Oil Change, Percussion and American Idol

The Saturn is due for an oil change so John went to a Buick dealer in Erie to get that done. I did some laundry and blogging. In the afternoon I went to the Music Festival’s Percussion Recital in Lenna Hall. Chautauqua is a lot of things. One is the Youth Symphony Orchestra. Young people from around the world apply to come here and study and perform. In addition to their performances together as an orchestra, individual groups give recitals – more than you could ever attend. Carol talked me into going to the percussion one last year and I was amazed at the sounds and things they used to make sounds. There was a baker’s rack hung with bells, flower pots, copper-bottomed cooking pots and pans that was used for part of the performance.

This year it looks like pretty conventional drums of all sizes, marimbas and xylaphones. (I didn’t notice the computer with the attached sound box that was used to great effect in an original piece called “Bellinger Heat” referring to the basement of Bellinger Hall with no air conditioning where they practiced for this performance. Last year it was three young men and one young woman. This year it was all male. Wonderful noise.

John came home raving about the Philly cheese steak sandwich he had at the Red Line drive-in in Mayville. He wants to go again.

Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard were the featured performers in the amp tonight and we went. Like all the Friday night performances here, the decibel level got to us and we left before the end. Music was great. They did songs from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. John couldn’t believe it had been 7 years since they were on “American Idol.” Seems like yesterday. That was the year we watched the last 3 or 4 shows because of all the buzz. We thought Clay should have won.