The DoD and Me

I had the honor of playing for the United States’ military and Allied troops in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait after Operation Desert Storm, in July and August, 1991. Spent five weeks stationed in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and ten days in Doha, Kuwait. True story... I was in college, at Appalachian State University in Boone, North … Continue reading The DoD and Me →

San Diego Symphony 2/21/20: Breathtaking

The San Diego Symphony, conducted by Music Director Rafael Payare, performed Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major, with soloist Stefan Jackiw, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 11 in G minor to a packed house at Copley Symphony Hall. The ensemble was so moving that the final applause didn't waiver until every instrumental section was acknowledged separately. … Continue reading San Diego Symphony 2/21/20: Breathtaking →

You Gotta Hear this Quartet

Jazz is a conversation. And the Gilbert Castellanos Quartet offers among the most playful and earnest discussions you’ll overhear in San Diego. Sunday, February 16th, “GC” and his group performed at a packed 950 Lounge, at the Handlery Hotel in Mission Valley, from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Quartet members were Castellanos on trumpet, and Joshua White, … Continue reading You Gotta Hear this Quartet →

Beethoven Makes Life Worse

Für Elise ruined Middle School for me. I was reminded of that fact when Emanuel "Manny" Ax performed the piece as an encore to Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 with the San Diego Symphony at Copley Symphony Hall on January 11, 2020. ** I purchased my only watch in 1983. A Casio, with a Velcro … Continue reading Beethoven Makes Life Worse →

San Diego Symphony 1/11/20: Manny! Manny! Manny!

This is my inaugural post with personal reactions to the San Diego Symphony. This one will be more psychology than musicology. If you want a real musicologist, click here. You can learn "Just the Facts" of the concert here. ** The Symphony performed Leonore Overture No. 3, Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, and … Continue reading San Diego Symphony 1/11/20: Manny! Manny! Manny! →

Why on Earth Would You Read MY Blog about the San Diego Symphony?

If the San Diego Symphony wants another blog beyond their own, surely the organization has the resources to hire erudite, genteel sophisticates who sip Screaming Eagle Cabernet (1992, of course) while using adjectives like floccinaucinihilipilificatively to describe the 84th violin part of Mahler's 8th Symphony. And no doubt scores of real music critics will take … Continue reading Why on Earth Would You Read MY Blog about the San Diego Symphony? →