Richard Hellinger on Violinist.com

Is it all about luck?

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:43:05 GMT

& nbsp;This week, while waiting for my shift to start at work, I waited out in the car and was listening to WXXI's classical music channel on the radio. They always have fine music, and I enjoy listening. Most of the composers I know, Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Tchaikovsky, and Wagner among others. Usually if I had not heard of them, they are & nbsp;contemporaries & nbsp;and new on the classical music scene. The other day they played Carl Friederich Abel's Symphony no. 3 in Eb major. It was marvelous, though I had never heard of this composer oddly enough, so I looked him up when I got home. I have listened to most of the works I could find by him and they are great, personally I think they are the quality of most of the composers names above.

I starting thinking, & quot;Why had I never heard of this guy before? & quot; He was obviously a talented composer, and a contemporary of Bach. Is composing and music in general mostly about luck? The only reason Abel is known as well as he is today (which I don't think is that much, but I may just be ignorant) is because that third symphony was accidentally mismarked and originally published as Mozart's. & nbsp;

Is music today the same way? There are plenty of great players out there, do certain ones become famous because of luck, or is there another factor to it?

A shameful end to a terrible tragedy.

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 04:02:03 GMT

& nbsp;

Someone passes away, and people start talking about a big ceremony and putting & quot;shrines & quot; up on websites. It is all over the news and everyone talks about it for days. That is exactly it, just days. Then after that everyone goes on with their lives and forget about that Joe what's his name or the Jane who's her face that had such a big impact on so many lives and the community. Their shrines are taken down, and memorials are canceled because something & quot;more important & quot; has rolled into town.

They talk about endowing her chair in perpetuity, but after a week do you think that happens? Of course not, typing those several extra words into approximately 4 programs a year wouldn't be worth the trouble. The concert series a week after the death, the director mentions her at the first two concerts. But at the last, the one inher & nbsp;town, the one that she ruled over, she taught in, a word wasn't spoken by the director. Only a thanks to her replacements. And that word, replacement. Should that truly ever be used. Could she be replaced? & nbsp;Or was someone different just sitting in her seat?

Is this what our society has come to? Grieve a death and then forget about it, making ourselves feel better. Is that truly what she deserves? I remember her six months after her death, as a courageous, talented woman who & nbsp;deserves & nbsp;more than this. It makes me angry that I have heard no mention of the incidence since this summer.

I don't think she got the gratitude she deserved when she was here on earth, yet someone else drives a bit to play in her spot, and congratulations are in order. I will not forget you Karen Lucas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo5F8yT1wVE & nbsp;

I know it has been forever since I have posted on V.com. Many of you probably don't even remember me. These are just thoughts that I have had building inside me for about half a year. I need to let them go finally.

& nbsp;

The North Korea Concert.

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 01:33:39 GMT

Right now I am listening to the NY Philharmonic Concert in North Korea on WXXI radio.

As many of you know, this is the first time an American orchestra has performed in North Korea. It is very inspiring the way that music can bring two cultures together. The music is a universal language everyone can understand, unlike Lorin Maazel, who had to be translated of course.

I personally loved the way that the NY phil combined the two cultures, playing the Korean National Anthem immediately followed by a roll off into the national anthem, without any time being allowed for applause.

The whole concert has been simply inspiring. And it reminds me, why I wanted to become a musician in the first place.

February 18, 2008 at 3:11 AM

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 03:11:49 GMT

My mailbox has been clogged lately with college info.

Darn you PSAT!!!

Enjoy your Feb. Break for all who gets one!

My Christmas,... A month Early!

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 02:55:00 GMT

Christmas this year, for me atleast, has come a month early. Today I recieved my christmas present for probably the next several years. My present came in the form of a tuba, The Dalyan Apollo CC 4/4 tuba. I was a little worried because this is a key I usually don't play in, meaning different fingerings, but it is actually really really easy to transition.

I ordered a "B Stock" to save some money (it was actually 50% off and still cost thousands), assuming that it would some with a dent or a scratch, but I cannot find one! I am so Pleased!

Here are some pictures of me and my "baby":

As you can see, it is a major upgrade from my school's BBb tuba (on the left!)

National Honors Society

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 19:48:17 GMT

Today I got inducted into the National Honors Society! Here are some pics (some are blurry... opps):

The opportunity of a life time.

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 00:54:14 GMT

The other day we had a guest visitor come to my school. Sandip Burman an Indian Tabla Artist (Grammy award winning artist) came to visit us.

He taught us many aspects about Indian music, such as the solfege system of india and the Indian rhythum counting system. It was pretty cool. He also played his sitar ( a 20 string guitar) but unfortunetally he cut himself playing the drums.

And since we were sitting about 10 feet from him, we were able to have our questions answered!
He is in this video:

Guess who passed?

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 13:43:14 GMT

Yep, I passed my road test!!!

I am now a licensed driver... Watch out! lol..

Summer is finally over.

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:09:38 GMT

For the last few weeks I have been working day and night to finish my summer work for schools starting. I finally finished it about a week ago, it filled up an entire notebook and my hand was hurting for days.

Over all this summer was pretty fun. I averaged little practice time due to my busy schedule, but it was worth it knowing I get my full license in 5 months! I also take my Road test next week, I am pretty excited.

Recently I have started 4 concertos. Mozarts Violin concerto #3, Ross's Tuba concerto, and Vivaldi's concerto in a minor for tuba, and vivaldi's double concerto in a minor for violin. But I found out the other day that the ross concerto has been out of print for 10 years, yet for some reason it has remained on the NYSSMA competition list. On top of this I am playing Dvorak 8, Weber's Overture Der Freisch�tz and mozarts flute concerto no one.

Oh, I do have one video memory (that I just found on youtube) from this summer (im the one with the white sousaphone):

State Parade!

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 21:14:31 GMT

This weekend I get to perform (once again) in the NYS parade! It is in Selden Long Island on Sunday!

I just got my schedule in the mail today, this means that school is fast approaching :(. I still have 100 pages to out line and 3 essays to write (AP US) and a book to read for english.. And School starts on the 6th!

I Successfully completed Drivers ed, and I am taking my road test next month!