Olga Kern Dazzles Denver

On Thursday, September 20th I attended the Colorado Symphony's opening night. I chose this night because Olga Kern, the first woman to win the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 30 years, was playing Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on the Theme of Paganini (Opus 43). I sat in the left dress circle so I could watch her hands. The experience was surreal. While the following description may sound unflattering, it is meant to highlight how exceptional Olga is.

I could only see Olga's left hand but since it zoomed around the keyboard so quickly, that is probably a good thing. I was aghast to observe that Olga's hand actually looked alien. I am talking alien abduction like alien. Her fingers are exceptionally long and have that ability to spread apart in a way that would require Vicodin in us mere mortals. The joints that connected her fingers to the rest of her hand must have been double jointed because they could arch in a way I did not think was anatomically possible. I keep looking at my own hand and back at hers and realized why I never took up piano. The sum total of these observations was a hand that looked twice as large as normal. It seemed to extend all the way to her forearm. I was mesmerized.

I confess that Rachmaninoff has not been my favorite composer but you have to admire his Rhapsody. It is so dramatic and contains some of the loveliest melodies in all of classical music. It is one of Olga's signature pieces, and she plays it with great emotion.

During intermission Olga signed CDs. She was very gracious if a bit otherworldly. I get the impression this was more cultural than innate shyness. Olga has the potential of being on of the true greats if she would only change her wardrobe. That calf hugging sequined red dress and stiletto heals were dazzling for sure but surely gave her insurance agent fits. I would not have been able to walk two feet in that get up let alone glide across a stage. I recommend she be wheeled out in a sequined wheel chair with those alien hands encased in cast until she is ready to play.

Any time Olga is in town, I recommend arranging to be abducted. The experience will be well worth it.

Check out this season’s sympony schedule.

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Where are All the Trail Refuges?

Ok, so I am already diverging from Colorado hiking, but I have to confess that I am no longer a European hiking virgin. I just returned from a conference in France. On off days, I managed to get out and hike. Two miles up an incredibly scenic trail we came to our first refuge. I can't tell you how many times I would have killed for Starbucks with a view after some serious elevation gain. Here was a house complete with kitchen, umbrellas, picnic tables and beer! Beer every two miles? That could work! So if all of Europe is dotted with fantastic trails and refuge after refuge, why can't we adopt this in the US? Are we colonials just not civilized enough?

Would the State of Colorado attract more tourists if we provided pastries, sausages, and double espresso? Would someone out there in the blogosphere explain this to me!

Aspen Gauntlet on Kenosha Pass

I grew up in California and my mother and I would take an annual pilgrimage to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in search of any color. It was rare indeed. A single tree would have us all a tingle. A small grove would elicit a near epileptic seizure. We would return from these expeditions ready to cook squash on the backyard BBQ, convinced we were awash in Fall’s mantel. My father, who grew up near Boston, viewed these events with typical East Coast noblesse oblige. He would look at us over the brim of his book with a condescending “foolish mortals” gaze. We were indeed so naïve. While it is true that the East Coast has those vibrant reds and cascading hillsides, Colorado has snow-capped peaks reflected in still lakes dripping with reflected gold. Having to burn a few calories to see it is an added value in my mind.

So, for this weekends leaf-popping expedition, a friend and I headed up highway 285 to Kenosha Pass. I have driven over this pass many times but confess have never stopped to cruise along the Colorado Trail that cuts across the road. We got an early 0730 start from the Denver Metro Area and were parked on the south side of the pass by 0915. While you can see the hillside of aspen from the road, what you cannot see is the sheer size of the Aspen trees in the nearest grove. This was Disneyland for leaf hounds. The trees towered overhead and swayed dangerously in the stiff 25mph breeze. The trail curved seductively here and there leading the walker onward. The path and air were strewn with leaves falling and fallen creating a golden ticker tape parade.

The Colorado trail continues south with sweeping views of South Park and the mountains beyond. We turned around after about two hours because it was beginning to rain. Upon return to the trailhead, we were greeted by 10,000 other peepers crowding into the parking lots and blocking the road. The take home point for this post is get and early start.

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