No, I didn't think this particular cat "was a goner", but it seems my previous posting has been more than a little controversial. (Note to readers: please use the comment form below rather than e-mailing me directly, otherwise it looks like I'm censoring, which I'm not. The debate isn't just healthy, but necessary, and I … Continue reading …the very next day…
Jonathan Andrew Govias
When Schroedinger’s Cat Came Back
I think I'm suffering from a proximity effect, mentioned before - I've become so close and so invested in the el Sistema movement that I forget that the ideas and concepts behind it aren't well known... or aren't universally agreed upon, for that matter. There's confusion and misunderstanding, and we're not helping. We've started throwing … Continue reading When Schroedinger’s Cat Came Back
In memoriam
My first conducting teacher died yesterday, after a long batter with cancer. He was a remarkable man: he enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a professional conductor in Europe before he found a corner of the world that he loved, uprooting his whole family from Hungary to move there. He was a man who, … Continue reading In memoriam
To learning much inclined…
I'm currently at the El Sistema conference in Los Angeles, an event jointly hosted by El Sistema USA, the LA Phil and the League of American Orchestras, and I was having a great time until the umpteenth person mentioned my blog in passing, thus making me feel very guilty about the dearth of recent updates. … Continue reading To learning much inclined…
Final FVS entry
The last video from Venezuela has been uploaded to the FVS site. There aren't as many clips as I would like, but together they represent a permanent collection and resource, a window into the Venezuelan world of music. Please take a moment to respond to the incredibly impenetrable questionnaire as best you can, understanding that … Continue reading Final FVS entry
Thank you, Dr. Abreu.
The following is a rough transcript of my brief comments to Dr. Abreu at our final meeting, Friday April 16th, in Caracas, presented here in the Spanish (as originally delivered) for my many new friends and colleagues in Venezuela. Gracias a todos. Quiero decir solamente que hicimos más que ver el trabajo de FESNOJIV, lo … Continue reading Thank you, Dr. Abreu.
Seeing (la) red
It's been just under three weeks since my last post, and more air miles than I'd care to remember right now. I'm back in Caracas for the moment, after a whirlwind North American tour that included auditions with two major orchestras within the space of a week. I'm happy to say I made the final … Continue reading Seeing (la) red
Concerted effort
I really don't care for Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. That's hardly musical blasphemy, given that Tchaikovsky himself didn't think much of the work, but I conducted it yesterday in a public performance and I loved every minute of it. The performance was part of a "concierto didactico" presented by the Orquesta Juvenil y Infantil Acarigua Araure … Continue reading Concerted effort
FVS update
I don't generally do a play-by-play blog, but I'm currently in Acarigua - Araure, a small town in Portuguesa state, and dealing with very intermittent internet connectivity. As a result, I haven't been able to upload new videos for a few days. I'm still capturing footage and will make it available online as soon as … Continue reading FVS update
Practical but imperfect in every other way…
Not too long ago I was described as someone close to the el Sistema movement as a "hardened skeptic." I found the attempted insult or condescension interesting. I'm not sure if my "hardened skepticism" manifests in my blog, but upon further reflection I think it might actually be something of a compliment. Musicians are an … Continue reading Practical but imperfect in every other way…
Jonathan Andrew Govias 