I created “virtual” concert videos for SoHIP for the last two years, but this year we were finally back in person! I really loved putting together this program! It was a privilege to present in person some of the things I spent the pandemic doing. The Bach d minor violin partita is one of my […]
Bach’s organ triosonatas for one recorder player! Like last year, I’ve put together a virtual presentation for SoHIP’s summer concert series. The organ trio sonatas of J.S. Bach are intimate, thrilling, sublime, touching, and uplifting. While they are brilliantly polyphonic, they are ultimately conceived for just a single player to perform on the organ. The […]
This spring I was all set to perform a solo program for the SoHIP summer concert series. But then the COVID hit the fan, just as they were getting ready to announce their season. Needless to say, the in-person series was canceled and replaced with a virtual, video version. So Jake helped me set up […]
This is “Ecco l’aurora” by Andrea Gabrieli, from Il primo libro di madrigali a cinque voci, 1566. I was introduced to this gorgeous madrigal by Eric Haas some years ago. In this video I’m playing a tenor in C, basset in G, and bass in C by Francesco LiVirghi; and a contrabass in F by […]
For many of us, a particularly heartbreaking aspect of the shutdown situation is that we can’t make music together, and we won’t be able to again for some time. By now you’ve probably seen a variety of multi-track video efforts, so I wanted to share a couple with you. First is my own version of […]
This year as I was shopping for gifts for my niece and nephew, I decided to get them some supplies for learning how to knit. I wanted to give them a book to go with it, but I was underwhelmed by the choices of beginner books at the store. So because I apparently take the […]
Update: Recording time is just around the corner, woohoo! You can pre-order the album or contribute to our recording costs here. Your pre-order helps us pay for recording, editing, mastering, and the cost of the CD’s, as well as ensures that you get your copy as soon as we can get it to you! I’m really excited to be […]
Please join us on August 9, 7:30 PM at the Cafe in the Somerville Armory (191 Highland Ave, Somerville) for a concert of music for recorder and guitar. I’m so excited to be performing with my father, Michael O’Brien! We’ll be playing a varied program including some Baroque music, some new compositions, and some folk […]
Here are a couple more videos of my dad and me playing together. Like in the last post, I’m playing the Helder tenor and he’s playing a guitar he built. “Homeless” is a composition of my dad’s, which began life as a song; but this version has a recorder part instead of vocals. “Blackberry Blossom” […]
My dad and me, playing a song he wrote. He’s playing a guitar he built; I’m playing the Helder tenor.