Sunday, December 14, 2008

Colorado Symphony Orchestra at Denver

Yesterday afternoon, my husband and I went to a concert, Colorado Christmas, at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. It was a wonderful experience of sights and sounds. I cannot tell you what my favorite part was because the entire experience was such fun. I believe the evening show was broadcast on one of the local Denver channels.

It was beautiful and we enjoyed ourselves tremendously. We made a promise to make a point of going to the symphony on a more regular basis. It's so important to support the arts in all forms and that is one of our commitments for 2009.

One thing that hit home for me was when the conductor, Richard Kaufman, read a letter written by Tchaikovsky to his nephew I think. He wrote this letter after he had just spent a fortnight (his words) composing the Nutcracker Suite, which he had thought would only take him 5 days to compose! Can you imagine thinking he had planned to compose all that glorious music in just 5 days and was upset with himself that it took two weeks???? Coupled with his disappointment in the end result, Tchaikovsky was so pained by the compositions of Nutcracker, he felt they were not good at all, that he felt if he could do not better he would cease composing music! OMG! Even the greats are plagued with the demons of self-doubt.

I know any of us that study art find those, whose work we admire, are dissatisfied with what they've produced.....Ansel Adams, Georgia O'Keefe, Tchaikovsky...and the list goes on.

So that left both my husband and I with the thought that no matter what you think of your work, continue to work at making it better and don't ever stop!

Feeling rather festive on this snowy morning in Colorado....peace and happy holidays folks! Oh yes, and if you have a chance to go to the symphony, take advantage of that opportunity and enjoy. It's too good to miss.

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