Here is April tomorrow already, and I am very late for an updated post.

And I don't have time for one right now either. All I can say is that I played St. John's Passion last week, am doing St. Matt's this week, parents are in town this weekend, did a theory presentation (that I started, did, and finished in 12 hours prior to the actual presentation) last week, and am trying to just keep on going. One day at a time.

Warmer weather is coming, and it feels great!

I am currently cozy in a king size bed in a Comfort Inn in Brunswick, ME.

I'm up here playing for a choir concert (ENTIRE Messiah) and they are putting those who drove up from Boston up in a hotel for the night.  I have NEVER had such treatment for a gig. A whole hotel room by myself! I got Thai food and have been watching cable. Soon it will be bed time - but I'm certainly enjoying my night.

Spring break has officially started since today, and I am grateful for the week away from BU, although I still have a lot to do with practicing and theory homework. Cantata Singers starts Monday for the week, but the biggest excitement is that Hannah Ruth is coming to Boston on Monday! We are so excited for her to be here!

Things keep plugging along. This year has been hard, but its astounding to think its already March. My quartet at school tentatively set a date for our recital in late May - Beethoven 131 and Bartok 6. I will start opera for the next orchestra rotation, which is a little scary, since it takes up SO much time - but I am looking forward to it. Its Donizetti Lucia di Lammermoor  - anything is better than Claudia Legare.....remember that???

A WHOLE SNOW DAY!!!!!!

Thats right, people - today is the first day EVER to be a complete, full day snow day for me during my higher education years.

I've enjoyed the day so far by baking oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, catching up on emails and homework, listening to music, and petting a sleeping cat. 

Soon I shall practice in the warmth and coziness of my living room while watching the snow outside.

What a wonderful day!

Yucky February

Hannah is right....I'm slacking on the blog postings lately....

I've had a really long, rough, busy February. February is never an easy month, especially as I now am officially in my mid-twenties. Another birthday, another year older, still in school, blah blah blah. This February though was officially rough.

Here are some things that happened that made Feb 2009 a stressful month:

1. Orchestra. We performed the 2nd Elgar Symphony on Feb 10th. Leading up to it, I thought we would NEVER pull this concert off. I was concertmaster, and it was completely exhausting, yet beautiful music, but after every rehearsal I would be in some pain and would barely be able to concentrate on anything else for the rest of the evening. The concert ended up going well enough, but it was a long road to that and a pretty tiring one, at that.

2. Theory class. This class I am taking, officially called "Theory Pro-Seminar", is tough. The first three weeks entitled writing out and analyzing about ten Bach chorales per assignment. And they weren't short chorales, either. The first one took me 9 hours to do, and it just got harder from there. I spent the first weekend of February working on them every waking minute that I wasn't in rehearsal - on the train, on the bus, during a pops choir concert that Molly played for (I sat in the back where there was some light). Its easier now, but its going to get hard again real soon, and I'm terrified.

3. Freelancing. I played with Firebird (a new music group here in Boston) this month over a rehearsal/concert period of about three weeks. We had a ton of rehearsals, I played a LOT, and there were four concerts total within that time period, one of which was in Amherst, MA, about two hours west of Boston. I really enjoy playing with them, and it was a lot of fun, especially the two concerts we did of rock music at a bbq restuarant, but it took a lot out of me, and my bow, which lost a lot of hair due to the style of music we were playing.

4. Illness. I had some kind of flu for three days, during which time I played a full day of collaborative piano rehearsals, a choir concert, and had Firebird rehearsals. I had a fever and developed a bad cough, which is taking forever to go away. I did cancel some things, like quartet rehearsal, and Molly and I postponed our birthday party, but had to keep going for everything else. It was awful.

5. More illness. Four days after I was feeling better from whatever I had before, I had a chicken salad sandwich and began pucking 6 hours later. I was sick every hour for about twelve hours through the night, finally slept for two hours, and then had to get up and head to Amherst for the Firebird concert. I have never had food poisoning so bad - it was really terrible.

6. Recitals. As of last weekend, I no longer play for student recitals. I had two this month, and they both were stressful and very time consuming. Actually, maybe the second one wasn't so time consuming, because everyone was sick and rehearsals and coachings kept getting cancled, but it was still a lot of work. I asked to get paid, and I was, but even that may not be enough to be worth my time to do them. I don't need the experience anymore - so unless you are such a good friend I consider you a blood relative, I won't play.

Fortunately, this past week has been much nicer. I'm finally getting my energy back enough to go to step aerobics in the morning, I had time to practice, and I got to go to Davids Bridal with Heidi and Finnis yesterday morning so Heidi could buy her bridesmaid dress for Holly and Tony's wedding. Its beautiful on her - she looked stunning. And, of course, it gave me the opportunity to add to my list of Davids Bridal locations I have visited: Syracuse, Rochester, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Boston.

I'm not the only one who has had a hard month, either. So here's to March, warmer weather, and good health!

I'm going to be a quarter-of-a-century old in less than 45 min.

(sigh)

I am too busy to blog, and now too sick to do anything for the rest of the day.

Thats it. Back to tea and kleenex I go.

Killer

MK killed a mouse in our apartment last night. Good girl! I slept through the whole thing, but apparently Molly heard some scuffling and went out and there it was. It probably came under the front door, like they did in C house. Anyway, its nice to know we have a good mouser living with us. Here is a shot of the proud huntress, in a much more calm moment:

A Few Things I Have Found Funny Lately

1. Today was the youth orchestra chamber concert. The Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra has all rehearsals and what not at the CFA building, and today's little concert was in Room 167, a classroom. Behind all the performers, on a blackboard, was a sentence clearly written: "Shostakovich is my lover."

2. All the local Boston news broadcasts lately have been starting their sports section with the announcer saying, "Well, even though the Pats aren't in the super bowl this year...." - implying that they always are. The past few years, sure, it has seemed like they are always in the super bowl. It just makes me laugh to myself and enjoy the calm of a city without a team in the super bowl. Love it. BOOOOOOO Patriots.

3. I finally saw my Dec jury comment sheets and got A's from every prof except one.

Long Johns

It has been a much colder, snowier winter this year in Boston than either of my previous two here. With that has come my very first purchase of long johns.

I have lived in the north for now 16 winters, and yet this is the first one that includes my purchase of long johns. Heidi wears them religiously, and for some reason, I haven't been smart enough to start sooner. In any case, this might be the coldest winter for me ever, since I spend way more time outdoors waiting for trains and buses and such, instead of just walking down all of a block of Gibbs St. Or getting in a car and driving four blocks to Wisco.

I'd like to publicly thank Heidi for sending me a link to Lands End to make my purchase. And I'd like to thank Lands End for having their long johns on sale from $40 to $20.

This has changed my life.

I just turned on the tv and saw that a plane crashed into the Hudson River leaving from LaGuardia. Craziness.....everyone is safe, only minor injuries, thank goodness, but good lord, with today being one of the coldest days this winter almost everywhere (Mom had school canceled because of -40 degree weather), what a day to crash into water.

I have Cantata Singers this week - another great concert. The dress rehearsal was today, and now I am home to do lots of odds and ends. The low tonight is 0 degrees. I am staying in for good.

My fourteenth semester of higher education started yesterday. Thats all I have to say about that.

I'm going back to my hot chocolate with Kahlua. Yummmmm

Back in Boston

After a wonderful, lovely trip to Milwaukee for two weeks of family, games, food, and fun, I am back in Boston. Usually I am more than ready to come back to school after a brief stint at home, but for whatever reason, I really wasn't tired of being home yet when it was time to leave. Yet here I am, in cold, slushy Boston, with a week yet of break before the work returns next week, and I am very happy to be home.

I'm more than a little nervous about this upcoming semester because of the Theory Pro-Seminar class I am taking. Its a required class for doctoral students, and should be taken before the theory exam is attempted, so I'll probably try and study some this summer as well and then hit the test at the end of September. Only a third of the students who take this theory exam on the first attempt actually pass it - its assumed you will take the exam at least twice before passing. Scary. Anyway, its been a long time since the days of Paul Miller and rigorous Eastman theory classes, so this could be a daunting task.

I've been assigned to lead the next BU orchestra concert, and we're doing an entire concert of British music, which I suspect is our conductor's favorite pastime. Holst, Britten, and Elgar. Elgar Symphony No. 2, to be exact. I've listened to some of it and it actually sounds like Strauss to me - big sweeping lines in the strings with lots of volume and pomp. Ha.

I got an excellent blue fleece, non-static hat from Heidi for Christmas this year, so my huge white knit one will take a hiatus while I wear the pretty blue one. My head is so big, its hard to find hats that fit, but Heidi did it! Also received are some fantastic arm warmers that Molly knitted for me. They are absolutely incredible. I will now be putting both lovely presents on as I attempt the slush and gloom outdoors to go practice.

Pretty Eyebrows

I just got home from having my eyebrows waxed and getting a half hour massage. Needless to say, thank heavens the massage was AFTER the eyebrow extravaganza. I haven't had my eyebrows done since Mary's wedding, and it hurt badly. I always try to keep up with them - a pluck here, a couple plucks there - and I'm fortunate to be fair skinned and fair haired that I don't have to worry about it too much. In any case, they are now perfectly shaped, the skin around them is puffy, pink, and inflamed, and I'm sure I won't have them waxed again for another two and a half years.

Christmas Eve

It has been a long time since the last post. Since then, I've done a LOT, including: finished three papers, played a very successful jury, played two successful yet slightly stressful but very very very fun Back Bay Chorale concerts, and somehow flew home despite record snowfalls in Boston AND Milwaukee.

Hannah got here a few days ago, I got here Monday afternoon, and Holly and Tony arrived late last night. The three of us have already played a game a Scrabble and Holly has already won, darn it. Shoot. I am determined to conquer SOMETIME during the next week and a half! Heidi, Whit, and the little dearies Adelaide and Finnis arrive late tomorrow night. There are ten stockings on my parents' fireplace. We are a growing family!

Merry Christmas to all those near and far!

O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum.
Alleluia.

Stressed. Tired. Almost done. Cannot wait till next week Tuesday, at 4:30 pm.

Although the picture isn't great, here is the newest member of our apartment: Molly's new kitty, MK.

MK stands for Mama Kitty - she was a pregnant stray when she arrived at the shelter, and that is what the staff at the shelter named her. Her initials will remain the same, although Molly may change their meaning to something else. She is super friendly - hates being left alone in a room for even a second - and has a chirpy meow, sounding like a bird. She is very sweet, although still obviously very young - she is currently in an ongoing 3 day battle with the front hall rug. Every twenty minutes or so, she attacks it with a burst of fresh energy. Oh, she also enjoys eating the tips off the leaves of plants. Otherwise, she has adjusted to life here quite quickly.

I jumped at the chance to take this shot with my photo booth program, since its the most sedate she's been since moving here this past Sunday. We have had a very nice, relaxing evening together!

Happy Thanksgiving to all those who are dear, whether they be near or far!

I am so thankful for all of you!

Thank God for Thanksgiving Break

And that is quite literally how I feel.

This semester might be the longest and most stressful that I have ever had, but it has also been one of the most successful. In any case, I have never been so happy and thankful for tomorrow and Friday - all that is written in my schedule is "thanksgiving break." Hallelujah.

Right now I am sitting on my couch, the tv is on, I have finished a homemade dinner, I am in pjs, and I plan on staying here for the next few hours. I finished one of my three papers due by the end of the semester this afternoon - I am QUITE ahead of schedule, considering I didn't start any of the five due last year first semester until a few days before the semester was over.

Unfortunately, I really don't have any exciting news other than that. My life is a whirlwind, and while I complain - I'm enjoying it, too.

Taken last Sunday while babysitting the little dearies. I had him in a Bjorn on me the entire time - such a nice little warm, cozy bundle!

The picture is a little blurry because I couldn't use my flash - didn't want to wake him up! And he has a blue handkerchief thingy on his head is to block the sun from the window in the kitchen.

Pictures

Click on the album "The Family Meets Finnis" for pictures from a visit by Mom, Dad, and Hannah to Boston to see Heidi and Whit and Adelaide and meet Finnis for the first time!

Unfortunately (and for this I apologize) there are none of Heidi and only one of Whit. Next time, I'll do better.

Time for bed.

Its late, I'm bored, not really wanting to go to bed yet, but REALLY REALLY should.

Oh well.

Its been another really long, really busy week. I had Cantata Singers this week - its a Britten focused season this time around (last season was Weill, this season is Britten) and in the program tonight was also Faure Requiem. Now, it is usually just a violin solo part, but for many personal, academic, and historical reasons which I will not draw out for you at the moment, the decision was made to play it with 8 violins instead of just 1. Initially, this sounds like a terrific disaster (if you know the violin part to Faure Requiem, you know that its only about 30 bars total and 28 of those bars include notes that never go into the staff and are always in nose bleed territory).  Actually, it wasn't all bad, but it was hard to sit there so long without trying to draw attention to yourself. Reminds me of those WLC Christmas concert days, although tonight was about three times as long for sitting still. Ugh.

Hard to believe the 2nd week of November is already upon us. Tomorrow night Molly and I are having a fall potluck party, which was planned quite late so it may end up being under 10 people eating a lot of baked spaghetti, salad, and pumpkin pie, but who cares. Its my first Saturday night at home since before school started. I'm going to love it.

I'm still struggling with tears every time we play or rehearse certain sections of Daphnis. I really really really REALLY don't want to actually weep openly and have people start asking me whats wrong, and then have to say "Oh, I am just living in the past during this section of the piece." That sounds plain silly, so I make myself stay as calm as I can. 

We're also doing John Adams' Fearful Symmetries for this concert, and I LOVE IT. It was written shortly after Nixon in China, so a lot of it has the same quality of sound (electric keyboards with certain programs written just for the piece, etc). I loved Nixon in China when we studied it in music history, so just imagine the blast I'm having with it now. Oh lord.

In all honesty this might be my favorite program I've done at BU yet - I get pretty weepy during the last part of Daphnis BUT the first two parts I've never done, so its nice to now have played the whole ballet. What I love though about this program is the instruments: there is an alto flute in Daphnis (bravo, alto flute) and there are FOUR saxophones in the Adams, and we all know how I feel about saxophone in an orchestral setting.*

And now, a happy picture:

*I love it. See post from January 17th, 2007.