Category: Music

Christmas Concert

This was our first Gentri concert, and it was a great way to begin the Christmas season. Our favorite from the group is their pianist, Stephen Nelson. And look who stopped by during the concert to visit with the people at the end of our row, Casey Elliott!🤩

Mark’s Medal

Mark has been preparing a piece for a piano competition since June. After his performance before the judges, we received a phonecall that he was invited to perform at the awards recital. Friends, we knew his effort, and we knew that his piece was amazing, but hadn’t considered that we would be coming back to see him receive an award. I don’t know, something about the musical community is just so intimidating. We were thrilled that he received recognition among really great musicians. Mark knows the first place winner through piano lessons, so it was so fun to celebrate both of them as they received their medals.

A glimpse of each day

Monday: My birthday dinner
Tuesday: A practice recital for an upcoming competition. Mark is playing a Chopin Impromptu. ❤️

Wednesday: I finished another one of these.
Thursday: Book Club at our house
Friday: temple trip

We are in a very full season of life with so much going on and so many things I could share, but I can’t seem to sort these things into words.

Wishing you the best,

-A

Sights of the week

I came across this model that Mark created of his old bedroom. The stacks of books, the curtains, and furniture placement are accurate and made my heart flip.
The eclipse wasn’t the most exciting thing to me this week, but the light was so eerie and we noticed how it made the air feel cold.
Some kids in the neighborhood have a jeep like Tim used to own. This scene reminded me of him. ❤️
I tracked the typhoon as it passed near Saipan thanks to live satellite images.
Richard and I were able to see Itzhak Perlman perform. We had wonderful seats and it was a remarkable experience.

September favorites

My goal to listen to a different piece of classical music each day this year has been fun, but it means that there is a lot of music that I am trying to remember. These were some of my favorite pieces from September, and I am posting them here for personal reference. If you listen to one and enjoy it, too, that’s wonderful.

Clarinet Quintet in A major K 581 2: Larghetto by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Suite popular brasileira 4: Gavotte-chori (1949 version) by Heritor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)
Goldberg Variation no. 5 BWV 988 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
❤️Romance in E flat major, op. 11 by Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)

Fall Recital

Bridget is Mark’s piano teacher.

Mark’s most recent recital was really unique. Each student performed an arrangement of an LDS hymn or Primary song. Even living in Utah, it felt refreshing to have a recital dedicated to sacred music. Mark played Israel, Israel, God is Calling, which is a great choice for a young man preparing to serve a mission.

Mark is preparing for an audition and a competition this fall where he will play a Chopin Impromptu, which is a very different kind of piece. I just love listening to him practice each day.

Some favorite pieces during the past few months

I have enjoyed many pieces introduced to me by this book. Here are a few that I am playing on repeat. I don’t expect you to listen to all of them. I just felt like gathering some within a post for easy reference.

Eyes Shut – Nocturne in C minor by Olafur Arnolds (b. 1986), after Frederick Chopin
The Frog Galliard by John Dowland (1563-1626)
Intermezzo in B flat minor op. 17 no. 2 by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
The Salley Gardens by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
Ribers no. 8 Traditional Danish, arr. Danish String Quartet
Piano concerto no. 2 in F minor, op. 21 2: Larghetto by Frederick Chopin (1810-1849)
Partita no. 2 in D minor BWV 1004 5: Chaconne by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Concert

My friend Stephanie took me to a Millennial Choirs and Orchestras concert on Friday night. This was one of the songs that they performed, although this recording is from an Arizona performance. There are chapters of this choir and orchestra in several states, including California, Arizona, Texas, and Utah.

My favorite piece that they performed was A Mighty Fortress is our God, arranged as a piano concerto with a full choir and orchestra. The pianist was Brandon Stewart on a Fazioli concert grand piano. I never want to forget this. However, there doesn’t seem to be a recording of this piece available. Were You There When They Crucified our Lord was also very good. If you have a chance to see this group perform, I hope you can go.