MK already has her Olympic music picked!

[Brian]

<A HREF=http://www.totalsports.net/news/20000209/oth/000209.0464.html >http://www.totalsports.net/news/20000209/oth/000209.0464.html </A> Excerpt: "-- Michelle Kwan has her sights on the 2002 Olympics, isn't intimidated by the swirl of combination triple jumpers around her and is happy with her decision to attend college while still skating. Anything else, Michelle? Well, she and coach Frank Carroll already have picked out music for the Olympic year. She isn't finding it difficult to get motivated for competition. And she has no problems with being the old lady at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships." The article also mentions that she is only taking ONE class this semester.

[Googoo]

WOW! I can't believe she has the music picked out already! I wonder what it is! This was a great article! I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks Brian. She's only taking 1 class this term. That should make things easier.

[Rene]

She already had Lyra Angelic picked out before the '97 season also, I believe.

[Beth2000]

Wow talking about thinking a head, it is pretty obivious what she is doing. She is working on upping the ante and she already has her music picked out for the 2002 Olympics. She is prepared! GO MICHELLE KWAN!

[AYS]

WOW! How are we supposed to wait that long to find out now that we know she knows. If they have it this far in advance, she must love it! LOL!

[Ice Butterfly]

Wow! a 3sal/3loop and 3lutz/3loop! Those are harder combinations than I ever imagined her doing. GO MICHELLE! I'd love to see her try one, even if she falls. That article is so great. She is so down to earth and unassuming, that's what makes her so special.

[Armchairskater]

I'm not really surprised. If they heard something that she really connected with, suited her style, and would make an impression on the international judges, why wouldn't they want to save the best for the Olympic year? They will probably also want to start choreographing it early on, to get the feel for it. I wouldn't want to know what they were using until that season, because if we know, so would her competitors and someone would likely steal her music or pick something similar.

[april]

Thanks for the link! I can't say I'm surprised that she's already picked music for SLC Olympics. This just further shows how committed she is to 2002. Armchairskater, I agree I hope it will remain a secret even though I'd like to know.

[sw10025]

Of course it makes sense that they would save the best possible music for an Olympic year. Smart thinking. But think about this folks, if they went ahead and used a very effective piece like Red Violin for this year, what must they have reserved for 2002? Makes me mighty curious...

[Rene]

Well, they kept the secret last time and the time frame would be about the same. Didn't they keep the secret? I was just assuming that they did.

[Shallah]

I do hope she can get those jump combos consistant soon! I wonder if my hope she will use Beethoven's Ode to Joy at the Olympics could come true! ITA Sw10025! She and her team must have some very special and powerful programs in mind!!! I know it is bad to use nothing but exclamtion points for puncuation but I am excited!!!! I can't help but think it is good they already have music in mind so they can start thinking up the most effective choreography for the music that also shows off Michelle's skill and grace :-)

[sw10025]

Shallah, I too love Beethoven, and the Ode to Joy, but I seriously doubt that they would use any Beethoven symphony for her programs. The Ode to Joy is probably a little too "heavy" for her, although I could see Boitano or Wylie doing it justice. The other problem is that while it is a brilliant, awe-inspiring piece of music, there are two other problems from a skating perspective. (1) It doesn't have nearly enough of the change in tempo and speed that the rules want in a program, and it doesn't have the differing emotional angles that the Kwan camp tends to favor (i.e. in Lyra Angelica there was the "joyous" first section, the slower, softer, more reflective and lyrical Gymnopedie No. 3 in the middle, and a faster, more frenetic and dramatic ending section). The Ode to Joy builds steadily to a crescendo, without substantial variations in mood. (2) How exactly would you edit a musical masterpiece into a 4 minute long selection? How could you effectively cut and splice the music? One of the musical and emotional strenghts of the movement is its long, sweeping "passages" and that all of those passages combine together to build towards the musical climax, and if you mess with any of the parts, the sum total is diminished. Maybe a music major or musician could explain it better, but do you see the problem? Just how do you essentially rewrite perfection. . ?

[skatingfan]

I am only going to speculate that it will be classical, and not too well known. How about Brazilian composer Villa Lobos.

[Karin]

Go MK!!! You're the greatest!!!

[Dave]

Yes, they did have the 98 music picked well in advance as well, in fact I once read that after stumbling across the Rachmaninoff(part of which was used for Karen earlier) that it took Lori sometime to talk Michelle into this as opposed to the 'Carmen' that was planned as the Olympic short, which of course we got to see the following season.

[Karin]

Dave...I thought it was Lori's Rach vs. MK's Spanish piece of music!!!...Oh well!!! Anyhow... About choreographing now...Hmm???...I wonder if it will work!!! I mean...MK's technique will probably be way more advance for the Olympic season...but hey...never hurts to get a head start!!! And please do keep the music selection a secret!!! Go MK!!! 8-)