Monday, March 27, 2017

University of Florida Gator Horn Studio takes Orlando

Over the weekend, I was able to accompany the University of Florida Gator Horn Studio under the direction of UF horn professor Paul Basler to Orlando for the 10th Annual Florida French Horn Festival. I am close to several of the horn players in the studio at UF, and I was very excited to tag along and see some of the inner workings of the french horn world. This festival took place at the Plaza Live Theatre and attracted over 100 participants from around Florida and even drew in professors from other states. Although I have to admit that I was a little on ease considering the massively heightened security at the theatre following the murder of Christina Grimmie...

Besides that tragically odd coincidence that occurred at the theatre last June, the Florida French Horn Festival turned out to be a successful and safe event. One of my friends from the University of Florida, David LaRussa, 19, reflected on the festival and said there was something particularly special about this year's gathering.

And this camp that David mentioned, Kendall Betts Horn Camp, seemed to be the theme of the day. The organizer of the horn festival, Caroline Blice, dedicated this year's festival to Kendall Betts, a renowned french hornist and founder of the Kendall Betts Horn Camp who passed away at the end of summer 2016 from cancer. I could sense the impact that Kendall Betts had on the great majority of the players in attendance at this festival. Rightfully so, David even said that it was very fitting for Caroline to bring back faculty members that were somehow linked to Kendall Betts.

All faculty members, students and visitors who have attended Kendall Betts Horn Camp in the past gathered for a photo on stage at the Plaza Live Theatre in Orlando.
The tightly-knit network of french horn players was evident even to me, a mere spectator at the festival. The day continued on after a brief introduction by Caroline, and the hornists in attendance were able to participate in guest lectures, masterclasses, horn choir rehearsals and an instrument maintenance breaks throughout the festival. It was a fast-paced day of music and learning, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and trying to absorb as much information as possible.

And of course, the virtuosity of the guest artist Bernhard Scully shined through in his several performances. However, what I liked most about Bernhard was his approachability and realistic teaching style.
Hornist Bernhard Scully performs solo works at the 10th Annual Florida Horn Festival at the Plaza Live Theatre.
Overall, the Florida Horn Festival was a great success and did a fine job honoring the legacy of the late Kendall Betts. I'm glad I was able to be a little fly on the wall that day to get a taste of this slice of the musical world that I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to observe in my lifetime.
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Monday, March 20, 2017

Thornebrook Gallery presents new collection featuring artist Laura Adams Wilson

On Friday evening, I went over to Thornebrook Gallery on NW 43rd Street in Gainesville to check out local artist Laura Adams Wilson's new collection. There was a formal "opening" of the gallery that evening, and I was delighted by its relaxed and inviting environment. The event was personal and was kept between a small group of art admirers and friends and family of Laura herself. I might have stuck out just a little bit but I didn't mind! Art is art to all who choose to admire it.

I knew that this art collection was in association with Gainesville's celebration of Cuban heritage that goes from January until the end of March, which is formally called Bulla Cubana, and I was eager to see how Laura's artwork conveyed this theme of celebration. Looking back on my experience with the Gainesville Orchestra for Bulla Cubana certainly added to my excitement over this gallery opening.

Now, I must say Laura's artwork is stunning and so is her vibrant personality! I stole her away from the gallery opening for just a few short minutes to ask her more about her collection, and you can check out that interview and some footage from inside the gallery up at the top of this post! Her attribution of her artwork to her grandmother was pure and heartfelt.

To all who have not yet been to Thornebrook Gallery, now is the perfect time! Laura's collection will be on display until April 1st.
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Monday, March 13, 2017

Renowned Israeli violinist Itzhak Perlman comes to the University of Florida

Itzhak Perlman performing on stage at the
Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on
Saturday, March 13th, 2017.
My fangirling has not yet subsided, so please excuse my overbearing excitement in writing this post. I had that absolute pleasure of watching Israeli violinist Itzhak Perlman perform in concert once again this past Saturday night. Perlman came to perform a solo concert at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Gainesville, Florida, with the illustrious piano accompanist Rohan de Silva. And I must say, this duo is nearly unstoppable; their talent is so overwhelming, it is an honor just to be able to watch them perform on stage.

Over five years ago, I saw Itzhak Perlman in concert for the first time at the Sunrise Theatre in Fort Pierce, Florida, and I remember nearly dying from happiness. Okay, surely this is a slight exaggeration, but rightfully so. Perlman's lusciously romantic style and commanding stage presence cannot hardly be matched by any other performing musician. Once I heard that the University of Florida would be bringing him to Gainesville to perform for the many classical music lovers here, I knew instantly that I would be in that audience.

My concert ticket and program from Itzhak Perlman's
performance at the Phillips Center.
Curtesy of Saturday night's program notes, I learned a few more things about Perlman that simply astounded me: Perlman played at President Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony, he played at a State Dinner in 2007 for Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, he has won 16 Grammy Awards for his countless recordings and musical collaborations (P.S. he won the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007), and he has starred on many stages worldwide as one of the reigning violin soloists of this century. Now can you understand my excitement?!

And just as I had assumed it would be, his performance on Saturday night with Rohan de Silva was just as amazing as all of his other performances have been. I brought one of my dear friends along to the show, and he had never heard of Perlman before I mentioned him. I, of course, was very proud of our front row balcony seats, but during the first half of the concert, we both scouted out two empty seats down in the second row of the floor seats, which we dashed down to as soon as intermission began. And I will say, that move was absolutely worth it! From those seats, we could see Perlman's facial expressions and movements that were only a distant blur up in the balcony.
Gushing me with my guest, David LaRussa, in front
of the stage at the Phillips Center.

Besides the awfully nervous page turner on the stage, the performance was near perfection. Perlman's performances of violin sonatas by Vivaldi, Beethoven, Schumann and Ravel were charged with emotion and passion, and his compilation of encore show pieces and Trump jokes were equally as entertaining. I hope I am able to see Itzhak Perlman perform in concert again in the near future, and PLEASE, check out some of his videos on YouTube for yourself. They are well worth watching.


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Saturday, March 11, 2017

10th annual Gainesville Fine Arts Fair

Over the weekend of Friday March 3rd-Sunday March 5th, the Gainesville Fine Arts Association hosted its annual Fine Arts Fair at Tioga Town Center on Newberry Road. At first, I was a hesitant about what this fair would entail, but I will admit, I was pleasantly surprised by all of the vendors and activities offered to the fair goers. I went to the fair on Sunday and the weather was just perfect for the event.


This little girl was just precious! I was so enthralled by her maturity and her confidence on the stage. Her performance brought me back to me early years of playing out of the Suzuki violin method books (where this piece can be found).




Of course, I just had to test out a few of these instruments for myself. I brought along a couple friends to the fair, and we played around on the instruments for a little while.

My nose most definitely led me straight to this vendor. And the food was delicious!! This fair was great for attracting new and future business to the restaurants and stores in the Tioga plaza.


Overall, this fair was a wonderful collaboration between local artists and musicians. I will be returning next year without fail.
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Monday, February 27, 2017

Gainesville Orchestra performs concert Bulla Cubana at Santa Fe College

Over the past week, I had the absolute pleasure of performing as a substitute violinist with the Gainesville Orchestra at Santa Fe College. The Gainesville Orchestra is an incredible group of musicians directed by multi-talented Mr. Evans Haile. Haile has worked as the Producing Artistic Director of the Cape Playhouse Center for the Arts, hosted the NPR show “Talk of the Town,” produced many shows at the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts, and co-founded the New Amsterdam Theatre Company. In short, such big talent on such a small local stage!

The Gainesville Orchestra rehearses in the performing hall at
Santa Fe College on Thursday, February 23, 2017.
The concert’s theme was centered on a mix of Latin music with driving rhythms and insatiable pulses. It was rightfully titled Bulla Cubana. But from my perspective, the most admirable aspect of this concert wasn’t necessarily the music alone – although it was truly wonderful! – but how the music interacted with the performing guest artists and even the audience members. The music was playful and flirty and fit perfectly with the concert hall’s ambience.

RumbaTap dancer Max Pollack rehearses on stage with the
Gainesville Orchestra.
The stars of the evening were the internationally renowned RumbaTap dancer Max Pollack and local artist Eleanor Blair. During the concert, Blair capture the essence of Cuba by live-painting a scenic portrait of Havana. And, in the second half of the program, Pollack emerged to show the audience his innovative style of dance that blends elements of Afro-Cuban music and dance with American rhythmic tap and body music. The outcome: jaw-dropping artistry.

It is safe to assume that no one left that concert hall without a smile from ear-to-ear. Pollack’s dancing was exuberantly cheered, the orchestra’s music was highly praised, and Blair’s painting was sold for $3,000 to the highest bidder in the auction that ended the evening’s events. All I have left to say, is that I can only hope that I am invited to play with orchestra again; it always leaves me in such great spirits. 
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Monday, February 20, 2017

University of Florida's school of music suffers from its building's subpar conditions

The School of Music at the University of Florida has battled for decades for improvements to their main building. The music building, or MUB, was constructed in the 1970s as a part of a design competition and was not originally intended to be used as a music building. Because of this, the building does not have proper sound insulation, climate control, or functional uses of space. The building has recently been under construction to fix minor structural issues, but the faculty and students in the music school are still calling for a complete renovation of the building to meet the modern standards for building construction and function.




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Sunday, February 19, 2017

Ariel String Quartet coaches University of Florida musicians in masterclass


Trio of UF students perform the Smetana Piano Trio in
G Minor, Op. 15.
Last week, the renowned Israeli Ariel String Quartet visited the University of Florida, performing at the Phillips Center on February 12th then hosting a masterclass for UF student chamber musicians the following day. The Ariel String Quartet members, Alexander, Amit, Gershon and Jan, were students at the New England Conservatory of Music but are now resident faculty members at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

The first chamber ensemble, whose performance I will feature in this review, performed the Smetana Piano Trio in G Minor Op. 15 for the Ariel Quartet, which is a piece that the composer wrote after the death of his child. Fittingly, the trio conveys a harsh yet reflective sense of mourning and grief. Structurally, the work exudes this sense of tragedy through its dynamic extremes and descending chromatic lines.

The UF performing chamber ensemble played the Smetana trio with a vibrant and driving exuberance. The Ariel String Quartet seemed to have agreed for they raved about the trio’s emotional delivery of the music. However, no performance is perfect, so they did have a few critiques to give to the trio of UF students.
Ariel cellist Amit Even-Tov plays UF student's cello to
demonstrate a performance technique.

Ariel violinist Alexandra Kazovsky said to the trio, “Think of the emotional strength of the work, and make it freer.”

Cellist Jan Gruning added to this comment and told the performing violinist and cellist to, “Imitate the usage of breath in your right arm to give the line more direction.”

The trio then repeated certain sections of the work for the Ariel Quartet members and I couldn’t help but smile watching and listening to the immediate improvements in their playing.


“It’s like magic now,” Alexandra said. “It’s so nice, it gives the melody spontaneity.”
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