December Shows

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Now that Christmas is officially on the horizon, it's time to bust out the eggnog, the cognac, and READY...SET...CHRISTMAS GIGS!

If the holiday spirit has not descended upon you as of yet, these four selections (from the best "Classical" Christmas Album I can think of) may help. Leontyne's tone (sigh)...

"We Three Kings of Orient Are"

"O Tannenbaum"

"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen"

"Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her" BWV 769

If you need more of a live fix, here's where to go:

*Saturday 12/5 2:00-5:00pm

The Finally Five Quintet @ South Coast Plaza (exact location TBD), free

*Saturday 12/12 6:30pm &

*Sunday 12/13 2:00pm

Long Beach Symphony Pops Orchestra @ the Terrace Theater in Long Beach,always a sell-out!

*Saturday 12/19 11:00am-2:00pm

The Finally Five Quintet @ South Coast Plaza (exact location TBD), free

*Sunday 12/20 7:00pm

Orange County Wind Symphony @ Servite Auditorium in Anaheim, $10-15

*Thursday 12/24 9:30pm & 11:00pm

Two Christmas Eve services

Choir, Brass, and Organ @ Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Irvine, free

*Friday 12/25 9:00am & 10:30am

Christmas Morning services

Choir, Brass, and Organ @ St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Irvine, free

Les Noces, HGM shout-out, Mnozil Brass

It's Saturday morning and I just flowered the grounds on a super brew (Peet's/Intelligentsia). I hope all of you have received your save the dates!! We have our wedding site up now - so check it out!

http://sawyertaylorwedding.blogspot.com

"Les Noces" - Igor Stravinsky

Next up, a HUGE shout-out to Hiss Golden Messenger, my brother Mike's (aka MC Taylor, aka Jai Lil Diamond) band. MC posted a bunch of stuff on Facebook yesterday (so I'm mostly just retweeting this info). If you don't have "Country Hai East Cotton," which I love so much, get it!!

DOWNLOAD "COUNTRY HAI EAST COTTON" and check out an interview with Hiss Golden Messenger.

Totally different subject here, but a friend sent me this video of Austria's Mnozil Brass, which is maybe the some of the best brass playing I've ever heard. They're also really funny in a dorky classical musician kind of way. I was mesmerized by these guys and cried laughing...

Heeeeeeerrrrrrre's Johnny!

Am I the only one that misses this song?

Maybe it's that song-ending-night-after-night-vulgar-high F from trumpeter Mark "Love Man" Pender in Conan's new "Max Weinberg and The Tonight Show Band" - but I used to love Doc Severinson. Papa Smith was a big fan, and my cassette copy of this same album was well worn.

My friend Erik just gave a me a collection of Doc records from the 70s - check this out:

May have to start playing this version of "Pictures" on auditions when it comes up.

And as a P.S. - the album cover - hello!

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Dirty Projectors - do you know these guys?

Thanks to Ed Droste for posting this. Amazing.

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Lastly, in OCD news, my continued obsession with the Grizzly Bear - Michael McDonald singing "While You Wait for the Others".

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Just what we all need:

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Grizzly Bear Solana Beach Show

Have you ever seen a show so good that you left feeling slightly devastated? As in, how the f**K are these guys so good?! So much passion, such amazing harmony in the vocals, and every dude in the band is SO solid.

Grizzly Bear - "Ready, Able" from Veckatimest

The opening band, Beach House, was definitely interesting in their own right, maybe not quite as stunning as GB, but cool, moody music. Victoria Legrand, the lead singer, has a uniquely beautiful, husky kind of voice.

Beach House - "Heart of Chambers" from Devotion

3 Reasons to LOVE PBS

1. Mendez & McNab
I turned on PBS last night and saw an amazing show called "Concierto Para Mendez" - a celebration of legendary trumpeter Rafael Mendez. If you don't know who that is, check out the video below, or find this program on TV.

Malcomb McNab, a legendary trumpeter in his own right, performs Rafael's solos in this "Concierto".

I believe it's being re-broadcast at various times this week, so check your local listings.

Here's a link...
http://www.kcet.org//programs/arts-performance/index.php?mID=15382&refer=hmh



2. MTT & SFS

Also on PBS this week is "Keeping Score", featuring Michael Tilson Thomas & the San Francisco Symphony. MTT goes into great detail about certain works of music (Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique is this week) and it's by far one of my favorite shows. Check it out!
http://www.keepingscore.org/

3. Dudamel & LA Phil
"I want more!" you say? - The inaugural concert of conductor Gustavo Dudamel with the LA Phil is on next week!

Fall Greetings

Hey everyone,

This time of year is insane, as always! I just finished some really exciting work with the Symphony in the Glen up in LA. Not only did I perform with Leonard Nimoy (as narrator) at the Griffith Observatory in LA (which was iiiinnnteresting), but at the Greek Theater, and in a recording at the Fox Studios. The recording will apparently be made available for purchase through the Griffith Observatory. Details to come...

In the midst of all of that I traveled out to Boulder to take an audition with the Boulder Philharmonic (I will not be moving to Boulder, although that place is pretty nice), and attended the wedding of Dan and Amanda, my nearest and dearest friends. So on top of starting classes at Fairmont and teaching private lessons, it's been a busy kickoff to fall '09.

I have a couple of performances coming up that may interest you musically:

La Mirada Symphony

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2009 8:00 P.M.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 40, G Minor, K550
Franz Schubert: Symphony No. 8, B Minor, Unfinished
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony N0. 7, A Major, Op. 92

http://www.lamiradasymphony.com/

Long Beach Symphony Pops

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH, 2009 8:00P.M.

http://www.lbso.org/pops/shostakovich-festive-overture-john-williams-Tchaikovsky-1812-overture.html

Long Beach Symphony Pops

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12TH, 2009 6:30P.M.

&

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13TH, 2009 2:00 P.M.

http://www.lbso.org/pops/holiday-concert-los-angeles-2009.html

A beautiful day at the Mission

Yes it's about 95 degrees, but this place is beautiful! A great setup
for a concert...

If nothing else, come see Dr. Spock (Upcoming Performances in OC and LA)

Hey everyone,

Just thought I'd share some upcoming shows, in case you're interested.

The first is at the Mission San Juan Capistrano THIS SATURDAY (yes, as in tomorrow), with the Capistrano Valley Symphony.

26801 Ortega Hwy
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

August 29, 2009 (Saturday)
Dreamy Mid Summer Night
Doors Open at 5:15pm
Silent Auction Opens at 5:15pm
Performance Starts at 7:00pm

For more info:
http://www.capistranovalleysymphony.org/

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The next one is in October with the Symphony in the Glen. I've copied/pasted some details from their website:

SYMPHONY IN THE GLEN, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FRIENDS OF THE OBSERVATORY

COSMIC CONJUNCTION 2009

Leonard Nimoy, narrating
The World Premiere of "Observations" by Arthur B. Rubinstein

A special gala event (ticket purchase required)

October 4, 2009 We hope you’ll join us for an extraordinary evening of Astronomy and Music under the stars and full moon on the lawn of Griffith Observatory.

Arthur B. Rubinstein has composed "Observations," a new symphonic work, especially for Griffith Observatory. The piece takes listeners on a flight through time and space, gazes at the heavens through the eyes of early mankind, drops in on Galileo as he makes his first shocking discoveries of the true nature of the moon and our Solar System, then reaches escape velocity to soar out into the cosmos to see the astounding wonders of our galaxy and beyond.

http://www.symphonyintheglen.org/

Hope to see you there!

Summer camp 1978