Fabulous Friday!

John Musto in Concert!

Woke up bright and early, but decided on a leisurely breakfast of oatmeal with dried cranberries and brown sugar.  I looked at the weather for Orlando and it will be hot and rainy, so I want to spend as much time outside here as possible.  Joined the 9:00 French in the 19th C. class a little late, but I still heard "Le bestiare" (Poulenc detested rubato!) and two songs I absolutely loved!  "Reponse d'une epouse sage" by Roussel (a dignified woman who has received a gift of two pearls from a man not her husband.  She tells him he should know better, and sends them back, but with two tears for not having known him sooner. So sad.) and "Vocalise" by Ravel, probably best sung by a mezzo.  At noon we heard a very nice concert of music by John Musto (the one that I heard in dress rehearsal).  Really nice program:

"Enough Rope" (cycle) Jessica Salley with Musto at the piano
"The Brief Light" (cycle) Travis Sherwood with Musto at the piano
"Shadow of the Blues" (cycle) Johnathan Cooper and Musto at the piano
"Penelope" (cycle) with Kate Tombaugh and Tomasz Lis at the piano

I really like his music, which has an element of jazz and blues in it, challenging many layered accompaniments, insightful texts, and melodic but intervallically difficult vocal lines that change meter and call for a flexibility in vocal styles.  We'll definitely be singing more Musto at UWEC!

The composer being recognized by Kate and Tomas

After the concert, I decided to take a trek before the afternoon classes.  I had a whole list of places I wanted to go, but I got sidetracked by this Greek food truck, where I ordered dolmatas (Beef-yum!!!!) that I ate as I walked.  Although these are Greek, I remember eating these in Iran as well.  These trucks line up outside businesses for several hours at lunchtime, and I went to the one with the most people lined up--usually a good sign.

You can track your favorite food truck on Twitter to see where you can find it!

With dolmatas in hand, I walked down to the Central Library via Bunker Hill--a very steep set of stairs.  The library is wonderful!  I didn't have a lot of time, so I scanned the first floor (impeccable collections of new fiction, non-fiction, DVDs, and CDs) and of course the library store where I bought some books--I'm not going to say what, because they could be gifts for some of you!  The architecture of the front entrance, plaza, and fountains is just astounding. Art is everywhere here.

Front entrance of the library.  The tower on top is colored tile and you can't really see the wonderful fountains or gardens, but it is an oasis in the middle of the city.

ME!

I loved this sculpture in one of the pools on the library grounds!

Bonaventure Hotel-known for the (once upon a time) cutting edge, curved architecture and rotating restaurant!

I hustled back to school in time for a coaching with John Musto!  He is a really nice, laid back guy who is soft-spoken but very wry.  I brought in the song "Social Note" which is about 45 seconds long--we worked on it for about ten minutes

Tempo is actually faster than the 144 marked

Very confidential, hence the piano markings

You are older and wiser and you're telling a young woman the truth about "that guy"

Don't forget the 3/4 bar- this is to match speech rhythms

...and then he said "What else do you have?"  I had to admit that I haven't sung any other Musto songs but that I would be shortly!  So, I asked him some questions--which songs he considered appropriate for young singers (many at the front of his collected song volume and some from Dove sta), his use of changing meter, and why pianists cross hands to play (to control the colors of the notes, or to keep a piano figure consistently in one hand rather than shifting it back and forth).  And then we played and sang through some of his stuff!  Fun!!! I kind of marked it, but I got to read through about 5 things with him.  It was a good time, and I am definitely a supporter of his music!

Caught the end of a Graham Johnson masterclass that had started while I was in the coaching--Schubert's "Im fruhling" (Graham actually LIKED the duo's performance!) and "Seal Man" by Rebecca Clarke.  Laura Strickling, who has become my friend, sang that piece, and told Graham that she sings music by American women in Afghanistan where she goes to visit her husband who teaches in Kabul.  He was very moved by the important work she is doing:  "I'm very touched by you bringing this half forgotten British composer to the middle of Afghanistan and showing that a female can make this art despite the teachings of the T****an.  This is brave work you're doing.  I can tell you are committed to this song.  Shouldn't we feel this way about all our repertoire?"  Kudos to Laura!

Laura and Graham

Then the mentors had another "Sense-memory" class with Michael Rader.  I did NOT want to go and told Michael that he wasn't going to make me cry!  We didn't have a lot of time, so he modified the two exercises--relaxation (seated, eyes closed, arms hanging down, green light moving through your body releasing tension) and a memory exercise of placing yourself in a room where you felt safe as a child and sitting with someone you loved.  Of course it was my momma, so of course I cried.  Damn you, Michael!  But it is all part of tapping into the real you rather than the "performer" you, if you know what I mean.  The performer me has become very polished over the years and the real me more and more hidden.  So, this is good for me.  I told Michael (after I damned him!) that I had seen Cirque du Soleil- he has directed a Cirque show!  I told him I had no idea how he put all that activity into space and he said it takes a long time, and that they don't say no to anything you want.  There are no limits on cost.  Whoa.  I didn't know that existed anymore anywhere.  But you could definitely see it in the piece I saw.

Went to the beginning of the Katz class on Mahler but quickly left for Amy Burton's class on France in the 20th Century.  I was added as an alternate onto the class, but the word never got to Amy so I didn't get to sing my Chaminade piece.  I was a little miffed, but just decided to let it go.  Whatevs.  I really like Amy's work with singers- she models, she works the language and the stress and legato and the French style extremely effectively and I learn a lot just listening to her teach. 

Amy in Meyman Hall

Amy's hubby, John Musto, came to listen

 So elegant.  So, well....French.  I really, really like Amy Burton!

Went to FAMIMA afterwards with Nathan--there is a lot of Japanese influence on the food in this area- not many convenience stores carry fresh sushi and bean cakes (I bought a green bean cake but really didn't like it.  I couldn't finish it, and that is saying something for an Iowa girl who always cleans her plate).

Bean Cakes! No thanks!

Guess what was happening out on the lovely Water Terrace?  Outdoor movie night!  It was packed with an enthusiastic crowd, and the movie was....Dirty Dancing!  We got there at the end so got to see "No one puts Baby in a corner!" and the final dance.  They had live dancers on the stage in front of the movie screen dancing, too.  It was awesome.  Everyone was singing, dancing, and in general having fun!

Nathan and me, dancing in the dark!

You can see the dancers on stage!

I forgot Jerry Orbach was in the movie!  I love him!

Can't remember if I did anything else, but I probably didn't since I've been having trouble staying awake in the evening.  A long, exciting, learning-full day! See, it WAS fabulous Friday!