Concerts, Tours and Subbing

[Neil Gladd]

Hi All,

As mentioned earlier, I have a bunch of concerts coming up. As a matter of fact, I have to get up in about FOUR HOURS to catch an early flight. I will be playing with the ABACA String Band. The photo on their website shows their first mandolinist, Barry Mitterhof, but he has since gone on to another group. Tamara Volskaya has been their regular mandolinist for months now, but she just left for a two month tour of Russia, where she will be playing Vivaldi and premiering a difficult new Russian Mandolin Concerto.

I got a call months ago from the leader of the group, who had found my website (it's finally paid for itself!). I told him that Barry and Tamara had both heard me, and on their recommendations, I became the first call back-up mandolinist! #I am now filling in for Tamara while she is away. #The immediate concerts:

March 8th-6:30-7:30PM: Clubdate/Concert. NY (private)
March 12: Landler Valley High School Auditorium, Landler, WY
2:30, concert for students, 7:30 public Concert
March 13: Colonial Theater, Idaho Falls, ID, 7:30
March 15: Helena Civic Center, Helena, MT, 7:30
March 19, 6PM: Carnegie Neighborhood Concert
March 23: Met Museum, 6-9PM (private event)
April 4, 2:30PM: Long Island Concert
April 14, 10:30AM: Carnegie Neighborhood Concert

Back in January when I was playing with the National Symphony, I got a call from the Seattle Symphony right after my first rehearsal. Ugo Orlandi was scheduled to play with them that weekend, but due to some stupid visa problem, he was not able to play there (our government in action.) They had gotten my name from somewhere, and asked it I could play 2 concertos on 3 days notice. I already had concerts for those nights, so I referred them to Tamara, who did play the concerts (after getting out of another job in NY). She told me that she was practicing at the airport, trying to learn her part at the last minute, and no one paid any attention to her! #She had a great time though, and thanked me profusely after returning.

I think that when there is SO MUCH classical mandolin work that we have to turn things down and refer them to other soloists, it's a good sign!

Neil

[Jim Garber]

The photo on their website shows their first mandolinist, Barry Mitterhof, but he has since gone on to another group.

Hi Neil:
I don't see any photo of Barry or any mandolin player, for that matter.

More important... they should update their site since there are dates from last year only.

April 4, 2:30PM: Long Island Concert

More info, please on this 4/4 concert. I may even be able to attend.

Jim

[vkioulaphides]

Neil, too bad you are not doing ABACA's May 24 engagement at St. Paul's Chapel in New York; that is the series I myself manage (a.k.a. Trinity Concerts). I believe that Tamara is doing that one— at least her name in on the contract.

In fact, she was our conduit to ABACA, as she has performed on our series numerous times, either with her husband Anatoliy and their Russian Carnival folk-group or with Ensemble Rondo, her mando group. A lovely lady and my informal "plucking mentor". I must make it clear, however, that she is in no way responsible for my inept playing!

I have no reason, of course, to regret hearing her perform live once again. Having said that, I would have also loved to hear you and meet you finally in person. Let us hope for some future opportunity.

Cheers,

Victor

[Eugene]

This is all tantalizing news greeting my eyes here in the mandolin wasteland. I need to book some time out east.

[vkioulaphides]

The offer for a more, ehm... substantial encounter at a Greek tavern of choice in New York is still good, Eugene. #

Why, I'd even have a couple of more instruments to show you by then! #

Neil, when with ABACA, do give my greetings to my bass-buddy Marc Schmied; fine player, great guy.

[Jim Garber]

Neil, too bad you are not doing ABACA's May 24 engagement at St. Paul's Chapel in New York; that is the series I myself manage (a.k.a. Trinity Concerts). I believe that Tamara is doing that one— at least her name in on the contract.

Victor,
Please, more details on that concert. I can try to get down there for it. I have never heard Tamara play.

Jim

[vkioulaphides]

Gladly, Jim. Here goes:

Monday, May 24, 2004
St. Paul’s Chapel, 1:00 p.m.
ABACA STRING BAND
Andrew Schulman, 8-string guitar
Tamara Volskaya, mandolin
Robert Zubrycki, violin
Julie Goodale, viola
Marc Schmied, double bass
Works by Vivaldi, Handel, Monti, Villa-Lobos, Joplin, Kern, and traditional klezmer tunes.

St. Paul's Chapel is located in Lower Manhattan, Broadway & Fulton, literally across the street from the World Trade Center. No tickets required; $2 suggested contribution at the door.

Tamara is simply terrific; I leave the rest to your imagination. I suspect that there will also be sightings of the "usual suspects" (i.e. Chaim Caron et al) at this event.

All that said, wearing my official, arts-management hat. I now return to my usual, Café-lounging, goofy persona.

[Neil Gladd]

Greetings from on the road! #The concerts have been well received so far, and the last one is tomorrow night. I am currenly in Helena, #Montana, and my hotel room has internet access. #This has been my first trip ever to the middle of the counttry, and the scenery was been just incredible. #And I'm being paid tp play music here! #Here is the probgram:




Vivladi: Concerto in G, Op.3#3 for guitar an strings'
Handel: Exceprts from #Music for the Royal Fireworks
Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras #5 - Aria
Mozart: Rondo a la Turca, for mandolin and strings
Boccherini: Grave and Fandango, from guitar quintet #4
Gershwin: Excerpts from Porgy and Bess, for solo guitar
Joplin: County Club, and Maple Leaf Rag, for mandolin and strings
Ellington and/or Strayhorn:
Take the A Train
Satin Doll
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing
Encore: Pinball Wizard, from Tommy, by the Who


Jim, you are correct, they must have put up the new photo just a few days ago, showing Tamara with her domra. Will post more infor on the NY concerts when I have it.
Victor, Mark says hello back, and has nothing but good things to say about you! #As you may have geussed, he's a fun guy to tour with.
More when I get home!

Neil

[vkioulaphides]

[QUOTE]"Victor, Mark says hello back, and has nothing but good things to say about you!"

Hmm... and I thought that he knew me better...



Get home safe, Neil, and report in detail (if thus inclined).

Cheers,

Victor