Journal

Check Out The Newly Designed Website!

2011-09-22T16:13:00.003-05:00

Greetings everyone!
I'm excited to announce the launch of my newly designed website! Please check it out and let me know what you think. Also, sign up for my newsletter so that we can keep in touch. This is going to be a great season, and I cannot wait to share it with all of you.

Happenings

2011-07-11T17:23:00.002-05:00

Greetings all,
For anyone out there that visits my website and/or blog, I have great news!

In two months my new website will be launched where you will be able to view videos, music, check out my upcoming performances and learn more about my touring show: Minimal Art.

Until the new site is finished, keep an eye on my twitter account for upcoming shows, or like me on Facebook to also get up to date links on where I am in the world.

I'm Looking forward to new beginnings this season, and have so many exciting new projects, commissions and concerts in store to share with all of you!

Find calendar updates below while my new website is being constructed:

Twitter: @LisaP_SoloDrums

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Pegher/279462728450

Worth every second...

2011-05-19T15:12:00.018-05:00

Performing with Maestro Loh and the NEPA Philharmonic was a great way to bring my season to an end. I'm looking forward to a summer of new beginnings and finally being able to bring new visions to light. Here are some photos that remind me how much I love what I do!

From Princeton to Boston to Lima and Onward...

2011-04-10T21:06:00.018-05:00

April 10th, 2011

I'm just arriving home from an amazing performance of Joseph Schwantner's Percussion Concerto with Crafton Beck and the Lima Symphony Orchestra this past weekend. The past few months have been a whirlwind of performing and the past two years have been full of new concerti, projects and new surroundings.

In January I was thrilled to present the world premiere of Mathew Rosenblum's Double Concerto with Kenneth Koon, Gil Rose and the Boston Modern Orchestra. Before that, I made a trip to Princeton on the IAS concert series hosted by one of my favorite composers, Derek Bermel. Although my season is not over, I wanted to pause to remember all that has taken place since December. I'm looking forward to writing more as the season wraps up, but until then, here are some photos of some wonderful moments that have already taken place.

Home Base/Schwantner.

2011-02-15T21:26:00.003-06:00

Many emotions were stirred up in my head as I pulled out Schwantner's Percussion Concerto score over the weekend. Each time I prepare this piece it brings me back to home base. The beginning of my journey.

In a way, it has become a staple piece for me. When I get back to it, I remember my roots. I remember why and how I got into all of this in the first place. Recalling each performance, and each preparation for that performance. Where I was, what was happening in my life. Who I was. I compare it to what I am.

But, the thing that I realize is that I am this music. I've become it. It has become me. We inter-are. It was the piece that set me on my path. And, it seems to come back each time I am about to set off in a new direction on my path. Or, sometimes, it saves me from myself and puts me back on the right path. It has the power to pull me out of a destitute state or out of post-performance depression.. It lures me back to reality. And I remember...

Pittsburgh, Chicago, Minnesota, Texas ... [the beginning]

Mississippi. Jackson, Mississippi: 2006. It forced me to live. It made me remember who I was. It forced me to become who I am. It told me that if I give everything to it, and loose everything for it, that it would give it back to me.
Somehow--someday.

February, 2007. Lansing, Michigan. Sibby. It was the only thing that would bring me back from the sorrow of loosing Sibby. Colorado 2008. My first performance after the coma. A new path. New direction.

What it is this time, I cannot say. I suppose I won't know until I perform it again next season.. But, I do know that my life always seems to come back to this concerto. Each time it returns, it has my utmost respect because part of me knows that I'm witnessing something amazing that I won't fully realize until the next time it's on my music stand.

Respect, and a bow Joseph Schwantner.

Lima, Ohio: Six weeks. Come witness it.

LP

WWFM Interview

2011-01-31T21:00:00.004-06:00

This is an interview that was conducted in December 2010 after a performance at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, NJ. It is one of the most in depth interviews I've done in quite some time. If you're interested, please give it a listen, and enjoy!

-LisaP.

My Life As A Practice

2010-12-05T22:08:00.004-06:00

Sometimes I long to have a "normal" life. Then I wonder what is "normal" anyway? My life is a practice. One long focused practice session. I wake up to music in my head. Then, I practice whatever upcoming music I have for hours and take a break only to practice yoga or run (which are interchangeable to me). Then-- I practice more.

When beginning a new work the practice takes a lot of patience and concentration to learn correctly. This wears on me when I have so little time to learn so much. As most people, I'd much rather skip ahead and just do the fun part: Perform.

I used to dread this struggle. Now though, things are different. Without the struggle, the performance is meaningless, no? When you perform something you've struggled for and suffered in a way for, it makes it all that sweeter in the end. It's a feeling of accomplishment that some never experience... For these moments, I am grateful. This is my life right now. It has been since I can remember. No time to rest. Full speed ahead. Although time passes in a much different way for me than most (behind a music stand and percussion instruments..), it is more fulfilling than I could ever put into words.

LM

'To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.'

2010-09-28T21:13:00.003-05:00

In my life, for some reason, I notice things as they take on a metamorphosis from being a hardship and return having taken the form of what seems, in someway, to be a beautiful butterfly. What I've come to understand is that these small things usually stay the same while I continually work so hard at changing and trying to become better inside and out. Several of these moments over the last few weeks have occurred and I cannot say why or how but it has inspired me to write.

In 2007, you can look at my archive titled: February 15th, 2006. A simple poem. A poem that held so much meaning to me at the time. Tonight it returns to me in Andre Agassi's Autobiography that I've been reading over the past two weeks. As I re-read it, many emotions were brought back, but I'm so different now. So changed. The poem is still inspiring, but more inspiring because I feel as though I went from seeing the meaning through someone else to realizing my own inner-potential through its meaning. At the last visit to that poem, I was at my weakest point. And now, I'm at my strongest.

In yoga class this Monday I found myself wondering why of all the poses, I still had not come to peace with full locust pose. For those who are not hatha yogis, it is a pose where you lift your arms and legs off the ground while lying on your stomach. Each time I would get to it, I would dread it, wondering, what is the point? What is the point in a pose where you don't hold on to anything? How is this making me stronger?? And at that very moment, I realized the true meaning of that pose in my life. It is the last link. It is the pose I needed to understand. Letting go. Having nothing to hold on to, and still being able to fly. My body was ready, but my mind wasn't so sure.

It is now.

This is my life. These are my wings. Now, is the time to fly. ...

Come, my friends,
'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.

It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.

Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now that strength which in the old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;

One equal-temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield

-from Tennyson's "Ulysses"

LM

This is to have succeeded...

2010-09-12T20:35:00.003-05:00

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lisa Pegher: "Arena" Percussion Concerto No.1 by Tobias Brostrom (excerp...

2010-08-23T15:04:00.000-05:00

Lisa Pegher: "Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra" by Jennifer Higdon

2010-08-21T10:41:00.001-05:00

Peninsula Music Festival

2010-08-09T21:17:00.009-05:00

August 9th, 2010

I just returned home from a performance with conductor, Victor Yampolsky, and the Peninsula Festival Orchestra. I feel a bit of the post performance depression setting in already, but those of you who know me, know that it only lasts until I'm on to the next performance or the next project...

It was the first time in a while that a road trip was involved. Most of the time I now fly to performances. When carrying the instruments back up to my studio, I often wonder what keeps me going. Why do I do this??

Then, I recall the performance. The music. The energy. The people. And I run back down the stairs to grab more gear. I can, so I must. And; I do.

Here are some shots from the road.

---------------------------------

LM

Preview of next weekend's concert!

2010-08-02T12:47:00.000-05:00

Minimal Art: Mvt. V "Imaginary Windows" -- A Sneak Peak at my newly released DVD!!

2010-06-26T16:13:00.001-05:00

Minimal Art is coming May 26th! Don't Miss It!!!

2010-05-16T13:18:00.001-05:00

CD/DVD RELEASE CONCERT

2010-05-10T09:51:00.004-05:00

Hi Everyone:
Reserve your seat now for the May 26th CD/DVD Release concert!
Sign your name at: www.minimalartmusic.com or minimalartmusic@gmail.com

When: May 26th at 7:30PM
Where: The CAPA Black Box: 110 9th Street, Pittsburgh PA
Adult: 20
Student: 15

Life and Death

2010-04-15T11:05:00.003-05:00

"The reason death sticks so closely to life isn't biological necessity--it's envy. Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous, possessive love that grabs at what it can. But life leaps over oblivion lightly, losing only a thing or two of no importance, and gloom is but the passing shadow of a cloud."

-Y. Martel

What you see are not tears of sorrow, but rather, the tears of pure joy...

2010-04-10T14:54:00.005-05:00

Dream On.

San Jose, California

2010-03-21T16:37:00.004-05:00

It was great to share music with the students at San Jose State University this weekend. The visit was short, but I did manage to take a few post-concert shots.

LM

Lisa Plays Drums

2010-02-06T15:37:00.001-06:00

Grand Junction

2010-01-29T00:00:00.016-06:00

Six performances in nine days. It is now time for the post performance depression to set in. The reason being, that it is never just about the performances, but also about the preparation leading up to them. After the audience leaves, and there is already an e-ticket waiting for you, the intense realization occurs that it is over.

What keeps me going is that the performances, although seemingly gone, still become part of me, and continue on through the next performance. Having spent close to ten days as part of Grand Junction, I must say, that it is a place of beauty. I played concerts at local schools along with Talking Rhythms percussion ensemble, sat in on two jazz events, gave some master classes, and performed an amazing percussion concerto, with a really great orchestra.

Thank you, Grand Junction, for letting me share music with you.
Here is last week in pictures ->

New Year, New Concerto, New Dress...

2010-01-16T11:55:00.003-06:00

Black = Authority + Seriousness + Individuality + Anarchy + Rebellion + Power.

My Wish For The New Year.

2009-12-24T15:28:00.004-06:00

There is a great quote that says something like, "In order to learn, one must recognize the teacher". On paper, I have not lived all that many years, but in heart, feel that I have lived an entire lifetime.

The teachers have appeared before me in many of the people and places I've met and seen, and in all that was held on to, and let go. The people I love, and the ones that loved me -- even when I couldn't love myself. It has been taught through the heartache, the music, the freezing temperatures in the north, and the oppressive heat of the south.

Survival. Persistence. Patience. Perseverance.

Being alright with not knowing the future, and yet striving each day to be better than oneself. When I meet people now, I recognize that I am them, that they are me. That we all somehow ended up here and that the only thing we can do is give what we have to give, however big or small that may be. As the new year turns, all I can say is that the greatest gift that is ever given, is being able to always recognize the teacher.

In every flower, tear, sunset, every trial and tribulation, every friend, stranger, and angel in disguise. Through practicing a concerto in 90 degree weather in the midst of a category 5 hurricane and holding your best friend's hand as they die. Snowy egrets, loneliness, silence, carrots, espresso, concert halls, planes, trains and automobiles.

You were there, and so was I. All that was learned and is being learned is part of what we are, and who we will become.

Merry Christmas to everyone, and may you all recognize the teacher when it appears.

Lisa Mae.

New Video Posting

2009-11-17T20:51:00.000-06:00

New Video Posting

2009-11-17T20:49:00.001-06:00

A New Chapter

2009-11-09T18:22:00.009-06:00

Exhausted, sore, bruised and... happy? This weekend I finally had the opportunity to premiere a project that has been 3 years in the making. Often, I become so busy and determined, that when a project or piece finally comes to life, it does not register until after the show. As I was walking through the Baton Rouge airport this morning, the nostalgia began to sink in. Looking around, I thought of all the obstacles that have been overcome, all the moments of despair, the loss, the worst of times, and the best of times. This airport was my launch pad. The end, and the beginning.

Today...strong again, I stand.

Will power- check.
Determination-check.
Open heart--CHECK!

The performances this weekend were not about money, not about status; but about living out a vision which helped to pull me back to myself and find meaning in my life and art again.

When I get back, there is more work yet to do, and that is alright by me. Because the reward for all that has taken place in the last two months is finally sinking in.

Thank you, Of Moving Colors, and Andrew Knox, for collaborating with me on a project that is the beginning of a new chapter.

Onward ->

ASO Rehearsal Photos

2009-10-26T20:38:00.001-05:00

IMG_0433
Originally uploaded by horngodess179

It was great to perform a concerto with so many of my friends this week.
These are some photos that were taken during dress rehearsal.
Thank you for the photos, Cathy...and, to the orchestra, for such a memorable experience.

ASO Rehearsal Photos

2009-10-26T20:28:00.001-05:00

IMG_0440
Originally uploaded by horngodess179

ASO Rehearsal Photos

2009-10-26T20:23:00.001-05:00

IMG_0432
Originally uploaded by horngodess179

Knowing What it Means to Love New Orleans...

2009-09-25T13:36:00.007-05:00

My Life is Like This:

Everything comes down to the performance.

For the past four weeks, my life revolved around how I would get myself to where I was last night: On Stage -- at my best. Everything else becomes secondary.

Such as, the dishes, eating, um... a bed, a chair to sit on (yes, a chair). As long as my drums were in place and I had a place to practice, nothing else mattered.

Why would anyone choose to live such a life?

One reason was all of the high school students that showed up at the dress rehearsal on Thursday morning. When one came up and said, "you are my inspiration..." I take that very seriously. It is one of the things that keeps me going.

Another?

That I get to make music with so many different and amazing musicians. The conductor, Maximiano Valdes was outstanding, and a really great person. Sitting between him and David Stock last night, listening to all of the wisdom they have acquired from years in the business, was a moment in my life that I will never take for granted -- or forget.

The New Orleans Philharmonic and I have one thing in common. We've both withstood hardship, devastation, and loss ... but still met each other with open arms last night, and continue to stand when we all could have given up.

I'm in New Orleans. A place that seemed like a far away land to me when I was a kid. Now, it feels very much like home; and always will.

Thank you for an amazing performance last night, NOPO.

Photo: (Conductor, Max Valdes and I after the performance)

The Sorrow of Life.

2009-09-11T20:33:00.002-05:00

When I read something horrible on the news, it is my first reaction to do something about it. Then, I ponder how such suffering can exist. Eventually, I realize the problem is so big, that I probably cannot change it alone. Soon, I begin to wonder how I could express that sorrow in music -- to a larger audience, with the hope that it might make a difference ...somehow.

Is it that the musician exists to express the pain and sorrows of the world, or do we perform as a way shield ourselves from it?

Maybe both.

Sibby

2009-08-22T18:37:00.000-05:00

Change - It Happens.

2009-08-19T17:09:00.008-05:00

Well, perhaps you've been wondering where I've been all summer, or why I have been so quiet on the blog front. Perhaps, [you] the one(s) I refer to, do not really exist. But, that's alright, I'll write anyway ...

Something is different. I made a major change in my life this summer. We get in this mindset sometimes, thinking that we are stuck, when this is not the case at all. If one wants to conform to the ideas of others, one might find themselves stuck in a cycle of non-change. In order to break the cycle, all we have to do is stop worrying about what everyone else thinks, or does, and let our own story unfold. This is SO difficult because we live in such an unoriginal society, driven by the media who constantly tells us what to like, dislike, eat, drink,... you get the point.

I say: Forget it. Listen to yourself. Ask the questions that people do not want to answer. Have an original idea, and fight to see it through to the end.

There is a light out there, above the horizon. It is within my reach, and yours.

Several chapters have already been written - and closed.
The rest is happening now.

LM

Day Eight ...

2009-07-16T19:27:00.007-05:00

Six hours later, the rough mixes were finished ...

A movement of what I'm recording this week:

2009-07-11T18:49:00.003-05:00

Recording Sessions - Day 1

2009-07-06T18:41:00.005-05:00

Asheville Symphony Orchestra Performance: Live

2009-05-19T18:13:00.004-05:00

http://www.sarahphilbrick.com/ASOWeb/ASO_MW6A_2009.mov

username: ASO
password: music

I have to say, that this was to date, one of my most memorable performances of David Stock's, Concerto for Percussion.
Thank you, ASO.

A Place To Practice...

2009-05-18T23:00:00.007-05:00

As I was driving home from performing a recital tonight, I began thinking. My life, has been, since I can recall, a lot about trying to find a place to practice-

There was my little bedroom where I cleaned out most things a normal seven year old would have, in order to set up my drum set. Then, there was all the times during school when I would try to find a place in the rehearsal room, time after school, out in the hall, anywhere someone would let me practice. And, not just a place to practice, but time to practice. If I wasn't in class, I would go to the band room - to practice. Then there was college, where, it was all about being able to keep my percussion setups stable for the longest amount of time, without having to move them. "How much time can I practice", was always the phrase. "Is it alright to leave my stuff up, to practice"?

Up the elevator, down the elevator. Would I be able to practice at home? What about my apartment? How can I live in an apartment, if I cannot practice? Then the next phase, I figure, as long as I'm at this university, I'll be able to practice. Then, I graduated. Now, it was a different situation. Where would I be able to practice? You would be associated with a university, but, where would I practice? Then I had to find a house, because I figured out that most people don't enjoy listening to drums on their day off. Now what? How can I afford to practice? I'll have to have a house, big enough to practice. My car will need to be big enough, in case, I need to practice.

Can I really fit my stuff in here? These halls aren't big enough. I won't be able to practice. Oh, I can use this extra room... to ...practice. And Now, I find myself wondering, once again:

How I will live, if I can't have a place, a space, to
-practice.

Summer Season

2009-05-12T08:54:00.004-05:00

~Summer is upon us.
The excitement for all that is happening right now is making me a bit anxious, but the next few months will be quite productive. The recording of my solo disc will be taking place in an undisclosed area outside of Pittsburgh. My hope is that we can shoot some video of the process. Pictures are a must. The give away will come later...(as well as the title).
The disc will be mostly commissions, along with some original and improvised material. Ben Hill will be the artist helping with the digital art and packaging. Posts will be made as we get closer to the recording dates.
Four weeks and counting.
Our time is short.

LM

Worth A Listen

2009-05-11T10:30:00.001-05:00

Mission Chamber Orchestra/San Jose

2009-05-05T00:44:00.014-05:00

It has been a busy and rewarding few weeks. I spent last week in San Jose performing with Emily Ray and the Mission Chamber Orchestra, while also presenting a master class at San Jose State University. It is great being able to share ideas and music with new people and new friends. Galen and his students took me out for some garlic fries afterwards and showed me around town. I couldn't get over the size of the roses there ...they smelled as beautiful as they look.

After the concert I was able to catch up with an old friend from Pittsburgh who took me for a quick late night trip in to San Francisco. I love San Fran., if it weren't for my profession, I would pick up and move to a row house in an instant.

Here are some favorite shots from around the Bay Area:

The York report:

2009-04-27T10:50:00.011-05:00

Hi All,
Just taking a quick breather before heading to Silicon Valley in a few days. It was great to perform with Dr. Robert Hart Baker and the York Symphony on Saturday night. The town of York is quite historic, and there were some beautiful old buildings there. Being that it is the home of the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company, the noise level of the city was louder than most, and surprising for such a small town. I thought about taking a ride, myself, but never really got around to it ;) .

The most rewarding part of my trip was a woman that came up to me after my performance and said something to the likes of, "At first, I had already decided that I wasn't going to like the piece, but then about half way through, due to your performance, and the feeling of the music, I began to change my mind..." She continued by saying, "Thank you for showing me that I can change my mind about things, even at my age.".

That's what I'm here for. I'm going to change your mind about things.
Thank you, York.

Here are some of my favorite shots from around town:
See you in San Jose.

LM

On the move...

2009-04-19T08:27:00.019-05:00

I had an amazing time getting to perform with Daniel Meyer and the Asheville Symphony on Saturday night. The percussion concerto was well received and I was also able to witness a great performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

Beethoven and Stock on the same concert. I love this life.

Not to mention, that Asheville itself, is a really cool town. I wish I had more time to visit all that there was to do there, but duty calls. Here are some pictures from around town. I'll miss this place.

See you in York!
LM

My Journal : Actually

2009-04-03T12:42:00.004-05:00

Greetings,

As I was writing in my journal last night, I realized that my blog only portrays a small window into my life. The reason for this is that not many people want to share their entire personal life with what amounts to anyone willing to do a little on-line research. I often wonder what will be said when the day comes when someone sits down to read my real life journals...

On another note, there are things that I share on my website that are left out of my evening journals. Today; is a beautiful day. After I write this, I will hop on my bike and run the 3.5 mile lake loop. Then - practice ...

I realized yesterday that I become addicted to practicing in a way. When I get in a specific mind set, I have to *make* myself quit. I suppose this is a good thing.

A good portion of April and May will be spent on the road, performing with some excellent orchestras and getting to meet some great people (as I often do). My dreams have been telling me that change is in the air. Optimism is key, and persistence will get us where we need to be.

Here's to the path ... perhaps ours will cross soon.

LM

The road awaits...

2009-03-27T12:37:00.001-05:00

Beauty

2009-03-24T11:20:00.002-05:00

On my table ~

2009-03-24T09:06:00.006-05:00

A pile of scores
A pile of music
A bottle of electrolyte enhanced water
My running bandanna
Flintstones Vitamins
Extra Strength Tylenol
A hair clip
My computer

This pretty much sums it up...

LM

Why it is better to be able to think about questions before answering them...

2009-03-13T16:08:00.006-05:00

As a person that speaks in a public format almost daily, and one who has done a lot of interviews over the years, I always find that my answers are better if I have had some time to think over the questions before answering them. Just the same as if I were to show up and teach on a subject that I hadn't thought about the night before or studied with the intent of sharing my thoughts.

Perhaps some might disagree with me here, but it has always been my feeling that when I am asked a serious question off guard, I tend to skip around the subject while feeling out what I really think or feel about the question at hand. But, when I know the question beforehand, I can give my true thoughts and opinions.

So, after thinking about this question: "In what direction do you feel music is heading...?" Here is my more well thought out answer:

I cannot say for sure. Music is like its own ecosystem. It grows and changes - spreading in different directions. As one who is immersed in music and performance constantly, I can see music heading into a time of smaller ensembles, cross-over, chamber performance, electronica, multi-media, with an emphasis on incorporating cross-cultures and global unity. It doesn't stop there. We can already see a cross over not only of cultures, but also, of genres. Chamber art music groups, will borrow more heavily from rock and roll, jazz, and electronically produced sound. Visual impact will become more important as the symphony orchestra becomes to still for such a technologically enhanced society. We will see more movement, more colors, and more audience interaction. Art and visual design will cross over into music, as it always has, but now it will be with multi-media and digitally enhanced movement.

Perhaps my answer will fall short, or, perhaps I am projecting where I hope music it is heading...

LP

Great arrangement, and ironic, but I won't say why.

2009-03-10T22:16:00.002-05:00

Why did you sing with me at all?

2009-03-10T22:06:00.000-05:00

Streetlight Photography-WSO

2009-03-03T11:43:00.007-06:00

Here are some more great shots by Streetlight Photography, taken during my last performance with the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra. Check out my photo gallery for more.

WSO (in action)

2009-02-23T15:08:00.006-06:00

Here was a great performance shot someone took at the WSO concert last week. Marimba One, and BCBG go well together...and for some reason, I love being surrounded by cellos.

"The Invitation"

2009-02-15T11:21:00.004-06:00

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.

I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.

I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon.

I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear or further pain! I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it. I want to know if you can be with JOY, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you’re telling me is true.

I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore be trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty everyday, and if you can source your life from ITS presence. I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “YES!”

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.

I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you are, how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.

I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you can truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

-Oriah Mountain Dreamer (Indian Elder)

The beauty of craft -

2009-02-14T11:51:00.004-06:00

I have been in contact with an artisan cymbal and gong maker from England. His name is Matt Nolan and he is an artist in his own right. I will begin performing with his cymbals and gongs exclusively over the next few months. We share the philosophy of percussion being not only laden with complex colors as a solo instrument, but also on how it presents itself as art on stage. Here are some of the instruments he has created for me so far ...

Thank you, Williamsport ...

2009-02-12T12:49:00.008-06:00

Greetings,
I just arrived back from a great trip performing with Tomasz Golka and the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra.

What a beautiful historic town! If you ever find yourself there, be sure to visit the historic concert hall downtown, Millionaire Row, the Bullfrog, and if you are looking for espresso, beware of the Coffee and Tea Room, because even if your poster is on the front door - you might get kicked out for loitering ...

Here are some photos from around town:

Roses from the orchestra

The historic concert hall

My photo on a billboard in town

Welcome to Williamsport ...

2009-02-08T09:51:00.003-06:00

More soon!

Green =

2009-02-02T14:30:00.009-06:00

HEART CHAKRA NO.4 + GROWTH + HOPE + CALM

Go Time.

1.29.2009

2009-01-30T17:41:00.007-06:00

Last night was one that I will remember for the rest of my life. It was one of those times when everything seemed to come together at just the right moment. I got to meet some amazing musicians and was reminded why I love what I do.

Often,we get on this path where it seems like we strive and strive but wonder if anyone is listening and if we are making any difference at all.

Then, moments like last night come along, and it makes the road worth traveling again. Because when a person like Billy Kilson tells you that "you can't stop doing what you're doing, Lisa..." You listen. It holds weight. It means something.
It's one thing to believe in yourself, but the road is long and can be brutal and disheartening at times. But when someone you respect and admire shares words like that, it can make all the difference.

Onward--

Williamsport Symphony - Interview Clip

2009-01-12T15:51:00.004-06:00

More clips from this interview can be found at:

http://www.youtube.com/WilliamsportSymphony

30 Second Commercial Spot for WSO

2009-01-06T12:16:00.004-06:00

www.First-Contact.us/lisapegher.mov

Quote of the day:

2009-01-04T17:39:00.001-06:00

"If you deceive someone, you lose one of life's greatest treasures, you lose the capacity to trust. Because without trust, love is not possible."
-Osho

Welcome to 2009

2009-01-02T11:26:00.009-06:00

"The one who has conquered himself is a far greater hero than the who has defeated a thousand times a thousand men." -From the Dhammapada

Greetings-
A new year is before us. This year is sure to be one of the best.
In learning more about ourselves, we have the choice to either stay the same, or make something different in order that we not only help ourselves, but more importantly, help others. There is something to be said for the person that can be selfless while still striving to make a difference in the lives of others.

A wise man once said that in order to live, we must first learn how to die. The lucky ones figure it out before it is too late.

So, here is to 2009.

Love your life.

LP

Minimal Art (In Progress...)

2008-12-21T21:58:00.004-06:00

Here is a clip of Minimal Art (in progress), from my recital in Colorado a few weeks ago. This is: Water Runs Up by Andrew Knox. The animation is in the works and we are hoping for an April premiere.

In my heart

2008-12-16T11:53:00.002-06:00

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

-E.E. Cummings

Act V. Sc. 3

2008-12-12T10:00:00.000-06:00

THE END
A glooming peace
this morning with it brings,
The sun for sorrow will not show his head.
Go hence to have more talk of these sad things;
Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished:
For never was there a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

Back from the Grand Valley...

2008-12-08T20:58:00.011-06:00

Greetings everyone,

I've just returned home from my last concert of the first half of the season. I must say that it was one of my more memorable experiences. I have a wonderful new "circle of friends" in the Grand Valley of Colorado, and was given the wonderful gift of remembering why I love what I do.

There is nothing quite like the feeling of being able to share art while being surrounded by the art of mother nature.

Thank you, Grand Junction, for giving me new life.

Post concert-

2008-12-06T18:19:00.008-06:00

The Mesa Wind Symphony Percussion Section, Darin Kamstra (Professor of Percussion) and Me.

Welcome to Grand Junction...

2008-12-03T19:26:00.001-06:00

More soon-

Running Up Stairs

2008-12-01T09:21:00.002-06:00

I've been keeping a bit of a low profile lately, and for good reason. I ran out of words for a while.

Sometimes, silence does the best talking.

I'm writing today to tell you that change is coming and - that it already has.
It's interesting to come to a point in life when you realize something is different.We all have rites of passage but sometimes it presents as more of an epiphany.

Perhaps it is some sort of coming of age.

Perhaps - we all are here to learn specific things in our lifetime and when we finally accomplish one of these tasks, a major change occurs.

Things are different now.

I am running up stairs again.

I can share a smile with people when I'm running the lakes again.

Although this might seem small to some, it has never meant so much to me. It means more than Rome; more than Paris. The simple fact that I can just be again, is the one thing that has set me free.

See you in Grand Junction-

Lisa
(Hopeful, mindful, and centered)

The Truth

2008-11-30T21:37:00.002-06:00

1. Suffering Exists. (Life is Suffering).
2. Suffering Has Causes. (The Origin of Suffering is Attachment).
3. Happiness is Possible. (The End of Suffering is Attainable).
4. There is a Path that Leads to Happiness(The End of Suffering).

radio silence

2008-11-15T00:51:00.001-06:00

.

.

The Fall of Rome

2008-11-09T20:00:00.001-06:00

Coming Soon.

YES WE DID.

2008-11-03T22:11:00.001-06:00

From Freud-

2008-11-03T21:52:00.001-06:00

...be skeptical of everything we think we know and endlessly curious about what else we might really know...

Easier said than done...

2008-11-03T15:01:00.002-06:00

Inscribed on the Oracle at Delphi are the words, "Know Thyself."
That is easier said than done. Though the goal is always beyond reach, the search for it is the supreme journey, for along the way you will find the poetry of your soul.
-M.Kahn

High Art

2008-10-24T16:50:00.001-05:00

I remember the first time I heard a live symphony orchestra.
I guess I remember the feeling it gave me more than anything else.

I was scared.
I felt small.
I felt like whatever this thing was, it was so much bigger than me.
It was, to say the least - intimidating.

To this day, when I listen to a great piece of art music or wait back stage to perform, or when a new composition is before me - I never feel like I am is big as the music.Yet, I must strive to become it, live up to it, and hope that I bring it some sort of justice.

As an artist I feel a constant struggle with re-creation and being able to live with "almost perfect". There is no perfect in art. There is only the magnitude of effort one puts forth in the process of creation and re-creation.

As long as I am an artist, I will be forever humbled.

LM

"So I drew a new face, and I laughed..."

2008-10-18T13:19:00.004-05:00

One day, it all became so clear.
Namaste.

Our time is short...

2008-10-13T15:42:00.008-05:00

Every once in a while one of those songs make it.
One of those songs that get you through a rough patch.
One of those songs you love to sing out loud.
One of those songs that will always remind you of that time in your life. Where you were, what you were doing, what life was like.

That song somehow, makes life worth alright to live. We love these songs. We live for the moment it comes on the radio. That smile it brings to us inside. We download it, listen to it, over and over and over again.

Thanks Jason Mraz, for writing that song. Just when I needed one.

I'm Yours-

Lisa

Some Master Class shots from Moorhead State University.

2008-10-05T10:49:00.005-05:00

A Tree

2008-09-24T21:58:00.005-05:00

Two summers' past
Seems so long ago
One - without notice
Two was healing, but vast

So much we can learn from a tree

It stands, and grows, and withstands the heat
Growing with a strong inside
learning its way out
The heart of a tree can be taken
As the silhouette remains

We notice only when it falls
Dark; Dark, is that strong fearless heart

It rests.

And - so do we.

Fargo-Not that far out...

2008-09-23T12:34:00.006-05:00

Just back from two performances with the FM Symphony in North Dakota/Minnesota.
I was pleasantly surprised to find Fargo as having a booming downtown and wonderful arts district. I suppose it isn't that far out after all.

The weather was beautiful, and the the orchestra sounded great. If you ever find yourself in Fargo, be sure to stop in and say hello to my friends at the Jitters Coffee Shop and don't miss the Plains Art Gallery.

I was honored to be a part of the FM Symphony's opening night. Here are some after concerto photos.

Home behind the kit.

2008-09-19T22:29:00.009-05:00

The Awakening

2008-09-02T21:53:00.007-05:00

ASLEEP
HotHumidKatrinaSibeliusTheHouseTheGardenTheDreamTheOne
ThePromiseTheRescueTheQuestionTheHookNotKnowing
TheElevatorTheDreamThePromiseAmsterdamTunnels
RomeParisFrankfurtThirtyBellaButterflyJulietTheLight
ThePhoneAFlowerAloneTheApartmentAAkayak
GoingsTheDoorSibeliusTheCityHomelessLaneySibelius
TheLieTheQuestionTheAnswerTheBlammingAloneTheCity
TheBrokenDreamBlackBirdBayouThePurpleFlowersRain
HeatHumidAloneScaredFallenBrokenTunnelsSpidersNightmares
ThePathTheTrailTheleafintheshapeofabrokenheartBridges
RecoveryTimeLossSunsetsRunningRunningRunning
HealingSeeingLifeBackFromDeath
TheRoadLaneyAugustRainAloneMusicTimeRedBricks
SibeliusTheCarTheHouseHotHumidWreck
TheCityGustavTheTrailTheOrchestra
EyesSeeingTheApartment
TruthKnowing
Feeling
Despair
AWAKE

The everlasting struggle of growth.

2008-08-28T19:57:00.004-05:00

"There came a time when staying tight within the bud became more painful than the risk it took to bloom."

...Keep going

2008-08-28T11:58:00.004-05:00

The important thing is never to let oneself be
guided by the opinion of one's contemporaries;
to continue steadfastly on one's way
without letting oneself be either defeated
by failure or diverted by applause.

-Gustav Mahler

Close to me.

2008-08-25T20:15:00.001-05:00

The Waking
Theodore Roethke (1953 )

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.

We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.

Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly warm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me, so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.

ACT VI

2008-08-23T16:23:00.003-05:00

THE FINALE

So this is love, as demanding and nourishing and difficult as it can be. And as strong and wise as it makes you become.

There is something to be gained from commitment. There are rewards for staying when you would rather leave. And there is something to be said for running up that hill when you would rather slide down it.

AND SO YOU LET LOVE COME PERCH UPON YOUR SHOULDER. AND YOU DO NOT TURN IT AWAY.

You do the Tango.

N.A.

-Knowing Yourself-

2008-08-21T17:33:00.002-05:00

At daybreak, gazing at the moon,
So alone in the sky,
I finally knew myself all the way,
Nothing now left out.

-Izumi Skikibu

End, or Beginning? Which do you see?

2008-08-11T17:58:00.000-05:00

How we choose to live

2008-08-11T17:46:00.002-05:00

Some are givers.
Some, takers.
Some may appear to be taking to one person
while that person was actually trying to give.
Will a giver always end up with a taker?
Some go through life pretending that all
is theirs to take.
Some go through life
wondering why the takers can't give.
We can only hope that in the end,
everything the takers have taken;
the givers will give back again.

LP

More on Timing...

2008-08-02T12:30:00.001-05:00

O time thou must untangle this, not I.
It is too hard a knot for me to untie.

-Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

On my mind...

2008-07-23T14:34:00.005-05:00

We must override the condition of impermanence with unconditional love. It is how love lives on whether or not lovers do...
-David Richo

In other words...

2008-07-19T23:43:00.001-05:00

Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past.
-T.S.Eliot

Timing is Everything

2008-07-19T21:11:00.003-05:00

Timing is present ever so much in life that trying to escape it, often seems futile.

Must we always use each single rung of the life latter in getting to where we need to be? I often feel that we skip steps only to fall back down in order to step ever so slightly in the right direction again.

"One second sooner and..."
"One second later and..."
"Too much time has passed..."
"Not enough time has passed..."
"If it hadn't happened when it did..."
"You're moving too fast..."
"You're moving too slow..."
"If only it hadn't happened then..."
"And, it was a good thing it happened when it did because..."
"The timing was perfect..."
"The timing was just wrong..."

Do we create time, or does time create us?

Demanding Attention

2008-07-07T20:39:00.002-05:00

One unique thing that I think I can bring to my art is that I have worn so many different hats as a percussionist. I've played drum set in jazz clubs, rock bands, blues bands, musical theater productions ... I've played percussion in a orchestra section, timpani in an orchestra section and chamber music galore; yet - I make my living as a solo percussionist. One that in some ways, incorporates it all.

But, no matter which hat I'm wearing, I find that some music demands extreme attention. Not just as a player, but also, as a listener. That music, is the stuff that if my eyes radiated heat, the music would catch on fire. It is so intense that focus cannot be anywhere else. It's the stuff that brings out emotions we aren't sure really exist.

This is why I play music. Taking energy of a demanding piece, and willing it out of my body in some musical manner.

This music, does not exist to be read - it exists to be felt.

I hope you come across some soon.
LM

Summer in the studio. ...

2008-06-30T15:11:00.001-05:00

Under what condition?

2008-06-28T23:54:00.000-05:00

When running, I often ponder the differences between the human race and nature. It seems like we as humans often need to have a condition in order to love someone or something while animals seem to love us and each other under any condition.

Think of past relationships with people. Why did they end? Ask yourself what, if anything, is there in this world that you love unconditionally?

I worry that perhaps the human race due to speaking, writing, intellect, and technology--has lost the means to show unconditional love.

The next time you tell someone or something, "I love you" ask yourself if it is under some condition. Then, perhaps, you'll truly know if you've found something with meaning.

The Truth

2008-06-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

If at some point in your life you adopt an idea or a perception as the absolute truth, you close the door of your mind. This is the end of seeking the truth. And not only do you no longer seek the truth but, even if the truth comes in person and knocks on your door, you refuse to open it. Attachment to views, attachment to ideas, attachment to perceptions are the biggest obstacles to the truth.

-Buddha

Something Beautiful

2008-06-08T21:09:00.004-05:00

Every once in a while, something out of the ordinary happens that puts life into perspective. Although I had no camera, I feel the sight was so beautiful that I had to post it on my on-line journal rather than in my personal memoirs.

I was running around the lake just before sunset and I saw a rainbow in the distance. Before long my path darkened and it began to pour down rain.
Turning the corner-
the sunset was un-touched in the distance. Beautiful, picturesque, heavy as if from the weight of the colors themselves.

There, I stood, soaking wet, while at the same time, viewing a most spectacular sunset in the distance. The rain danced on the water along the long beam of light on my path.

I thought about a few things:

Standing in rain now, doesn't mean that there isn't something extraordinary right around the corner. And- sometimes, you have to endure the storm to see the rainbow on the other side.

Namaste

Memory

2008-06-01T13:35:00.004-05:00

Just remember that the things you put into your head are there forever, he said. You might want to think about that.

You forget some things, dont you?

Yes. You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget.

-Cormac McCarthy