Long Awaited Update

The end of school has finally come, and my life has finally gone to a much less busy pace.

1. End of School Year: My final stuff included playing for a chamber music recital. The violist in my quartet, Emily, had her DMA chamber recital, and although it was her recital, it was quite a stressful event for me as well. I did the B-flat Mozart duo with her and then my group from the semester did Brahms a minor. Woah. It went really well though - Peter was VERY happy - although he did say that he wished my solo playing had gone farther this year. I really can't wait till the day arrives when I don't have to practice concertos anymore. I throw myself so much better into chamber music than concertos. I also played for the BU President's gala a few days after the recital, with an AMAZING free dinner to boot. Yum.

2. Rochester Visit: Last weekend I rented a car and drove from Boston to Rochester for Sara's recital. First, renting a car is a LOVELY experience. I loved driving, I loved being able to bond with the road, and it was such a quick trip - only 6 hours. By train it takes twice as long. I got to drive through the Berkshires, and wave to the exit where Tanglewood is. I arrived in Rochacha at about 4:30 on Friday, had a quick rehearsal with the gang, hung out and rehearsed on Saturday (including a lovely walk with David to the Eastman House - we sat on the porch rocking chairs - it was such a beautiful day), played the recital, and Sunday morning I left for Boston. It went by too fast, and I forgot how much I missed Eastman and everyone there. It was SO good to see David, Brian, Hannah, Sara, Marisol, Arthur, Stanley, etc etc etc etc. They all love and understand me so well. Sara's recital was simply incredible - she sounds absolutely fantastic. It was an honor to play for her. (Kim, Mary, Paul, Kitty, and others - you were sorely missed!)

3. Now: Since Monday, I haven't done much. I've babysat a bunch, and do more of that later this week. A week from tomorrow I go home for about a week to see the fam, which I am looking forward to. My summer plans are simple: relax, practice (I need to fix my intonation once and for all), and make money. I possibly have a part-time job teaching English as a second language, a whole bunch of gigs here and there, teaching two students on Saturdays, babysitting, and enjoying my break. This summer is officially my break from schedules and summer music festivals. I plan on going to TMC often to visit David and Brian and other folks there, and will go to Phoenix for 4th of July to visit Holly and see Hannah, who is also coming.

Now I will go shower, grab my violin, and head to BU. I also plan on a trip to Barnes and Noble today - I have a gift card that is calling my name, and with so much more free time for awhile for the first time since I was about 12, books are the name of the game. Now all I need is a porch on my apartment - too bad I don't have that. Oh well.

Hooray!

No more papers!

Only chamber music and Elijah!

After a fast and furious typing session on Wednesday night, I got up at 7:30 and headed over to the library yesterday morning for my final research class and to hand my paper in. Its actually not a terrible paper - I think its better than some of the ones I did at Eastman.

This week has also been long because of the Concord Chorus gig I have. They are doing Mendelssohn's Elijah. I actually think its an amazing piece, although it is VERY long, and the violins have literally NO breaks until the middle of the 2nd part (the women acappella aria). There are a TON of notes and most of them are fast and furious. But I'm having a wonderful time. The only other problem is that all of the rehearsals/concerts are far away - 1.5 hours. Yuck. Yesterday we had 6 - thats right, 6 - hours of rehearsal until 10 pm. After getting only 5 hours of sleep the night before, I was pretty tuckered out. I had a lesson this morning at 10 am, too. Ugh.

But all of this doesn't matter because MY RESEARCH CLASS IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!!

And - spring in Boston is so nice. Thank goodness for sun and warmth.

More Paperness

Thats right folks:

I'm not done with my paper yet. I found out late on Monday night that the presentation was due Tuesday, but the actual paper is not due till tomorrow. With Elijah late night rehearsals, a quartet concert tonight, a lesson this morning, and in general craziness/tiredness, I have started, but have a long way to go. (sigh)

HELP!

Severe Procrastination

My research project is due tomorrow at 9 am.

So far, I have done a bibliography, outline, and abstract.

Those were due at 8 pm tonight, and after freaking out, spending three hours at the library and typing furiously between 6:45 pm and now, they are done and over with on time.

Now I'm feeling lazy - its only 8:25 pm, I can TOTALLY write a 10 page paper and 10 minute presenation by tomorrow at 9 am.

Ummmm........

(Why why why can I never start anything early???????????)

C-housers: I need you!!!

I just got home from Anaar's recital, and started going through my daily check-up on blogs. I am happy to see Emily V. now has one too! Yay for Emily!

Anyway, she posted a picture of Rostropovich playing cello next to (what looks like - I may be wrong) the Berlin Wall. He has died, and although I am not a cellist and only heard him once, and never met him, I'm suddenly very sad. Brian's story about meeting him reduced me to tears. I'm not sure why I'm reacting this way - but I knew he was an amazing human being and every musician I know respected and admired him.

My Rostropovich story is this: I saw him play with the BSO at my first summer at BUTI, playing Lalo concerto. A couple of my cellist friends went backstage to meet him afterwards, and returned with only wonderful stories and smiles.

On to other things:

This week I have had rehearsals for a gig tomorrow playing with the Marsh Chapel (BU's chapel) Choir. We're doing Bach's Easter and Ascension oratorios. The Easter one though has such happy memories for me. Remember, Kimby and Paul, when we did it with Tom Folan for the Bach festival thing, soph. year? The weekend where Paul went to the hospital and then came back the next night only to throw a fabulous party with Belgian beer?

Good times.

Spring is coming. Can't believe its already been a year since we have all said goodbye.

"I think your violin is sexy."

This is a comment I received today. Random. Just so there is no confusion: this person means the actual wooden instrument.

Well - I guess I can treat it like a sexy accessory now.

PS - thank goodness Gavid and I solved the phone tag issue today! Next person to conquer with phone tag: the now 12-weeks pregnant Mary Keener.

I am back in Boston, after a week in NYC and a day in Vermont playing a concert for Manchester. While the time there was very relaxing and wonderful, I am so happy to be home. Ari and Joana, the director of Manchester and his wife, treat me so well and fed me all week long. I love playing with them, and even got to do some babysitting for their 2 year old, Michael, who is a very smart, serious, cute little boy.

The rest of the semester is busy still, yet everything I have left has little pressure. I have to do my research project, have a chamber music concert in May (Brahms a minor and Mozart B-flat violin/viola duo), orchestra concert Friday, and a couple gigs here and there. I'm so happy the recital is over - thanks to all for well wishes. It went smoothly, and its OVER. Hooray!

The weather in Boston has changed from 40 degrees and raining last Monday to 80 degrees and sunny yesterday. Apparently it was a record of some sort. It was actually HOT, which I haven't felt in a LONG time. Its not going to permanently last, as tomorrow will be 55 and raining, but it felt nice in the meantime, and tomorrow's weather can definitely be said to be neither too cold nor too hot.

I'm at the library now waiting for stuff to print, since my printer at home is officially broken. My dad spent half of his time here last weekend trying to fix it - reinstalled it, printed test page after test page. Apparently it shouldn't have been working for a long time, because the version of Mac I have and the printer aren't compatible. I was lucky for awhile, and the luck has run out. Too bad - now I'll have to print everything from here and while thats fine, its just inconvenient.

Tonight is babysitting little dearie, Adelaide. I have a lesson today too - with nothing to play, Peter and I can have a long talk about the "future." Scary.

Shameless Concert Plug

(In the spirit and style of David's.)

My first Master's Recital
April 16th, 2007
8 pm
Concert Hall
College of Fine Arts
Boston University (855 Comm Ave)

I think the only person who reads this blog who actually lives in Boston is Liza. And she ISN'T COMING. Everyone else lives in either Houston or Rochester or Philly or NYC or Milwaukee or England or LA or Madison or Denver.

Oh well.

I want it to be over. Thank goodness - in exactly 24 hours from now, I will be finishing up Nielsen. THANK GOODNESS.

Shameless Concert Plug

(In the spirit and style of David's.)

My first Master's Recital
April 16th, 2007
8 pm
Concert Hall
College of Fine Arts
Boston University (855 Comm Ave)

I think the only person who reads this blog who actually lives in Boston is Liza. And she ISN'T COMING. But Lisa might. Whoo-hoo! Anyone else lives in either Houston or Rochester or Philly or England or LA or Madison or Denver.

Oh well.

I want it to be over. Thank goodness - in exactly 24 hours from now, I will be finishing up Nielsen. THANK GOODNESS.

Things I Need Before April 16th

I need Mary to come clean my apartment - my parents are arriving tonight at 8 pm.

I need more time to practice for my recital.

I NEED NEED NEED to memorized SOLIDLY the last mvt. of Nielsen.

I need to find all my W2 forms and get them organized so my dad can help me with taxes this weekend (I have a GREAT DAD!!!!!).

I need to send an email out to remind people around Boston about my recital since I forgot until today to make posters. Too late. Oh well.

I need to do an astounding amount of laundry.

I need a nap (had an 8 am coaching with Steve Ansell this morning - UGH - good thing he's a morning person, cause we sounded pretty awful, but he took it pretty well).

I need to know what the Nobel Prize city is for my crossword puzzle of the day. Its escaping my mind right now.

I need to get quarters for said amount of laundry. Thats about $5 worth of quarters.

I need to figure out what my parents and I will do for dinner tonight - should I buy groceries and cook to prove I am a good, money-saving daughter who doesn't eat a lot of pbj (had it twice for dinner this week - am one more away from being OUT of pb) or do I say I have no food and let them pay for dinner somewhere else?

I need to cry - its been a stressful week.

I need to find DH and apologize (even though I sent an email and ITS NOT MY FAULT).

I need a hug.

Happy Easter!

Its been a long time since the last post. All I will say is: my recital is in a week, I leave for NYC/Vermont in a week and one day (playing Beethoven 59/2, Mozart B-flat piano trio and Gioninni piano quintet), the Symphony Hall concert is this Tuesday, and I had a lesson every day except Monday this past week with two on Friday.

Christ is arisen
From the grave's dark prion,
We now rejoice in gladness;
Christ will end all sadness.
Lord, have mercy.
All our hopes were ended
Had Jesus not ascended
From the grave triumphantly.
For this, Lord Christ, our thanks shall be.
Lord, have mercy.
Alleluia!
We now rejoice with gladness;
Christ will end all sadness.
Lord, have mercy.
~CW 144

Anybody want to come to Boston the first week of May? My brother-in-law is contracting a gig, and needs people. You would stay with me, of course. :-)

Call From Europe

Yes, thats right....the one and only Kitty Cheung called me from London last night! We talked for about twenty minutes, and it was SO good to hear her voice!! We had not spoken since May on graduation day. And - it appears that Jen Volmer is engaged (did everyone else know about this too or was I the ONLY one not to know????) and her wedding is in June, so Kitty and Grace are coming to the States for it and want to stop in Boston, and of course, stay with me! Hoorah! That will make up for the road trip I will be missing out on with David and Brian on their way to TMC.

I am doing Bach's St. Matthew's Passion this week with the Back Bay Chorale. Last week I did Bach b minor mass with the Cantata Singers. Next week I'm doing some new opera thing called Boston Construction
with a group called Boston Cecelia. It is a busy three weeks of gigs for me, but worth it - last week and this week I am playing some of the most glorious music ever written. The "Erbarme dich" (Have mercy, Lord) aria at the middle/end of the Passion broke my heart the two times we've done it - it takes place after Peter has denied Jesus three times, and has a sobbing, sighing quality. My sister is concertmaster and sounds absolutely beautiful (its a big violin solo).

I'm thinking that Boston Construction will not be so successful in breaking my heart. I'm sure the effort will be made, however - I think its about the Big Dig here that took 15 years.

In other news, little Butler (where Hannah goes) is in the Sweet 16 for the NCAA men's basketball tournament, and my little sister is going to the game tomorrow in St. Louis! I am incredibly jealous - she is a lucky duck!

Liza is gone again for trombone choir. Mutzi misses her terribly, I think, but I leave my door open so that she doesn't get too lonely at night, and I played with her for a half hour last night with a pink feather thing - she goes nuts. She loves it. She's also taken to pushing a piece of food out of her bowl and batting it around the room as it slides across our slippery hardwood floors and then eating it. I think she misses the little creatures she used to chase as an outdoor cat.

I am procrastinating. Now I'm off to school to learn the last mvt. of Brahms a minor quartet before rehearsal.

I'm Sorry

Ok....

This is an apology blog for unreturned phone calls.

Paul, Mary, and Kimby, I will be calling soon. Things are busy and insane, and my body is really screwed up from the violin. Apologies especially to Paul, who I have not spoken to since November, and he left me such a nice message a week ago!

How my day went yesterday: wonderful.

Why: I had the day off - did not touch a violin - and it finally is getting warmer in Boston.

How I am now as I head to bed: A little tired....but happy its spring break.

Will it be fixed: I hope spring break will go on longer than time seems to be passing.

What I will do in the meantime: watch a movie with Liza and her friend.

DAVID'S ENCORE

Attention All -

David Gerstein will be performing the classic "Ants" by Traditional at his first master's recital as an encore.

It goes something like this:

(pluck A string) Ants, ants, ants
(pluck D string) Digging in the dirt, dirt, dirt
(pluck G string) Going underground, ground, ground
(pluck C string) All the way to China, China, China.

Thank you.

Shostakovich is Over

Thank God.

We pulled off the concert last night. I'm not sure how. Peter sounded wonderful for the Dohnanyi, even though he was making up parts of it. He memorized the whole thing (4 mvts) in about 24 hours. He has a fever, chills, and is losing his voice. But he still did it, and is still teaching today until 8 pm. I just had a lesson with him. I really hope he doesn't give me what he has - I need the next week to practice, not be sick.

My parents were here for 24 hours. It was so good to see them, and they were happy to be here, although some things did not work out as they had so desperately hoped. But there was a meeting, so I am hopeful that there will be better times coming.

My solos in the Shostakovich went well. Peter was happy, but apparently thought I was rushing in the third mvt, while I had asked DH SEVERAL times during rehearsal if I was rushing, to which he kept saying no. (sigh) I would have preferred to be not rushing, but whatever.

Now for a much easier week ahead. The two weeks of nerves/craziness is over. Hurrah!

February is over. It went by way too fast. My recital is now officially NEXT MONTH. Eek.

Time really needs to slow down. Its going too fast. Its March, soon it will be June, then August. The next six months need to stretch out into the next six years. I can't believe I'm almost halfway done with my masters.

I am so bad at speaking in public. My face gets flushed and I stammer. Its terrible.

I just presented for my editions project for my research class. To see how it went, go to the first sentence in this post.

Grrr.

However, today is the one day of this week I'm not going insane. Tomorrow and Friday are crazy. Thursday is not terrible, but more busy than today. How does this happen????

The weather is becoming much warmer these days, although tomorrow will be colder again. But not as cold as it HAS been.

I need a break from life.

My arms are very sore. Too much playing.

The Shostakovich in orchestra is going fairly well, at least for me. The solos are HARD, but I'm making it. Had rehearsal with the principal bass player yesterday for the second solo in the first movement. Went well.

It is becoming very clear that when Mutzi is not pregnant and has pretty much recovered from surgery, she is a very spirited, playful, funny cat. She's also been following me and Liza around - this morning I walked out of my room and saw her sitting outside the bathroom, waiting patiently for Liza to finish her shower. Very cute.

Since my birthday last Thursday, there have been many ups and downs.

1. Thursday was an up AND down. My birthday was absolutely nuts. I was once again suppose to do accompanying auditions, but both of them were canceled because of the huge storm that hit Boston on Wednesday. So I was running around trying to figure out what the hell was going on. That, plus I had a lesson with John (last name ommited here in case he googles himself), the principal oboist of the BSO since I'm doing the Bach Violin/Oboe Concerto with Kari, a student of his. He worked on his oboe the ENTIRE time. And then reeds. Then his magnifying glass thing was sitting in the sun and almost set Symphony Hall on fire. But then I had a great lesson with Peter and life was back to normal.

2. Friday was up. Orchestra went fairly well, we had another great coaching on the Brahms a minor, and then I went to Heidi's for my family bday party. She and Adelaide made angel food cupcakes and stuck candles in them and sang to me. Then Adelaide and I blew out the candles. Then I read Adelaide three bedtime stories, talked to Heidi and Whit about life in general while drinking nice red wine, and promptly feel asleep VERY peacefully.

3. Saturday was another up, a BIG one. Liza and my first BU party was a success. Although the excuse was because of my birthday, it was good to finally plan and have a party, and technically, was my first bday party since I was 10 years old and went bowling with St. Johns girls. All the liquor was consumed, most of the food was eaten, and a general good time was had by all that did not stop till around 2:30. Liza and I cleaned up quickly afterwards (chocolate cake stuck to the floor is somewhat bad, especially with a curious Mutzi around) and I fell asleep again.

4. Sunday was up, because I got many things accomplished, but down because I was in a weird mood. I'm not sure how to explain it. Maybe because it finally sunk in that I was 23.

5. Monday was another down. I slept for most of the day, and then had rehearsals, but practiced and played in general very badly.

6. Today, thus far, has been up. I got up in time for good warm-up before my lesson, had a LONG, good lesson, and just ate my last chicken salad sandwich for the next 6 weeks. Thats right Mary Keener - Ash Wednesday is TOMORROW! After tonight's hamburger trip to McDonalds, I will be an official vegetarian for the next 6 weeks. Take that.

Today in quartet rehearsal, I asked about a first ending in Brahms a minor quartet and if we were taking the first repeat "in life." What I had originally meant was are we taking that repeat always (we're playing it for the violist's DMA chamber recital). But upon further consideration of that comment, I began to think.

Wouldn't it be nice to have "first repeats" in life?

When you reach the halfway point in your life, you are suddenly back to being born again, like returning to the beginning of the exposition.

You can vaguely recall the mistakes you made during the first time round in the exposition/first half of your life, so you can correct them the second time around. This is the best part of having a first repeat.

You can change phrasing, dynamics, anything to add color and make it different the second time around, therefore not boring.

(sigh)

I hate my alarm clock.

I had set it for 8 am. AM. I woke up at 10:57, three minutes before my lesson was suppose to start. I decided I might at well just call my teacher and tell him the truth, which he thought was wildly funny. I love my teacher.

However, now I'm confused, because at first I thought, "I must have accidentally set it for PM instead of AM." But when I finally checked, it IS set for AM.

(sigh) What the hell happened?? Grrrr......

In other news, they are still replacing the windows in my building, or at least I hope they are, because there has been loud noises coming from downstairs and then every once in awhile, the sounds of glass breaking. If thats how they replace windows, its news to me. Now I'm starting to worry that there may be broken glass in my apartment and I don't know it (they replaced ours over winter break). Since i haven't cut up my feet yet, I guess I'm ok, but I'm still a little worried.

As you all probably know by now, David has left me on facebook to return to his first fiancee, Sara Ballance.

May they find a lifetime of happiness.

Thank you.

Last night, I received a phone call from Prof. Sheila Kibbe, the head of the piano accompanying program here at BU. She had two auditionees today that were not told to provide their own violinist for two of the audition requirements, Beethoven D Major and Brahms A Major violin sonatas. Could I possibly play for them tomorrow?

Woah. I've never done either of them, but I agreed to, and, after skipping class this morning and practicing the first movements of both sonatas, I had rehearsal a bit ago with each pianist. I don't sound that great, but at least I'm playing the right notes, rhythms, and dynamics. The first pianist I rehearsed with is from Korea, and speaks barely a word of English. It took five minutes to get across to her that we only had to do the first movement of each sonata. We played through each, but how do you rehearse with someone in only twenty minutes that doesn't speak English? The second pianist is American and a senior here at BU. With him, we could talk about things here and there, and it was much easier. I feel bad - with him it sounds much better after such little time, but with the girl, it just took too much time to translate. Its unfair. (sigh) Oh well.

Tonight is the orchestra concert. Pavane, American in Paris, Mozart piano concerto, and a new piece by Headrick. Everything should go well except for the Gershwin....its a little shaky, as Kimby could attest to from hearing our rehearsal last Friday.

Its cold here. So cold.

I'm procrastinating. I should be doing research for my class for the assignment due Thursday. I am not in the mood. I should be practicing if I'm not going to get motivated at the library right now. Its cold outside. I don't want to go back into the icy wind.

Quite the dillema.

Sad Day

Kimby has left Boston. She left early this morning. I was so sad to see her go - we had such a nice week together!! We even had beers at Cheers - unfortunately, I had to admit to David on the phone while we were there that nobody knew my name. If I went more often, though, I bet they would. Its actually not as expensive as I was expecting. For a place that has been made incredibly famous by a television show, I thought a beer would be about 10 bucks. Turns out - only $5.95. Shocking.

Life must return to normal for me. I don't have any other close friends visiting Boston for auditions, but Liza does have quite a few over the next few weeks. Also, the suspense is building as we still are not 100% sure that Mutzi (her cat) is pregnant. She has gotten quite fatter over the past three weeks, but maybe thats just the fact that once, as an outdoor cat, she got a lot more exercise and a lot less food, and now, as an indoor cat, she gets NO exercise (since she really doesn't seem to get the concept of playing with cat toys) and a lot MORE food? Who knows.

I am doing Brahms a minor quartet this semester with the same people who made up the strings (minus bass, obviously) in my octet last semester. We had a long rehearsal this afternoon, and it went very well. However - I miss CCE. Kimby and I did viola duets last night for a LONG time, and it was hilarious. We did a bunch of Pleyel, to honor CCE's gigging extravaganzas. I love Pleyel, and I know absolutely nothing about the guy. I should do some research.

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!

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.

Not to worry....things are calming down now. I am off to get my violin repaired momentarily.

And there is SNOW outside!! A fresh, clean slate is outdoors. I'm taking it as a positive omen.

My research class, however, is going to be a big pain. Its only becoming clearer with each class.

Don't you just love those days when everything seems to explode? Continuously? Without stopping?

Ravel's Pavane for a Dead Princess = Heather getting choked up and teary.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Merry Christmas!!!

from this morning's service at St. Johns, my home church:

Break forth, O beauteous heav'nly light,
And usher in the morning.
You shepherds, shrink not with affright
But hear the angel's warning.
This child, now weak in infancy,
Our confidence and joy shall be,
The pow'r of Satan breaking,
Our peace eternal making.

My favorite Christmas hymn, which we sing every year at my church after the first responsive prayers.

I got a camera! I'm so excited. Since mine broke this past summer, my parents were kind enough to give me one, since the one I had before that broke had been a gift from my sponsors at TMC my first summer. I've already taken many pictures - hopefully I will figure out the facebook photo album stuff with help from Hannah so I can put them up there.

Time for more cooking. The family is returning for more wine, games, and food in a few hours. Joy joy joy!

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve, to all those dear, far and near!

That rhymes, very unintentionally.

My family is in the process of a cleaning frenzy. We have the 9 lessons and carols service at my church at 7 pm, with friends from church and my aunt, uncle, cousins and grandma coming here afterwards for chile. Not to be confused with the town Chile, a suburb of Rochester, NY, which is pronounced with a long i instead of a short one.

I've been home since Wednesday. It has been wonderful to be in Milwaukee again, although a little different this time around than what I have been used to for the past 3.5 years. There is NO snow on the ground - grrr - despite the HUGE pile ups in the mall parking lot from the big midwest storm over two weeks ago.

I miss and love all of you!

I'm DONE!!!!!

I apologize to all I've neglected to call in the past two weeks. You shall be hearing from me within the next two days as I reorganize my life around NO SCHOOL (and clean the apartment - its a bit of a mess in my room right now, and the bathroom needs a lot of help).

Craziness

This week has been insane. I've been house sitting for my sister, taking care of the cats, and the commute between her house and my apartment and BU is taking forever. Thank goodness I'll be done in two days. I couldn't handle it much longer.

Jury next week. (sigh) I'm a bad violinist.

However, I am still surprised and delighted by the city of Boston. There are so many cute little places to eat that are owned individually - I may give up fast food chains forever (except for last night - on the way to a gig I got Wendy's, and yes, Mary, I got the same as we always do). I go to a little place across from BU about three times a week, and the guy there has started charging me less and less for the chicken salad sandwich I get (VERY good). THEN....two nights ago, I was coming back to Heidi's after rehearsal, around 9 pm. There is a little pizza place on her corner called Theo's. I walk in and the owner behind the counter tells me if I play violin for 5 minutes, he'll give me free food. So I played some Bach (good jury practice) and then Orange Blossom Special, a fiddle tune from my Suzuki academy days. And I got a delicious cheese pizza - free. I love Boston.

It seems that Kimby will in fact be visiting during February. Hooray!!!!! David, Kitty - want to come too and make it a CCE reunion?

I hate the fact that semesters end during December, when I'd much rather be enjoying the Christmas season then freaking out about my theroy exam and jury and so many performances. How about we move school from August - November and then early January-April. Any takers??

Heard the E-flat Bach suite tonight at the string department recital. Unfortunately, the cellist did not play my favorite movement, the gigue, and Kimby's all time hit:

Da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da HEY!!!!

Love that one. (there may be a few extra notes in there....sorry....all I can remember is Kim playing it at amazing speeds before rehearsal and myself shouting HEY! after every phrase)

It is Monday, November 27th.

The next three weeks are slightly chaotic, and as a result, I think I am feeling incredibly stressed and tired. Also, that feeling of "I just want to sleep through the next three weeks" has returned, as it usually does at the end of a semester. I have a jury soon - THAT will be VERY weird - a jury in December?? What????

Last week was very very fun. Hannah came on Monday, spent the night here with me Monday and Tuesday night, and on Wednesday we went to Heidi's for Thanksgiving. Whit did his usual spectacular job of a Thanksgiving feast. This was my fifth Thanksgiving here in Boston in a row. It felt weird on Friday to just come back to my apartment, still in Boston, instead of taking a train 10 hours back to Rochester and C house. As much as I complained about those train rides, in a way, I enjoyed them too, especially if I got my own double seat. Anyway - Hannah left on Friday :-(.

Liza is back home today from her own Thanksgiving break. I talked to Kimby last night for a bit - if you read Mary's blog you'll have already discovered this, but Kimby is taking acting classes with the one and only Sasha Cohen! Wayne needs to know about this; he'll probably have a fit. Anyway - we were thinking she should go up and say "Hi! Are you going to go for another Olympics??" What do you think?

Still have not completely decided about TMC. I know what I should do - but I also know that I love it there. Help! I have to decide for sure by Friday at midnight.

This is the first year in the past three that I am not returning home for the WLC Christmas concerts this weekend. I'm slightly sad about it. Hannah and Holly always came back too, and the three of us and my parents always had a wonderful weekend together, eating, talking, laughing, drinking wine and playing Bid Euchre. This is only the second year I've missed this weekend since 1995, and the other year I missed was my freshman year of high school, because my high school concerts were the same weekend. I may never play there again, actually. Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows. The future is very unclear right now.

On Saturday morning I woke up to a blaring alarm. It was one of those mornings where the alarm did not wake me up immediately, or at least I didn't realize it was my own alarm, so when the realization finally hit, I bolted out of bed to turn it off. Only problem - when I got up so fast, I somehow hurt the left side of my neck. It was very painful at first, and now its much better thanks to sleeping with a heating pad on it, but I couldn't play much on Saturday. Shifting requires that same muscle in my neck or shoulder or something, and it hurt. After playing about 8 hours today, I will be using the heating pad again for sleep. I hope this feels completely better sooner than later.

My dad turned 60 on Nov. 24th. That hasn't quite hit me yet. He sounds all chipper, though, still talking about his intellectual peak.

I miss you all very much.

Hannah and I are enjoying Mike's Hard Lemonade at the moment (I bet Mary wishes she was with us! Just kidding). Now, I haven't had a whole Mike's since who knows when. Not feeling quite an effect, but Hannah is flushed. :-) We're playing Uno, having pizza. Very yay.

Ich armer Mensch, ich armer Sünder
Steh hier vor Gottes Agesicht.
Ach Gott, ach Gott, verfahr gelinder
Und geh nicht mit mir ins Gericht!
Erbarme dich, erbarme dich,
Gott, mein Erbarmer, über mich!

Chorale from Bach's Cantata 179

Hmm.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/18/washington/18breast.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

This was a top news story today in the NYTimes.

Since this important (and for me, life-changing) issue has finally been resolved an all that, I think I might go for it.

It is Saturday.

Meaning tomorrow is Sunday and Thanksgiving week will have officially begun. Hannah is coming in 48 hours!! Happy day!

My week was good, albeit a little stressful. I had a visitor, I have two gigs this weekend, one of which is at Emmanuel, meaning a Bach cantata. The choral at the end is "If you but trust in God to guide you", one of my favorite hymns, so that is very nice. I've met a lot of people in the Boston gig scence this week, including a phone call from the vice-president of the BMU (union). He called about playing Bach's B minor Mass in a couple weeks in Newburyport, PLUS to let me know that as a full time student, I don't have to pay $180 to join the gig, only $42.50. Boy, am I glad he called. I was all ready to send out a $180 check to the union. That would have been a huge pain to try and get that reimbursed. I have half a mind to call the woman I talked to and tell her she should check FIRST with the people that call asking about joining the union if they're a student.

Its a colder day in Boston. The rain has stopped and it is clear skies and dry weather again. I don't mind the cold; I was starting to worry I might never see ANY snow this year.

Time goes by....

....so slowly. Stupid airplanes.

My abilities as a.....

....harp mover were rediscovered tonight. Thanks to the excellent training from Mrs. Mary, the harpist that asked for my help moving her harp to and from her car tonight at my gig even told me I was a pro and a natural. I said I learned from the best. It was very nostolgic for me to move a harp again. Made me think of the night before the BT I, moving Mary's from school to dorm in the snow!

I'm currently taking a break from the cleaning frenzy. I have a friend from home visiting tomorrow - Friday for a job interview. Liza's boyfriend Rich is also coming tomorrow afternoon, before they head to Rochester on Saturday. We have quite the full apartment for the next few days!

Speaking of snow....I wish it would.

Sunday Night

It is the start of a new week.

Which I feel somewhat unprepared for, but I had a good weekend, relaxing, taking time off, being happy and content, so it was worth it. No orchestra this past Wednesday and Friday certainly had a lot to do with that. The Mahler 2 concert last Monday went well, and afterwards I met up with a TMC friend, Tera, so that was nice. It felt good to actually DO something after a concert again.

This week should be good too, although a little hectic. I am playing for the Brookline Chorus' concert this upcoming weekend, with rehearsals on Wednesday and Friday night. This is my first union gig, so tomorrow morning, after a phone call, I shall become a Boston Musician's Union member, which can only be a good thing.

Next week is Thanksgiving already, and Hannah is coming for the whole week! Yay! It will be nice to have my little sister around for awhile.

Tomorrow starts Beethoven 3 for orchestra. Here we go!

My little girl, my baby sister, who is 19, drunk dialed me last night. When I asked if she was drunk, she said yes, and then continued to reassure me that she would be ok, she hadn't drank THAT much, and she was ONLY drinking beer. Who am I to judge??? I don't drink beer - I drink whole bottles of wine (or in TMC's case, champagne) in about two hours. She's growing up.

Tomorrow night is the big Mahler 2 in Symphony Hall. Scary.

Its getting chilly in Boston. At night, I can smell fireplaces going. Remember Fimby and Caitlin's apartment with the fireplace?? I want one.

Tonight is an early bedtime for several reasons, mainly, Sunday shows start at 3 pm, not 8 pm, and after two tries, it started to go smoothly.

End of an Era

http://news.aol.com/entertainment/tv/articles/_a/bob-barker-retiring-after-50-years-on-tv/20061031162109990001

This show/host was the reason I loved being sick in grade school/high school. And a reason why I loved Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2nd semester of junior year of college - after music history, going to the Pit to watch the last half hour during lunch - remember????

I am the proud new owner of.....

1. Pump It (my all time favorite, David's all time NOT favorite)
2. Don't Phunk With My Heart (I like it....don't judge)
3. Hung Up (cause time goes by....so slowly.....)
4. Queen of the Night aria (sung by Sumi Jo=unbelievable)
5. Mozart Wind Serenade, slow mvt. (the one in Amadeus that I absolutely love)

And................

6. Strong Enough ("Was she worth it?? Was she.....worth it????????")
7. Believe (cause its awesome)

I couldn't live another day without the TMC 2006 Soundtrack to David's car (except the Mozart - that was my own idea). So there goes $7.50. But now I'm happy. :-D

Oh, and I already had Hips Don't Lie. And trust me, they don't.

Hello Brian! I am adding Madison to the list!!!! :-)

Liza just made chocolate chip pancakes....mmm....its so nice to have a roommate who makes delicious pies, bread, muffins, pancakes, etc.

Its a rainy Saturday in Boston. I have nothing today till tonight at 7:30, and then I shall be attending the Handel opera Orlando. Its almost 4 hours long....both Heidi and Whit are playing in it. I wish I was! I'm excited to go...from the little Handel opera we looked at in theory, aural skills, and history at Eastman, I think I shall enjoy tonight very much.

Last night I turned pages for Heidi's quartet concert (for the pianist - they did Dvorak piano quintet). It was kinda scary (in the Dumka mvt., there are SO many repeats) - the pianist is actually famous for his harpsichord and pianoforte skills, and he did a very good job last night, and he is VERY musical and sensitive - but every once in a while, right after I'd turn the page he'd fumble for a minute. Probably because he was used to turning his own pages and then missing the first few beats of the next measure. I still had fun though. I love to turn pages for pianists. And I got good practice doing it at Eastman for the piano boys every once in awhile. Hearing a piano quintet made me very nostalgic, too. (sigh)

I talked to the one and only Jonathan Ware on Thursday night, for a good long time. It was so nice to talk to him. I talked to Mary on Thursday afternoon (hope she is feeling better!), and David a few times this week in the everlasting TMC gossip. Oh, and Paul for a while last Sunday.

I'm kinda ready for Halloween to be over - last night on the train coming home, it was incredibly crowded with drunken college students all dressed up in costumes. I even got groped by a jerk dressed as a firefighter. Lovely. I'm expecting tonight will probably be more of the same. I can't wait for November.....soon is just not soon enough.

I'm eating lunch right now, taking a break before more practicing. I know there are some in this world who believe I should not eat turkey because it will make me sleepy during the afternoons, but oh my goodness, it is so good. Its called "Santa Fe Turkey", with spices and stuff on it - I love it. (I realize it might be idiotic to name turkey, but whatever - its good) I think I'm going to go get some more tomorrow at Shaws - I'm currently eating the last of it. Plus a few carrots. Mmmm.

So, whether I like it or not, the vast world of summer music festivals has one again intruded upon my life. I was talking to David the other night, and we agreed - it seems the only thing we do except for about April - August is worry about where we are going during the months of June, July and August. Once September hits, we're suddenly THROWN back into that world. And sometimes it doesn't even end till May, if you're on a waiting list. I had been all set at the end of TMC this year to take this entire next summer OFF from a festival. I've done a full 6-8 week one every year since 2001, when I was 17. Now I'm 22. Time for a break. Except that along with the choice of returning to TMC, the teacher of the clarinetist in my new music trio wants us to audition for something called the Hampden-Sydney Music Festival, in Virginia. It takes place late May - early June, and is for preformed ensembles (CCE, did we look at this program???? its completely free). This teacher is the Artistic Director, so we're pretty much in. He heard us play at the clarinet studio class, and while I thought it was pretty awful, he LOVED it. This festival is also during Spilleto (am I spelling that right????), so if I even thought about doing that, I'd have to chose. (sigh) Or just not do anything. I wouldn't mind an early three week one, but I just can't do both TMC and something else. Then I might really die.

Hope everyone is well in Houston, LA, Rochester, Philly, Milwaukee, London, Indianapolis, and Denver (hopefully Mary Keener has come back with a tan!). Oh my goodness, we are all so spread out now!! :-( I think thats all the locations from where this is read. If I missed someone, let me know.

Post Manchester Tour Entry

The tour got done on Monday morning, and Tatiana and I drove as fast as we could to be back in time for orchestra on Monday at 3:15 (I'm STILL having a terrible time remembering that orchestra is at 3:15 instead of 3:45. Still. Its terrible). However, she decided that Route 2 would be better than Interstate 91, and I'm not sure why it was decided that way, but Route 2 ended up being full of construction. So we were 15 minutes late to orchestra. Oh well.

Otherwise, life is returning to normal. I put together all by myself my new desk last night. My digital camera has offically died, otherwise I would take a picture of my handiwork for you all to see! Its really nice - nothing fancy, but definitely gets the job done. Last night while sitting at the desk with the computer on top I got somewhat nostalgic for Eastman. All the nights of writing papers at 3 am on that computer with Mrs. Mary Keener. And David playing Dvorak sextet with the volume up. And Hong just in general messing around and invading my files. (sigh) Good times. The internet at the apartment is now officially working for both me and Liza now, however, its not quite as fast as I was hoping it would be. DSL is DSL. Cable internet is cable internet. End of story.

I've been getting some good gigs here in Boston. The church where my sister plays a Bach cantata every week has asked me for three more dates through October-November. I'm doing another wedding on Saturday morning (apparently at this beautiful mansion) and have a Christmas choir concert lined up for the first week of December. This will be the only 2nd year in the past 10 that I will not be playing at WLC for their concerts the first weekend in December. It will feel slightly weird. However, its probably good to get the whole $380 for staying here instead of only $50 of the $350 at WLC because I would have to buy a plane ticket. And miss orchestra AGAIN, which would make D.H. pissed off. Again.

Octet is going well, but I miss a smaller sized group. A lot. Adding all those winds and a bass player is quite a challenge for group ensemble.

Its starting to get a little chilly here in Boston. Not bad, but dreary and cold wind. I haven't worn my winter coat yet, and there's been no snow and I don't think the heat is on in the apartment, but soon it shall have to be. This is the time of year where I start to get excited about snow. And to think - if we were all still in Rochester, we'd already have a whole bunch! Go figure.

Peter (my teacher) is wonderful. I've started working harder on the Nielson violin concerto, and its not easy, but I really am starting to love it. And I'm doing Bach b minor partita. I keep hearing Hoe-Young playing it in studio class. I'm not sure why. Anyway, Peter ALSO wants me to start some Ysaye and a Paganini caprice. Oh, and Faure sonata. Ouch. Sara, what else are you doing with K besides Beethoven concerto?

This is a long post. I hadn't written in awhile though. I miss you all so much.

Back in Boston after a 24 hour stay in NYC. Tomorrow is a little insane, and at the end of it, I shall be driving BACK to NYC with Tatiana, a Manchester friend also here at BU (who has a car - VERY wonderful of Tatiana to drive me with her back and forth!).

It was good to see the big apple, and some old friends from Manchester. I stayed with Joana and Ari (the festival director and his wife) at their house in Yonkers last night, and it was SO nice. Not only did they take me out to sushi, but I got a huge room and a bathroom (+shower) all to myself. So comfy.

Tomorrow is lesson, coaching, and orchestra, all taking place within the span of 6 hours. Time for bed here soon, after doing some much needed laundry. Lovely.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/06/arts/music/06hait.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Click to see a story about Bernie (aka Bernard Haitink). See also a picture of him conducting the BSO at Tanglewood this summer, and to read (I admit, a one line comment) about how he coached at TMC this summer!

I'm home alone and just cooked. I'm getting sentimental and wishful......

Life

Its been awhile.

Things have been crazy, with school, family, apartment, etc. I was very overwhelmed this week - so many things came up and slapped me that I had no idea were even issues. I've also been having trouble waking up on time in the mornings. Once again, like I do at the start of every school year, I try to have my alarm within arm's reach of bed. And once again, after the first month, it is a complete failure. Now I've moved it across the room, and must get OUT of bed to turn it off. And its helped almost immediately. I think from now on, that is where it shall always stay.

Apologies to Paul Miller. I WILL call you - I WANT to talk to you - I just am going insane.....I'm sorry, Paul. We will talk soon.

In other news, I leave for NYC/Manchester String Orchestra tour on Sunday. It could not be coming at a better time. I love Boston, and am SO happy here, and so far, the school has been good too. And my lessons are going SO well - I love Peter. Its so nice to have someone who knows what the problem is immediately and KNOWS how to tell you how to fix it! But some away time at this point will be very nice.

Liza's boyfriend is here visiting for the next week+. He is going to help get the couch here sometime this weekend. Very very nice of him.

I miss C house. Its just not as fun in the evenings without the ritual yelling down the hall to Mary and the boys.

And yesterday, I thought of Fimby all day, and her 23rd birthday. I miss her birthday parties. The last two were so fun.

Time to stop be dramatic.

CCE:

Our next piece should be Joan Tower's String Quartet No. 3, "Incandescent". I heard a performance of it tonight and thought:

CCE.

NEWS FLASH!

On September 30th, I will be playing for a wedding in Falmouth, MA.

Which is on Cape Cod.

And is otherwise known as the Cape Cod Experiment's birthplace.

Ahhhh.....memories.

Hello all!

I'm sorry about the lasps in writing. Mary, I STILL don't have internet at home! I got a phone line on Tuesday for DSL, but couldn't order DSL until I had the phone line, so now it will probably be at the most another week. (sigh) I'm so sick of this!

Speaking of sick - I have a really awful cold. I got it from Adelaide, who got it from her first week of 3-year old preschool. Thats what happens when you are first exposed to so many more germs, I guess. Heidi also got it, but I seem to have it much worse than she did. I only slept four hours last night because of coughing fits. When I say fits, I mean fits. I hope the people above and below me and poor Liza across the living room can't hear me - its loud and VERY annoying.

Things have gotten a little more settled. I'm playing in Heidi's quartet for the next two weeks because their second violinist can't do a concert with them on Oct. 4th. We started rehearsing that today - Bartok 1 and Mozart Adagio and Fugue. It was a good time. I also have my first wedding gig next weekend, and am playing a Bach cantata this Sunday at Emmanuel Church, the only church in the US that does a Bach cantata every Sunday, the end of Sept. - the beginning of May. Heidi is a regular member, and I have been asked to sub. I'm VERY excited.

Apologies to Paul Miller, for not yet returning his phone call. It will happen within the next 30 hours, I promise.

Theory is annoying.

The weather is up and down. Two days ago was 80, today was 60. I like it. Although it would be nice in theory to never have cold weather, I really think I would miss it. Especially in a couple months. I'm so excited to be in a big city during the Christmas season - it is going to be beautiful. (I've started listening to my Praetorius Christmas Mass cd again - Sara, would you like a copy so that it is still being played at the SLC front desk??? :-))

I just found out that my high school had a bomb threat this morning. My mother teaches there. I guess little Lutheran high schools in the midwest aren't safe from anything. I can't wait to hear how the principal is reacting to this.

Surreal

So, I just got done playing a non-paying gig at Marsh Chapel, the BU chapel on campus. It was for a 9/11 memorial service, and was a trio gig (unfortunely, there was no Pleyel - actually, thats probably a good thing - otherwise I would have started sobbing on the spot).

The surreal part is this:

Today, besides being a memorial disaster day, is also my sister Heidi and brother-in-law Whit's wedding anniversary. They got married on Sept. 11, 1999, in Marsh Chapel. Holly, Hannah and I were bridesmaids. I was 15. And now, exactly seven years later I'm playing for memorial services at the exact same location. It is very interesting to see where you end up while you look back. Very interesting.

I have my first theory assignment in 3 semesters to complete tonight, due tomorrow morning. Ugh.

I miss you all!!

BU is not Eastman when it comes to new music....

....but they seem to think they're incredible.

My orchestra audition was not spectacular.

However, I did scrub the sink, toliet, kitchen, and bathroom floors yesterday. Next project: the living room floor.

I am also a member now FOR CREDIT (imagine that, Ossia!) of the new music ensemble here at BU, called Time's Arrow. Since its a credit, volunteer class, the instruments availible are a little mixed. I am going to list the instruments availible and how many of them there are, so if ANYONE (hint: Paul, David, Kimby, Kitty, Cody, Arthur, Mary, David Plylar - do you read this, Ply? - or ANYONE ELSE) has any ideas let me know!

1. 1 string bass
2. 3 violins (me+2- and one of them plays viola - I did NOT volunteer my viola services after the disaster with Ricardo - whom I saw in Rochester a couple weeks ago - he is the nicest person ever - I digress)
3. 5 - yes, FIVE - flutes
4. 2 pianos
5. 1 clarinet
6. 1 mezzo-soprano
7. 1 soprano

Any ideas?

The end of the first week is near. 15 to go. (sigh)

Hello, from Boston, Massachusetts, my new home.

I have an apartment!

I have a bed and bookshelf that are NOT courtesy of a dorm!

I have a kitchen!

I have a bathroom with a tub!

Ok. Thats it for now about the exciting list. I still need a desk, dresser, internet, chair, curtains, etc etc etc etc. The list is VERY long and I shall not bore anyone with it right now.

I've been here since Thursday morning, and its been a slight bit hectic. Holly also came to Boston this weekend to visit me and Heidi (and Adelaide and Whit) so I didn't stay at my place until last night. Poor Liza - I kind of abadoned her, but now that school has started, I will be sleeping where I also pay rent to sleep. Imagine that.

I passed out of 8 am aural skills (thank GOD) and also one semester of theory. So I will be taking one semester of tonal theory and be done with theory requirements. There are no specific history requirements, so I can just choose a class that looks interesting and be done with that. Orchestra, theory, chamber music, lessons, new music ensemble....that is it for a schedule. Not bad, huh?

I miss all of you so much - the CCE picture from the Ossia Penderecki/Red Bull concert is up, as well as a thank you card from Mary (from the wedding), my Eastman yearbooks and a now dried rose. It will start to feel very much like a home very soon. The best part is the full size bed....now there is plenty of room. Ha.

I have a dry socket. On my lower right side. Sunday night/Monday morning I woke up around 3 (like I have every night since Thursday) and felt something in my mouth that was weird. I got it out, and low and behold - it was my stiches from that side. They had fallen out. They are suppose to dissolve by the END of the 5th/beginning of 6th day, and this was the beginning of day 4. Bad sign. Yesterday I was in a lot of pain whenever NOT on a completely fresh dose of 600 mg ibprofen, and today I went in and sure enough, dry socket. (sigh) This isn't what I need, since they put a thing in it to help it heal and kill the pain and I have to go in tomorrow to get it out and a new one put in. I am suppose to go on Thursday too, except that I'm leaving for Boston around 7 am. I told this to the nurse and she said - oh well - you can take it out yourself. ????!?!!?!?!?!??!?!

Not good.

In other news - I also had a physical today, and my PA has the same birthday. She thought that was absolutely incredible. She was fun. The blood test guy was not. I almost left because he was spending so much time trying to find my vein. It was making me a nervous wreck. Finally, he found the elusive blood vessel and proceeded to ask me if I ever have "fun" while playing violin. Quote: "Like, rocking out or fiddling." First, I told him that I am mostly classically trained, which means I usually ALWAYS have fun, even when playing classical music. Second, I told him yes, I have done a little fiddling. He seemed to be very skeptical about the "classical music is also fun" comment. Good lord. I would not be making it my life if I never had fun playing classical music.

Tomorrow is my last day home. Very mixed feelings about this.

Yoga Article in Boston Globe.

Read it. Then think of David and me - we are apparently two of twelve "most talented musicians". How nice of the Boston Globe.

Oh - and you'll probably have to copy and paste. This computer doesn't like blogger very well.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2006/08/20/breathe_deep_play_well_can_yoga_aid_music_study/?page=1

In other news: I have 4 less teeth than I did this morning at 8:30. And they gave me a big prescription for vicadin (don't know if that's spelled right). There is no WAY I will use all of them. My parents are being very sweet, Mary called to wish me well and see how I was, and an old friend stopped by with ice cream and a rose. And I'm just watching movies all day. I guess surgery isn't so bad after all!

Home

I have been home since Wednesday night.

David and I said our final goodbye till who knows when. We were both very sad - I was crying, he looked a little teary too. We had a wonderful summer together. Eastman is over. Staying with Arthur was fun - he was a very hospitable host.

I arrived home to parents, Hannah, and Holly, visiting from Phoenix. Yesterday we went to the Renaissance fair. Last night we played cards till about 11:30, and drank over two bottles of wine. So much for TMC detox.

Hannah is leaving on Tuesday, and my surgery is on Thursday. I am SO sad she won't be here to take care of me.

Church was fun - my first service since June. The end.

Last Rochester Blog Entry (possibly ever)

Hello from Rochester, NY, home of the Eastman School of Music.

David and I made it here fine, and am now in Sibley. He is downloading the last of the CCE concerts from May (Mendelssohn Octet, Schumann Piano Quintet, Haydn Quartet). Arthur is being very hospitable with his very nice (and spacious) apartment at Chestnut. Apparently Matt Zerweck left for England just this morning. Too bad - it would have been so nice to see him too! I ran into Sam Reich about 5 minutes ago.

Tomorrow will be hard. When have I ever LEFT Eastman before in the month of August? David and I felt like we were just driving back to school after another music festival.

Goodbye Rochester. Tomorrow we will embark on the BT IV. I have a video camera (my sister left it with me for last night's party and the trip home). I am in the process of making a documentary. And, Mary Keener, we will play the Rochester Exit Music (end of Nutcracker) tomorrow morning in honor of you.

Awww, Gavid.....

Only three days left.

My concertmaster stint is going fine. The last three pages of the Hindemith is ridiculous. Not even the BSO member who gave us our sectional yesterday could play more than 3 notes in a row without messing up. Now THAT is pretty difficult.

But today has pretty much been awful. Really. Remember when your mother taught you to think before you speak, because you might not mean or regret something you said AFTER you say it?? And you can't take it back anymore? That is me. Today. All day. Grr.

Last BSO concert tonight. Tomorrow night is film night with JW (not to be confused with Jonathan Ware - or Jason Williams, come to think of it) and Sunday is Philly Orchestra with our ex-Dean of Eastman in attendance. To all Eastman people: I asked my sponsor here what the real story and deal is with all the Undercofler and Seligman stuff, and what we've heard is pretty much true. That is all I will say about that. I have no idea who reads this. Or gets the link from other people's blogs (eg: my sister Heidi found my blog by searching my name in google and David's blog came up. Very insteresting).

One Week Left

A List:

1.There is only 7 days left of TMC 2006.

2. The Sessions performance went very well yesterday, thank you. There were still stupid mistakes made, but we survived and Norman Fischer seemed very happy. It is over, thank the dear Lord.

3. Hindemith's Mathis der Mahler is not an easy piece.

4. I kinda want to go home....

5. Yet love it here even though I'm getting sick of it.

6. But home should be good, despite the wisdom teeth extravaganza.

7. The performance of Daphnis and Chloe last night was not as good as the French Concert at Eastman in Nov. 2004. Maybe because we only rehearsed it for about 4 days. I was all sentimental every time we played it, even last night. And I missed doing that stupid bird solo at the beginning - those harmonics were always a delightful challenge with Mario and Grace.

8. There is no 8.

Sessions Rehearsal

This morning was the Sessions dress rehearsal. It did not go spectacularly well.

First, I accidentally turned off my alarm clock in my sleep. This happens every great once in a while, and I KNOW I had set it and turned it on last night, because I never set my alarm for 7:30 except for 9 am dress rehearsals. Second, I can vaguely remember thinking "oh, its raining - thank goodness its raining" after I turned off the alarm before falling back asleep. Anyway - I woke up at 8:15, 5 minutes before I was suppose to meet my group downstairst to head to Ozawa. That put me in a bad mood.

Then, we get to Ozawa. I like Fischer, he's a nice guy, but his perky, smiling face at 9 am after a stressful night of rehearsal till 10:45 pm and then all sorts of other issues happening was not exactly what I needed to see at 8:55 am. Good luck to David at Rice - hopefully he won't have lessons at 9 am with Fischer. If I did, I guarantee I would not be there for very long.

Next, we play the piece. Some things went fine. Other things went better than they have in the past. But yet, once again, so many things just did not work, and it seems no matter how many times we rehearse a certain section, it will never get better. It is doomed to failure. Every time.

While we were playing the second mvt, I noticed something. I don't have people's names in my part. I have their instrument, like "cel", or "vla 1" or "vla 2" or "vln 1". Even last night, when I agreed with Chrissy, the cellist, about a thing we have together, when I went to mark it in my part, I did not put her name, I put her instrument. Usually, by the end of the first week with a new group, I put names instead of instruments. And if you look at the Brahms, Schnittke, or Schumann Piano Quintet parts that are in Sibley Library, my part is full of Kitty, Kim, David, and Jonathan. My Ravel Intro and Allegro part was full of Mary, Paul, Sam, Jeffrey, Kim and David. Even last summer, I had names in everywhere. This is showing me that I have never really enjoyed or loved this group - none of their names are in my part. They did not become friends, they are remaining only colleagues. I am a little sad about it.

We finished the rehearsal, went backstage, and the violists started fighting. The first yelled at the second one, who can barely speak english and was just trying to figure out something.

I will be done with this piece on Sunday morning by 11:30. Thank goodness.

Sessions Rehearsal

This morning was the Sessions dress rehearsal. It did not go spectacularly well.

First, I accidentally turned off my alarm clock in my sleep. This happens every great once in a while, and I KNOW I had set it and turned it on last night, because I never set my alarm for 7:30 except for 9 am dress rehearsals. Second, I can vaguely remember thinking "oh, its raining - thank goodness its raining" after I turned off the alarm before falling back asleep. Anyway - I woke up at 8:15, 5 minutes before I was suppose to meet my group downstairst to head to Ozawa. That put me in a bad mood.

Then, we get to Ozawa. I like Fischer, he's a nice guy, but his perky, smiling face at 9 am after a stressful night of rehearsal till 10:45 pm and then all sorts of other issues happening was not exactly what I needed to see at 8:55 am. Good luck to David at Rice - hopefully he won't have lessons at 9 am with Fischer. If I did, I guarantee I would not be there for very long.

Next, we play the piece. Some things went fine. Other things went better than they have in the past. But yet, once again, so many things just did not work, and it seems no matter how many times we rehearse a certain section, it will never get better. It is doomed to failure. Every time.

While we were playing the second mvt, I noticed something. I don't have people's names in my part. I have their instrument, like "cel", or "vla 1" or "vla 2" or "vln 1". Even last night, when I agreed with Chrissy, the cellist, about a thing we have together, when I went to mark it in my part, I did not put her name, I put her instrument. Usually, by the end of the first week with a new group, I put names instead of instruments. And if you look at the Brahms, Schnittke, or Schumann Piano Quintet parts that are in Sibley Library, my part is full of Kitty, Kim, David, and Jonathan. My Ravel Intro and Allegro part was full of Mary, Paul, Sam, Jeffrey, Kim and David. Even last summer, I had names in everywhere. This is showing me that I have never really enjoyed or loved this group - none of their names are in my part. They did not become friends, they are remaining only colleagues. I am a little sad about it.

We finished the rehearsal, went backstage, and the violists started fighting. The first yelled at the second one, who can barely speak english and was just trying to figure out something.

I will be done with this piece on Sunday morning by 11:30. Thank goodness.

I am not jealous of Mary Keener right now.

So the yoga gala was interesting. The food was very good, etc etc, but for some reason, I was slightly annoyed by a lot of it. All the people who played though were very very wonderful. Maybe I felt weird because I wore my recital outfit. Too many memories.

There are less than 2 weeks left. How does this always happen?

Which means there are a little over three weeks till my wisdom teeth get pulled. Ouch.

All things happen for a reason.

Carter is done. Congrats to the singers - I know there is no way I could have ever memorized my part. I am very in awe of them all.

Today was the first time ever I was drunk before 7 pm. I am sober now, but it was an interesting experience.

David has his MacBook. He is my first official Mac convert. I am very very proud.

Too much going through my head at the moment. Tomorrow will be better. The Gran Turismo concert is tomorrow night at 6pm in Ozawa. It promises to be very very good!

3 days. Thank goodness.

4 days. Happy thought.

Tomorrow night is the US premiere of Elliot Carter's opera, What Next?. The composer, age 98, will be there. I, plus a few others, will be playing and singing. James Levine is conducting.

Last night was so much fun! I love TOP. And - David and I both got our pictures taken with John Williams, who is a very very nice man. He asked me my name, what I play, etc. I should have brought one of my (several) Star Wars soundtracks. Alas, I did not know he would be here and I would be able to get a picture. Maybe next time.

Cool Weather, Gran Turismo, TOP

Last night I slept with a sheet AND a comforter. I loved it. I love blankets and curling up in them. Thank goodness this particular heat wave has come and gone. I'm sure it will not be the last before the end of the summer, but today was such a beautiful day without being hot - lots of sun but a nice breeze. I don't think I could ever move back to the south, even if I have already lived there for over a third of my life. I am officially a northern girl.

Currently I am working on Gran Turismo, "A Piece for Eight Virtuostic Violinists" by Andrew Norman. From the article, it would seem he already has a good career going, and this piece is the most fun I've had since the Schumann Quintet performance. Plus, something I have noticed but I doubt others have - 4 of the 8 violinists in this group are either alumni or a current (Ruby) Eastman student. Me, Boram Kang, Melissa Chung, and Ruby Chen (who was so sweet after my Mozart quintet performance yesterday - "Heather! I'm so proud you're in my studio!" - except unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, actually, no longer - anyway). That is making me very proud. David and I only have exactly three weeks left together - and we talk of CCE and Kim and Kitty every day - and I am starting to feel homesick already. Very silly. (sigh) I will miss Eastman.

Tomorrow is TOP (Tanglewood On Parade)! I always look forward to it, every year I have been here. It is such a fun day. And all finished off with 1812 Overture and John Williams! Tomorrow morning we shall have rehearsal with the maestro himself. Maybe I should ask him if David and I can have a picture with him???

Mozart Weekend Review

Mozart this morning was actually fun, and people seemed to enjoy it.

Don Giovanni last night was very very very VERY good. I loved it. It was so long, but still - the final scene when the Commandor drags Giovanni down to hell always gives me chills, even when I watch it in the movie Amadeus (where it is filmed in the original theater where it was premiered).

Had a lovely lovely lunch this afternoon with David's sponsors. Very nice. Almost fell asleep during it. Mozart really took it out of me this weekend. I did not even go to the Requiem concert, which is a little sad since it is one of my favorite pieces. The last time I heard it live was here, actually, during my second summer at BUTI. I came back here and kinda regretted it, but then fell asleep so fast I guess I needed the rest. It will not be the last time I can go here Mozart Requiem. That also now puts an end to Mozart weekend. Yet the 250th year is far from over - I have a feeling there is still more Mozart in my future until 2007. Does anyone know who has a big year for 2007? Hopefully someone good.

The picture did not turn out as hoped. But it is staying. End of story.

And oh my goodness. This will be hilarious. As in, hilariously fun.

Yoga Wisdom

Since Kimberly is sharing what yoga wisdom she is learning in Oregon, I will share one that I actually did like yesterday night in the masteclass:

"Realize that sometimes the brain is inferior to the heart."

Take that for what you will. But I appreciated it quite a bit.

My sympathies to Mary and Daniel Keener, for the loss of their bird, Cecil. He (or her? I can't remember if that was ever figured out) was the source of many good stories after Mary's visits to Colorado back in C house. It is sad that Mary and Cecil were finally becoming friends, and he passed on.

Time to catch the bus for the main grounds.

Reviews from this past Saturday's Elektra.....

http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2006/07/18/levine_marshals_the_ferocity_of_elektra/

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/17/arts/music/17tang.html

Its hot.

Really really hot.

So hot, that 8 violinists decided to rehearse outside today instead of an old, fire-trap barn.

I think TMC needs to seriously invest in air conditioning for Miss Hall's.

Oh - and I got REALLY annoyed by something else today, which will remain nameless. If you ask me personally, though, I will tell you.

Elektra Is Done

So, as the title suggests: Elektra is done. It was incredibly hot up on stage, and the guys were allowed to take off their white dinner jackets and black bowties. So what does James Levine do? Comes out onto the stage wearing black dress shoes, black tuxedo pants and: a blue polo shirt, the same one that he wears every day (I'm not positive that he wears the same one everyday; it is quite possible - and very hopeful - that he has several blue polo shirts and rotates them). All the while, the poor MET men singers wore jackets and ties. I don't get Levine sometimes. He is brilliant, etc etc etc, but he just does not look the part of brilliance. It is true - you can't judge a book by its cover.

The concert did go well, and of course, people went crazy the minute we played the last two sixteenth notes (b-flat, c natural for the violins). Felicity Palmer was by far my favorite as Elektra's mother. She was absolutely fantastic. Alan Head was Orestes, and also amazing. Afterwards there was a nice party thrown by the BSO for us at the Highwood Manor. Now - I have been here many many years, and have never been in this house. It is a small mansion on the walk between the Shed and Ozawa Hall. I have always wanted to go in there but its usually only for the big fancy parties for all the rich donors. So that was fun. Then we came back here. The End.

This morning was the usual 10 am Sunday concert. On it was Elliot Carter's A Mirror On Which to Dwell. They played well, and we clapped, and low and behold - there was Elliot Carter himself, 98 years old, walking upstage. He is the most adorable little old man, and seemed so happy to be up there. He's narrarating Stravinsky's History of a Solider (can't spell the French title) with Milton Babbitt and John Harbinson for TOP. Very nice.

Time for a shower. I've been in two different lakes in less than 10 hours.

NOTHING TILL 7:30 PM

That is all I have to say for today.

Thank you.

(PS - The roommate alarm situation was fixed last night and this morning. The roommate however is still sleeping half nude. I've decided to compromise - I'd rather she sleep half nude with no 5:30 alarm than vice versa. If there is no alarm at 5:30, I won't see her naked. Period.)

Rain Rain Rain

It has been so hot and humid for the past few days, and while it rained a bit yesterday, that only made things worse instead of cooling off. THEN it rained today - ALL afternoon - and is STILL raining, and I have a feeling tomorrow will be much cooler as anticipated. Certain roommates have begun sleeping half naked because of the heat, so hopefully with a cool down the bedtime shirts will seem much more inviting. It doesn't bother me, its just a little strange when I have to get up at 5:30 am to turn off said roommate's alarm because she won't wake up (Kitty, she reminds me of you - although I doubt you'd set it for 5:30 every morning with the intention of getting up to practice but never actually doing it. So nevermind. I take it back), and the said roommate has sheets everywhere and is not always properly covered up. I'm sure any of the piano boys would enjoy being Zhenya's roommate.

Quintet is not really going all that much better. We are getting the hang of the musical side a bit more, but we still CANNOT play the whole first movement without someone getting lost. I'm getting pretty frustrated, and am at the end of creative ideas and problem-solving solutions. I have no idea how to solve it anymore. It is pretty much a disaster, and if we don't get our act together soon, Fischer will cancel the Sessions and we will be playing Dvorak E-flat quintet instead. Ummm.......yuck.

Elektra, however, is getting better. This morning at rehearsal I was starting to get the hang of things much better. I am still not able to get through a page without playing one of the hundreds of notes on that ONE page wrong, but its only Wednesday, right? With the concert on Saturday night. No problem. Heidi, Whit and Adelaide may be coming to it, too, which would make me very very happy. I have not seen Heidi and Adelaide since my recital, and Whit since my BU/NEC audition in February. Plus they can bring me Indian food. Yum.

Practice time. I have to learn Gran Turismo by Norman Andrew by Friday, July 14th at 1:30 pm. Grr.

Yesterday was the day off, and thank goodness. We went to the beach, the outlets, and then saw The Devil Wears Prada. I know that David liked this movie, but I was slightly disappointed. Lets see if the book shall be better. Books usually are.

Today was double rehearsal for Elektra. This piece is ridiculous. We had rehearsal with the singers for the first time today, and they are all these HUGE MET stars, including Siegfried Jerusalem as Aggememnon (I have NO idea if I spelled that right). Its pretty impressive to be working with professionals from the MET opera, but I can't help but think that its all a little, if not a lot, selfish on Levine's part , who kept his MET job while accepting the BSO one. This is suppose to be the big TMC orchestra concert, held in the Shed where the BSO play every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, filled with tradition and memories and sentimental ideals. And then Levine brings in MET people who shine over the whole TMC orchestra. We sound fine, but come on: these are MET singers, and I can't help but feel that it is because we have MET singers that we have a huge audience for this concert. Last year, Deborah Voigt came and did Brunnhilde for the third act of Gotterdamerung (again - have NO idea if I spelled that right - I think there is suppose to be an umlautt somewhere) and it was the first time ever she had sung Brunnhilde. So everyone was focused on that instead of TMC. Now I'll stop with the complaining. They do sound amazing, especially the woman singing the part of Klytimanestra. I LOVED her.

Today is my parents' 36th wedding anniversary. I called my mother this morning and forgot to say anything, called later this evening and she sounded all happy and excited about their night ahead. If only I could be so blessed someday. My parents are ridiculous. I have never seen two people so in love.

Time for Gil Shaham, Truls Mork, and Bronfman (forget his first name). They are doing a concert of all Schubert trios tonight. Should be VERY good.

Elektra

My life this week:

Even though its the cello part and not the violin 2 part, it pretty much sums it up. Mulitply that page times 42. Thanks, Richard Strauss.

So the first week of Elektra did not go too badly. I LOVE my standpartner, Cece. She's hilarious and we get along well, which means I can relax and just have a good time. James Levine's beat is STILL the smallest thing EVER. I think its gotten smaller than last year, even. Tonight is the opening night for the BSO, and they're doing Schoenberg Chamber Symphony No. 1 and Beethoven 9. I think I'll sit in the audience for the Schoenberg and then out on the lawn for Beethoven. That is, if it doesn't rain first.

In other news, last night there was a birthday party for a singer. He even convinced the kitchen staff to make him a HUGE bday cake and bring it out to the porch where the party was and where we hang out every night. About an hour into the party I was told that Joshua Bell, who is doing Sibelius with the BSO on Saturday night, was going to show up and party with us. About an hour later, low and behold - there was Joshua Bell. This was slightly weird for me. I know he's just a guy, blah blah blah, and a normal person like everyone else, blah blah blah, but the 1st cd I EVER bought was him doing Bruch and Mendelssohn when I started learning Bruch the winter I turned 14. I listened to it all the time (sorry - Suzuki habits die hard). And last night I met him, shook his hand, and talked to him for about 5 minutes. I don't even remember what we talked about. I know that he makes appearances at parties at Aspen, Marlboro, etc, but still. I had to remind myself about it this morning when I woke up. And now I'll stop blabbing on and on about Joshua Bell. His Sibelius better be good or else.

My quintet almost had a breakdown yesterday. I can't believe we still have to keep going through this till Aug. 6th. WHY can't things be fixed after we rehearse them AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN???????? I know I am not perfect, and I know I probably have the easiest part of the five, but come on. I miss CCE. When we had ta-ing rehearsals, they helped enourmously. When we have them here, they are a complete failure. (sigh) The cellist and I had a heart to heart about it. I'm afraid to say something to the group as a whole, though, especially since once I get my big mouth open, I have a hard time closing it. And then I hurt people and regret it. A lot. Now I'm digressing....

I got sunburned at the beach today. But it was a very good time. Time for laundry!

Concert was a success.

Party also sucess.

Elektra - not so bad.

Yes Mary, this is still my favorite picture.

Opening Day

This afternoon was opening exercises at Ozawa Hall for Tanglewood. We (being the TMC Fellows) sang Randall Thompson's Alleluia. This is the fourth time now I have sung this piece for the opening of TMC (twice as a BUTI student). The first time I heard this piece was in 1999, for a Christmas concert at my dad's school. Today, I ALMOST cried. :-) Almost. This place is incredible. There may be a lot of crap at times, but Alleluia has been sung every summer here since 1940 (I believe I told someone earlier today it was 1938. My mistake). The tradition is ridiculous. And now I need to be done with my sentimental mood. So I'll talk about how I'm a bad violinist instead.

I'm having a slight problem in the third movement of the Shosty 10. There are all these rests and I usually pay attention to the bassoon solo (because this guy is incredible) instead of counting rests. I think the entire 2nd violin section is having this problem, because about half of us are always slightly late. I complained of this to Tahlia, and she said: "When in doubt while playing Shostakovich, just play D-S-C-H." Problem solved. There is a LOT - REPEAT - LOT of D-S-C-H in this one. Its like the 8th string quartet all over the place.

I HAVE NEVER LOOKED AT MY ELEKTRA PART AND WE HAVE REHEARSAL TOMORROW AT 10 AND AGAIN AT 2. And its quite easily the hardest orchestra part ever. James Levine, what the hell are you thinking???????

Tonight is the opening concert. Since I don't have aim here, I will post here what my usual away message would be:

Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra
Music of Mozart, Strauss, and Shostakovich.
8:30 PM, Ozawa Hall, Main Grounds, Tanglewood.

Thank you.

Yesterday I recieved a beautiful package in the mail! Seriously - the package itself was beautiful. Upon opening, I find a card and present from Kimberly and Kitty, that Kim had sent from Oregon when she got back home from Hong Kong. The present is a beautiful white top, which, upon putting on, I realized is slightly scandalous (tsk tsk, girls!! not quite as scandalous as the recital top, though) and it fits perfectly. I love it so much, Kim and Kitty - thank you!! I promise to wear it for a party here sometime soon, and when we see each other next. Which will be soon, I know it will be. The card almost made me cry.

Today is technically a day off for me, but my quintet scheduled a Sessions rehearsal anyway. We need it.

This morning I was extremely irritated in the shower. I do NOT take long showers, so after being in there for 5 minutes, I hear a voice say: "Not to rush you, but I really need to get to the 10 am concert (it was 9:15 at the time). Just to let you know." First of all, if she didn't want to rush me, she wouldn't have said that. Of COURSE she wanted to rush me. So I was rushed and was out of there within the next 30 seconds. Second of all, I looked for her at the 10 am concert, and never saw her. Good grief.

This is somewhat sad - from the home page for mail.rochester.edu:
Attention: Class of 2006 Students
Your UR email accounts will be expiring on November 1, 2006. Please make sure to remove any material you wish to keep. Also, you may wish to send a notification of an email address change prior to the expiration date to the reciprients that you correspond with.