| LA Phil

Post-tour Motorcycle Ride

May 23, 2010 | Posted by Shawn Mouser in New York

It's 2AM. The concerts are finished, my friends and I are back from our end of tour celebrations, and with the exception of the flight home at "half past too early", the tour is over...

But what did the first bassoon player do on the last day of tour?

Well, one of my passions is motorcycling. My best riding buddy is Alan Baer, the Principal Tubist of the New York Phil. Anytime we're within two time zones of each other it's mandatory that we get together for a ride. I've ridden with Al in most of the U.S. states (including a 17 day, 8000 mile trip to Alaska last summer), a few Canadian Provinces... and South America is next on the agenda. So, as the tour came to a close and with enough performances in this climate zone under my belt to feel confident I knew how my reeds would respond tonight, I was relaxed enough to get together with Al for a ride.

"Nuff said... look at the pics.

Some words from the Tour Doc

May 23, 2010 | Posted by Andrew S. Wachtel, M.D. in New York

It has been my pleasure to serve as the doctor for the LA Phil for the last 15 years. It is a welcome respite from my day job. During my non-tour days I work as a busy pulmonary and internal medicine physician at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. Many of my patients have life threatening illnesses. Incontrast, on tour most often I am dealing with common ailments such as bronchitis, sinusitis, aches and pains, cuts and gastroenteritis. There are the occasional more serious problems such as appendicitis, trauma and heart disease. When traveling domestically my job and preparation is quite simple as pharmacy and prescriptions are readily available. For international travel, I try to take most of the the medications we might need with us. Additionally I try to have foreign physicians available if needed. As a result of my experience, I have been giving a yearly lecture on travel related illness for the traveling musician at The Colburn School of Performing Arts. I like to refer to my tour travels as my vacation with 120 of my closest friends!

Photos: Final Concert of the Tour!

May 22, 2010 | Posted by LA Phil Staff in New York

As the tour winds down, the orchestra plays one last concert at Lincoln Center.

Memories of Concerts Past

May 22, 2010 | Posted by Robert Vijay Gupta in Newark

<p>As I sit here backstage at NJPAC before our penultimate concert of this exhilarating tour, I remember the last time I was here, 7 years ago, playing alone on the stage for Zubin Mehta when the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was on tour – that was the very night I picked the very violin I am currently playing on…</p>

Playing New Jersey

May 22, 2010 | Posted by Lou Anne Neill in Newark

We are almost at the end of our tour so you would think that an hour bus ride in rush hour traffic to New Jersey would be a bit trying. Not so, because our “old friends” at NJPAC always make us feel so welcome. Upon arrival, we were greeted backstage with warmth, excitement, and a sumptuous meal in the orchestra lounge.

We have experienced a jubilant audience response at the end of every concert on this tour and the Newark audience was no exception. For those of us on stage who have just poured our hearts out – and that includes Maestro Dudamel – finding the audience on their collective feet, cheering loudly is music to OUR ears. We all went home content and fulfilled. Thank you NJPAC!

Photos: Runout to New Jersey

May 22, 2010 | Posted by LA Phil Staff in Newark

Practice makes perfect, but where can I practice?

May 21, 2010 | Posted by Christopher Still in New York

I'm 2,823 miles away from my studio in Pasadena, and my trumpet is safely packed on the LA Phil Transport Truck. Even if I had regular access to my instrument, playing Mahler excerpts in a hotel room is not a great way to make friends with the neighbors. Nevertheless, tonight I will be expected to sit on the stage of Avery Fisher Hall in New York City and perform some of the most difficult music in the orchestral repertoire.

Staying in shape while on tour is difficult, so the trumpet section of the LA Phil has embraced a creative solution—pocket trumpets. Not to be confused with a piccolo trumpet, these instruments are the same length as a standard B-flat trumpet, but the metal tubing is coiled more tightly around itself to create a smaller footprint. When used with a quiet practice mute, the result is an easily packable way to practice on the road that won’t get the orchestra thrown out of the hotel. I've had practice sessions during delays at the airport, right in the middle of the terminal. Not to sound like an infomercial, but it even comes with a convenient travel case.

Back to My Old Stomping Ground

May 21, 2010 | Posted by Brent Samuel in New York

I have been looking forward particularly to this leg of the tour, a chance to reconnect with friends and colleagues who I met during my six years in New York (three attending Juilliard, three living and working in Manhattan). Two of them now live in Philadelphia, and this morning I visited with them and their four year-old daughter who was born six days after my own four year-old daughter.

My plans for NY include lots of time with old friends and visiting my favorite spots--hopefully in three days I will have receipts from H&H Bagels, Zabars, Gray's Papaya, Empire Szechuan (the good one on 72nd, not the mediocre one on Columbus), Popover Cafe, the Museum of Modern Art, and many coffee spots where the natives like to hang out. After I re-learn my jaywalking skills, I'll be ready to go.

Today was an excellent tour day--incident-free travel, a nice hotel, and a great concert at Lincoln Center. We are all looking forward to two more exciting days in The City.

Philadelphia….the City of Brotherly Love, Dr. J, Rocky Balboa and our very own John Lofton.

May 20, 2010 | Posted by Jeffrey Neville in Philadelphia

Philadelphia….the City of Brotherly Love, Dr. J, Rocky Balboa and our very own John Lofton. We took the Amtrak Acela yesterday from DC and a mere 90 minutes later, we arrived in Philadelphia. Train travel is so civilized, but it must have looked a little like herding sheep, getting the orchestra through the train station to the correct departure platform. When we arrived in Philly, we had our very own police escort from the train to the buses…they must of heard about these musicians from the other side of the country. Of course, as soon as we arrived at the hotel, the majority of the brass section took off for the closest cheese steak emporium. You absolutely must have a cheese steak hoagie in Philly. YUM!!

LA Phil

Uncategorized

Post-tour Motorcycle Ride

Some words from the Tour Doc

Photos: Final Concert of the Tour!

Memories of Concerts Past

Playing New Jersey

Photos: Runout to New Jersey

Practice makes perfect, but where can I practice?

Back to My Old Stomping Ground

Philadelphia….the City of Brotherly Love, Dr. J, Rocky Balboa and our very own John Lofton.

Photos: Arriving by Train in New York

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