The Week in O(h)M(y)T(rill)

1. Two Vocal Recitals today...Lindsay Kesselman is performing downtown at Uuniversity of Houston Downtown Campus at noon, she is doing the Berio Folksongs, and we are playing her dad's piece "How I Hate This Room"...I'm playing a cantata on Bethany Solheim's recital this evening...
2. I'm playing with the Baytown Symphony...out in Baytown (of all places)...I used to think that Baytown was really far, but then I played in Beaumont...and found out that it isn't.
3. I'm joining the Musician's Union on Wednesday...mostly so I can do the Baytown gig, but I've been looking for an excuse to join for some time. So there it is.
4. Seeing La Boheme at Houston Grand Opera on Wednesday...I've never seen it, and I've never been to HGO, so it should be fun. I'm auditioning for the HGO sublist in May.
5. My Ravel Chamber Group (also known as the Baggins Society Chamber Players) is playing on a Jump! concert this week...we will be playing for lots of little kiddies...I hope they like it.
6. I'm subbing in a freshman chamber group...their cellist is injured and I just played the Brahms B Major Trio last semester, so playing on a recital with them on Friday, just the last two movements. Random.
7. My final Shepherd School Symphony Concert on Friday...we are playing Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms, and Mahler 4...kind of a heavy program, but it should be good!
8. My final week of classes ever? I had my last academic class last week...so now its all music stuff all the time...school technically ends on Wednesday, in case you were wondering. I have no immediate plans to start a DMA, so right now this is kind of the end for me...yikes.

A List For You

1. I am giving a short presentation in class tomorrow on Earle Brown
2. He is very interesting.
3. I just made a handout to give to the class.
4. And now I'm burning a CD of listening examples.
5. Tonight I recorded with the U of H Orchestra.
6. It was a piece called Astral Blue.
7. Tomorrow I am playing on their concert.
8. Today somebody asked me to contract a gig for them.
9. I was surprised since I've never done that before.
10. But I said yes.
11. I need to practice more.

Carter Sonata

So...my Carter Sonata performance last night was a bit 'interesting' in a first performance kind of way...we probably hadn't really rehearsed enough to be playing the 4th movement in front of people...but that didn't stop us and we kind of futzed our way through it...and had kind of a meltdown backstage afterwards...good times...

For those of you wondering...I am back in Houston now...have been for a few days...and its cold here...I keep accidentally wearing my checker scarf with my checker shoes...oops...I think I'm going to not play in studio today...mainly because I feel kind of tired and won't play well...that means I have to next week...or else...

I think I will get a haircut today.

I Like Today

It is very cold and rainy today and it makes me feel like we actually have seasons here...of course that will all change when it gets hot again and it becomes apparent that we actually don't have seasons at all. But I will enjoy it while I can and carry my umbrella around and wear a sweatshirt (outside!!).

Some of you may know that I've been having some headache problems lately...things got better over the weekend and I've made some (temporary) lifestyle changes...no caffeine, no alcohol, and mostly organic food. It was very fun to go shopping at Central Market over the weekend searching out all the good organic stuff (although it is a little pricey...but whatever). I'm happy to be back in business and getting things done (since that didn't happen very much this past week). Last night was an apartment cleaning, so now everything is tidy and in its place and ready to go for the week...I should make it a tradition to always clean up on Sunday afternoon/evening...its makes getting up on Monday much easier.

I saw the University of Houston's production of The Breasts of Terisias (Poulenc) and Gianni Schicci (Puccini) yesterday. Both great operas and great production with lots of stunning performances from Eastman grads (featured as leads in both operas). Its always great seeing the operas there...they spare no expense and put on huge lavish productions.

Trio recital this Saturday at 8pm in Duncan...Brahms: Trio in B Major/Schumann: Trio in D Minor....you should be there!!!