From Alyssa
The other thing I noticed, even before Sandra and I read through the sonata, was that it was Opus 1.
Opus 1 was for piano and cello??? Most composers don't even attempt writing for cello and piano until…
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Not the CoyoteGate follow-up I'd imagined...
Hi everyone,
Yes, I know I had promised a follow-up to the “Karma is a Horny Coyote” post – I'd planned for it to be pretty epic, tying in the micro-aggressions with the macro-aggressions taking place on the…
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On the Wrong Notes
From Sandra
On noticing “wrong” notes
The director of the St. Petersburg Music School, where Kashperova had taught, once warned the composer Balakirev not to include Kashperova in an upcoming concert because “she does not recognise any leadership and …..will…
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Canadian Premiere of Kashperova's Sonata for Piano and Cello, Op.1 No.1 confirmed!
Duo Kashperova will perform the Canadian Premiere of Leocadiya Kashperova's Sonata for Piano and Cello, Op.1 No.1 on Sunday, April 26 at 2:30pm at Bethel Community Church. This will be a fundraiser for the Barrie Concert Association, with admission by…
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"Not My Experience With Him" and other blows to the soul
Last week, after posting “Karma is a Horny Coyote” on my Facebook page – about the neighbour who was accusing me for months about letting my dog bark to wake him up on a regular basis, and becoming downright abusive when I was able to provide video evidence that it was not my dog that woke him up – another neighbour responded with “My interactions with this neighbour have only been positive and pleasant," and then left the conversation.
And oo-eee, Little Lyssy's nervous system had a wee panic session over that one, because it felt soooooo familiar. While the neighbour-blaming-me-and-my-dog-for-coyote-calls situation is, of course, vastly different from what Little Lyssy was growing up with, the impact of “he's never been like that with me” comments on those who speak up about bullying or abusive behaviour is especially painful and triggering – and part of what keeps so many people silent about all types of abusive behaviour, which in turn allows it to continue.
And folks, our world is currently chock full o' abusive behaviour, and power-over folks going full DARVO on those calling it out (when they aren't murdering them). Can we maybe take a few breaths and be a little bit more careful about how we respond to people calling out any sort of abuse, bullying or harassment? Because… butterflies and windstorms…
The following is the response I made to this neighbour within my Facebook thread, but I was told it was universal enough it should become its own post. So I'm going to hold up on the follow-up post I had planned (because long-term readers will know that laughter is usually followed by a truth-bomb), and share this first:
For Piano And Cello
From Alyssa
Even before sitting down to read through the Sonata for the first time, something already stood out when we downloaded the score from IMSLP – the title. Contrary to common practice, these were not two cello sonatas, or even two sonatas for cello and piano, they were two sonatas for piano and cello. Putting the piano first had to be a deliberate decision, but why?
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Karma is a horny coyote
Friends, for months I have been walking on eggshells, a little stressbucket whenever letting the dogs out after dark. Because I kept getting nasty emails (couched in passive-aggressive smileys, so he didn't look like an asshole) from my neighbour across the way, ordering me to "do something" about Laila, who was "constantly" waking him up in the middle of the night, "at all hours" and she's "very loud".
Keep in mind that his bedroom is at the back of his house, and there's quite a bit of space and trees and a road and a hill (and, this time of year, sound-muffling snowbanks) in between my back yard and his back window. However, there are some strange acoustical properties to my neighbourhood, with quite a steep ridge that serves as a bit of an echo chamber, so I was mortified that "my" dog was upsetting a neighbour so often. But I was having trouble understanding how a dog barking in my back yard could be loud enough to wake a man across the street, when I wasn't hearing her bark at all.
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On discovering the bird song
From Sandra
When Alyssa and I started looking at Kashperova’s Sonata for piano and cello in G major, we had no idea what to expect. It felt like a bit of a curious adventure….to explore a piece written by a…
Read moreRecording of Kashperova's Sonata for Piano and Cello Op.1 No.1 now available for streaming or...
Duo Kashperova's recording of Kaspherova's Sonata for Piano and Cello in G Major, Op.1 No.1 is now available for streaming and download at https://duokashperova.com/music.
After much research into the composer's music and life and intricate study of her urtext…
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Recording of Kashperova's Sonata for Piano and Cello, Op.1, No.1 coming soon!
Duo Kashperova is releasing their recording of Leocadiya Kashperova's Sonata for Piano and Cello, Op.1, No.1 in January, 2026.
Kashperova (1872-1940) has been described as a “late romantic” composer. But after much research into her music and life, and time…
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