Tickets mailing

Tickets are printing, there's a constant hum of machines. July 11 and 16 are sold out, seats are dwindling. I just mailed off the last set of brochures. The countdown has begun....

Great Kids Books on Music

Although my son is only nine months old, we try and read to him every day. He seems to focus on certain images and sounds so we use this opportunity to read books about music and musicians. There are so may wonderful books to teach kids about music, here are some of my favorites:

The Philharmonic Gets Dressed by Karla Kuskin
- a Reading Rainbow favorite, this book teaches kids about musicians going to work in the evening and all the ways they get dressed and ready for a performance, a systematic read, I have also been told that it has historical significance as there are still images of graffiti from the NY subways
Meet the Orchestra by Ann Hayes and Karmen Thompson
- although challenging to picture animals really playing instruments this book is a wonderful way to see all the musical families
Little Boy with a Bog Horn by Dan Yaccarino
- a great parable for any parent who is dealing with listening to a child learn a brass instrument, heartwarming and funny
Animal Orchestra by Ilo Orleans
- wonderful pictures and a very positive message about learning an instrument

I would love to hear other suggestions!

Raining in Seattle

It's raining in Seattle today, June 3rd and it's pouring.

Here's the complete Q/A with Nathan Hughes....

What are you listening to right now?
The last piece I was listening to was the colorful Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme by Richard Strauss.

Where are you traveling to this summer?
In addition to the Seattle Chamber Music Festival I will be playing at the Mainly Mozart festival in San Diego, Bridgehampton Chamber Music festival,teaching at the Verbier Music festival in Switzerland as well as the John Mack oboe camp in North Carolina.

What piece are you really excited about playing this summer?
I am very excited about the performance on July 25 in Seattle of the Fantasie Pastoral by Bozza . This is a piece I have always had an affinity for and this will be be my first performance of it. I am also looking forward to performing the Strauss Oboe Concerto in San Diego in June as this monumental work always challenges me to be in top form.