Category: Classical Music

Tough Day at the Office: Musings of a San Diego Guitarist –July/August Weddings

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It’s been a little while since I’ve blogged about my wedding performances so here is a combined effort from the last four. Each was unique and as always great people to play for! Congrats and best to you all!

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One of the cool things about teaching and performing so long in San Diego is building up a clientele which become more like friends. Here’s a brief back story behind a recent July wedding…

I had been teaching a student for a few years when her uncle got married and they asked my guitar duo to play for the wedding which we did. A year or so later this super sweet guitar student of mine passed away. With a heavy heart I played for her memorial. This recent July wedding was another chance to play for the family…I’m always honored to play multiple events for my clients!

This wedding was also unique as I got to perform with two outstanding singers. One was an opera singer and the sister of my previously mentioned student and the other a family friend who sings musical theater. It was a pleasure to work with them both and their contrasting styles and talents.

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So I got an email in July asking if I was available to play a wedding…koto, violin and guitar.  First thing I thought was “that sounds interesting” and immediately jumped on the chance to play with some new musicians and a unique ensemble. Plus I always enjoy playing at Loews Coronado resort one of San Diego’s incredible wedding venues.

If you don’t know, the koto is a Japanese instrument kind of like a harp that lays flat. The sound is truly amazing and I found myself listening attentively during our performance.

We played a mix of typical classical wedding pieces, as well as, western pop for the cocktail hour. Personally I would have loved to play some traditional Japanese music to bring out the koto’s personality.   No rehearsals and it went great! I look forward to playing with this ensemble again.

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Looking for a great wedding venue in San Diego? Recently, I found an amazing somewhat unknown spot in Balboa Park’s Administrative Courtyard. The venue is really beautiful, located in Balboa park and has views of the downtown skyline, Coronado and other parts of Balboa Park. In addition to all these attributes the courtyard is located on the east side of Park Blvd. which makes for easy access and parking not afforded at some of the Park’s more popular locations.

Great couple too! Good luck to you both on your move across the country!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Seagrove Park in Del Mar is always a great wedding venue and with temps around the county reaching the high 90’s and 100’s I was really looking forward to playing atop the bluffs overlooking the Pacific! …then cocktails at the Del Mar Hilton adjacent to the Del Mar Racetrack/Fairgrounds.

The couple had some special requests for their ceremony music. I learned “The Boxer” by Simon and Garfunkel and Andrea Bocelli’s, “Con Te Partiro” or in English “Time to Say Goodbye” which will definitely be added to my wedding repertoire.

Booking this wedding was a little different as I did not work with the bride and groom at all. I was contracted through a New York DJ and party planner who I hope to work with again…maybe in the Big Apple next time! Thanks Martin!

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Coincidentally, two of these events I got to work with the good folks at GD Productions. It is amazing to be playing guitar for so long in San Diego and then back to back weekends work with the same vendor who I had never worked with before…check them out for all your party needs!

Well that’s it in a nutshell …the last month of guitar and weddings in Sunny San Diego.

Click here for previous wedding posts!

No Olympics on TV Burnout??? Listen to Some Music!

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That was some serious TV watching every night for the past two weeks. Riveting coverage of sports that we only care about every four years. But it was riveting.

 

Now what are we all gonna do? Watch re-runs of Chopped, Modern Family or Big Bang Theory? You could read a book or do a project with your family. All good ideas.

Here is my nickels worth of free advice…LISTEN TO SOME MUSIC! Not on your TV, not on your computer on some sort of music device!

A little too retro?

 

Find some old jazz or classical piece. Play some of your kids favorite music. Play your kids some of the embarrassing music you grew up with. Better yet make your own music… every home has a guitar or piano tucked in a distant corner, right?

Give the giant screen on your wall a break for 30 minutes tonight. You will feel like you really did something different…because you will have done something different.

We Lost an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award Winner Today – RIP Marvin Hamlisch

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That’s right, Marvin Hamlisch was one of only eleven to ever win all four prestigious awards not to mention he also won multiple Golden Globes, as well.

Unfortunately, the composer passed away today at age 68.

Locally, Hamlisch’s name was synonymous with the San Diego Symphony’s Summer Pops, as he was the principal conductor.

Another huge musical loss in 2012, RIP Marvin Hamlisch!

If Guitar Was an Olympic Sport…Steve Vai & Ry Cooder Battle it Out in Crossroads

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This is the classic guitar duel scene at the end of the 80’s movie, “Crossroads.”

The movie is about an old blues musician who sold his soul and Ralph Macchio is trying to win it back….you know like the Charlie Daniels song “Devil Went Down to Georgia.”

It used to bother me that one of my high school guitar heroes, Steve Vai, had to lose the duel to the Karate Kid playing air guitar. The actual guitarist playing Macchio’s parts was Ry Cooder. Anyway, a great movie…put it on your Netflix queue and check it out!!

If you need a break from the Olympics check out this classic guitar competition!!

Enjoy!

Guitar Practicing Tips – Know Your Open Strings

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One of the first things you will want to learn as a guitarist is the letter names of each of the six strings.  Sure you can learn a bunch of tabs and chords and play songs but what about when you are jamming with your friends and they say something like, ‘your D string is out of tune?’ It sure would be embarrassing if you didn’t know which string they were talking about! I actually remember in college we had composer John Duarte pay us a visit. Some of the students who were playing his pieces were asked to perform for him in a master class setting. One student did a great performance of a Duarte piece. As is custom in a master class the composer/guest is to give some helpful critiques and suggestions. Mr. Duarte suggested the student play a certain passage on a different string to achieve a desired sound.

The student froze. In front of the composer, his teachers and an audience full of guitarists he froze. He couldn’t find the notes he needed and it was embarrassing for everyone there let alone the poor guy on stage.

DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! The first step you need to take is to know your open strings! Once you memorize these there are easy ways to find any note you want on the guitar. If you want to play bar and power chords knowing all the notes on the 5th and 6th string is essential and again it starts by knowing the open strings.
Here are two acronyms that are helpful to remember your open strings. Both were created by students of mine. One from over 15 years ago and one from a recent class.

Here are the open notes starting from the 6th string(thickest) to the first (thinnest)

E   A    D    B    G    B    E

Starting on the 6th(thick) string to the first(thin) string …by Patty

Eat    A    Darn    Good    Breakfast    Everyday

Starting on the first(thin) string to the  6th(thick) string …by Orlando

Easter    Bunny    Gets    Drunk    At    Easter

Don’t like these? Create you own version, whatever it takes to get you to memorize the open strings!

Click here for past practicing tips.

Sabicas- Arabian Dance

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I posted a Debussy piece earlier today one if his Arabesques. A friend of mine commented on the post that I should check out Sabicas’ flamenco piece entitled, “Arabian Dance.”  I agree it is a great piece!

Sabicas is one of the huge legends of flamenco guitar and a pioneer in spreading the genre outside of it’s native Spain. I have heard a lot of his stuff but never this one. It is a very virtuoso piece for sure lots of runs and very ‘Arabic’ sounding in its use of the harmonic minor scale. Arabic sounds have always been a big part of flamenco as the Moorish influences moved into Spain and combined with the existing culture.

Enjoy!

Music to Relax – Debussy Arabesque #1

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Hope everyone had an easy Monday! Regardless you might want to unwind a bit and I am here for you. This issue of ‘Music to Relax’, features the impressionist composer Debussy’s piano work “Arabesque.” Debussy wrote a pair of these and this is the 1st one.

The music of the Impressionist period began near the end of the 19th Century in reaction to ‘Common Practice,’ music with its roots in the Medieval period (500-1400), through the Renaissance(1400-1600), stylistically heightened in J.S. Bach’s hands in the late Baroque(1600-1750), continued through the Classical period(1750-1820) of Beethoven and Mozart and exploited through chromaticism and virtuosity of the Romantic composers(1820-1910, some say it has never truly ended.)
Regarding the chromaticism of the Romantic Period pretty much any note was fair game, but, the music still followed the basic rules of tonality and rules of the ‘Common Practice.’ All twelve notes could be used in any key…the basis of my blog name 12 Notes & the Truth!

Impressionists, who followed the art movement broke with these traditions. The result tended to be very lush relaxing wide open sounding music. They tried to make different sounds. Non diatonic scales and non functioning chords were trademarks of this period. However, Debussy and another composer Ravel were not fond of the term applied to their music.

If you want to play this and relax it should do the trick.

If you are looking for a music challenge try to think how this music sounds different than Bach, Beethoven, Mahler…etc.

Click here for previous ‘Music to Relax’ posts.
Enjoy!

Good Times, Good Food, Good Friends, Good Wine & Music at Orfila Vineyards & Winery

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This week was filled with projects, students, arranging music and rehearsals. I finally have a chance to write about last weekends event at Orfila Vineyards & Winery in Escondido! What a great time!! There were lots of friends who came out to relax on a Saturday afternoon. It was great to see you all, play for you and hang too.

If you haven’t been to the winery yet it is a must see San Diego destination. Great place to enjoy a picnic lunch a beverage and just relax. It is kid friendly and they have a blast running and playing as parents rest their bones! All the employs  are chill and super helpful. Nice selection of wines and the best…you dont have to drive to Temecula or take an extended trip to Paso Robles or Napa.

Relaxing at Orfila Concert

In addition to the music, the wine and the food they also had Katy Doherty of KD Custom Jewelry with some very cool items available. From my seat on stage she seemed to be a fan favorite keeping busy ALL day and the kids loved her too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I definitely recommend you pay them a visit…and how about on Aug 24, 3:30-6:30 as I will be back there for another go and looking forward to it!

Hope to see you there!

Charles Ives, “4th of July” Listening Challenge

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How do we listen to music?

Seems like a silly question! We crank up our home stereos, car stereos, Ipods,  etc.

Most of us think of music as; I like it or I don’t; as cool or not; as good or bad. All very reasonable answers but represent a subjective view. They are opinions vs. analyses. For most people that is more than fine! We grow up with the music that is around us…if it makes us feel good we like it.

When I went to college to study music I was the same way. Somewhere along the line I realized there is more to music than does it have a beat and can I dance to it(or headbang from my heavy metal past). Music even though an art is also a science. Even though a recreation a discipline.

If you have been ready to try something different to feed your ears here is a great piece. It isn’t ear candy to the novice. It wont make you dance, hum, party, workout, clean the house…..etc. However, if you take the time to really listen it will offer you a chance to hear a different perspective on music.

Charles Ives was an experimental composer before there were experimental composers! If this piece reminds you a bit of a horror soundtrack, it was written before there were horror soundtracks! Ives was into creating sounds! Intertwined he liked to add familiar melodies that meant something to him personally. Usually these were lofty motives like Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, hymns and most of all pieces that represent America and Americana at the turn of the last century.

Take the challenge…put away your preconceived notions of what music should be and just listen to sounds. Also listen for the aforementioned American themes that Ives wove into his music the way others use major scales. Remember when you are listening that the composer was very pro-American even though the sounds may seem like not so much.

Go for it! I will keep more listening challenges coming…

Charles Ives 4th of July

Randy Rhoads

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It has been 30 years since Ozzy’s groundbreaking guitarist Randy Rhoads left us much too early in a tragic plane crash at age 25. Over those last 30 years nothing has diminished his musical legacy as he is still regarded as one of the best and most influential guitarists in rock/heavy metal of all time! Certainly on par with names like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen and Michael Schenker.

A new 7 lb. full color photo biography has just been released on Randy and his place in music history. Looks like a great book and a must collector item. I cant wait to check it out.

http://velocitybooks.org/shop/randy-rhoads/