Interview!

Hi everyone!

Here is a long overdue post of a video interview produced during the spring of 2012; video credit and many thanks go out to Steve Torres!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WdpRDvkx6sU

~Madalyn

Vlog No. 2!

Click on the link below to watch my second video blog!  :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pskx1Sw_iQA

~Madalyn

Professional Portfolio Class: A New System!

 
Orientation at the Royal Academy of Music is over, and yet the daily routine itself hasn't quite started yet; I'm in a limbo period, but the material we covered during that week is enough to keep me busy thinking for a month!  In my opinion, the highlight of the welcome period was the first of four "Professional Portfolio Classes," which introduce the possible structures of the Masters program at RAM.  I say "possible" because, believe it or not, the students actually have control over how their academic and musical life at the Academy will take shape.  I walked out of the classroom feeling incredibly inspired and could literally feel my mental motors running at a million miles an hour as I thought over the words of our speaker, the head of the RAM graduate programs, cellist Neil Heyde.

First of all, RAM follows a tutor system, whereby each student is assigned to an academic tutor, who works closely with the student in formulating a program that is, in a sense, customized to the needs of that student.  Furthermore, while flexible in its content, the program can take on certain "pathways," which is the term they use to describe the focus of the coursework and projects.  Concert Workshop, Analysis and Aesthetics, Contemporary Music Workshop, and Issues in the Economics and Business of Music are just a handful of the incredibly interesting and relevant topics to the 21st century musician.  To paraphrase Mr. Heyde, the purpose of this program is to identify, challenge, and expand each and every student's unique development goals, both on a personal and professional level.  In this way, the school serves the students by preparing them for their unique career paths, engaging in projects and assignments that are relevant to their individual goals.

WHAT a change from the academic structures I have known!  While some might feel concern at the thought of so much "freedom" in the system, I think it is brilliant in its ability to switch gears between the abstract and the specific - two fundamentally essential concepts if one is to achieve a holistic understanding of what it means to be a  21st century artist.  We live in a time when thinking outside the box is necessary, where all things conventional have been done before (perfectly, I might add), and a program like this really seizes the opportunity to expand our understanding of what is possible - as Mr. Heyde puts it, "you have to be willing to go over the cliff a few times before you really know where the edge is."

All I can say is, thank goodness I don't have to choose just one pathway!

All for now,
~Madalyn

Vlog!

Here it is, my very first video blog!  I apologize for the audio/video synch problem - if you think you know the reason and can help, send me a message PLEASE!  :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rzr1aW17fQ

Arrival in London!

 


After all this time - I started toiling on my Marshall application in July 2011 - I am finally here in this phenomenal city and getting ready to start school!  It was an incredible summer filled with many trips, including concerts in Montreal and New York, a lake vacation in Kentucky, three weeks at the amazing Banff Centre in Alberta with the Larchmere String Quartet, and then five sweaty concerts with the LSQ at the beginning of August (we performed in 90+ degrees!).  And even though I found myself getting a bit sentimental about leaving the states for 12 months, now that I am here I am looking to the future and seeing quite an endless list of possibilities for the next year of my life!


My Masters program doesn't begin until the 10th, so luckily I have some time to get my bearings first.  I live in a stunning place called Goodenough College (see picture above of the quad), where everyone is an international graduate student - automatically giving us all something in common.  The Queen herself came to visit for its 80th anniversary last year, so I now get to enjoy many of the improvements that were made on campus to prepare for her arrival.....like giant, gorgeous trees in the garden.

The neighborhoods each have a street named after the neighborhood with the word "High" preceding it so that you can always find the places of high activity (restaurants, shopping, etc.)  The tall, blinking lights on the sidewalk indicate that the right of way belongs to pedestrians, who I imagine are still in the right even if they are hit by the speeding red buses.  There is no such thing as Walmart, but the UK does have Argo's, where you fill out a card with numbers corresponding to the items you choose in a catalog the size of 15 Complete Shakespeare books put together, and then someone goes to the back and brings everything back for you - no aisle searching, just Walmart in a book.  But most of all, I love that history follows me everywhere, even in the most unassuming and quietest of streets.  Here at Mecklenburgh Square, one house was the home of Virginia Woolf, another was where D.H. Lawrence wrote one of his novels, and the Charles Dickens Museum is one block away.

All for now - updates to continue!

~Madalyn

Larchmere String Quartet!

Greetings from the road again!

I am always thrilled to travel, and this time I am en route to Cleveland with my new ensemble, the Larchmere String Quartet! My wonderful IU friends and colleagues, violinist Tim Kantor and violist Rose Wollman, along with myself and cellist Schuyler Slack from the Cleveland Institute, have joined forces as a string quartet and will perform our first audition tomorrow; with the help of Bartok, Beethoven, and Haydn, we will hopefully find ourselves spending a few amazing weeks this summer at the Banff Festival!

Getting to know the string quartet literature has been such an exciting addition to my musical life. Thanks to my new toy, an ipod(!), I can listen to the Razumovsky quartets back-to-back with my favorite Radiohead songs while walking to school or ballroom practice. And not only am I expanding my personal library of great music, I am also deepening my understanding and appreciation for the master composers in a way I never have before. On a more technical level, working as a four-member string unit has heightened my ear's sensitivity to issues like intonation, balance, and color, which must be used expressively in as sophisticated a way individually as collectively. What a worthwhile challenge!

Meanwhile, I am watching the days fly by as my final semester at IU gets into full swing. My 21st birthday arrives in just one month, and the ongoing preparations for new music concerts and recitals make the weeks seem short. Luckily, I still have time to practice several days a week with the university ballroom dance team, and I also look forward to working at the elementary school again soon. Indeed, I am really going to cherish these last few months being at my amazing school and with my incredible friends and colleagues!

All for now.

~Madalyn

London, Here I Come!

Hello everyone!

Last week I returned to Bloomington from New York, where I spent Thanksgiving break getting to know Prokofiev's Violin Duo, seeing old friends, and of course, doing lots of cooking for the holiday. Even though it was nice to spend a few peaceful days at home, the feeling of quiet was spiked by some very exciting news - I have received a Marshall Scholarship! The application process began during the summer, culminating in a final interview at the British Consulate in Chicago last week. I am so happy to be free of the paperwork and off to a new chapter of my musical life! The Marshall Scholarship will fund my Masters degree at the Royal Academy starting next fall, which means I will be moving to LONDON this summer! I am so excited to join and explore the incredibly vibrant music world of this phenomenal city. And for an Austen-reading, Shakespeare-reciting, BBC-watching fan like me, this is truly nothing short of a dream come true.

To say that November was a very busy month is an understatement. On the 1st, I performed my third Artist Diploma recital - only one more to go! - and afterwards I literally ran to Auer Hall to play Matthew Peterson's solo violin piece, Nacken, for one of the composition department recitals, and then made a beeline for the Indianapolis airport; I flew to London, where I auditioned for the Royal Academy and got to spend some time becoming acquainted with this beautiful conservatory. Before leaving for my final Marshall interview in Chicago and ultimately my "home for the holiday" vacation, I played twelve concerts! Four of these were part of the Midwest Composers Symposium, which is a coming together of composers from the universities of Michigan, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. What an amazing event! It was so exciting to see so many talented composers sharing their music together. Meanwhile that week, I also played three chamber music concerts for some of my friends' doctoral recitals; Beethoven's Septet is now one of my favorite chamber music works. :)

With only a few weeks of the semester left, I look forward to our final round of performances and projects at the Jacobs School. Cicely and I have two more duo recording sessions coming up in a few weeks, so we are steadily making progress with our new music CD project, In Real Time. After this month, there will only be one more session left before just the recording portion of the project is finished! This is truly a marvelous collection of modern duos, and working with the composers themselves like Bill Bolcom, Lera Auerbach, and Paul Moravec continues to be an amazing opportunity.

All for now. There is SNOW in Bloomington!
~Madalyn

Return to Bloomington

Bloomington once again!

Such an astounding amount of activity, concerts, traveling, and adventures have taken place in between last September and the present one, and yet it somehow feels as though no time has passed since I walked into the Jacobs School for the first time. I didn't realize just how much I had missed our campus until I started seeing all of the familiar faces of friends and colleagues and started to settle into the school routine once more. The IU opera, ballet, and orchestras have such a tremendously exciting year of programs lined up, and it is rumored we have the largest incoming class of freshmen yet. A quiet summer certainly has its charms, but I thrive on the excitement of such a bustling university!

I am very glad to say that I am performing with the New Music Ensemble again this year, and in addition to working on fantastic piano quartet chamber music with Cicely, Tim Kantor, and Kati Gleiser, I am also taking a New Music Conducting class; no doubt this last one will prove a challenging project, but what a great opportunity to learn something new - in more ways than one!

Since the semester has only just begun, this serves as more of an introduction to the year, so to end today's entry, I've attached a link to a very moving and exciting article I found from last spring; every time I hear of the success classical music has found in the lives of children, I can't help but feel more and more convinced this is an essential part of being an ambassador of art!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/mar/16/sistema-scotland-stirling-classical-music

All for now.

~Madalyn

Summer Music

Hello everyone,

After a thrilling first year at the Jacobs School which was immediately followed by a whirlwind, month-long Parnas/Kohlberg Trio tour in Europe and Israel, it is a relief to be in one place this summer! I often feel this time of year presents a conflict of objectives; for me it seems a special opportunity to rest and rejuvenate oneself following the endless, though invigorating, demands of the school year and concert season, but it can also be the ideal time to work intensively and accomplish many more things in preparation for the year ahead. Thanks to a quieter schedule, there is more time for me to broaden and manage my activities, so I have had the luxury of completing both objectives!

One of these projects which has served as an important musical focus for my summer has been continued preparation for recording sessions in the fall with Cicely; our exciting new music CD, “Present Tense” is going to be sensational! First of all, we have been doing some groovin'! One of our duos was written by Frank Bennett, a great composer/percussionist/veena player, and orchestrator/arranger for countless big-time Hollywood movies, including everything from The Wedding Planner to Predator to Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Well, his duo, Three Sketches for Violin and Cello, and the third movement in particular, features a rather jazzy and difficult-to-notate rhythm, which for classical string players like Cicely and me poses a bit of a challenge. So, we went to an expert for some advice. Lincoln Mayorga, our good friend and master of the bridge between classical and jazz approaches, got us thinking in terms of "feeling" a rhythm rather than calculating it, and after some chuckling and more than a few repetitions, I think we got it! A word of advice to all classical musicians who have not had the most robust instruction in their non-classical backgrounds: make friends with the jazz players!

As I may have touched upon in previous posts, one of the joys afforded by playing new music is the chance to work and communicate directly with the creator. Once again, this immensely edifying and enjoyable opportunity arose when we traveled to New York City last month to meet with the amazing Lera Auerbach, composer of Three Dances in the Old Style for violin and cello. This bewitching little suite of mischievous dances, so ostensibly simple and unassuming, is filled with the witty nuances of a personality amused by her own work, and it was incredibly entertaining and exciting to explore these intricacies together with Lera. Indeed, there can be no doubt that her entirely original and captivating musical fingerprint will be attracting some much –deserved attention on our track listing!

All for now; the return to Bloomington swiftly approaches and more musical adventures along with it! Stay tuned for more new music updates as we continue exploring the duos of living composers William Bolcom, Paul Moravec, Charles Wuorinen, Joel Feigin, and more.

~Madalyn

The Salon Concert

Hello and Happy Spring!

What an amazingly busy March for Cicely and I; today seemed like the first "normal" school routine in nearly a month! We had a great recording session for "Living in 2010" during spring break, followed by two duo concerts in New York, and soon after returning to Bloomington it was Artist Diploma Solo Recital time! Though exciting (and a little nerve-wracking!) to prepare entirely different repertoire (and lots of it!) for performances within days of each other, as always, the challenge of the experience taught me many things. I will not say "glad that's over!" but I must admit it is a relief to once again begin fresh with something new.

One of the performances we gave this month stood out for me. It was a duo concert for the Mt. Kisco Chamber Music Association in Armonk, NY. By now we have been able to experiment with many types of programs, repertoire, and formats for our duo performances, which also benefit greatly from some added discussion along the way. Incorporating all of these different elements together in a coherent, enjoyable way has been a fun and interesting process for me, but there is one important variable which we usually cannot control: the performance venue.

Well, what a perfect environment this was! Thanks to the great generosity of one of the Association's board members who hosted the event, we had an absolutely lovely space in which to play - a spacious, beautiful living room with room enough to seat at least 60. The front row was close enough to read the music off of our stands, but while in days past I might have found this disconcerting, now I couldn't have pictured it any other way. We've now done a few of these salon-type concerts, and I honestly hope the appeal of them continues to catch on because as a performer (and speaker), I sense that this kind of intimate, but formal setting is truly one of the most effective and positive ways to share music with an audience. So, for me it became very clear at this particular concert that no matter how wonderful and carefully designed the program is, the result is impacted tremendously by the nature of the setting - thank you, Mt. Kisco Concert Association, for the enormously special afternoon!

All for now. Off to Arizona in only a couple of weeks!

~Madalyn

The Ad Hoc: Music for Music's Sake

Hello there,

Have you ever heard of a musical "ad hoc?" I had not until I came to the Jacobs School, but now that I do, I think it is something that deserves some special recognition. This was a truly incredible musical experience unlike any other I have ever had!

An ad hoc, as the name implies, is a concert that is arranged with a pick-up group of musicians who rehearse a few times before giving a performance, usually including a solo concerto with another orchestral work. The idea is for students to create their own opportunities to gain experience performing concertos with orchestra; but the trick, of course, is to assemble the players. But how do you get an entire symphony-sized group of musicians and a conductor to all volunteer a weekend?

To me, it seems a tremendously daunting task; after all, finding even one or two people to commit to various projects has, from my experience elsewhere, been a complicated enough affair. Well, I was shocked by what I saw when I agreed to participate in one of these ad hocs last month - there we were, a very large, full orchestra all coming together on a Sunday afternoon to give a concert of the Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 and Beethoven's Leonore Overture. Eighty-some people! After playing, working, and practicing all week in endless rehearsals, lessons, coachings, extra projects, and not to mention homework, these students had more music-making to do!

But in addition to the sheer number of people who generously came to play and support their colleagues, there was an enthusiasm and mutual love of music-making that resulted in a concert which, although was not perfect, was entirely unique and held a special joy. This ideal of music being made simply for music's sake.....where one is not playing for remuneration, course credits, recognition, or career advancement, but rather because one must make music. I couldn’t help but hear George Balanchine’s well-known quote in my head, “I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.” Here we were, creators of music who have to play!

Ad hocs are going on all the time here. It’s something which, at the time of my own experience, I found to be deeply touching and inspiring; once again, it made me feel so proud to be a part of JSoM! Cicely calls it a “musicians’ paradise.” It is!

All for now.

~Madalyn

Happy New Year: Resolutions For A Struggling Arts World and the Musicians Who Need to Survive in It!

Happy New Year!

Somehow, the New Year never fails to inspire many of us to resolve to “change” the way we've been doing particular things - both big and small. I can’t say I’ve ever really been one of those people who declares "New Year resolutions," but this time I suddenly found that there were indeed aspects of my life I felt compelled to, well, change; and the more I considered this, the more apparent it became why many people honestly consider the start of the year an opportunity to, in a way, "begin fresh."

New approaches and ideas that can lead to positive changes reminded me of links I recently received from a friend; these really ought to be read and heard by anyone who calls himself a music lover, especially those who recognize the importance of the change needed to ensure the future of classical music and jobs for musicians. The links lead to the video and text version of a very interesting discussion given by arts leader and speaker, Diane Ragsdale. You may have heard of her; she's become rather well-known for her compelling addresses concerning the economic impact that society's changes have had upon culture, and she has presented these speeches both in the US and abroad. Here are links to the one my friend sent me, entitled "Surviving the Culture Change:" Video (or click here for the text version).

The fact of the matter is that, yes, we are failing to produce a generation of listeners, attendees, and fans of art. Perhaps this can simply be attributed to the fact that its role as an underpinning of early education is no longer in existence. But meanwhile, beyond the financial implications of a waning population of fans and supporters (like musicians losing their jobs and competing against each other in a rapidly diminishing market), we are facing something even more difficult; something Ms. Ragsdale calls “the culture change.”

At this point, the challenge doesn’t appear to lie primarily in a lack of resources; Americans spend their money in all kinds of ways. Rather, the core issue is that people seem untouched, indeed entirely immune, to the discovery of meaning, significance, profundity, and aesthetic pleasure of art in all forms. In other words, it no longer provides that go-to for feeding one’s soul. "The arts can't declare mission accomplished just because they get people in the door. It is not sufficient to create artistic experiences and sell or give them away without regard for the capacity of people to receive them and find meaning in them." And I truly believe it is our job (the musicians, the arts leaders, etc.) to make our own discoveries that lead to, yes, changes, so that we may once again recapture the public’s appreciation and desire for the profoundly special work that we create.

Every paragraph of this discussion contains something of value and interest; I hope that you may read it (I do suggest reading the text version) and perhaps take away something relevant to your life in context with the arts.

Here's to 2011!

All for now.

~Madalyn

P.S. Here is a photo of us with composer Seymour Barab last week in NYC - we performed his delightful duo at our concert for the New York Musician’s Club (aka “The Bohemians”) in NYC!

Ballet, Bartok, and the Johannes String Quartet!

CJ Chang, Me, Peter Stumpf, Cicely, and Soovin Kim

Me, Jessica Lee, and Cicely

Hi everyone,

October was a busy month, but we got to play some very exciting and fun performances! It was nice to return home for our concert with the Schenectady Symphony; this was my first time performing the Barber Concerto with orchestra, and what a thrilling experience it was! This piece has always been very special to me, so it was like a dream come true to perform it fully realized.

The next weekend, I got the chance to do something a little different - work with the IU Ballet! For someone who took ballet lessons all through childhood, it was exciting to see up close the process of real dancers putting a production together - and of course, to be a part of it on the music side! Their opening performance featured the work of a variety of American choreographers, one of whom, Twyla Tharp, set her work "Noir" to the violin duets of Bartok. This was the very first time "Noir" had been performed with live music! I remember playing these very charming duets a long time ago with my wonderful teacher, Betty-Jean Hagen, so it was great to bring them back again with Tim Kantor. We had some interesting moments working out tempos with the dancers; they definitely keep you on your toes! But in the end, we got the timing just right, and the Herald Times critic even gave us a complimentary sentence in the review – our rendition of the Bartok was "compellingly played!" As you musicians understand, it always feels good to hear some encouraging words from the press.

Speaking of Tim, our quartet performed for the first time together last week; we got the chance to play in a masterclass for the Johannes String Quartet, who were here in Bloomington for the week and performed an amazing concert today. They are such extraordinary musicians! Soovin Kim and CJ Chang were the masters of the class, and I think we benefited greatly from their brilliant and insightful feedback. Also, we've been so busy rehearsing in small- to medium-sized practice rooms that it was very fulfilling for us all to finally hear ourselves in a concert hall.

Bloomington finally feels like autumn now; say hello to sweaters, hot cocoa, and pumpkin pies!

All for now.

~Madalyn

Bloomington!

Hi Everyone,

It has been just one month since our first semester here at IU began, but Bloomington is starting to feel like home! The past few weeks have truly flown by, and as we prepare to go home next weekend for our concert with the Schenectady Symphony, it makes it seem like just yesterday that we arrived. We have gotten to know some wonderful people, and this amazing school has provided us with truly fertile ground to continue to learn and develop as musicians. I will have to post more later because there are so many people and possibilities to tell you about, but for now, here are a few highlights of things that have been going on in our new home!

First, Cicely and I are both playing in a fantastic ensemble called the New Music Ensemble, directed by Professor David Dzubay. As you may know from our recent CD #3 announcement (see parnasmusic.com), we are both very passionate about playing contemporary music, so we were really excited to find out that we would have the opportunity to do just that outside of the duo world. It is a small group of about 20 players, all of whom are outstanding. Our first concert is coming up this week!

We love our teachers! Mr. Laredo is a great inspiration for me, and I am having a great time working with him on the extremely large amount of repertoire I have to do these days. Besides being a tremendously supportive and inspiring teacher, he is an incredible human being. I feel so honored to be studying with him. Also, I got the chance to meet for the first time and have a lesson with Josh Bell when he came to the Jacob's School for a couple of days last week; what a special opportunity.

Finally, we have formed a quartet! Despite all of the chamber music Cicely and I have played together, it has been primarily of the duo and piano trio genre and not the string quartet. We are very lucky to have met violinist Tim Kantor, a doctorate student here at IU, and violist Gerry Varona who is working on his Master's. We are very compatible musically and share a common creative vision, but everyone’s unique perspective is always heard. Our coach is violinist Ik-Hwan Bae, who has been working with us on some phenomenal music, including Schubert's "Death and the Maiden" quartet and Quartet No. 5 by Bartok. I grew up listening to the Schubert, so it is a piece which is very special to me; how fulfilling to finally have the opportunity to play it with wonderful musicians like Cicely, Tim, and Gerry!

This is just a snapshot of our many latest activities, but I will be back soon. Speaking of snapshots, I've attached a photo from the duo concert we performed the weekend before school started; this took place at the Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor, MI. In addition to the Bolcom Suite for Violin and Cello, Cicely performed Bolcom's Unaccompanied Cello Suite, and the composer himself and his wife Ms. Morris were there to hear it!

All for now. Enjoy autumn - it is a beautiful season.

~Madalyn

The Final Installment: Berlin

Hi there,

I must begin by apologizing for the lengthy delay since my last post; Cicely and I have moved to Bloomington, Indiana! Even though we have been here a short two weeks, we have already fallen in love with our new surroundings and are extremely excited about what this year will bring. We will of course send updates in this regard, but for now, suffice it to say that the town, the school, and the people are all fantastic. This is a special place indeed.

While the present excitement of being in a new place makes our visit to Germany last June seem far away, it still remains a vivid highlight of our entire European trip. We made a short detour to the city of Bonn before continuing to Berlin, and it was there that we got the chance to see the Beethoven House. I can hardly believe I was there, and even at the time it was too overwhelming to fully absorb.

Though we stayed for only a few days in Berlin, we took advantage of the time and explored many of the different neighborhoods that one can find in this very sprawling city. Indeed there is a striking distinction between them, which in some cases serves as a vivid reminder of the profound upheaval that took place there. For example, while there are very beautiful, leafy residential neighborhoods and modern-looking commercial sections where tourists go for shopping, there are also entire blocks which remain bare aside from small piles of concrete rubble.

Coincidentally, the date of our trip landed during the heat of the World Cup playoffs, and we were actually lucky enough to take part in the excitement; we met a good friend of Yaron's who took us to one of Berlin's outdoor sports bars to watch the match between England and Germany - what an exciting football game!

While our explorations in London and Paris kept us primarily outside and on the street, in Berlin we got the chance to attend an opera! Thanks to a very kind friend, we were given tickets to see "Carmen" performed by the Deutsche Oper, which was my first opportunity to see this masterpiece performed live - what an exciting evening! Afterwards, we were all surprised to see the hundreds of audience members flock to the subway rather than to individual cars; public transportation once again proved to be the preferred alternative.

In thinking over the entire European trip, it is incredible to me how little it takes to be transported to a country entirely unique from the others which surround it. Indeed, the world of Paris is so completely different from Berlin, and yet all that separates the two is a short train ride. In this sense, Europe is tremendously rich culturally, and for a musician, this is one of the most exciting aspects of all.

And so, as I welcome the arrival of my favorite month of the year, September, I cannot help but look to the future with great anticipation; there is much to be discovered and learned here at the Jacob's School, and I also cannot wait for my next chance to return to the other side of the Atlantic.

All for now.

~Madalyn

Europe Part 2: London!

Hi there,

I am going back in time for this blog, as I began the overview of our incredible trip to Europe with Paris since it was the overwhelming favorite of the three cities we visited. However, London was magnificent as well, and especially since this was our first stop, its impact was rather powerful.

Perhaps one of the city's features I found the most astounding was its architecture. For an American who rarely encounters buildings of such grand proportions, it was quite a shock to be surrounded, on every block, by the extremely large, historic, and elegant examples of London's architecture. It is a feeling one must become accustomed to, to be immersed in history when taking a simple stroll to the grocery store. I found that I could not walk along the street without gazing up every few feet to admire a giant library or government building. While it sometimes made me extremely conscious of feeling like a tourist, I do hope the people of London never take for granted the magnificence of their city.

We visited some amazing places! In addition to Big Ben, Buckingham, Kensington Palace and Gardens, and of all things, the British Film Museum, we spent an entire day at the Tower of London, which was a very crowded and exciting place. History has always been one of my passions, so the museum inside the main tower, which displayed everything from 300-year-old armor to 800-year-old checker pieces, entertained me for hours. I think perhaps my favorite outing, however, was our visit to the lovely neighborhood of Chelsea to see friends. The rows of houses looked as if they had come right out of a scene from Mary Poppins, and it was there that I got the chance to ride at the very top and very front of one of the red double-decker buses!

Something that caught my attention was the tidiness of London. I learned that posting things like flyers and brochures on lampposts, walls, and in other public places is not allowed because this is considered "littering the city." There are recycling bins on every block, and the garbage bins are often the size of mailboxes. The cars are small, and the "undergrounds" are extremely efficient and clean.

What a wonderful example of preservation, not only of history and the past, but of the things of the present as well. After all, isn't it the present which dictates the future?

All for now. Berlin will be coming soon!

~Madalyn

Home from Europe!

Hi there!

It has been a week since Cicely and I returned from our big trip across the Atlantic, and I am still reeling from the excitement! In many ways, it was a truly life-changing two weeks, and I feel so fortunate that I was able to enjoy and learn from this incredible experience. And, as there are so many wonderful things to recount, I feel I must separate them into three blogs, one for each city: London, Paris, and Berlin. But I must begin with Paris because, for me, it was the sparkling highlight of the entire trip.

Beginning from a child who loved reading the Madeline books to the musician whose favorite college classes were French, I have always felt a special connection to the French language and to French music. Musicians are so often questioned as to their favorite composers, and I have found that the response which comes the closest to my answering such a difficult question is, "French composers!" I was a French minor in college, and my first time out of the country was last summer when I spent a few days in Montreal. Still, I have long wanted to see with my own eyes the country that was home to such masters as Debussy and Ravel, and to hear with my own ears the beauty of the French language all around me.

Paris exceeded my expectations. It is a city which, if I had to describe in one word, is alive. It is alive with culture, beauty, food, history, and of course, music. The moment we emerged from the train station, I sensed an intangible, special feeling in the air that seemed to remain beyond one's first impressions. But somehow, it was within the tangible details of the city that I felt this intangible something; from the violinist on the metro playing Bach to the manner in which the waitor asks if you would like a cup of coffee, one senses that there is an almost magical quality to Paris.

As with the other cities we visited, we spent most of our time simply walking - walking from the morning until the evening, exploring as many parts of the city as we could, and enjoying the incomparable French cuisine along the way. Everything from the architecture to the gardens to La Seine to the small cobblestoned streets meant only for pedestrians, is beautiful. And all along the way, one is surrounded by a beautiful music - the French language. Indeed, Paris is a city of beauty.

Up next: London!

All for now.

~Madalyn

Musical Heroes

Hi Everyone,

This month, I would like to share a wonderful story with you. If you click on the link below, you will find a very brief article entitled "German Unemployed Get a Boost Through Music," which discusses the efforts of a young German woman to help Leipzig's unemployed through music.

Stories like this one are so inspiring to me because it serves as a reminder that music, in its simplest of forms, can have a profoundly meaningful impact on people's lives and help them through the great vicissitudes of life. And perhaps what is most striking to me is this woman's vision to take a terribly difficult situation and transform it into a positive force in the community. I think it takes a great person to create something beautiful out of hardship. How many people would have had such a healthy response? Or how much more simple would it have been to surrender to the misfortune and the problems and unhappiness which result?

Through the gift of song, every human being is a musician. I sang in church choirs for the first twelve years of my life, and the "feeling of being valued," as the article points out, is very real. And indeed, it is one of the most wonderful ways to make music with other people. You are a part of a team, and you are all working to create something beautiful together.

A few days ago, I went to a rehearsal for the Columbia County Children's Vocal Ensemble, which is directed by Sheri Bauer-Mayorga, one of my favorite musicians and human beings. To hear a group of kids all enjoying music, enjoying each other, and working together was a true inspiration for me. The thought which went through my mind at the time was, "This is the essence of music."

And it is people like Sarie Teichfischer and Sheri Bauer-Mayorga who make it happen. They are the musical heroes.

All for now.

~Madalyn

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125634115

Moving On

Hi everyone,

With only one more final exam remaining, my graduation from The College of Saint Rose is quickly approaching! Having never experienced the traditional high school graduation, I now understand exactly what students are referring to when they say it is a bittersweet occasion. I feel very attached to my school and the many wonderful people I have met; it makes it difficult not to feel rather nostalgic about the transition, especially as I go through the routine of "that was my last French class," or "that was my last concert." I've made many memories there, and in a sense, I really feel as if I have "grown up" at St. Rose. But, I know I will always carry these experiences with me as I move on.

Indeed, looking towards the future, there are some phenomenally exciting things to look forward to this summer, including my first trip to Europe in June. (I can't wait to try out my French during our stay in Paris!) And then, it will be time to MOVE TO IU in August, a completely new stage of my life. I cannot wait to begin these next adventures, and will be sure to keep you posted!

All for now.

~Madalyn

The Concert Experience

Hello Everyone,

I thought I would share with you a very interesting article that I recently found entitled "How to sell classical music to the masses." It came from a news website based in the UK, and the principal topic is a discussion about the modern classical concert experience and the efforts that have been made to attract a larger, younger audience.

I especially like the fact that the article provides a dozen or so commentaries written by people from many different areas of the music industry. There is a great deal of variety when it comes to the topics people choose to address - everything from the ideal time of day for concerts, the lighting in the hall, the choice of programming, ways to lighten the atmosphere, etc. I found one pianist's comment to be a very important thought; "it's all about me communicating with the audience as one of them, not as a lecturer or an academic."

I think it is important for us musicians to remind ourselves that we perform in order to share an experience, Music, with others. The reasons that bring us all, both performers and audience members, to the concert hall should really be the same in the end - a passion for music and its ability to touch us in special ways that can never be fully explained.

I hope you enjoy the article!

All for now.

~Madalyn

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/classical/article7048605.ece