Week 14: November 24

Earlier this week I stepped outside GGH and was confronted by toilet art.

There's something you don't see every day.....

Bathroom reading

Geoff Nuttall was here this week, and gave a chamber masterclass and played a chamber concert. Those of you who are familiar with Mr Nuttall’s playing, and/or his teaching methods, will not be surprised that I took pains not to miss either the class or the concert. 

On a side note, the St Lawrence String Quartet (of which Nuttall is a member) is now based here in California, which seems strange. I didn’t know this until Ian told me on Thursday.  I feel like they ought to change their name, but then people probably wouldn’t recognize them. Oh well, SLSQ they remain. 

Friday night was the composition department recital. I had friends performing and friends composing, and I attended with some trepidation, but was pleasantly surprised by most of the pieces. One of the titles took me half a dozen readings to figure out that I still didn’t understand it. 

I bet that title took longer to write than the piece

On the other hand here is a legitimately clever title.

"Too Short, Contrasting Movements"

This weekend was the third set of orchestra concerts. I was not assigned to this set, but my crew duties required me to be present at both concerts nonetheless. As the repertoire consisted of Brahms d minor piano concerto, Hindemith “Symphonic Metamorphosis of themes by Carl Maria von Weber”, and Conte’s “Copland Portrait”, I wasn’t complaining. (Side note: David Conte is on the composition faculty here.)

This coming week is American Thanksgiving, so we get a very long weekend, and I am going to Orange County to visit my Californian relatives. I look forward to the change of scenery.

- Antisocial Violinist