Hello there,

Wishing you a happy holiday season. This week, I performed in Norwegian and I want to share it with you. To sing this lovely song by Grieg, I sought out the Norwegian Club of Toronto and now have made new friends (who were witness to my pronunciation at last night’s performance). What a lovely end to a lovely year.

I’ve also been writing some new pop songs and am including a video of my new song ‘Pull Me In’. Please prepare to hear completely contrasting performances — one video is pop and one is classical. Hope you enjoy both!

Thank you for all your support, and all the best for 2010!

Click here to watch:

Cheers,
Larra

For the other geeks: this blog wasn’t dead, it was just low on HP.

Well, this will be my first post in quite a while. Ever since I finished my blog writing course, I haven’t seemed to have the same motivation that I did during when I was doing it. However, I believe a blog with the underlining concept of Unschooling is a great idea. I wouldn’t mind also having a blog about my techie endeavors, too, but I’m keeping this one’s main focus to be my education.

Christmas month has been crazy. Lots of stuff to do, lots of places to go, plus the fact that we had about 9 inches of snow. I hope to get back into blog writing on a close-to-regular schedule soon after Christmas.

For now, I suppose this’ll be a biding-my-time post until Christmas is over. As a side ntoe, my piano ambitions are starting to pay off as I’m going to visit my great-grandmother on Christmas Eve morning, and will play my two recital pieces that I’ve practiced the most for her.
In addition, my Linux learning (once a subject I studied for unschooling) is starting to pay off too, because I’ll be getting a new netbook that doesn’t come with Windows. It only comes with an Ubuntu-based Linux distro. Woohoo!

if you have 15min to spare, check out the videos from riker’s school holiday party. coordinating 30 kids is like herding cats.  Riker brought home a lot of holiday art; check out the pix below.

Early. Movies. Awesome. Package. Bribes. Drive. Pandora. Old school. Family. Christmas recital. Adorable. Proud. Crazy.

Friday night we attended a much anticipated holiday program for Emily’s middle school.  At the end of Emily’s fifth grade year, she informed us that she wanted to be in the band.  So we agreed and she decided to play the flute.  At the first recital we were a bit anxious and wondered if she would ever be good enough to make the Wind Ensemble.  Well she did make the ensemble after just one year of being in band!  So we were really excited about this year’s holiday program.  She was given one of the prized dresses to wear, which she was really excited about.  She’s so tiny, she’s hard to see, but she’s there on the right, second row.

As posted below, Jitka Frankova will be performing at the Czech Center Museum Houston Monday, December 14 at 6:30 pm with reception to follow.  The CCMH has known Jitka for quite a while; in fact Mrs. Effie Rosene recently sent out this memory of Jitka in our e-newsletter:

It’s a beautiful story.  In 2001 Rice University piano faculty director Dr. Robert Roux called me for help in finding lodging hopefully with a Czech family for a brilliant young pianist from Ceśke Budejovice, Czech Republic.  We were still in our location at Northwest Mall at the time working hard to build the CCMH someday.  I broadcast an SOS first to our Board of Directors, Beatrice Mladenka Fowler whose home had just been vacated by her daughter Catherine and son Michael off to school out of state, connected immediately with Jitka.  Not long after son Michael began noticing Jitka and vice versa.  We remember Jitka’s fundraiser concert in the Fowler home with a delicious buffet dinner with a huge turkey in a Tux stuffed with delectable chicken salad and Jitka’s career only went up from there.  We remember the night she finished her master’s recital at Rice Stude Hall. In fact I remember it really well.  We at CCMH were feting Jitka with a celebration reception.  In my excitement I ran down Stude’s steps to open the Reception Room only to misstep with a really big sliding “whap” on my back at the bottom of the landing.  Stunned and in fear of paralysis I managed to get up and out the door, stood against the outer corridor wall and very graciously slid down it in a dead faint.  I awakened to lots of people around me.  I understand I was busy introducing people from right there on the floor!  The party started without me, a real success as I was told, for the brilliant young pianist!  I was spending five hours in Hermann Hospital Emergency Rooms, not near “emergency enough” to be seen, with so many serious cases around, i.e. shootings and stabbings.  Eventually I was told I probably suffered a trauma to my Sciatic nerve from the fall and went home with a Tylenol.  Yes, I do remember Jitka’s musical successes!  Her doctorate two years later including another beautiful performance, she has such a lovely, personal performing style!  The next big chapter included a story book wedding to Michael in a castle in her hometown of Ceske Budejovice and many months in European travel, then back to the states to work in a University Music Department in Fredonia, New York while Michael taught.  The last several years in Prague she has continued an international career with multiple performances in various countries, symphonies, orchestras and solo concerts.  We will get to meet Jitka’s parents, hear her on KUHF’s Front Row interview on Monday, the day of her concert.  We hear the magnitude of her concert music requires a Grand Steinway so that is really exciting to experience.  In the meanwhile we do have two baby grand Petrofs of which we are duly proud.

You really ought to come out for this performance.  The price is right, there is a reception and it may well be the greatest you will ever hear—Jitka Fowler Frankova’s Return to Houston with another concert at the Czech Center Museum Houston in Prague Hall.  Yes, we really feel Jitka is one of our own!  So is Michael.

For booking contact Valerie quickly at 713-528-2060, Valerie@czechcenter.org or online in our calendar section at www.czechcenter.org.

Ben Moll Percussion Recital

Ben Moll is a colleague of mine teaching at Clark College in Vancouver, WA is performing a percussion recital on Saturday, December 13th at 7pm at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Vancouver.

I will be playing the trap set on some jazz standards and perhaps some Bach Inventions at the end.

Ben is also premiering a new percussion & soprano duet by Fred Strong.

Among we percussionists, the following musicians will be accompanying Mr. Moll:

• Kathy Charles – Piano
  Clark College Piano Faculty

• April Duvic – Soprano
  Clark College Music Faculty

• Eva Richey – Violin
  Concertmaster, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

Donations accepted for St. Luke’s Church.

Ben Moll will be playing on a Rosebush Marimba

I have the privilege of coaching several brass chamber ensembles at Brigham Young University. I have added the December 8th Brass Chamber Night to the “Projects/Events” page.

Eclectic Music recently hosted five solo recitals in its new Inman Park performance space. One of my students performed last Saturday (Nov. 21) and did a fantastic job! I was so proud of her!

La línea divisoria

La dificultad de escribir una crónica como mandan los cánones del periodismo (en tercera persona) se presenta nunca más compleja que en los casos en que el cronista se enfrenta con un evento demasiado cercano a su vida emocional. Es el caso, por supuesto, de la primera visita a Argentina de Dark Tranquillity y de lo que eso representa para quien firma esta nota. Por lo mismo, “el cronista” (mi negación) se confunde precisamente con el “yo” (mi afirmación) que escribe, y la nota se dispone a recorrer un camino en el que convive lo referencial con lo autoreferencial. Tanto el cronista como yo pedimos disculpas por las molestias ocasionadas a los puristas.

Entren, ángeles suicidas

Esta época signada por esa suerte de Biblioteca de Babel que es Youtube ha arruinado una práctica de las más preciadas para quienes asistimos asiduamente a recitales: ese juego que combina conocimiento, intuición, deseo y azar que es el “¿Con qué tema abrirán?”. Con una mínima pericia tecnológica la respuesta se encuentra hoy en día con facilidad, y con esa facilidad uno termina aceptando nostálgicamente el dato preciado. Sí: todos sabíamos que “Terminus (Where Death Is Most Alive)” iba a abrir la noche. Bastó que el teclado de Martin Brändström comenzara a anticipar la entrada de la banda a pleno para confirmarlo. Y la banda a pleno entró: Aders Jivarp, armado de palillos y camiseta argentina; Sundin y Henriksson portando violas e idiosincracia sueca; Michael Nicklasson con su bajo y su convide al grito y a la participación. Y Mikael Stanne.

Flashback: desafío al universo

No tenía más de 17 años cuando me topé con un disco que me cambió la forma de escuchar música. Ya me había pasado algo similar con Megadeth y “Countdown To Extinction” y con Paradise Lost (“Shades Of God”). Pero aquel día en que descubrí “The Gallery”, todo se sacudió. El efecto comenzó con la imprevisible descarga de energía y melodía de Jivarp-Sundin-Johansson-Henriksson, pero se materializó en furiosos colores cuando la garganta de Mikael Stanne escupió hacia la eternidad un feroz grito y el clásico “Somos los dedos extendidos/ que apresan y controlan el viento”. Nada volvió a ser igual. Gracias, “Punish My Heaven”. Gracias, Mikael.

Vuelta al presente: el crescendo de la locura

Mikael Stanne, ese frontman impecable, esa voz que rugiendo transmite más que muchas voces melódicas, lideró al sexteto para aplicar el cross y el gancho iniciales de “Terminus…” y “The Lesser Faith” (del reciente “Fiction”) con que arrancaron. Desde el vamos quedó en claro que el aplomo y experiencia de la banda serían suficientes para dominar la noche, y el público lo supo: no lo demostró de movida con algarabía descontrolada, pero sí con un respeto y una alegría indisimulable. La euforia con que se fue coloreando la noche empezaría a hacerse evidente segundos después, cuando “The Wonders At Your Feet” comenzó a hacer lo suyo.

Si Sundin Y Henrikson son el lado sobrio de la banda en cuanto a presencia escénica, Nicklasson y- sobre todo- Stanne son los embajadores frente al público. Y si lo que comienza a sonar es “Lost To Apathy”, no hay obstáculo posible para que público y banda se hagan uno entre saltos, gritos y cánticos. Coreando la melodía principal del fantástico tema de “Character”, co-vocalizando con un feliz Stanne que no paró un momento de recorrer el escenario, de gestualizar y retorcerse elegantemente (brazo derecho adelante, micrófono en mano; brazo izquierdo atrás, casi en una reverencia), el público no pudo dilatar más el primer “olé, olé, olé, olé/Tranquil-lity” de la noche. El cántico no sólo se repitió más adelante, sino que se le agregó una y otra vez un sentido (y metricamente singular) “(…) Oh, Dark Tranquillity/ es un sentimiento/ no puedo parar” (Stanne a la gente: “¿Estuvieron ensayando afuera? Ustedes son increíbles”) que logró arrebatarle risas y sonrisas hasta a Sundin y al rastaman Henriksson, y poner a la banda de un humor que repercutió directamente en la pasión puesta en la música: el soberbio “Hedon” (el gran tema de “The Mind’s I”), “Focus Shift” y “Misery’s Crown” así lo atestiguaron. Y ni hablar del clásico “Punish My Heaven”, que arrasó con todo, para ser breve.

Lo Trascendental y lo Mágico

La banda, a esa altura, ya había demostrado todos sus puntos altos: la garganta incandescente de Stanne y su excelencia como frontman; la robótica precisión de Jivarp; la comodidad con que se desenvuelven los teclados y efectos de Brändström dentro de una música agresiva (si bien melódica) como la de estos precursores del “sonido de Gotemburgo”; y el decisivo y personal ataque de Niklas Sundin y Martin Henriksson en las guitarras. El bajo de Nicklasson fue seguramente el actor más secundario, mitad por el menos que ideal sonido de El Teatro, mitad porque se pasó el show aplaudiendo y arengando.

El crescendo de compenetración banda-público, de entusiasmo y de alegría se convirtió en explosión al llegar al último tramo del show: las melodías de “Therein” (lo único que sonó de “Projector”; punto menos para los suecos), coreadas por todo el Teatro, y la calma de “My Negation” coronaron la primera parte de la noche, que culminaría más tarde, luego de un breve descanso, con “Final Resistence” antecedida por uno de los puntos más emocionantes de la noche. Nuevamente recurriendo a esa pieza maravillosa que es “The Gallery”, los suecos se despacharon con una versión colosal de “Lethe”. Con llamas en los ojos, la noche terminó. Promesas de regreso, agradecimientos mutuos, sonrisas. Y lo más importante: la tranquillidad de saber que una deuda de muchos años había sido saldada para todos, que en ese momento éramos uno.

Allí, justo allí, reside la belleza.

Il più grande pianista al mondo, credeteci o no, è italiano. Una tecnica mostruosa, un umorismo fuori dal comune e l’umiltà di un gigante. Impareggiabile. Stefano Bollani.

Performing "Oh No" his own composition

Decca had another success this weekend, and I am so proud of him. He participated in a recital in front of  a hundred people, most of them strangers. This is a huge accomplishment for him as a year ago he was only talking to a handful of people. He would have never had the strength to do this. Music however seems to speak directly to him, and he has found his passion. He plays the piano almost all day (it actually starts to drive the twins crazy after a while LOL), and he was determined to do this recital.

Humming "Factory Chop"

It was hard for him especially when he hummed another song he wrote “Factory Chop”. He turned red and for a brief moment I thought he might start crying while he was up there at the mic, but he got to the end. He then did one more song at the piano before running back to me. He forgot to bow, but I reminded him, and he went back up with a smile on his face while everyone clapped.

We have been so blessed to find the piano teacher that works with Decca. Special need kids are her passion, and although Decca has never muttered a single word to her she has been able to work with him. I am very thankful for her, as I am sure all the parents at the recital were. There were blind students, down syndrome students, and students with turrets all performing at the concert. They were all wonderful, and I was so happy to be there to see them all.

The twins and a friend were there supporting Decca.

I first heard Grammy Award-winning Soprano Renee Fleming singing Strauss’ Four Last Songs at Carnegie Hall as part of a fundraising concert for Classical Action: Performing Arts Against AIDS. I’ve never forgotten the beauty of her voice since. She is simply one of the greatest singers on the face of this earth.

Musical America’s Vocalist of the Year in 1997, Renee Fleming also received the inaugural 1996 Solti Prize from L’Academie du Disque Lyrique. Her recording of American arias, I Want Magic, recorded in New York with James Levine and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra was named “Record of the Month”, by Gramophone Magazine, naming her in the review as one of the all-time greats.

Repértoire Magazine reviewed the recording as “The most beautiful manifesto imaginable for the last fifty years of American operatic creation.” The New York Times wrote: “Ravishing melodies, ravishingly sung…Ms. Fleming convincingly gives lie to those who maintain that the golden age of singing is past.”

O encontro de onte foi xeneroso, verdadeiro. Os organizadores do acto, Alberto e Xurxo exerceron de anfitrións magníficos. Un pracer compartir a palabra e a mesa con persoas que cren na poesía ata as últimas consecuencias.

Foi íntimo, algo máis dunha trintena de persoas estaban alí para escoitarnos. Interviu primeiro Xosé Abeal, recuperando a patria da infancia, os estertores da vida. Seguín eu, ofrecida ao pouso, coma poucas veces. Despois Emma Pedreira, estreando libro, Xoguetes póstumos (que levou o premio de poesía erótica Illas Sisargas con belos collages de Ana Cibeira), os seus ósos, a casa e o faro ofrenda última para corpos. Finalmente Miguel Anxo Fernán-Vello,  poeta ao servizo da beleza. Os instantes máis transparentes da súa man.

E por se isto fora pouco, Teresa Seara agasallándonos sempre memoriais das poéticas, xenerosa e necesaria como só nós sabemos.

Sublime foi a intervención de Ariel Ninas,  creando extraordinarios espazos musicais coa zanfona, un instrumento descoñecido, intrigante, de posibilidades infindas, como demostrou o seu executor. Improvisacións cómplices con cada unha das intervencións. Todo un descubrimento que desexo seguir desfrutando, intercambio de Borsalinos incluido.

A todas e todos agradecida por entregarse sen reservas, convertindo a tarde no mellor acubillo.

Moitas veces.

Recital poético I fragmento

Recital poético II fragmento

Ser Disidente, por Juan Pablo Vitali