2006 Mason County Fair, July 28, 29 & 30

For my second year playing this event, I had much more material than would fit into 6 total hours of stage time in 5 sets. So I made a point of not repeating any song, except for my own composition, "Onion Rings Incidental Music," which I wrote specifically for the Fair, and performed Saturday and Sunday.

I would include my songlists here, but it is just too long now. I played unaccompanied cello solos encompassing over 500 years of music, including classical,
jazz standards, pop covers and swing tunes from every decade, as well as half a dozen original compositions of my own. I have been doing a lot of arranging lately also. I had a great time, turnout was good, and I really do like that Concession Stage at the Fair.

I would like to thank Debby Baker, Fairgrounds Director, for hiring me to perform. Also, thank you to Mark for your outstanding work doing the sound. To everyone who came to hear me play, thank you for coming and also for giving me such positive feedback and encouragement; it is because of all the listeners, for all the music lovers in my life, that I play cello in the first place. Thank you all.

Open House at Alpine Way Sunday, May 7

I would like to thank Beth Johnston, manager and Ron Wilkes, activities director for hiring me to play cello solos for residents and their visiting families today during lunch at Alpine Way Retirement Apartments. I played from 11:37 to 1:05, what I call a "fat hour," in the Special Care Unit.
The large audience was very appreciative of the melodies I played, most of which I have selected and arranged for myself, as sheet music available for the cello is pretty limited.
Moonlight Bay, Percy Wenrich 1912
Someone To Watch Over Me, George & Ira Gershwin, 1926
Begin the Beguine, Cole Porter, 1935
Night and Day, Cole Porter, 1932
Only You (and you alone), Buck Ram and Ande Rand, 1954
When You're Smiling, Mark Fisher, Joe Goodwin & Larry Shay, 1928
The Girl from Ipanema, Antonio Carlos Jobim & Vincius de Moraes, 1963
Ain't Misbehavin', Thomas "Fats" Waller, Harry Brooks & Andy Razaf, 1929
It Don't Mean A Thing (if it ain't got that swing), Duke Ellington & Irving Mills, 1932
What the World Need Now is Love, Hal David & Burt Bacharach, 1965
Spanish Eyes, Bert Kaempfert, 1965
I Love Paris, Cole Porter, 1934
Take the "A" Train, Billy Strayhorn, 1941
Volare (Nel Blue, Dipinto Di Blu), Domenico Modugno, 1958
Just One of Those Things, Cole Porter, 1935
The Way We Were, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Marvin Hamlisch, 1973
By the Light of the SIlvery Moon, Ed Madden & Gus Edwards, 1909
Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera), Jay Livingston & Ray Evans, 1955
Don't Get Around Much Anymore, Bob Russell & Duke Ellington, 1942
Mairzy Doats (once sung by Bing Crosby), Milton Drake, Al Hoffman & Jerry Livingston, 1943
It Might As Well Be Spring, Hammerstein & Rodgers, 1945
Don't Be Cruel (to a heart that's true), Otis Blackwell & Elvis Presley, 1956
I've Got the World on a String, Harold Arlen, 1932
Blue Skies, Irving Berlin, 1927
Chattanooga Choo-Choo, Harry Warren, 1941
I've Got A Crush On You, George Gershwin, 1930
As Time Goes By, Herman Hupfeld, 1931
It Had To Be You, Gus Kahn & Isham Jones, 1924
A Taste of Honey, Ric Marlow & Bobby Scott
My Blue Heaven, George Whiting & Walter Donaldson
Puttin' On The Ritz, Irving Berlin, 1928
Georgia On My Mind, Hoagy Carmichael, 1930
What A Wonderful World, George David Weiss & Bob Thiele, 1967
Tennessee Waltz, Redd Stewart & Pee Wee King, 1948
Isn't It Romantic?, Lornz Hart & Richard Rodgers, 1932
I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire, the Ink Spots, 1941
Love Is Here To Stay, George & Ira Gershwin, 1938
Star Dust, Hoagy Carmichael, 1928
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral--That's An Irish Lullaby, J.R. Shannon, 1913
Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Girl?) Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young & Ray Henderson, 1925
Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair, Stephen Foster
Beautiful Dreamer, Stephen Foster
Fly Me To The Moon (in other words), Bart Howard, 1954
Unforgettable, Irving Gordon, 1951
Mona Lisa, Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
Stand By Me, Ben E. King, Mike Stoller & Jerry Leiber, 1961
Till there Was You, Meredith Willson, 1950
Blue Moon, Lorenz Hart & Richard Rogers, 1934
Moon River, Johnny Mercer & Henry Mancini, 1961

Pioneer Primary, May 3, 2006

On the invitation of Pat Peters, I agreed yesterday to fill in for entertainment that could not make it to Pioneer Primary today (see my entry from last year's Pioneer performance also). I played for about 25 minutes, then answered questions. What a great, polite, appreciative bunch of kids! Thank you all for having me out there.
I played the following songs:
Across the Universe (The Beatles, circa 1968)
In My Life (The Beatles)
Good Day Sunshine (The Beatles)
I Will (The Beatles)
Penny Lane (The Beatles)
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (The Beatles)
Do You Believe In Magic (John Sebastian, 1965)
You'll Be In My Heart (From Walt Disney's "Tarzan," 1999) (Phil Collins)
Colors Of The Wind (From Walt Disney's "Pocahontas," 1995) (Alan Menken)
Concerto in F (W.A. Mozart)
Suite No. 1 for Cello (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)

Here are a few typical answers I gave to the many questions asked today.
"Yes, the cello is like a big violin you sit down and play; it's in the same family."
"This is the third cello I have owned. It was handmade in the early 1920's in New York by Czech immigrants."
"I started playing cello when I was about your age, in fourth grade. I turned 40 this year, so I've been playing for 30 years."
"No, I've never cut my hand on the strings."
"Now, I can learn most pieces in a week or so. But it used to take longer. The better you can read music, the quicker you can learn songs, so study your music theory and work especially hard on your counting, no matter what instrument you play."

Thanks again.

Vickie & John Poulos wedding, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

Saturday, April 29th I played from about 2:40 to 5:30 or so at the beautiful St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Tacoma (though I did not play during the actual service itself, which began a bit after 4:00 and took about an hour). Other than movies and television, this was my first experience seeing a Greek Orthodox wedding, and it really was wonderful; seeped in meaningful traditions, including the wedding crowns. Every piece of art in this church, every word sung or spoken during a service has meaning. I sat near the Cantor, and played as people came in and were seated; and of course the processional and recessional, and as people departed.
I would like to thank Vickie (Stacey) and John Poulos for hiring me, and also Father John Kuehnle for his guidance. I would also like to thank Vickie and John for their beautiful card, which reads, "Thank you for all your effort. You've been so open and co-operative... you've made our wedding day special." To match the mood and traditional setting, my program of unaccompanied cello solos included the following pieces for this wedding:
Sarabanda by Jean Marie Leclair (1697-1764) is a slow, syncopated baroque-sounding melody with triplets and trills that is simple, yet sophisticated.
Air by Henry Purcell (1659-1695) has these same qualities, but is a bit more up-tempo and has a certain distant familiarity.
Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) composed his Andante cantabile with a great deal of expressive movement and interest; the version I play is pretty short, and I am on the lookout for more of his work.
The Sarabanda by Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770) shares many qualities with the Sarabanda by Leclair; expressive, meaningful and haunting.
The Rondeau by Giovanni Battista Buononcini (1670-1747) is bright and fun, with a quick, catchy staccato theme; a toe-tapping quick-waltz with wonderful articulation.
Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) wrote his Gavotte und Musette with a wonderful change of keys (and moods) in the middle section, recapitulating to the bright original theme to finish.
I wrote a cello solo arrangement for myself from the violin part of Luigi Boccherini's (1743-1805) Minuet from String Quartet, a well-known melody often featured in television and movies when string quartets are depicted, and one I remember fondly from my Mt. Hood Pops quartet days.
La Villageoise by Jean Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) is another good fit for a formal setting, with lots of energy and expressive dynamics including stacattos, trills and ending with triple-and double-stops; this piece has a familiar folk song mood to it.
Zwei Tanze (Two Dances) by Johann Adolph Hasse (1699-1783) features a Bourree in D, with a Menuetto in F, with a da capo to the Bourree; this is a nice song that fits in with the mood of the songs listed above.
Air by Georg Friedrich Handel (1685-1759) sounds like it was written to be heard in a place of worship. Perhaps it was.
Suite No. 1 for CELLO by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) has six movements: Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Menuet I & II, and Gigue. In my opinion, this is some of the greatest music ever written for the cello; Bach was such a genius at composition that his work shines as brightly now as it did when it was first heard centuries ago. Physically, to play this I absolutely have to take off my tux jacket.
Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel is a well-known song, made even more famous by the GE Soft Light TV commercials a few years ago. It is traditional for weddings and other formal events, and works great as a cello solo.
Another wedding standard, J. Clarke's Trumpet Voluntary, does not by any means need to be performed on a trumpet. It is a very uplifting piece of music.
Processional: Richard Wagner's Bridal Chorus from "Lohengrin" is heard at virtually every wedding; in our heads, most of us are silently singing, "Here comes the bride." Interestingly, driving up on the day of Vickie and John's wedding, I heard a live orchestral version of this piece on the radio!
Recessional: F. Mendelssohn's Wedding March. The cello solo arrangement I play uses a lot of double-stops and shows off the wonderful, full range and richness of the instrument. With its swooping lines and sustained vibrato notes, this piece truly is great, both as a song and as an auditory signal of the official joining together of two lives. Every time I play it at a wedding it lifts my heart and brings tears of happiness to my eyes.
As people exit, I play J.S. Bach's Minuet in C, because even though it's a simple song, it sounds great. I find it to be kind of a restful interlude between other pieces. A lot of the time, I follow it up with his Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and then another Bach classic, the Musette. Often, I follow that with some lesser-known Bach, the March in G, Sarabande, Arioso, and March in D, Minuet No. 2, the Bourree I and II (from Bach's Third Cello Suite), and Zwei Menuette (Two Minuets).
To break up that big block of Bach, I play some selections from G.F. Handel's Water Music: Air, Bouree, Hornpipe and Finale. This is some really great music and is popular at weddings.

...And yes, the next time I play at a reception, I'll be sure to include Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini's Moon River (from "Breakfast at Tiffany's") and Come Away With Me (2002) by Norah Jones.

Thank you again for choosing me to play.
--Dave

Easter at Robin Hood Restaurant, Union WA

I was very happy to be hired to play for the Robin Hood Restaurant and Pub's Easter Brunch again this year, from 11 am to 2 pm. Thank you, Kerry, for being so supportive, and for the perfect veggie omelet. I would also like to thank everyone who gave me compliments on my performance.

For the program, I mixed it up between classical and contemporary, alternating between styles about every ten to twenty minutes. I played a lot of Bach this year, and my beloved Romberg sonata for cello that is so expressive. I had a bit of fun with the contemporary songs, and I included a lot of my own Beatles arrangements. Most of them are pretty short, so I can fit a lot of them into a program. A few of the songs I played were the first of Bach's Six Suites (all six movements), "The Girl from Ipanema" (Jobim), "Ain't Misbehavin'" (Thomas "Fats" Waller), "It Don't Mean A Thing," (Duke Ellington), "What The World Needs Now Is Love" (B. Bacharach & Hal David), "If I Fell," "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," (Beatles), "La Villageoise" (Rameau), Zwei Menuette" (Bach), "Sarabanda" (Leclair), "O Belle Nuit" (Offenbach), "Penny Lane," "I Will," "In My Life," (Beatles), "Spanish Eyes" (Bert Kaempfert), "I Love Paris" (Cole Porter), "Volare" (Domenico Modugno), "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You," "Fields Of Gold" (Sting), "Que Sera, Sera" (Livingston & Evans), "Always On My Mind" (Thompson, James & Christopher), "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" (Russell & Ellington), "Don't Be Cruel (To A Heart That's True)" (Blackwell & Presley) "Blue" (Bill Mack) "A Taste Of Honey" (Marlow & Scott) "Time In A Bottle" (Jim Croce), "Puttin' On The Ritz" (Irving Berlin), "Save The Best For Last" (Galdston, Lind & Waldman), "Andante" (Tschaikowsky), "Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes" (Old English Ballad), "Air" (Henry Purcell), "Sarabanda" (Giuseppe Tartini), "Rondeau" (Giovanni Battista Buononcini), "Gavotte und Musette (Jean Baptiste Lully), "Angel" (Darling Violetta), "Don't Know Why" (Jesse Harris), "What A Wonderful World" (Weiss and Thiele), "Wonderful Tonight" (Eric Clapton), "Tennessee Waltz" (Redd Stewart & Pee Wee King), "Blue Suede Shoes" (Carl Lee Perkins), "You're The Inspiration" (Cetera & Foster), "Just The Way You Are" (Billy Joel), "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire" (the Ink Spots), "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree" (Levine & Brown), "Love Is Here to Stay" (George & Ira Gershwin), "Star Dust" (Hoagy Carmichael), "Spinning Wheel" (D. Clayton-Thomas), "Beautiful Dreamer" (Stephen Foster) and "Moon River" (Johnny Mercer & Henry Mancini). And some other stuff.

I went through less than half of my prepared music over three hours, and took one short break to eat at about 12:30. Playing cello is hard work physically, and I tend to work up an appetite. I also tend to forget to take breaks.

I am currently working up my arrangement of "Come Away With Me" (Norah Jones, 2002)

See my entry from last year also.

Lincoln Day Dinner at the Pavilion March 25, 2006

I would like to thank Steve Vandenover and the Mason County Republicans for hiring me to play cello solos during this VIP event at the Pavilion in Shelton which I would estimate was attended by 200 to 300 people or more. Among those attending were many of our past, present and future elected officials such as Tim Sheldon, Dino Rossi, Peggy and Wes Johnson, Jayni Kamin and many others. I feel truly honored to have been the person chosen to provide live entertainment for this illustrious $35/plate fundraising dinner and auction.

What an appreciative and polite audience this group was. The positive feedback I am still receiving is just terrific. "Thanks so much, loved your music." wrote one. A representative from Republican Radio addressed the group, mentioning that it was something really special have music like this, and that everyone was really pleased; a big round of applause followed. Another said, "You added just the touch of class we wanted for this event."

In addition to many of the songs listed in previous entries, selected almost entirely from United States composers, I performed my own arrangements of half a dozen or more patriotic pieces, including "The Star-Spangled Banner," "American Patrol," "Over There," and "America the Beautiful." I played from 5 pm to just after 7:30 pm. The only glitch I really had was that my stand light batteries burned out, so it was a bit harder for me to read my music, but it wasn't a major issue for me.

Thank you again, I'm glad you enjoyed my playing.

David V. Pierik
email: cellodad@juno.com

Recent & Coming Performances

New Year's Eve, I played at Taylor Station, just south of where I live in Shelton. Those who were there enjoyed Beatles tunes, a few country songs and other requests, and of course Auld Lang Syne. Thank you again Pat (see earlier entries).

I have been asked by the Mason County Republicans to play for the Lincoln Day dinner, Saturday, February 25th starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Pavilion at Sentry Park in Shelton (See their site for details, I think it's something like www.masoncountyrepublicans.com); dinner is included at $35/plate. Along with favorites from my regular program, such as "Fly Me To The Moon," I have transcribed and added a number of patriotic arrangements for cello solo.

I will also be playing at Alpine Way at lunchtime on Sunday, May 7 starting at 11:45 in the lobby.

Recently, I have been busy composing a number of cello solos, cello-violin duets and quartets, and my goal is to use performance money earned this year to set up and produce a compact disc of my original works, some of which have already premiered at the Mason County Fair and the Hoodsport Friends of the Library. I am considering inviting patrons of the arts to name some of these works in return for sponsoring them. If all goes well, my cd will be available for purchase by the 2006 holiday season.

Email me at cellodad@juno.com for questions.

Journal Christmas Party, Burgermaster, Shelton, Thursday December 22

I was early for this one to get set up and warmed up, because it started at 7:00 a.m. I have worked for the Shelton-Mason County Journal for over 12 years now, and I truly am grateful that Henry hired me all those years ago, God rest his soul. I'm sure most companies have parties and traditions similar to ours, but the Journal is a family business, and they treat us like family. So I played a few songs as people came in to the banquet room at Burgermaster, then put my cello on its stand and enjoyed Christmas breakfast with my co-workers, and played a few more songs as they left after exchanging gifts and having a good time together.

Later, by request, I played a few songs in the lobby of the Journal as people came in to buy the issue with the Children's Christmas drawings. Why? Just because I wanted to. Thank you Charlie, Julie, Stephen, Fern, Harvey, Diane, Roger, Sean, Rebecca, Mary, Steve, Jeff, Koleen, Colleen, Donna, Kathy, Nick, Kelly, Clint, Margot, Jan, and everyone else at the paper--just for being who you are, and doing what you do.

'07 Update: This year was the same as the past couple of years, except I Will Adams from the Journal's composing department joined me on guitar. As a retired professional performer and guitar teacher, Will is really fun to work with. The Journal has just happened to be the place of employment for a number of musicians over the years, including Stephen (keys, vocals), Roger (drums, vox., gtr., deceased), Harvey (saxophone), Jan (violin), and Charlie (record players...) Happy Holidays everybody!

Cameo Boutique, Union WA, Sunday December 18

I would like to thank Pam for hiring me to play at her wonderful shop, Cameo Boutique, for a couple of hours last Sunday. The small stage there is perfect for an acoustic soloist, and the surroundings are beautiful. Her open house and sale, including my performance, were well-promoted, and her shop was quite busy during the early hours of the afternoon, just before I arrived. Though people continued to stop in between 4:00 and 6:00 as I played, the traffic had slowed considerably for several reasons including an "ice storm" in the weather forcast and other events nearby including a large private party across the street from Noon-9:00, and an event at Hunter Farms down the street, starting at 5:30 pm. Even so, I had a chance to spend some time with Cameo's employees, and we enjoyed each other's company and some wonderful gourmet offerings, including pretzels with several mustard dipping sauces (I liked the dill best). She also had homemade divinity and brownies, with hot spiced cider to wash it all down. We decided that if we do this again (which I hope we do), it should start earlier, maybe from 1:00 to 3:00.

Thank you again, Pam, Stella and everyone. I really did have a good time and I hope you did too.

Wedding of JoAnna McComb & Jonathan Williams, Sat. Dec. 17, Shelton Baptist Church

I played selections from my Christmas program, with an emphasis on sacred music and carols, as people were ushered in to the wedding. A sound guy put a microphone on me, so the wedding guests could hear me everywhere. If I do say so myself, I played quite well on this day. Every condition seemed perfect, relaxed, and well-prepared. Though I did not have time to stay for the wedding itself, I would like to thank Bill, Leslie and JoAnna McComb, and all who came by to compliment my playing.

Friends of the Hoodsport Library, December 13

I would like to thank the Hoodsport Friends of the Timberland Library, and especially Joan Lines, for having me play my Christmas cello program for their group. Using the flexibility of hours I enjoy with my day job as an ad guy at the Shelton-Mason County Journal, an hour on a Tuesday afternoon proved to be workable, though I didn't allow enough travel time to the Hoodsport Library, and nearly made myself late, but made it just in time.

I played several songs from my Christmas program, and with some encouragement I played one of the Nutcracker pieces I had recently added. It is a challenging number, and though I didn't play it perfectly, the group really seemed to enjoy this, and a couple of other works in progress I played. I felt comfortable playing for the Friends, and answered a number of questions about myself, my cello, and my compositions. At the request of the group, I premiered my newest piece, "Forgotten Heart," which was well-received. When the program ended, I felt great, and wished I could have stayed longer.

As everyone filed out after the program, we talked more as I put my cello away, and took some pictures. I loaded up a plate of cookies and headed back to Shelton with plenty of afternoon to go, and a happy feeling in my gut that I don't think had anything to do with the cookies--just the kindness of this wonderful group. Thank you everyone.

Alpine Way Open House, Sun. Dec. 11

I played at the SCU for about 75 residents, staff and families while they enjoyed lunch. The group were an outstanding, appreciative audience. After I finished up my performance at about 12:50 or so, I went through the buffet for the salmon lunch, which was outstanding (Alpine Way has a gourmet chef and terrific kitchen staff). The nice folks I spoke with at the table in the back part of the room, whom I was not able to even see while I played, told me they had been able to hear me quite clearly, and really enjoyed the music. Having considered and rejected the idea of bringing my amplifier, I was glad to hear that one "unplugged" cello playing Christmas music could be heard so well, even that far back from where I had sat. Thank you everyone.

Old Town Hobby First Friday '05

Last night, I performed my Christmas program at Old Town Hobby. Mostly, I stuck with the program listed in the previous entry, though I have made arrangements for myself for Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride," versions of "The Little Drummer Boy," and "Feliz Navidad," "Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy," and I also worked up "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" completely by ear Thursday night, and put it to paper for Friday. By request, I also played Cole Porter's "Too Darn Hot" and an old favorite march, "The American Patrol." Thank you Richard, Judy and Alexander for having me come and play.

Penny and I will be buying all of our holiday gifts from Old Town Hobby this year. For anybody reading this, I highly recommend Old Town Hobby, it's a wonderful shop in downtown Shelton and has a bit of something for everyone on our list. Richard can do special orders, and thoughtfully stocks his shop with unique items you just won't find at the big box stores. He has lots of puzzles, games, model kits, Corgi collectible diecast, D&D books, lots of art supplies, Woodland Scenics miniatures terrain, dice, rockets and even the newest Magic: The Gathering cards. And did I mention the personal service is the best you will find anywhere? It is.

This morning, my daughter (she's 4) was watching Arthur on PBS, and who--but my hero of cello heros--should appear, but the one and only Yo Yo Ma! It was his voice, and certainly his cello playing that I heard, and the credits showed that yes, Yo Yo Ma played himself, and guest starred with a famous saxophonist (sorry, I forgot the sax player's name). The cartoon version of Yo Yo Ma showed him with the ears of a rabbit, which I think is appropriate because he certainly must listen well. He had glasses, and the cartoon face actually looked a fair amount like him. In the story, there was a disagreement about whether classical or jazz music was superior. As he has done before, Yo Yo Ma demonstrated the point that different styles of music are like different kinds of foods: a variety is best. And any type of music can be played on any instrument. I could not agree more, that's exactly what I do! Yo Yo Ma, you are my hero!
I looked back at my daughter and smiled. She slept through the whole thing.

Christmas Program

Christmas Program
This year, I have worked up my own set of arrangements for a new set of holiday music for my cello solo performances, and I am drawing on a number of influences. When I was growing up, I sang in a church choir almost every Sunday. Also, during the holidays we watched a lot of great old movies with Bing Crosby and Gene Autry. I have had the good fortune to see Mr. Mel Torme in concert. And I have played cello and bass in symphonies, pops orchestras, quartets and rock and roll bands as well as my solo work. Although some of these songs may eventually come out so that other songs or requests can be included, here is the current list:

March from the Nutcracker Suite     Peter Ilich Tschaikowsky
Happy Holiday               Irving Berlin 1941
O Come, Little Children          Danish Carol
Greensleeves (What Child Is This)     English, before 1642
Frosty the Snow Man               Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins, 1950
We Three Kings of Orient Are     John H. Hopkins; traditional
Up On the House-Top               Traditional
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas          Traditional
O Little Town Of Bethlehem          Lewis Henry Redner, 1831-1908
Bring a Torch Jeannette, Isabella     French Carol, 17th Century
The First Nowell               Traditional English Carol
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear     Richard Storrs Willis, 1819-1900
Angels We Have Heard On High     French Carol
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town     J. Fred Coots, 1934
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!     Jule Styne 1945
I Saw Three Ships               Traditional
Jingle-Bell Rock               Joe Beal & Jim Boothe, 1957
Angels from the Realms of Glory     Henry Smart, 1813-79
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing     Felix Mendelsson-Bartholdy 1809-47
Silver Bells                    Livingston & Evans
Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)     Cantus Diversi, 1751
I’ll Be Home for Christmas          Kim Gannon, Walter Kent & Buck Ram, 1943
(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays     Al Stillman & Robert Allen
Here Comes Santa Claus           Gene Autry & Oakley Haldeman, 1947
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas     Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane, 1944
The Chipmunk Song (Christmas, Don’t Be Late)     Ross Bagdasarian 1958
Blue Christmas               Billy Hayes & Jay Johnson, 1948
Hava Nagila                    Moshe Nathanson & Abraham Z. Idelsohn
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) Mel Torme & Robert Wells, 1946
White Christmas               Irving Berlin, 1940
O Holy Night                    Adolphe Adam
O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)     Traditional
Deck the Halls                    Welsh Traditional
Away In a Manger               19th Cent. American
Do You Hear What I Hear?          Noel Regney & Gloria Shayne
Joy to the World               George Friedrich Handel
Silent Night                    Franz Xaver Gruber
Jingle Bells                    Pierpont
We Wish You a Merry Christmas     Traditional
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus     Tommie Connor, 1952
There Is No Christmas Like A Home Christmas     C. Sigman & M. J. Addy, 1950
Here We Come A-Wassailing          Old English
Good King Wenceslas               Traditional
The Coventry Carol               Traditional
God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen     Traditional
The Twelve Days of Christmas     Traditional
Winter Wonderland               Felix Bernard & Dick Smith
O Come, O Come Emmanuel          Thomas Helmore
Waltz of the Flowers               Peter Ilich Tschaikowsky
Christmas in Killarney          J. Redmond, J. Cavanaugh & F. Weldon, 1950
All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth     Don Gardner, 1946
Mister Santa (Version of Mr. Sandman)     Pat Ballard, 1954


I have recently added Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy, Sleigh Ride, The Little Drummer Boy, Feliz Navadad, and Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer to this program. I am in the process of locating "It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" so I can make a cello solo arrangement of that for myself also. I am constantly on the lookout for more music to work up, both for the holidays, and for the rest of the year.
Estimated live play time: approx. 2 hours total (est).









     

Renee & Jason Wedding at Timberlakes

I played unaccompanied acoustic cello solos for a small wedding earlier today, out past Agate off Highway 3 just a bit north of Shelton. Penny got some good directions off of the internet and I didn't have much trouble finding it. The setting at Timberlakes was really beautiful: an outdoor gazebo on a small island surrounded by a small lake complete with water lilies and reflected trees. Thank you Jon!
It rained on and off all day, so my program was a bit shorter than it would normally be so people could dodge the weather, but it didn't rain a drop during the ceremony, which was absolutely beautiful. Another thing that I thought was cool were the matching Hawaiian shirts and dress slacks the groom and groomsmen wore. The bridesmaids looked great, and the bride looked absolutely breathtaking in her dress.
As the wedding party were taking their seats, I played:
Don't Be Cruel (To A Heart That's True) (excerpt) Otis Blackwell & Elvis Presley, 1956
Underneath It All (David A Stewart & Gwen Stefani 2001)
When I'm Sixty-Four (Beatles)
Take My Breath Away (Love Theme from "Top Gun,") (Giorgio Moroder & Tom Whitlock 1986)
---I had to cut one or more of the following for time, but they were in the original program: Till There Was You (Meredith Willson 1950), And I Love Her (Beatles), Unforgettable (Irving Gordon 1951), Fly Me To The Moon (Bart Howard 1954), I Will Remember You (Sarah McLachlan, Seamus Egan & Dave Merenda 1995), I'll Have to Say I Love You In A Song (Jim Croce 1973), I Will (Beatles 1968), Landslide (Stevie Nicks 1975)---
When everyone appeared to be present and seated, I played classical selections from G.F. Handel's Water Music, and was ready with plenty of Bach Cello Suites and other classical music, depending on how things were going; many times, a critical member of a wedding party gets delayed in one way or another. Things went very smoothly today. Everyone was in their places and bridesmaids were well on their way; I saw the bride in the distance and began the Bridal Chorus. With the long distance from across the bridge, it actually took two stanzas of the Wagner, which I thought was great because indoors, I play about a measure of it before the bride is standing up front and everybody's patiently waiting for that song to end. Playing weddings, I've seen quite a few brides and I have to tell you, Renee looked like a celebrity or a model, and her dress seemed to be perfect as she came up the eisle and stood up front. The young pastor included Jason's new son in the service, joining the whole family together at once in God's love. It was truly beautiful.
Anyway, after the ceremony, which was shorter yet sweeter and more complete than most, I played Mendelssohn's Wedding March, then J. Clarke's Trumpet Voluntary. By the time I finished the Trumpet Voluntary, the last of the group was already across the arc of the white-railed bridge, almost out of view, so I cut I Married An Angel (Richard Rogers & Lorenz Hart, 1938).
It was really a great service, and I enjoyed playing. Thank you Renee & Jason, Jon and everyone!
--Dave
cellodad@juno.com

Union Bay Cafe, September 4

Since Candy Noll bought the Union Bay Cafe from Kathy Brown, a lot of improvements have been made. I would like to thank her, as well as Jesse and Sara for having me out there. You won't find a better deal on better fish and chips anywhere on the canal that I know of. Next time you get a chance, give this place a try. Jesse is an accomplished musician himself, working on his second CD, and he arranges the entertainment (though Candy has the final say).
Today I played a special Sunday lunch performance that was originally going to be outside, but everyone was inside when I started, and thunderstorms had been in the weather report so I set up on the stage and Jesse did the sound. My program of unaccompanied cello solos included the following songs:
I've Got You Under My Skin (Cole Porter 1936)
Can You Feel The Love Tonight (From The Lion King) (Elton John 1994)
Unwell (Rob Thomas 2002)
Underneath It All (David A. Stewart and Gwen Stefani of No Doubt, 2001)
When I'm Sixty-Four (The Beatles)
Take My Breath Away (Love theme from "Top Gun") (Giorgio Moroder, Tom Whitlock 1986)
Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay (Steve Cropper & Otis Redding 1968)
The Lady In Red (Chris DeBurgh 1986)
Fly Me to The Moon (In Other Words) (Bart Howard 1954)
I Will Remember You (Sarah McLachlan, Seamus Egan & Dave Merenda 1995)
Lullaby (Shawn Mullins 1998)
From A Distance (Julie Gold 1986)
Forrest Gump - Main Title (Feather Theme) (Alan Silvestri 1994)
Fields Of Gold (Sting 1993)
Colors of the Wind (from Walt Disney's Pocohontas) (Alan Menken 1995)
Penny Lane (the Beatles) (John Lennon & Paul McCartney 1967)
Landslide (Stevie Nicks 1975)
The Game Of Love (Rick Nowels & Gregg Alexander 2002)
Love Is Here To Stay (George & Ira Gershwin 1938)
Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree (Irwin Levine & L. Russell Brown 1972)
I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire (Ink Spots: Benjamin, Seiler, Marcus, Durham 1941)
Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel 1978)
You're The Inspiration (Peter Cetera & David Foster 1984)
A Day In The Life (John Lennon & Paul McCartney 1967)
Till There Was You (From "The Music Man") (Meredith Willson 1950)
What A Wonderful World (george David Weiss & Bob Thiele 1967)
Don't Know Why (Jesse Harris 2002)
You'll Be In My Heart (From Walt Disney's Tarzan) (Phil Collins 1999)
Across the Universe (John Lennon & Paul McCartney 1968)
Spanish Eyes (Bert Kaempfert 1965)
In My Life (John Lennon & Paul McCartney 1966)
Time In A Bottle (Jim Croce 1971)
Always On My Mind (Wayne Thompson, Mark James & Johnny Christopher 1971)
Too Darn Hot (Cole Porter 1949)
Star Dust (Hoagy Carmichael & Mitchell Parish 1928)
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (John Lennon & Paul McCartney 1968)
The Look Of Love (Burt Bacharach & Hal David 1967)
If I Fell (John Lennon & Paul McCartney 1964)
I Love Paris (Cole Porter)
Georgia On My Mind (Hoagy Carmichael & Stuart Gorrell 1930)
It Might As Well Be Spring (From State Fair) (Richard Rogers & Oscar Hammerstein II 1945)
Take The 'A' Train (Billy Strayhorn 1941)
All My Loving (John Lennon & Paul McCartney 1963)
Save The Best For Last (Phil Galdston, Jon Lind & Wendy Waldman 1989)
Puttin' On The Ritz (Irving Berlin 1928)
I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song (Jim Croce 1973)

Though it was a short performance, I didn't take any breaks so I got a lot of songs in. Also, remember that most Beatles songs are only a couple minutes long. The audience was not huge, but the cafe was pretty full at the peak of the lunch hour. They were appreciative (applause is a dead giveaway of that) and unusually quiet for a restaurant and lounge at lunchtime -- I think a lot of people were really listening to me play.

Lately I've been noticing people out of the corner of my eye tapping their feet as I play, or hearing people gently singing with some of the familiar melodies; I can feel the very moments when I have an audience in the palm of my hand. I can't really explain it, because I have been playing for a long time, but I really live for those little moments. At times in the past, they made me nervous because I would over-think what I was playing or lose my place in the music, but that happens only rarely now. Today had a lot of great little moments, and I feel like I kept my cool through nearly all of them. I've probably mentioned it before, but playing at restaurants is great for me, because I feel like I am adding something special to people's experience. Here they are, actually getting out of the house and meeting other people, and I get to be part of their reward for doing that.

Loners On Wheels September 1

I had a great time playing for this RV group at the Mason County Fairgrounds. Though gas prices were a concern, I played to a full house. I would like to thank Audrey for hiring me to play to this highly appreciative audience. The large indoor stage was the exact same one I performed on at the Mason County Fair, so I was very comfortable, and everyone was very friendly and enjoyed my unaccompanied cello solos greatly. My program included the following songs:
Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton 1977)
Get Happy ( Ted Koehler, Harold Arlen 1929)
Scarborough Fair/Canticle (Paul Simon 1966)
Ain't Misbehavin' (Thomas "Fats" Waller & Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf 1929)
A Hazy Shade of Winter (Paul Simon 1966)
It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills 1932)
Bridge Over Troubled Water (Paul Simon 1969)
Unforgettable (Irving Gordon 1951)
Dance In F (David Vincent Pierik 2005)
Volare (Nel blue, Dipinto Di Blu) (Domenico Modugnno 1958)
Human (James Harris III & Terry Lewis 1986)
Just One Of Those Things (From "Jubilee") (Cole Porter 1935)
Stand By Me (Ben E. King, Mike Stoller & Jerry Leiber 1961)
The Way We Were (Alan & Marily Bergman, Marvin Hamlisch 1973)
Saving All My Love for You (Gerry Goffin & Michael Masser 1978)
Spinning Wheel (David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears, 1967)
By The Light of the Silvery Moon (Ed Madden & Gus Edwards, 1909)
Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera) (Jay Livingston & Ray Evans 1955)
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral--That's An Irish Lullaby (J.R. Shannon 1913)
Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Girl) (Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young 1925)
True Colors (Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelly 1986)
Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Bob Russell & Duke Ellington, 1942)
Allenabde (2nd movement from the 1st of 6 Suites for Cello) (Bach)
Minuet No. 2 (Bach)
Sonata in G (David Vincent Pierik 2005)

Having such a receptive audience made this performance especially enjoyable for me, and I really look forward to more like this one.

Recent Cello-related Purchases

I have been re-investing in my cello recently with a couple of accessories. First, my wife helped me find a truly professional music stand, which I love. It's the type I've seen used on MTV; black with a pattern of circular holes. It's really solid and stable, but it does fold up. It has a thick edge, so it can hold my heavy binder of music without swaying at all. Also, I picked up a solid metal folding cello stand, so that I can keep my cello out for easier access both at performances and for practicing. I picked it up from www.nashvilleviolins.com a neat shop run by Dave Wascher, an old college friend of mine. Also, I have been buying up a lot of new music and making even more arrangements. We bought my daughter a 1/4 sized cello which is due to arrive soon, and also a 1/2 sized one (and a soft case) to a student of mine until she outgrows it (at which time it should fit my daughter).
Along with my recently purchased Jargar strings (see earlier entry) I have also picked up new polish, a polishing cloth, and a soundpost setter. I have never been afraid to spend money on my instrument. Even though playing music has been an element of my life since I was four years old, and cello since I was 10, I have never taken anything for granted. Even though my parents spent a lot of money (no, they weren't rich) for me to have my own cello and private teachers, I also spent my own money. My first cello was a Kay, my second a Roth, and my current cello is a Stradivarius copy. I sold the Roth for $1,050 when I started college in 1984 order to buy something that could carry me into adulthood. With the help of Larry Zgonc, I found an old broken cello in the classified ads of The Oregonian for $300. The neck and body were completely separated, and it had deep cracks in the face. I took a gamble, and had it repaired and rebuilt at the David Kerr violin shop. It took them a long time, and cost me $700 (including an old hard case). But I was $50 ahead, and I could tell right away that I was much happier with the sound. Appraisers have told me that my cello was probably built in New York City in the 1920s by Czech immigrant luthiers (instrument makers). I also bought the best bow I could afford about this time, with $450 I had earned at my paper route and working in the pressroom at the Gresham Outlook. Why so much on the bow? Because cheap bows warp easily and perform poorly compared to an artisan, hardwood bow such as mine, which is German-made and is as straight and trustworthy today as it was the day I bought it.

Mason County Fair

I played a total of six performances at the Mason County Fair, July 29, 30 and 31 on the Olympic (concession) indoor stage. I stuck with contemporary music mostly, only playing a couple of classical pieces and a couple of my own compositions; most of my arrangements were of pieces written between 1920 and 2003. Each of my sets was about an hour, with two each day Friday (I used a vacation day from my day job), Saturday and Sunday. The fair was fun, and I enjoyed the ambience, food and other acts such as the Elvis impersonator, JP Patches the clown, the Smilin' Scandinavians, Null, Strangers With Candy and others. The attendance was not huge, but it was okay, so my audience varied in size but I don't think I played for more than 75 people at any given point in time. It was so hot I wore short sleeved dress shirts instead of my tuxedo shirt, and I didn't wear a tie. The sound guy did a great job, so I was able to clearly announce my songs, and everyone could hear me. At one point as I played, one of their amps blew out, and they had it replaced with backup equipment in about 15 minutes. I also like to thank Gretchen for having me play; I really had a good time, and people tell me they enjoyed hearing me perform.

Four Nights at the Alderbrook Resort & Spa

On Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, July 12, 13, 15 and 16, I played at the Alderbrook Resort and Spa again (see entry below). Once again, I was well received, both with the P.A. the first three nights and acoustic/unplugged on Saturday. My cello projects sound well, and the lounge there has bright acoustics. Each of the nights was busier than the night before. As always, the food was outstanding, as was the view and the service. The salmon dishes have always been my favorites, but I had the Ahi tuna dinner on two of the nights, it was so good. I even brought a dessert home each night--my favorite was the chocolate/peanut butter one. My music selection and style fit right in to the setting, and I was happy to add another positive to the already beautiful experience for everyone. The effect of playing multiple nights in the same place was wonderful, because I became very comfortable with the surroundings. Again, thank you to Sam and everyone at the Alderbrook for having me out there, I look forward to next time.
Speaking of "next time," I will be performing at the Mason County Fair & NPRA Rodeo in the Olympic Hall on the concession stage all three nights, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 29, 30 and 31.