Lets Catch Up

Its been too long between updates on here...but strangely enough, many things have been going on...or so it seems. We are wrapping up our season here at the Symphony and I'm trying to get everything organized for the summer. Here's what has been going on:

1. The Sturgis Quartet (along with the Rockefellar and Quawpaw Quartets) drove up to Mountain View, AR to do a short residency at the Ozark Folk Center. Sturgis had a fantastic time...we did two demos at the at the Folk Center for some kids from the area...took part in a concert in the evening, and then went down to the town square for a jam session with the folk musicians. I didn't participate in the jam since I can't play that genre of music to save my life...the musicians at the folk center are really great...and they dance while they play too. This was definitely one of my favorite things we did all season! (and we had some nice quartet bonding time too)
2. My parents were in Little Rock this past weekend for my birthday (which was Sunday)...we hit up all kinds of Little Rock restaurants including: Brave New Restaurant, Community Bakery, Ferneau, Damgoodepies, and Loca Luna. They all brought me some nice items from IKEA...I still need to put together one of them...it looks complicated.
3. Played a wedding in Hot Springs with Sturgis at the Garvan Woodland Gardens. My parents came with me and they got a very mini tour of Hot Springs. They weren't impressed.
4. Rehearsed for a pops concert to be played on my birthday (which included a terrible arrangement of Star Wars per my bday request) which ended up being canceled due to rain (it was outdoor, duh) I'm not complaining!!
5. Sturgis played our final demo of the season in Lewisville, AR on Tuesday. Maybe next season we won't have to drive so far for all our demos? hah...yeah right.
6. Finally got my Suzuki stuff in order...I actually got a scholarship to attend the Stevens Point Suzuki Institute...so after this summer I will be officially Suzuki Certified!! Maybe I'll get some students now...hmmmmm.
7. My final symphony service of the season is this friday... I've got about 2ish weeks off before I pick up my cello and the CCE tour begins. Its all very exciting. This will be a fun summer.

This Week I...

1. Played at the Designer House on Mother's Day (and called my mom of course!!) It was kind of rainy and weren't to many people there for the first hour or so. We also had to play trios since Andy's finger is injured right now. I think my mom enjoyed the card I sent too. I hope.
2. Volunteered at the AIDS Foundation Monday-Thursday-and Friday (well, I will volunteer on Friday and I'm there right now). It has been pretty quiet around here lately.
3. Background gig at the Capitol Hotel on Tuesday evening (once again a trio) for Little Rock Arts Week. I'm not sure what Arts Week is, or what goes on as part of it...but we played trios for two hours while an artist sketched us. Its was kind of cool...and there were a good number of people there. Wish I knew more about the event though...
4. Played a demo in De Queen...this was a very very long drive, about three hours each way. (basically to Hot Springs, and then another 2 hours past) We were almost in Oklahoma. We also saw a very large woman wearing pajamas riding a moped with her helmet straps flapping in the breeze. Only in Arkansas.
5. Went out to the Whitewater Tavern on Tuesday and met Aaron (new friend) there. It was the first time I have been out in months and was exactly what I needed. Cheap beer, decent music, and cool people...whats not to like? I'll def be going back. And I may have even found a cello student? We'll see if she contacts me.
6. Actually started to feel comfortable here in Arkansas. Kind of scary...but much better than feeling uncomfortable I think. With the lack of auditions being announced and the lack of people actually getting hired (NY Phil took nobody) it seems like I might be here a little longer than planned. Which is not necessarily a bad thing...just not where I expected to be.

Crazy Summer??

So, when I realized that I was going to be faced with a summer with no music festival...the first summer this has occurred in sometime...I was a little bit worried about what I was going to do with all my free time (since the ASO only has one concert on July 4)...people told me I will love having nothing to do the whole summer...but I'm not who does well with a lot of time on my hands, I like to be busy as much as possible...so here is how my summer is looking so far:

1. May 29...My final symphony service of the "season" playing at the Arkansas Children's hospital...
2. May 30-June 12...two weeks off, I'm probably gonna volunteer at the AIDS Foundation a whole lot...and maybe be completely insane about working out so I can get in good summer shape...yeah right...
3. June 13...The AIDS Walk...I'm working on getting an Arkansas Symphony Team together...do you think $500 is a resonable goal? or should I go higher?
4. June 14-20something...I will be in Denver at some point during this time to pick up my new Chris Dungey cello
5. After I spend a few days there I'm gonna drive over to Chicago (with both cellos in hand) so I can be at attendance at Heather's Sister's Wedding in Milwaukee...I'm playing something or other, not really sure yet...but it will be the first public appearance of my new cello!!
6. After the wedding is complete, Heather and I will head down to Chicago and pick up Kimberly, who is flying in on June 30...we will rehearse a bit, hit Taste of Chicago, eat some burgers as cooked by my dad...and then head down to Little Rock...
7. Heather and Kimberly get the joy of subbing with the ASO on our annual 4th of July Concert (I'm sure we will have a total blast!!!)
8. The three of us (possibly plus Jonathan Ware) will put on a concert at St Andrew's in Downtown Little Rock (program to include Rheinberger, Beethoven, Dohnanyi, Pleyel, and possible Dvorak...yikes, thats a ton of music)
9. After this, we head back up to Chicago and then fly out to the West Coast where we hang out in Portland a bit, and repeat a very similar concert somewhere in Ashland...I'll be out on the West Coast from July 8-15.
10. I'll probably hang out at home for a few days...but head back to LR for a bit as well (since I'll have been gone for about a month!!)
11. But July 26-Aug 6 will find me at Steven's Point with the one and only K-Huf doing some Suzuki training...
12. And after that, I will be hunkering down to learn Ives 1, Carter 2, and Rochberg 3 for a concert sometime in Little Rock...yikes...
13. And then regular ASO starts up again...I'm tired now...

If you will be in or around any of these locations...please let me know!!!!

This Week I Will:

1. Go to the gym or bike everyday (most likely go to the gym, since the weather forecast looks a bit rainy)
2. Clean up my apartment a bit...I am slowly getting everything in order.
3. Play a quartet demo in Corning, AR...this is in the far far Northeast part of the state...I haven't been up there yet.
4. Go to the dentist.
5. Play a Pink Floyd concert.

Hello Friday

Since I have been extremely lazy in updating lately I will provide another list of the things that have been going on in my life. Its not very exciting:

1. This week has been quite busy at the symphony with rehearsal almost every night for our concerts this weekend. The program: Appalachian Spring, Don Juan, and Symphonie Fantastique. I'm glad I've played them all before!!
2. The usual volunteering at the AIDS Foundation...it has been quite busy here...we just sent out two very large mailings about the AIDS Walk!
3. Played concerts in Russelville and Jonesboro last weekend with the ASO...this was not exactly fun since they are kind of far away...but I do like playing Schumann 2!
4. Beath and Fim are coming to Little Rock this summer!!! We will be playing a super fun concert at St Andrew's Cathedral...and then we will head off to Oregon. I can't wait!!!!
5. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MARY 'COUNTS' KEENER!!! YAY!!!