January - in a Nut/Shell *** 2014

                 

JANUARY  2014 began with the flu ! ...
It's all up-hill & fun times from here.
(I hope)

Bart digs out...

Looks like I'm not going out today !

The snow piles up ! 
Is that a mushroom
growing on my porch ?

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SNOW--->  COLD --> hate it!

Finally shoveled out and ready to begin Day-Tripping again.
It's going to be a GREAT year !
* HAPPY NEW YEAR *
let 2014 begin

Salem = Peabody Essex Museum  (1-9-14)

Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Signac  and Caillebotte

Key Impressionists

who spent many hours at sea, on river boats, leisure craft and floating studios.

Through nearly 60 oil paintings, works on paper, models and small craft, this exhibition illuminates the importance that access to the sea and France's extensive inland waterways played in the development of one of the world's most enduring artistic movements

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Boston ISG/Calderwood Hall (1-12-14)

Jeremy Denk - Piano

The Gardner Museum's Sunday Concert Series presents classical chamber music on Sunday afternoons, featuring performances by renowned musicians alongside outstanding emerging artists.

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PROGRAM:
The 2013 MacArthur Fellow and Gardner Artist-in-Residence returns for another exhilarating performance.
• Mozart, Piano Sonata No. 15 in F Major, K. 533/494
• Mozart, Piano Sonata No. 8 in A Minor, K. 310
• Ligeti, Etudes No. 11 ("En Suspens"); No. 12 ("Entrelacs"); No. 13 ("L'escalier du Diable")
• Schumann, Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6

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Jeremy Denk has established himself as one of America’s most thought-provoking, multi-faceted, and compelling artists. He has appeared as soloist with the Los Angeles

Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the symphony orchestras of Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and London. He regularly gives recitals in New York, Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, and throughout the United States. This season includes a return to Carnegie Hall in recital, as part of a 13-city tour of the U.S., as well as a performance of Bach’s complete set of six keyboard concertos in a single evening with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Upcoming engagements include tours with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.
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Such a wonderful performance !  Personal, magical, and exhilarating ! I really needed to relax and drift off listening to such perfection !   

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Followed by reflections of the performance while having lunch at Café`G of course.

Our table awaits - bring on the wine!

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Boston ISG/Calderwood Hall (1-19-14)

Alexander Melnikov -piano

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PROGRAM
Complete Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues, Part I
• Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87, nos. 1–12

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Alexander Melnikov graduated from the Moscow Conservatory under Lev Naumov. His most formative musical moments in Moscow include his early encounter with Svjatoslav Richter. He was awarded important prizes at such eminent competitions as the International Robert Schumann Competition in Zwickau (1989) and the Concours Musical Reine Elisabeth in Brussels (1991).
Known for his often-unusual musical and programmatic decisions, Alexander Melnikov discovered a career-long interest in historical performance practice at an early age. Melnikov performs regularly with such distinguished period ensembles as Concerto Köln and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin.  Alexander Melnikov is the 2013/14 Artist-in-Residence at the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam. This season begins with Melnikov’s debut at the BBC Proms with the Warsaw Philharmonic, followed by performances in the season-opening concerts of the Czech Philharmonic. Melnikov’s solo engagements will take him to such venues as the Maison symphonique de Montreal, Wigmore Hall in London, De Singel in Antwerp and the Mozarteum Salzburg, as well as to concert halls in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo.

* WOW *

Mr. Melnikov performed to perfection!  Today's concert was quite different from previous performances I've attended in so much as the artist performed without a break. For approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes Mr. Melnikov played flawlessly !  How exhausting that must be for him, although you would never know it. Such passion and energy only emerge

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Of course.... you know what came next.

Reservation to Café`G are waiting.

Go 'right' at the bottom of the stairs.... and enjoy !

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Boston ISG/Calderwood Hall (1-26-14)

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Alexander Melnikov -piano
Complete Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues, part 2
program :

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906 - 1975)

Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87 (Nos. 13 - 24)

 

 

Let the performances begin...

Laughing on stage ...

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     Charlie Albright - piano

Described by the Washington Post as "among the most gifted musicians of his generation," 

Critically acclaimed pianist Charlie Albright is a 2010 Gilmore Young Artist, a 2009 Young Concert Artist, and an Official Steinway Artist.
Born in Centralia, Washington, Mr. Albright began piano lessons at the age of three. Mr. Albright earned an Associate of Science degree at Centralia College while he was also in high school, and was accepted to the Harvard College/New England Conservatory of Music joint program, where he completed his Bachelor’s degree as a Pre-med and Economics major at Harvard in 2011 and recently graduated with his Master of Music degree in Piano Performance at the New England Conservatory of Music, with Wha-Kyung Byun. He was admitted as one of three pianists to the Artist Diploma program at the Juilliard School of Music.

Margaret Cho - funny lady
Margaret Cho was born Dec. 5, 1968 and raised in San Francisco. “It was different than any other place on Earth,” she says. “I grew up and went to grammar school on Haight Street during the ’70s. There were old hippies, ex-druggies, burnouts from the ’60s, drag queens, and Chinese people. To say it was a melting pot – that’s the least of it. It was a really confusing, enlightening, wonderful time.”

George Lopez - Mr. Entertainer

George Lopez is an American comedian, actor, and talk show host. He is mostly known for starring in his self-produced ABC sitcom George Lopez. His stand-up comedy examines race and ethnic relations, including Mexican American culture.

Kathy Griffin - potty mouth

Two-time Emmy winner, NY Times bestselling author, Grammy nominee, 2009′s GLAAD Vanguard recipient and 2011 Trevor Project Life Award honoree Kathy Griffin is a multi-faceted performer with rapid fire wit. She has been making audiences laugh for years discussing Hollywood gossip and celebrity blunders.

Wicked - the other side of oz

A prequel to The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked plot begins before Dorothy leaves Kansas. A green skinned girl from Munchkinland, Elphaba Thropp deals with discrimination and helps take care of her disabled sister, Nessarose. When she goes to college, her Shiz University roommate is a pretty blonde called Galinda Upland. Although it is hate at first site, the girls eventually form an uneasy friendship. But what happens when they both fall in love with Fiyero Tiggular, the Winkie prince?

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I almost forgot !

Jane and I had a blast !

 

2013 looking back on some exciting Day-Trips

Wreath Laying Ceremony ...

Thank you Mr. Adams !

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Once again I enjoy the ceremonies celebrating Mr. Adams service to this country.

Very historic --- locally !

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