Azmari Review

The Azmari performance of Shostakovitch's 9th symphony, movements 3, 4, and 5 was a very enjoyable experience. These movements are filled with textual emotions that tell a wonderful and yet sorrowful story of life under the iron curtain. Like many composers through out time, their music reflected the toils and troubles of life around them. Many commentators write about what they know of the child like melodies carried over the daunting, dark, and devilish ways of Stalin characterized in this work. This review however, will try to interpret the piece as someone that knows nothing of the history behind it.
The third movement has a theme that can be described as very consistent rhythms, like that of a train or a galloping horse. The Different textures of the individual parts bounced back and forth between the players in ratios of 3:1, 2:1:1, and 2:2. This movement resembled the struggle between good and evil with the repeating rhythm of TA ta ta TA. The plucking of the strings transition the melody to a sorrowful movement. This plucking motion seems to beat out a visual and audial stabbing of a loved one.
During the piece, the lead string player seems to conduct the group by exaggerating her breathing, though there is no physical connection to the playing of the music. The piece now transitions into a traditional sounding Russian melody. The visual story in the faces and movements of the players gives added depth to the conversation that they are having on their strings. As the selection comes to a close, the composer looks back upon the previous movements and weaves a tapestry of the memories using rhythms like 1 e and, 2 e and, 3 e and a, 4. The Azmari group made a wonderful piece of music come to life. It was something pleasant to the ears and easy on the imagination.
mrbortlein

Columbus S O response

"Is the theater really dead?" To answer the question wheither if the Columbus orchestra can survive in this age of downloading music for next to nothing; IMHO (in my humble opinion), no. I don't opologize for having this belief, it just doesn't seem like there's any hope to salvage, not save, this program. Why should a person pay an exorbant price to go hear live music when today's technology allows of to hear the same quality sound at a fraction of the cost. Not to mention the cost to drive, park, eat, and depending on what part of town the concert is in, your safety. So now in order to supplement the funds to keep this failing past time alive, the patrons must give more money? They would be better off just throwing dollar bills into the fire, it would at least do some good by helping them stay warm.
Lack of funds is only part of the problem in Columbus, the bad string of personnel running that program seems to have played a big part of its demise. We all know that poor leadership decisions will most likely drag any good program down into the mud of red ink; making it very hard to return to its glory days. The business model of the CSO (Columbus) is not just wrong, it's non-existent. The city has obviously forgotten about it and apparently so have many of its past patrons. Columbus has a thriving Science Museum, it draws people from all over the state. Why not let the Columbus orchestra merge into a part of the Cincinnati or Dayton music programs. Thus reducing costs and bringing the revenue of the few remaining patrons to another city and using the combined funds to create better shows that might attract bigger over all audiences.
duckworthm1

My worst performance experience

Fall 07 recital, performance of Marcus Duckworth. Performer seems nervous, about singing infront of group. His body language tells the viewer that he's tense. Music seems well perpaired but his stage presence is diminished with a small sounding voice.
mrbortlein

My best performance experience

My best performance experience was for the Spring Concert band performance of Lasses trombone Composed by T.K. Fillmore. I was asked by the conductor to perform at the last second, only having 1 day to practice. The most exciting part was that the whole trombone section was to be standing at the front of the stage playing this song. http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B0000287YR001017/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_017/103-2010236-5607037
This link might not work. Amazingly everything went well.
mrbortlein