Many people enjoy Wagner’s Ring. Some are even devoted to it enough trapse across the globe to see full productions of it. I am neither of those types of people. I’ve always respected it when critics were willing to acknowledge their inherent biases against a particular composer or performer. The late great Alan Rich made … Continue reading
Author Archives: CK Dexter Haven
LA Phil comings and goings (part 2 of 3): In search of a new Principal Trumpet
Peter Stumpf is not the only Los Angeles Philharmonic principal taking next year off: Donald Green, the orchestra’s Principal Trumpet, will begin a sabbatical at the end of this summer’s Hollywood Bowl season before returning to the orchestra next summer, and then retiring. In anticipation of Mr. Green’s retirement, the orchestra will be holding auditions … Continue reading
LA Phil comings and goings (part 1 of 3): As the Principal Cello chair turns . . .
News came today of Peter Stumpf, currently Principal Cello of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and a member of the Johannes String Quartet, accepting a full-time position at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music after having served as adjunct faculty for the past two years, flying back and forth between Los Angeles and Bloomington to … Continue reading
Reviews from Ojai Festival 2011
The reviews are in from this year’s Ojai Music Festival, and most are quite positive overall. Music director Dawn Upshaw not surprisingly got most of the praise, with the rest of this year’s guests — Richard Tongetti & the Australian Chamber Orchestra, red fish blue fish, Maria Schneider & her orchestra, among many others — … Continue reading
Video humor: Whole Foods Parking Lot
Classic. “Pay my 80 bucks for my six things and get out” Continue reading
Dawn Upshaw leads Ojai Festival 2011
I remember June 1999, the first time I went to Ojai for its annual Music Festival: Esa-Pekka Salonen was festival Music Director that year and was being joined by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and many of his famous friends, including fellow Finns Anssi Kartunnen, Magnus Lindberg, and Olli Mustonen. While those folks represented many good … Continue reading
Beer with drinking instructions on the cork
I ordered a bottle of “Damnation” by Russian River Brewing Company. Surprise #1 was that it came with a cork like a bottle of sparkling wine. Upon popping it open (turn the bottle, not the cork), Surprise #2 was that there were instructions for choosing the proper glasswork printed right there on the side of … Continue reading
Why only now?!
Welcome to “All is Yar,” a blog devoted to enjoying life in all ways big and small, cheap or expensive, highbrow and low. I finally decided to start writing my own musings and rants after years of reading and commenting on what others — professionals and opinionated amateurs alike — have written about music, food, … Continue reading
All is Yar 