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From the Top taping! (and other violin activities)

June 26, 2007 at 5:38 AM

It's been a busy month, so this blog entry is way overdue, but better late than never!

The last time the radio show "From the Top" was taping in my area, I didn't get tickets in time. Especially now that I've become friends with Roving Reporter Caeli Smith and her mom (largely thanks to Violinist.com), I wasn't about to let that happen again! As soon as I heard the announcement on my local classical radio station, I went online and snapped up two tickets for the June 1 event in San Francisco.

I was not disappointed. The concert was inspiring and motivating as I'd expected, but also just a lot of fun. Unfortunately I've temporarily misplaced my program so names and details are fuzzy, but we heard an impressive young violinist named Zenas Hsu give what I thought was an excellent performance of the Kreutzer sonata, along with a clarinetist, pianist, quartet, and cello/piano duo. And, of course, Caeli and host Christopher O'Riley were as great as they've always seemed to me on the radio.

I also got to meet Caeli's mom, who looks so young that I thought she was Caeli's SISTER at first! :)

I'm averaging only one violin lesson a month this summer due to my own vacations not intersecting with my teachers, so I've found my practice waning a bit as well. But that's okay...it's summer, and there will always be time for violin. I did take my (old) violin with me on a weekend camping trip with illusions of playing unaccompanied Bach among the trees. Which I did, for about five minutes, before I found myself playing and stomping around the campgrounds to "The Ants Go Marching" with my two little girls banging on makeshift drums created from sticks and camping dishes. Like I said, it's summer. :) I hope you are all enjoying yours as much as I am mine!

I'm planning on going camping with my kids right after playing at the Farmers' Market and was thinking I might bring my viola along. What did the other campers think about your playing out there?
It was so great to meet you in person, even though it seems as if we've known you forever!
Karin - I didn't know about the taping/performance - what fun! Are you doing any of the San Francisco freebie concerts this summer? Too hectic here for me - I know I'll miss Stern Grove this year. : (

Nice to get an update from you - and great pics!

Karen: I was camping with a large group from my church, so they're used to me being with my violin. I also did it in the middle of the afternoon when most of them were out on a hike. But I imagine that even strangers would think it was neat to play in the woods. The sound doesn't carry that much compared to kids running around screaming, etc.

E: Likewise! Though I still want to know your secret for looking so youthful after raising four teenage girls! :)

Terez: Do you listen to KDFC? That's where I get most of my info about upcoming performances. And yes, we're going back to Stern Grove on 7/8; this year's featured soloist is pianist Jeremy Denk, whom I've known and loved since his 2006 recital tour with Joshua Bell. I'm sorry you'll miss it! Next year, maybe?