Cloud 9

Sitting on the lawn listening to Mahler at the music tent in Aspen with Maya. It is so comforting to be back for another season of great music and growing friendships. We arrived yesterday and are settling into our summer rental in Snowmass. This is our first music event but we have already run into a bunch of friends.

Odd thing happening right now. A fire alarm has been reported so tent being evacuated.  Gotta go. Probably false.

Brave

Today the BLYAP gang took most of the day off. Maya practiced for a couple of hours in the morning then we came to Lawrence to see the movie Brave,  in 3D. It was nice. Here's a shot of Maya and a couple of the other students.

Then we went to a large, indoor aquatic center. As we were leaving there one of the kids sustained a cut on the foot so now I'm waiting for sutures to be placed at a walk-in clinic. Naturally we've been waiting for over two hours. Next year I will bring a small procedure pack, lidocaine, etc with me. Maybe some casting plaster too.

Friday

Did some laundry, washed the bugs off the car, DQ drive-through, and I have a few minutes to post a few photos before running over to meet up with Maya.

Jamuna is apparently having a blast in Tyler, TX, living on just a few hours of sleep every night.  Practicing hard and playing hard.  Tubing on Tyler Lake, swimming, movies, etc.  Abe is hard at work in the office of DFW WOW!  doing his duties as "director-in-training" or something like that.

Last night the gang at BLYAP endured a marathon session on technical studies for violin by DMA candidate Bryan Hall.  They played scales to rap beats along with a bunch of other fun stuff.  Here's Maya and Emily working on a vibrato exercise:

 Today was Maya's last class with Mr. Clapp and pianist Naomi Woo.  Tonight Maya will perform an encore piece, Polonaise, by Wieniawski.

I asked Maya which of her instructors here at BYLAP she would want to take home with her for a month and she chose Mr. Clapp. Excellent choice, I think, though all the faculty here are wonderful.

Below is a shot of Maya trying to get Oliver to say "Maya".

Ugh...

Oliver

It is extremely hot here in sunny Ottawa.  I surely don't mean to complain about it but man is it hot.  I don't know what else to say about it except that we are thankful for air conditioning and all that physics of expanding fluids, heat exchange and so forth.

Maya just walked back in to her "studio" located in the Atkinson Building, returning from a piano coaching session with Ms. Laura Kennedy.  She is so nice.  They ran through her Mendelssohn for String Orchestra twice and then just for fun played through all three movements of the Wieniawski concerto that Maya is polishing.

 Here is a view of my workstation in her studio:

And here's a closer view of our nourishment center.


Below is a snapshot of Oliver, the resident parrot who lives in the science building.  Maya has several of her classes there and Oliver usually will say hello and goodbye.

Spent a week in Ottawa one day...

We've been here just a few days yet it feels like we've been here an entire week.  The Brian Lewis Young Artist Program  (aka BLYAP) is intense and immersive.  Maya has five hours daily (most days) plus several hours of personal practice time plus an evening music activity every day.  My role as task master isn't so bad but keeps me occupied most of the time. If I'm not sitting in the lessons taking notes and video recording I'm managing technology, task planning/managing or generally hovering.  I have been able to take the lunch hour to get some exercise.  More on that later.  One thing I haven't been doing much is photography and consequently have not been posting notes here.


This is my set-up when Maya is taking a class with an instructor such as Brian Lewis shown here.  I have a small but effective video camera running while I type notes from the session into an email which is promptly transmitted around the US moments after the class is finished.

Then I wait about two minutes for return comments, questions, corrections and instructions.

Here's a shot of the first evening's music activity.  This program is solo-oriented so all of the classes are one-on-one sessions with acclaimed masterclass instructors or one-on-one piano coaching sessions with fantastic collaborative pianists.  It is only during meals and the evening activities that the 12 students are in the same place.  It is a nice group of kids from around the country.


Last year I wrote out a complete grid of times and appointments for the entire program.  I did the same this year on a chalk board in Maya's original practice room but that room was too hot so we were moved to a different room.  I just didn't have any juice left to do the entire grid again so for now it one (or two) days at a time.

We're finding our stride so hopefully I will get back on a daily regimen of posting.

Back in Ottawa

Maya and I are back in Ottawa for the Brian Lewis Young Artist Program.  We're still getting situated here.  More details of our daily activities are forthcoming as well as a bunch of catching up from Sound Encounters week.

Did I mention it is supposed to be hot while we're here?

Capture the Flag 2012

Among other activities experienced at Sound Encounters 2012 in Ottawa, KS, the kids enjoyed another ruthless night of "Capture the Flag".  This ostensibly mindless and chaotic war-game seemed to delight about 60 soldiers representing two teams, the Capital and the Rebels (a la Hunger Games).  I'm told the Rebels prevailed  Here are a few shots:

In addition the this recreational event the kids did engage is other, more civilized activities:

Maya with Sam.  Teambuilding exercise.

Abe in his dorm office catching up on important (I presume) IT work.  He diligently squeezes computer work into his mornings just minutes before his private viola lesson.

Rest Stop

Taking a short break in Richardson, KS. 31 miles so far with about 14 more to go (assuming I want to make it back to Ottawa).

Peeps

Here are some of the big SE family we've come to know over the past few years.  I know everyone in this picture except that one dude next to Jamuna.  In no particular order:  Mr. Peter Chun (viola/violin coach), Dr. Murle Mordy (Ottawa University liaison and French teacher; I've had fun trying to chat with him in French), Morgan, Jessica, Cameron, Alex, Hope, Maya, Abe, Elena, Jamuna, and who is that guy?

Last night we all attended a recital by Brian Lewis (violin) and Laura Kennedy (piano).  It was world class.  They have a long history of playing together and it really showed.  The room was small and packed and despite full-blast air conditioning it was quite warm.   While milling around outside during intermission someone asked why it was so hot in there.  I said something about there being about 120 heat generators in the room and Mr. Barg commented, "and two horses pulling hard".  Very apt.

Today I took a bike ride out past Pomona, about 35 miles round trip which is a long ride for me.  It wasn't all that difficult since the terrain here is so flat and the elevation is a few thousand feet lower than the Black Hills.  I'm fortunate to get a few hours off during the day to run off for a bike ride.  I'll take the camera with me next ride as there were quite a few interesting sites that deserve documentation.

Right now I'm sitting in the room while Maya's quartet is rehearsing.  They're supposed to be working on this on their own but the "ensemble police" asked me to sit in the room since it seems like they stay a bit more on task when there's an adult around.  All I can say is it must have been pretty crazy and extremely unfocused when I wasn't observing.  I think I'll take a picture.

Waltzing with Mr. Barg

For whatever reason I have been lax about getting this summer blog up and running.  Maybe today will be the real kick-off.  The kids are all in Ottawa, Kansas participating in a fine music camp called Sound Encounters.  I'll include more background in the coming days.

One of the activities that all the students are required to do is play in an orchestra.  There are two orchestras both of which are conducted by Mr. David Barg.  I believe this is his 21st year leading the SE orchestras.

During Abe's and Maya's rehearsal today Mr. Barg felt it would benefit the music by teaching the kids how to dance a waltz.  He took them all outside for a quick lesson.  Here are a few shots.

Abe and Maya are buried in there somewhere but these photos seem to unintentionally block them out.

Masterclass

On stage right now with Mr. Lewis and Paganini.


























Obviously the camera in my phone is not up to par but the mobile posts are quite easy so I'll probably keep using that method, occasionally.

Scrub a dub dub

Maya and orchestra friends Nikki, Irina and Natalie took a few minutes to cool off in the hot tub after a grueling day of rehearsing.  This international group represents Iran, Costa Rica, South Korea, India, and good ol' US of A.

SYOA

Lousy photo but there's Maya sitting in first chair at this rehearsal of the Suzuki Youth Orchestra of the Americas. It is an honor for Maya to be concertmaster of this excellent group of kids from all over the country, and world. She is reconnecting with friends from Dallas and Philadelphia, and already has a new friend from Costa Rica. One big, happy family.

All done...

45 seconds later (+/-)

Starting the summer off right.

Blueberry pie at Wall Drug en route to Suzuki conference in Minneapolis.