In Denver right now with Evert and Dick

In Denver right now with Evert and Dick.
On holidays. We are travaling form Denver to LA through Sedona, Las Vegas, San Francisco and whatever we finf on our way.
Yesterday we couldn't rent a car because of some bureaucratic stuff...
wheather in Denver is good, humid but not too hot yet. Let's see how it is in Arizona.

Ties Mellema was appointed professor of saxophone at both the Artez and Fontys conservatories.

I came back from Russia with the quartet last week

I came back from Russia with the quartet last week. We had a good time although it was very hot. Almost impossible to study due to do the heat. But we made it back. In the mean time we went to Ikea and bought some new closets and a desk. Today we will install all the new stuff. We are going to switch the computerroom and the bedroom. That'll be soem work.
Sunday I'll leave for the States with Dick and Evert. 26 days in a jeep that drives 1:8! Denver, Arizona, California... Hot!

The Amstel Quartet came back from a succesful series of concerts in Russia. The ensemble made their debut as soloists in Tristan Keuris' Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra with the Philharmonia Orchestra in Nizhny Novgorod.

Friday night

Friday night. Two posts on one day. Holland won its second game. Boring game though.
Say Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy tonight. Movie's ok, wouldn't recommend it though. Book's great. I 'read' the audioversion as read by Stephen Fry.

Friday 1030, just came back from running and took a shower

Friday 1030, just came back from running and took a shower. About to go study after doing some shopping. At 1300 I have a lunch meeting with someone who might make a new concert costume for me. After that rehearsal with Wijnand and then the Netherlands play again at 1800. After that Ailed has a performance at 2030 with het Kabinet.

I never bought a new iMac. I might in the (near?) future but not as for now. The recovery of my hard disk is already very costly.

For the baritone sax I am trying out a new mouthpice. An AL3 by Vandoren. It's a nice mouthpiece, very flexible. But it has some problems form forte and louder. I have to see this week if I can fix that before going to Russia. I haven't been too happy with my Selmer D, it always has been a compromise.

Right, wednesday today

Right,
wednesday today. Came back from a good quartet rehearsal. We're studying Keuris to play with orchestra in Russia en Glazounow for a recital there. Eveything is more or less on schedule. The Glazounow is exciting because he's Russian, of course and we're playing it there in Russia... let's see if we get it right!

Today I might buy an iMac, I am not too sure yet, we'll see, it's a lot of money, and I still have to pay for the recovery of my other HDD... expensive stuff!. On the other hand, I spend a lot of time behind my computer so it should be a good one that I feel comfortable with. My Powerbook is fine, but I need a desktop too. Bigger screen and all, you know.

In August I will play a solo with the New Cool Collective for Grachtenfesitval and some of these weeks the soloparts should be finished. Very exciting stuff! The week after I will do a solo recital with Ivo Bol (www.ivobol) also in the Grachtenfestival. I am looking forward to this very much, although it will all be right after holidays... For some reason I always play most at the opening of the season...