I just got back from conducting a wonderful orchestra and chorus in Seattle called Orchestra Seattle/Seattle Chamber Singers. It's unique in that the organization runs both an orchestra and a chorus so there is a choral component on every program they do.

My concert began with J.S. Bach's 3rd orchestra suite, followed by John Adams's "The Chairman Dances." After intermission was Mozart's great Mass in C minor.

 

I remember playing my 1st professional engagement as the 3rd D-trumpet in Bach's Christmas Oratorio. I was all of 14 years old. It was thrilling to be able to play loud and blow my notes over the whole orchestra!. The Bach Suite on this program has three D-trumpets and they were marvelous. Janet Young played all the high stuff brilliantly. The concertmaster, Fritz Klein played lovely ornamentation in the "Air" movement.

When I was 15, I played violin in a performance of the Mozart Mass. I will never forget the magical mood that instantly reaches out as the opening Kyrie sings its somber yet deeply moving music. I still get chills whenever I hear it and the chorus in Seattle captured that magic beautifully.

I stayed with my old friends, Ron and Roxanna Patterson. They have a home on a serenely wild lake with geese, ducks, herons and even bald eagles! I met Ron in 1961 when we were both teenage violin students at the Aspen Music Festival. Our paths separated for decades until we were united again at the New Hampshire Music Festival. Ron had just resigned from his post as concertmaster of the Monte Carlo Philharmonic and I was looking for someone new so it was a perfect alignment of circumstances. Roxanna became my Principal Viola and the three of us were a dynamite trio for 10 summer seasons.

So it was really great to be able to live with them and deepen our friendship.

Ron teaches violin at the University of Washington School of Music, has a full roster of students at home,and  plays chamber music concerts and solo engagements. Roxanna has numerous viola students, coaches the Seattle Youth Symphony, and also plays chamber music and solos. They are the best!

Seattle is a dramatic city, with its mountains, lakes, ocean, 1000s of Asian restaurants, vibrant downtown and Mount Rainier rising majestically to the south.  It is rather overcast and drizzly but the sun would poke its head out occasionally for a few hours!

Fun!!

maestro p