The Kamloops Community Band‘s annual fundraiser for the Richard Dickens Music Scholarship has a special place in my heart. Dick was a longtime music teacher in Kamloops, and an even longer time friend of my family. Read the full post
Posted in Arts In Kamloops (YKA Arts), Random Blurb onCategory: Random Blurb
All the posts that are just totally random thoughts that I felt like sharing.
Why This Composer Avoids Conducting
It is said there are two things you want to be very certain about handing to a composer: a microphone, and a conductor’s baton. That’s obviously not true of everyone, but I generally avoid the baton. Read the full post
Posted in Random Blurb onThe Joys Of The City Of Kamloops Choral Rhapsody
I recently participated (with not one but two choirs) in the 2018 Choral Rhapsody, put on each year by the City of Kamloops, and I had a great time! Read the full post
Posted in Arts In Kamloops (YKA Arts), Random Blurb on“I’m Not Smart Enough For Classical Music” – Yes, Yes You Are!
I heard a surprising number of people claim “I’m not smart enough for classical music” while out at a public event recently. I have some things to say about that, but if you read only this introduction to the post let me sum it up in three words: Yes, you are! Read the full post
Posted in Random Blurb onWhy I (Mostly) Don’t Like “Concert Black”
This isn’t exactly a new complaint on my part, so it’s really no secret that I’m not a fan of performers defaulting to concert black most of the time. It came up in conversation again recently, and there was actually a specific request for me to write a post about it, so let’s dive in to my thoughts. Read the full post
Posted in Random Blurb onCongratulations To Bruce Dunn On His Retirement
It’s the end of an era: Bruce Dunn has retired as the Music Director of the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra. Through his 27 year tenure, the KSO has gone from being an amateur ensemble to a highly respected professional orchestra. I want to take a moment and congratulate him on a well earned retirement. Read the full post
Posted in Arts In Kamloops (YKA Arts), Random Blurb onMusings on the Future of the Thompson Valley Orchestra
Twenty years after establishing the Thompson Valley Orchestra, founding music director Norris Berg has now retired. I have some thoughts on the future of TVO that I’d like to share. Read the full post
Posted in Arts In Kamloops (YKA Arts), Random Blurb onIn Flanders Fields…
It has been another Remembrance Day for another year. In the course of this year’s services, I was able to hear three different choral settings of John McCrae’s famous WWI poem “In Flanders Fields”, and I found myself musing on how all the settings I’ve heard over the years are maybe too “pretty.” Read the full post
Posted in Random Blurb onExcelsis Chamber Choir: A successful choral experiment!
Excelsis: A New Choral Project has now had its first concert. And I think, though I may be somewhat biased having been a member of the choir, that it was a resounding success. Read the full post
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