At least I passed all my Olaf classes
Who'da thought, my GPA actually went UP for once!
Sorry, that has nothing to do with Norway.
Okay, so today is Monday and we are in Molde, on the shores of some stupidly nice lake. As Tom says, 'Claire, if you say that thing about all the natural beauty making you want to ralph again, something bad is going to happen,' because I say that all the time. The bus ride was about seven hours long today, with two (count 'em) short ferry rides across water. Fjord sharks. I was definitely white-knuckling it all the way. I dislike boats.
We have another joint concert tonight. It was so odd to arrive in Bergen and see the Choir again, for the first time since Oslo. Like, 'Hey, what are YOU doing in Norway? What a coincidence!' Our joint concert at the Grieghallen in Bergen was a-MA-zing, and I must say that the Orchestra completely stole the show. Standing ovation, and a DEMAND for our encore, The Turtle Dove. These concerts have also been so emotional for me--I get so weepy while we play, especially during Turtle Dove and the last page of the Barber Second Essay (I swear, that last page is like the definition of Loss and Pain summed up in music, and is also heartbreakingly, extremely beautiful). I don't think tonight's concert will be any different--I look around at all my senior friends who will be G-O-N-E after this tour, and then at all my other friend whom I will miss so darn much this fall while I'm gone in Russia...add to that this soundtrack of tragic and monumental and heartstring-pulling music and I'm just a goner.
A little bit more about Voss--No Talent Night is when we all get to perform skits or some silly human trick for our friends--anything that's not music-related, or related to our instrument. The Mahr and Amundson kids (children of the Band and Orch conductors, respectively) got together and performed a hi-LAR-ious skit roasting their parents and other adults on the tour. We were all in stitches, screaming with laughter. Of course, most of it is all inside jokes which would not be at all funny here, but trust me, it was great.
Oh man, BERGEN! Between the Voss and Bergen concerts we had four days off from playing--often a bad idea for us, but it seemed to work this time around. We spent those four days traveling from Voss to Bergen and then exploring the city on foot, alone or in groups. I (I found the most amazing pair of boots, big black leather with tons of buckles, at this awesome store called 'The Evil Twin' [woah! that means it's cool!] but my intelligent friends and the 1400 kroner [250$] price tag talked me out of it. Sigh.) Our hotel was right near the center of the city, which made for a fun Friday night exploring the nearby night life.
I have to go change clothes for another concert, so Claire out.
Sorry, that has nothing to do with Norway.
Okay, so today is Monday and we are in Molde, on the shores of some stupidly nice lake. As Tom says, 'Claire, if you say that thing about all the natural beauty making you want to ralph again, something bad is going to happen,' because I say that all the time. The bus ride was about seven hours long today, with two (count 'em) short ferry rides across water. Fjord sharks. I was definitely white-knuckling it all the way. I dislike boats.
We have another joint concert tonight. It was so odd to arrive in Bergen and see the Choir again, for the first time since Oslo. Like, 'Hey, what are YOU doing in Norway? What a coincidence!' Our joint concert at the Grieghallen in Bergen was a-MA-zing, and I must say that the Orchestra completely stole the show. Standing ovation, and a DEMAND for our encore, The Turtle Dove. These concerts have also been so emotional for me--I get so weepy while we play, especially during Turtle Dove and the last page of the Barber Second Essay (I swear, that last page is like the definition of Loss and Pain summed up in music, and is also heartbreakingly, extremely beautiful). I don't think tonight's concert will be any different--I look around at all my senior friends who will be G-O-N-E after this tour, and then at all my other friend whom I will miss so darn much this fall while I'm gone in Russia...add to that this soundtrack of tragic and monumental and heartstring-pulling music and I'm just a goner.
A little bit more about Voss--No Talent Night is when we all get to perform skits or some silly human trick for our friends--anything that's not music-related, or related to our instrument. The Mahr and Amundson kids (children of the Band and Orch conductors, respectively) got together and performed a hi-LAR-ious skit roasting their parents and other adults on the tour. We were all in stitches, screaming with laughter. Of course, most of it is all inside jokes which would not be at all funny here, but trust me, it was great.
Oh man, BERGEN! Between the Voss and Bergen concerts we had four days off from playing--often a bad idea for us, but it seemed to work this time around. We spent those four days traveling from Voss to Bergen and then exploring the city on foot, alone or in groups. I (I found the most amazing pair of boots, big black leather with tons of buckles, at this awesome store called 'The Evil Twin' [woah! that means it's cool!] but my intelligent friends and the 1400 kroner [250$] price tag talked me out of it. Sigh.) Our hotel was right near the center of the city, which made for a fun Friday night exploring the nearby night life.
I have to go change clothes for another concert, so Claire out.
posted by Claire | 9:12 AM
2 Comments:
Your Tour to Norway is a tour to remember, even for us who only get to read about it. And to still feel the pathos and emotion of the music. I do believe there is some grace in your Orchie heart.
Running into one friend when travelling abroad is always sort of jolting, surprising. Running into 90 LalA's (as you say, a gentle term of endearment; it sounds nice to me anyway) and wondering, "Hey, small world isn't it?!", would be a surprise never forgottten.
Texas seems like a desert compared to the lush fjordish world of Norway. Trees down to the water you say...the only trees we have in Texas outside of cities and west of Dallas are the ones down by the water. No self respecting Texas tree would let itself wander far from the waters edge. You can find streams very easily in Texas (as elsewhere I guess here in the Great Plains) by the tell tale string of willows and cotton woods. And pecans in Texas. In Norway, you can tell where the cities are because of the break in the trees. I guess Minnesota and Wisconsin were (and in places still are) a bit like that. Texas is prarie and string of trees.
As you are likely aware, the Cliburn is over, won by a slightly uninteresting (little stage presence, they say) but wonderful sounding Russian named Korbin. The Crystal and Silver winners have much more pizazz.
Michael Jackson is found innocent of...whatever but guilty of being really wierd. No jail time for that.
What money can buy! Give me a crust of bread in peace, or a nice Olie concert in Bergen. You guys are on one wonderful, awesome, never-forgetable, full of grace tour.
Thank you, Claire, for making it seem right at hand for us perishing in the desert. At least we have no sharks to trouble our dreams, only ice cream trucks and hot summer days.
In case Texas even crosses the minds of orchies and Lala'a (and band members -- what are they called?) the weather does remain hot, skies blue. The sun goes down by 830 PM or so, so we do get to stay up till after dark. I guess the sun goes down closer to 10 in Norway? The days are 14-14.5 hours in the lone star state.
I just bought tickets for my daughter Gwen and I to hear the FW symphony play the 1812 and assorted other music that goes well with extravagant firework exhibitions. The venue is the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens.
There is some comparison to Norway, but it is not very favorable. Except the fireworks. Our fireworks will beat the St Olaf fireworks. Just everything else. Well, Fort worth will just have to do.
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