Last night I played in a really fabulous concert. I don't often talk about music on this blog, but this concert is worth mentioning because of the memorable experience I had. When I was younger (middle/high school even college age) you have a lot of memorable experiences whether its a school trip, or a sports team/event, orchestra/concerts band what have you that are wonderful because of the adrenaline and all the energy you have when you're school-age with your friends and like-minded colleagues. I've realized at 27 those experiences are further and further apart for a variety of reasons which is such a shame, I know others didn't have this same experience but it was a jolt of energy and realization about what I'm missing in my life. Something to get excited about, so I was really pleased to have the experience.
Tonight we're going to a dear friends Cello recital.
I designed the poster - over my "cello tree" painting I did a few years back. I'm excited to start the new week, share my April Project updates and get back into Paper Sparrow. I've got a huge update coming this month and an art show on May 7th in West Palm Beach. I hope you're having a great weekend :)
I've been trying to work out a way to combine/balance cello and art for so long and it doesn't really get beyond the me thinking about it stage. I *might* start a cello blog, this summer. But that's a big project for a later date.
I grew up on Classical Music. The first tapes for my walkman and CDs for my discman were all classical, sure, I was a giant nerd (still am.) Now that I'm combining both art and music as "careers" - career isn't the right word.. but job sounds boring - I find it hard to just find the time to listen to music (without doing anything else.) Perhaps it was my weekend without the internet that made me realize what I was missing by being constantly connected to the intranets.
Sadly, my local NPR station no longer plays classical music - only on their website or some malarky so I've got to make the effort to find and buy CDs. You might say oh, listen to online radio - but the problem with that is you'll never really hear what you want to hear. And once you start to know a lot about what you like in a performance (conductor, group, musicians) you inadvertently become a giant classical music snob.
So I'm putting my snobbery behind me and get back to listening to music for the hell of it.
Back to "regular" programming tomorrow. Thanks for listening.
If you play a musical instrument and you've ever seen an actor/actress playing one in a movie, it can be funny, cool, weird, embarrassing or all of the above. Of course, I can't name the all nor can I mention the many many movies that feature string quartets at fancy parties or weddings (The Wedding Singer - being one of my favorite movies)
Love in the Afternoon (1957)
Featuring Audrey Hepburn and Gary Cooper.
I've never seen this movie, but its on my list (I'll have to add it to my netflix soon)
Take the Money and Run (1969)
You hear the same things over and over when you tell people you play cello (or they see you with the giant pink cello case you're carrying) Things like: "I bet you wish you played the piccolo" - Or people recount this marching band scene from this movie. Its a classic clip from Take the Money and Run.
Hilary and Jackie (1998)
A wonderful movie that recounts the life story of Jackie DuPre - world renowned cellist. When I was a student at Stetson, Hilary and her husband Kiffer visited the school when we're were having Finzi festival and they were quite lovely people.
Departures (2008)
This Japanese movie tells a touching tale of a recently out of work cellist who takes a job as an undertaker. Its a lovely story with a fantastic soundtrack.
The Soloist (2009)
You've probably heard of/or seen this movie starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx. The book was quite excellent as well. In case you couldn't tell, since there are so many scenes with cello, Jamie Foxx took lessons for four months, 10 hours a week so that he could learn the actual music during the movie. There are some interesting articles on that here.
A scene from the movie.
Hong teaching Jamie Foxx the cello.
August Rush (2007)
A little bit of a convenient tale to me, but a cute movie nonetheless, an orphaned music prodigy finds his parents through music. Keri Russell must have had lessons too.
Those are most of the more well known movies that feature a very prominent cello story. There are of course very funny and silly scenes in other movies that are worth mentioning. One that immediately comes to mind is:
Witches of Eastwick (1987)
Why? Well, not only does this movie feature Cher and Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon plays cello in a hilarious scene. This clip is even more awesome because it is dubbed and the cello is smoking at the end.
The Living Daylights (1987)
Another movie from 1987, this Bond movie features the cello down the ski slope scene. The cello being shot and then her playing it in a concert afterwards. Featuring the same piece (Dvorak Concerto) as the Witches of Eastwick. What can I say, it must have been popular.
Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
You know what was cute about this movie, the vintage clothes etc. I mean, its a Julia Roberts movie, so if you like that kind of thing, then you know what you're in for but there is a cello scene in the movie. I couldn't find a picture, since its short and near the beginning. Like the beginning of Juno, which has its own wiki page devoted to quotes from the movie (there are a lot of good ones in that movie)
Juno: "The funny thing is that Steve Rendazzo secretly wants me. Jocks like him always want freaky girls. Girls with horn-rimmed glasses and vegan footwear and Goth makeup. Girls who, like, play the cello and read McSweeneys and want to be children’s librarians when they grow up. Oh yeah, jocks totally eat that shit up. They just won’t admit it because they’re supposed to be into, like, the perfect cheerleaders, you know?"
Oz (TV Series) on HBO
Featured real life cellist Zuill Bailey. You know what I mean. This scene shows why he was in the prison to begin with. Stabbing ... (via endpin)
There's a more extensive list here and I'm sure I missed some, let me know if you have one that I forgot.
I have a few things in my shop that show both my love of woodland animals and music, and you could probably tell by the Threadless submission I posted yesterday. Please keep voting and commenting for me!
Every time I find some cool music art I bookmark it and I was thinking of what a great selection I've found over the past few months. Of course there are many many many cool pictures and videos online.
Apparently, this is Rostropovich in his father's cello case. Found here.
And who doesn't love Audrey playing cello (with a violin bow hold no less!) here.
Polaroids are cool, I can't wait for the new one to come out! Picture here.
And of course there is some fantastic Cello Art out there too!
I go through these phases of wanting to pick up other instruments just for fun. Last year it was Ukulele, I had read some interesting things about this in Wired magazine or Readymade, can't quite remember which. I really loved those Apple Ukuleles you could buy on Etsy, or this one that has lots of Mustaches on it.
After the Ukulele impulse, which I didn't give into, its been the Accordion. I saw one at my local Goodwill and it was in gorgeous condition, but they were asking $300 and I certainly don't have the money for that on something I don't even know if I'll like to play it.
Urban Outfitters has the occasional instrument on their website, things like Melodica's but the reviews are generally so terrible, it really makes me think twice about online impulse purchases. Perhaps I'd like a key-tar. LeighAnn of Freckled Nest made an awesome thrifty find of one the other week of which I was insanely jealous.
What instruments do you dream of playing? Ever found a cool instrument when you were out thrifting or garage-sale-ing?
