I have an embarrassing admission. This weekend while I was watching the television, I saw an interesting commercial with a completely gorgeous song in it. I could have sworn up and down that the song was the theme from Alan Menken’s score for Beauty and the Beast.

Well, I was wrong.  It wasn’t Disney but Camille Saint-Saëns’ the Aquarium movement from Carnival of the Animals.  Talk about feeling sheepish.

So in addition to this little incident and the Oscar nominations on Tuesday, I was thinking about film scores and classical music, and how the two inform each other. 

How many times have you heard music at the movies and couldn’t help but think it was Holst and not Horner who’d written the score?  And how frequently have you seen outstanding orchestras and performers lending their talents to film scores?

The Oak Park-based composer’s arrangement of the spiritual “Blin’ Man” will be performed by Chicago a cappella at their upcoming concert, Wade in the Water. Performances take place Feb. 3 (Chicago), Feb. 4 (Naperville), Feb. 11 (Evanston), and Feb. 12 (Oak Park). More information at www.chicagoacappella.org.

1. What are you listening to on your iPod these days?
Both of the new Grammy-nominated discs by the choir Seraphic Fire from Miami. One is a Christmas CD and the other is the Brahms Requiem in its more intimate piano 4 hands version. I am supposed to review them soon on my choral music blog: www.paulcarey440.blogspot.com. Otherwise I unwind listening to quality Latin jazz.

Every once in a while, my friends and I gather with our instruments, a few choice drinks, and the parts to several different readable works to have a "chamber music party". We read and have fun in the music without any concern of critique from an audience. Chamber music is sometimes called "music for friends" and originally (pre 1800s) was intended for a private household gathering with friends and family - a lot like the parties many young musicians have today (though perhaps slightly more dignified... we don't wear powdered wigs or petticoats). It seems with the passing of a few centuries and the categorization of chamber music as "serious" performance music, a lot of visual musician to musician interaction has been lost. Instead of watching what looks like friends in intimate conversation, most times I feel like I'm watching a group of acquaintances who may not even like each other. If the music that comes out is good, does it matter? I think so.

It was the concert heard around New York City. Or rather, not heard.

Last week, the New York Philharmonic stopped in the middle of a concert because a cell phone went off during the performance. The phone ringing wasn’t the only story, but the audience reaction: the fellow concertgoers began to heckle the cell-phone-ringer-attendee.  It was a big enough deal that even the New York Times had a story on it. 

Talk about a bad day for everyone involved.

But this incident got me thinking about concert etiquette, and not just silencing cell phones or avoiding unwrapping cough drops in the middle of Beethoven, but some larger issues as well. 

Every time I go to the airport, I see people staring, pointing and muttering to each other about me. Though I would like to attribute this to the remarkable sense of poise and beauty I exude everywhere I go, I'm pretty sure that's not it (one look in the mirror after going through security could quickly confirm that). They are looking at the big blue friend that I carry around like a turtle does its shell. As I board the plane, people become even more interested. Yes, I buy a seat for my cello. Mr. Cello Montanari gets his own seat, beverage, and even frequent flyer miles. Everyone knows musicians travel, but here is a look at what goes on behind the scenes.