Monthly Archives: November 2016
Violin Dreaming
This morning I broke free from one of those odd dream worlds that can appear when crossing over from sleeping to waking. The dream was about the violin – not about playing the violin, but just a strange little scene with the instrument itself. It was unsettling – I generally don’t remember dreams. Upon returning […]
Happy Wreathing
The 25th annual wreathing of the famous Art Institute of Chicago lions, apparently a holiday tradition for some, was a chilly spectacle yesterday morning. At 10 am on Black Friday, hundreds gather on the steps and sidewalks in front of the Art Institute to participate in the annual rite. Until this year, I had never […]
Practice, and Thanksgiving
I had my first lesson in the new place this past week, but the room where I will likely land to play permanently, a sunny corner of the dining room, is currently our staging area and the only remaining room that’s encumbered by boxes. Instead, I set up for our lesson in a corner of […]
Sountrack for a Revolution
Yesterday my organization held a screening of the great PBS film Sountrack for a Revolution, which documents the music of the civil rights movement in the American 1960s. It’s produced by Danny Glover and features many civil rights activists telling their stories of nonviolent protest in service of an end to racial discrimination. I am […]
Moving and Winter
My playing has suffered as settling into the new place has taken precedence. I did practice for a bit one of the first nights we were here, last Saturday – it was lovely to stroll around our empty new place and play the violin. But since then, the movers came and went and we’ve been […]
Changes
Last night was our first night in a new condo – a fabulous space we just closed on in a historic downtown building. We spent the night on an airbed that we’ll soon retire for guests; we don’t have much else here except the makings for coffee, as the movers are scheduled to do their […]
What’s a Canon, Again?
I continue to practice Pachelbel’s Canon in D daily – it’s really fun for me to play. Though I’ve always found the piece to be beautiful, I’ve never worn it out for myself (I think others have, but they are not in my living room!). I need plenty of practice with the whole thing, but […]
Sinfonietta de los Muertos
Teacher subs in with the Chicago Sinfonietta on occasion, last night being one of them. She offered free tickets to the Halloween concert, so I went with a friend down to Symphony Center for my first experience with this orchestra. The group was founded in 1987 to promote diversity in the arts – as anyone […]
Ryan Libel 