Granada

Aside from what was possibly the most horrible illness of my life (I spent the entire free day and evening in bed meaning I missed a rehearal and 2nd concert), I had a great time in Spain. My sunburn is no longer visible (it wasn't that bad), despite two days of sitting by the pool. I bought nothing, but took plenty of photos.

The concerts took place outside in an open air auditorium at the Alhambra, which was a 10-minute walk from the hotel. They both began at 10:30 PM. Very long nights.

Thanks to everyone being together pretty much the entire time, I now know about half of the orchestra (c. 50 of 96ish members). I went to dinner with some new acquaintances on the free evening (Sunday). I noted that all of us were from a different country, or at least a different heritage- Tom is English, Moritz- German, Laurant- French, Chi- English, but with a Chinese background, Evgeny- Russian, and me, the token American. We apparently spent so much money that the server had the owner of the restaurant stand with us when I asked him to take our photo. We were also give a free drink and chocolate truffles.

The orchestra has a concert tonight at the Barbican. Yes, they just arrived back to London this morning. The concert is the same as last night's in Granada- Prokofiev PC 3, Firebird, and a couple Ives things. As I'm still recovering from my horrible whatever-it-was, I think I'm going to go back to bed for a while before rehearsal.

No Rain in Spain, Please.

My flight leaves at 6 AM from Gatwick. The last Gatwick Express train leaves at 12:30 AM. I could come home and sit around before taking the 3:30 AM train, but I would have to take a taxi to Victoria, which would be expensive. Therefore, I think I'm going to take the 12:30 one and just sit around at the airport forever.

I will take many pcitures, no worries there. I also will probably get sunburned.

Well...I am off to go to a concert at St. Martin's (Ivor is conducting part of it), then wasting time until the train leaves. Adios, amigos!

MTT

Yesterday began far too early with 9:30 rehearsal at St. Luke’s. Today was Day 1 with Michael Tilson Thomas. I was a bit surprised to find myself right behind him as I got to the church. He was with his man, Josh, and donning blue Phil Glasses. A Spanish woman (currently living in Switzerland) was also sitting up in the balcony. At the break, she asked if I’m a conductor, too. My note-taking must have given me away. Her name is Gloria. We individually introduced ourselves to MTT after rehearsal. He couldn't have cared less about either of us.

I had some delicious Italian food for lunch. Pasta mixed with some eggplant-wrapped mozzarella from a vendor on Whitecross Street. I've walked past his booth many times and thought how delicious it looked. Soooo tasty. I’m going to be heading back down there some day soon with my fingers crossed that the same dish will still be available.

I only stayed for the first hour and ten minutes of rehearsal for the evening concert. I skipped out on the concert, too, so I could go to my first rehearsal with the New London Singers. I took a bus to get there. During the bus ride, I was in the company of two completely idiotic old American men. They had stupid comments for everthing out the windows. I wanted to say something to them like, "Thanks for helping to maintain our national sterotypes."

Part way through rehearsal, Ivor asked for a volunteer to sit at the piano so the woman who previously was could sing for a bit. I idiotically stood up. Another guy did the same at the same time. Ivor wanted me to. He asked me to play downbeats occasionally, told me to play the organ part at one point, and along with one line…I never knew when he wanted me to continue and he never gave me enough time to find my place or think. He had the other woman come back. I felt completely worthless. After rehearsal (which was 3 hours with no break), he apologized for his brashness. He was stressed (concert is next week) and sick and admitted that I wasn't 100%. Completely understandable.

Day 2 at St. Luke’s with MTT didn’t begin until 2:30. It was an open rehearsal today, meaning people had to buy tickets. When I took to my perch upstairs, a girl came up to me saying, “I have to ask for tickets today. Or are you with the orchestra?” We began chatting about conductorly things. She studied in Canada and asked where I study/who with. I said, “Oh, it’s just a small school…BGSU.” “A friend of mine graduated from there a year or two ago. Cathy O’Shaughessy?” It’s a small world! She caught me later and said she’d give me her contact info at rehearsal tomorrow morning. When I got home, she had written on Cathy’s wall, so I just took the initiative and friended her then and there.

At dinner break, the orchestra had a meeting. I went next door to the Central Café for a bite. One wall was completely covered in LSO pictures. I don’t know how I didn’t notice that on the Brahms Discovery Day when I had lunch there.

Some BG-ers are going to be passing through London in the next few days. I’m going to try and swing by Covent Garden Friday night on the way to Gatwick in hopes of finding them. I can’t wait to see Moss’s face.

Mountains und Bergs

I have finally been to my first professional opera! Chris Williams caught me at the perfect time today to talk me into going to the Royal Opera at Covent Garden to see Alban Berg's Lulu. 3:40 of German (with English surtitles and including 2 25-minute intervals). I survived.

This morning was a 3-hour rehearsal with Sir Colin. I went up and spoke to him during the break. He had me come up on stage and sit and talk until the orchestra came back. We had a nice little discussion about score preparation, Berlioz, and Mozart 40 (which the orchestra was rehearsing/is playing tomorrow night). I need to snag a picture tomorrow since I stupidly didn't today.

Last night, I went along to a recording session at Lyndhurst (much prettier than Abbey Road- it's a converted church). I sat in the box with the sound guys and the composer for 6 hours. The session was made exponentially more interesting by being able to actually hear and follow what was going on.

The next 2 weeks are going to be insane. I'm going to Granada with the LSO (!!!) on Friday, back the 30th. There's a concert that night. There's also a concert on the 25th, plus rehearsals, an LSO On Track concert, etc. etc. I will post as I am able.

L: Abbey Rd R: Lyndhurst. Others were taking pictures, so don't shoot me.

Quavers, quavers, quavers.....

Sir Colin Davis is, if he remembers me into the future, forever going to associate me with the quavers in the first violins at "E" in Brahms' Symphony 3, movement 1 all because I asked him about them at rehearsal on Monday. Yesterday during the break, he walked past me and asked if I heard them that time. I honestly wasn't paying attention to the violins at that point, so I just kind of made a face and he kept walking. Today, he walked past me before rehearsal and said that he'd make sure my quavers would be heard today. When he announced break time at the completion of the Brahms, he turned around and asked me how they were- while the entire orchestra was still sitting there. I heard them! I need to get a picture with him at the next rehearsal....until then, here is a picture of me with Yan Pascal Tortelier, conductor of the concert last Thursday.

And a picture of me eating the best meal I have ever had, ever. And a picture of LSO St. Luke's- a church the LSO owns about 5 minutes down the road from the Barbican:

Post-rehearsal shopping led me to buy a shirt and a dress (which the lady working the fitting room said looked better on me than anyone she had yet see try it on :). It's a bit too dressy to just up and wear, so I'll have to wait and see when a semi-formal occasion pops up (there are a couple of upcoming possibilities). I also stopped and bought some drawing paper.

While walking back to the flat with my goodies, there was a huge gust of wind. I paid attention to nothing but holding on to the huge sheet of paper. I proceeded to walk into low-hanging branches which beat me repeatedly. What mis-tree-tment, Mother Nature!!

I cooked a quick dinner that I am still unsure about. I just kind of dumped some stuff on a chicken breast, stuck it on the stove, and ate it when it seemed to be done clucking.

I am now contemplating what I should do tomorrow. There's a super long recording session, but I'm not entirely sure I want to sit through the whole thing (7 hours including a 1-hour dinner break). I shouldn't be saying that. I pretty much know I'm going to be there.

There were other things I wanted to mention, but I have since forgotten. Oh, I do know one- I never said that when hostel-friend, Brian, and I were heading somewhere on the tube, he was stopped by a security guard and search by a yellow lab named Buster. He was given Buster's business card for being a good sport when all was over. I think the cop chose him because I smiled at the dog. Sorry, Brian.

What a Day.

I got to rehearsal half an hour early this morning (i.e. 9:30). Nigel asked me if I wanted him to introduce me to Sir Colin. Not being an idiot, I took up on his offer. "This is Ashley. She's studying to become a conductor because of you." He pretty much said, "Well, I'm sorry to hear that" with a smile on his face. Nigel left us to talk. Sir Colin was interested to hear what "studying conducting/class/lessons" implied, as he doesn't give lessons. I was given permission to go up to him after rehearsal to ask "why the hell did you do that there?" or anything.

After rehearsal, I had a 45-minute lesson with Gerry, one of the trumpets. We pretty much played the entire time. I magically didn't get too tired, despite my not being able to play without a practice mute but once in the last month. We played a few duets and worked on some excerpts. He's going to get some music to me, let me look it over, then we'll get together again.

I went along to a recording session at Abbey Road....with my Beatles bag. I felt like a complete moron. I made sure to keep my jacket strategically placed over the the front of the bag so as to not look like an idiotic tourist or whatnot.

At 6, I bolted to Covent Garden for a 6:45 rehearsal with St. Bart's Choir (the one I sang with last week). I went to the pub with some friends from the choir after. Some random psychic from NY came up and started talking to us...it was odd. But she noted that I belong in this city. The fact that things are going as amazingly as they are and my ability to fit in perfectly when coming from such a small town helped her realized this obvious fact.

I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed now so I can wake early for full English breakfast, hopefully.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I spent thirteen consecutive hours in/backstage at the Barbican Hall today. There was a rehearsal at 9:15, 2 children'a concerts, a 2-hours lunch break (I guess I was out of the building for 2 hours- and it was the best lunch I have EVER eaten...no joke), rehearsal at 3, concert at 7:30. I am exhausted, and I didn't have to play!

This morning minutes before the children's concert rehearsal began, I sat down in the second row right near the violins, 3 of whom could see me I consider good friends. Some Barbican employee came over to me and started asking me questions. The 3 of them looked at him and glared. He asked, "Are you a student of one of the members of the orchestra?" I said, "No...I'm observing the orchestra for the summer..." He didn't like that answer, apparently. All 3 of the guys said, "She's with us." That /had/ to be good enough for him. He asked if I was planning on staying for the concerts, or just the rehearsal. I was staying, so he took my name down and had the coordinator of the event give me a seat. I love special treatment. And I love feeling loved.

4 or 5 members have now asked me if I'm going on tour to Grenada with them. I actually emailed the tour coordinator a month or two ago. His response wasn't very convincing, but he said no. 2 of my violin friends have made some realizations and, with their forces combined (as well as some other key players), I might manage to wrangle my way along with them at the end of the month!!!!!! Keep your fingers crossed for me.

I have to go to sleep, now. I need to get up at 6:45 for a road trip to Coventry.

Great Expectations

I did not leave tonight's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra feeling very satisfied. Before I say anything about their playing, I will say that someone needs to donate some tuxes. Their off-white dinner jackets are absolutely hideous...especially when combined with white tux shirts, black bow ties, and black trousers. Not very attractive.

The concert began with the Barber of Seville Overture. It wasn't all that thrilling of a ride. Next was the Elgar Cello Concerto with none other than Julian Lloyd Webber, Andrew's little brother. He hit his head on a low part of the ceiling on his way onstage, adding to the impressiveness of his playing. The sounds that came out of his 1690 Stradivarius made up for his horrid outfit (he's not really known for his formal concert dress)- black trousers, a baggy mandarin-collared white shirt, and a black sweatband. I forgave him the second he began playing. The final piece was the Mendelssohn Symphony 3 ("Scottish"). The farther on in the piece they went, the better it became. Each time I listen to another orchestra, I realize that my love for the LSO will most likely not be surpassed by another band.

So that was my evening. Let me tell you about the rest of my day. While I'm at it, why don't I just give you an update of everything that's happened since my last post? Why yes, Ashley, why don't you? Ok, I will:

The rest of Saturday:
- Chris Williams, one of my professor/friends back at BG put me in contact with a friend of his here in London. She happens to be a music critic, novelist, biographer, and her husband plays in the London Philharmonic. We will be meeting up at some point in the coming week. The LSO sends out "thank you" emails to people who buy tickets online. The emails include reviews of the concerts. Said friend of Chris was the author of the included review for last Thursday's gypsy band concert!
- I introduced myself to Carmine, (the leader- i.e. concertmaster) telling him hello from the man who was sitting next to me at the gypsy concert. Yesterday, he took me on a little tour around the Barbican. Today, we grabbed a quick lunch after the rehearsal, as it finished a bit early.
- After dinner, I went to a housewarming party for a friend of a hostel friend. It was quite classy and much tasty cheese was to be had. I met many lovely people. I spoke some German with her downstairs Danish neighbor, whose French wife was incredibly sweet. The hostess, Lucia, kept saying that many of the guests sang in a choir with her. When people learned that I want to be a conductor, they all told me to go talk to the conductor of their choir. Apparently he's a big shot of sorts: Ivor Setterfield. I eventually introduced myself, and we spoke for quite a while. It turns out that he studied at RAM with none other than Sir Colin. He invited me to go to a rehearsal for one of the choirs he conducts. At the rehearsal, he would give me some music to prepare and give me 30 minutes or so to rehearse them at the next rehearsal while he observes and gives comments!

Sunday:
- LSO concert with George Fenton, a film/TV composer.
- Monopoly and socializing with flatmate and friends.

Yesterday:
- My alarm failed to go off at 8:30 as set. Luckily, my friend's phone was still set for work the day before. It was half an hour later than I wanted to get up, but at least I made it to rehearsal on time. That is saying quite a lot as I got violently lots backstage on the way. The door I had always used wasn't accessible. The other door led to many more doors, none of which wer marked. An employee walked through and saved me. I was told my many members that they've all been lost backstage at some point. After rehearsal, Carmine took me on a mini-tour of the Barbican.
- After rehearsal, I met Irene (BG friend) for lunch. I FINALLY found a pub that has Toad-in-the-hole! The waitress even commented on how delicious it looked when it was brought to me.
- In the evening, I went to a rehearsal for the choir with the people from the party- St. Bartholomew's Hospital Choir. I spoke to Ivor before it began...He meant for me to go to a different choir rehearsal- The New London Singers, a professional group. He invited me to join for my time here! Their website says they are not looking for new members. Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Despite my being at the wrong rehearsal, he said I was welcome to sing that night. It was their second rehearsal for a Shakespeare-themed concert (lots of Vaughan Williams)that will sadly be happening the week after I go back to the states. It felt fantastic to sing, again!
- After the rehearsal, I went to the pub next door with the woman whose music I shared and Lucia and friends I met at her party. I zoomed across town to meet Jerry, a BG friend, at Heathrow. I underestimated the insanely long transit time and thus arrived 20 minutes past his arrival time. I sprinted to the terminal from the tube stop. He was at the top of the steps as I reached them! Perfect timing, or what?

Today:
- My alarm didn't go off, again, but Matt's did, again. Saved two days in a row. This time, though, I did not get lost backstage.
- After rehearsal, which finished early, Carmine and I grabbed a quick lunch at the Waterside Cafe in the Barbican.
- After food, I met up with Jerry. We walked to my favorite tea shop, Tea, behind St. Paul's. I had some time before the RPO concert, so I took him on a lightning tour- walked to Trafalgar Square, ran through the National Gallery, and then to last night's rehearsal venue- St. Giles-in-the-Fields.

Tomorrow consists of 2 rehearsals, one of which is quite far away and not over until late....and there's a tube strike that isn't going to be resolved until Friday morning. This will be interesting.....Between rehearsals, I'll be meeting up with Jerry, again, for some grub and probably more playing tour guide.

Stupid Mistakes, but Great Outcomes!

I had to check out of the hostel by 10 AM this morning, so I set my alarm for 8:53 (I can’t stand waking up at a proper time). Finnish people apparently don’t know how to whisper, so I was rudely awakened at 7:30 by the two girls in the bunks above me. I awoke, ate breakfast, checked out, came to Adam’s flat, and putzed around until I decided to head off to the Barbican (what I thought was) a bit early. This is only the beginning of the story……..

I had a completely idiotic misunderstanding of today's rehearsal time. Matt told me 10 AM for all of them except today’s. For some reason, he decided to say “10 AM, 10 AM, ten to one.” I took this as meaning 12:50, as he only said the starting time for the others. I got to the hall at 12:25 and heard music through the closed doors which started the wheels turning. He still meant 10-1. I caught half an hour of it. Luckily they’re having another rehearsal for the same concert tomorrow.

I didn’t completely waste my day. Patrick, the tuba player with whom I rode to a rehearsal a few days ago, caught me backstage and asked me how I was going to spend my Saturday. I told him I figured I’d just sit around doing whatever after my idiotic mistake wasted away my morning. He informed me that a horn player in the past had once made the same mistake. I still feel like an idiot. Patrick asked if I would be interested in going with him to a conducting class-of-sorts outside of the city (that he would be teaching). Of course I said yes! Rehearsal was out at 1. The class began at 2:10. Plenty of time. We got all of the way to the borough listed on his sheet of paper before he remembered the sheet was wrong. We rerouted ourselves and would have been on time had all of the roads to get to the school not been closed for repairs. Still, we were only about 3 or so minutes late.

On the car ride there, we discussed the personality needed to be a great conductor or soloist, his past experience in orchestras (he has played with the LSO for 21 years and was chairman at one point, plus many other gigs). He tied the personality bit into the class, as all of the 5 young music teachers were incredibly shy and nervous. This was their second meeting with Patrick, who was there to help them become more confident in basic time-beating. Aside from that, they had zero previous conducting experience. I ended up taking as many, if not more, notes on Partick’s workshop as I have at full orchestra rehearsals.

After the almost three-hours class was complete, we headed back towards London. I’m going to return to this borough next Saturday with Patrick and 3 other LSO musicians to see them work with the college’s youth orchestra. I’ve been told to bring my trumpet. I’m going to look at the schedule and see what other education events I would be able sit in on. As a music education major, I figure it’s not going to hurt anything- and it’s fun! I completely understand how draining it could be, though. I now see why Joost is constantly running around.

I was dropped me off at the train station near his house in South London. The train to London Bridge station arrived as I was buying a ticket (no, I didn’t miss it- it was perfect timing!). The ride wasn’t but 15 minutes long…then I hopped onto the tube, got off at the nearest stop to the flat, and walked the rest of the way. I’m finally resting up before I return to the hostel. Not to stay- Amelia offered to cook me dinner. Yay!

So, despite missing the 3-hour rehearsal, 5:45 of my day were still spent at LSO-related events (Patrick’s class was through the LSO).

I am now devouring some cheddar and my new quasi-flat mate’s basil plant. He gave me permission, but I still feel a bit guilty.

I will NOT miss tomorrow’s rehearsal! I have the PROPER time engraved into my brain. There’ll be another rehearsal the next morning. Jerry arrives at Heathrow at 10:40 PM. I’m meeting him at the airport, then taking him to his hostel…I don’t anticipate bed before 2 AM. Then another rehearsal the next morning…and the next morning.

Off to dinner!

Oi Vey!

I told myself- I promised myself- that I wouldn't buy and more internet on this trip. I get free wifi at the Barbican and at the flat to which I will be moving tomorrow afternoon.

But I couldn't wait.

Tonight's LSO concert was unlike any I had yet seen. Two hours and fifty-five minutes of LSO+a gypsy band. It was spectacularly entertaining and energetic. After sitting through 2 and playing one encore after an intially long concert to begin with, I'm sure the orchestra members will all sleep well tonight. Many extended solos were added tonight- amazing. The cembalom player snapped a string in one of the encores. The audience wasn't alone in its reaction to the solos- Joost (bassoon) walked past me in the lobby during the interval. He said nothing, but looked at me and violently scrated away at an air violin. I responded with some mean air cembalom.

I ended up sitting next to a man who happens to be a friend of the leader (i.e. concertmaster). We had a lovely conversation about many music-related topics. He told a story about when Carmine (said leader/concertmaster) played the Tchaik concerto at the last minute for another English orchestra but was not nervous in the least, yet he played solo for fun at a party thrown by my concert-neighbor and was nervous out of his mind. It is funny how nerves work that way. We compared tales of our meetings with Sir Colin, he asked me about what I've done and will be doing on my trip, and, at the end of the concert, wished me well for the future and asked my name so as to look for it in the coming years. It turns out that he was sitting right behind me at the Brahms concert on the 24th. Perhaps I'll run into him again sometime this summer.

Tomorrow will be spent taking a few of my belongings down the street to my new address. I'll move the rest of the things in Saturday morning, most likely...or perhaps I'll just take it all tomorrow and get out of the hostel a day early (yay!). Tomorrow night, I will be going to see the King's Singers at a hall with which I am not familiar. I need to take a peek at a map.

Tasty Pasty

I could feel a sore throat coming on last night. Why has this been happening so much over that last month or so? Not fun. It's feeling a bit better, now, but I think it's just because I slept until noon, drank a pot of tea, and listened to Brahms. I had no intentions of doing anything today- just sleeping off my new illness before it could get any worse. Instead, I did quite a bit of something. The adventure began around 1 when I trekked across town to the only music store I could find online that said they had trumpet practice mutes in stock. I really didn't want to go to Oxford Street AGAIN, but I had no choice.

To reward myself for a successful hunt, I bought my first Cornish pasty. It wasn't too bad. Steak, potatoes, onions, and grease encased in a flaky tastiness. I had to get on the Central Line to go back to King's Cross, so I decided to go a bit out of my way and reward myself a bit more. I headed to Tea, the tea shop I <3 behind St. Paul's (Amici, this is where your mug will be coming from!). Since it's a beautiful day, the shop was empty and all of the customers were sitting outside. I sat inside, pulled out my iPod, and listened to/followed along with the Brahms piano concerto the LSO will be playing in a few weeks. I happily realized that the recording I have is of the soloist I will be hearing with them (thanks, Chris!).

On the journey back to the hostel, many interesting things went through my head. Bear with me as I reveal my stream of conciousness: On tube out today, I noticed a girl wearing an outfit many girls wear that I find to be hideous- leggings and a baggy tshirt. She was sitting in a car with me. After tea-ing and hopping back on the tube to return to the hostel, she got into the same car as me, again! How strange is it, that in a city of so many millions of people, you see the same random person twice in one day? This led me to think about another odd thing: I have the habit of taking pictures of things and accidentally taking an awesome candid shot of a random person who happened to get into the frame as I pressed the button. One of my favorite pictures from my January trip was a result of this incident (below left). I took a picture of a student in Oxford last week only because I thought it cool that he was wearing a robe. It has become one of my favorite shots from my trip, thus far (partially because he resembles Prince Harry-below right). I also think it's interesting that both of them happen to be of "gingers." Is it because I am a ginger, as well?

Immediately upon leaving Tea, I looked up at the sky and realized that today was my favorite sort of London day: the sky gets dark and cloudy, but then the sun comes out and illuminates the North Bank....It's the most beautiful thing. Perhaps that's because it reminds me of my first day in the city back in 2007. No, I think it's just because it's absolutely stunning. See just how stunning in a picture I took on that first day:

I'm going to do some more sleeping, as I'm still not feeling quite up to par. If it's still daylight when I wake up, I'll practice in the park around the corner.