Though the Philadelphia Orchestra's current tour of European festivals leaves little time for the players do anything but travel, rehearse, and perform, some of them believe they'll burn out, stress out, or suffer some other unpleasant consequence if they don't find a way to break that routine during their few free hours in any given city.
Counterpoint is one key to equilibrium. Several musicians are in training for athletic events. Some are collectors and hunt for local treasures. On Monday, a quartet of musicians headed for the Irish mecca of beer drinkers, the Guinness brewery, known here as the Guinness Storehouse.
They took their instruments with them.
"I was signing up for tickets for a tour of the brewery on the website, and there was something that said 'Perform at the brewery!' " said concertmaster David Kim. "They had a YouTube clip of some high school band . . . so I wrote and said, 'Hey! We're the Philadelphia Orchestra. We'd like to try and play there.' And they said, 'We'd be delighted to have you!' "
On Monday afternoon, Kim led a quartet consisting of himself, violinist Daniel Han, violist Anna Marie Ahn Petersen, and cellist Yumi Kendall into the top level of the brewery, known as the Gravity Bar, where visitors enjoy pints of Guinness and panoramic views of Dublin. They played the first and last movements of Schubert's String Quartet No. 14 ("Death and the Maiden").
At this venue, the Fabulous Philadelphians probably weren't on anybody's radar as they launched into the lively first movements of this most beloved of Schubert's string quartets. But within moments the crowd had quieted - some people looking entranced, others setting aside their harp-emblazoned glasses to take pictures of the unusual sight.
"This takes a little bit more concentration, I have to say," cellist Kendall observed. "And in the quality of the playing, everything is up a decibel level."
2011年8月29日星期一
Hughes: 'Things are going good at the moment'
Whatever the translation may be, that's what Twins fielder and Australia native Luke Hughes is this past week. His hot streak since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Aug. 18 was punctuated in Sunday's 11-4 against Detroit, as he went 2-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs. This came a day after homering off Tigers ace Justin Verlander on Saturday.
In 10 games since being recalled, Hughes is batting .321 with three homers and nine RBIs.
"We know he can do it. We're just happy he's starting to do it now," said outfielder Jason Kubel, who also homered Sunday. "We can expect a lot more of that from him this year and next year."
Hughes has seen his playing time increase as of late with regular second baseman Alexi Casilla on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. Hughes has taken advantage of the recent opportunity to get some regular at-bats.
"It makes things a little bit easier when you're out there every day, seeing pitches every day instead of trying to play once a week," Hughes said. "But, hey, that's the way you start off up here. Start off the bench and you try and make your way into the starting lineup and you try to stay there. Things are going good at the moment."
Hughes isn't the only young player who's seen his playing time increase as a result of injuries. The list also includes shortstop Trevor Plouffe, who's filling in for the injured Tsuyoshi Nishioka. Both continue to gain confidence at the plate.
"You just hope you see improvement and better at-bats and you see them relax a little bit," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "When they're not playing every day, they fight it. They press themselves. That's the norm for kids that come up here. They're getting out right now; they're having some fun. They've been swinging."
In 10 games since being recalled, Hughes is batting .321 with three homers and nine RBIs.
"We know he can do it. We're just happy he's starting to do it now," said outfielder Jason Kubel, who also homered Sunday. "We can expect a lot more of that from him this year and next year."
Hughes has seen his playing time increase as of late with regular second baseman Alexi Casilla on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. Hughes has taken advantage of the recent opportunity to get some regular at-bats.
"It makes things a little bit easier when you're out there every day, seeing pitches every day instead of trying to play once a week," Hughes said. "But, hey, that's the way you start off up here. Start off the bench and you try and make your way into the starting lineup and you try to stay there. Things are going good at the moment."
Hughes isn't the only young player who's seen his playing time increase as a result of injuries. The list also includes shortstop Trevor Plouffe, who's filling in for the injured Tsuyoshi Nishioka. Both continue to gain confidence at the plate.
"You just hope you see improvement and better at-bats and you see them relax a little bit," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "When they're not playing every day, they fight it. They press themselves. That's the norm for kids that come up here. They're getting out right now; they're having some fun. They've been swinging."
The process will include a new league opponent on a weekly basis
“If anything, the Big 12 was harder to match all these different formations and all these different spreads,” junior linebacker Will Compton said. “…In the Big Ten, you don’t get that as much.”
But the focus still falls on Martinez, who remains an elusive and fascinating character in the Nebraska football landscape.
Here’s a sampling from Martinez’s full answers as the Huskers prepared for the season:
On how his passing had improved: “Umm, I’d say pretty much about the same.”
On how balanced the offense will be: “Pretty balanced.”
On the Big Ten’s reigning offensive player of the year, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson: “He’s a great athlete.”
“That’s just Taylor for you,” said senior wide receiver Brandon Kinnie, who played at Grandview. “He doesn’t dislike people. He doesn’t dislike fans. But he’s just a kind of low-key guy. The MJ-808? He doesn’t care about all that stuff.”
Kinnie and Martinez say the Huskers have talked openly about winning the Big Ten title in their first season, and they will find out fairly quickly whether they stack up to their new rivals. Nebraska will travel to Madison on Oct. 1 to play No. 11 Wisconsin in the Huskers’ Big Ten opener.
“That isn’t what we talk about on a daily basis,” Pelini said of the title aspirations. “It’s what can you do today. It’s about the process. They understand that.”
Once conference season begins, the process will include a new league opponent on a weekly basis. The Huskers will play host to Ohio State and travel to Michigan, and Martinez will eventually get the opportunity to meet Paterno, too. The Huskers travel to Penn State on Nov. 12.
“I’ll just play my game and see what you guys say about me and what fans say,” Martinez said. “… I’ll just try to do my best.”
But the focus still falls on Martinez, who remains an elusive and fascinating character in the Nebraska football landscape.
Here’s a sampling from Martinez’s full answers as the Huskers prepared for the season:
On how his passing had improved: “Umm, I’d say pretty much about the same.”
On how balanced the offense will be: “Pretty balanced.”
On the Big Ten’s reigning offensive player of the year, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson: “He’s a great athlete.”
“That’s just Taylor for you,” said senior wide receiver Brandon Kinnie, who played at Grandview. “He doesn’t dislike people. He doesn’t dislike fans. But he’s just a kind of low-key guy. The MJ-808? He doesn’t care about all that stuff.”
Kinnie and Martinez say the Huskers have talked openly about winning the Big Ten title in their first season, and they will find out fairly quickly whether they stack up to their new rivals. Nebraska will travel to Madison on Oct. 1 to play No. 11 Wisconsin in the Huskers’ Big Ten opener.
“That isn’t what we talk about on a daily basis,” Pelini said of the title aspirations. “It’s what can you do today. It’s about the process. They understand that.”
Once conference season begins, the process will include a new league opponent on a weekly basis. The Huskers will play host to Ohio State and travel to Michigan, and Martinez will eventually get the opportunity to meet Paterno, too. The Huskers travel to Penn State on Nov. 12.
“I’ll just play my game and see what you guys say about me and what fans say,” Martinez said. “… I’ll just try to do my best.”
2011年8月26日星期五
The music cut-off time, though, was a deal-killer
“It impacts our ability to police other bars,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy said he had a good working relationship with Gilson, and noted that many of the elements of the “special conditions” he was recommending to the council came from Gilson himself.
They include keeping all doors and windows shut when music is playing; posting a “patron code of conduct;” banning anyone who’s been arrested on or ejected from the property; and immediately reporting actual or imminent criminal activity to the police. Gilson is also to meet monthly with McCarthy to review policies and activities.
The music cut-off time, though, was a deal-killer. Williams said that because of changes in bar patronage in recent years, customers are showing up later, with the majority of Fixx’s clientele on a Friday or Saturday arriving after midnight.
Williams made no attempt to hide his intent to appeal the council’s decision if it adopted McCarthy’s recommendations wholesale. That, he said, would cost both Gilson and the borough a lot of money.
Instead, he asked they council to allow Gilson to unplug all live and recorded music at 1:30 a.m., instead of the present shut-off time of 1:45, for the next 90 days, after which the governing body would revisit the question of whether a 1:15 switch-off was needed.
“After 90 days, you have to tell us what the problem is,” he said.
The council, after a 20-minute closed-door discussion, agreed.
Councilman Art Murphy, who serves as police commissioner, made the motion for the compromise without comment, though he had earlier expressed frustration with Gilson’s refusal to accept McCarthy’s demand.
McCarthy said he had a good working relationship with Gilson, and noted that many of the elements of the “special conditions” he was recommending to the council came from Gilson himself.
They include keeping all doors and windows shut when music is playing; posting a “patron code of conduct;” banning anyone who’s been arrested on or ejected from the property; and immediately reporting actual or imminent criminal activity to the police. Gilson is also to meet monthly with McCarthy to review policies and activities.
The music cut-off time, though, was a deal-killer. Williams said that because of changes in bar patronage in recent years, customers are showing up later, with the majority of Fixx’s clientele on a Friday or Saturday arriving after midnight.
Williams made no attempt to hide his intent to appeal the council’s decision if it adopted McCarthy’s recommendations wholesale. That, he said, would cost both Gilson and the borough a lot of money.
Instead, he asked they council to allow Gilson to unplug all live and recorded music at 1:30 a.m., instead of the present shut-off time of 1:45, for the next 90 days, after which the governing body would revisit the question of whether a 1:15 switch-off was needed.
“After 90 days, you have to tell us what the problem is,” he said.
The council, after a 20-minute closed-door discussion, agreed.
Councilman Art Murphy, who serves as police commissioner, made the motion for the compromise without comment, though he had earlier expressed frustration with Gilson’s refusal to accept McCarthy’s demand.
2011年8月25日星期四
Bike Share for Locals and Travelers
Traffic, congestion and pollution have long been a plague on cities. While public transportation helps to abate some of these problems, it is not always available. One of the best options in many cities is to take to the road - by bike.
Two wheels rather than four can not only lessen the environmental footprint you have on the world, it can also provide faster transport, it's cheap, has distinct health benefits, and it can also help you form a stronger bond to the city around you.
Many cities are now seeing the value of having a community of bike riders. City governments are adding bike lanes, riders are forming groups, and routes and tips are posted online. "Utility cycling" is a term that refers to cycling not done primarily for fitness or recreation, but as a means of transport. Bike sharing and inexpensive rentals are gaining in popularity for both tourists and residents. Cities want people to get out there, and get riding.
Bicycle sharing systems allow for a number of bicycles to be easily accessible, either from stands are parked at strategic locations, and be shared among multiple users. This removes the difficulties of bike ownership such as loss from theft or vandalism, lack of parking or storage, and maintenance requirements.
vélo et fleur Amsterdam Jean-Jacques Cordier - FotoliaThe earliest programs stem from the 1960s, begun by Luud Schimmelpenninck and the radical group Provo in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Provo was a Dutch counterculture movement that focused on provoking violent responses from authorities using non-violent bait.
They created the "White Bicycle Plan" which provided free bicycles that were supposed to be used for one trip and then left for someone else. However, the program was not a complete success as most of the bikes were stolen or vandalized. Luckily, this did not deter other cities from developing programs. Currently there are more than 200 schemes operating worldwide.
Two wheels rather than four can not only lessen the environmental footprint you have on the world, it can also provide faster transport, it's cheap, has distinct health benefits, and it can also help you form a stronger bond to the city around you.
Many cities are now seeing the value of having a community of bike riders. City governments are adding bike lanes, riders are forming groups, and routes and tips are posted online. "Utility cycling" is a term that refers to cycling not done primarily for fitness or recreation, but as a means of transport. Bike sharing and inexpensive rentals are gaining in popularity for both tourists and residents. Cities want people to get out there, and get riding.
Bicycle sharing systems allow for a number of bicycles to be easily accessible, either from stands are parked at strategic locations, and be shared among multiple users. This removes the difficulties of bike ownership such as loss from theft or vandalism, lack of parking or storage, and maintenance requirements.
vélo et fleur Amsterdam Jean-Jacques Cordier - FotoliaThe earliest programs stem from the 1960s, begun by Luud Schimmelpenninck and the radical group Provo in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Provo was a Dutch counterculture movement that focused on provoking violent responses from authorities using non-violent bait.
They created the "White Bicycle Plan" which provided free bicycles that were supposed to be used for one trip and then left for someone else. However, the program was not a complete success as most of the bikes were stolen or vandalized. Luckily, this did not deter other cities from developing programs. Currently there are more than 200 schemes operating worldwide.
2011年8月24日星期三
N.C. State diver to take part in aquatics center exhibition
Greensboro native and N.C. State junior Hannah Hopkins will participate in a diving exhibition at 6:30 p.m. Friday as a part of the Greensboro Aquatic Center's three-day grand opening.
The 2011-12 season will mark Hopkins' third as a member of the N.C. State swimming and diving program. As a freshman she collected all-conference honors and won the ACC Championship on the platform dive. She also competed at the NCAA Diving Zones and posted the highest scores on the team in all three diving events.
As a sophomore she made it back to the NCAA Diving Zones and MJ-808 the team in both the 3-meter and platform dives.
As previously announced, Nick McCrory, who captured the 10-meter title at the U.S. national diving championships in Los Angeles earlier this month, will also participate in the exhibition. McCrory, who just completed his sophomore season at Duke University, has been a U.S. Diving National Team member since 2007 and is the 2010 and 2011 NCAA platform champion.
The exhibition will also include divers from Greensboro’s Tumblebees Ultimate Air Diving Team. The Tumblebees divers will demonstrate how dives are learned, beginning with basic dives and then progressing to demonstrate more advanced dives.
Other grand opening activities include an appearance by three-time Olympic medalist swimmer Katie Hoff at 4 p.m. Saturday and an exhibition by the U.S. Synchronized Swimming National Team at 5 p.m. Saturday
The 2011-12 season will mark Hopkins' third as a member of the N.C. State swimming and diving program. As a freshman she collected all-conference honors and won the ACC Championship on the platform dive. She also competed at the NCAA Diving Zones and posted the highest scores on the team in all three diving events.
As a sophomore she made it back to the NCAA Diving Zones and MJ-808 the team in both the 3-meter and platform dives.
As previously announced, Nick McCrory, who captured the 10-meter title at the U.S. national diving championships in Los Angeles earlier this month, will also participate in the exhibition. McCrory, who just completed his sophomore season at Duke University, has been a U.S. Diving National Team member since 2007 and is the 2010 and 2011 NCAA platform champion.
The exhibition will also include divers from Greensboro’s Tumblebees Ultimate Air Diving Team. The Tumblebees divers will demonstrate how dives are learned, beginning with basic dives and then progressing to demonstrate more advanced dives.
Other grand opening activities include an appearance by three-time Olympic medalist swimmer Katie Hoff at 4 p.m. Saturday and an exhibition by the U.S. Synchronized Swimming National Team at 5 p.m. Saturday
2011年8月22日星期一
I'll be fair and honest
Rob Snoek was the voice of the Oshawa Generals for more than 500 games before their broadcaster dropped them in 2010. Snoek, who has also worked for CBC on numerous Olympic and Paralympic broadcasts, worked alongside Reid during TSN's coverage of the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse.
Snoek has been a long-time friend of Pete Dalliday and says he's excited and nervous to follow in his footsteps.
"I guess I've finally seen the light," said Snoek, chuckling about switching from the Generals to Petes' broadcasts. "I called Pete because I wanted to get a sense of where things were at with him. I feel like I'm taking over this role with his blessing as he takes over the television role with Cogeco.
"I pledge to do my absolute best," Snoek said. "To tell the current day Petes' story with the same kind of zeal and energy it's been told with the last few decades. I'll say right now, I'm not an outright cheerleader and I don't think my predecessor was as well. We call the games the way we see them.
"I'll be fair and honest."
The Petes have donated 10 pairs of tickets each week to be distributed to clients of Five Counties Children's Centre and their parents. It's a donation worth thousands of dollars, noted McNabb.
Adam White, a graduate of Five Counties and ambassador for their 2011 fundraising campaign, said he recalls listening to the Petes on radio growing up.
"These are memories the kids will have forever,' said White.
"FM 90.5 and Five Counties Children's Centre have a relationship already," said Reid. "It was an easy fit for us."
McNabb said it was important to him to have Five Counties benefit from the partnership.
"Hockey and kids go together like peanut butter and jam," he said.
NOTES: Also announced was FM 90.5's weekly contest to give a child game tickets, a personalized Petes' jersey and the chance to meet coach Mike Pelino and some players. Listeners will be able to qualify through the week... Russelle Toyota and FM 90.5 will host a Petes' season kick-off party 6 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Lansdowne St. W dealership. All are welcome.
Snoek has been a long-time friend of Pete Dalliday and says he's excited and nervous to follow in his footsteps.
"I guess I've finally seen the light," said Snoek, chuckling about switching from the Generals to Petes' broadcasts. "I called Pete because I wanted to get a sense of where things were at with him. I feel like I'm taking over this role with his blessing as he takes over the television role with Cogeco.
"I pledge to do my absolute best," Snoek said. "To tell the current day Petes' story with the same kind of zeal and energy it's been told with the last few decades. I'll say right now, I'm not an outright cheerleader and I don't think my predecessor was as well. We call the games the way we see them.
"I'll be fair and honest."
The Petes have donated 10 pairs of tickets each week to be distributed to clients of Five Counties Children's Centre and their parents. It's a donation worth thousands of dollars, noted McNabb.
Adam White, a graduate of Five Counties and ambassador for their 2011 fundraising campaign, said he recalls listening to the Petes on radio growing up.
"These are memories the kids will have forever,' said White.
"FM 90.5 and Five Counties Children's Centre have a relationship already," said Reid. "It was an easy fit for us."
McNabb said it was important to him to have Five Counties benefit from the partnership.
"Hockey and kids go together like peanut butter and jam," he said.
NOTES: Also announced was FM 90.5's weekly contest to give a child game tickets, a personalized Petes' jersey and the chance to meet coach Mike Pelino and some players. Listeners will be able to qualify through the week... Russelle Toyota and FM 90.5 will host a Petes' season kick-off party 6 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Lansdowne St. W dealership. All are welcome.
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