news | it's official...

journal | Andy practicing Gypsy Fantastic

For the benefit of my students - I do practice, and I do make mistakes. (often)

But the payoff is wonderful.. let's keep practicing!

news | back from Prague...

Hello everyone,

My trip to Prague was incredible and I thought I'd share a few photos with you!

 

  

  

The Moravian Philharmonic - 5 days of intensive recording at their home stage.  

This is also where they perform, in the heart of Olomouc (pronounced Olometz).  

Gustav Mahler was the conductor in this very auditorium!   

 

The Three Violins - this was a very famous violin shop not too long ago.. (100 years or so). Beethoven brought his violin here to be repaired on one of his two somewhat lengthy (months) stays in Prague.  The 'poster' for the shop still remains, as do most of the emblems on shops

all over the city.  Some attribute the remarkable preservation to the fact that they do not use salt on the roads, along with other factors. 

 

A very jet-lagged Andy admiring some original Beethoven manuscripts - used during his lifetime!

 

The plaque outside Beethoven's brief residence (apartment) in the Mala-Strana area of Prague. To stand in this place, and see with my own eyes the same sights that he saw each morning.. the church right outside the door, the square, the narrow streets.. is hard to describe.   I felt very lucky, and very alive. 

 

The Astronomical Clock in the heart of Prague - built in the 1400's.  It shows the seasons, positions of the (known) planets, solstices, equinoxes.. 

and, I think, the time - remarkable!   We think of people, even just over 100 years ago, before airplanes and computers and even cars, as being in 

the dark ages - but this is so wrong!  Humans have been very smart for a very very long time.  It is marvelous, in the truest sense, to look upon this 

great achievement in human ingenuity,

The Trinity Column in Olomouc - This thing is about six stories high, and is just awesome!   It is a favorite destination for weddings and tourists. 

Many builders today brag about being able to build a house in 90 days  - when is the last time you heard about a construction project that took over 

100 years to complete!

 

The Mozart Plaque - outside the residence where he lived 1767 in Olomouc.  Mozart was beloved in Prague more than any other place in the world. 

He was given a true celebrity funeral here upon his passing and the whole country went into national mourning!  

 

The Opera House in Prague - where Mozart premiered 45 pieces!!

 

Wow!  People sure were shorter 800 years ago!  This row house, still intact with many others, is very very small.  It shows how much the average height 

has changed over the years.  I felt like a giant!!

news | off to Prague...

I am thrilled to be heading off to Prague on Monday to work with the Moravian Philharmonic.

  

We have seven orchestral pieces to record in five days.. it will be hectic - but wonderful. 

  

the thousand year old city awaits!

  

 

news | great session in Philly...

I was honored to produce recordings this week in Philadelphia with Maestro Ovidiu Marinescu.

We recorded a wonderful piece called 'La Leyenda Del Kakuy' for sextet by Osias Willenski. 

I had Mr. Willenski 'skyped' in on my iPad from Barcelona so he could hear what was going on..  and he was thrilled with the production. 

 Technology rocks.. 

(until the robots take over.. )