california trip

I flew to Orange County last weekend to hear the premiere of Chansons des la Vigne ("Songs from the Vine") by the Chapman University Singers. It was a lot of fun and the choir sounded great.

This was the first time I've ever flown into John Wayne Airport (that's right...it's named after The Duke) and I was caught totally off guard by the 15-foot-tall statue of the man himself in the luggage area. There he was with his spurs, hat and 6-shooter. Apparently, the county renamed it in 1979 because he had just died and used to live in the area. If that's the gold standard for airport naming then be on the lookout for the Prince International Airport or the Garrison Keillor Terminal popping up here in the Twin Cities.




















We hit Renata's in downtown Orange for lunch before rehearsal. I had this awesome seafood salada.
















Then it was off to the conservatory for rehearsal. Here's maestro Joe Modica and the students talking something out. Dr. Hye-Young Kim is at the piano and...seriously...she played the final two movements (the only 2 with piano) with a touch I still couldn't have if I practiced for the next 20 years.














It was great to hear this music again (for the first time). I finished it back in January so I hadn't really thought about it a whole lot other than on the plane ride over. They did an amazing job.

I stayed at a B & B right next to campus called Ruta's Old Town Inn.




































I headed across the street to The Ugly Mug for my morning coffee and online news. There were a couple of bugs up to some dirty business on the ledge next to me.

For supper that night we packed about 15 people in to Roy's for some Hawaiian fusion cuisine. The lighting was really low so I don't have any pictures of the awesome sushi I had. However, there was a chocolate soufflé at the close of the meal that made me rethink why I don't eat a lot of sweets. The fact that this pic

ture isn't all that great pales in comparison to the fact that my tongue exploded. Holy sh*t this was good.

I had most of the next day to myself so I walked around downtown Orange for a bit until I found a Metrolink train up to LA. I was there a few years back for the national ACDA convention but I didn't get to see much. I hit Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Walk of Public Estim

ation and, although these sites are generally unimpressive (I have absolutely no desire to see if my foot is the same size as Jack Nicholson's), I'm glad I got to check something as iconic as this off my non-existent list.

I took only two pictures of stars on the Walk of Great Renown. First up: Kenny G. (It should be noted right away that I am not a fan.)

Then, as evidence of how ridiculous something like this is, about 20 paces later there was a star for George & Ira Gershwin. Maybe this is just my musical taste, but should the writers of some of the most lasting music of the 20th century be in the same

company with the guy that overdubbed himself with Louis Armstrong's iconic recording of "What a Wonderful World"?

Wanna get rid of your body thetan?

But enough complaining. I took the red line up to the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. They had an awesome exhibit on Dan Graham which I wasn't allowed to take pictures of so here's a blurry "museum picture" of Jackson Pollock's Number 1, 1949.

I took this with my camera placed on a bench. Because the guy in the photo was moving it actually looks like he's stepping into some kind of portal. Click it for a bit more detail.

A lonely bench.

Here's the massive sculpture in the courtyard. The museum isn't that big but, for $10, it's completely worth it.

I snapped a few shots of Disney Hall on the way back to the subway. I like the way the colors balanced out on this one in particular.

Once I got back to Orange I had time to get a run in (I forgot my running shoes so I was forced to pound the Californian pavement in my Chuck Taylors...they did it that way in the 50s, right?) before the concert. I didn't get any pictures of the awesome meal I had at Rutabegorz but it was so awesome that I'm glad I'll be back next year.

The CU Singers and Joe Modica did an incredible job on my pieces. On top of that they put together a meaty program of Massenet, Lauridsen's Madrigali (holy crap, I love those pieces) and a Mechem cycle to boot. The commission (my first from a "philanthropist") has me back to the university next year for a solo song set for soprano and piano. How cool is that?

Some of the singers and I made it to the Lazy Dog Cafe afterwards for some drinks and camaraderie. Hopefully I was able to thank them as profusely as I wanted. If not, I'll be back with gift baskets!

Some palm trees for parting. (It's still weird to see these...not many 'round these parts).