Category Archives: Fiddle Stuff

Chamber Orchestra Workshop

Posted on June 3, 2015 | 4 comments

Less than a week still to practice for my five-day Chamber Orchestra Workshop at Blackerby Violin on Anderson Lane not far from the rancho.

Twenty of us adult beginners, including violins, cellos and violas, will be rehearsing Telemann’s Concerto In D Major, Elgar’s Chanson de Matin, and Mozart’s Serenade in Four Movements for a recital on the last day. “The real classical repertoire,” as my teacher put it. But also a couple of light things such as Scarborough Fair.

After several years of playing Old Time and contra dance music, and lately practicing jazz ballads and klezmer, this will be my first venture into classical music. I think it’s going to be fun.

UPDATE:  Fun, yes, but also work. Not only am I one of the few 70-or-older participants, I’m the only one without much classical in my musical background.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music, The Culture

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APQ’s new album

Posted on April 26, 2015 | Comments Off on APQ’s new album

This is one cool jazz album you gotta have. It’s Latin American jazz, called nuevo tango, mostly original but all in the style of Astor Piazzolla, an Argentine composer who grew up in Italy and later moved to Brazil. But nevermind all that confusion.

APQ is my genius violin teacher James Anderson’s quintet, called the Austin Piazzolla Quintet and this their new (third) album is called, simply, APQ. And it’s been out there for purchase (for as little as $10 for ten tunes at an average of six minutes each, but you should be generous and pay $20) for several days now.

Try it. I’ll be very surprised if you don’t like it.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music, Texana, The Culture

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Rule 5: Sarah Whitney

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Definitely not plus-sized, but Ms Whitney is a helluva fiddler and striking, too.

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Posted on January 1, 2015 in Fiddle Stuff, Music, Rule 5

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No fiddle recital until spring

Posted on December 20, 2014 | 2 comments

My teacher, the amazing jazz violinist James Anderson, put off his studio’s fall recital until spring. Too many of his young students had try-outs and auditions to practice for. For us adult beginners, recitals are just a lark.

Meanwhile I still have LOCO, my mid-week gig as a contra-dance band sideman playing backup chords and Pentatonic scales for much better melody fiddlers, along with mandolinists and guitarists. It’s like a free lesson and it’s also fun. I’d forgotten how much I loved ensemble work from my high school and college days as a trumpet player.

For the spring I believe I’m going to work up at least one piece by Duke Ellington, probably Satin Doll, or maybe Prelude to A Kiss. Shoot, I might do both. When it comes to jazz I confess to liking these old ballads the best.

UPDATE:  I’m working up Prelude and a Klezmer piece, Der Yid in Yerushalayim (The Jew In Jerusalem), which includes a harmonic I’m struggling with.

MORE:  The spring recital was set for June 7 but James has canceled it in favor of a new, uncertain date in late June or mid-July. He got a June 7 gig he just could not refuse, playing in the orchestra for this famous, Grammy-winning choir.

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Great dreams

Posted on December 9, 2014 | 2 comments

I met Duke Ellington in a dream the other night in a remarkably small theater after his ensemble had concluded their 1927 composition Black & Tan Fantasy.

I tried to bum a cigarette from the great jazzman, but he refused. I thanked him for doing that. “It will make a better story,” I said. Then I woke up with a smile.

When I told my fiddle teacher about it, he wasn’t surprised. “You’ve been playing his music,” he said. Spooky instrument, the fiddle.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music, Obsessions, The Culture

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Rule 5: Bang Tam

Posted on October 1, 2014 | Comments Off on Rule 5: Bang Tam

VNSingerBangTam

Taking a break from plus-size models, one of my favorite Vietnamese singers. The backup violins are’t bad either. With a competent stab at translating the lyrics of this love song.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music, Viet Nam

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My recital

Posted on June 6, 2014 | 2 comments

My first fiddle recital came off pretty good. I got through the one piece I had memorized thoroughly (having practiced it at least a hundred times) just fine and only momentarily got lost in the second, less-memorized one (dueting with another adult learner) and was able to find a place where I could jump back in.

Teacher was happy, but I expected him to be. He tends to exaggerate my progress, but, as Mrs. Charm says, “Would you rather he criticized you all the time?” Of course not. I just get suspicious when I’m always “awesome” and “excellant.” Of course some sort of criticism usually follows.

Fortunately, Mrs. C. videoed excerpts with her iPhone, so I got to see two problems that need correcting. I was hunched over as if trying to hide behind the music stand and it was as if my poor bow had shrunk to a few inches long I was using so little of it. “More bow, more bow,” the everlasting fiddle teacher reminder.

The best part was the adolescent Mr. Boy whom Mrs. C. decided to drag along, grumbling all the way, to get him there. He later complimented me and exclaimed that he had “really enjoyed it,” apparently struck dumb that it could have been anything but more boring adult shite.

So it was worth it and I’ll do it again in the fall and from now on if allowed.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Mr. Boy, Mrs. Charm, Music, Rancho Roly Poly, The Culture

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