchestra for the culprit. The story is used to teach young readers about the different instruments of an orchestra and the main theme is while a lot of the composers we know well, are well, dead BUT its the music that keeps the composer alive.

I reccomend listening to the podcast, as the "handler" does some great reading. Find the story here.

The other very cool thing I found was a video created from a mixture of other people's you tube videos creating a new and different piece of music. He is known as Kutiman and on his website he has several videos all together. Below is one.



I am finding the use of technology with music extremely interesting as of late. I had heard about the You Tube Orchestra sometime ago and yesterday they posted the winners.

The gathering of this orchestra will take place at Carnagie Hall on April 15, when they will perform Tan Dun's Symphony for You Tube. Should be pretty cool and I wonder if it will be broadcast in the movie theatres like they are doing at the Met.

I found out that two of the Louisville Orchestra musicians auditioned. They didn't make it but it's still pretty cool they participated. I have to find one, but you can see Richard Ryan's audition here.

Offer for blog readers

You know, I was putting this out into the bloggosphere and thought, hey, I have a blog. I can offer this to MY two readers...

Here's the scoop:

BRANDI CARLILE & SONDRE LERCHE

Saturday, February 21 • 8pm • Whitney Hall

Exclusive DISCOUNT for MY friends!

20% OFF tickets if you buy Tuesday, February 17 or Wednesday, February 18*

1. Call the Kentucky Center Box Office at 502.584.7777

2. Mention the code word FRIENDS

3. Pick up your tickets at the Box Office Will Call the night of the concert

It’s that easy!

Brandi Carlile

Songs from her album “The Story” can be heard on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy.

Sondre Lerche

Composer and performer of the 2007 soundtrack for Dan in Real Life featuring Regina Spektor and A Fine Frenzy.

The fine print: Offer only available February 17 & 18. Discount tickets will not be available day of the concert by phone or at the box office window. Offer not available online. You must call or visit the Kentucky Center box office to take advantage of this offer.

JoAnn Falletta

Wow, Can I say I just love this woman. She is so impressive and kind.

She recently had a chat with Scott Dowd who had the where-with-all to record it for WUOL. You can hear it here.

I particularly like the part where she's talking about the balance of her life and work and she says:

"Sometimes I think my life IS my work of making music, but I really can't complain. Making music is not work, it's a privilege. It's unbelievable to be in the middle of beauty every day of my life. To stand on the podium in the middle of an orchestra is the most unbelievable privilege and honor and pleasure."

Her passion for her work is arresting.

Andrew Adler had a phone interview and wrote a lovely story here.

I was fortunate enough to listen to a little of the rehearsal with the Louisville Orchestra, and wow. She is a compelling conductor.

With JoAnn Faletta on the podium and Robert Thies on piano its going to be a magnificent concert. If you have a chance to see the LO this Saturday 11/8 at the Kentucky Center... do. 502.584.7777 or louisvilleorchestra.org

Keith Cook Making a Difference with music

Louisville Orchestra violinist Keith Cook had a great feature on WHAS 11, he is making the most of a terrible incident :

Music center for underprivileged children continues operation after burglary

10:46 PM EDT on Sunday, October 19, 2008

WHAS11 coverage

(WHAS11) -Windstorm 2008 brought out the best of Kentuckiana, but apparently it also brought out the worst.

The West Louisville Talent Education Center was burglarized during the power outage.

The center strives to use music as the vehicle to create Metro Louisville’s community leaders of tomorrow.

Violins, computers, and CD players, were all stolen from the center.

Sunday a fundraiser was held to replace the musical instruments.

Louisville Orchestra violinist Keith Cook founded the center 11 years ago to provide first rate instruction for little or no charge.

Cook is a hero to many budding musicians, and he’s not stopping despite burglars cleaning him out.

Cook says, “I was determined that no matter what happened I was going to do this…even if it had to come out of my own pocket, which I’ve had to do to start and operate this.”

Cook has taught violin to more than 200 kids from the Russell, Parkland, California, and Shawnee neighborhoods.

He says learning music helps in the students’ education.

Cook holds the position of first violin with the Louisville Orchestra, and Sunday his students and their parents had the chance to hear him play for a change.

To get involved in the West Louisville Talent Education Center, it is possible to sponsor a Student Scholarship for one year at the following levels:

Young Master- $375

Victory Violin- $300

Suzuki Strings- $200

To learn more about the center and scholarship levels, send an email to louisvillewestec@netzero.net.

Ben Folds with the Louisville Orchestra

It was a very cool experience to be a part of a sell out night at Whitney Hall. The Louisville Orchestra had a standing ovation after the first part, before Ben came out. That's impressive.

They had a series naming contest and the new name of the series is "Strings Attached". I like it. Ben Folds with Strings Attached...

Here are some links to reviews:

Jeffery Lee Puckett from the CJ
Louisville Magazine
Kentucky Kernel
Magic Mike Nilsson on myspace
I thought this one was very sweet

Fanfara

I have to work the LO's Fanfara tonight. I guess it may be a good time. I am escorting O'Neil, the photographer to the black tie dinner at the Humana building then across the street to the Kentucky Center to capture the magic of the Suzuki String Institute, then outside on the steps where the UofL Marching Band will play while the folks at the dinner cross the street.

Yesterday afternoon a couple of the LO ladies went to the rehearsal with bassist Edgar Meyer. They said it was amazing. Too bad I won't be able to listen tonight. We are going to sell out so that's a good problem to have.

An evening with Juile and Bob

As promised, here are some pictures from the evening with Julie Andrews and Bob Edwards, Thursday, July 10. All photos are by Stephen Driver of Stephen Photography.


Brad Broecker, Bob Edwards and Brad Sidio wait for Julie Andrews to arrive


Members of the Louisville Orchestra entertained guests.


Music Director, Jorge Mester greeted Ms. Andrews and her manager, Stephen Sauer while Brad Broecker introduces them.


Julie meets her interviewer, Bob Edwards while her hosts, Owsley & Christy Brown look on.

Mrs. Brown shows Ms. Andrews the grand view.

Mr. Edwards has Julie on the hot seat.

She had to borrow Bob's glasses to read the passage from her autobiography, "Home".



This is Julie with the Louisville Orchestra staff after Friday's performance at the Meet & Greet.

Once in a life time

There was a Louisville Orchestra fund raiser last night that I was fortunate enough to attend. Julie Andrews was interviewed by Bob Edwards at a lovely Louisville home.
I will post pictures soon.

Suffice to say it was a real treat to be in the presence of these two icons. They are both so on, and professional. The interview was a little short, but what was told was candid and fun. Bob had her read a bit from the latest book "Home". Its quite something to hear Julie Andrews say the words sex and opium in the same sentence. She was speaking metaphorically, but with the elegance of her voice and the distinguishing nature of her presence, it was quite a shock.

The event was a part of tonights concert, "The Gift of Music", I will be there but will not review the show.
There was a rumor (and if you watch the video from my last post, you will know from where this rumor derives.) that Julie Andrews will sing tonight. It is very exciting, but that is one of the reasons the interview was cut short last night. She was trying to preserve her voice for the show!! What a dame!

Julie Andrews is here!!

Julie Andrews arrived in Louisville today and is rehearsing RIGHT NOW, for the world premier of "The Gift of Music" with the Louisville Orchestra this Friday! There may be tickets left, call 584-7777, they will know.

Barry Bernson of Fox 41, interviewed Dame Andrews.



Stephanie Saunders did an interview with Julie Andrews for WFPL which aired on Studio 619 last weekend and you can hear the podcast here.

Tomorrow evening there will be a fundraising event for the Louisville Orchestra where Julie Andrews will be interviewed by Bob Edwards. A small group of people will be able to witness this wonderful event, and one of them will be me!! I will post pictures I promise!

ROAR!!

I went to my first ROARchestra performance this weekend, what a special evening. The Louisville Orchestra sounds wonderful at the zoo. The weather behaved and while it was a little warm, the crowd seemed pleased to be out on a July night.

The opening act was the 113 Army Band. They were a wonderful addition playing patriotic favorites as well as some big band era tunes.

Baritone, Lewis Washington joined the LO for some selections. He seemed to interact with the musicians and Bob Bernhardt very well, and he sounded wonderful singing Aaron Copland.

There was a bit of confusion at the end of the evening when some thought there would be fireworks. Unfortunately, the fireworks scared the animals in the past, and for their benifit, the LO & the Zoo staff thought it would be best that the pyrotechnics were left to the waterfront.

The next ROARchestra concert is Saturday, July 12 and will feature the Contours (Do you love me??). You can win tickets by going to consuminglouisville.com.

Etudes

Consuminglouisville.com just did a ticket give away for the Louisville Orchestra's ROARchestra concert this weekend. The winner, Daniel Light, is a piano teacher and a very good photographer. Check out his site, Etudes.

I am very impressed with his Louisville photos, they are romantic and fun. Like this one of the Twig at night. Shooting at night is hard, but he gets so much color in the sky... I wonder if he uses filters. Some of his work on Fliker is in black and white with one added color, so I guess he does digital editing. If you look at this picture larger, the restaurant is fairly empty. You can make out maybe two figures. It has that lonely feeling of Night Hawks, with the colors beaming through the dark sky.

étude, a brief musical composition, usually for piano, fashioned to instruct an instrumentalist in a particular technical problem, such as scales or trills. Succeeding the toccata, popular in the baroque period, the étude was developed into a compactly crafted musical form by Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt.

Arts Funding

The media is a buzz with the Mayors new budget. There are a lot of small arts groups that got completly left out and people are more than pissed. I don't blame them either. The Leo article talked about the Juneteenth festival that has been relevantly bringing African American issues to the stage for 9 years. They went from $15,000 to ZERO in no time flat.

Some of these groups are taking it upon themselves to raise the money needed. Louisville Music News's Paul Moffit says in his blog that John Gage of Kentucky Homefront is having a fund raiser on July 25 & 26 at Iroquois Amphitheater.

The Louisville Orchestra and the Fund for the Arts is consistently Mentioned in all of these articles as they both received the lions share of the funds. None of the articles suggested that this was inappropriate accept perhaps a slight slant with Moffits blog suggesting the LO ticket sales were SO good that the LO didn't need or deserve this money. Interesting... I wonder if he has tapped the box office computers? Obviously not, if he is suggesting that ticket sales actually fund any of the arts groups. In for-profit endeavors that may be the case, but with orchestra and opera, ticket sales only account for 1/3 of the budget income.

I applaud John Gage for taking control of the situation. Go to the event, and support Kentucky Homefront!!

Here are some of the articles:
Courier Journal
Business First
PRWeb Release