SLmagazine sent me to the Utah Symphony with what we figured was a crazy idea. We asked if I could sit on stage during a performance. Turns out that this was, in fact, a crazy idea. People spend their whole lives to get on that stage, after all, and I just show up with a tuba? Bang on the tympani a bit? However, the symphony’s publicist, Renée Huang, suggested that perhaps a rehearsal might be arranged.
Taking notes on the notes.
Beginner’s Luck
Last spring, I attended the symphony for the fist time. My date for the evening was Becca, my 13-year old. We attended UNWOUND, the Utah Symphony’s modern-day attempt to make going to the symphony less serious and more approachable. When the audience lights dimmed and as Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2” was being played, my emotions got the best of me. Not prepared for kleenex, the tears just fell. For the first time in a long time, was caught completely caught off guard, holding my little girl’s hand, enjoying and listening to real humans playing instruments.
And thus, I entered Abravanel Hall, carrying nothing but my notepad and a pen (no tubas allowed) for the symphony’s rehearsal in advance of the Deer Valley performance on August 2, 2019. I entered in through the back entrance and was led onto the stage, a chair was waiting for me, right next to Second Bassoon Jennifer Rhodes.
“Hey, you may want one of these,” said one of the horn players behind me as he pointed to the plastic acoustic shield many of the members of the orchestra use and added, “It can get a little loud.” I showed them my set of earplugs but he assured me that I’d need additional measures to protect my ears while they were performing. This was after all to be a rehearsal for Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” you know, the one with the cannons.
As Principal Conductor Conner Covington joined us on stage, the orchestra tuned up and welcomed guest Ukrainian pianist Anna Fedorova, who was there to rehearse Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Wearing jeans and her hair pulled back in a pony-tail, the casual look stood in contrast to the the immensity of sound and proficiency while playing—it’s astounding.
The symphony also rehearsed an American classic, Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring”. While I seem to always pay attention more to the strings, I was right in among the woodwinds. I started paying attention to the prelude and conclusion with the woodwinds out in front of the melody. Without the oboe, the bassoon, the clarinet and the flute there is no “Appalachian Spring.”
Above: Guest performer Ukrainian pianist Anna Fedorova
Conner Covington is definitely not my middle school orchestra instructor.
I played in the orchestra when I was in middle school but this experience was a far cry from my 1st-period orchestra class. Without a cello (or a tuba) in hand, I watched as musicians would stop to meticulously adjust their chairs or obsessively clear out the spit in their instruments. Did you know that when not in their mouths, a woodwind’s reeds are kept moist during breaks by dunking them in a cup of water? I didn’t. Basically, it looks like musicians at this level are seriously having fun, in a very serious way. I kept watching all the non-verbal signals that would travel around the stage, a grimace from Covington after a misstep, a smile for the strings hitting their cue, rolled eyes above a clarinet at missed notes, nods and head shakes, winks and foot taps all added up to a complicated camaraderie among the musicians and between them all and the conductor.
With all this activity around me, it was still impossible to miss the commanding presence of the conductor. That’s sort of the point right? And while Covington makes it look effortless; it’s everything but. His brain is going in about 100 directions at once. Keeping precise tempo, thinking forward to the next line and who next needs to be prompted at exactly the right moment and to what degree.
Like a time-traveler, he’s also listening to the collected instruments as one giant, well, SUPER INSTRUMENT. As Covington explains, “Downplaying themselves, our musicians see themselves as one unit, which is one of the goals or intentions of a symphony orchestra.”
The Deer Valley Music Festival pairs well-known, popular vocal artists such as Kristin Chenoweth, or jazz trumpeter Chris Botti and of course, esteemed musicians like Anna Fedorova in the beautiful outdoor setting at Park City’s Deer Valley Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheatre.
Covington added another element that I didn’t think of, and that is during all of it, he is making mental notes on what needs to be addressed or adjusted and will bring to the attention to the musicians later. While in his second season, in our interview, I asked Conner what he hopes to bring to our community in the future?
“The material we perform now is the best we have ever created. The Utah Symphony has a tremendous opportunity to create authentic human connections in an age inundated with electronics and social media.”
Don’t think stuffy, and don’t just think Beethoven’s “No. 5 in C minor”—Da-Da-Da-DAAAAAA. Admittedly I’m a sucker for the classics. Instead, scroll through some of these upcoming Utah Symphony events and kick back against your current entertainment comfort zones.
Jen’s symphony experience will be part of a larger story in our upcoming November/December issue celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Utah Symphony.
Just hours after being sworn in, President Joe Biden signed an executive order calling for a review of the boundaries for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. The monuments—designated by Barack Obama in 2016 and Bill Clinton in 1996—were reduced by roughly 2 million acres by former president Donald Trump, and the executive order is seen as move towards restoring the original boundaries.
Read the full story through the link in bio.
📸Bears Ears National Monument: Courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism...
If you've never been to @dokidessert, I can assure you- you're missing out. ⠀
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Doki Doki is one of Salt Lake City’s most authentic Japanese bakeries. And the authenticity shows through their delicately handcrafted pastries and cakes. Plus- fluffy pancakes, can it get any better? ⠀
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Check the link in bio for a fun little write up! ⠀
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Meet 9th & 9th's newest, cutest, tastiest "hole-in-the-wall" (quite literally)! @piefightslc is serving up delicious hand pies packed with flavor 🥊⠀
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You can eat a pie and go for a walk at the same time- who knew?! 🥧⠀
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Check the link in bio for our little review!...
People used to say a group of hobbits smoked their pipe weed and padded around on their furry feet in this little cul de sac off 1300 East near Westminster. Others claimed a family of Little People lived there and would chase away outsiders and curiosity-seekers who happened in.⠀
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But, actually, the eccentric street of tiny houses are on a wooded lot once owned by George Allen, a doctor and animal lover (he was instrumental in founding @hoglezoo and @tracyaviary) He and his family lived in the log cabin and rented out the little houses to students or anyone who wanted to live in such a small space.⠀
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Check the link in bio for full story....
Our Jan/Feb issue is out on stands now! This issue means so much to us. Made with lots of love and tears. We hope you’ll grab a copy and enjoy every moment of reading it. ❤️...
This is what our NYE looks like. Staying in with a @meat_my_cheese_utah charcuterie board ⭐🤤🥂⠀
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We’re incredibly lucky to have local culinary-craftswomen here in the Salt Lake area, like @mavenoakcreative and @meat_my_cheese_utah. Handcrafting each charcuterie board and box to perfection. Making every stay-at-home birthday, anniversary, date-night and holiday feel that much more elegant. 🧀🍇🥖⠀
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Check the link in bio to meet Salt Lake's artisan charcuterie masters!...
Holding back tears, the owner of our beloved Himalayan Kitchen, Surya Bastakoti, told @fox13now that they "might go out of business" ⠀
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Himalayan Kitchen has long been one of our favorite local restaurants. A trusty go-to for lunch or after work drinks and a heart-warming dinner. A place to bring out-of-towners (veg and vegan friendly) for a special experience only found here in SLC. Always filling, with a true sense of nourishment in every bite. Food to feel good about.
EVERYTHING on their menu is full of flavor and authenticity. Himalayan Kitchen’s cuisine is required to be authentic because it’s a gathering place for the Salt Lake City Nepali and the local climbing community. They know Nepal.⠀
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COVID-19 has completely devastated our local restaurant community—these are our friends and family. Help them out. If you have the means, order something yummy for NYE dinner and support Himalayan Kitchen or any of your favorite local restaurants. ⠀
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Go to saltlakemagazine.com and look in the Eat & Drink section for a list of what restaurants are serving and then make a phone call, order online, etc. ⠀
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Go to the link in bio to order online now!...
Here's one from our upcoming Jan/Feb issue out on stands in just a few days. We hope you’ll grab a copy and enjoy every moment of reading it.
Mary photobombs Lisa Barlow at the premiere party for Real Housewives of Salt Lake. Below is a snippet from Mary's last editor's letter:
"It’s all a little crazy.
Sometime in 2020, the world stopped making sense for a lot of us. Between one of the ugliest election cycles the U.S. has ever been through and the most mysterious disease most of us have ever experienced, normal was canceled. We can’t get together with friends, hug our loved ones, be in the room with them when they die. But somehow we have to go on, right? Somehow we have to continue to work and love and laugh. This issue of Salt Lake magazine holds a lot of frivolity, the main one being an extremely silly TV show, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. There I am in a pink fur coat in a car with our cover housewife, Lisa Barlow and her boys."
Pick up our Jan/Feb issue at your local grocer and read the full letter. ❤️
Link in bio to subscribe....
Merry Christmas Eve-Eve. We absolutely loved seeing all of your gingerbread homes! Thank you for sharing!⠀
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The winner of a 1 year subscription to Salt Lake mag will be announced in our story!...
Skip the milk and cookies this holiday and leave out something that Santa really wants 🍺😉🎅
Check out our local holiday beer round up for last minute gift ideas! Link in bio!...
Mary's last-minute holiday gift ideas from last year are still as true and relevant today...
"The planet we live with and the creatures on it need all kinds of things. Polar bears need presents, tree frogs in the Amazon need gifts, our Utah canyons and our national parks need help."
Check the link in bio for full write up....
🎶On the LAST day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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$100 to @slcharbor 😋🍪☕️
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🎶On the 11th day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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$100 to @streuselslc 😋🍪☕️
Streusel Bakery located at 67 w 1700 s! Support local and get pastries, cookies and a little bit of sass at this beautiful judgement free bakery!
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🎶On the 10th day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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1 Free month at Maven Create @mavencreate
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🎶On the ninth day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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1 box of @maddoughslc doughnuts for 4 weeks!! 🍩
We’re so excited to have teamed up with @maddoughslc for this awesome giveaway treat! Mad Dough launched back in April! Mad Dough serves up top quality Bismark style doughnuts with flavors inspired by favorite childhood treats 💖 The perfect gift to brighten someone’s day (or brighten your own day)! Support this awesome small business this holiday!
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🎶On the eighth day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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A beautiful essential gift set from the wonderful @acrelyfarms 🌿
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There was never a time there wasn’t Mary Malouf. Until now. Today, Mary died when a rogue wave swept her out to sea off the coast of Northern California. Only she – perhaps the world’s foremost lover of Bronte, BBC mysteries and, of course, Moby Dick – would appreciate such poetic drama.
“I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I'll go to it laughing.” — Mary Brown Malouf. Ooops. Herman Mellville....
🎶On the seventh day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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⛳️ (2) 9 Hole Rounds at @saltlakecitygolf 🏌️♀️⠀
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