Quick Catch Up

Things that have recently happened:

1. On December 5th, I auditioned for and won the principal cello job in my orchestra. There were only three candidates, but they were all very good. I practiced really hard...doing a mock audition everyday, including two at 9am (which is when the actual audition was). It was the most prepared I've ever felt for an audition, and I'm happy with the results (duh)
2. The following day I played the Messiah at UAPB (University of Arkansas Pine Bluff). Their choir is very very very good, and its always fun to hear them. It is also the most complete Messiah I've ever played...I think they leave out 2 numbers. Maybe 3?
3. I have been super busy as I have been playing with Sturgis (my usual quartet) as well as subbing in the Quapaw Quartet fairly often. I'll be playing a recital with QQ in January, so we have already started rehearsing.
4. I went home to Chicago for the first time in several for Thanksgiving. I mostly just practiced that weekend. And I met my parents new dogs: Gus(tav) and Jo(hannes).
5. I played my first Nutcracker this past weekend. I was a little bit nervous, since it was my first service sitting principal and I had never played the piece before. I think it all went pretty well though. And we only played it twice, so I don't hate it yet.

Things that will be happening this week:

1. Several rehearsals with QQ (we are playing Shostakovitch 3 and Brahms 1).
2. Holiday Pops with the ASO (a brand new show...should be fun)
3. Rheinberger rehearsal at Cathedral of St. Andrew (performing with Drew and Phil in February.
4. Not 1, but 2 gigs!! This is unheard of for me in Little Rock...
5. More blog posts? Maybe people will read this if I actually write something once in a while. Hmmmmm...

Mystery Gig

The mystery gig (as mentioned below) was revealed this morning, when I went to play the gig. All I knew was to show up at a Steakhouse (random) at 11am...so of course, I got there a bit early, in case we were supposed to start playing at 11...which it turned out we were. We were playing for a wedding, and nobody knew anything about anything that was happening...so we talked to the groom and decided to play the Wagner Wedding March for the bride...pretty standard...the minister came up to us and shared the fact that he knew nothing about what was going on either...so we played prelude music for 45 minutes (because the bride hadn't shown up yet) and then a quick rendition of here comes the bride...we were sitting outside in a gazebo, and it was kind of cold and maybe even raining a little bit...wish I had known that before...oh well, at least we were covered. Anyways, the ceremony was quick and painless and we got paid...so all is well that ends well, right?

Spring Recess

Right now at Rice, we are enjoying spring recess. This is not much of a break, however: only two days off of school. Last year it coincided with Easter. In case you were wondering. I was looking at my calendar yesterday, and I reallied how much stuff I have coming up...a contemporary opera, a very long gig (6 services), a few other gigs, yadda yadda yadda...but its better to be busy I suppose. Right?

The Musiqa Concert last night was a success...all of the pieces went over very well and I didn't end up making a fool of myself or anything. I hope I will be able to play with them again...its always so great to be able to just play a fun concert and actually get paid for it!! I guess thats why we do this...because when it all works it, its really not like working.

I have a mystery gig this morning...I have no idea what I am playing for. The music director of the Woodlands Symphony hired me and just gave me the address and the times...no other info. We'll find out soon enough what it is...I guess.

Fun Stuff to Do

I'm kind of excited about the coming months!! Here's whats going on:

1. Faculty recital on March 26th with Leone Buyse, Michael Webster, and Susanne Menzter...I'm playing a short set of Ravel Songs. The concert is at 8pm in Duncan Recital Hall at Rice University.
2. Musiqa...a new music ensemble here in Houston. I'm playing Copland's Appalachian Spring and a piece called Facade by Walton...hardly what I call "new" music...but I'm more than happy to be playing it (the Copland is actually one of my favorite pieces...who saw that coming?)...the concert is April 4th at 7:30pm at St. Phillip Presbyterian Church here in Houston. There is also a piece by Pierre Jalbert on the program.
3. Playing some kind of house concert thing with a friend of mine and...Suzanne Menzter. I'm not really sure what it is...but its with Suzanne Menzter, so I don't really care.
4. Performing Anthony Brandt's opera, "The Birth of Something" at Rice...this is still in planning stages...I hope I can do it! If all goes according to plan, the concert will be on April 16th. I have to find the people to play it too...yikes.
5. Contracting my first gig at the end of April...I've already been working on this and have got a kick-ass group of people together!
6. A trip to Rochester at some point to record Ekphrasis sobre "El Miedo" de Tanguy for Jairo Duarte-Lopez...we are still trying to figure out the dates.
7. My 2nd college graduation on May 10th...I can't believe that I'll have two degrees in a matter of months...its kind of messed up.
8. A massive trip to Los Angeles...a combination of rehearsal/concert/visit friends/vacation. Out of Context (website coming soon) is my new, new music group featuring AMAZING friends and players from Eastman. We will be presenting a concert of music by David Plylar at a location in Los Angeles and then taking a road trip up to Oregon to present some more concerts there. Its kind of out of control.
9. Then its off to Tanglewood for 2+ months of amazingness (including lots of Carter craziness).
10. Hopefully some gigs thrown in there.