Toot Da Flute

Last night I went up to Rhodes to see a Jenny Davis do a recital. It was really good. The first piece was "Bison Circles" by Forrest Pierce with Maeve Brophy accompanying on piano (Jenny plays flute, for those that don't know). It was really good (okay, it was all really good and I've already said that so I won't keep saying that anymore). It went back and forth between being abstract and jagged to more traditionally musical. The pianist had to open that it incorporates lots of unusual techniques. There was some prepared-piano-ish stuff where she dampened the strings with her fingers in parts. But the most unique were the places where she played piano with one of her feet. Also with her hands in the usual fashion, but simultaneously bashing the lower keys with her foot as well. Next was "This Floating World" by Edie Hill. It was solo flute with several movements based on a haiku. It was beautiful and often spare and evocative and expressive. Next was "Everything is Green" by Randall Woolf. It also had piano accompaniment. Jenny and Maeve played along to pre-recorded electronics along with a reading of the David Foster Wallace story of the same name (from the collection that was the thing of his that I liked a lot, Girl with Curious Hair). Next was "Syrinx" by Claude Debussy (though I may have the order of this and the previous one switched up, not that you care really). It was another solo flute piece and, while it was the Debussy work, it was announced as being an interpretation of an interpretation by Hubert Laws. There was a little bit of delay involved and it was very nice and atmospheric. Last was "Mansion" by Mario Diaz de Leon. She was accompanied by Philip Snyder also on flute (he's also the other half of If...Else) and Catherine Lee on percussion. Philip introduced it by saying he's friends with the composer in New York and that he also is a death metal musician. They played along to some pre-recorded electronics that were very harsh and very wonderful. Philip alluded to the piece being something of a marraige between the composer's modern classical and death metal roots, and while the harsh electronics reminded me a little of The Body, it was only in their least metal sense. Anyway, I'm rambling a little bit. It was probably the most abstract and probably my favorite piece, though I guess it did hit pretty obvious buttons for me. Again, they were all good. The first one was probably my second favorite. The two solo flute pieces were exceptional and very nice as well. I'm rambling now. It's not the type of show I typically make it to, but wish I made it to more! I woke up early at 5 am this morning to test some systems change in prod. Seemed to go okay. Didn't take too long and I attempted going back to sleep though I wasn't actually successful. Work was okay. The last half of the day was spent in this meeting about meeting (okay, technically training about meetings). It was an effective meetings course. Our scrummaster signed everyone on the team up for it. Otherwise wouldn't have gone. It was okay though funny 'cuz the invite was sent for and we all went to the wrong room. It was mostly what you'd expect, though role playing the bad behaviors wasn't NOT fun. And it ended with a little online quiz thing and I came in second place and won a cup. Thrills!