I AM BLESSED to live in a small city with incredible cultural amenities. Bellingham is a Universtiy town and has an enlightened population of retirees, and others who live here because of its natural wonders, the islands and the Salish Sea, the mountains and its cultural richness. One of its great assets is an incredible 120 piece orchestra of great quality. The Symphony is presently auditioning for a new conductor and yesterday afternoon the second of four candidates conducted. Selected from an amazing 128 applications from around the world, these four finalists will each select a program, rehearse the orchestra and present a concert.
Yesterday, to a sold out 1,500 seat theater, Jonathan Andrew Govias from Canada, conducted an extremely difficult program of Bach, Haydn, Massinet, Britten, and the finale, an incredibly difficult "Metamorphosein-ModiXIII by Respighi.
The concert was stunning as was the featured artist, cellist John Friesen.
Here, at a reception after the concert, Govias and Friesen answer a few questions and meet with some of the concert goers.
The concert was stunning as was the featured artist, cellist John Friesen.
Here, at a reception after the concert, Govias and Friesen answer a few questions and meet with some of the concert goers.
Jonathan Andrew Govias and John Friesen, weary but triumphiant after changing into informal dress and enjoying the acolades at the reception.
for a struggling ukulele player trying to play up the neck a bit it was stunning to watch Friesen with his eyes shut playing up and down that fretless finger-board. I asked him about it He told me he had begun playing the cello at age 6.
I think establishing muscle memory might be easier at 6 than it is at my age.
for a struggling ukulele player trying to play up the neck a bit it was stunning to watch Friesen with his eyes shut playing up and down that fretless finger-board. I asked him about it He told me he had begun playing the cello at age 6.
I think establishing muscle memory might be easier at 6 than it is at my age.