Kimby is coming tomorrow! Hooray!
Starbucks, of all places, has been good to me lately. On Sunday, while waiting for my tea, an employee came up with shopping bags filled with discount Starbucks holiday gifts that he was giving away - for free. So I got a tea cup and saucer and two shot glasses, all with Christmas trees on them, but hey - they were free, and I love Christmas trees. THEN, today, they were giving away free bags of coffee. I got two. Yay for Starbucks!
This week is turning out much better than last. I had a very good lesson yesterday, figured out recital stuff (April 16th - exactly one year minus one day from my senior recital. Amazing), played successfully in two studio classes today, and.....did I mention....
Kimby is coming tomorrow! Hooray!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
It is COLD in Boston!
However, still no massive amounts of snow. There's a little here and there, left over from earlier this week - maybe Boston can give some of their snow removal money to Denver, since we haven't really used any of it yet, and Denver seems to need it more than we do.
It has been a very long week. Thank goodness its Friday. My violin is ok now - I had to leave it overnight at Ken Meyer's, the biggest string guy in Boston. The entire left side seam had split open. My bow also was having problems - the hair was too short for the dry weather, but now that is also fixed. Thank goodness. I babysat Adelaide yesterday, and she had a bit of a breakdown. Sometimes its hard to wake up in the living room after a nap and its dark and cold and Mommy is nowhere to be seen. She was crying so hard she was having trouble breathing - she's ok, but it was scary for me too. Heidi said its been happening a bit lately, after naps, that she gets upset. Poor baby. Its hard being three.
Things have started to get moving and busier than they were a week ago, which I'm thankful for. I'm playing Sarasate's Navarra with Tatiana, an old friend from Manchester, for her degree recital. We had our first rehearsal last night, and it went well - such fun, happy music!
I have my first gig at the Four Seasons tomorrow afternoon. Very posh. Musicians aren't allowed to carry cases through the main lobby....we have to go through the employee entrance. Ooooh la la.
However, still no massive amounts of snow. There's a little here and there, left over from earlier this week - maybe Boston can give some of their snow removal money to Denver, since we haven't really used any of it yet, and Denver seems to need it more than we do.
It has been a very long week. Thank goodness its Friday. My violin is ok now - I had to leave it overnight at Ken Meyer's, the biggest string guy in Boston. The entire left side seam had split open. My bow also was having problems - the hair was too short for the dry weather, but now that is also fixed. Thank goodness. I babysat Adelaide yesterday, and she had a bit of a breakdown. Sometimes its hard to wake up in the living room after a nap and its dark and cold and Mommy is nowhere to be seen. She was crying so hard she was having trouble breathing - she's ok, but it was scary for me too. Heidi said its been happening a bit lately, after naps, that she gets upset. Poor baby. Its hard being three.
Things have started to get moving and busier than they were a week ago, which I'm thankful for. I'm playing Sarasate's Navarra with Tatiana, an old friend from Manchester, for her degree recital. We had our first rehearsal last night, and it went well - such fun, happy music!
I have my first gig at the Four Seasons tomorrow afternoon. Very posh. Musicians aren't allowed to carry cases through the main lobby....we have to go through the employee entrance. Ooooh la la.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
The second day of the semester has come and gone, and with it this afternoon's first rehearsal of American in Paris. I forgot how much I like the sound of saxaphones in an orchestra - its ok to shoot me for saying this, but I like them in orchestrations. I think they help with the clarinet sound. Needless to say, the first run-through was a bit of a disaster. The one thing saving it all though is that I look up during tuning and there I see Liza Malamut on trombone. Thank goodness for a friendly Eastman face while playing something from one of my favorite Eastman orchestra concerts. Besides, its good to see Liza in orchestra!
I'm on a nostalgia kick - can you tell?
The cat Liza brought, Mutsy, seems to be adjusting to life as a Boston cat. She loves the couch and chair I got from Heidi and Whit. Most of the time thats where she is, although she was investigating my room when i got home yesterday. She is a cute little thing, petite with orange stripes. She meows loudly, but so far, not so that it wakes me up, which is a good sign. Nate met her today and gave his approval. It is nice to have a cat to come home to.
It seems that our little apartment is going to be busy busy busy during audition season. Kimby will be here for few days at the end of January - first day of February, as well as many others from Eastman (and also Rich, Liza's boy toy) throughout the month of February. It'll be very nice.
I'm on a nostalgia kick - can you tell?
The cat Liza brought, Mutsy, seems to be adjusting to life as a Boston cat. She loves the couch and chair I got from Heidi and Whit. Most of the time thats where she is, although she was investigating my room when i got home yesterday. She is a cute little thing, petite with orange stripes. She meows loudly, but so far, not so that it wakes me up, which is a good sign. Nate met her today and gave his approval. It is nice to have a cat to come home to.
It seems that our little apartment is going to be busy busy busy during audition season. Kimby will be here for few days at the end of January - first day of February, as well as many others from Eastman (and also Rich, Liza's boy toy) throughout the month of February. It'll be very nice.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Another Semester
Ugh. I'm so sick of school. I'm sick of classes. I should have tried to get a performance diploma instead of a master's degree - I don't mind orchestra too much to hate it, love chamber music and love my teacher and still need lots of help from him. But research classes that are taught by a 45 year old doctoral student? Who seems to want to punish others for the fact that her dissertation isn't done after 10+ years?? Come on. Give me Paul Miller any day. And Paul - she's 45. Not a young strapping 30 like you. It could always be worse.
I'm sick, AGAIN. I talked to my parents last night and got an email from my mom this morning very concerned about my health. I'm not sure why I got sick this time - I think maybe since I was around so many germs last week for the education concerts? Who knows. I need to take more vitamins.
Star Trek Voyager has reentered my life. I miss that show badly.
In other news, I just found out the program for the first rotation of orchestra here. Some Mozart piano concerto, a world premiere by some guy I've never heard of, and: Gershwin American in Paris. AND: Ravel Pavane. (sigh) How am I going to get through American in Paris without Kimby to make faces at in the viola section? How am I going to get through the Ravel without David to make faces at in the cello section, and without remembering the whole French concert in general? Boo hiss.
I'm sick, AGAIN. I talked to my parents last night and got an email from my mom this morning very concerned about my health. I'm not sure why I got sick this time - I think maybe since I was around so many germs last week for the education concerts? Who knows. I need to take more vitamins.
Star Trek Voyager has reentered my life. I miss that show badly.
In other news, I just found out the program for the first rotation of orchestra here. Some Mozart piano concerto, a world premiere by some guy I've never heard of, and: Gershwin American in Paris. AND: Ravel Pavane. (sigh) How am I going to get through American in Paris without Kimby to make faces at in the viola section? How am I going to get through the Ravel without David to make faces at in the cello section, and without remembering the whole French concert in general? Boo hiss.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Another Wednesday.
I wish I could motivate myself to do more with this blog or even post items that are of relative interest and could be debated...but somehow it just never happens. I'm so impressed with David and Sara's blog look. (sigh) Maybe someday I'll get the motivation to be more creative. For the time being....this is it.
I've been in Manchester since Sunday, having as usual a very relaxing, enjoyable time. The only problem is there is NO snow! Its VERMONT! Today at the school we were at, we saw posted in the front that the annual school sking trip has been canceled for tomorrow because of the lack of snow. Apparently its too warm to even use a snow machine to make snow - once they make it, it has to be cold enough for it to STAY frozen. Although today and even yesterday have been much colder than Sunday and Monday were, the Vermont industry has to be suffering during their most popular season - winter. Now would be a bad time to own a ski resort in this part of the country. Not bad though if you live in Colorado...poor Mary and her stuck car!
The playing here is going well. We're doing some Vivaldi, Boccherini, Beethoven (Op. 18 No. 4 scherzo mvt. - fun!) and the Russell Peck piece. The director (Ari) and his wife (Joana) are always so good to me, and I have made a new friend, Oren, a guitar player. He's living here at Festival House with me in the apartment over the offices while I get the rest of the house basically to myself. The kids we're playing for have all been VERY good audiences, and I am putting my Music For All talents to use by introducing the Beethoven (where is our next composer from? did you know he was deaf? a scherzo is like a musical joke! listen as we pass off the theme from one to another...etc etc etc). Thank you Elinor Freer.
Alas, it must end soon. Saturday I return to Boston, and Tuesday begins the new semester.
I wish I could motivate myself to do more with this blog or even post items that are of relative interest and could be debated...but somehow it just never happens. I'm so impressed with David and Sara's blog look. (sigh) Maybe someday I'll get the motivation to be more creative. For the time being....this is it.
I've been in Manchester since Sunday, having as usual a very relaxing, enjoyable time. The only problem is there is NO snow! Its VERMONT! Today at the school we were at, we saw posted in the front that the annual school sking trip has been canceled for tomorrow because of the lack of snow. Apparently its too warm to even use a snow machine to make snow - once they make it, it has to be cold enough for it to STAY frozen. Although today and even yesterday have been much colder than Sunday and Monday were, the Vermont industry has to be suffering during their most popular season - winter. Now would be a bad time to own a ski resort in this part of the country. Not bad though if you live in Colorado...poor Mary and her stuck car!
The playing here is going well. We're doing some Vivaldi, Boccherini, Beethoven (Op. 18 No. 4 scherzo mvt. - fun!) and the Russell Peck piece. The director (Ari) and his wife (Joana) are always so good to me, and I have made a new friend, Oren, a guitar player. He's living here at Festival House with me in the apartment over the offices while I get the rest of the house basically to myself. The kids we're playing for have all been VERY good audiences, and I am putting my Music For All talents to use by introducing the Beethoven (where is our next composer from? did you know he was deaf? a scherzo is like a musical joke! listen as we pass off the theme from one to another...etc etc etc). Thank you Elinor Freer.
Alas, it must end soon. Saturday I return to Boston, and Tuesday begins the new semester.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
In Boston Once Again
I have been home since Thursday afternoon....and I must say I am happy to be here. The only problem is that it was 60 degrees today. SIXTY. That is not right. We are killing our planet, slowly but surely.
Tomorrow I take off once again for a week in Manchester, VT, which is like my third home (here, then WI, then VT). I'll be there performing with a string quartet for various community ed concerts throughout the western Vermont area. We are doing a whole slew of stuff, including a piece by Russell Peck called "Don't Tread On Me or On My String Quartet." From the looks of the score that I got today in the mail, it seems kinda jazzy and very syncopated, with lots of Bartok pizz (yay! Although Bartok pizz continues to scare the hell out of me - i'm always afraid I'll snap too hard and my bridge will go flying).
School starts in a week and a half. Ugh.
Tomorrow I take off once again for a week in Manchester, VT, which is like my third home (here, then WI, then VT). I'll be there performing with a string quartet for various community ed concerts throughout the western Vermont area. We are doing a whole slew of stuff, including a piece by Russell Peck called "Don't Tread On Me or On My String Quartet." From the looks of the score that I got today in the mail, it seems kinda jazzy and very syncopated, with lots of Bartok pizz (yay! Although Bartok pizz continues to scare the hell out of me - i'm always afraid I'll snap too hard and my bridge will go flying).
School starts in a week and a half. Ugh.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Happy New Year to all!
Break at home thus far has been nice. Holly and Hannah are also here with me and my parents, and they have been quite wonderful sisters. We've been doing the usual Braun things - euchre, junk food, tv, playing violin for church, and our second-annual event of New Years Day at noon - polar bearing. Jumping into Lake Michigan. On January 1st.
The way I see it, doing something crazy on the first day of the year promises for more crazy, exciting, fun events for the rest of the year. Last year didn't turn out too bad, and I did it for the first time last year. And this year there was a bonus - the one and only Gavid Derstein. He actually went in with me, Holly, Hannah, my dad, and my cousin Rindee. There are pictures on facebook to prove it. There shall be more, as soon as I figure out how to with my new camera.
A few days ago I was in Chicago to visit David, Brian, and meet up with Mary and Daniel while they were in town to see Mary's family. It was a very wonderful reunion, and all parties seemed happy in their new lives away from Eastman. Its amazing to think only a year ago we had only one semester left. Now everyone's lives are very different.
On Thursday I return to Boston. This is good.
Break at home thus far has been nice. Holly and Hannah are also here with me and my parents, and they have been quite wonderful sisters. We've been doing the usual Braun things - euchre, junk food, tv, playing violin for church, and our second-annual event of New Years Day at noon - polar bearing. Jumping into Lake Michigan. On January 1st.
The way I see it, doing something crazy on the first day of the year promises for more crazy, exciting, fun events for the rest of the year. Last year didn't turn out too bad, and I did it for the first time last year. And this year there was a bonus - the one and only Gavid Derstein. He actually went in with me, Holly, Hannah, my dad, and my cousin Rindee. There are pictures on facebook to prove it. There shall be more, as soon as I figure out how to with my new camera.
A few days ago I was in Chicago to visit David, Brian, and meet up with Mary and Daniel while they were in town to see Mary's family. It was a very wonderful reunion, and all parties seemed happy in their new lives away from Eastman. Its amazing to think only a year ago we had only one semester left. Now everyone's lives are very different.
On Thursday I return to Boston. This is good.
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