Tuxedos by Steinway & Vodka by Chopin

Flanked by flickering shutters, members of the press, and mannequins wearing tuxedos valued at over $7,500, Elizabeth and I gave each other one of those looks ("...just how did we get ourselves into another one of these fabulously outrageous circumstances?") and plunged into our standard four-hand repertoire with our usual unassailable gusto. Steinway & Sons had invited Anderson & Roe to perform as the featured performers at their black tie event, celebrating none other than their new line of concert wear for men. The tuxes looked seriously awesome (next time, I hope they'll consider fitting me in one of those marvels of modern fashion), and Liz and I were happy to help celebrate the event at Steinway Hall.

We played at the end of the party, after the speeches took place, after the models showcased their new attire, and after the crowd had enjoyed plenty of Chopin vodka. Perhaps the timing was to our advantage because everyone was in a good mood; we certainly did our best to make the evening a little merrier.

I'll try to post a picture in the next couple days. You've got to see Liz's dress! She looked so hot!! The strongly-hued silk, the paisley-patterned sequins, the lace-covered slits, ah!!! I wasn't alone in my thinking - the emcee (some amazing football star whose name we've rather embarrassingly forgotten) thought Liz looked hot too. His speech following our performance made several references to "that hot girl over there in blue."

enGROSSEd (I love puns...)

Hey everyone,

It's Liz here, captivated by a US Open match between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick. Watching excellent tennis on TV is a nice way to cap off a day of traversing the gnarled, craggy contours of Beethoven's Grosse Fuge. Greg and I performed Beethoven's very own four-hand arrangement at Juilliard's Convocation this afternoon, in honor of Juilliard's recent acquisition of the long-lost manuscript. The manuscript itself is a fascinating document, revealing the frustration—creative and otherwise—of Beethoven as he was penning the four-hand version. As sloppy and illegible as the manuscript is, Beethoven's radical vision and genius burn through.

Regarding the performance, Greg and I did our best to make sense of the abstruseness of the score. Unfortunately we didn't have nearly enough time to rehearse due to all sorts of conflicts (i.e. travels, solo recitals, apartment business, the wedding of one of our best friends, etc., etc.). But excuses are ultimately useless because this is notoriously difficult music, and putting this together would have been challenging regardless! Despite our frantic preparation process and the complications of this version, the performance went quite well and I have to say we ended up loving the piece!

Making the Recording (Part 1 of ?)

A quick update for the curious at heart:

The new Anderson & Roe Piano Duo CD has been recorded. "Phew!"

The recording session facts:
* 2 grueling 10-hour days of non-stop Anderson & Roe adrenalized performance
* 3 Steinway Concert D's (2 New Yorks and 1 Hamburg)
* 2 fantastic engineers - Joe Patrych and his entertaining sidekick, Misha
* 1 responsible and surprisingly helpful stagehand, Val Franco
* Thousands of $$$ (We're still in need of sponsors! Contact andersonroe@yahoo.com to help out.)

In it's completion, the CD release will be doused in everything Anderson & Roe - Anderson & Roe music and arrangements, Anderson & Roe adrenaline, Anderson & Roe-style photos and liner notes, and Anderson & Roe music videos. Join the mailing list to receive notification of its release later this fall!

Teaser

Hello, readers! We're back after a blogging hiatus. We're also finally back in the same place after a substantial period of separation (let's just say that various family members were happy to spend some quality time with their elusive kin!). We have been busy practicing (and like the rest of the world, keeping up with Harry Potter--more on that later) and we are excited to give you a preview of our plans for the summer.

First, a recording is in the works. The CD will be self-produced and will feature our trademark Anderson/Roe transcriptions and compositions as well as Stravinsky's mammoth Rite of Spring. It's an ambitious project, to be sure, but we're up to the challenge! Rehearsals have been rigorous, fun, and generously air-conditioned.

Besides that, another music video is in progress, and this one is likely to top the others in craziness. Curious? We promise not to disappoint. ;-)

Southwest Sojourn, Part IV

"The hills are alive with the sound of music!" (Classic movie, by the way -- Edelweiss breaks my heart every time...)

Greetings from Liz again. One of the best parts of our trip to Utah was our trek up the hills for a makeshift photo shoot. We recruited the assistance of our supremely stellar sidekicks, Gregory and Melody Brown, who happened to be utterly skillful and blessedly patient companions. (We love you guys!)

The plans were simple enough: hike up huge hill by Brown house, get gussied up, take pictures. Plan=simple. Execution=not so simple. The hills we had in mind happened to be unexpectedly inaccessible, and as we trampled -- parched, aimless, sweaty, and burdened with cumbersome garment bags -- through a thorny and tortuous path replete with brambles, deer droppings, and cacti (which pierced Gregory in the foot and myself in the thigh), I grumbled in discontent, "We're crazy." I don't deny that Greg Anderson and I have a history for getting ourselves into absurd situations because of our brilliant (I mean, ridiculous) ideas.

Yet all the huffing and puffing was worth it. Once we reached the apex of the hill, I had to catch my breath for another reason: the views were spectacular, formidable, sublime. The early-evening skies were the clearest cerulean -- not a cloud in sight -- and the bracing winds were fresh and invigorating. Greg and I stripped for the world to see (that's where Melody came in -- she protected my modesty with a sheet) into our formal wear, and then we vamped for Greg's little digital camera, manned by Gregory. Watch out, professional photographers: Greg Brown's got some serious skills. Melody was also instrumental in the process, shouting out observations, adjusting my windblown tresses, and repeatedly telling Greg A to "own" his pose.

The results? A few images are posted on our website, and as for the others, you're just going to have to wait! ;)