Day 7: outreach and recording

Today was my last full day in San Diego. As usual we had a very busy day. First we performed an outreach concert in La Jolla right by the ocean (I am really going to miss the ocean). The concert went well but then we had to rush back to UCSD for a recording meeting...well we got lost...but we got there.

We met with Sam the recording engineer (you met him yesterday). We worked with him for two and a half hours choosing the takes we liked best from our recording session.

A few months ago Jen posted this picture on her insideways blog...

Well, Jen and I have a very similar sense of humor (which is one of the reasons we work so well together), and I thought it was hilarious. We shared the picture with Sam and, while we really did "nail" a number of takes, we were all able to enjoy a little laugh as we listened to some of the takes that we most definitely did not "nail." The recording turned out really well and we are very excited about it!

To celebrate the successful trip, we had a lovely dinner out with Jen's fiance Tim, at Karl Strauss Brewery. Now that we're home it's time for sleep sleep sleep as we are leaving for the airport at 4:15 am tomorrow (4:15!!!).

-Heather

Day 6: Encinitas Concert and Recording

Today we performed in the beautiful Encinitas Library. They have a new, but wonderfully well attended, concert series there with a concert every Wednesday at noon! Jim Gilliam, who organizes the series, was very welcoming and the whole experience was fantastic. If you're a performer reading this and hoping to book a concert - do it at the Encinitas Library.

The audience loved the music. What I think was especially wonderful is that the audience ranged in age from 4 years old and up and everyone was enjoying themselves. One of my favorite moments was after one of the pieces when a little kid said "I like that one" and a women in the front row turned around and said "so do I." Perfect. This exactly what we want to do -reach a group who may not usually listen to new music and have them enjoy the concert.

Back at UCSD, Jen and I met with Sam the recording engineer (he is great, check out his website) for a two and a half hour recording session. I have to say... it went really well...

Such a great day!

-Heather

Day 5: Meeting with composer Steve Lewis

Does Diagenesis ever get a free day when we're together? Not really, but today was the closest it gets for us - no concerts, no recording, just practice... and a fun little meeting...

We had the great opportunity to meet with UCSD composition PhD student Steve Lewis.  After playing one of his pieces early this year, Jen called me and told me we had to try to get him to write something for us. So that's exactly what we started working towards.

Steve came to our concert yesterday then joined us for lunch at the Loft with some great ideas about what he would compose already in mind. How exciting! He is going to work on a piece for us for the 2012-2013 season and we'll be sure to keep you in the loop on its progress. How great is it to get more great rep for voice and cello!?

-Heather

Day 4: Premieres and Recordings

Today was our concert at UCSD. Such a beautiful space! It was great to perform there. We premiered Aaron Jay Myer's piece Just Lonesome and Scott Ordway's piece Black is the Color from the DFSP. It was great to be performing together again.

Then we went out to lunch with Aaron, changed into regular clothes, and did a two hour recording session. Our sound engineer is AWESOME! We're going to introduce you to him after our next session.

Tonight we dined at Fidel's Mexican Restaurant. That was the most efficient restaurant I have ever been to! Before we could see the bottom of the nacho basket is was whisked away and replaced with a full one! It was really fantastic food! Yet another full day!

- Heather

Day 3: Composer Aaron Jay Myers arrives!

Jen and I were in need of some rest and relaxation (I came to San Diego almost directly for the MET auditions in Denver and Jen has been super busy playing in concerts lately) so this morning we relaxed and recharged a bit. Totally perfect. Then we were off to the practice rooms at UCSD for another run through of the concert program for Monday's concert.

The big event of the day was composer Aaron Jay Myers arrival at the San Diego airport. He had been flying all day and it was dinner time, so our first order of business was dinner. We headed to a pretty awesome sake house for dinner - Sake House Yu Me Ya.  The really special thing about this Japanese restaurant is that it plays anime on a television and reggae on the sound system. Yep. (A quick shout out to my cousin Bronson, you would have loved it!). The udon was delicious and our server was super enthusiastic about sake. Since she is planning on quitting drinking tomorrow she poured us all a free drink as a last hurrah.

We ended the evening by heading back to UCSD to work with Aaron on his piece. A full day!

- Heather

More practice: Day two in San Diego

Today has been just what the title says. We started our day with a run through of our program for Monday. Jen put up posters all over campus and every time we enter the music building we're welcomed by our faces on the school TVs that advertise upcoming concerts. We had Indian food again (yay) and then discussed our future plans over cappuccino, outside in the beautiful San Diego sun.

After our work was done, it was off to Jen's favorite antique store where she bought an ungodly number of hinges for an upcoming project. Next was Whole Foods for a quick dinner (the pizza there is really good!) and now I am writing this blog while Jen does a little extra wood shed practice on the cello. We are off to a concert tonight with Talkdemonic. Tomorrow, composer Aaron Jay Myers arrives and we will work with him on his piece!

- Heather

The weather is as great as everyone says it is: Day 1 in San Diego

San Diego is beautiful! I love it here. Jen and I had a great day. We started by practicing the two pieces we are premiering on Monday. They are beautiful, just as we suspected. Thank you to composers Aaron Jay Myers and Scott Ordway. We had lunch at an Indian restaurant on the UCSD campus. I love Indian food and we do not have an Indian restaurant in Helena so that was a special treat, as was the delicious sushi I had for dinner!!

In the afternoon we went for a drive by the Pacific coast and a walk on the beach. Wow. So beautiful! Then a cappuccino con chocolate at Panikin...mmmmm. Back to UCSD for more practice, then sleep, much deserved sleep.

- Heather

What will diagenesis be doing in California?

So, you know I am going to California.  What exactly will diagenesis be doing there?  I mentioned a few things briefly in my “California Girls” blog but here are the details!  We are going to be doing three concerts:

            1) UCSD First Monday Concert Series featuring Diagenesis 

                  Monday, February 6, 2012

12:00 noon

University of California in San Diego

For this concert we will be giving the world premiere of 2 pieces from the DAFP (Black is the Color of my True Love’s Hair by Scott Ordway and Just Lonesome by Aaron Jay Myers—he is going to be at the performance!  All the way from Boston!  Check out his video blog about his piece here.)  We will also be performing MischaSalkind-Pearl’s Hands and Lips of Wind and excerpts of 11 Songs on the Poems of Anne Bradstreet by James Kallembach (check out recordings of songs from these two cycles here), and Stravinsky’s The Owl and the Pussycat (yes, this piece is usually for piano and voice but that’s just not our style ; )

                  2) Wednesdays@Noon at the Encinitas Library

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

12:00 noon

Encinitas Library 

This is going to be such beautiful venue and so close to the ocean!  For this concert we will be performing Lynn Petersen’s Four Songs (see a video of one of her pieces here) as well as of 2 pieces from the DAFP (Black is the Color of my True Love’s Hair by Scott Ordway and Just Lonesome by Aaron Jay Myers).  We will also be performing excerpts from Mischa Salkind-Pearl’s Hands and Lips of Wind and excerpts from 11 Songs on the Poems of Anne Bradstreet by James Kallembach.

                  3)  Outreach Concert

White Sands of La Jolla, Assisted Living

We are going to perform the same program for this concert as for the Encinitas Library.  Note:  this concert is not open to the public.

Also on our itinerary for this trip are two professional recording sessions!  In addition to all of the musical fun, we'll be getting some business done by working on next season and meeting with a couple of composers!  This is going to be a very productive trip, watch for my travel/diagenesis journal here on our blog!

-Heather