SLSO Blog - Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra

Old School

2009-11-10T22:32:41Z

I had the privilege to interview Jessica Cheng for the December Playbill "Meet the Musician" page on Tuesday afternoon. Jessica is the newest member of the first violin section. She grew up in Arlington, Texas and did her ungrad and graduate work at USC. It was at USC that she studied with Alice Schoenfeld, which Jessica described as a "really old school" educational experience.

Alice Schoenfeld studied with Karl Klingler.

Karl Klingler studied with Joseph Joachim.

Joseph Joachim was a close friend of Johannes Brahms. Brahms wrote his great Violin Concerto for Joachim.

The links from present to past are sometimes fearsomely palpable.

Out of This World

2009-11-09T20:35:28Z

The Movie Music of John Williams concerts this past weekend were an intergalactic success. Two full houses at Powell Hall, with David Robertson and the SLSO giving the preeminent film composer of our time his due in out-of-this-world style.

A special thanks goes out to the Gateway Squad who watched over Powell during the concert. Some of the volunteers who gave up their weekend to keep us secure: Curt Sanfill, Andrew Bauer, Rick Hughes, John McClure, Christina Person, Tim Brember and John Huntman. If I left anyone out, my apologies. You all helped make the show.

Storm Trooper watches over Powell Hall

Storm Trooper guards against intergalactic cocktail thieves

SLSO Marketing Dept. star Nicole Enger with Darth and company

Missed the Double Axel

2009-11-06T21:34:57Z

David Robertson gave the downbeat and the orchestra leapt into John Williams' famous Olympic fanfare--and then Robertson abruptly stopped them.

A colleague said, "Oops. The skater must have fallen."

Going Home

2009-11-05T22:09:23Z

I just got this message from Adam Crane: "I'm w/ a large part of the orchestra headed home. Pilot made an announcement welcoming the SLSO on-board & congrats on successful Carnegie concert. We applauded."

Nature/Culture

2009-11-05T21:22:48Z

Ray's is a bastion of culture too, and of a culture that intersects with Carnegie. Not only stage hands but folks in tux and tails, baseball caps and baggy pants, folks who get their drugs on the street and folks who get them by prescription--everybody needs a slice now and then.

Cultural intersections came to mind after I saw Tony Renner's complete cycle of paintings inspired by the Powell Hall concert that was reprised at Carnegie Hall Wednesday night. Check out Tony's work here.

So I was thinking about Stravinsky's Song of the Nightingale and what Tony made of it with acrylic and paper as I stepped outside the Hall for an afternoon stroll. And then I heard a familiar high-pierced cry. I looked up and saw a hawk soaring overhead, and then another, catching the wind currents between the buildings on Washington and Grand.

The hawks landed together on the ledge. Appeared to converse briefly. Then took off and flew great wide ellipses around Midtown.

Bartók Rocks Again

2009-11-05T16:10:27Z

I made the call to Ray's, the venerable 24-hour pizza joint down the street from Carnegie Hall--that's one of the marvels of NYC, the bastion of culture a few steps from pizza-by-the-slice. Ray's is where the Henchmen go after the truck is loaded for the journey home from Manhattan.

Maggie Bailey reported that Mike Lynch and the Henchmen were primarily devouring the meat variations--sausage, bacon, pepperoni, all of the above. From the Special Ops Forces standpoint, "Everything went really well" Maggie said, which she realized was actually kind of boring, which is just the way you want it to be from an operations standpoint.

People were "hooting and hollering" on the street to celebrate the Yankees' victory, Maggie said. I've yet to hear of any reports of despondent Phillies back at the hotel, but I can bet it wasn't pretty.

Maggie said farewell by singing the Star Wars Theme--always on to the next show.

Adam Crane was texting Sarah Bryan Miller of the Post-Dispatch from Carnegie. You can read his at-the-moment comments here. He uses our affectionate moniker for David Robertson (D-Rob), talks to Tan Dun, and uses the modifier "swimmingly."

Violinist Jooyeon Kong e-mailed this morning: "There was this explosive energy, especially at the end of the Bartók, like the kind of energy that makes you feel out of breath or stunned without actually panting? Apparently one of the ushers who has been working at Carnegie for some time came up to Yuna Lee, an extra violinist, to congratulate her on the performance and to share the excitement that was felt in the audience."

So the Bartók rocked Carnegie too.

Tuning

2009-11-04T20:40:17Z

Stephen Lange has had his Charlie Manuel contact, but sorry, no autographs.

However, even better, Stephen sent in this pic of David Halen tuning the orchestra at the start of the afternoon rehearsal at Carnegie.

David Halen and orchestra get in tune at Carnegie Hall rehearsal, Wednesday, November 4, about 1:30pm.

An Autumn Day in NYC

2009-11-04T18:13:01Z

OK, now I'm starting to get envious. The Harrises see the Kandinsky show at the Guggenheim. Everybody's eating fabulous food in wonderful restaurants. Now Bjorn sends in this pic of a beautiful autumn day in Central Park.

Sarah Hogan, Bjorn Ranheim, Shannon Farrell Williams, Shawn Weil

Bjorn's eating well too: "Just had an awesome brunch at Sarabeth's on the Upper West Side and now having a beautiful walk through Central Park on our way back down to Carnegie. Incredible fall day in the Big Apple!"

In this photo from Bjorn, Shawn Weil proves that a violinist can always find a way to make a living.

Shawn Weil busking in Central Park.

Breakfast with Adam

2009-11-04T16:48:24Z

Adam Crane called during breakfast with Principal Cello Daniel Lee and Assistant Concertmaster Erin Schreiber. Erin was attempting to teach Danny how to eat a soft-boiled egg at Le Pain Quotidien. They had already done some necessary shopping for Danny, who had forgotten to pack a belt. Keeping your pants on at Carnegie is very important.

In the midst of his call, Adam looked around the table and noticed that all three of them were on their cell phones. A New York state of mind, indeed.

Bites of the Apple

2009-11-04T15:48:01Z

As I reported in the last post, the Philadelphia Phillies are staying in the same hotel as the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. Sightings have included relievers Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson--spotted by Special Ops Forces Commando Maggie Bailey--and Manager Charlie Manuel, whom Adam Crane, of Crane Watch, talked with in an elevator. I'm sure he reminded the Phils skipper to tell Ryan Howard (University City native) and company to be more disciplined and lay off Pettitte's junk and force him back into the strike zone.

But there's more than the World Series and the SLSO at Carnegie Hall to enjoy in the city that doesn't sleep. Principal Double Bass Erik Harris and Associate Concertmaster Heidi Harris are spending their time in NYC child-free, and so: "We saw the Kandinsky exhibit at the Guggenheim, lunch at Patsy's in E. Harlem , a violin recital by Albena Danailova (one of the concertmasters of the Vienna Phil), dinner at Sushi Yasuda (mindblowing.) Looking forward to tonight."

Assistant Principal Trombone Stephen Lange has been tweeting on the St. Louis Trombones website. The up-to-the-moment narrative goes like this: Arrival: "Our New York adventure has officially begun! Beautiful sunset just before landing!!!!" Phillies sighting: "Just saw Brad Lidge--the Phillies are staying in our hotel!" Celebrity sighting: "Well, you never know who you'll see in NY--Tracy Morgan is outside our hotel doing some sort of photo shoot!"

News from beyond Manhattan: Jordan Oakes submitted his St. Louis magazine blog post for Bloggers' Night. Jordan always amazes me: he uses "patulous" in a sentence, and describes his night at Powell as a "wine-and-eyeglass equivalent to a Van Halen concert. Read Jordan's post here.

Meanwhile, I learned yesterday that SLSO Conductor Laureate Leonard Slatkin suffered a heart attack while conducting the Rotterdam Philharmonic in The Netherlands, but finished the concert anyway. He e-mailed Adam and told him: "So I had a heart attack. Seems the Cardinals' demise affected me more than you."

Bright Lights, Big City

2009-11-04T02:23:32Z

The SLSO has landed. Perhaps the most amazing news is that the orchestra is staying at the same hotel as the Phillies. So if the Phils pull off a win tomorrow night and the SLSO blows them away at Carnegie--that joint is gonna be jumpin'.

Cellist Bjorn Ranheim made it from Louisville to La Guardia to meet his bandmates. He says: "Just got to La Guardia in time to meet up with the band and head into the city on the shuttle buses. Everyone seems good. A bunch of people came into town early. [Violinist] Shawn Weil got in on Sunday and is out in Brooklyn with his bro, sister-in-law and their kids. [Double bassist] Sarah Hogan got in yesterday and is going to the Met tonight. I'm heading out with my best friend who works in the film industry. All in all, people are scattering into the wind to do NY in their own ways before coming back together for our rehearsal tomorrow afternoon on the big stage."

Stopping at Shrines

2009-11-03T19:30:23Z

Now the SLSO takes the show to Carnegie Hall as part of the China Festival: Ancient Paths, Modern Voices. I'm holding the Powell Hall fort, so I've asked a few folks to keep me updated.

With a little time in between the last concert and the first Carnegie rehearsal, some of the musicians made some alternate travel plans. Cellist Bjorn Ranheim passed through Louisville to visit a friend and is now en route to NYC.

The Harrises, Heidi and Erik (associate concertmaster and principal double bass, respectively), are already on the town. Erik writes: "Heidi and I arrived yesterday (Monday) sans children, are making the most of this 'working/romantic' weekend. Dinner last night at Gascogne, a cute French restaurant in Chelsea, looking forward to lots of walking today through Central Park to the Guggenheim, stopping first at that holiest of shrines, Barney's."

Bloggers' Night Extra

2009-11-03T15:12:29Z

Melissa didn't receive an invitation to Bloggers' Night, an oversight that will be corrected next time--so many bloggers, so little time. But she graciously sent in her post to us anyway. She makes note of a certain quality that makes Colin Currie so appealing, and puts in a mention of Susan Slaughter's lovely, lyrical, heart-wrenching solo at the end of Song of the Nightingale. Thanks for reminding us, Melissa. Click.

Draining Your Pasta Music

2009-11-03T01:51:43Z

Kelli of South City Confidential arrives with memories of the violin, the marvels of water music, and a solid endorsement for a night at the symphony: Click.

And Tony gives us the first of a series of paintings inspired by Friday night. Check in on the gallery throughout the week. Click for the artwork.

Splashing in a Water Bowl

2009-11-02T21:33:55Z

Amy of A Chase after Wind discovers that there is more than one way to make it to Carnegie Hall, loves the marimba, likes the concert so much that she decides to check out the Movie Music of John Williams this weekend, and offers up other bloggy goodness: Click.