Matthias McIntire
Matthias McIntire 🎻🎵

www.matthiasmcintire.ca

Composer-Performer of contemporary classical concert music

Download “The Forest Reclaims the Land” for orchestra ⬇️

https://www.matthiasmcintire.ca/download-the-forest-reclaims-the-land

💡 Suggested zaps, but PWYW!:
• 440 — In tune 🎯
• 3,000 — Full support 💪
• 10,000+ — Holy shit!! 💜

⚡ Zap here: [email protected]

Public Key

npub16te06rz4hry4m5e4wsvxcxan3lm0u03mshscyv9umsjzvfeglhrq4uldpj

NIP-05 Address

[email protected]

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsd9uhap32m3j2a6v6hgxrvrweclah78cactcvzxz7dcfpxyu50m3spz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsjujdlf

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub16te06rz4hry4m5e4wsvxcxan3lm0u03mshscyv9umsjzvfeglhrq4uldpj

Show more details

Last Notes

2025-12-17 01:57:47 UTC

- reply

Omg! I will, it’s been really busy irl so I had to take a break from Nostr so as not to burn out. I’m planning on starting up again soon though. Just need to recalibrate a bit. Thanks for caring!!!

2025-11-24 20:36:03 UTC

- reply

Aww, that’s really kind. I appreciate it 💜 I plan to get back to it soon, hopefully next week when my busy stretch dies down a little.

2025-11-24 20:34:52 UTC

Good evening, Nostr! 💜
I hope you’re all doing well. I just wanted to post a little update, since I haven’t been posting my regular music content recently.
The last couple weeks have been very busy irl!
I had to finish my violin concerto, which was a ton of work. The premiere performance for that piece, entitled “lost child”, is taking place on November 29th in the evening. Phew!
Between that and my regular concert and teaching schedules sort of ramping up at this time of year, it has just been a very busy stretch!
I hope to start posting my regular videos to Nostr again soon. Hopefully next week!
Thanks for your understanding and thank you to @nprofile…z4x8 for the little nudge.
Happy holidays to all 🦃🎄

2025-11-24 20:30:10 UTC

- reply

Hey! Thanks for reaching out. I am just a bit slammed irl at the moment. I had to finish my violin concerto, which was a ton of work… between that and my concert and teaching schedules, it has gotten super busy! I hope to start posting regularly on Nostr again soon.

2025-11-14 15:29:11 UTC

- reply

Let me know what you think!

2025-11-13 21:06:24 UTC

- reply

I absolutely love the Yann Tiersen soundtrack to Amélie and that movie in general! If you like that you might enjoy the piano music of Erik Satie like the “Gymnopedies” and the piano music of Claude Debussy like “Children’s Corner”. Let me know what you think if you listen to it! You could also check out my orchestra piece (that I composed) on Wavlake: https://wavlake.com/track/30e79eb3-9fc5-4ee3-9c90-98e51ac6be78

2025-11-12 11:42:32 UTC

- reply

Love this! I totally know what you mean. What have you been listening to lately?

2025-11-07 23:13:01 UTC

- reply

Good evening, Nostr ⭐️
In case you missed it earlier, here’s a viola improv alongside one of my favourite orchestral works: Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloe Suite No. 2.
What does it remind you of?
#nevent1q…8t2j

2025-11-07 17:04:48 UTC

- reply

Morning!

2025-11-07 16:51:14 UTC

Good morning, Nostr 🌅
Still on viola today in preparation before my recording gig tomorrow. This morning I was listening to Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2, one of my favorite orchestral works. In the opening, “Lever du Jour” (“Daybreak”), Ravel paints the sunrise so beautifully, with everything slowly waking up, light spreading. I couldn’t resist improvising a viola line over it, just for fun.
Hope you enjoy this little morning sunrise duet with Ravel 😊
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/db7c0c40c5af53d8ca680d6f69d2870fca725334dcaefbe2e8df035814311e58.mov

2025-11-06 23:05:45 UTC

- reply

Good evening, Nostr 🌙
In case you missed it earlier… I’m back on viola this week, warming up for a recording session on Saturday. This morning I shared a little improv inspired by Bach’s C major cello suite, same key (in minor), but a totally different vibe.
Hope you enjoy if you haven’t seen it yet!
#nevent1q…d5jg

2025-11-06 16:37:32 UTC

Good morning, Nostr ☀️
Hope you’re having a great day.
This week I’m on viola duty, getting my chops back in shape for a recording session on Saturday.
This morning I started with a little Bach, the Prelude from the C major Cello Suite, just as a warm-up. Then I drifted into some improvising in C minor, but still carrying that Bach energy with me. I recorded a little bit of that improv session and you’ll hear those Bach inspired descending scales and flowing lines, but filtered through my own semi-fiddly, semi-jazzy style on viola.
It’s funny…. when I listened back, I realized it sounds nothing like Bach, and yet I can feel his influence everywhere in it! Somehow it’s all connected on a subconscious level.
Hope you enjoy, and have a great day.
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/8ab7d8e74f20ffe7250b119272390cf98440b49c19ed7b9fe0bd2fb28a392b69.mov

2025-11-06 15:38:49 UTC

- reply

Hehe! Thanks! Maybe it’s a mandola??

2025-11-06 01:56:35 UTC

- reply

Good night, Nostr 🌿🎻
The sun’s gone, my plant and I are calling it a day.
Sharing my pizzicato viola improv in case you missed it earlier!
#nevent1q…d92l

2025-11-05 18:39:18 UTC

Good afternoon, Nostr ☀️🎻
Just a fun little pizzicato improv on the viola today! I was running out the door but wanted to share something quick before the day got away. Inspired by the sunshine and my lovely green houseplant. 🌿
Hope you enjoy!
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/cc87be0ac5237a140a182b676cf8b28013c9811bd5b311f71f0fc013c869ed0b.mov

2025-11-05 01:33:59 UTC

- reply

Another nice mix by @nprofile…lm39 🙌
#nevent1q…m350

2025-11-05 01:12:46 UTC

- reply

Goodnight Nostr ✨
In case you missed it earlier… here’s my improvised ode to the heartbreak of the Blue Jays losing the World Series in Game 7 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
#nevent1q…nz4h

2025-11-04 17:29:46 UTC

Good afternoon, Nostr ⚾️🎻
Hope you’re having a good day. I last posted on the day of Game 7 of the World Series… and I was personally rooting for those who lost. It was a heartbreaking night.
So today’s little improv is an ode to the Blue Jays… and what might have been 😭💙
It’s always fun to improvise a melody like this. I feel like the internal logic kind of works itself out as I play. By the end, some ideas start to feel more set, if I were to write this down for a composition, I would be finding ways for it to continue “making sense” like it’s starting to at the end of this improv.
But for now, it’s just a little musical reflection of heartbreak.
Hope you enjoy, and have a great day, and a great November so far!
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/f5023f1d4502ea89085aa4f9afedbc06e0ec849658330ae654e9d32f5f2bb2d5.mov

2025-11-03 19:46:53 UTC

- reply

Thanks for the shout out @nprofile…7zpm 💜

2025-11-02 02:00:52 UTC

- reply

😬😬😬😬 I was 7 when they last won!

2025-11-02 01:46:54 UTC

- reply

GN Nostr! ⚾️⚾️⚾️
I am glued to the TV for Game 7 of the World Series… feeling anxious 🫨
If you need a break from the intensity, check out my progress on St. Anne’s Reel! 👇
#nevent1q…trjc

2025-11-01 22:17:11 UTC

- reply

Yeah it’s definitely not “integrated” yet … you know mind and body working together where I don’t have to think about it. Takes time and practise! Short on both at the moment haha

2025-11-01 19:40:21 UTC

Good afternoon, Nostr 🎻
This week I am deeeeep in crunch time, orchestrating like mad to finish my new piece. So I’ve decided: it’s St. Anne’s Reel week!
Here’s another progress update. Today I’m playing it noticeably faster, trying to get into that boppy, up-tempo feel… and it’s allllmost there. The tricky part is the start of each new section. My bow’s just not totally organized yet, and I keep flubbing those first gestures a little. The A and B sections begin so similarly, but they’re rhythmically just different enough to throw me off.
Still, that’s the process… play through, keep the rhythm, don’t stop, and it gets tighter over time.
Here we go: St. Anne’s Reel, progress update #3!
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/d2f6b448b38941251e393d1f77a177860448c9c8e7d37d8cf2fa56f84c189bd4.mov

2025-11-01 01:02:39 UTC

- reply

GN Nostr! 🎃👻💀
If you need a break from Halloween or game 6 of the World Series… ⚾️🏟️
Here’s St. Anne’s Reel!👇
#nevent1q…qmxd

2025-11-01 00:59:25 UTC

- reply

😱😱😱😱

2025-10-31 23:31:06 UTC

- reply

Apparently so! I know a lot of Irish fiddlers play it too. Origins can be hard with the trad stuff!!

2025-10-31 18:46:48 UTC

- reply

Afternoon all! 🌿
Sharing my progress on St. Anne’s Reel, in case you missed it earlier!
I’m off book now and finding a faster tempo. Hope you enjoy it 🙂
#nevent1q…qmxd

2025-10-31 14:55:49 UTC

- reply

Thank you! Yeah, it’s such a great tune. There are so many amazing renditions of it. The real fun of learning tunes is to transcribe them by ear from a version you like… and to try to really pick up all the nuances of rhythm, feel, ornamentation. That’s how to go really deep with it!

2025-10-31 14:54:13 UTC

- reply

Morning! Hope you have a great day 💜

2025-10-31 14:00:18 UTC

Good morning, Nostr ☀️
Hope you’re having a great day. This is just a little St. Anne’s Reel progress update!
Today I’m off book, no sheet music! Also playing a bit faster than yesterday. I’ve dropped that slight swing I had before, and now I’m playing the rhythm more straight, just with a touch of bounce.
God, I love this tune. It’s so fun and beautiful. I still have to think a bit as I go, but a few more days of practice… and a few more years of playing it… and it’ll be totally in my bones.
I love this process. Hope you enjoy. 🎻
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/544728687efb4edc5e21e50d0bf016d68ef3f82461c5676fedccf0dd884cde30.mov

2025-10-31 01:04:05 UTC

- reply

So cute! Love this 💀

2025-10-30 22:14:02 UTC

- reply

Good evening, Nostr 🌟
See below my video of the beautiful French Canadian fiddle tune St. Anne’s Reel! 👇
Learning this great tune today after hearing it swirl around the internet recently…
#nevent1q…q6s8

2025-10-30 17:35:49 UTC

- reply

This is cool. Happy for @nprofile…xqd6 !
#nevent1q…95x9

2025-10-30 16:47:09 UTC

- reply

Thank you 🙏 it’s such a beautiful tune

2025-10-30 16:41:40 UTC

- reply

It is like that! Haha yeah it’s a fun thing to just put something out here for people to enjoy 😊

2025-10-30 15:51:33 UTC

Good afternoon, Nostr 🎻
I hope you’re all doing well. Today I thought I’d get back to my fiddly roots here on Nostr. I’ve been hearing this tune pop up in a few corners of the internet lately: St. Anne’s Reel.
It’s a really popular one with French-Canadian origins, but I’ve also heard people like American mandolinist Chris Thile play it. It’s just been stuck in my head the past few days, so I decided to finally learn it.
Here I’m reading it from the sheet music (the fast way to learn!) and adding some of my own ornamentations while trying to keep the rhythm steady. There are a few little stumbles, but I just try to get right back on track. It’s such a great tune.
Hope you enjoy St. Anne’s Reel!
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/e82864fdf0088dc9853df7f55f4a840f1bb4dcf3e20478ff4c332fdd6330c74e.mov

2025-10-30 00:26:18 UTC

- reply

GN Nostr 💜
Sharing again my windy, seaside town piano improv from earlier in case you missed it!
Funny how a little thing like a fan sound can spark a whole world 😁
Sleep well, everyone. 🌌
#nevent1q…c36l

2025-10-29 17:58:08 UTC

Good afternoon, Nostr 🌬️
Coming at you today from the university where I teach. I found a few quiet minutes and an upright piano in a practice room… or at least, it’s almost quiet. There’s a fan going in here that I can’t turn off!! I tried a few other rooms, and it’s the same everywhere, a constant pfffffffffffff 😮
So rather than let it stop me, I thought: what does this sound remind me of? Well, it feels a bit like the wind or like weather blowing through. So here’s a little improvisation inspired by that.
I imagined a misty seaside island town at night. Wind, rain, something mysterious in the air. Maybe it’s the score to a video game that doesn’t exist yet?? I think I caught a mood.
Hope you enjoy my seaside, misty, windblown town for piano. 🌫️🎹
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/12d8684418ea95e3d37356132c3645c79d2df58bd7981b5c7d101f12c283d793.mov

2025-10-28 22:53:37 UTC

- reply

Good evening, Nostr 👻
Sharing something new here today… a real “work-in-progress”!
See the clip and full description below 👇
#nevent1q…ysl6

2025-10-28 16:08:22 UTC

Good afternoon, Nostr ☀️
It’s been a few days since I’ve posted. I’ve been in crunch time finishing a new piece I’m composing! It’s nearly done, but I’m deep in the orchestration phase right now, so things are full on.
I thought today I’d share something I haven’t done yet on Nostr: a real “work-in-progress”. I’ve actually been working on this piece since I started posting on Nostr at the beginning of August!! So I’m excited and nervous to share a bit of it. It’s called “lost child” and it’s written for solo violin (that’s me) with live electronics and full orchestra.
The piece explores two ideas. On one hand, it’s a reflection on childhood… that part of life that feels lost once you’ve grown up. On the other, it ties into the concert’s theme of “finding home”. The story of the music follows a child lost in a strange, sometimes frightening world, and they’re trying to find their way home. Guided by the sound of a family whistle (something my own family has to find each other in crowds or across distances), eventually the child finds their way home.
And home for me in this piece is the love and safety one feels with family.
The clip I’m sharing today is the opening of the piece. It begins with electronics (which you won’t hear in this version), then the orchestra enters, and finally the solo violin. You’ll see me playing along with a “virtual instrument playback” from my score, and later I show a bit of the score itself with the green playback line moving through it!! So stay to the end to see that :)
It’s a longer video, but I hope you’ll stick around for a glimpse into this project that’s been a major part of my life these past few months. The premiere’s at the end of November — almost there!
I hope you enjoy this little window into “lost child”🎻 I’d love to hear your questions and comments!
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/9414212a9b75a7e854c82e7065151924489bcf54b933f1593a74721d21d66674.mov

2025-10-25 21:48:00 UTC

- reply

Oh yes! I highly recommend the whole piece if you have the time. But the slow movement is insanely gorgeous 😮😮

2025-10-25 21:46:59 UTC

- reply

Yeah, we always listen to the Chieftains Christmas album version at Christmas!

2025-10-25 21:46:13 UTC

- reply

It’s bizarre! I’d really have to practise a lot to get used to the different tuning.

2025-10-25 20:06:43 UTC

- reply

Welcome back!

2025-10-25 01:49:19 UTC

- reply

Night Nostr 💤💤
Winding down tonight with one last share of Bach’s Air in G from earlier. Enjoy this timeless melody by one of the world’s greatest ever composers. 🌙✨
#nevent1q…lwgw

2025-10-24 21:10:16 UTC

- reply

Thank you 🙏

2025-10-24 18:07:46 UTC

- reply

Afternoon, Nostr 🌿
In case you missed it this morning, here’s a little bit of Bach’s Air in G. Still one of the most beautiful melodies ever written. As @nprofile…02ff says in the comments, it’s a classic for a reason 🎻✨
#nevent1q…lwgw

2025-10-24 18:05:50 UTC

- reply

💯 Feel the same way about Debussy’s Claire de Lune

2025-10-24 14:06:40 UTC

- reply

Morning! Hope you have a great day 🙌

2025-10-24 13:30:05 UTC

Good morning, Nostr ☀️
I hope you’re having a great morning so far.
I think I’m on a bit of a Bach kick lately! Today I was thinking about another one of his most famous pieces… the Air in G, which is actually the second movement (an “Air”) from his Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major.
You’ve probably heard it before… at weddings, in churches… it’s everywhere, and for good reason. It’s one of the most serene, reverent, and heartfelt pieces of music I know. There’s something so deeply human about it, like Bach somehow captured pure love and beauty in sound.
Here I’m just playing the first phrase, which then repeats. In the repeat, I add a few little ornaments on the melody, which was a common practice at the time.
I hope you enjoy this little bit of Bach’s Air, and that it brings some joy and peace into your morning. 🎻
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/1c9c9c660a00d5cfbca83530cc67d84dfb6475ba70d46b341613c6e3bfcef188.mov

2025-10-24 00:56:31 UTC

- reply

Goodnight, Nostr 🌙
That’s it for me today, time to hit the hay. Enjoy some Bach before bed, if that’s your cup of tea! 👇
See you tomorrow 💜
#nevent1q…wne0

2025-10-23 21:38:35 UTC

- reply

Evening, Nostr 🌙
Sharing again my play-along to Bach’s famous Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major. Check it out below!
What a great piece! Hope you’re all having a good evening 💜
#nevent1q…wne0

2025-10-23 16:11:11 UTC

Good afternoon, Nostr 🎻
I hope you’re all doing well. Today, I’m sharing something that came to mind out of nowhere, one of the most famous concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach: the Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major.
This piece holds a really special place in my heart. I first played it when I was in middle school (!), in a little trio with two of my friends… one on cello, one on bass! We’d take our arrangement of this concerto out busking at farmers’ markets and community events. I must’ve been 11 or 12 at the time, and it’s one of those core memories of discovering how joyful making music with friends can be.
Here I’m just playing the first minute or so of the first movement, along with a recording. You can see me waiting for that two-second count-in before the music begins haha 😆
Anyway, I love this piece. It’s full of energy, counterpoint, and sunshine. Thought I’d share a little slice of it (and my musical past) with you today. Hope you enjoy, and have a great afternoon. ☀️🎶
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/a7fb045eb9bc41639ed636d7deede4db4069dff0e6f599891e1f7b046dcb74dc.mov

2025-10-23 11:47:41 UTC

- reply

Cheers mate 🙌

2025-10-23 11:47:06 UTC

- reply

Thank you friend! I appreciate it 🙏

2025-10-23 11:46:11 UTC

- reply

Wow... lol! It's like looking in a funhouse mirror 😂

2025-10-23 01:22:12 UTC

- reply

Goodnight, Nostr 🌙
Sharing this gorgeous violin melody from the slow movement of Ravel’s Piano Trio one more time.
It’s truly magical ✨
Calling it a night. I hope you all have a great sleep 🎶💜
#nevent1q…32zx

2025-10-22 20:11:10 UTC

- reply

Thank you! Yeah, it's a really special piece of music. I love it!

2025-10-22 17:54:57 UTC

- reply

In case you missed it earlier…
I shared a short violin phrase from one of my favourite pieces, Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor, the slow movement (Passacaille).
It’s such a beautiful work and this moment where the violin comes in for the first time is special. Hope you enjoy it! 🎻✨
#nevent1q…32zx

2025-10-22 15:15:41 UTC

- reply

Thank you! It’s a gorgeous trio! 💜

2025-10-22 14:47:31 UTC

Good morning, Nostr ☀️
I hope you’re doing well. Today I’m sharing a short phrase from one of the most gorgeous pieces of music I know, the Piano Trio in A minor by Maurice Ravel, written in 1914 (111 years old!)
This is from the third movement, the Passacaille (Passacaglia), which is a form built on a repeating bass line that comes back again and again, with the music slowly evolving above it.
Here I’m playing the first moment where the violin enters, after the piano and cello have already begun. It’s such a beautiful, solemn, and deeply reverent passage, and one of my favorites in all of chamber music.
If you haven’t heard the whole piece before, I highly recommend giving it a listen, just search “Ravel Piano Trio A minor” on YouTube. The Beaux Arts Trio recording is a classic.
Hope you enjoy this little phrase from one of my favorite works of chamber music. 🎻
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/3f7a2dc7d58040c0d5adf918a2e4994e4a87f65e5f3abc871022f2903867dd3b.mov

2025-10-22 10:48:55 UTC

- reply

Check out @npub1vfa…g9zl recent mix and follow for all the best tunes. Bare Sounds Project is music for people who like music!
#nevent1q…7vg2

2025-10-22 10:46:08 UTC

- reply

Great mix 🙌

2025-10-22 00:59:43 UTC

- reply

GN Nostr ✨⭐️
Sharing again my violin improv from earlier… just trying to put some light in goodness out into the world. 👇
Have a great night 😊
💜💜💜
#nevent1q…2dzg

2025-10-21 20:06:05 UTC

- reply

Thank you, Sophia! 💜

2025-10-21 18:02:10 UTC

Good afternoon, Nostr 🌞
Today we just have a straight-up free violin improvisation… nothing too complicated, just playing from the heart.
I just want to put something beautiful into the world, a tiny bit of goodness and light. There’s a lot of darkness out there, and I think it’s important we keep putting the light in however we can.
So here’s my little slice of goodness and light for the day. I hope it reaches you and that you enjoy it 💜💜💜
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/9eba8ddc8f1577f6de9d66ca8d7e6988f9c9a1a8a9b9a915cdc3dc87f1fd7046.mov

2025-10-21 10:12:08 UTC

- reply

Thanks Melody! Yeah, it’s like the ultimate feeling of soothing for me. Very beautiful tune.

2025-10-21 10:11:36 UTC

- reply

Amazing! Love this

2025-10-21 01:41:56 UTC

- reply

You’re very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it 💜

2025-10-20 23:45:32 UTC

- reply

Good evening, Nostr 🎵🌙
Today I played a special and personal tune… a French hymn called “Il est né, le divin enfant”. This is something my mum used to sing to me as a lullaby when I was very young.
I tried to capture that lullaby feeling in my version on violin below 👇
I hope you enjoy it 🙂
#nevent1q…9gkz

2025-10-20 18:00:37 UTC

- reply

Thank you! 💜 Have a great day!

2025-10-20 17:44:17 UTC

Good afternoon, Nostr ☀️
Coming at you in the afternoon today, playing a French hymn tune called “Il est né, le divin enfant”.
It’s one of these melodies that is deeply personal to me. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately as I’m working on a new piece reflecting on childhood… on the notion of home, and also on the sense of loss of childhood that comes with growing older.
This tune has been in my life for as long as I can remember. My mum used to sing it to me like a lullaby when I was really small, and I have these early memories of her softly humming it as I fell asleep. I’m thinking of weaving it into my new piece as a kind of musical metaphor for home… for love, safety, and belonging.
I’ve been thinking about it a lot but haven’t played it until today, exploring that lullaby-like quality. What do you think? Does it have a place in my piece?
This is Il est né, le divin enfant. Hope you enjoy.
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/b5bda8f2d1be43496906b10bddd8461fb1e065e89fa6379ce6d4bc9e9bc90361.mov

2025-10-19 12:30:11 UTC

- reply

Thank you very much! I’ll keep at it 🙌

2025-10-19 11:10:29 UTC

- reply

Thank you! 🙏💜

2025-10-19 11:09:12 UTC

- reply

You’re very welcome! Thanks for your kind words 💜

2025-10-19 00:17:18 UTC

- reply

💜💜

2025-10-19 00:02:46 UTC

- reply

Good evening, Nostr 🌖
It’s been a good day. Sharing again the Prélude from Bach’s D minor cello suite I played earlier. Check it out if you missed it earlier 👇
Anyway, just winding down for the night. I hope you have a good one 😊
#nevent1q…ykdm

2025-10-18 18:30:45 UTC

- reply

Buenas tardes! 💜

2025-10-18 17:50:31 UTC

Good afternoon, Nostr ☀️
Hope you’re having a great weekend! Coming at you a little later than usual today. This morning I did some errands, grabbed groceries, picked up a few things at Home Depot… and then sat down to play a bit of Bach.
Somehow I haven’t shared any Bach on here yet, even though he’s been such a big part of my musical life on both violin and viola! Today I picked up the Prélude to the Second Suite in D minor for solo cello (BWV 1008). Violists don’t have any Bach written specifically for their instrument so we’re always stealing both the violin and cello repertoire 👀
You probably know the Prélude from the First Suite in G major (Yo-Yo Ma plays it all the time), but this D minor one is quieter, more introspective. It feels like Bach’s spiritual side. I learned it years ago but had to bring it back for an audition recently, and it was my favorite thing to play on that list.
Here I’m just sharing the first dozen or so measures. I hope you enjoy this bit of Bach for your Saturday afternoon 🎻
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/115b1d319617f65cdc26fb9e33417e154351b4611e42bc6fcff1e5484e8c85ce.mov

2025-10-18 17:20:34 UTC

- reply

Sweet! Thanks for the mention!!

2025-10-17 23:16:25 UTC

- reply

Good evening, Nostr 🌙
Winding down the day here. It’s a cozy fall Friday evening 😌
I started the day with a happy viola improv, check it out below 👇
I hope this little bit of music adds to your cozy fall Friday evening, wherever you are 🍂🎻
#nevent1q…u3pt

2025-10-17 19:15:04 UTC

- reply

Amazing, thanks for diagnosing that issue. I’m using the “Video compressor” app on my iPhone which is super convenient for the work flow at the moment… I don’t think I can change to those settings there, unless I’m mistaken. I’ve used handbrake as well, but there are quite a few extra steps on the computer.

2025-10-17 18:40:18 UTC

- reply

Hmm I’m sorry to hear that! I appreciate the feedback, as I don’t often know what the experience on the other end is like. I do compress the video before I release so that should help with file size and data use. Have you tried on WiFi as well?

2025-10-17 17:54:04 UTC

- reply

Thank you!

2025-10-17 17:30:39 UTC

- reply

Have a great day!!

2025-10-17 17:26:32 UTC

Good afternoon, Nostr 🌞
Coming at you a little later today… had a busy morning, but I managed to record a little viola improvisation that I’m excited to share. I realized it’s been a while since I’ve featured the viola here, so it felt good to pick it up again.
It’s really starting to feel like fall here! The trees out my back window are just blazing with fall colors, and that cozy autumn feeling found its way into this improv. It’s built around a simple chord progression that I kept cycling through. It’s of kind of a happy, boppy, slightly fiddly vibe, in the tenor voice of my viola!
Hope you’re all having a great day and that you can bop along to this little fall tune with me 🍁🎻
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/08e2a0cad37233ad6ebc6b8aa174f12c8fe28457d61550d7d9065deba6c86f1b.mov

2025-10-17 02:54:40 UTC

- reply

Goodnight, Nostr 🌙
Another day exploring Baroque tuning… still tricky and messing with my ear! Check out my attempt at Vivaldi below 😅😅
👇
#nevent1q…vwfk

2025-10-16 18:42:20 UTC

- reply

Afternoon, Nostr! 🎨
Ever tried playing music in a half-step lower tuning?? Here’s me doing just that with Vivaldi’s A minor concerto… Baroque tuning is trickier than it might seem!
😝🫣🎶
#nevent1q…vwfk

2025-10-16 14:01:27 UTC

- reply

Morning!

2025-10-16 13:55:40 UTC

🎻 Good morning, Nostr!
Thanks for all the engagement yesterday on my Baroque tuning experiment! I thought I’d keep exploring that a little more today, because it’s such a fun (and kind of mind-bending) challenge for me.
This time I’m playing part of Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in A minor, RV 356 from “L’Estro Armonico, Op. 3 No. 6”, along with a recording by Tafelmusik, a fantastic Baroque orchestra that actually plays in this lower historical tuning all the time.
I first learned this concerto when I was about 11 years old, so it’s one of those pieces that lives somewhere deep in my mind and fingers. But playing it a half step lower in Baroque tuning is so much harder than I expected!! It really messes with my ear and sense of pitch! You’ll hear a few moments where I’m fighting to stay in tune 😅😅😅😅
It’s funny how something so familiar can suddenly feel brand new just by changing the tuning a little. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this slightly wobbly but heartfelt attempt at Baroque Vivaldi today. 🎶
https://blossom.primal.net/533912ab8983bc5c5f236e60af3b8a1256b9563c013e908168bce97275e1a52c.mov

2025-10-16 12:28:24 UTC

- reply

Hahaha 🤣

2025-10-15 22:04:10 UTC

- reply

Evening, Nostr 🌙
If you missed it earlier, I was experimenting with Baroque tuning… lowering my violin strings a half step for a softer, mellower sound.
It’s crazy how much it changes the color and feel of the instrument. Hard to play in tune!
🎻 Curious what you think… have a listen below!
#nevent1q…qea0

2025-10-15 22:00:35 UTC

- reply

Thanks Dave! Glad you enjoyed my mix!

2025-10-15 14:13:53 UTC

- reply

Thank you friend! It’s amazing the impact a relatively small change can have on the result 😮

2025-10-15 14:12:49 UTC

- reply

Thank you Maya! I appreciate your support 🙏💜

2025-10-15 14:12:06 UTC

- reply

I know right! That’s partially my inability to play in tune with this tuning haha it really messes with my perception!

2025-10-15 13:30:25 UTC

- reply

Morning!

2025-10-15 13:11:46 UTC

Good morning, Nostr 🎻
I hope you all had a great weekend! It was a long holiday weekend here, so I took some time to rest and spend time with family, and now I’m back at it.
Today’s video is a fun one (for me, anyway!). I was recently inspired by some Baroque music I heard, and in the Baroque period, or in “historical performance practice”, string instruments were/are actually tuned quite a bit lower than they are today. Usually about a half step lower, or a semitone.
That lower tuning gives the strings a mellower, warmer sound. The strings are literally less tightly strung, so less tension = a mellower sound. So in this video here I’ve tuned my violin a half step down in that Baroque tuning just to explore what that feels like.
It’s funny, though… it totally messed with my ears! I’m so used to the modern tuning… I have a connection of ear to left hand fingers. So in this baroque tuning my fingers are going down, my ear is expecting a certain note, but then what comes out is a semitone lower! So that mind–ear–finger connection felt totally out of whack!
Anyway, here’s a mellow, exploratory improv in Baroque tuning… just enjoying the softer color and trying to play in tune!
Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you have any questions about Baroque tuning or historical performance practice.
#musicstr
https://blossom.primal.net/f5f054903338b8ced74d448ac9e7254f2f1f546ed57fdd03fbff4e5eb8f54f80.mov

2025-10-12 09:20:53 UTC

- reply

That’s beautiful! I love it. Thank you very much for your comment and the image 🙏

2025-10-12 03:23:30 UTC

- reply

Goodnight, Nostr 🌙
I started the day with the blues… but I think I managed to shake it off by the end. Maybe putting that feeling into this morning’s music helped me process whatever was going on.
Here’s that improv from earlier below 👇
#nevent1q…ctju