August 2010:
Gaga's no Yo-yo but she gives Lang-Lang a run for his money
Christopher Guest, eat your heart out. If he thought an arena full of dog lovers (Best in Show), a washed up rock band (Spinal Tap), a small town theatre company (Waiting for Guffman), or a middle-aged folk singers’ reunion (Mighty Wind) were enough fodder for a film, imagine what he would make of an international flute convention! Yes, every year, more than 4,000 tooters come together to see who can play higher, faster, louder; whose concert gown boasts the most cleavage; whose dissertation about an obscure Macedonian composer has the most pages; or whose flute costs more than a Ferrari. In my head, I resist these gatherings like the plague, but in my heart, I have to admit what a great time I have, every five years, when I manage to drag myself to one. The only thing more surreal than hearing Britney Spears’ Toxic arranged for 73 flutes is doing so amidst Mickey and Minnie, one block from Cinderella’s Castle. This year, the National Flute Association hosted it’s annual bash in Anaheim’s Marriot Marquis (a definite perk of which was the US Men’s Volleyball team that we got to ogle by the pool each afternoon). Local legendary flutist, Jim Walker, whose playing has graced the film scores of three decades of blockbusters, from Indiana Jones, & Star Trek to Twilight,was certainly another highlight. His high-octane performances of Mike Mower's Deviations on Carnival of Venice and his own improvised Gershwin medley brought the audience to their feet..
This year, Liesa and I flew to LA together, since Forbidden Flutes was invited to perform. To avoid flute overload, our survival plan included daily suntanning, midday and evening cocktails, as well as at least one good meal off the premises every day. In addition to catching up with lots of old friends, we heard a host of inspiring performances and we managed to discover a few new works for two flutes that we can’t wait to program in the future: Yumi Uebayashi Au-delà du temps (Transcending Time) and Christopher Caliendo’s Despiadado. But the musical treat that we least anticipated came as the result of a surprise text message that Liesa received just after landing at LAX. Do you want to see Lady Gaga with Paris Hilton tonight at the Staples Center?
There is no stranger prelude to a Lady Gaga show than a piccolo concerto. But that’s exactly what we heard before hob-nobbing with Hollywood types to watch the latest pop sensation strut her stuff. Like her music or not, you’d have to be dead not to have the hair on your arms stand on end during this electrifying performance. I don’t think fans’ cheers have reached such decibels since the Beatles, and with good reason. The epic proportions of her artistic vision rival the operatic stage direction of Peter Sellars. And while Met fans rave that Nathan Gunn has the “guns” to match his glass-shattering vocal power, Lady Gaga’s incomparable bootie and ambitious dancing moves mixed with real pipes warrant the same attention. Sure, she’s been accused of being derivative of everyone from Grace Jones to Freddie Mercury But I think this androgynous everyhuman is her own unique amalgamation of dozens of influential artists who came before her and then some. I mean, no great creator has ever totally reinvented the wheel anyway. Star Wars composer, John Williams, certainly pays homage to everyone from Stravinsky to Richard Strauss, but his sound is still unmistakable in the hundreds of films that he’s scored since.
I also respect how Lady Gaga’s imagination and fancy infuse every aspect of her work. Not to mention the fact that she composes every note herself and she has the classically-trained piano chops to back it all up. She even claims that she never lip syncs a word, no matter how much she sweats. Meaning no disrespect, that is more than international cello sensation, Yo-Yo Ma, can say about his Obama Inauguration concert. (Frigid temperatures prevented him from bringing his Strad, so he mimed over a pre-recorded track on a student model that was apparently not sufficient for live performance.)
Bringing pop culture flare to his classical career,Lang-Lang, who now garners six-figure annual concert fees and luxury watch endorsements, is often critiqued as the Liberace of modern day pianists. But even serious maestros like Daniel Barenboim see past the hype to recognize his raw talent. On that note, I think that with her pack-a-punch combo of dancing, playing, and composing gifts, blended with that ineffable superstar presence, Lady Gaga gives pop some real class.
