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The National Symphony Plays Black Star and other Bowie

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Absolutely excellent.  When we got our box seats at the Kennedy Center we really had no idea what a treat we were in for.  All of the musicians who played on Black Star were involved in the production (the drummer was swapped out).  Emotions were high.  Music was top notch.

Our plan was crazy.  We flew back down from Boston just in the nick of time, and were scooped by Katie who also picked up Amaury flying in from Alaska.  We all headed out to Fiola Mare for a delicious but slightly rushed dinner.

Then it was off to the Kennedy center…usually 6 minutes away, but we were not the only people coming to the show it turns out. One day we will figure out the crazy ass roads in and out of the Kennedy Center—honest.

After performing all of Black Star, the group performed Spiders from Mars, Rebel Rebel, Major Tom, and some other favorites. By the end, we were all up dancing in the aisles.

It’s bittersweet to hear Bowie’s music done so well but so obviously with a hole.

Eighth Blackbird

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I was snowed in. Art to the rescue. My business trip to Chicago included lots of art (really, lots) and the most moving music I have ever experienced outside of performing.

Other musicians will know that hard to describe feeling that sometimes comes in the midst performing. It happens to me most often when playing in a symphony orchestra, and on occasion when I am playing simpler music with Where’s Aubrey or the Bitter Liberals. When I heard Eighth Blackbird play their work Hand Eye in Chicago I experienced that feeling. But I was (obviously) not performing. Wow. Who knew?

So now I am a big fan. Just go see them perform.

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I just saw a second Eighth Blackbord performance at the Kennedy Center which was, not surprisingly, incredibly good. But I am still trying to figure out which piece of theirs was the one that moved me in Chicago. At a small reception after the show I talked it over with Lisa and Nick.

I think it was pulse.

Lisa Kaplan, piano

Lisa Kaplan, piano

Michael J. Maccaferri, clarinets

Michael J. Maccaferri, clarinets

Nicholas Photinos, cello

Nicholas Photinos, cello

Nathalie Joachim, flutes

Nathalie Joachim, flutes

The performance:

David Lang diet coke
Ted Hearne By-By Huey
David Lang grind
David T. Little Ghostlight (Fortas commission) World Premiere

David T. Little

David T. Little

David Lang wed
Bryce Dessner Murder Ballades

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Flying Birds.
Excellent Birds.
Watch them fly.
There they go.
Falling snow.
Excellent snow.
Here it comes.
Watch it fall.
Long words.
Excellent words.
I can hear them now.