Hello all!

It has been quite a busy last 6 weeks, filled with bizarre travel moments, fun performances, exciting evenings, and a continuation of being settled in Dallas.  At the end of September, I went to Virginia to perform Saint-Saens and Rachmaninoff, and really had quite a wonderful time.  The orchestra, conductor and I all got along famously, and the reception they threw after the concert (complete with a chocolate fountain and bottomless champagne glasses) was indeed memorable.  The weather was gorgeous, and I hope to return soon.  In the following two weeks after that performance, my life was inundated with chamber music...specifically that by Dvorak and Dohnanyi.  Chamber music really is perhaps the most enjoyable form of music:  a bunch of colleagues/friends come together for one common goal;  there is complete equality in the group;  and one doesn't have to practice by themselves (often the lonely fate of a musician).  In fact, one of these chamber ensembles I'm in is going to the Cayman Islands in December for a couple of concerts (with the addition of the Bach g minor sonata, it looks like), and I cannot wait to escape the cold winters of Cleveland with white beaches, green water, and tax-free shopping!!

Last week, after watching the Cleveland Indians fall short to the Boston Red Sox, I was in Nevada for a number of days:  I played in two different schools, a recital, and Beethoven Concerto with the Carson City Symphony.  Now, getting there was rather difficult:  I was on a plane that (to quote the non-plussed, gum chomping flight attendant) had issues, and so we landed in Midland-Odessa, Texas while Lord-knows-what took place.  After a very long travel day (that including losing a few dollars at the Las Vegas slots), I arrived in Reno for a week of playing in the area.  It was my first time performing in Nevada, and I do think I made the most of it.  My partner in the recital, Rachel Ing, is a lovely, talented, and beautiful pianist, and I think we will collaborate again.  The reception from the kids completely blew me away, and I was very touched when I was presented with a card from the children with enthusiastic remarks:  moments like that make it all worthwhile for me, when children can be exposed to a new form of art or culture that excites them.  Especially with this particular business, the younger people are when exposed to good classical music, the better.  My manager drove up from Los Angeles to help facilitate the weekend, and my "California family" drove in from San Francisco:  it was fabulous seeing everyone, and the dinners out were stunning!  Thank you again.  That trip also marked the first time I played Beethoven with an orchestra--it was a positive, learning experience for me and Maestro Bugli and I had a terrific time.

Right now, I am back in Dallas, and I am playing tomorrow with Chee-Yun on a recital at SMU.  in addition, I am back as concertmaster for the orchestra, and need to prepare my trip back to Cleveland in November.  Amidst this traveling and commuting, I have been reflecting on a lot of current issues (I know, I know...a musician voicing their opinion on contemporary issues?)  2007 is quite a unique year in history:  a polarized Capital Hill, celebrities going to jail and rehab left and right, much of my generation receiving their news from Perez Hilton and TMZ, and these fires ravaging Southern California (you could have heard a pin drop on my plane as we flew over Malibu earlier this week).  What role can musicians take in these current issues?  Well, I am trying to do my part with helping a good friend organize a political fundraiser to bring awareness to certain domestic issues;  appearing in schools and showing that not everyone in my generation is a "frequent and habitual user of controlled substances" (to quote the Judge in a certain celebrity's custody trial);  and attempting to notice the beauty and art all around us.  Everything that Americans take for granted, we should acknowledge and enjoy;  and we must support, create, and notice art, beauty, and educate ourselves, whether is it partaking in a museum tour, supporting the arts, our freedom of speech,  our right to vote, or our right to know the truth behind our government's decisions overseas.  Little by little, if we all do our part, we will create a more stable, more beautiful America for the next generation.

A Happy Autumn and best wishes!

Andrew

Hello all!  I have now been in Dallas, Texas for three weeks now, and am really enjoying myself.  It's been quite interesting exploring various sections of Dallas--the culture, vibe, and city "personality" is, of course, quite different from Northern customs, and I'm embracing the change.  Southern hospitality is not a myth, the people here are exceedingly friendly, and the city stays out later than 10 pm during the week!  I have met a really fun group of people, and enjoy taking advantage of many of the resources in the area (not to mention the outdoor pool, neighboring sushi cafe, and stellar facilities).

It's shaping up to be a busy season, and I'm looking forward to the opportunities I have this coming year.  For starters, I'm rekindling my trio (with Charlie Tyler and Liz DeMio), and we will be playing again in 2008;  Anita Pontremoli and I are going to be performing the Brahms sonata cycle, which is an event I have been looking forward to for quite some time;  and playing the Beethoven concerto for the first time next month is a landmark event in my personal growth as a violinist and musician.  Working here with Chee-Yun has really opened my eyes to a different way of playing, and teaching a bit just reinforces various ideas I have about the repertoire (and playing in general).  Everyone please send a good vibe Chee-Yun's way, as she was injured in an accident and can't play for some time--a travesty for the orchestras and audiences that were going to collaborate with her. 

Recently, I have been practicing piano more and more, even going to far as to secure the scores to several standard concerti, trying to work them up.  It's hard...I've been out of pianistic shape for years now, and often frustrating--but I feel it can only help me grow.

For those in the D.C. and Reno, Nevada areas:  I am playing with orchestras there at the end of September and in mid-October, and doing a meet&greet after the concerts.  For more information on those concerts, feel free to check out my schedule on my website.  I'm very excited, as my website will be undergoing some renovation in the near future, complete with links, pictures, and video from concerts!  Stay tuned for news... :)

I hope everyone is having a productive and safe September, and best wishes!

ANDREW

Hello from the Gangwon Province of South Korea, where I have spent a marvelous last couple of weeks.  Hyo Kang (from the Juilliard School of Music and Aspen Music Festival) founded a festival here that is THE festival in South Korea, broadcasting its concerts live on KBS and to sold-out audiences.  The artists here range from Myung Wha Chung and Chee Yun, to Itamar Golan and Jian Wang among many others...in addition, the wonderful Sejong Soloists (based in NYC) serve as the ensemble-in-residence.  I have had a thoroughly enjoyable time (despite my violin seams completely coming apart in this extreme humidity), and look forward to returning here...here being the northeastern corner of South Korea by North Korea and the East Sea.  It has been rather therapeutic...no use of my Blackberry, fresh mountain air, and having all day long to practice...I could get used to this.  There have been some stunning concerts, and I quickly became accustomed to terrific Korean food (much healthier than what I eat back in the States, by the way...)  The 13-hour time difference was a bit awkward at first, but I have since overcome that.  I enjoyed watching the final round of the Aldo Parisot International Cello Competition, and getting to know some of the competitors.  I played Beethoven concerto last week, and have had the pleasure of playing with Evan Solomon on piano almost daily.  I spent all Friday flying home (about 26 hours door to door with driving--only good part of the trip is meeting my manager for lunch in LAX), and fly to Dallas next Wednesday, as I am relocating there.  Busy times, for sure.  I'm going to try and make the most of my time in Cleveland this weekend, as it's my last weekend in Cleveland for quite awhile.  If anyone is familiar with the ins and outs of Dallas, I would love to hear about them!  Wishing everything a happy August, and until soon...

It has been six weeks since my last blog, and it seems that the time has flown by.  A lot has happened, I've been fairly busy, and have lot a lot of repertoire to contend with.  I have since finished my time at ENCORE this summer, after playing Franck sonata and a truly memorable Faure g minor Piano Quartet.  The four of us, radically different in personalities but working towards one common goal, really came through in the concert, and I think each of us was pleased with how it turned out.  Chamber music is like therapy...four equal personalities, rehearsal time not spend by yourself in a cubicle, fun banter...I wish I had the oppurtunity to play more chamber music than I do.  Also at ENCORE, there were some very memorable concerts...Hilary Hahn's display of pyrotechnics (Ernst, Paganini, et al), and some younger violinists did extremely well.  I'm going to miss bucolic Hudson, Ohio, and should ENCORE occur next year, perhaps I will make it seven summers in a row.  :)

Last night, I played a house recital of music I'm taking on the road.  Roberta Whitely (a lovely woman with whom this was my first collaboration) and I played Beethoven, Franck, and Rachmaninoff, and a best friend of mine since childhood arranged it.  Complete with refreshments and wine (!), it was a good time, and it was nice to see familiar and not-so-familiar faces.

Tomorrow, I leave for Korea for three weeks, and I'm quite excited.  A little apprehensive, as this is my first time traveling to the Far East, but excited, nonetheless.  I love Korean food, and I am eager to encounter and experience a new culture, as well as a new geographic location.  I hear that July is "monsoon month" over there, but hopefully it clears up prior to the festival!  I'm going to be at Hyo Kang's Great Mountains Music Festival, and in the first few days that I'm there, I'm able to spectate at the Aldo Parisot International Cello Competition.  This also marks my first time working with Chee-Yun, and I'm playing a recital live on KBS in the week or so after I arrive (hence the purpose of the recital last night).  I'm sure I will have quite a bit to blog about once I arrive!

Soon after returning from Korea, I depart to Dallas, where I will be living next year, and have trips to New York, Washington D.C., and Carson City in the first couple of months.  Until then, I wish everyone a safe and productive August!!!

~A