Enter Berliner Symphoniker

We moved to Grazer Platz 2 once we were ready for the orchestra to come join us: a beautiful hall with high ceilings, stained glass windows letting in floods of light on both of the sides, carpet, and a sort of chapel & crucifixion statue off to the side.

The magic of such grand music played by such talented players in such a beautiful environment was overwhelming to me.  Maestro Gessi must have sensed this on my face, and explained to me how this hall was used for international radio during the Cold war, and was also important during WWII.

 The chamber orchestra, made up of the principle strings and wind section in the Berliner Symphoniker, have joined us.  I still can't even believe it.  They are incredible players, human beings, diligent rehearsal technicians...  Their rehearsal ethic was a joy to watch and work with.  Wow.

Our program with them is

Mozart Symphony no. 40 KV 550
Schubert Symphony no. 5 D 485 and
Respighi Antiche Deanze ed Arie -- Suite No. 3

I can't write fast enough to keep track of everything that I'm learning during the masterclass.  The wand lessons might be over, but there is still so much that I am learning!  Many reminders, many new things that I need to post in my conducting blog before I forget them All of the music that we are working on is from the Viennese  tradition, where the music is so delicate, aristocratic, and grand.  "The Viennese live, and let others live.  They are always inviting & appreciative."

At my first 'competition' playing the violin in America when we moved back at age 12, the judge told me that he really enjoyed my interpretation of Bach.  Then he started to talk me into getting a baroque violin, a baroque bow, and focusing solely on Baroque music... 

well that didn't happen.  But what is wonderful about this world is that through studying new cultures, new places, understanding new points of view and new ways of life, you better understand the composers with those backgrounds.  Studying German music in Germany is worth much more than the tuition that I paid to do this program.  I feel very lucky.