Networking Success / October 18th, 2015

HOW IT WENT LAST SUNDAY (October 18th, 2015)

"When I was a little boy I told my dad 'When I grow up, I want to be a musician.'

My dad said: 'You can't do both, Son'" - (Chet Atkins)

And truly, a youthful spirit of exploration pervaded our most recent Open Mic Classical last Sunday (founded by myself and Bob Marcus who was sorely missed due to health reasons; we long for his speedy recovery and safe return to our event). From ukulele trios to rollicking piano tangos to improvised early classical music on Vivaldi, we toured not just centuries and continents, but also innovative textures and spontaneous melodies. AND . . . we witnessed a wonderful "open-mic-classical-networking" success! (More on that later.)

The spectacular classical guitar playing of John Dirac (our featured artist) wove Satie, Brahms, Haydn, Vivaldi and ardent jazzy newcomer Hyslop in and out of the afternoon's program and was often accompanied by myself, Monika Woods, the host.

All in all, the event was largely a cornucopia of delightfully plucked strings, for in addition to Dirac's and Rich Elliot-Grunes' wonderful classical guitarisms, we were treated to the most unusual and delightful tender strains of a classical Ukelele Trio (a first for many!) playing, of all things, Handel. The trio (comprised of Judy Jollett, Kate Christian, Linda Auerbach and their lovely fingertips) serenaded us with their other-worldly sound, a bit like harpsichord but with dynamics and ethereal nuance resonating through the divine acoustics of Brewster's landmark hall and our dear home: The Brewster UU (First Parish Brewster Unitarian Universalist Church on 6A).

---DID THE PIANO LIE IDLE?

But fear not, for despite a strong showing of finger-plucked strings, the UUs richly resonant piano did not sit idle, nor did pianos in general. Local Welfleetian composer (and renowned WOMR dj) Canary Burton played us recordings of some of her earliest piano-only work, transcendent arpeggios and clever turns of musical phrase that refuse to be boxed in by genre; ever-searching, ever-discovering. She also donated her CD recordings to our on-site raffle drawings. (In coming events, WE WILL BE AUCTIONING OFF EVEN MORE ITEMS!!)

Noel Tipton got the UU piano 'rockin' with the dizzying tango strains of Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, not to be outdone by his wife Betty Tipton tapping out some wildly modern Malcolm Arnold piano parts (with myself on clarinet). And our resident accompanist Lucy Banner accompanied me on some complex Brahms. (Lucy makes herself available two hours before show time for those who want a top-tier piano accompanist.) And the Impressionists were represented by Dorothy Hemmings who played the wonderful Reverie by Debussy and accompanied July Jollet's clarinet for Faure's Pavane. (Yes, that's right, Judy did double-duty on instruments last Sunday.)

---NETWORKING SUCCESS

And no, I am not forgetting to tell you about our aforementioned "open-mic-classical-networking" success, for I shall tell you now: Elizabeth Kushigian, Tim Bosworth, Louise Brady and Margaret Nichols, upon attending an earlier Open-Mic Classical at the UU, had the brilliant idea of forming a quartet. And boy they sure did! They delighted us with a Beethoven String Quartet.

So whether you're a grown-up, or not a grown-up, or a grown-up with a youthful spirit, please come to our next Open Mic Classical (date shown below on this newsletter) and play and/or listen and/or FORM ANOTHER CLASSICAL MUSICAL ENSEMBLE ON CAPE COD!