La Guitarra California Festival

So, every two years a great guitar festival comes to Central California. La Guitarra California 2009 is this weekend and I am heading over to the coast for two days of classical guitar madness.

I am a jazz guitarist. Strike that - I am a composer who plays jazz guitar. Those are different things. Guitarists sit for hours by themselves in a practice room working on right hand technique in a way that I never did. To be a classical guitarist is to be a master technician. I am not that guy. Now, in retrospect, I think I wish I was that guy - but that ship has sailed. Long ago.

Here is Marcin Dylla playing the "Canto" from Ginastera's guitar sonata. It is stunning music and even more stunning playing. I am hoping for one moment like that this weekend.

I will be seeing David Tanenbaum (playing Takemitsu) and Carlos Barbosa-Lima/Berta Rojas duo on Friday night.

Berta Rojas playing the guitar of Barrios (c. 1914)

Barbosa-Lima and Rojas playing Luiza

On Saturday morning one of my former students will be performing at a masterclass w/ Tanenbaum. Later in the afternoon I'll be seeing Michael Partington (playing Piazzolla) and then on Saturday evening I will see the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (Lotus Eaters by Andrew York and Blue Echo by Chet Atkins), something I have been waiting for for the better part of three years. Just a cool group - and very musical.

Anyway, I am geeked to be seeing such a bad ass set of concerts and very stoked that I get to bring about 10 members of the CSU Bakersfield Guitar Ensemble and their esteemed private guitar instructor, Roger Allen Cope, with me.

I'll post pictures from the festival via my iPhone.

I hate it when this happens...

Heading into the top of the ninth inning: Angels 6, Indians 4.

Heading into the bottom of the ninth inning: Indians 8, Angels 6.

Ugh.

Box Score

All-Star closer, Brian Fuentes, entered in the top of the ninth to preserve the two-run lead. He faced four batters and this happened: single, single, home run, home run.

Four batters, four hits, four runs, zero outs.

Ick.

Sometimes I just don't know

It's been quite a roller-coaster over the last few weeks. I think it finally hit me the last two days. Not knowing if a job is waiting for you when the academic year starts is strange. I have worked at a college for 12 years now - the thought of not meeting the
new students is strange.

I have been irritable for the better part of a week and it has to be related to a) not getting a call from the JC where I was a finalist for a tenure-track gig and b) the overwhelming sadness surrounding the CSU and the budget at CSU Bakersfield where I work. Just a depressing time.

I guess if I have a diminished role at CSUB in September I will just have to parlay that time into some great composing and work on that part of my career. That is the part that has been neglected since I started th FT gig at the University and doubly so since the birth is the triplets. Anyway, just curious as to what the future holds. I'm not enjoying the wait, either.