Monday's Muse

The legendary cellist Pablo Casals was asked why he continued to practice at age 90. "Because I think I'm making progress," he replied.

CTO ... The Self-Correcting Universe

For all you math and physics geeks .... as my husband says, "Life is physics."

Check This Out ... Watch 32 discordant metronomes achieve synchrony in a matter of minutes. I guess this is why we use digital metronomes!

mesmerizing metronomes

SmartPhones in the Concert Hall

Here's an interesting article written for the Huffington Post by James Ehnes ... on bootlegging and the modern-day behavior of documenting and sharing every life experience. Maybe it's time we put our cameras away and simply enjoy being in the moment. At the very least, think before recording and posting that live musical performance.

"At a recent concert where I played the Brahms concerto, a young man in the second row filmed my entire performance on his smartphone. When I first noticed him, my reaction was one of surprise and mild annoyance. This sort of thing is prohibited, as a rule, in most if not all traditional concert halls. I stared at him with my best, "seriously?" look, but he didn't seem fazed by that at all. So I just tried to ignore it as best I could. I'm guessing he had no idea that I might find his filming objectionable. He applauded enthusiastically and smiled at me at the end.

This got me thinking about the pros and cons of recording a performance in this way, both for the musician and for the potential audience for such a recording. I admit to feeling a bit conflicted about the issue ..."

James Ehnes is the Violin Soloist and Artistic Director for the Seattle Chamber Music Society. Read his entire Blog post here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-ehnes/smartphones-in-the-concer_b_3802905.html 

Familiar scene? Photo by Josué Goge, some rights reserved

Monday's Muse

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” ~ Alan Watts

CTO ... Road Trippin'

No mid-week post this week. I've been driving cross country with son, Noah. Destination: Boulder, CO. Don't worry, I'll be back in the music room before you know it. In the meantime, enjoy the trip vicariously. And if you get the chance, do it yourself!

Check This Out ... Selected photos from the Piedmont of NC to the Foothills of the Rockies. You better believe, this is one big country!

Heading west on I-40, NC, Blue Ridge Mountains

St. Louis, MO - Gateway to the West

Blackwater, MO - a town that time forgot.
3 miles off I-70. We needed a break!

Kansas City, MO

Kansas, the Sunflower State

Hay cutting season in the Heartland.
Kansas was not as flat and boring as I expected.

Eastern Colorado - Now that is some flat and dry country!

Between Denver and Boulder ...
This is where the Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains.

We made it!
Out of the car and heading up a trail overlooking Boulder.

Monday's Muse

"There is no substitute for hard work."  ~ Thomas Edison

CTO ... If you could walk in their shoes

Check This Out:  If you could see inside other's hearts would you treat them any differently? May this video inspire you to be kind ... to use your music for good.

http://sonnyradio.com/if-we-could-see-inside-others-hearts.html