Eating Elephants

Shameless Plug

2010-03-25T13:09:00.001-07:00

Here's a great writeup about the band I've joined, Alameda, from the Denver Westword. Unfortunately I wasn't able to go on tour with them a few weeks ago. Apparently I missed out on some fun shows and even a haunted hostel or two....

Kicking Myself

2010-03-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

Rarely have I kicked myself as hard as I did at the last Classical Revolution PDX show at the Someday Lounge. A few months ago I was asked to play in a small orchestra for the premier of new works by a Seattle composer. I've been burned before by committing to these kinds of things so I turned it down. Stupid!

The suite written by Jherek Bischoff was amazing. I highly recommend checking out his music on his MySpace page. There's also a review of new PacNW composers from the Willamette Week. I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot more from (and about) Jherek in the future!

Yikes. It's been a busy few months!

2010-02-09T18:18:00.000-08:00

Wow- how fast three months can fly by! Especially when you're busy.

I've added a few more groups to my belt and I'm having a great time. Be sure to check out my Upcoming Performances list to find out about shows!

In addition to my new group, Bridge City Clarinets (which is awesome, btw), I've also been playing with Alameda (a local PDX band) and subbing with the Portland Gay Symphony.

Hope to see you at some of the shows!

Bridge City Clarinets

2009-11-01T15:15:00.001-08:00

I'm starting a new clarinet choir called Bridge City Clarinets! I'm very excited - so far we have 9 members, all seasoned players here in Portland.

What I'm most excited about is our repertoire. I'm really trying to make this an edgy, Portland style group. No snoozer music here. Matt Johnston, of Malejo Publications, has given me a huge library of choir arrangements. I'm also trying to find someone to arrange some Beatles tunes and some Elliott Smith (we are in the Pac NW, after all....)

I love this:

The Sean Osborn Quartet - "Dear Prudence"

The Sean Osborn Quartet - "Wild Horses"

I think I just answered my own question...I need to contact Sean Osborn. Duh.

Save the Date!

2009-10-29T08:13:00.000-07:00

I've added another recital to my schedule. Save the date for Friday, January 8th! I'll be performing with my good friend, Sarah Peterson. We're also very excited to have Adam Whiting, of the Cleveland Institute of Music, as our accompanist.

The program is still in the works, but I'll update as soon as we finalize!

Friday, January 8th, 7:30 pm

Community Music Center

http://www.communitymusiccenter.org/

2009-10-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

I have a new website! It's still a little in-the-works, but you get the idea.

You can see it at:

http://jenniferwoodall.weebly.com/

Upcoming Performances

2009-10-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

I've added two upcoming performances to my calendar:

November 13th at the Performing Arts Center in Astoria, OR with the North Oregon Coast Symphony, dir. Collin Heade, 7pm.

November 15th at the Community Church in Rockaway, OR with the North Oregon Coast Symphony, dir. Collin Heade, 3pm.

Hope to see you there!

Do More With Less

2009-10-10T11:39:00.001-07:00

There was an interesting article about the Oregon Symphony on this week's OregonLive.com. The writer posed the idea of 'doing less with more' when it comes to the symphony's season. For example, cutting down on the number of concerts.

"Doing less with more has several important effects, they say. It allows the artists/actors/dancers more time and resources to do their work, which has inevitable repercussions for quality. It limits the oversupply of arts events, which is a problem even in a city like Portland. And it gives artists more time to engage their communities, in everything from marketing to peer-to-peer support and collaboration."

Surprisingly enough, I think I agree with this. Less concerts means more rehearsal time and a more exciting and challenging program. The writer also makes the point that the symphony is often competing against itself by having so many concerts. The article suggests cutting it down to six performances a year, which I think do is a little too extreme.

Read the rest of the article HERE

Is There Hope for OBT Musicians?

2009-10-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

An OregonLive.com article announces the following:

"Two days before the opening of Oregon Ballet Theatre's 20th anniversary season, the company and its embattled executive director, Jon Ulsh, are parting ways, the company announced today."

To read the rest of the article, click HERE

To read some back story on what's been going on over at OBT, click HERE

Bb Girl Likes Long Walks on the Beach...

2009-10-09T11:43:00.001-07:00

I'm trying to start up a clarinet choir for regular rehearsals and performances. I have a huge library of pieces transcribed for clarinet choir and large ensembles from my new friend, Matt Johnston of Malejo Publications. I have 4 Bb clarinetists confirmed, with two of us doubling on bass clarinet. I also have a tuba player lined up to play the contra parts, but an actual contra player would be ideal!

It would be great if I could find the following:

Eb clarinet
Alto clarinet
One more bass clarinet
Contrabass clarinet

Please let me know if you're interested!

A Balanced Diet.

2009-09-03T13:09:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted. I'm up to my neck in practicing, and I've found myself exploring ways to get to that next level of playing again. I think one thing that really held me back in my past life of being a musician was my lack of depth in playing. Sure, I could play fast and accurate. Technically almost perfect. Big deal, really.

When I look back I realize that I was missing that spark in my performances. Sure, I could pour out my soul in a practice room...but get me on stage and it was like a savant zombie. Showing emotion in your playing is actually really hard and takes a lot of work. I imagine that it's like writing a heartbreaking poem and then standing in front of everyone you know with your guts hanging out...in your underwear. Yikes.

Anyway, back in college I read "The Inner Game of Tennis" to work on controlling my nerves and achieving focus. Now I'm working on "The Inner Game of Music" to help me play more honestly.

There are about 10 "pathways" that they teach throughout the book. Some are stupidly obvious but incredibly hard to master. Some are lightbulb moments.

Here are some of them in a nutshell:

Courage - overcoming anxious moments.

Communication - merging musical styles with other players, instead of a leader / follower relationship.

Discipline - not playing fast and accurate, but, as Eddie Daniels says, "eliminating the garbage between the notes."

Confidence - not based on bravura, but on preperation.

Fun - ha! totally obvious, but not always easy to do.

Concentration - finding that "sacred space" where anxiety is replaced by musical instinct.

Creativity - allowing yourself to live in a world of constant discovery. Being honest in your playing.

Inspiration - following the path that music takes into that deeper place within.

Much to think about!

Gone...practicing....

2009-08-26T16:19:00.001-07:00

Ugh. I hate it when people don't update their blogs...and now I'm one of them. I have an excuse. I've been practicing. A lot.

I promise I'll write more as soon as I think of something interesting to say.

Classical Carrion?

2009-08-04T22:31:00.000-07:00

I found myself in the middle of what can only be called a "spirited debate" of the fate of classical music this evening, as all involved parties were reluctant to call it an all out argument.

My match in said debate brought up some disturbing positions. While talking about the current state of classical music in Portland and the lack of education in area schools he stated that classical music is indeed dying and near death in our town. According to him, our town, although focused on creative arts, "is not interested in our European history" enough to find any value in studying the history of music. He predicted more budget shortfalls and waning ticket sales until the major arts organizations fall by the side of the road in Portland.

According to him, classical music doesn't hold the attention of the iPod generation and will therefore be forgotten. Unless it changes, he argued, it will dim into obscurity.

For obvious reasons this disturbs me.

Rather than go on and on about the merits of classical music, I'll direct you to this article. The last sentence sums up my feelings and gives me hope:

"....classical music remains deeply unfashionable. That's why it has lasted."

Upcoming Performance

2009-07-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

Chris Kelsey, of the Portland Sting Project, will be holding a solo recital on Saturday, August 1st at 7pm. Suggested donation $10 for adults, $5 for children.

I'll be performing Mozart's "Kegelstatt" Trio for clarinet, viola and piano.

Community Music Center
3350 SE Francis St
Portland, OR 97202

Hope you can attend!

Coffee, Tea and Music.

2009-07-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

The Waving Cat blog was brought to my attention the other day. In this blog Peter Bihr brings up an interesting topic:

"We prefer to know if our coffee & food was produced organically and if the farmers got their fair share, so we buy products that carry a Fair Trade certificate. But what about our music? Ever so often music labels are criticized for ripping off their contracted artists. Well, let’s see if that’s true. Let’s give an incentive for labels to pay their artists well and treat them fairly.

Could a Fair Trade Music label or certificate be the solution?

What is Fair Trade?

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalised producers and workers – especially in the South. Fair Trade organisations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.

Why not use this definition for Fair Trade Music, too:

Fair Trade Music is a music production and trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in music production and trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better music production and trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, music producers and workers – especially in Major Labels. Fair Music Trade organisations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional music production and trade."

One thing that really got my wheels turning was the "(backed by consumers)" line. It's true. Most of the Fair Trade movement in food is fueled by consumer demand. Everything is. Hybrid cars become popular and suddenly everybody makes one. Gluten is "bad" and suddenly even my Safeway is offering gluten-free pasta. Why can't we get people behind treating musicians fairly?

I think (and I've said this before) people just don't know. I was talking to my neighbor the other night out on the sidewalk and the subject of a show they'd recently seen came up. My neighbor is in her late 50's and has seen many a live music show during her 30 years or so in Portland. She mentioned that she thought the cover at the door ($5) was pretty low and she couldn't imagine how the band got by on $5 a patron. Haha. She was shocked when I told her that usually that's split up between lighting, sound, security...and then the band.

Fans want to support the bands, but they think that it's already being done. It's easy to think that when you see a show with a high door cover. But what about when there's no cover at all - which is common with the classical shows I've played? The audience thinks that the group is paid by the venue.

The musicians already know this to be true and they've accepted it. Maybe by letting fans know how crappy the system is here we can get some steam behind changing the culture.

Random Facts (or Fiction).

2009-07-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

Anton Webern died during a post-war curfew in Berlin in 1945 when an American GI shot him for stepping outside to smoke a cigar.
Antonin Dvorak's wife slept with a tuba player, so he got revenge in the "New World" Symphony. The tuba part consists of about 15 seconds of playing at the beginning and end of the second movement and rests for the remainder of the symphony.
Hector Berlioz once conducted his "Damnation of Faust" with a 150 member orchestra and 300 member choir.
Henry Purcell often came home late from the theater to the annoyance of his wife. One winter night he found himself locked out, which lead to his death from pneumonia at 36.
Ludwig Van Beethoven used a rod attached to the soundboard of a piano that he could bite on while composing. This increased his perception of sound through vibrations.
Ludwig Van Beethoven's hearing loss may have been caused by the large amounts of lead found in his hair samples. He was also famous for dipping his head in a bucket of water to stay awake while composing, which is also thought to be a cause.
Percy Grainger was home schooled by his mother and was punished with a whip. This is thought to be a cause of his "cheerful sadomasichism." Several pornographic photos, whips and even clothing are on display at the Grainger Museum in Melborne.
Robert Schumann heard "choirs of angels" and "cries of demons" in his head, and eventually tried to kill himself by jumping in the Rhine, only to be rescued. He died after committing himself to an institution.
After sitting through Ralph Vaughn Williams' 5th Symphony Aaron Copland said "it was like looking at a cow for 45 minutes."
Mozart's full birth name was Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Theophilus was later changed to the more recognized latin name, Amedeus.

Catching Bones

2009-07-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

In my past life of music I expected that good things would happen to me. This is not to say that I didn't work hard, I just didn't appreciate the small things as much. This is probably why I quit when things became difficult.

Things are much clearer now than then. The small surprises I've come across have focused and motivated me more than ever before. When you play music in an environment where everyone is a stranger the smallest bone is appreciated.

Almost 20 years ago I took lessons from a grad student at DePaul, where I would eventually go to school. I don't remember much about this teacher except that he gave me a mouthpiece that he made. It was an unassuming mouthpiece, with some scraggly initials scratched into it, but this thing was the mouthpiece that I always came back to after sordid trysts with other brands. Six months ago, when I started playing again, this mouthpiece was like the security blanket you find boxed in a closet. This is why I was crushed when it was scratched about a month later. Long story short, I found my old teacher online and he is a master mouthpiece maker now! Richard let me overnight my trusty mouthpiece to him and resurfaced it at no charge. A small thing to him, but an important boost to my confidence. I've since upgraded to an "R" model Richard Hawkins mouthpiece, but you can bet that my original will be waiting for me when I inevitably return.

http://www.richardhawkinsmouthpiece.com/

Another surprise from last week. I found a publisher of Clarinet Choir music online and perused his site. After emailing him some ideas for arrangements he sent me his ENTIRE collection at no charge. This had to be hundreds of dollars of music that he sent me. Matt Johnston of Malejo Publications is based in Seattle and is currently working on an arrangement of "Take On Me."

http://www.malejo.com/

Welcome to my blog!

2009-07-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

I'll be using this as a forum to post my ups and downs as I navigate my way through the murky water that is the Portland classical music scene. The musical arts in Portland are an interesting mix of bankrupt ballet houses and crowded coffee shop stages, defunct public school music programs and bustling community music centers. To find classical music in Portland you have to put your ear to the sidewalk, rather than read the front page.

The music that you do hear from that sidewalk and behind closed doors isn't bound by rules and traditions. People here play what they want to play, rather than what they were taught to play. As a classically trained musician that is both intriguing and utterly terrifying.

Hence, the name of my blog. To eat this elephant of mine called music, I must take one bite at a time. Bon Appetit!