Mother's Day Concerts

Besides sending our Mother's greetings on Sunday, May 10, David and I performed seperately in the evening.

My concert was a lovely tribute to women composers. I played NGC 2997 by Ann Callaway. My favorite comment about my playing was from Violinist Carol Braves. She said I "owned that piece". I'm pleased that I played NGC 2997 pretty well, as Ann was in the audience! Carol and Dr. Allen George Biester (the organizer, organist and pianist) played "Sonatine for Violin and Piano" by Germaine Tailleferre (the only female composer of the famous French group Les Six). Their performance was delightful and brought out all of the charm of Tailleferre's lovely work.



David sang at the tribute concert for the poet Bernie Weiner. Works were written by several Bay Area composers (including the poet's sons); David sang works by our dear friend Ed Dierauf as well as two works of another local composer, Randy Craig.

Brief Bio for Bernie: Bernard Weiner, a poet and playwright, has written numerous fantasias about the Bush Administration ( http://www.crisispapers.org/weinerpubs.htm#fantasies ). A Ph.D. in government & international relations, he has taught at various universities, worked as a writer/editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, and currently co-edits The Crisis Papers.

Happy Spring!

Spring has arrived by date, but not by weather. It may look sunny and lovely in San Francisco, however, the view is deceiving. The wind is COLD! Time to stay indoors and practice. I'm working on Ann Callaway's NGC 2997 to play for my Piano Salon group on March 22 and then to play for the composer on March 27. About NGC 2997:

NGC 2997, in the constellation Antlia, is a spiral galaxy 1,500 light years distant from Earth. Ann Callaway’s 1994 depiction of this amazing galactic apparition lasts over seven minutes, and uses pianistic effects such as rolling arpeggios and crossing of hands to evoke NGC 2997’s luster. - David Saslav, 2005 Program Note

I've performed this piece many times over the past decade. I'll be playing the 2009 revised edition on May 10 at a concert in Oakland, California on a program of works by women, performed by women. I'll post a sound clip soon.