First Sights of Graz

Now that the first big AIMS-trumpet-stress-moment is out of the way I'm feeling a bit more inclined to talk about some other aspects of being here. I've taken a couple quick trips down into the "old town" (only about a 1/2 hour walk or a 5 min Srassenbahn ride from the Studentenheim) with other AIMS-ers--just quick little run-throughs of the city to get a feel for it's layout and some ideas about things to explore more in depth later.

One of my favorite things about the old town is how lavishly the facades of buildings are decorated. Here in 3D stonework...

...here in paint...

...and here, some more recently rendered street art that those of you who have seen the excellent documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop might have an appreciation for...

As can be seen from the famed Kunsthaus Graz (or "our friendly alien" as the locals call it) as well as the nearby floating island, the city is a surprising mix of the very old juxtaposed against the very modern...

And inside one of Graz's lovely inner courtyards is just about the coolest staircase you can imagine. Not only is it an old stone spiral, it's a double spiral--the mirror images meeting periodically as each twisting circuit climbs the tower. It's tiny, cramped, and all but impossible to photograph, but here are some of my attempts...

I hope to show you a lot more in the days to come, but for now I've got to get myself some dinner. Orchestra folders should be ready within the hour and the other trumpeters have expressed interest in taking the time tonight to run through our parts for intonation. Take a minute, if you can, to listen to the beginnings of Zarathustra and Copland's Fanfare and you'll see why the sectional is a very good idea. And yes, all of that at the beginning of the Strauss is 4 trumpets in unison...intonation!! So anyway, back to dinner...must be well nourished if I'm going to play tonight.