Lobbying for Christmas Cheer

The performance is copyrighted and, 

as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is performing 

numbers from the soundtrack of "Frozen," 

photos may not be taken of the performance.

 I can tell you that Angela Brown,

soprano with the Metropolitan Opera,

Ben Crawford, who sang on the soundtrack

of "Frozen" and performed as Shrek

in the Broadway musical, are featured performers

in the ISO's annual Yuletide Celebration.

There are dancers and singers in beautiful,

sparkly gowns, an aerialist performing to

"Do You Want to Build a Snowman,"

played by Time for Three, and a rousing 

chorus line of tap dancing Santas,

all backed by members of the 

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Hot chocolate, wassail, and other drinks,

as well as iced sugar cookies, were popular

sellers during the intermission.

Everybody marveled at the music and dancing,

cheered and applauded the performers,

then left happily to continue shopping, return home, 

and to have dinner, hearts lifted by the

very fine performance they had experienced.

Please, come yourself.

If you can get tickets.

The Winter of Our Pissed-Offedness

As snowy and cold as it was Friday night,

Monument Circle was almost vibrant with activity. 

When I left the Circle Theatre after the ISO Valentine's Day 

concert, I saw carriages lined up to take customers on 

horse-drawn tours of the downtown area. Young people who

had been at the movies and clubs were playing

in the snow, shouting happily as they tossed snowballs.

Cars were driving around the Circle to take in the

bright lights on the snow-draped buildings and statues.

Despite the weather, the carriage drivers did not seem

to lack for business. During the time I spent waiting 

for the bus home, I think I saw this group

of carriages at least three times.

Despite all that, Hoosiers are thoroughly tired 

of the snow. As I scanned their tickets, one man told 

me that he and his wife had driven for four hours 
to come to the concert - a trip that generally 
takes about ninety minutes. A man from
Noblesville - about twenty miles away, 
called his drive "a trip from Hell."
We are eagerly anticipating the warm-up
forecast for the coming week.
  

Warm Notes in the Frigid Air

The young woman in the silver gown is Jennifer Christen, 

principal oboist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. 

Last night was her night in the spotlight, as soloist for Mozart's 

Concerto in C Major for Oboe and Orchestra, 

K. 285d (314). She performed beautifully, 

the notes rising and falling through the night air, distracting 

the audience away from the cold breezes they would 

face as they returned to their homes later that evening.

In the video below, she is giving a short explanation

about the preparation of reeds for her oboe and,

in the process, plays a few bars of the Mozart piece

she performed Friday night.  

Last night, I joined the ISO's Assistant Principal Percussionist,

Craig Hetrick, to promote upcoming ISO concerts 

and community activities. Among the people who stopped

to chat was a woman and her three daughters, 

one of whom plays oboe. The mother talked with Mr. Hetrick

about wanting to find suitable instruments to accommodate

her daughter's talent as her skills improved and grew.

She is now in sixth grade and her present oboe cost about

$3 thousand. One of the things I enjoy about these

evenings is the musicians coming out to meet the people

for whom they play. Overall, those I've met

have been intelligent, funny, and kind people,

just the sort one would want as friends. I saw the young

oboist later, who said she was going to talk

with Ms. Christen about lessons.

It seemed so cool to me that a twelve-year-old girl 

would easily have the opportunity to speak with

a professional about her future.

Right there in the lobby of the Hilbert Circle Theatre, 

on a cold night, over cups of hot cocoa.

One in jeans and the other in a silver gown.

Facets of the Day

Sitting at the Will Call table Sunday afternoon at the Circle Theatre, 

I looked up to notice the way the painted woodwork 

was reflected and broken up by the beveled mirrors opposite.

It made me think that perhaps the most beautiful and sublime order

can be appreciated a bit more when seen disjointed, 

like a jazz phrase brought to sight.

Again, just because I like the song --

and Mandy Patinkin.

Art in Indy: Childe Hassam

A storm front went through the Indianapolis area Sunday, 

bringing heavy rain and severe wind gusts. 

This photo was taken around 4 p.m. from a reception room window 

overlooking Monument Circle on the second floor of the Circle Theatre. 

The giant candy cane and toy soldier in the background 

are a part of the holiday decor on the Circle.  

The rainy scene reminded me of the city scapes by American Expressionist 

painter, Childe Hassam (1859-1935). The scene shown above,

Rainy Day on Fifth Avenue, was painted in 1893 and is among the

most familiar of Hassam's paintings portraying daily life 

in New York City. 

There were two concerts Sunday afternoon. The first was another performance 

by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra of the Ravel and Debussy works

scheduled for the weekend, while the New World Youth Orchestra, 

made up from talented middle and high school musicians

played a late afternoon concert. Among the pieces they performed 

was the Concerto in A minor for Piano and Orchestra 

by Robert Schumann. The pianist for the occasion was

Jeeyoon Kim, a native of Korea who, in addition to her concert 

and recital appearances, lives in Indianapolis where she

 teaches keyboard at Butler University.

Intermission

Friday night, during the intermission of an Indianapolis Symphony 

Orchestra concert, I looked up from my task as a volunteer 

to see the concert-goers enjoying the time to talk with friends 

over drinks and treats. The orchestra's venue, the 

Hilbert Circle Theatre, is a restored performance hall that was built on

Monument Circle in 1916 to replace a livery stable. It hosted movies 

and live acts for many years, until falling into disrepair in the 1970s.

When the ISO decided to move back downtown from

Clowes Hall, the Circle Theatre was restored to its original

Neo-Classical Revival style, re-opening in 1984.

The orchestra is world class, has world class conductors, 

and hosts some of the finest musical artists in the world 

in its intimate hall - its stage area specially configured to suit

the needs of the orchestra. Oddly enough, the lobby area

shown in these photos was actually part of the original

performance hall - a wood and glass wall has been constructed

to separate the auditorium from the lobby and mezzanine areas.   

Different Drummers

On my way over to the Circle Theatre, where I occasionally volunteer 

as an usher for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra,

I found myself in the middle of a pep rally on Monument Circle. 

Just outside the theatre door, the marching band from 

Grambling State University was playing.

 Saturday, they will perform in the Circle City Classic parade, 

as well as at the half-time show for their school's football game

against Alcorn State University. While people will

talk about the football game, I've always thought of 

it as just an excuse to have some of the best marching bands

in the country appear; this year, Grambling's Tigers

will take on the Alcorn Braves in a marching, horn playing

and drumline extravaganza that will leave every one happy.

In the top photo a horn player watches the conductor,

while the cheerleaders perform their carefully coordinated stunts.

See those huge men behind the small woman?

Here is the reason for their presence -

Below is a video of the Grambling Tigers' participation

in the 2013 Presidential Inauguration Parade.

I was able to watch nearly all of the performance 

before I had to go to the theatre a few feet away.

Here's Dies Irae, from Verdi's Requiem, 

the piece I went to hear Friday night. 

It is two different worlds, but the same because

both have music in their souls. Each performance was

beautiful and heart-filling. There is no way the video

can duplicate the warmth of the sounds, the way the chords

reached inside me and made me cry.

It's music. I am happy to have experienced both.

Rainy Evening

It was a rainy evening in downtown Indy,

with warm temperatures and gentle showers.

People went about their business,

either returning home from work or,

like the couple below, approaching the entrance 

of the Circle Theatre for the gala opening

of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's

fall season. 

Below, a group of young men prepares to park 

patrons' cars at a nearby garage

Playing Around Under the Marquee

After leaving a gallery opening Thursday evening, I saw this group 

of young people playing around outside the Circle Theatre, 

taking one others' pictures before 

they entered the concert hall for an event.