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Our opera company has always depended on the kindness of a small band of northern Virginia residents who open up their homes to our singers every summer. They’re called our “housing hosts.” I blog about them today not just to thank them (which I am determined to do, profusely, every time I get a chance),

Going to get down to business, but first had to share this photo of the Cherry Blossom Festival that’s taking place in my front yard. It’s spring! Wading InMany of the bloggers I try to read regularly write about the future of classical music and its audience. I invariably have strong reactions to many of

I got hooked on the game when my daughter played in high school. Sorry to see George Mason out of the tournament, but they were magnificent. And the DC area is still alive… Maryland has a chance for the women’s national championship tomorrow night! Wish I would’ve had/made more time in my own life for

Feeling disconnected from blog world lately, but posting anyway. Reading “Improv Wisdom”, and today I learned that the Third Maxim is “Just Show Up.” Motivation is not a requirement. So here I am. Boston Brass did more than just show up at our two school presentations today – they were absolutely terrific. 11:00am at Robinson

Catching up on trade periodicals. Nice piece in the April Chamber Music magazine called “The Ear of the Beholder.” Resonates with recent postings and discussions on competitions. “The only thing the judges can agree on is whether or not a mistake has been made… So the winner is often somebody who doesn’t make mistakes.” The

Any hope for a thoughtful blog post has vanished. The day flew by at a disorienting, fragmented and chaotic rate. The List Established the details of Orpheus wind instrumentation. 2 recorders, 1 oboe, 1 bassoon, 1 trumpet, 1 lute. Baroque lute players are hot-house flowers. What came first? The temperament or the effects of playing

No time to write anything else tonight, but here’s what we’ve been spending all our time working on… 2006 Wolf Trap Opera Company –press releaselist of performances 2006 NSO @ Wolf Trap (National Symphony Orchestra) –press releaselist of performances The Washington Post article on the Wolf Trap season announcement. More tomorrow.

This from Terry Teachout’s About Last Night: “I rarely go to classical concerts. It’s not that I love the music any less, but over time I’ve become increasingly alienated from the experience of concertgoing: the noisy audiences, the unimaginative programs, the feeling that not nearly enough is at stake… I find that few classical music

Engaged in the annual springtime delusion that I’m going to turn my 2.5-mile regular power walk into a jog. (Don’t be too impressed – so far that means that I walk up the hills and run down them.) I have an iPod playlist just for this purpose, and it doesn’t contain anything that comes close