January, with all of its insanity, is finally over, and now that the long recording sessions for Arneis (simply to get into competitions and festivals) are also over, mid-February is finally here and I finally have time to breathe.
Here are some events that have happened recently:
Concerto Competition at BU: The string prelim round was February 1st, and I played the Hindemith Violin Concerto (1939). I played well, and made it to the top 5, but only the top 3 are passed into the final round with all departments competing. So my 2nd BU concerto competition attempt was another failure. There has been a little controversy over the decision, and only one of the 3 string players actually won the whole thing (there are 3 winners - they are a pianist, a flutist, and cellist), which isn't normal. I was surprised at how disappointed I was not to have been able to do the finals. I love the Hindemith concerto - I love playing it - and since it is rarely done and not known, it felt more like my own personal piece. Ah, well. Next year is my final chance to try. I was thinking about Britten being my next concerto, however, after doing Hindemith in a prelim where Sibelius, Shostakovich 1 (violin), and Elgar (cello) were chosen, I'm afraid to do something not well known (3/4 of the faculty deciding had never heard the Hindemith before). There is some time to try and decide.
Arneis' First Recital: It was January 26th. I haven't talked about it much if at all on this blog, but I am now the first violinist in the Arneis Quartet, a group that has been together for several years, although not always the same people. They lost a violin and the cellist about two years ago, after a stint at the Juilliard Seminar and Banff Quartet program. Since then, Rose, the other violinist, and Dan, the violist, have been trying to find replacements to get it off the ground again. I have been playing with them since September (the cellist, Agnes, is also new), and in late November, we were invited to do the Muir Quartet's quartet program in Utah this summer, July 2010. We are also applying for other summer stuff and a couple competitions. We did two full mornings of intense recording sessions, and now all thats left is sending them off and seeing what happens from here.
Teaching: As against it as I was when I was an undergrad, and even maybe as a masters student, teaching now takes up on average about 12 hours out of my week. I am teaching twice a week (3.5 hours per day) for Brookline Public Schools, 3 undergrad BU non-music majors, chamber music coaching for the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, and my two private students. I am loving it. Brookline is the most frustrating at times, since they have group lessons as well every week, and feel no obligation to practice alone, but a few of them take it very seriously and practice hard. I have one however who is consistently so hard on herself - I have never seen her smile, and every time she makes a mistake, she looks almost ready to cry. She is also incredibly prepared for every lesson. I am not sure what is creating her self-imposed disgust with herself, since I am constantly telling her its ok and I know that her class group teacher is a good guy. I hope no one at home is telling her she sounds bad. Beginner violin for parents that don't know better can be hard to listen to.
Birthday Party: The third annual Molly and Heather birthday party was last night. This will probably be our last, as Molly's new boyfriend, Kris, has stolen her heart away (and she his) and they are discussing a possible move for her to live with him in New Hampshire (only a hour away). I will be sad to lose her as a roommate, and I am scared to figure out a new living situation (although Heidi is already working on it!). I've lived here now for three and a half years. But it will be exciting to organize and throw out what I no longer need. Things are getting a little claustrophobic.
The rest of February has little happening, thank goodness. Time to reset and start practicing new rep. And time to sleep!
An added point: Recently, I was trying to schedule something with a person who said we couldn't schedule anything at that moment because this person didn't have their schedule on their person (this person said it like this person NEVER carries it with them). I do not understand people who don't carry their schedule with them on a daily basis. I don't understand them. I don't mean to offend anyone who reads this blog who don't carry some type of schedule with them on a daily basis. But if you are a musician who has a constantly changing schedule, then carry your schedule with you. Always. You never known when someone will call you with a gig. Wouldn't it be nicer to schedule it then and there? (Forgetting your schedule if you are one who always carries it with you is a different story. I completely understand forgetting things.)