Bobby McFerrin

My friend Susan had an extra ticket to see Bobby McFerrin at Disney Hall on Wednesday night and offered it to me. I was very happy to accept. His program, entitled "Spirit You All" or "Spirityouall" consisted of spirituals. He had a 5-piece jazz band with keyboards, drums, bass, guitars and even a fiddle. He also improvised with his band, which always amazes me that people who play with each other long enough can work together in something unscripted.

One of my favorite parts was audience participation. He did some call-and-response, some sing-alongs, and at one point he invited anyone to come sit on stage with him and sing Amen. If we had not been so far away, I would have easily accepted the offer. Imagine! Sitting next to Bobby McFerrin and singing with him.

I came home and perused his recordings on Amazon and purchased the CD Circlesongs. One of the new Amazon things is that if you buy certain CDs, you get automatic, instant mp3 downloads of the songs, so I have been enjoying these minimalist improvisatory acapella songs.

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Day 4 - Clutter Cleanse: I'm going through my collection of CDs and making sure that I have the songs I want on my computer (which is backed up in several locations). The home-burned ones (about 10 at this point) are going in the trash.

Day 5 - Clutter Cleanse: I sent one book I bought at a library sale off to a new owner on paperbackswap.com

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

The word was out on the street.  Pomona College's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was good enough to spend a few dollars on and wile away/while away a sunny afternoon.  The audience had a fair share of Pilgrims in attendance since the word must have been out at Pilgrim Place, too.

I have not been to a theater production at Pomona for a long time.  Some, in the past, have been good, some, no so much.  This one has a thumbs-up from a friend of mine, and I had the spare time yesterday afternoon.  I thoroughly enjoyed the show.  I have not seen this musical before, so I can't compare it to another version, but given the chance, I would see it again.

First Concert in the Park of the Season

The Sgt Peppers Beatles Tribute Band kicked off the Claremont Summer Monday Concerts in the Park last night. This is a popular band in Claremont, so this is what the parking looked like around the park.

 The park was pretty full of concert-goers.

 Attendees had the opportunity to hoola hoop, I think with lessons, and I'm sure for a price, but I didn't check.

Village Dance Arts

Even though my daughter did not perform with Village Dance Arts' production of The Rag Doll Wedding, I still had to go.  After all, she is now one of the teaching staff, and I still know a handful of dancers in the production.  As usual, the show was delightful with a great deal of variety.  This photo shows the Bollywood number (not part of the main story).  I loved watching the kids who have been dancing for years as the leads.  I loved watching the littlest ones who just didn't quite know what to do onstage.  I loved the variety of styles from the banging on pans to the tap, to the pointe, to the ragtime wedding music.  Congratulations, Toni Carrion, on yet another wonderful endeavor!

Thank You, Liane Hansen

Liane Hansen

 I do not remember how long I have been listening to Weekend Edition Sunday on NPR, but I don't remember doing so before Liane Hansen was the host.  I remember listening to the Puzzle Master Presents with Will Shortz and Liane back in the day when entrants had to mail in postcards with their answers.  When the radio plays the Sunday theme music on piano, I lie in bed and know that it is (usually) a day of rest and that the reading of the Sunday paper awaits.

Audie Cornish

Now Liane is retiring, and today was her last broadcast.  Instead of saying "good-bye" she told her audience, "thank you."   Thank YOU, Liane for 20 years of Sunday mornings.    Time to say Welcome to Audie Cornish (starting this fall).  Onward!

(After listening to all the voices on NPR, I always find it interesting to match the photos and spellings with the sounds I've become familiar with.)

Grown-Up Birthday Party

Last night I went to a birthday party for a friend of mine at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and sat in a part of the hall where I have never sat before.  Jennifer had reserved thirty tickets for her friends, and we started out before the concert with cheesecake and other goodies at the table outside of the box office.  One advantage of this kind of party is that you don't have to clean your house for it! 

You can read about the concert at my other blog here.  

Culture at the Colleges

Puck and other Fairies

We are fortunate to live at the doorstep of 5 colleges, especially at this time of year when all the performing groups are ready to strut their stuff.

Yesterday started with a noon concert at Balch Auditorium at Scripps by the Quartet Euphoria.   The small hall was filled for the performance of Beethoven's String Quartet Op. 95 (the serioso quartet).  

After that delightful repose, I strolled over to Thomas-Garrett Hall at HMC for a performance by the Lady Garrett Players of A Midsummer Night's Dream.  At this science and engineering college, students love to take Professor Groves' Shakespeare course in the spring where they read a number of plays and choose one to perform in a makeshift theater - the courtyard of the building which includes two large olive trees in the center of the set.  

This being Alumni Weekend, many alums were in attendance at this performance which will be repeated this afternoon.

LA Phil Field Trip

Thanks to the Foothill Philharmonic Committee for their generous donation of tickets and bus transportation, 29 of our orchestra students got to attend a concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall this morning.  We attended the final concert of this year's Toyota Symphonies for Youth performed by the LA Philharmonic titled The Hero Composer.

Before the concert, there are activities for the children, and our favorite is the drum circle.  This year the students had boomwhackers and created rhythmic patterns based on various colors of buckets.  Of course, our students have been studying music, so they were exceptionally good at it.

Besides listening to portions of Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, we were treated to brand-new compositions by student composers which we were surprised to discover were high school seniors.  They are part of the Composer Fellowship Program, a two-year program for high school students.  Imagine being 17 and having your composition played by the LA Phil!

Wicked

Not being early adopters or the first to jump on a bandwagon, we finally went to see Wicked at the Orange County Performing Arts Center yesterday.  We had heard many great things about this musical, but had never been in a place or time to get to it.

I had read the book a number of years ago and had enjoyed it, but heard that the musical deviated from Maguire's novel.  Having forgotten many of the details from my reading, I can't say just what was different, except, of course, all the singing and dancing.  Lots of great singing and dancing.

I won't be the first to recommend it, and maybe not the last, but we felt it was well worth our time and money.  Two thumbs up.  I just wish I had been able to see Kristin Chenoweth in the original version, but the performers here did a great job.

Tchaikovsky Hangover

I have survived yet another concert weekend, and as I go about my daily business today, I keep hearing sections of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony running through my head.  Last week we had Monday and Wednesday night rehearsals, a dress rehearsal on Friday night before our Saturday night and Sunday afternoon concerts.  Playing a concert takes a lot out of one physically and mentally, and two is even more exhausting.  Usually we have one concert that is significantly better than the other, but this time, I have to say, both concerts went very well.  Perhaps a first for the many years I have been with the Claremont Concert Orchestra.

Lunch and a Concert

Who needs a good excuse to have lunch with a friend and then take in a concert on a Friday afternoon? Of course I don't need an excuse, but if I did, it would be that 1) I need to eat lunch 2) the concert was free and 3) it's Friday, of course.

It used to be that college cafeteria food was something to be avoided, but that has all changed. My friend and I went to Malott Commons Dining Hall at Scripps College about 11:30, just before the lunch rush and enjoyed a tasty salad bar, chicken tostada and dessert (well, two desserts for me!).

Adjacent to the dining hall is Balch Auditorium, an intimate setting for a Friday noon-ish (12:15) concert. We were treated to music by Pomona College composer (and orchestra director) Eric Lindholm. I especially enjoyed the Aria and Pastorale for solo viola, performed by Lindholm's wife - Kira Blumberg.

Winter Strings Concert

I am always a happy camper when our CUSD string concerts are over, usually because they go very well. Last night was no exception. Our beginners made it through their first concert with three memorized pieces, including Frere Jacques in a round. The district orchestra played four pieces, including Pachelbel's Canon, and they sounded remarkably good. The El Roble Orchestra also played quite well, which shows the elementary kids what to look forward to in jr. high.

The bar is set pretty high now for our May concert!

Folk Music Center Open Mike Night

I have lived in Claremont for almost 25 years, and I have never been to the Open Mike Night at the Folk Music Center, until last night. On the last Sunday night of the month, this Claremont treasure opens its doors at 6:00 to all comers and charges a dollar a head. The people signed up to play are given 5 minutes for each act. Most people had a guitar, but we also saw a kazoo, a harmonica and a ukelele.

The performers range in age from young to old, male and female, with a wide range of abilities. The small store was overflowing - about 90-100 people in attendance.

A Little Culture

Yesterday was too full of fun with no time to blog. The cultural event of the day was a trip to the LA Opera to see Rigoletto.

Here is a picture of the set which was inspired by the surreal paintings by di Chirico.

The production was very good, and I think I would have enjoyed it even more if we hadn't sat in the very last row of the back balcony. The sound is very good back there, but I think some of the acting is lost as it traverses so far back.

After we got home in the rain and slow traffic, we turned right around and went out to a holiday party at the home of some friends from book club. The season of celebrating has really started!

Alice Waters

Alice Waters, founder and owner of Chez Panisse, spoke to a packed house at Garrison Theater last night. It was interesting to hear about her journey as a chef, restauranteur, champion of local and organic food because that was not how she started out. She just wanted to have food that tasted really good. I especially liked her story of how her daughter started at Yale eight years ago and neither one of them could stand the smell of the cafeteria on the first day. Before the freshmen and their parents met the president of the college, her daughter told her mother NOT to say anything about the food, but Alice could not resist, and now Yale has a sustainable food project.

Powering the Planet Sustainably

Last night HMC hosted the first of the Nelson Speaker Series for the fall with the theme of Powering the Planet Sustainably. Nate Lewis of CalTech spoke about the need for energy to meet the world's growing needs and outlined the problems and pros of all the various sources that we know about.

Lewis has given this talk about 500 times, and is an excellent speaker who kept us awake with jokes and lots of information. You can go to his website at Caltech and see this talk (the one on the right called Caltech Watson Lecture Series).

Nelson Speaker Series

If you are in or near Claremont this month and next, come hear some great lectures for the Harvey Mudd College Nelson Speaker Series called Powering the Planet Sustainably. This Thursday Nathan Lewis will be the first speaker. It starts at 7:30 p.m. in Galileo Hall. This series is free and open to the public.

Nathan Lewis George L. Argyros Professor of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology Chair of the Editorial Board for Energy & Environmental Science, Nate Lewis is a great effector of change and a leading researcher in solar energy solutions. He will discuss the technical, political and economic hurdles that must be overcome before the widespread adoption of renewable energy.

Art Show Closing

Turns out, Friday night is a happenin' time in Claremont. Our friend, artist Steve Comba, had a show in the Packing House at Loft 204. After strolling downtown and enjoying the closing reception for his show (seeing friends, munching munchies, imbibing in a little white wine and discussing art), we wandered over to Yogurtland and out into the courtyard which was filled with people and music. The weather was perfect (after a strange and wonderful day of cumulus clouds, rocking thunder and spritzes of sprinkles) and it felt a perfect ending to a work week.

Art in Chicago

One of my favorite art museums in the world is the Art Institute in Chicago. We didn't get to go this time, and I plan on going next time I'm in Chicago, because I have not seen the new wing there yet.

We did manage to see some art, though, including the Alexander Calder exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art. I have always enjoyed Calder mobiles, but it is something special to see a whole bunch of them grouped together. We were not allowed to photograph that room, but there was a short movie being shown on the ground floor about the museum, so I snapped a photo of the Calder as shown on the movie. This gives some idea of the exhibit.

The rest of the museum took about 15 minutes to see - exhibits are sparse and few.

We also saw photos at the Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College, but I only really enjoyed one photo arrangement by John Baldessari seen here.

Architecture Tour

The first thing we did as tourists in Chicago was to take an architectural tour put on by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. This group hosts about 85 different tours, and we chose Historic Downtown (south): Rise of the Skyscraper - a two-hour walking tour. I have put pictures from the tour on my picasa site.

Two years ago we took a river boat architectural tour which we really enjoyed, and this one was probably even better, mostly because we got to go inside of the buildings.

Here is a blog by a woman who is taking all tours. Next time we go back to Chicago, we'll probably take another tour. The architecture of the city is inspiring.