We’ve had a couple of interesting responses to our fall issue recently. Benitta Wilcox, the Erin textile artist whose treasure-filled garden is featured on the cover, reports that she received many favourable comments about the article and was recognized because of it by a woman in Brampton.
In addition, our readers and viewers are taking notice of our ads. Jamie Leder, owner of Collins Brewhouse, a pub in an interesting old building on the main street of Dundas, tells us that he had a couple come to the pub from Toronto because they saw his ad in the magazine. This is what advertising (with us?) can do: draw business to you. We thank Jamie for sharing this story, and the couple from Toronto for mentioning the magazine to him in the first place.
Another interesting note is that we only have a few subscribers from Toronto, and we don’t do any regular distribution in Toronto at all, so it’s remarkable that this couple got the issue and acted on it. Publishing a magazine is a bit like putting a message in a bottle. It’s surprising where it ends up.
Finally, last night we attended the first performance of the 10th anniversary season of the Georgetown Bach Chorale. We’re pleased that Escarpment Views is a patron of the chorale. It was an instrumental classical concert by artistic director Ron Greidanus on piano and guest artist Conrad Chow on violin. I sometimes drift off to sleep during all-instrumental wroks, so I was rather dreading the evening.
I did close my eyes, but it was only to enjoy the music more or to listen more intently to the remarkable sounds produced on these two instruments. I’m not musically educated, so my comments might seem lame, but I guess I represent the average concert goer in a small town. Sometimes it seemed as if there must have been two violins playing. Other times Chow’s fingering and digital dexterity had to be seen to be believed. I had no idea a violin could sound the way he made it. Greidanus is at home all over the piano, easily playing the most elaborate and complex pieces, sometimes entirely from memory. His variations go from the softest vibration of a single note to the loudest bashing of keys imaginable. He’s utterly fearless and amazing to watch.
The musicians took turns introducing the pieces before they performed, helpfully preparing us for what to listen for and sharing their enthusiasm for each composer. I had never heard any of the pieces before, but they were either enjoyable or exciting. In his final performance of Carmen Fantasy by Pablo de Sarasate, Chow played like the devil. I thought his strings would break or his violin would catch fire.
Chow will perform in early 2009 in Carnegie Hall and I expect he’ll bring the house to its feet. He did last night, and it’s amazing that Greidanus is able to bring such world-class talent to Georgetown.
What do you think of classical music? And what treasures do you know of in small towns?
4 Comments
Gloria, welcome to the blogging world! I look forward to reading your words more than quarterly in Escarpment Views.
You might find that blogging is also like putting a message in a bottle, and you have no idea which shores it has reached or which beachcombers have picked up your note. Don’t be discouraged if readers are shy to comment at first!
Thanks, Sue, for being the first to post a comment. Your encouragement about blogging is valuable because of your own experience posting informative and entertaining entries consistently for a long time, with or without comments. We both know you have many more regular readers than just the people who comment. I’m happy to follow your example in the blog world. To those who don’t know Sue’s blog yet, she writes about writing and communications and other things that strike her, at The Red Jacket Diaries [http://www.getitwrite.ca/category/the-red-jacket-diaries/].
Welcome to the blogging world, Gloria. I have yet to find my blogging’groove’, but I still only do it for me.
On classical music, it is the only kind of background noise I can tolerate while writing. Other kinds of music seem distracting (maybe that’s because I’m trying to sing along!).
As for what is special about small towns, well, I’m pretty excited that this small town is home to so much talent and personality. I also have to admit that I’m always happy to see someone I know wherever I go, whether its the arena, grocery store or (of course) Tim Horton’s.
Wishing you continued success with Escarpment Views, Gloria. It ‘wroks’!!
Marnie
Thanks for the good wishes Marnie, and the comment! Georgetown is still a small-enough town that you do indeed see plenty of people you know wherever you go. Of course that is both good and bad, depending on what you’re doing…
I noticed your article on hybrid vehicles in Tackaberry Times, and see that it’s also online at http://www.tackaberrytimes.com. Well done.