a bit of music to soothe the soul... | Arthritis Information

Our orchestra is playing a concert tomorrow in San Francisco. My hands have been bothering me all week but feel better today...hopefully tomorrow will be OK. I'm really excited. Here's the announcement, if anyone is in the area stop by and say hello.

Russian Concert Sun. Nov. 4, Noe Valley Plucked String Orchestra.

Noe Valley Plucked String Orchestra invites you to a concert of Russian Music at San Francisco’s Community Music Center, 544 Capp Street, Sunday November 4, from 4 to 6 pm.

Admission is (adults)/ (students and seniors). Complimentary refreshments will be served during intermission.

The Noe Valley Plucked String Orchestra is an ensemble of mandolins, mandolas, guitar and bass, directed by Nicola Swinburne. On November 4, you can hear some new arrangements of music originally written for bowed strings by composers such as Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and Glasunov, including the Sleeping Beauty Waltz and selections from the Nutcracker Suite. The concert also features some Russian folk songs accompanying vocalist Marta Johansen.

More details and directions: www.noevalleyorchestra.org.

Alan

I LOVE SAN FRANCISCO!!!! It's my favourite American city I have ever visited.
I especially enjoy the Pirate Supply Store at 826 Valencia and the Cartoon
Museum. Good luck with your concert, Alan, it sounds exciting and I wish I
could be there. Hope your hands are good.

I love San Francisco, too!!!

Good luck and I wish we could be there. We saw the debut of the sixth grade band this week - "Hot Cross Buns" was the finale LOL. Your concert sounds much more enjoyable, but everybod has to start somewhere.

Alan, I hope your hands feel great for the concert!sounds wonderful, thanks for sharing. I do hope your hands are better soon. Lynda

I would love to go and say hi, but Wyoming is a little far. I hope the concert is a smash and your hands work just fine.

Thanks for the encouraging words. I feel pretty good this morning...middle finger on my right hand is swollen but it's mostly the left hand that matters so I think I'm good to go! I've been slowly recovering from a pneumonia vaccine I got Thurs...been feeling sore and achey for the last two days but much better this morning. I'm going to try to record the concert this afternoon so maybe I can figure out how to share a song or two.

Alan

Be still my heart.....what I wouldn't give to go to that concert. And San Fransisco is my birthplace! I know you'll play beautifully Alan, and I hope you're able to record a song for us.

p.s. I'm visiting my kids in Oregon so I'm only about 8 hours away, darn it.

Well...it was an awesome concert! The orchestra sounded really good and the weather was beautiful. My hands felt really good too...though now the right side of my jaw is really sore..sigh.

Alan

Sorry about the jaw, Alan, but I'm glad you had such a wonderful performance. Did the audience demand an encore? Bic lighters waving in the air and stomping feet???That's awesome Alan...although I'm sorry your jaw is sore. I do hope you can figure a way to get a song to all of us...Have a wonderful night!

Well, a mandolin orchestra concert is not exactly a rock concert...but everyone seemed to have a good time. The singer, Marta, is extraordinary. She's a professional opera singer and has an awesome voice. I made a recording. I'll see how it sounds tomorrow. It really is a thrill to be able to play in front of an appreciative audience. It's a great feeling and you completely forget about this silly disease for a while.

Alan

Mandolin Orchestra? I thought you were the drummer for a punk band???I was just kidding. I know what you do. I mean, I know cuz you've said. Not a stalker.

Alan