crisis and a half!

Sometimes I feel like life at Eastman is a constant crisis.
Take today: My normally busy Thursday seemed pretty much under control, even though I found out that my best reed, despite good tone and response, has the most terrible staccato attack. Still, that would be okay, right?
So of course there’s this gig that my quintet [...]

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it may as well be me!

Today has been filled with a lot of emotional highs of all kinds and right now, I am almost sad to go to bed soon because then today will be over and who knows what will happen tomorrow?
Clearly my neuroses are completely opposite of Little Orphan Annie’s: while I’m guessing the sun will come out [...]

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it’s a life story

In the past few days I’ve had so much to say, but no time to say it in. Life has been crazy! It’s also been amazing.
Today, for instance, I woke up wanting to listen to Okkervil River on the way to lunch from practicing. I was only about twenty seconds into “Our Life Is Not [...]

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sometimes the orchestra donates a solo to the bored bassoonist!

I finally tracked down a copy of the bassoon solo in Shostakovitch’s Ninth Symphony and oh my goodness, I am madly in love with it. It’s officially my new favorite bassoon excerpt — and since that’s already the dorkiest statement ever, I’m going to take the time today and list my Top Five Bassoon Excerpts. [...]

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back in the swing of things

Today was the first day of classes — although Fractals doesn’t start until Wednesday — and I’m thinking this is going to be a high-quality semester. Even having theory at 8:30 every morning cannot possibly bring me down.
For one thing, we’re playing really fun, really difficult music in this concert Wind Orchestra! I’ve been hoping [...]

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i am not a math major

I’m back at Eastman! Somehow the train was actually on time. It may have been early, even — if so, then I think this is a first for Amtrak. Someone should probably be notified.
Anyway, after arriving, I went to buy my new book for next semester. That’s right, book. All of my other books carry [...]

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little love stories for high school kids

I visited my high school today and it was a little surreal. It wasn’t terrible at all, though, mainly because I have some fantastic teachers who made sure I wouldn’t randomly get kicked out. (Also, someone misplaced my scale study sheet… But that’s okay, after doing scales an hour a day, I have them memorized. [...]

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let’s get classical!

I had a lot of fun at Northwestern; I really love working with Lewis Kirk and highly recommend him and the school to anyone looking for a college.
(That said, I can’t wait to go back to school and take a lesson with Mr. Hunt. I think my mom was concerned when she called and I [...]

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just a few trials and tribulations

I’m taking a lesson with Lewis Kirk at Northwestern tomorrow morning. Early tomorrow morning. So to avoid crazy rush-hour traffic, I’m staying overnight with one of my friends.
Which means I need to figure out the El before this afternoon.
Much as I enjoyed (yes, enjoyed!) my audition with Professor Kirk, I am thinking that today is [...]

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and i like it this way

I don’t usually get very bothered about society’s view on single people, as at nineteen I don’t plan on getting married very soon. But after spending a day as one of two single people in a group of ten, I can now assert that I am not a fan of society’s view on single people. [...]

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