Tuning Organs and Lost Dogs

Today I went over to Ed Brewer's house in NJ to learn to tune and work with a large portative organ that he rents out regularly. It is quite a different beast from the Klops I usually work with, mostly because the pipes are positioned in awkward ways from a tuning perspective, but I enjoy the challenge. Expanding my tuning abilities, especially with chamber organs, is just what I need. And it will be a source of extra, albeit intermittent, income. I'll go back in a month or so and work with the 4' and the metal pipes, the way in which they are tuned will be a new technique for me.

While talking with Ed, I learned that we know some of the same people from my time in Los Angeles - oboist Allan Vogel and organist/harpsichordist Owen Burdick. He knows them from their time in NY, though. I am constantly reminded how small the world really is.

Tonight I'm going to go see the Lost Dog New Music Ensemble. They'll be performing six new works by New York composers. For months I've been trying to meet Silas Huff, the director of this and the Astoria Symphony, and it looks like this will the to opportunity. It will be good to hear new music in Astoria!