The concert went very well in Xalapa last night — a big house of extremely attentive listeners of all ages. There is a clear tie with the University here, and I think this works very well in boosting attendance (it also helps that the soloist was a university student). It’s rare to experience such intense focus from an audience. Here’s the program:

Beethoven: Coriolan Overture
Ney Rosauro: Marimba Concerto
Sibelius: Symphony No. 1

Not exactly box-office gold, but they do a concert like this every week. The thing I heard over and over again from the musicians is that since it’s a university-supported institution, they don’t have to worry about “programming” like we do in the US and Canada. It seems to me that this lack of fear in programming has helped build exactly the kind of audience that every orchestra wants: a group of people of all ages and backgrounds who genuinely love music.

This orchestra knows its identity and has found its audience, with some major support from a university.

Is a city in Mexico, in the state of Veracruz. An orchestra of almost 100 people, all professors at the university. Their musical schedule is similar to any major American orchestra — one big classical program every week. Last week was Sibelius 6, this week Sibelius 1, next week Sibelius 3 (yes, they’re doing the whole cycle). They have a brand new hall on the way. The city is beautiful, nestled up in what seem to be sub-tropical mountains. The amount and variety of trees, plants, and flowers are stunning. I spent a wonderful afternoon two days ago at the house of an old friend, Carlos Villarreal, who plays in the orchestra. He has a great audio set-up and we spent hours listening to great music. I just discovered the Mosaiques Quartet (they know the weight and value of every harmonic move in Haydn) and the symphonies of Rosetti. And since his stereo was serious there was of course some Mahler and Wagner.

I’ll be conducting the orchestra in concert in a few hours, and will be able to tell you more about the audiences, etc. I also have some pictures but I forgot to bring the connecting wire — so that’ll have to wait for a few days.

My airplane reading was The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, which is as good as everyone says it is …

Just arrived for my opening week in Kitchener-Waterloo after a quick concert on Sunday with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Millennium Park. A very nice place for a concert, indeed …

The orchestra was just back from vacation, but sounded wonderful as expected (they know Pictures at an Exhibition pretty well — haha).  I got to work with the orchestra’s new principal trumpet, Chris Martin, for the first time.  A phenomenal, big, beautiful sound, and a wonderful thoughtful musician.

Also had fun with Savion Glover, who tapped away to music by Duke Ellington (The River).  Cool guy, amazing dancer.

In Kitchener, we started Beethoven 5 today, and there was plenty to rehearse, even though we all know it quite well.  And anyway, as music director, I’m already thinking in the long term.  I’m trying to build a sound and establish ways of playing together.

Exciting.

To watch it, click HERE. Then click on “Surfing Maestro.”

I would like to apologize for the lame surfing, and I am not masterful enough to make the most of the tiny waves that were offered to me that day. It’s still kind of cool tho.

Ward Coffey, the guy who shaped my board, is on the links section of my site.

Read it by clicking HERE.

That’s me on the cover of today’s Kitchener-Waterloo Record. Check out the article while you still can!

A few quick notes before the dress … I’m now singing backup on the second half, so I’ll have a cool mic attached to my head while conducitng. Frank Zappa’s favorite performance experineces were conducting and close-harmony singing. I’ve done both, but never SIMULTANEOUSLY. Looking forward.

Also one of my arrangements will be debut tonight — a last minute orchestration of She’s So Heavy with Cheap Trick and special guests — Ministry! I’m having a good time working with Al Jorurgensen and Sin Quirin. What a trip.

Drove down to LA yesterday for another concert at the Bowl, celebrating the 40th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper’s with Cheap Trick and a bunch of special guests. This time, I had a reporter and a photographer from the Kitchener-Waterloo Record with me in the car. They’re doing a long feature on me and my California background/upbringing. For the road trip, my iPod was broken so I only put 6 CDs in my car which I talked about with the reporters. There was no classical music, since I refuse to listen to classical in the car because it distracts me from the road (and got me in a nasty accident when I was 17). Here they are in no particular order:

1. James Brown - Live at the Apollo Volume 2, Disc 2
2. David Bowie - Alladin Sane
3. Ella and Duke Ellington Live in Stockholm 1966
4. Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain By Stragegy
5. Dr. Octagon - Dr. Octagonacologist
6. Devo - Q. Are we not men? A. We are Devo!

I don’t know what this list means — but there we are.

Before we left I took Colin, the reporter, out for a surf yesterday at Lindamar. He did really well. Meanwhile, the photographer was taking some action shots of me with a big lens which of course is every surfer’s fantasy!

An interesting week so far.

I meet with Cheap Trick in an hour — should be fun.

If you click “Schedule” you’ll see where I’m going to be this season, and what I’m conducting. I just put it up. It’s going to be a great year — so much incredible music.

Haven’t Karaoke’d in a while … first stop was Cordon Bleu 5 Spice Chicken restaurant. Menu item No. 5 consists of 5 Spice Chicken, Shish Kebab, Imperial Roll, and rice covered in Meat Sauce for just $8! Then we hopped next door to Encore Karaoke Lounge where I sang “Night and Day” and “I Just Called To Say I Love You.” If I had stayed a little longer, I probably would have tried to sing “Save A Prayer,” “Careless Whisper,” and “Surreneder” (by Cheap Trick, since I’m working with them in a few weeks). As you can see, my taste in Karaoke leans towards the ballads. I guess I’m a crooner.