February 4, 2010
February
![[IMAGE] inlet](/blog/blogpix/winterinlet.jpg)
…about the musicStrong winter fire star.
This morning was pretty great for February: almost 50 degrees. Yes, Fahrenheit. I had to spell check that last word because I can never remember the first “h.”
So as the sun blazed into my windows and the birds chirped with glee as they pecked at bowls of seed I’d put out, I prepared the materials for my upcoming residency at Capital University in frigid Columbus, Ohio, where it is in the mid-20’s.
Mid-20’s. Just like most of the other cities I’ve been trotting around to for my work this winter: Chicago, New York, Minneapolis. What is wrong with me?? Why am I not smart enough to figure out a schedule that would have me in the south of the U.S. between November and March? If I were really clever, I could refuse commissions and conferences in any clime above Latitude 32 during winter. But I won’t, because I love this music life way too much. It’s worth freezing my backside off for, any day.
They are very, very lovely people in Columbus, truly. But they are a cold people. And I am about to be a cold person. If you, too, would like to join me and The Lovely and Talented Cold People, click here and read about the NOW New Music Festival and how you can shiver right along side of some really great musicians and one very appreciative, if frosty, composer.
Lane Savant said,
February 5, 2010 @ 9:43 am
Shouldn’t that be Fhebruray?
Paul H. Muller said,
February 7, 2010 @ 8:32 pm
Well I am a proud graduate of Capital University (met my wife there) and we were back for a visit about two years ago. Very compact campus – smaller than I remembered, even – so you won’t have to walk too far out in the cold.
I hope you get a chance to hear their choir – you’ll love them. Always had a great music program – maybe better than Cal Lutheran’s here in SoCal.
Be sure to post a picture of the statue of Martin Luther over by the library…
The school’s alma mater is Finlandia – you gotta love that!
Glenn Buttkus said,
February 8, 2010 @ 6:46 am
Yes, after the warmest January for the Northwest on record, here we are starting February in the 50’s too. When you look at the several feet of snow over 60% of America, one of the worst winters ever in D.C., Texas, Virginia, Florida, it almost
makes you feel guilty to live in this temporarily temperate zone. Spring is a ways off, of course, and old man Winter could still shake its fists here some more; and probably will–but in the meantime, ain’t it grand?
Loved your orchestral piece, EBB @ 3:00. Probably a mp3 flub, but it was great to hear such a big hunk of it; always kick starts my week. It was foggy on American Lake this morning. Mt. Rainier is hiding. Saw three deer on campus last week; always think of you and your visitors when I see one anymore. Have fun in Columbus, and don’t forget where your heart is there in the strato above the Salish Sea.
Alex Shapiro said,
February 8, 2010 @ 7:08 pm
Ha! I fooled ya: it’s just a string quintet: 2 violins, 2 violas, and a cello. But I love to create thick, lush sounds from small groups, so I’m pleased that you thought it was an orchestra, Glenn! Thanks!
Steve Griffin said,
February 12, 2010 @ 10:53 am
Just read your article “The Economy of Exposure,” mentioned in your previous blog post. Quite an extensive piece. Very insightful and impressive, clear and well written and well reasoned. You are quite the Renaissance woman: aural, visual, and verbal.
Thank you.
notes from the kelp » Symphonic, and other, voyages said,
December 24, 2010 @ 2:31 am
[…] So I was busy enough that I barely noticed the low low low temperatures or the fact that static electricity does some really fascinating things to long straight hair in the winter. Remember, I haven’t lived in winter since I was 21 and that was, like, y’know, 57 years ago. But I certainly make a lot of visits to winter in the name of music-making. This year: Minneapolis, Chicago, Columbus, New York, Baltimore (it still counts!). And last winter was no different, as I whined in in this post. […]