A question of music...

This is a topic which has come up in conversation various times over the last 2 years or so since the illustrious and virtuosic Andre Rieu wooed hundreds of thousands of Australian fans during his 2007 tour. My first reaction was that of incredulous repulsion. My second reaction was that of mild awe as I realized how quickly and effectively he was charming his way into the hearts of countless grandmothers and taxi drivers alike. For about a month, every time I got into a cab with my violin, the driver would INEVITABLY make a comment about Andre Rieu. And the number of times I got asked whether he really was the best violinist in the world... Last year I won a scholarship to go to the UK to study from some of the world's greatest violin teachers in London, and the executors of the estate (the scholarship was a bequest) asked if I endeavoured to be the next Andre Rieu. I couldn't believe it. These people were giving me $15,000 to go to some of the most prestigious music schools in Europe, and they were asking me if I wanted to be the next Andre Reiu. Unbelievable.

And then I asked myself why. Why is this smiling Austrian so popular? He is sold as a violinist. Every picture we see of him is with a violin, but his popularity, surely, is not a result of his skill on the instrument. There are too many good musicians around for him to be taken any note of as a serious violinist. The truth is... that he is, in fact, a wolf in sheep's clothing. He is a hardheaded businessman posing as a dreamy artist, and has found a perfect market to sell himself to, capitalising on his blonde hair and angelic looks. I realised that sounds a bit weird... but that's the look he's going for right? I mean...

                                                                           and

Please. 

The thing I ask myself is... is it forgivable to cheapen yourself if you're making millions doing it? If prostitution was still illegal, would the king of the waltz still be in business? Maybe it's not so bad after all. Maybe he actually really does love the music he's playing... then again, you'd love anything that brought in that much money right? Maybe it's just an honest living.

On the other hand, what is the purpose of music? He does make a lot of people happy... perhaps that's all there is to it, and we should in fact applaud him for bringing music back to its most simple, joyous state. How could you not be happy with these album covers?

 What frustrates me most about this topic is the fact that we could actually give him the benefit of the doubt. Andre Rieu MAY do what he does with absolute conviction, which would make him just as much an artist as any of us. Maybe more so, because so many people misunderstand him. This is IF he was actually performing with artistic integrity. Which he may. But I can't seem to force myself to believe it.

Somehow, behind the angelic facade and million dollar smile, there is something... fake. One can't get away from the fact that, try as we might to believe that he is an honest musician, we'll always think of him as a mercanistic businessman. Once a violinist who traded his soul for the hearts of old women and their fortunes, bequeathed to him through instalments of $32.95... or whatever he sells his merchandise for.

I have no final verdict.

Memories of summer 2009

I received my trusty dsc-h10 back in the mail today
and found some old photos I'm definitely glad to have again. Who would've thought. Sometimes you experience a moment and think "I'll remember this for a long time". Not so. There are too many moments in a day. These are all thrown in together, so if you're looking for a theme, there isn't one.

I think digital cameras are better than film. I can almost hear your smug, knowing chuckles. However, there is something to be said for having complete control over what you're doing. Ask Jeremy Clarkson about the 23 year old Ferrari F40 compared to the new F60. I think its the same deal. There's no electronics to "help". It's just what you want to do, and the controls. On the other hand... electronics are... helpful. These pictures are a testimony to that. They navigate through all the settings for you (there are still a good number of manual settings if that's what you want) so you can focus on capturing the moment. As opposed to fiddling around and losing it.





 I'm still on the market for the nikon d90, but I'm thinking it might have to wait a little while longer. Let's take it one step at a time. This one'll do for a bit longer. This picture on the right was taken at the Mona Foma arts festival in Hobart. The guy in the vest is Dean Stevenson, a local singer/songwriter/musical explorer/generally awesome guy. We were playing in his show for the festival, and I'm assuming he was talking about some part of the show. However, this shot always looked like a Corleone family picture to me...

Liz knitting. Or crocheting... I can't remember which side of the fence she's on. I might be wrong, but from what I gathered, the difference to confuse a knitter with a crocheter is like confusing a Macedonian and a Greek. Serbian and a Croatian. Australian and a New Zealander. Violin and a viola. haha.  

And then there was Melbourne.

Other men's minds

I bought a book from an antique shop about 2 years ago which I found again today and briefly perused. It's called "Other Men's Minds - 7000 choice extracts from standard authors on history, science, philosophy and religion". So I actually don't have that much to say about it. It's in old English, leatherbound, and bears a handwritten inscription "To dearest Little Mother, from Lad" - 1928. I wonder where they were from, England? or Australia. And who is "little mother?" A girl? Why would you give your girlfriend a book of quotes? Maybe they were both the artsy type. Why would you call yourself "Lad?". Maybe he gave the book to his actual mother. Speculations on relational dynamics... is a waste of time. They're all a little bit weird.

Accounting, on the other hand, is perfectly straightforward. The topic presents itself, as I've spent the majority of today going through my accounts for the past two years. And... I've decided that being an accountant would be a fantastic occupation. There is a special pleasure one gains from categorizing things. Everything there in front of you. Discovering where all your money went (sometimes wondering where it came from)... it's a bit of a revelation actually. Accountants must have a remarkable insight into people's lives/lifestyles. I wonder if they have accounting/psychology double majors. What an interesting job. AND you get to find loopholes. Why wouldn't anyone want to be an accountant. Imagine knowing what everyone spent their money on... actually its not appealing at all.  don't even really want to know what I spent my own money on. Next topic.

I was thinking today about what I spend my life pursuing... writing and performing music. taking and selling photographs. writing and selling books. Of all the things to dedicate one's life to, I feel like I've chosen the most beautiful things - the most soul stirring and moving... and least rewarding materially. It strikes me as ironic that all these things are means of expression - of communication. It's ironic because communication was the reason my last relationship ended. Rather, a lack of... the irony is, in fact, sickening.

Maybe I'll become an accountant instead. Or a rally driver. hah.
No...
I choose life.

I haven't put up any pictures for a while. Time for some more.
I'm taking the X-300s for a spin around town tonight... hopefully develop some pictures tomorow.
STAY TUNED, FOR THE NEXT EXCITING EPISODE OF... THE PERSISENT PURSUIT OF...
hahaha. gotta love those open endings.

The pursuit of God

This morning I went to church. So you know where I'm coming from, I was brought up in a christian home, then when I moved out of home started seeing saturday night sinners and sunday morning saints (i know because they came to my parties) and decided if that was what i was going to church for then i was better off without.

If anyone asked I would still have called myself a christian, but cautiously. You've gotta be careful who you associate yourself with. I noticed people in the church who were there not because of what they believed, or knew to be true, but because they simply didn't know any different and didn't have any desire to think things through. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but for me personally, I had to have a reason to be there.

I never liked calling it religion. Christianity is not a religion - its a relationship with someone who did something so amazing, out of love, that its impossible not to love in return. But I'm not here to talk about what christianity is or isn't, I want to tell you about church this morning.

I went to the new Hillsong church in Brisbane, just to check it out. What i saw there... were people. Humans. everyday, common, same-as-anyone-else-you'll-ever-meet people. Same needs and wants, same everything. Different focus. I saw people who didn't claim to be perfect, but in their humanity, gave of what they had to serve others. They were living beyond themselves. What I mean when I say this, is that there is a feeling you get when you sense someone is doing something for themselves. There is another feeling when you sense someone is doing something for a greater purpose. a higher calling. There was an energy that was running through the congregation, that united them... there was a feeling of something powering them, that was far greater than themselves... I feel like there is so much more to say about this, but I'm gonna think about it a little while. Ruminate. Maybe write more sometime...

Love is more than simply warm feelings. It is an attitude that reveals itself in action. How can we love others as ourselves? By helping when it's not convenient, by giving when it hurts, by devoting energy to others' welfare rather than our own, by absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back. This kind of love is hard to do. That is why people notice when you do it and know you are empowered by a supernatural force. (notes on John 13:35)

The pursuit of Music

So for those of you who don't know me, music has been a huge part of my life... pretty much all my life. I started playing violin when I was 3, and now 19 years later have just finished up with an M.Mus (masters in music - violin). I've been really fortunate to have played with some of Australia's best young performers, toured nationally and overseas, and collaborated with some big names, and some lesser known, but no less talented ones. I started at the Sydney Conservatorium, then moved to the University of Queensland for the next two years. While I was studing there I did a fari bit of Chamber music, and in 2007 my quartet, Sanctuary, toured regional Queensland and collaborated with the Queensland Ballet. The next year I was offered a Vice-Chancellor's String scholarship to study in Tasmania, where I did Honours/Masters, and won a $15,000 scholarship to study in London. I'm based in Brisbane for now, but will be leaving again in a few weeks to play on a cruise ship for 4 months. It sounds like so long... wow. i thought I'd start by giving you a bit of a background. I've really been banging on about myself it seems like...

Anyhow, I've been looking at venues for a show I'm pieceing together, hopefully it'll be ready for the Melbourne Fringe Festival in September. I was in Melbourne a couple of days ago, and stumbled, completely by chance, across a cafe/venue called 1000 £ Bend. It's the perfect space for an intimate gig. There's a cafe at front of shop, with a large empty concrete space just behind it. There is also a small theatre upstairs, but the pictures were a bit dark... photos courtesy of Holli.

There is a similar space in Brisbane called the Lapart Wallspace, but the last time I was there was 2 years ago, and I haven't had a chance to check it out since. It doesn't have a cafe. 


So regarding the music, at first I wanted to put together an electro-minimalist/postrock outfit for the festival, but I'm thinking it might be cool to do a string quartet thing... hum. Setup would definitely be a lot easier, and we could always build on it. Anyway, proposals aren't due til May, so there's plenty of time to think about it. 


I think that's all for now.


dan.

Portraits

There was a time when I found it really difficult to take photos of people. To a certain extent it still is, but I think what my problem was, was that I had a preconceived notion about what I expected in the picture before it was taken, so when it wasn't what I wanted... I went back to taking pictures of buildings. haha.
Though people are so much more interesting. I think i need to do a course or something.

ok so next post is going to be about something else...

Seeing double

Today I played at a wedding where the Groom and the Best Man happened to be identical brothers.
There were a few moments this week where I would have given anything to have had a camera on me...
Like at Melbourne airport, watching two old men sitting at the same cafe, about 5 tables away from each other, wearing the same shirts, facing the same direction and drinking their coffee in unison... or the two identical lexuses changing lanes in front of each other with their indicators blinking in time with each other.. or walking past a school playground and watching a huge gust of wind blow all the kids hats off... hahaha... the descriptions do the scenes no justice at all. Maybe a picture really is worth a thousand words.

I still like words though. They're easier to produce most of the time.

So my search for the right SLR continues. I feel the need to upgrade, but am not sure about models. I've been looking at the Nikon D90, which for its price is everything I need it to be. Canon has a similar setup in the 500D for a few hundred bucks more... it also does everything for you, which is a drawback.

Alternatively, we have an old Minolta X-300 which has been sitting around the house for who knows how many years. 15 at least, I think. In its day, it was one of the better pro SLR's around, and it's easy to see why. I did a little research on it, and found professional photographers who have been using the X-300 (not exclusively, of course) for the past 20 years. I've fitted a new 72mm UV lens, and the manual focus feels really good to use. And pictures come out surprisingly (I mean, really surprisingly) clear. The only thing is that it uses film... I'm actually a bit inspired to learn about developing film and setting up a darkroom, etc... there's no space where I live now, but in the future maybe... that is, if film and paper don't become endangered. What's the word I'm looking for? Obsolete. that's it.

I'll put up some photos when I get them developed.

And if they're any good.

The Pursuit of Photography!

I never used to like the idea of taking photos, preferring instead to enjoy the moment in all its transient glory, and allowing it to pass naturally when it had to. I discovered some flaws in that philosophy though, the main one being that although there is a certain joy in observing something beautiful, there is a greater joy in sharing it. Some pictures, such as the Buoy at Nutgrove Beach (above) are simply nice to look at (at least i think so! haha...). Others, such as Evasive Manouvres (below) capture a unique moment in time.

In actual fact, I know nothing about photography. Other than the fact that it's much easier to show someone a picture than try to describe the moment...

I'm not sure how to go about putting these up - as in whether to go by theme, or to just stick them up when I feel like. Yeah lets go with that... Enjoy.
 

the pursuit of being.

We are forever in motion, constantly in pursuit of anything which gives us direction, purpose, significance, meaning, happiness, love, etc. We seek that which we feel will further our quest for the things that we think will fill the voids in our lives, whatever they may be. Our pursuits are often a means of finding reason to justify our existence, or the next step in our eternal endeavours to attain a state of deeply meaningful, inertly spiritual, autonomous... be-ing. And for this meaning, we search inside ourselves.

When I hear of people travelling the world in search of "themselves" I am reminded of the man who died having spent his life searching for gold, only for his family to have found a deposit in his backyard when they buried him there. In another sense it is reminiscent of observing oneself in a crowd. One does not change. One does, however, observe themselves from an outsiders point of view, allowing them a perspective of themselves for future reference. It is like a performer watching themselves on the screen, learning how to better portray their character, or a musician, to more unambiguously express their music.

If we replace the shallow, kontikified notions of travelling we have, with the idea that we are placing ourselves in different situations with which to gain greater perspective on ourselves and how we operate in situations we would not usually find ourselves in, the process of self discovery takes on a far more significant role in the equation, but by no means diminishing the escapist/expoloratory factor of it.

"The Persistent Pursuit of..." is a blog about... everything. My hope is that by observing and writing about everyday pursuits: music, photography, business, travel, art, etc., we can gain a clearer insight into our greater pursuits: God, love, happiness...

Share your thoughts! comment!

Best regards,

Dan.