Dance Blogging

This blog has relocated

2008-06-10T17:44:00.001-06:00

I have started using a different host for my blog. You can find it here http://chipdance.wordpress.com/

Maestro, I shrunk the piano

2008-05-31T10:28:00.003-06:00

Sometimes the truck is so full, we have to use the Dimensional Duplicator and Incredible Shrinking Machine to make some things fit, such as this piano.

Colin Currie's a big hit playing Higdons percussion concerto with the Utah Symphony

2008-03-24T01:11:00.007-06:00

This weekend the Utah Symphony played host to Maestro JoAnn Falletta (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra) and percussionist Colin Currie. The program consisted of:

Enesco: Rumanian Rhapsody in A major, Opus 11, No. 1

Higdon: Percussion Concerto

and

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Opus 36

They were all enjoyable, but my favorite by far was the Higdon percussion concerto. That was cool! I don't think there is a recording available yet, but keep an eye out for this one. If you get an opportunity to hear this work, take it, be it live or memorex. Even if your not a fan of classical music, you will still enjoy this.

Jane Goodall ... really is.

2008-03-04T22:39:00.000-07:00

Hi there. Just finished up a gig for the U of U College of Humanities. The 2008 Lyceum II Lecture. The keynote speaker was Jane Goodall, the chimp ladie. What an incredible humanitarian, and not a bad speaker either. The setting was Abravanel Hall, my second home as of late, and the subject was Peace with Nature. The evening also featured writer Terry Tempest Williams and a local folk/bluegrass band "Red Rock Rondo". Tremendous talent all-around. Red Rock Rondo's music about Zion's Canyon and the surrounding area reminded me of the symphony's yearly tour to Springdale, located at the south entrance to Zion's National Park. Terry Tempest Williams piece on the plight of the local Prairie Dog population was moving and stirred guilt in me for having ever kicked dirt into the burrow of some poor animal. But all in all it was a wonderful evening and a nice break from the symphony, made especially enjoyable by having my dad accompany me in the light booth.

Check out some of the links below.

Jane Goodall Institute

Jane Goodall's organization Shoots & Roots

Home - Roots & Shoots : Engaging and empowering youth with service ...

Red Rock Rondo's Website. PBimstein - Red Rock Rondo

College Of Humanities :: The University of Utah

Terry Tempest Williams: Coyote Clan

Ice Road Bloggers & Duck Farts

2008-02-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

Hey! It's my first post. I just returned from a trip to Wyoming with the Utah Symphony. We had a two day tour to Lander and Pinedale. Thursday we drove from SLC to Lander. It is a 300 mile trip but it took us quite a while. It was snowing in SL when we left and we got stuck behind the plows in Parley's Canyon and were limited to 35 MPH. The roads in Wyoming can be quite treacherous. Just north of Rock Springs, on US 191 the wind was blowing snow so hard, we could barely see the lines on the road, and it wasn't even actually snowing. The roads up there are commonly closed due to icy roads, blowing snow and high winds. It stays so cold that the roads get coated in ice and packed snow that doesn't melt. The plows only plow the loose snow and put down sand. Salt would just create a more dangerous situation. Devon has some pictures that I will be posting shortly.

Thursday night we had a concert in Lander which went well. Afterwards several of us hung out in the hotel bar were the house gave us all "THE Wyoming drink" A Duck Fart. (3/4 oz. Kahlua, 3/4 oz. Bailey's, 3/4 oz. Crown Royal) It's actually really good. So good in fact, I picked up the ingredients in Evanston on the way home.

Friday morning, after the road out of Lander was finally reopened (it was closed all night long), we headed out for Pinedale. We had an education concert in the afternoon and another concert

that evening. Followed by a several hour visit to the local smokey bar (AKA The Lazy Contractor Bar, more on that in a later post).

The return trip today was un-eventful, despite loading up on out-of-state beer for Devon and discounted liquor for me.

Chip