Cello-loving acoustics = fun!

Last Friday, November 7, MITS played at SoNa Bank for the Leesburg First Friday. What a blast! This is the old Loudoun-Times Mirror building with very high ceilings. The acoustics were fantastic, especially for the strings. We sounded SO GOOD!  More than 175 people heard us (Brad was counting); many sat down and listened to us for half an hour or more.  The temperature was in the 60's, so lots of people were out walking around the downtown area. Good times.

Learning to say no

I've not been in the position before where I had to turn down opportunities to play. However, now that rehearsals have started for Loudoun Symphony, Mormon Orchestra of Washington DC, stake Messiah presentation, and MITS, I'm thinking that it's time to practice. Yes, the cello for sure, but also, the art of saying, "No".

It's that time of year...

This is the time of the year when I search for venues for the Loudoun Symphony venues. Actually, I started at the end of the last school year, and have 95% of the venues all taken care of. But why oh why (I feel a whine coming on) does there always have to be one date that causes problems?This year it is Dec. 6 for a Loudoun Youth Symphony concert. I've been turned down by six schools so far, and the end is not in sight....

Fun weekend!

I played two concerts this weekend. Friday night was an outdoor concert in downtown Leesburg with the trio that I just joined. We put pickups on our instruments and plugged them into pre-amps and amps and speakers and all kinds of electrical stuff. I had no idea what was going on but it was loud! We still played classical stuff, and rags and tangos; we even played "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay! We had quite a few people show up and more wandered in and out. Unfortunately, Tropical Storm Hannah started making her presence known in the middle of the concert, and we had to pack up really quickly!
Saturday night I played at a fundraiser. The husband of a violinist friend of mine was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis about two years ago. She has done an annual fundraiser for the MS Society since that time. Last night as I was playing, I thought, "It's nice to be able to play and really feel like I'm helping somebody". I love to play in the symphony, and feel like it is a great way to invite the Spirit in that setting, but playing at a fundraiser was an especially good feeling.

MITS First Friday concert

MITS first friday concert
Originally uploaded by ValerieBW

Tonight, barring interference by Tropical Storm Hannah, our quartet will play an outdoor concert in old town Leesburg. We're playing Baroque, tangos, rags and even "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay! Wish us luck!

Patowmack Farms gig

Last Thursday night MITS (www.moonlitinthesun.com) played at Patowmack Farms restaurant. It was the second time for me.  We had a great time; only 13 people were dining, but they really enjoyed our music. One party was celebrating a birthday, so we played happy birthday as the birthday girl was walking in. Later they gave us a tip, and said that our music had "made" their experience. Later, as we were walking around chatting up the guests, one man asked, "Who was the cellist?" Not knowing what he was going to say, I pointed at the violinist :o). He said, "That was first-class cello playing!" He really was leading into a story about a cellist that he had heard on NPR, but I'll take whatever I get.  

My poor cellito...

Last night I went to pull my cello out of the case, and sensed that something was very wrong. Yikes. The fingerboard had completely separated from the neck! I took it to Michael Weller this morning, a wonderful luthier in Alexandria. He assured me that it was no big deal, and that it could be fixed with a bit of crazy glue. (He was kidding) and I can pick it up tomorrow. He said that, because the fingerboard is made of ebony, and the neck is maple, they sometimes come unglued with weather changes. I have played a couple of outdoor gigs in the past month, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow...la la la

Friday evening we (www.moonlitinthesun.com) played a wedding gig at Little Oatlands. It was a beautiful evening: low 80's and low humidity. That doesn't happen in Virginia in August. I think the bride must have put in her order a very long time ago.  The setting was beautiful, as you can see from the picture.  We played lots of Baroque music for the prelude, and cocktail hour, which was the request (and NO PACHELBEL CANON. Orders from the bride). However, she wanted "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for her processional, "Tea for Two" for the kiss, (did you know that music is played during the kiss? I didn't), and "Habanera" for the recessional. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000THBQ5C/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk3?ie=UTF8&qid=1218461507&sr=8-5

Another gig!

Today I was invited to play another gig at Patowmack Farms in August. Yippee! It's so fun to get paid to play cello!
List of gigs to date - already performed or in the works: (don't worry, this won't take much time to read)
1. Subbing for Betty Kellogg with Hamilton Trio at open house in June (classicaltrio.com)
2. Patowmack Farms in July with Moonlit in the Sun (www.moonlitinthesun.com)
3. Wedding at Little Oatlands on Aug. 8 with MITS (see above)
4. Patowmack Farms on August 21 with MITS
5. Outdoor concert with MITS in downtown Leesburg on Aug. 23 CANCELLED
6. Leesburg First Friday on Sept. 5
7. Celtic music fundraiser for MS - Sept. 6
The last three are not paid, but will be fun!