At Last, this Texan Cowgirl 🤠 is Back Home to Leeds!!

In the last month I’ve travelled thousands of miles across three countries, practiced scores of rehearsals as a classical musician, and moved my American home from South Norwalk, Connecticut to Nashua, New Hampshire, while keeping my creative home base in the UK.

In that 30-day period of time, although my mind wanted to share the highlight moments here with my Hive friends, I simply lacked the energy to both do the things and post as I went. I just couldnt do it, but my cowgirl hat is off to those who can post & go! 🤠

Yesterday, I returned to Leeds, the Owl City🦉 but today I basically almost couldn’t get out of bed. My trips were successful, but as I told @bluefinstudios in a Discord DM today, “OMG, I’m toast!”

Lucky for me, good friends 🙏🏽 along the way such as @bitterirony , @shadowspub , @gregscloud , @zenpig , @drmelanie , @thekittygirl , @ph1102 , and @creativegray of the Creative Work Hour community cheered me on, albeit off-chain, which meant the difference between my succeeding and my giving up & going home (I still have a bit of “Runaway Bride” in me!).

Tonight I scored a ticket to see other classical musicians perform what came from their hours of private practice and corporate rehearsals. Like the concerts I performed this month, theirs were also heard in an ancient venue.

As I write to you, I’m watching the harpist tune and hearing the flautist in her warm-up excercises. Soon the programme will begin featuring 20th Century film score excerpts being performed by the London Concertante at the 1,000+ year old Leeds Minster, which resides at the medival East Bar of my UK home town.

Here is the programme of film score excerpts played within steps of where I sit in the choir stalls of St.Peter’s of Leeds—

THE PROGRAMME

Magnificent Seven by Leonard Berstein
Jurassic Park by John Williams
Schindler’s List by John Williams
Waltz from Jazz Suite no.2 by Dimitri Shostakovich
Wind in the Willows by William P Perry
Succession by Nicholas Britell
Game of Thrones by Ramin Djawadi
ET by John Williams
Star Wars by John Williams
Spectre (a Bond song) by Radiohead
Edward Scissorhands by Danny Elfman
Godfather by Nico Rota
Ganriel’s Oboe by Ennio Marricone
Out of Africa by John Barry
James Bond Theme by Monty Morman,
and The Simpsons Theme by Danny Elfman as the encore

The London Concertante is a touring chamber orchestra based in the capital city and is unconventionally comprised of—

First Violins (2)
Second Violins (2)
Violas (2)
Cellos (2)
Bass (1)
Flute
Oboe
English Horn
Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
French Horn
Harp
Tympany
Trap Set
Accordian

I love the transcendent flare of this concert. In the same time & space I was able to experience the majesty of Leeds Minster which dates from before the Norman Conquest, the sonority of the chamber orchestra which dates back to the early 17th century, instruments produced and music written in the 20th century, played by iPad-reading musicians, some born just in the 21st century.

Aside from the piano sub-in, the concertmaster was not the principal violin as one would expect, but the principal cello!

And The Godfather score doesn’t come across quite as manacing without the solo clarinet brought forth by not an Italian, but by the Irish clarinetist, Cathal Killeen. Oh, so dark a tone!

The penacle of the concert was the sublime theme, Gabriel’s Oboe, from the score of The Mission, music by Ennio Morricone.

I've been asked, "Alessandra, what about your concerts?"

Yes, I know, I’ve yet to report on my own concerts, but it’ll come, and hopefully this week, too. Next Saturday I’m back on the road and in the air for another speaking appearance and 3 more concerts.

Much love!! 🥰