I awoke into one syllable: Um. And then another: Agh! What day is it? Saturday. Um? holiday weekend; shoes to kid for 9am, studio; funeral at 2pm; kayak & good, time at home Where am I? Full Moon.  You are in a full moon. Um. And then I remembered how much rich, satisfying fun I […]

I highly recommend watching this TED interview with Sistema Founder Jose Abreu,   and then watch this video of Sistema Youth Orchestra performing in Caracas under sistema graduate Gustavo Dudamel (now conductor of the LA Philharmonic, and two other leading orchestras on two other continents) I happy-cry every time I see this. The following text […]

We hit the road a week ago yesterday for London Ontario for a quickie overnight visit.  This was the fulfillment of an idea that we should mark the last week that my niece would live in Canada before she left on an extended Rotary trip to Germany.  We did so –   there are new […]

One of my best teachers gave us a good daily practice.  This came out of a discussion about the idea of when one is truly ‘finished’ with something – in this case a painting – but it could be a poem, a novel,  practise or rehearsal of a piece, a song, a cleaning project, a […]

inspired inspired by all the input these past few days – New Zealand, Ukraine & the Balkans (via Toronto), Russia, Romania, Rwanda, Scotland – folks from all these places gathered here to talk, play and sing about change & re-volution.  All of it a huge call to collectively change the way we think.  Well, I’m […]

The sense of openness continues long after Irene has gone to bed and been piped out of the park.  It’s as though the parade brought them home here through our house – Sarah Slean, Royal Wood, Oscar Lopez, the Lemon Bucket Orchestra, The Rwandan guys, The Powerful Women from New Zealand, The MacKenzie Blues Band […]

There are good things happening here in my hometown. Last night the streets were full of us as we venue-hopped through the downtown core to see a large and motley crew of excellent musicians & performers in the 3rd year of Otherfolk.  This happens twice a year – February’s Lupercalia has the same marvelous effect […]

Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring, Sheep May Safely Graze, Air in G, all the Brandenbergs, Arioso – playing these pieces is like eating home-made split-pea soup on the third day of chilly rain, book in hand, and a woodfire toasting your damp toes. Bach is ‘home’ to so many of us – harmonious, reassuring, refined, […]

…if the nose & claw of a big hammer could be hung from the ceiling of the space so that it seemed as though it was coming through the building to hit a giant nail embedded in the floor….. … if one section of the installation was a series of small paintings all connected by […]

The struggle for six hours daily to make fingers move at lightning speed, and in the balance of the day to re-shape one’s mind into a vast reservoir of history, style and technique, impress the right teachers and build the pedigrees that could make all the difference in earning potential  – this felt, to my […]

Kol Nidrei (arranged for cello & piano) on the stand beside The Bach Suites.  Above and to the right, a clock and the first viola John Newton made as a student (no bridge or strings – I’m honoured to keep it safe here).  Then the big black hanging fish, then my sewing machine, then the […]