Tom Maguire
@tmaguire08.bsky.social
Teacher (retired), unionist, classical music fan, Chicago obsessive (go Cubs go!), and lucky husband.🇺🇸🇮🇪
“Heaven, I’m in heaven…”
October 23, 2025 at 11:45 PM
“Heaven, I’m in heaven…”
This album changed my life. My HS chorus (Fox Lane HS in Bedford , NY—hardly a bastion of English music) performed RVW’s “O How Amiable are thy dwellings,” and shortly thereafter I saw this record in a local shop and bought it—and thus a life-long love for Vaughan Williams’ music was born.
August 25, 2025 at 8:59 PM
This album changed my life. My HS chorus (Fox Lane HS in Bedford , NY—hardly a bastion of English music) performed RVW’s “O How Amiable are thy dwellings,” and shortly thereafter I saw this record in a local shop and bought it—and thus a life-long love for Vaughan Williams’ music was born.
Ryno waving to the crowd at the dedication of his statue outside Wrigley Field. So happy I was there, and so sad he's gone. #Ryno #RyneSandberg #Cubs
July 29, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Ryno waving to the crowd at the dedication of his statue outside Wrigley Field. So happy I was there, and so sad he's gone. #Ryno #RyneSandberg #Cubs
A fabulous Verdi Requiem tonight from Riccardo Muti, brilliant soloists, and the Chicago SO & Chorus. #ClassicalMusic #Chicago
June 20, 2025 at 2:56 AM
A fabulous Verdi Requiem tonight from Riccardo Muti, brilliant soloists, and the Chicago SO & Chorus. #ClassicalMusic #Chicago
Sorrento, Italy on a beautiful late-spring day is very heaven—so lucky to be here.
May 28, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Sorrento, Italy on a beautiful late-spring day is very heaven—so lucky to be here.
Pittsburgh scoreboard engaged in prognostication?
Swanson single in the 3rd reveals scoreboard operator don’t know nothin’.
Swanson single in the 3rd reveals scoreboard operator don’t know nothin’.
April 30, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Pittsburgh scoreboard engaged in prognostication?
Swanson single in the 3rd reveals scoreboard operator don’t know nothin’.
Swanson single in the 3rd reveals scoreboard operator don’t know nothin’.
Tortoguero National Park, Costa Rica
January 11, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Tortoguero National Park, Costa Rica
Thursday 1/2 @nyphilharmonic.bluesky.social. Split verdict: Fab Moussa—one of my fave new works of recent years, at least on 1st hearing. Fine Berlioz—Leonard great. And then the worst Also Sprach I have ever heard. Trumpets sorely missed principal Chris Martin—lots of missed, split notes. Too bad.
January 3, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Thursday 1/2 @nyphilharmonic.bluesky.social. Split verdict: Fab Moussa—one of my fave new works of recent years, at least on 1st hearing. Fine Berlioz—Leonard great. And then the worst Also Sprach I have ever heard. Trumpets sorely missed principal Chris Martin—lots of missed, split notes. Too bad.
August 2024: Valles Caldera National Preserve, Jemez Springs, New Mexico
January 1, 2025 at 9:54 PM
August 2024: Valles Caldera National Preserve, Jemez Springs, New Mexico
An overwhelming Shostakovich 10 was the highlight of tonight's @nyphilharmonic.bsky.social concert. Low strings and brass are heard more clearly in the new hall compared to the old one, much to the benefit of a big, dramatic, sometimes terrifying work like this one. #ClassicalMusic #Shostakovich
December 7, 2024 at 3:16 AM
An overwhelming Shostakovich 10 was the highlight of tonight's @nyphilharmonic.bsky.social concert. Low strings and brass are heard more clearly in the new hall compared to the old one, much to the benefit of a big, dramatic, sometimes terrifying work like this one. #ClassicalMusic #Shostakovich
Day three of NYC concert week was another great concert by the Czech Phil. Damn, I love me some Janacek, and hearing his Glagolitic Mass for the first time in person was a thrill. #classicalmusic #YearofCzechMusic
December 6, 2024 at 12:00 PM
Day three of NYC concert week was another great concert by the Czech Phil. Damn, I love me some Janacek, and hearing his Glagolitic Mass for the first time in person was a thrill. #classicalmusic #YearofCzechMusic
We're on a roll: Another great performance this week. Have admired the Wernicke production since we saw it in 2001, but this cast was absolutely first-rate. Bravi! #Opera #ClassicalMusic
December 5, 2024 at 12:43 PM
We're on a roll: Another great performance this week. Have admired the Wernicke production since we saw it in 2001, but this cast was absolutely first-rate. Bravi! #Opera #ClassicalMusic
With (I think) two Dvorak Slavonic Dances as orchestral encores, and a glorious rendition of Dvorak's "Going Home" theme as a cello encore, this was a generous evening of Czech music. Can't wait to hear this orchestra again on Thursday. #ClassicalMusic
December 4, 2024 at 12:55 PM
With (I think) two Dvorak Slavonic Dances as orchestral encores, and a glorious rendition of Dvorak's "Going Home" theme as a cello encore, this was a generous evening of Czech music. Can't wait to hear this orchestra again on Thursday. #ClassicalMusic
At Hyde Park, NY, paying tribute to a great leader, and weeping for the state we find ourselves in. God save the Republic.
November 25, 2024 at 7:10 PM
At Hyde Park, NY, paying tribute to a great leader, and weeping for the state we find ourselves in. God save the Republic.
Maybe he should work on the third-and-long pass defense first.
November 25, 2024 at 3:49 AM
Maybe he should work on the third-and-long pass defense first.
A lovely flower on a rose bush. The bush is filled with flowers... in Westchester County, NY... on November 24. Not that long ago this would have been an inconceivable sight. The planet is so screwed. #ClimateChange
November 24, 2024 at 5:00 PM
A lovely flower on a rose bush. The bush is filled with flowers... in Westchester County, NY... on November 24. Not that long ago this would have been an inconceivable sight. The planet is so screwed. #ClimateChange
A superb concert by the Concertgebouw Orch. last night. Really loved the new piece by Ellen Reid. Prokofiev w/Batiashvili and Rachmaninov 2 rocked as well. The Concertgebouw and the @berlinphil.bsky.social at Carnegie in the same week: Un embarras de richesse for music lovers. #ClassicalMusic #NYC
November 23, 2024 at 3:16 PM
A superb concert by the Concertgebouw Orch. last night. Really loved the new piece by Ellen Reid. Prokofiev w/Batiashvili and Rachmaninov 2 rocked as well. The Concertgebouw and the @berlinphil.bsky.social at Carnegie in the same week: Un embarras de richesse for music lovers. #ClassicalMusic #NYC
A fabulous concert at Carnegie Hall tonight by the @berlinphil.bsky.social. The Dvorak in particular was a wonder. The precision of the playing was unbelievably good. What a thrill to be there. #classicalmusic
November 20, 2024 at 4:10 AM
A fabulous concert at Carnegie Hall tonight by the @berlinphil.bsky.social. The Dvorak in particular was a wonder. The precision of the playing was unbelievably good. What a thrill to be there. #classicalmusic
On our terrace right now
November 19, 2024 at 11:56 AM
On our terrace right now
John Adams led the NY Phil tonight. Pärt's Cantus for Britten is gorgeous. Wasn't a huge fan of Smith's Lost Coast—seemed repetitive, particularly the overused pizzicato strings. Copland's Quiet City was lush, and Adams' City Noir was driving, forceful, and spectacularly played. 👍 #classicalmusic
November 15, 2024 at 3:44 AM
John Adams led the NY Phil tonight. Pärt's Cantus for Britten is gorgeous. Wasn't a huge fan of Smith's Lost Coast—seemed repetitive, particularly the overused pizzicato strings. Copland's Quiet City was lush, and Adams' City Noir was driving, forceful, and spectacularly played. 👍 #classicalmusic
It's a great one, to be sure, but how about:
November 13, 2024 at 6:29 PM
It's a great one, to be sure, but how about:
Fine Chicago SO performance last night. CSO is better when Muti returns to conduct: More eye contact between players and conductor, and stronger dynamic contrasts. I'm a Golijov fan, but the Megalopolis Suite was kind of meh; Falla, Chabrier, Verdi, and Donizetti were first rate. #classicalmusic
November 9, 2024 at 2:17 PM
Fine Chicago SO performance last night. CSO is better when Muti returns to conduct: More eye contact between players and conductor, and stronger dynamic contrasts. I'm a Golijov fan, but the Megalopolis Suite was kind of meh; Falla, Chabrier, Verdi, and Donizetti were first rate. #classicalmusic