Dreaming

I had a dream last night. I usually don't remember my dreams, but for whatever reason this was one was particularly vivid. Anyways, you all know that I'm playing in a competition next Saturday (Houston Tuesday Musical Club)...in my dream, I got the day of the competition wrong and had to sprint over to the location and perform with a pianist provided by judges. For whatever reason, they didn't seem to care, and thought it was really funny that I didn't bring a pianist with me. I couldn't find a chair that I liked, and then when I did, the stage was slanted back, so much so that my chair was actually sliding backwards off the back of the stage. The judges didn't seem to think anything was wrong with this...then I realized there was a huge podium set up, and I asked if I could play there, which was ok with them.

Anyways...I somehow ended up playing really really well, except that the pianist was retarded and couldn't follow me at all. Dvorak was going really well, although I was very worried about how the pianist was going to sight-read the Carter. Luckily, I woke up before we got to it.

I'm Still Here

Yeah...I'm still here...been all over the place and had lots of crazy stuff going on...both bad and good. Here's a summary of what has been going on:

1. Headache situation is going better...much better actually...hope that doesn't jinx anything.
2. Lots of good news from Tanglewood...I won a prize and I got invited back for next year...now I have a lot of thinking to do...should I go back? They are playing tons of Carter and James Levine is conducting tons of stuff and Renee Fleming is singing in the opera and Emanuel Axe is playing with the orchestra! Hmmm...
3. I just bought a Missy Elliot Album...This Is Not A Test!
4. Was at home last week for my grandmother's funeral...it was a really nice service and I think she would have loved it. Sigh...
5. Jairo won the composition prize in Columbia for the solo cello piece he wrote for me...he got a lot of money and I might be recording it! No details at all yet...so I won't get my hopes up...but they already are..so too late.
6. I bought a black tie with tiny gold skulls all over it today.
7. I have a ton of work to do on my recital...I'm currently two weeks behind because of all of this stuff that has come up...agh!!!
8. Winter break will be kind of amazing...I'm going to Puerto Vallarta with my parents and uncle and then I'm zipping back to Houston in time for Heather to arrive...she is visiting for almost a whole week!
9. I'm getting a lot of new students! I added another day of teaching out in Katy and might start teaching in LaPorte any week now...still waiting to hear back from the orchestra director there.

Hello

Its been some time since I posted...just haven't been feeling the blog lately...hmph...I have a busy couple of days right now...this weekend is the Shepherd Careers Forum: a few students from every major music school are coming to Rice this weekend and will be watching performances by the Chiara Quartet and 8th Blackbird...they will take what they have learned from these alternative performances (and lectures) and present their own performances on Sunday in randomly assigned groups. Rachael and I are the student coordinators and have been picking up some odds and ends. If you are in the Houston area you should definitely attend the events that are open to the public!

Music This Week

Music This Week

For some reason I was listening to Les Parapluies de Cherbourg constantly this week...I woke up and turned it on, and went directly to my computer to turn it on every time I came in my room...that accounts for all the random French names in the artists this week, including Michel Legrand, who is the composer.

Cremona Family Reunion

Last night I played the first and last movements of the Mendelssohn Octet with four Strad violins and William Primrose's viola. I was invited last minute to the home of a wealthy Houstonite (who's brother is a well established violinist that has played in the L.A. Phil for 28 years). Anyway, these two seem to have a taste for really great instruments (Guido, who plays in the phil was actually able to buy his own Strad by way of some smart investments in real estate and a little bit a luck). I'm unclear on what exactly the point of this get-together was...there were lots of wealthy Houston people there...lots and lots of them...including the president of the Houston Symphony (who gave a little talk about donating to the symphony)...I think the whole evening was about buying these amazing instruments...but for us lowly musicians, it was a one time chance for us to play them.

Unfortunately for me, there were no nice to cellos to try out...but it was still fun playing with all these other instruments...everybody does sound instantly better...a little kid played the flashy first movement from a concerto and when he was handed Mozart's violin to try it a second time, most of his technical mishaps just vanished. The evening went really late...but after reading the Mendelssohn Octet, Dvorak Piano Quintet, and the Brahms B-flat Sextet you'd have to expect that...

Back Here Now

After messing around with wordpress a little big, I realized that you can actually do a bit more with blogger...like put more cool things in the sidebar...only thing is, the templates get a bit annoying...so I'm gonna just stick with this nice one provided by blogger for a while. Hope you guys like it...and give me some input on the order of stuff in the sidebar (to the right).... How come Tuesdays are always so busy? Mind and Body Connection, Contemporary Music Practicum, practicing, Studio Class, and Orch Rep...then gym if I have the energy. Wish me luck!