Of Whirlwinds and Albums

To back up a few days to September 19th, there appeared an article R.E.M.'s Mike Mills Blends Classical and Rock on Upcoming Album in the Wall Street Journal by Mike Ayers. I'm sorry that you'll likely be able to read it only one time, as I did, and then WSJ blocks further reading unless you subscribe. The article goes into the making and background of...

...which releases October 14th.

You, no doubt, already sense this involves Keoni in some way since the Robert McDuffie pictured here on the right is one and the same McDuffie of McDuffie Center for Strings where Keoni is a student and who was, along with some of his classmates, in the string section for this recording which was done in an "amazing recording studio in Atlanta (that has produced albums by Elton John, Beyoncé, and Fergie) and recorded it all in 3 days. One day we were in the studio for 12 whole hours," to quote Keoni. 

Even Keoni describes his first month at McDuffie as a whirlwind that started with learning the whole symphony and concerto. Without pause, back to student life the day after the recording sessions, was the Labor Day concert which the school performed to a packed crowd. Then, off to Reinhardt University for some chamber music performances that included a flat tire while on the way there; lending still more excitement to the mix was arriving at the wrong campus venue and still, somehow, making it to the right one on time. Next, back at McDuffie, he was to be playing first violin in a Haydn quartet which probably at this date has already happened. Then, he'll start a new piece in which his instrument will be the viola which he now includes in his learning.

Somehow, he finds a minute here and there to give his family glimpses into the new life he is leading.  It is wonderful to learn of his life there and enjoy his happy, passionate immersion in music. I'm putting my dibbies on an amazon purchase of the album and looking forward to times when he's back home to hear his violin or viola playing and the spontaneous collaborations that happen with his brother on the cello.

Speaking of Aidan, Celloman has completed his summer soccer league and handily made the middle school soccer team where I saw them win their first game in a one-point game. At least a couple of the summer league players are going to the same school with him and are now on the team. He had a seating audition on Sunday for the PYAO that he is in again this season. I'll learn the results perhaps by this afternoon when I see him and Wendy at the school game.

I will close for now and see if I can stand to look at the results and punditry from the election "debate".