Richard, our resident baritone, kicked off his birthday celebration in NYC this weekend. Friends and those that love him gathered at Tillman's (hoping to spot a celebrity).
neighbors stopped to hear the music. We also had an excited little conductor-in-training in the crowd! This little pink diva could be the next Marin Alsop-she even had clear downbeats.
"Opus Nine offers a good example of how music students and recent conservatory grads are making their own way...............Read the entire story here.
Jarvis and I went to the Make Music New York (MMNY) Festival Party tonight hosted by Brooklyn Brewery(in our Opus Nine regalia). Part fundraiser, part networking event and part party-we were asked to help MMNY … by drinking lots of beer. Along with about 100 MMNY supporters we enjoyed the warm atmosphere, great music, and an open bar with eight great beers on tap.
I have a new band obsession- Bury Me A Lion. They played a 1-hour set full of passionate lyrics, rocking original tunes, AND they gave Jarvis and me a shout-out from the stage -they absolutely rock! I even got this groupie/stalker photo with the band!
The adage says: "The devil is in the details." Or, you may prefer "God is in the details." Either way, one of the most important elements to a great concert program is in its program notes. These musical entrees, when well-written, whet our appetites and make us eager to hear the performance to follow. Are thorough concert program notes the result of divine inspiration? Let's find out by consulting Opus Nine's program note writer, Alexis Schultz!
R: Hi, Alexis! Thank you for joining me for an interview. We understand that you are very busy! Alexis is a full-time doctoral candidate at The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Is it true that you are the first violist selected in quite a while to pursue the coveted Doctor of Musical Arts degree (D.M.A.) from this highly-selective program?
A: I feel very fortunate to be one of two violists accepted the year that I applied. It definitely worked in my favor that I had obtained my M.M. [Master of Music degree] from Peabody -- I had a wonderful viola teacher and several Musicology teachers pulling for me.
R: Wow, that's impressive! No need for viola jokes here! :) Since I mentioned that you are a violist, let's expound upon that fact. How did the viola become your instrument of choice?
A: My father is a pianist, and I studied piano at a very young age. I was talented without working too hard at it, and honestly, I just didn't appreciate it. Along came my first orchestra director, giving all of the students a basic music test. Those who did well were taken to the school library, where three tables were set up. To the left, a violin, and to the right, a cello. The class divided almost exactly in half in the two directions. The viola just glowed on the table in the middle -- I had no choice. The viola chose me. So, I practiced tons and nothing came naturally. I had to work hard and fight for every little step. Maybe it was the challenge, but I grew to really appreciate music and the viola in a profound way.
R: Perhaps it is natural for we violists to walk to the beat of our own drum! You selected the viola when nobody else did! I agree that we often learn to appreciate real beauty in life and music when we persevere through trials. Clearly, you were quite an interesting child, Alexis. Tell us a little about your early academic experience. How and when did you decide to become a professional musician?
A: Again, I have to say, it never felt like a choice. It just was. As for academia ... it's hard to pinpoint when things fell into place. I was a book nerd as a kid and I'm a book nerd now. I blame my parents -- both big readers and knowledge-seekers. As I said, my dad is a musician -- he was my first piano teacher -- I distinctly remember being four years old, [sitting] on the piano bench and learning about Bach being from the Baroque era and how that differed from Mozart being from the Classical era, and Chopin being Romantic. In second grade I got in trouble for calling a classmate narcissistic. I was intolerable. In high school I was restless and signed up for an exchange program that would send me to Versailles. I had a great viola teacher there -- Paul Hadjage -- and I was changed. I started college thinking I might major in Musicology and minor in Viola, but my viola teacher -- Helen Callus -- would have none of it. So I signed on for a musicology-heavy performance degree, called a B.M./B.A., and took lots of history courses. I got to work with brilliant folks at UW in Seattle: Larry Starr, Joel Durand, John Rahn. I was hooked.
...continued
For Robin's full interview with Alexis Schultz, please click here.
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| From Music in the Schools Day in Philly |
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| From Getting ready for Music in the Schools Day! |
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| From Crystal & Alysia's Brooklyn Adventure |
On Saturday members of Opus Nine met up in NYC to have some fun with a photo shoot!! I had a great time hanging out with the OPUS NINE posse.We mingled over a few drinks at a great bar called Bamboo 52.Then we trekked over to Times Square altogether. As always, Times Square was completely inundated with people! The shoot overall was very fun and exciting. Although it was extremely cold, everyone was smiling and having a great time. While we were there tourists started taking our picture and saying to each other “Who are they?!” (I guess we just looked that good!!) Take a look at the whole album for more behind the scenes shots!
I traveled down to the LGBT center in The Village to hear Opus Nine violinist, Ross perform for the Music Salon and Tea crowd. Ross showcased an extremely polished performance of Ysaye’s Ballade (Violin Sonata No.
Last month, Alysia and Jarvis appointed Richard and Robin to head up marketing efforts in the Baltimore/DC area. Richard and Robin ended their productive dinner meeting on Fri, March 13 with a toast and a solid handshake. With its goals outlined and a little over seven weeks before the Opus Nine Debut Concert Tour, Team Baltimore -- Richard, Robin, Miles and Taleesha -- is off to a great start! We are in constant communication with our co-founders, Alysia and Jarvis via text messages, emails, Facebook.com, and phone calls. Prior to our May 16 Baltimore debut concert, we hope to give several performances throughout the city. Thanks to Ms. Theresa Veatch at the Peabody Institute Elderhostel, Team Baltimore will perform a free recital for guests of the Elderhostel on the evening of May 7th. Keep checking our website and blog for weekly updates!
Ross,violin and his partner, Jim hosted the first OPUS NINE NYC Marketing Planning Meeting & Dinner in their lovely home. 
A movement of a Concerto from the Standard Repertoire
2 contrasting movements of a Bach Cello Suite
Brahms Piano Quartet in C minor III mv.(ms. 1 –17)
Clarinet:
A movement of Brahms Sonata in E-flat major or F minor
Brahms Clarinet Quintet in B minor
1st mvt. (ms. 5-15)
3. 2-3 Minutes of a concerto from the standard repertoire
Flute:
1. Exposition of Concerto in G or D major- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
2. Prélude a l’après-midi d‘un faune- Claude Debussy
-m. 1-4
-m. 11-14
3. Flute Quartet in D major Mvt. I - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
-m. 1-12
-m. 26-43
Tenor:
1. Two arias from operas or oratorios
2. Two art songs
Please prepare contrasting selections with at least 3 languages represented.
Viola:
1. First Movement of Bartok, Hindemith, or Walton Concerto
2. 2 Contrasting movements of Bach Cello Suites
3. Roman Carnival Overture (Viola Soli) - Hector Berlioz
Violin:
A movement of a Concerto from the Romantic Period or 20th Century
A movement of an unaccompanied Sonata or Partita
Brahms Piano Quartet in C minor Mvt. III (ms. 17-27)
