The Good Musician

King Wenceslas (Szent Vraclav) statue, Wenceslas Square, Prague, Czech Republic.
Photo by TGM.
Prazska Muzejni Noc
Web designers: Czech out this gorgeous Web site!
Anniversary of 5th Prague Museum Night, a collaboration among the National Museum, Prague Public Transport Company Inc., and Association of Museum and Galleries of the Czech Republic. 25 cultural institutions and 51 sites were involved. Happens on Thursday evenings. Admission and transportation are free, except for a free will donation to two national sites.
The evening also includes concerts, recitals, movies, theatre, and dance performances, public readings, lectures, and guided tours.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every city in America …read more

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James and Gus photo by John Katz. Used with Gus’ permission.
The Good Musician interview with Dallas-based composer and sound designer, James Neel, principal of James Neel Music House. James is the very definition of “a musician’s musician.” And he’s been doing it for a long time. Maybe this interview will stir up some of the old gang to comment, hint, hint.
1. Who is your greatest unsung influence (as opposed to favorite famous composer/performer)?
Richard King Hamilton – now living in Los Angeles (incredible musician – all world). When I was a junior in high school, he showed me …read more

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Please bear with The Good Musician for jumping out of chronological order–came across this tidbit when organizing trip brochures (yes, I collect all that stuff–the arts administrator Web/print schizoid database mind).
Notenspur Music Trail opens fall 2008. It’s a 4.7 km signposted walking trail through musical wonderland. Sort of a pilgrimage to experience the homes and churches of an exceptional musical city. Leipzig was home to so many greats, poets as well as musicians and artists. But the city excels in nurturing music.
This relatively small area–the centrum being only a few dozen blocks or so, is lush with …read more

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Budapest is an old dowager, still grand, but crumbling about the edges. Many old palaces, homes, and historical buildings have been sold to other countries in order to support the country’s administration and government.
If the general municipal buildings are a bit shabby, the cathedrals and churches are kept in excellent repair and more likely to receive funds for renovations. Singing in these venues was a joy. Hungarians take their religion and accompanying music very seriously, and we are the beneficiaries of their love for both.

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St. Matthias in Budapest, Hungary was our first concert on the tour. As most churches in Central Europe, it was an accretion of centuries of building on the old foundations. Layers of Byzantine, Medieval, the Magyar chieftains resisting Attila and the various Huns. The castle and church on top of the hill are well fortified, and the only approach is over a bridge on the Danube, through a long tunnel at the base of the hill, and a steep switchback road to the castle close.
There is a four-second lag in the sound from the choir loft. That was the longest …read more

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OK. So what in the heck do you pack for a ten day tour in Central Europe? One bag allowance, which has got to hold music and concert gear. Not a lot of options after that, it’s purely a priorities and puzzle-solving game. Official papers and coin of the realm in my bum bag. Hmmm…

1 digital camera, batteries
1 pr. black Birkies
1 pr. black Footsmart closed shoes
1 pr. black knee his
7 pr. various undies
2 long-sleeved cotton shirts
4 short-sleeved cotton shirts
4 pr. trousers, casual to dress
1 journal
6 pens/pencils
2 thick paperbacks, sci-fi, historical NZ
3 qt. sized baggies of essential mini-toiletries, medication
5 pr. …read more

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Castle Hill, Budapest, Hungary. The largest spire is the Basilica of St. Mattias, one of the venues where AVAE was privileged to perform.
A bit of background
The Danube River separates Buda (west, Castle Hill) and Pest (east, government and commerce). Built in the first century B.C. by Celts, the Romans occupied the town as the eastern border of the Roman Empire. In the fifth century, Goths and other peoples on the run from the Huns overran the Roman defenses. These in turn were routed by Ostragoths and Huns. The name Attila is still popular today.
Over the following centuries, Buda and …read more

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Photo by The Good Musician
The Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble (AVAE) recently completed a ten day concert tour of Central Europe. Under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Sheppard, twenty some-odd singers and various kids, moms, and significant others flew from Houston to Budapest, Hungary, with a short layover in London Heathrow Airport. Destinations included Szent Endre, Hungary; Bratislava, Republic of Slovenia; Prague, Czech Republic; Meissen, Dresden, Leipzig, and Frankfurt, Germany. We’ll examine each destination in a series of posts.
What does the Good Musician take along for a whirlwind experience of a lifetime? Well, the packing process begins well before departure, taking …read more

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Lois Perkins Chapel, on the Southwestern University campus, was a little bit of heaven for serious music lovers last Friday evening. An enraptured audience participated in a Cathedral Evensong service much like Felix Mendelssohn would have experienced. Bishop Joe Wilson celebrated with a slightly abridged version of the 1853 Anglican Book of Common Prayer, and the audience enjoyed a sonic and cerebral treat in the performance of new scholarly editions and rarely heard Mendelssohn works for chorale, boy soprano, and organ.
Organist John Schmidt chose the Sonata in A Major, Op. 65, No. 3 as the prelude to the evening. AVAE, …read more

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Bruce created a robust body of information for all good musicians before he said goodbye to his colleagues at b5media. I encourage you to take advantage of his expertise in the music business. His Music 2.0 and Music 2.0 Bookshelf pages will move you smartly toward building your personal database of helpful tips and resources from expert bloggers, a must-have for The Good Musician’s business needs.
In this age of indie music producing and promotion, it behooves aspiring musicians to gain some practical knowledge in the business side of the profession. Many schools offer degrees in music management, but you …read more

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