Upcoming Performances of Gregory K. Williams, Violist, November 2015

Greetings Music Lovers of All Varieties (Friends, Family, Colleagues, Students, et al),

     I hope this message finds everyone well.  The fall has been an absolute blast, filled with much music making, running, and writing.  September and October have also been rather intense, with performances around New York City, the Hudson Valley and Long Island.  Before everyone starts carving turkeys, tofurkey, and boiling their cranberries, I wanted to let you all know of a few exciting performances coming up this month.

     Next Wednesday, November 11, 2015, at 7:30 PM, I will have the distinct privilege of joining forces with cellist Philip A. Ewell, Professor of Music at Hunter College, on a faculty recital that he is organizing.  Together with violinist Elena Peres, and pianist Steven Graff, we will be performing W. A. Mozart's Piano Quartet in G Minor, K. 478.  Also featured on the program will be Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio in A Minor, Op. 50.  The concert will take place in the Ida K. Lang Recital Hall, at Hunter College.

  
    Later this month, I will be among a section of fine violists, performing with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, at the Bardavon 1869 Opera House, in Poughkeepsie, NY, on Saturday, November 21, 2015, 8 PM. We will be performing under the baton of Randall Craig Fleischer, performing works by Bartok, Ravel, and Sibelius.  Details for tickets can be found below:

https://www.bardavon.org/event_info.php?id=809&venue=bardavon

As the weather continues to cool down, I will be writing away, (amidst a Dissertation on the unaccompanied viola works of Günter Raphael) practicing, working with several fine students, running, spending some quality time with loved ones, and preparing for a few upcoming recitals that will take place in the months ahead.  I will keep you updated with more details soon!

Musically yours,

Greg Williams, Violist

Procrastination

Procrastination

Over the past several months, I have made tremendous gains in terms of my focus and productivity.  I have been successful at knocking out watching TV as a way to procrastinate, I have switched around my work schedule so that I have fewer days of commuting.  I spend less time on Facebook (which I need to continue to weed out).  I have learned how to say no to obligations that didn’t make sense with my schedule, and have found ways to ramp up the amount of time I spend practicing, exercising, and writing.  As a result, the quality of my playing is improving, my endurance while running or doing yoga has improved, and I have made significant strides on my Dissertation.

Well, I have been able to keep up most of the momentum with practicing, and I still find time to run about 3 days a week, assuming the weather is cooperating.  But an addictive game has needled its way into my life- Mini Metro.  It is a glorious little game, where you get to build subway lines, with trains and traffic, etc.  It is quite marvelous, and akin to a doodling habit that I have (drawing subway maps of imaginary cities, which I do on long car trips where I’m not driving, sitting in a dreary meeting).  Over the summer, I started playing it a bit more, on days where I had a bit more downtime.  Perhaps one game in the morning or after a long day of work is fine-- some people do crossword puzzles, others do sudoku to get the noggin going in the morning.  But I often find myself playing a game in between practice sessions, or while I am having lunch, and it puts a cramp on my productivity!  It would be one thing if the game last for 5 minutes, but one single game, if successful, can last close to a half hour!  

I have a similar problem with 2048, a number stacking game that I have on my phone.  (The only game that I have one my phone), and one that I find myself consistently playing on the subway, even if I bring worthwhile reading materials.  I have made it to the grand score of 2048 multiple times (sometimes even several times a day).  Maybe a game or two on the subway is fine, but there are so many good books to read instead!  C’mon, subway-riding me!

I don’t necessarily have a solution, other than replacing the urge to hop on Facebook, play Mini Metro, or 2048 with the URGE to write, the URGE to practice!  Down time is great, if I am in control of it.  Computer games might help to get the mind moving, or slowing down, but they do not help you finish Dissertations on time, and definitely get you nowhere fast when preparing for auditions and recitals!  I am sure I am not the only one facing this problem, and would love to get feedback from others about this.  How do you handle your issues with procrastination?

  I should acknowledge that I decided to write about this blog as a way to stop myself from playing another game, and plan to get back to practicing, just as soon as I finish my lunch, and gaze outside at the leaves falling from the trees...

Cramping after the first lap- A musician realizes the possibility of being athletic

The following thoughts have very little to do with playing the viola or being a violist, but is reflecting something I have been thinking about over the past week.

   I wasn't always a runner.  In fact, in my younger years, as a kid, I was never really perceived as much of an athlete.  At all!  In kindergarten, my parents signed me up for gymnastics- it wasn't really my thing.  Next was tee-ball, I have fond memories of picking up cigarette butts and wilted dandelions off the ground.  I have fond memories of when my Dad coached my team in baseball in first grade, but as a left-handed person in a right-handed world, it is hard to figure out the intricacies of hitting a bat or throwing a ball when everyone is doing things in reverse.  (It wasn't until a viola lesson at the Eastman School of Music at the age of 24 that I realized I was throwing a ball incorrectly for years!  Hint- it had to do with my feet!)

    Golf and soccer had similar struggles.  With golf, my swinging technique was a bit clumsy, and all of the coaches that I worked with were right handed.  I tried to join the soccer world a little late in the game, in fifth grade, I joined a fun team, and can still count a few of those teammates as friends years later, but it wasn't my thing.  In the grand scheme of things, I quickly realized that I was far more passionate about all things musical, and that won out.  

    Gym class was probably the roughest.  Being short, and from about 4th or 5th grade on, a little on the husky side, and my lack of athletic talent or drive was often obvious.  I was often one of the last people called onto any team, and really didn't quite get it.  I remember struggling with several aspects of the New York State physical fitness test, the only exams I ever consistently failed throughout my schooling career, because I couldn't run a mile, and I could do a pull up.  Year after year, I was cramping out after one or two laps around the track.  

     Mobility was important to me though.  Growing up on suburban Long Island, I was in biking distance to the beach.  I wasn't allowed to cross the major highway the bisected my community, but if I crossed at the beach where there was a lot less traffic, that soon expanded my biking turf!  

     During my senior year of High School, my family moved to a new neighborhood, far from many of my friends, but in an area more conducive to running, fewer cars, calmer traffic, more wooded areas.  I was also reaching my angst teenaged years, tweaking out about college applications, and audition stresses.  Running, slow though I probably was, became a new outlet for me.  I took this new form of exercise with me to college at Boston University, frequently doing a lap around BU's campus, or across the Charles River, into parts of Cambridge or Brookline.  This became a way for me to explore the beauty of the area.  It was a way for me to get exercise without having to compete with anyone, or adhere to standards imposed by others.

      Fast forward several years.  In 2010, when my sister passed away, I found myself overwhelmed with devastating grief, anxieties, and confusion over how to go forward with my life.  Practicing was painful and difficult, and low on my priority list.  Running became incredibly important as a way to release, escape from my world, and focus about one foot moving in front of the other- nothing else mattered, except for oncoming traffic, or a really cool patch of raspberries or apples tree.  

      My family and friends from our hometown helped to set up an annual 5K Run and Walk in honor of my sister, Kara, in a beautiful place called South Haven Park.  Soon I had a goal, 5 kilometers, 3.1 miles, to get through.  At first I thought this would be impossible, but after going through my first race at the age of 27, I realized that it was an attainable goal.  

         Running quickly became part of my routine, it didn't really matter where I was at any given point in time, I would run!  San Diego, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Knoxville, TN, Pittsfield, MA, London, Berlin, Leipzig, the Czech Republic- running would be modus operandus while traveling.  I soon found that 5 kilometers felt short, why not go for 5 miles?  Why not go for 6?  Or 8?  I found myself entering a 10K run (6.2 miles), and this summer at the ripe young age of 31, taking part in the San Francisco Half Marathon.  (The preparation for that over the past month was grueling, and for the record, it makes audition excerpt preparation feel like a cakewalk by comparison!)

         My inner ten year old never would have thought such great distances, or running past the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, in Hyde Park in London, or on the Golden Gate Bridge were even possibilities.  Who knows, perhaps a year or two from now I might be capable of running a full marathon!  

         As we continue to progress through our lives, it is important to keep striving to be the best selves that we can be.  As long as we are doing our personal best, that is what really matters.  This goes for us as musicians, as educators, and as members of our society.  The finish line is always elusive, and we have to be able to adapt, especially as our goals become more attainable.  Just as I am not ready to stop with finishing a half marathon, I am not ready to say that I have become the best violist that I can be, there is still so much more to learn and improve upon!  We also have to be able to regroup if tragedy strikes, if we become injured, or reach failure or defeat.  Such things may set us back for a few weeks, months, or even years, but it is important to try to overcome such obstacles, and keep moving forward.

          My race time at the San Francisco Half Marathon- two hours, twenty seven minutes and change, will not make it into the book of records, and it was far from extraordinary.  But it was an incredible test of endurance, pushing me farther and faster than I ever moved before, and witnessing an incredible landscape that will be forever etched in my brain.  It also is helping me to raise my bar in terms of the practicing I need to do, and the writing that needs to take place in the coming days, weeks, and months.  

Now that Month of Maying is Nearly Complete!

     May has been a great month, and still not quite over.  Tonight and tomorrow night I will be performing with Rhymes With Opera, performing in Anna Meadors' "Manifesto On the Ledge."  We will also be performing Frederick Rzewski's "Attica," and a new work by Matthew Triplett will also be performed.  The performance will take place tonight, Saturday, May 30, 8 PM, and tomorrow, Sunday, May 31, 1 PM, at HB Theater, 124 Bank Street, New York.  For ticket information, please go to http://www.rhymeswithopera.org/14-15-season/manifesto-on-the-ledge/. 

(In Rehearsal for Rhymes With Opera, with violinist Lisa Casal-Galietta, and pianist Kristin Samadi. Photo taken by Jillian Bloom.)

Sunday, June 7, 2 PM, I will be performing with the Distinguished Concerts International Orchestra of New York at Carnegie Hall. We will be performing the Requiems of Gabriel Faure, Maurice Durufle, and a new work by composer Dinos Constantinides called Homage- A Folk Concerto for Flute and Orchestra. For information regarding tickets, please go to http://www.dciny.org.

Tuesday, June 16, 8 PM, I will be performing with the North / South Chamber Orchestra, at Christ & St. Stephens Church, 120 W. 69th St, in Manhattan, and will include several contemporary works by composers Edmund Cionek, Dinos Constantinides, Max Lifschitz, and William Ortiz. For information, please visit http://www.northsouthmusic.org/calendar.asp.

Saturday, June 27, 8 PM, will take me out to East Hampton to perform Haydn's The Creation with the Bridgehampton Choral Society at the Church of the Holy Rosary.

I am thrilled to announce that starting this summer, I will be performing with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic as their Assistant Principal Violist. My first performance will take place on Saturday, July 31, 8 PM, in New Paltz, NY, performing Brahms' Symphony No. 4, the Adagietto from Mahler's Symphony No. 5, and a Piano Concerto that will be announced later. The members of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic will also be performing with Peter Cetera at Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center, on Sunday, August 2, 7 PM.

The rest of the summer will include a bit of down time- some writing, some practicing, some running, some quality time with family and friends, and a few small trips to Cape Cod & Boston, Eastern Long Island, San Francisco, and Montreal.  If you are in and around New York, or any of the other places mentioned above, drop me a line! 

Stay tuned for more blog posts in the coming weeks!

After a wonderful journey exploring Europe, an intense return with fascinating updates!

Wednesday, April 29, 2015, Forest Hills, NY

Dear Readers,

       I did not realize how much time has passed since I last left an update.  April has turned out to be an incredible month, and it is still not quite over!
       My last few days in Europe were fantastic.  Leipzig is an incredible and magical city, enchanted with a rich musical history, and a vibrant atmosphere.  I only had a chance to stay there for about 24 hours, exploring the Thomaskirche (where Bach was Kapellmeister for the last 27 years of his life), the home of Felix Mendelssohn, and a live performance of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.
       From there I returned to Berlin, for one more night, getting a chance to explore the Bauhaus Gallery and Museum, and the Berlin Philharmonic performing Hector Berlioz's Damnation of Faust.  One thing to keep in mind, Americans, when visiting European ensembles, is that you must purchase a concert program, and they usually only accept cash.  I used the last of my cash on hand at an Indian Restaurant and had difficulties finding an ATM before hand.  Berlioz's masterpiece was performed in French, and the supertitles that were presented on the far ends of the concert hall were of course in German, and my long distance eyesight is not quite what it used to be.  This proved to be a bit of a challenge, but what a powerful work!
        From Berlin, I made a gradual return to New York City, making a second stop in the charming city of Oslo, where I had a chance to tour the home of Henrik Ibsen (Norwegian playwright who wrote A Doll's House, and Peer Gynt, among other works).

         To catch you up over the last few weeks, I collaborated with Dr. Esme Allen-Creighton in a pair of Masterclasses on April 15 and 16.  On Wednesday, April 15, I had the honor of giving a Masterclass to three viola students at the University of Delaware, while Esme gave a riveting Masterclass to three viola students from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.
          I had a chance to pair up with violist Nicholas Pauly, performing Douglas Townsend's Duo for Two Violas.  This was part of a concert honoring the recently deceased New York Composer, Douglas Townsend on April 19.
          In between, I have conducted two performances through St. Francis Preparatory School's Music Department:  the first took place on Saturday, April 18, at PS 115Q, the Glen Oaks School, conducting my elementary beginning students.  The second took place on Friday, April 24, at St. Francis Prep, where I conducted the String Orchestra, as well as a combined performance of the Chamber Orchestra and the elementary beginning students form PS 115Q and St. Kevin's Elementary School.
           That brings me to yesterday.  I was successful in my audition for a spot in the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, and will be part of their viola section starting this Fall.  This was an exciting accomplishment for me, and one that I am really proud of.  This was a great milestone after a year of intense adjustments and refinement in my technique, a renewed vigor in my practicing, and greater focus on excerpts.  (Particularly over the course the past weekend, where there were a few days where I topped 6 hours of practicing.  I will likely follow up post in the coming days on lessons learned from this Audition.)

       The month is not quite over.  Tomorrow will include a performance by the viola students from the Aaron Copland School of Music, (a patchwork of violists from several studios) who will be performing works by Bach, Schumann and Von Weber.
       In short, this month has arguably been one of the most exciting months of my adult life, and giving me a catapulted boost to aim higher and go farther in my musical pursuits.  Onward to May!

Humbly,

Greg Williams

PS- I will continue to publishing this blog on a fairly regular basis.  I encourage you to keep reading when you are able!

Loving Leipzig (A Freitag Followup)

Hello Readers from Around the World,

      My original hope was to write on this blog every day that I have been abroad, but that appears to have been overly optimistic.  However, there is so much to fill you in on from the last few days.  

      Wednesday started out as a morning where I could catch up with an old friend, composer Gilad Hochman.  Gilad is a fine composer, who originally hails from Israel, and has been living in Berlin for several years.  It was a chance for us to discuss world politics, culture, the musical landscapes on both sides of the Atlantic, war and peace, and life at large!  

       After spending the morning on the outskirts of Berlin, Wednesday turned into a bit of historical exploration day, traveling out to Potsdam, Southwest of Berlin.  Potsdam was the home of the summer castles of Prussian Monarchs, among them Frederick II, who built Sans Souci, and the incredible grounds that surround it.  The palaces, built in the mid-1700s were absolutely stunning.  The park was beautifully designed, and there are still some trees that still stand that were planted by Frederick II himself.  (One that was so large that was tilted sideways due to its heft, was planted in 1753, THREE YEARS BEFORE THE BIRTH OF MOZART!)  What is stunning about the reign of Frederick II was how brilliant his reign was, not only in terms of being such a fine musician and being such a proponent of the arts, but in terms of his sense of enlightenment.  (Old Fritz, as he was often referred to after his reign, had Voltaire stay at his court for about 3 years.)

         Thursday was a day of physical endurance!  I started out with a 5 mile run around the Zehlendorf area of Berlin in the morning.  Shortly thereafter, I returned to the home of Fredrik Pachla, curator of the Günter Raphael archive and collection. We explored some of Raphael's viola sonatas in depth, and read through his Duo for Violin and Viola, which was a fun read. (I want to try it out with a violinist or two when I get back to New York! Summer project, perhaps?!)

The afternoon was spent catching up on a bit of correspondence and practicing, but I was able to spend the night in the city, exploring Schöneberg, and going to a Turkish restaurant by the name of Hasir.  From there I hoped on the U-Bahn to East Berlin, wandering along the Spree.  When I was in Berlin close to three summers ago, I stayed with my friend Claire from BU in Friedrichshain.  When I was there the evidence of the communist side, long stretches of the Wall were clearly demarcated, and there were many parts of that neighborhood that looked languished.  The signs of the DDR are clearly waning, as investments are being made, and new, sterile buildings are going in up in its place. I wandered for a good couple of hours, crossing the Spree into Kreuzberg, an edgy neighborhood in East Berlin, that has a vibe akin to Bushwick, Brooklyn.  The U1 at about 22.00 hours is about as packed as the L train at Union Square, with the signage at many of the U-Bahn stops harder to see, and the announcements harder to hear given that they were not translated into Tourist-English at most of these local stops.  By the time I returned to the apartment I was staying in, my pedometer claimed I took nearly 37,000 steps yesterday!  My feet are still feeling it!

       This morning I had to say goodbye to the cozy apartment in Zehlendorf-Berlin, and had a train adventure to Leipzig!  I love meeting new people on long rail trips; today was no exception!  I reserved a seat in one of the cabins in 2nd Class, and was surrounded by a car-full of Septagenarians.  I believe there were 13 in total, and the women in this group- a crowd of friends from the Hamburg area that travel one weekend each year to sight-see and play cards.  This year they were off to Leipzig, and were a ton of fun to travel with.  They shared their candy, fine beverages, and a bit of a clementine, as well as fun stories in German.  Although I have only been here for a few days, I have become a bit more comfortable listening to people converse in German.  I still would not consider myself proficient, but I can admit to being at least a little bit more comfortable with the language.  I sense that if I had a few months to immerse myself in the language, in a setting where I had to interact and converse regularly in German, my proficiency would improve immensely!

         Leipzig is an incredible city, that is flush with musicality, and a rich history.  Had I known how incredible of a city it would be, I would have pushed to stay here longer.  The center of the city is rich with two important churches, Nikolaikirche (which was a locus for peaceful protests right before the German Re-Unification in late 1989), and Thomaskirche, where Johann Sebastian Bach served as Kapellmeister for 27 years.  Although the inside of the church has been remodeled and does not contain the original organ, the essence of Bach can be felt here.  (His final resting place is in fact inside the church.)  The acoustics (as I heard in the Motett service) were incredible, and gave me chills.  I had the opportunity to explore the Bach Museum afterwards, which was incredible.  

         I topped the evening off with an intriguing performance of the Gewandhaus Orchestra at the Operhaus, (Opera House), performing a rendition of Mozart's Requiem with a twist, as a Ballet.  I went in skeptical, but was treated to a raw visual interpretation of Mozart's masterful Requiem mass.  The work of the ballet dancers, their choreographers, and those involved with the stage design and lighting did a fantastic job bringing the piece to light with a unique lens.  The dancing was not what I am used to with ballet, (perhaps because I do not get to see enough non-Tchaikovsky or Stravinsky ballet) BUT was jagged, jarring, and juxtaposed, reimagining death and suffering in ways that the orchestra and choir alone can't always express.  The movements of the mass (with texts all in Latin) were also interrupted by poetry in Italian and German, further removing me from my normal reality.

         Tomorrow afternoon I head back to Berlin for one more day of adventure and excitement.  Before I do, I plan to take a run around Leipzig, check out Coffee Baum, the Mendelssohn house, and a quick peak at the Schumann house, hopefully.  When I go back to Berlin, I will be staying near Potsdamerplatz, a train station in close proximity to the Berlin Philharmonie, which I will get to hear tomorrow night!  Depending on what my afternoon brings, I will hopefully be able to explore a few more loose ends in Berlin before the concert!  Güte nacht!

Montag in Berlin!

Good Evening Ladies & Gentlemen,
      I am writing from the fair city of Berlin, in the Zehlendorf section of the city.  From what my AirBNB host Werner has told me, the neighborhood I am staying in was part of the American Zone after World War II.  This may explain some of the names of the streets such as Clayallee, and Uncle-Toms-Allee, both of which are intriguing.   I had a chance to visit the Günter Raphael Archive, which is a music nerd's dream come true. Complete with an antique piano that belonged GR's grandfather, Albert Becker (composer/pianist/organist) which was played upon by none other than Franz Liszt, this house has all of Raphael's manuscripts, along collections of antique scores, early publications (including a complete set of J. S. Bach's Works dating from the 1890s.) There were also letters on the wall composed by Edvard Grieg and Max Reger (to Becker), and Jean Sibelius (to Raphael). I plan to spend much more time there tomorrow, and promise to get at the very least a few photos of everything. The afternoon took an interesting turn when I was invited by Fredrik Pachla to join him and a few friends for a sampling of wine and exotic cheeses, which also turned into an impromptu performance of part of Raphael's Sonata. This also gave me a chance to test my conversational skills in German, a skill that always needs a little more practicing. (Well, perhaps a lot more...)

Looking back over the weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed the duo performance of Anthony Green and Kho Lanny, a Dutch pianist living in the Hague. Together they performed works by Saint-Saens, Rachmaninoff, Chopin and Milhaud. Yesterday (Sunday) was my chance to perform in Anthony Green and Itamar Ronen's home, playing works for solo viola by Anthony Green, Gilad Hochman (who I plan to have coffee with on Wednesday), and Günter Raphael. (Plus Bach!) The performance was intimate, for a small but appreciative crowd of Anthony and Itamar's friends and neighbors, and received an appreciative compliment by the sweet and inquisitive Juiliana.

I have enjoyed observing the contrasts in the culture, language, architecture, and pace in Oslo, Leiden (and the Hague) and Berlin, over the last few days. It will become even more interesting as I explore various parts of Berlin over the next few days.

Time for an early night, and perhaps catching up on yesterday's episode of Madmen!

The First Steps On an Incredible Journey

Terminal One, JFK, Day One

    The journey begins media res.  My flight is slightly delayed, by a good 90 minutes, so I am trying to unwind after an intense week.  The week has been a bit of a cliff hanger in my normal week, interrupted by what promises to be a fantastic journey.
     To catch YOU up, the week that I am wrapping up here in New York City has been a fantastic one.  I gave a small run through performance on Tuesday Night, which I billed "All By Myself," at the Aaron Copland School of Music in Queens College.  The attendance was small, but the room contained a smattering of people who I admire greatly.  This included a few colleagues, students, my parents, and some dear friends.  I will admit, there were moments where I was nervous.  Some notes didn't speak the way I wanted them too, a few string crossings didn't as well as I would have liked, and a couple of chords were, well... funky fresh to say the least.  It was not a perfect performance, but there were moments that were expressive, and I felt relieved to get through the entire program.  I am even more relieved that Sunday's performance will be better prepared.
    I also realize that the time I have spent teaching over the last few years, speaking freely in front of rooms filled with students, has made me a better, and calmer public speaker.  I stayed more on message- my pacing was more fluid, and my knees did not wobble while talking!  This is huge progress, because they tend to shake when I am more panicked.

    The rest of the week has been tying up loose ends with students, trying to get a few more lessons in with some of my students, the last few rehearsals with my High School and Elementary kids, and a piano and Dictation class with my students at Queens.  I tried to get most of my grading done, and was at least able to get the Quizzes taken care of.  I sense a few people were frustrated with the fact that I didn't get through all of the Homework, but that will happen when the time is right.  (After the trip...)

    I have arrived, ready to begin an incredible week and a half.

Greetings from Leiden

Hello World,
    I am writing from Leiden,  a very inspiring city in the Netherlands,  complete with impressive canals, windmills, and bikes.  I have barely been here for about 14 hours, but I am thoroughly impressed with the city.  I will be traveling to Den Haag  (the Hague) to hear composer and pianist Anthony Green perform.  Anthony  and Itamar Ronen have been incredible hosts, making my stay very relaxing.

    I meant to finish a post while at Kennedy Airport Thursday night,  but discovered an old friend, clarinetist Emilio Borghesan, who was on my plane to Oslo.  It is always great to have someone to chat with in airports, as it helps to shorten the journey  (particularly when the airlines add delays.)  Emilio has a fantastic blog that explores the inner workings of clarinet technique, and can be found at www.EmilioBorghesan.com.

    I will be giving a House Concert at Anthony and Itamar's home tomorrow evening at 17:00, (11:00 AM EDST), performing two of Anthony's pieces, plus works by Bach, Gunter Raphael, and J. S. Bach.  Stay tuned for more details! (And photos)

Marching Into April, and Intense Month Ahead

An Intense Month Ahead- Some Exciting Announcements!

     Where to begin!  The last few days have been spectacular, filled with intense days working with my students, rehearsing, practicing, writing, running, and performing at a House Concert with a great view!

     March has been a great month, and it is still far from being over.  I will be giving an impromptu recital Tuesday, March 31, 8 PM, in Room 264 of the Aaron Copland School of Music, in Flushing, NY.  I will be performing works by J. S. Bach, Günter Raphael, Anthony Green, and Gilad Hochman. It promises to a great evening!

Thursday, April 2, marks the start of spring break, a joyous time where ALL of the schools that I teach at go on break. This year's Spring Break will be fruitful and productive. I am traveling to Oslo, Norway (for an extra long sight-seeing stopover), the Netherlands, and Germany. While in the Netherlands, I will be giving a House Concert at the home of Anthony Green and Itamar Ronen in Leiden, on Sunday, April 5. I will be giving the Dutch premiere of two of Anthony's works for solo viola, Nachtspiel (2006), and Two Pages for Kara (2011), which Anthony wrote in honor of my sister. Additionally I will be performing works by Günter Raphael, (his Sonata Op. 46, No. 3, for unaccompanied viola), and Gilad Hochman's Akeda (2006), and of course, some Bach.

The next leg of my trip will be taking me to Berlin, where I will be doing some extensive research about composer Günter Raphael, who wrote several pieces for viola that I am studying extensively. I will be staying in the Zehlendorf section of the city for much of the week, but will make trips into the city and Leipzig, to do some sight seeing, and to hear the Berlin Philharmonic, performing Berlioz's Damnation of Faust, with Joyce DiDonato singing. If anyone in Berlin wants to meet up for coffee, lunch, dinner, or a drink, drop me a line!

When I get back, the fun continues! I will be giving a Viola Masterclass at the University of Delaware on Wednesday, April 15, working with the students of Viola Professor Esme Allen-Creighton. Saturday, April 18, will include a performance of my beginning string students at PS 115, the Glen Oaks School, at 6 PM, in Eastern Queens. Many of these kids have been playing only a few months, but have been working hard, and are passionate about what they do.

Sunday, April 19 will take me up to Washington Heights, NY, to perform Douglas Townsend's Duo for Viola with violist Nicholas Pauly, as part of an all-Townsend Concert. https://www.facebook.com/events/709807219139654/  This is part of a series hosted by the Washington Heights Musical Society, and will take place at 3 PM.

The month culminates with a performance of the St. Francis Prep String Orchestra, as well as the Honors Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble and Concert Choir, at St. Francis Preparatory School, on Francis Lewis Blvd, in Fresh Meadows, Queens, on Friday, April 24, at 7:45 PM.  

This promises to be a fantastic month!  Stay tuned for updates over the next few weeks, I promise I will keep you all up to date!

Monday Musings

March 23, 2015

      When I first started blogging, it was an offshoot of a daily writing exercise that I started doing to get my brain moving before working on my Dissertation.  The object to this writing exercise was to write freely for 10 minutes, exploring anything that was on my mind, without stopping for air.   It didn't matter what I was writing, if expletives came out, that was OK, and if I ran out of things to say, I could just prattle on and on until the 10 minutes were up.  The month of January was a month where little was going on and I was able to do a bit of this every single day.  February was a bit more sporadic, but for some reason I felt a bit busier, especially with a new semester underway.
      With the blog, I am trying my hand at writing freely again, but having a topic in mind, and sometimes going a bit beyond the "it only took me 10 minutes to write this."  I want to keep it focused on specific happenings in my small corner of the world, topics that I am thinking about, performances I am preparing for, or recaps of exciting travels.  (That will definitely be on the horizon in the coming weeks, stay tuned!) 
      When I first started at this blog though, I was having trouble going straight into Dissertation work, and would often get distracted by other things.  I have done quite a bit of probing of two of Günter Raphael’s first two unaccompanied Sonatas for Viola (Op. 7, No. 1 and Op. 46, No. 3), but have a lot more research and nitty-gritty details to iron out, before I am ready to officially propose my topic.  Definitely a daunting task, and it is difficult to try to juggle that with the other hats in my life, largely the performing and teaching hats, while still trying to pretend to be a human being who likes to exercise, and spend quality time with loved ones and friends!
       A few last thoughts, since I have done a fair share of balancing my playing and teaching sides already today, I did get a chance to see a dear friend, and fantastic pianist Adam Whiting, who was in New York with his girlfriend, Amelia.  I also had a chance to talk with my wonderful Yiayia (Greek word for Grandmother for those of you who are not in the know...) wishing her a Happy Birthday.  So in a sense, perhaps I am succeeding in striking a balance between all of these corners of my life.  And with that said, on to writing!

My Hats are Many, My Time Is Brief

Dear Readers,

        I am sensing that tonight's post may require a poem, rather than prose.  I am having a bit of a reflective evening thinking about the week ahead.  It is a week that is seemingly hectic, but promises to be fulfilling.  It is not a perfect poem, and definitely does not rhyme consistently.  The meter is irregular, but will give a glimpse of the world as I am currently seeing it.

My Hats are Many, My Time Is Brief
by Gregory K. Williams, March 22, 2015

My hats are many, my time is brief.
As a musician, I keep a box full of hats,
At the foot of my bed,
Stacked next to the pillars of music,
Waiting to be learned.

The chamber music hat, is truly ornate.
Complete with a headlamp,
That probes the corners of caverns and taverns,
Constructed by the likes of Haydn, Ravel, and Reich.
It sheds light upon mysteries embedded on paper.

The hat as an orchestral player,
Is bristled and pointed.
Aiding in the precision that is found, and required,
In the likes of Don Juan, Brahms,
And Mendelssohn's Scherzo.

The hat as a teacher, has three pointed corners.
The first is soft, fuzzy, and nurturing,
The second has bells, to enlighten and inspire,
The last is ironclad and tough, to challenge,
Both the most stubborn, and most malleable of students.

The hat as a violist, most encompassing of all,
Is multicolored, multifaceted, and really quite tall.
It is feathery, and leathery, and covered in jewels.
To aid in the mastery of dexterous technique,
And the endless supply of illustrious repertoire.

I have hats for the other roles I play throughout life,
As a chauffeur, as contractor, as negotiator,
As writer, and scholar, and internet debater.
I also wear hats for quite important roles,
As brother, son and grandson, colleague and amigo.

You may ask, "How does one wear, so many hats in one day?"
I will reply, "I don't know, but this I can say:
My neck is strong, from playing the viola each day,
That I can balance my hats, upon each other, when I play."
(And may reveal them, to all, in public someday.)

Though my hats are many, and my time is brief,
It is important to cherish them all.  To achieve,
A balanced objective, of being the best one can be,
In all of our roles, is my personal belief.
Our lives are too short, to wear just one hat a week.

Unusual Excerpts, or Are They?

Hello World,

Tonight's blog post is going to be short and sweet, as it has been a long day... (Friday, that is...)

For the first time in a long time, I found myself practicing a few orchestral excerpts.  It has been a few years since I have taken an Orchestral audition, and over the last few years of my DMA program, I have been channeling my energies elsewhere.  For much of this time my energy has been spent developing as a teacher, a scholar, a chamber musician, and definitely over the past year or so, retooling my technique, and building my confidence.  Somewhere between exams and teaching, my attention turned away from dwelling on the sacred concerti of Walton, Bartok and Hindemith, and excerpts such as Mendelssohn's Scherzo.

I was recently encouraged to explore an upcoming audition, and for the first time since Malta, (I will save this for another day when I am feeling more reminiscent about beautiful Archipelagos in the Mediterranean, HA!)  I felt truly confident to take a chance!  Maybe not quite true, when I first left Eastman, I took several auditions after my first few years out, with some being relatively successful.  But since I have been putting greater stock in the organization of my hands, my brain, spending more time listening critically, counting, developing a more consistent vibrato, and the muscles in my hand, and relieving tension, (all lifelong processes), I realize that I am proud of the work that I am doing.  Even if it doesn't work out, I will be a stronger player having taken this audition.

I have been dusting off the first movement of the Walton Concerto for about a week and a half, facing shifts (yes, I spelled that correctly) that were never quite clean enough, reconciling bowing suggestions from various teachers, and counting passages that never completely made sense.  This has been a fun new chapter in my journey to become the best musician I personally can be.   (Forgive me for being vague, although I am a violist first and foremost, there are many other skills in my musician toolbox that can't be completely shirked.)

Friday (in spite of the sinister but secretly satisfying Springtime snowstorm,) was a productive day, where I dove into two new (new for me excerpts) for this upcoming audition.  Many of the excerpts are old favorites: a little bit of Beethoven; Mendelssohn; Don Juan; Shosty; Don Quixote; Brahms.  But there were two excerpts of pieces that I have yet to actually perform (believe it or not!):  Georges Enescu's Roumanian Dance No. 1, and Ralph Vaughan Williams's Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.  I don't know how I skipped the Vaughan Williams, or missed out on such a luscious piece, delicious viola and string moments.  In fact, I had to replay the recording of Eugene Ormandy with the Philadelphia Orchestra, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbzxhZT6akk, and would break out the viola after midnight to work on it.  (Building regulations and sleep deprivation, gah!!!!)  But talk about a viola sound to emulate!  (I am sensing it is Joe DePasquale is playing on this recording...)

Similarly with the Enescu, I am sensing I found two new pieces that I am suddenly enamored with.  They will quickly go from being the two pieces I know the least about on this excerpt list, to being the ones I know the most thoroughly.  Cheers to the sounds of strings in my slumber!

Musings Before Practicing

So today I have an afternoon off from the kids I usually work with at PS 115, in Queens, NY.  They are a fun bunch of kids, who give me a lot to think about, and usually a few chuckles in there too.  But that afternoon off means that I have a few extra hours of free practice time, which I am looking forward to.

Something that I am pondering, (I wonder if any readers can weigh in on this), how does one convey the importance of new works to new audiences in new countries?  How does one convey the importance of old works by old composers, that few people know about?  Which would get more weight?  To what degree to you pitch one over the other?  How much time do you spend describing the pieces, so that your audience members become converts and fans of these composers?

I ask all of these questions, not only to any readers out there, (I would love to turn this into an open dialogue), because I am asking these of myself.  I am putting together a recital in a few weeks, the first recital that I have done in almost a year, in the Netherlands.   It will be my very first time in that country, and my very first time performing a full recital outside of the country.  (I have performed on a few occasions in the Czech Republic and in London, and an audition in Malta.)

This is actually going to be a really exciting performance, and if it goes well, I hope to bring it back to this country.  The repertoire is all for Solo Viola, spanning almost 300 years!  I will be performing at the home of American composer Anthony Green and his partner Itamar Ronen, in Leiden.  Among the pieces that I will be performing are two solo works for viola, that Anthony wrote, the first being his piece Nachtspiel, which he wrote in 2006; and his Two Pages for Kara, composed in 2011.  Both pieces I have had several opportunities to perform; the second he wrote specifically for me, in memory of my sister Kara.  I will also be performing Gilad Hochman's Akeda, which he composed in 2007, recreating the parable of Abraham and Isaac.  The piece is very fitting and relevant today, as we question the insanity of terrorist groups around the world, and the senseless act of governments worldwide for sending their youth to war.

The other two pieces will include J. S. Bach's Suite No. 3 in C Major, which I have performed and taught on several occasions, (an old favorite!)  and Gunter Raphael's Sonata for Solo Viola, Op. 46, No. 3, which is one of the pieces I am looking to explore in my upcoming Dissertation.  The Raphael is a charming piece that was composed in October 1940, while Raphael was practically a prisoner in his own country, (Germany) unable to work, based upon his heritage (he was forced from his University teaching position in the mid-1930s because of his Jewish background).  Yet the piece is loaded with optimism, and filled with energy and charm.  Few people, if any, know of this composer in the States, and he is certainly under-appreciated.  My goal is to inspire others to consider my passion and enthusiasm, not only for Raphael, but for the Solo Viola works by Anthony Green and Gilad Hochman as well.

The Start of A New Chapter

The month of March is often considered to be a turbulent month: the weather is unpredictable; love and romance can mangle our brains and hearts; and for musicians, this is often the start of the busy season.  This March is proving to be a busy month, but my busy period began back in January, and hasn't let up.

I am amidst an intense growing period.  January helped me develop new habits of consistency: practicing everyday; writing everyday; exercising on a regular basis.  I was fortunate to start rehearsing with an incredible bunch of people in the Archipelago Quartet, putting together a brilliant piece (Ravel's String Quartet).  I have been trying to collaborate with friends old and new, and trying to find the spark and passion that has fed me as a musician.  I have been wanting to use that spark to help me continue forward- so that I can finish my Dissertation on time, and take my career as a violist and teaching artist to a new level.  I don't quite know what this means yet, but I want to be able to put all of my cards on the table.

I have been incredibly fortunate in how many facets of my career have developed thus far.  Fortune has been kind to me in terms of the quality of students that I have worked with, the colleagues I have crossed paths with, and the musical opportunities that I have had thus far.  I want to continue to aim high, and see where this journey is going to take me.

I chose the name of this blog, "Violist of the Archipelago" a few years back, and delayed starting it until now.  The name had multiple meanings- string quartets are like archipelagos, in that they are a set of individuals who formed together to create a fantastic combination.  (The islands of the Galapagos each have a unique biodiversity, but are best known as a larger group.  New York City, spanned over several islands, is another prime example, even the Bronx!)  

I didn't start writing this for a long time though, and was nervous about starting to write tonight.  Perhaps I didn't have time to write on a regular basis (I am going to try to write at least a little bit each day, or fairly regularly), or was fearful that I didn't have enough to say that would sound too mundane, too cliche, or too abstract for non-musicians.  But at this stage in the game, I have a lot to share, and hope that I can help inspire and enlighten a few people along the way.