Articles from: 2012

Past the equinox and sliding down the slippery slope towards winter… but today was a picture perfect fall day in upstate new york: bright blue sky with the occasional multi-dimensional cloud floating through making nice shadows; the foliage starting to turn so there’s red and green and gold against the blue; and Hamilton is full of beautiful big clapboard houses with wrap-around porches and widows’ walks. There’s so much space… & the campus of Colgate U is full of magnificent trees… it’s a 20 minute walk from where I’m staying to rehearsal, through picture-perfect Americana… But best of all, today was the day of Piano Fixing. The T.D. at the theater gave me two and 1/2 hours of his time, and the shop, and fixed the big toy piano – its structural integrity is once more intact – hallelujah! There was a reason I had Karin schlepp it up here from Rinde’s basement studio. Plus my wonderful Russian piano tuner from Brooklyn called this morning while I was in the shop with Joel – I hooked him up with my wonderful cat-sitter, and Boris went over to W.10 St. this afternoon and tuned my full-size piano – hallelujah again! It’s held its tuning remarkably well (we love Yamaha) but it’s been a year… gotta take care of the things we love…

Work proceeds on The World Is Round. I’ve written 4 more songs in as many days , and am making stabs at the final section… the kids are fun to work with – not professionals, of course, but very game (and some of them with better voices than the real cast, I hate to admit!). It’s good for Karin to have this time away from nyc to work on it, think on it – she’s come up with an overall structure, the narrative arc, which is a big step… and it’s great for us to hang out and brainstorm. Quelle chance… Mum seems to have survived the latest slice-and-dice pretty well, and sis seems to be surviving being there, for the moment… toca madera… 2 more weeks…

After wearing my dad’s old hiking stuff all year, I finally bought my own a while back: a padded sleeveless jerkin (dark green, of course), also good for working in my cold studio; a gortex parka (not dark green but bright blue so they don’t mistake me for a grouse or pheasant when I walk across the moors): and gortex trainers (my serious hiking boots have been here for a while – my dad’s were too big…); and of course a waxed cloth hat (dark green). I’m turning into a country bumpkin, it’s pretty much all I ever wear anymore… I must remember not to pack them to nyc… altho’ I gather it’s frightfully fashionable… my other major expenditures have been train and plane tickets, and petrol… saw Robin Williamson play for 40 people in the Barnard Castle church hall, such a wonderful bard… saw part of Fairport Convention’s 45th anniversary concert on the Beeb and have a new instrument lusting – does anyone have a mandola I can buy?… nervous about leaving mum, but needs must… safe travels, and bless this house, keep them safe until my return…

Heading across the pond in a few days, to do a short residency at Colgate U, upstate NY, where Karin Coonrod and I will do more exploration on Gertrude Stein (I’ve been writing for it since I got back from the island), after which I hope to have a week in NYC to see a few friends, try and do some recording of the new opera, and pick up my cat! Meanwhile we have a full house in Cotherstone: my sis is back from menorca, having closed up for the winter, and will hopefully stay here with mum while I’m in NY (I’ve also put carers in place); and best of all, my good friend and longtime collaborator Joan Schirle is here for a few days en route to visit friends in the south of france (that’s a friendly detour for you…). It’s always great to have friends from over the pond come and see me here in my new temporary life… helps me feel slightly less of a split personality… and with outside eyes around, I see how fortunate I am… took her on some good walks, and introduced her to the silver swan at the Bowes Museum – the inspiration for Peter Carey’s latest novel, The Chemistry of Tears…