Sydney, Australia 2023 photos

I didn’t get a lot of photos in Sydney, Australia. My two weeks there with Cirque du Soleil was mainly spent visiting friends on the days off. But a highlight for me was attending the Sydney Opera House for a concert performance of La Gioconda “the world’s leading tenor” Jonas Kaufmann. Brilliant concert!

And don’t tell anyone, but I had my first dinner at a vegetarian restaurant and the food was really good! Normally when I see any word with “-tarian” in it I run. After I ate, it didn’t feel like I had just had dinner. Hmmm… maybe there’s something to all that after all.

So here’s a few photos from my Sydney walks with friends:

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AC/DC Lane street art in Melbourne, Australia

AC/DC Lane in Melbourne, Australia is full of fantastic street art and murals. Here are photos I took on “Acca Dacca” lane and surrounding streets in Melbourne. This was the most fun I’ve had yet doing street art photography. The only other city I’ve been to that even comes close is Hamburg, Germany (which I affectionately call the “Steampunk City”)

Photos taken with a Sony A7 iv camera and Sony GM 35mm lens. Photos taken August 2023

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Brisbane, Australia photos – July 2023

On to Australia with Cirque du Soleil starting with Brisbane as we make our way performing down the East Coast. Highlights for me were visiting the Australia Zoo (the conservation park of the Steve Irwin family), the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Museum of Natural History and of course the wonderful restaurants in Brisbane

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In music, what is Timbre?

Timbre (pronounced “tamber” or “tam-bur”) refers to the unique quality or character of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds with the same pitch and volume. It is also known as tone color or sound color. Timbre is what allows us to distinguish between different musical instruments or voices, even when they are playing or singing the same pitch at the same volume.

Timbre is determined by several factors, including the harmonic content, envelope, and spectral characteristics of a sound. Harmonic content refers to the specific combination and strength of overtones or harmonics present in a sound, which gives it its unique tonal color. Envelope refers to the way in which a sound changes over time, including its attack (how it starts), sustain (how it sustains), and decay (how it ends). Spectral characteristics refer to the overall frequency distribution of a sound, which affects its timbral characteristics.

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What is Musical Form?

Musical form refers to the structure or organization of a piece of music. It encompasses the way in which different musical sections are arranged and related to each other, creating a sense of coherence and shape within the composition. Musical form provides a framework for organizing musical ideas and elements, such as melody, rhythm, harmony, and texture, to create a meaningful and aesthetically pleasing musical experience.

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Auckland, New Zealand photos

A wonderful two weeks in Auckland, New Zealand complete with a hike through the Karamatura Valley rainforest, views from the Sky Tower, visiting the WETA Workshop film special effects center and of course the wonderful natural landscapes of the New Zealand north island.

Are you a Lord of the Rings fan? Check out my photos from Hobbiton (The Shire) here: https://conradaskland.com/blog/hobbiton-photos-at-lord-of-the-rings-filming-location-in-matamata-new-zealand/

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What is Musical Intelligence?

Musical intelligence, also known as musical aptitude or musicality, refers to an individual’s ability to understand, appreciate, and engage with music in various ways. It is one of the multiple intelligences proposed by Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, which suggests that intelligence is not solely measured by IQ, but can manifest in different forms, including musical intelligence.

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Christchurch, New Zealand photos – June 2023

A lovely three weeks in Christchurch, New Zealand. These are photos in Christchurch proper, the Botannical Gardens and view from the nearby Gondola ride up a mountainside. The Botannical Gardens were so beautiful (even at the start of New Zealand winter) that I went three times for leisurely strolls.

Christchurch, NZ had a major earthquake in 2011 that destroyed many homes and buildings. They are still rebuilding. A unique aspect to this is that many of the sides of the buildings have been opened up to street artists for mural paintings. I love street art and I haven’t seen this much street art in a city since visiting Hamburg, Germany earlier this year.

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