Yes, friends, I now have a website.
It's pretty darn low-budget...and your suggestions are so welcome.
If I can drum up a few flute students, I guess I will call it a success!
In other news, the end of the semester is calling. Only a week and a half remain, and I'm trying to remind myself that this degree is a marathon, not a sprint. I've never cared this little about decorating for Christmas and buying gifts. It's so nice to be consumed with something stimulating for a change! However difficult it may become, I will always be thankful for the opportunity to get my musical butt kicked on a daily basis. It's absolutely amazing.
Most pressing challenge?
Learning to write.
Academically.
Apparently, this type of written expression is not favored among my colleagues.
Who knew?
:)
Just kidding.
I'm really not as stupid as you think...
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
The Pied Piper
This weekend I attended the Chicago Flute Club's Annual Flute Festival in Evanston, Illinois.
I drove myself to St. Louis on Friday afternoon, hopped on a plane, arrived at O'Hare, couldn't find my hotel shuttle, called the shuttle company and was informed that there would be no shuttle because I didn't call 48 hours in advance to reserve the shuttle...even though I already paid for it...at which point I began to freak out, the lady put me on hold for about 5 minutes and then got back on the line to tell me that I had ten minutes to make it to the opposite side of O'Hare if I wanted to catch the only other shuttle that would be available, at which point I ran like heck (with my suitcase, flute bag, and my winter coat) to catch the shuttle, tried not to vomit as the driver bobbed and weaved through the city into the suburbs, ordered overpriced roomservice, tried to sleep as the drunk people next door yelled obscenities, called the front desk when I found it absurdly impossible, listened as they finally calmed down...but then began smoking (not me...the neighbors!), resigned to covering my nose with the sheet, woke the next morning, travelled to the convention hotel, tried a baZillion flutes...most of which cost more than my car, met Aunt and cousin for lunch, listened to an orchestral masterclass, met another cousin for three hours of non-stop laughter and yummy comfort food, walked around Evanston (I'm in love and seriously want to move there...).....
And then, the highlight of my trip:
Though you've probably never seen him, you will undoubtedly recognize his flute playing from movies like Titanic, Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters, Beauty and the Beast, and about 600 more...literally. Here's the list.
I got to hear him play with his jazz group called Free Flight. It was amAZing. Sure, jazz flute with a drumset, string bass, and piano is pretty darn cheese-ball, but his improvisation skills were exhilerating. He is SUCH a wonderful musician. The entire 60-minute show was completely memorized, and I'm pretty sure he could've laid down another hour or two without much trouble. Wowzers. What an inspiration.
After finally getting back to the hotel in yet another crazy taxi experience, it was 11pm and I had to be out front for the airport shuttle at 6am the next morning. After the pre-sunrise shuttle ride, I slugged through security (with an additional flute in tow) and sat in a restaurant for an hour eating breakfast while I waited to board the plane. Upon arriving in St. Louis, the tiredness finally started to get the better of me. I had to stop at least two times to rest on the drive to Columbia.
And then...
It was time to play a Wind Ensemble concert.
I'm honestly suprised I made it through the program without falling asleep, but I think my dad being there gave me a little extra gumption to play well.
Though I was so physically exhausted by the time the weekend waned, it was worth every yawn. Not only did I need to go to this festival to begin the flute shopping process, but I desperately needed to prove to myself that I can still do things on my own. That I am capable of getting myself from point A to point B successfully and happily. I needed to know I could still do it.
So, now I am going to buckle down for the craziest week yet of Grad School. Two more proficiency tests, a 25-source annotated bibliography, and a listening quiz followed by a football AND volleyball game on Saturday. Woo!
Possibly the only downfall of being gone this past weekend was the fact that I missed this:
I love band. :)
I drove myself to St. Louis on Friday afternoon, hopped on a plane, arrived at O'Hare, couldn't find my hotel shuttle, called the shuttle company and was informed that there would be no shuttle because I didn't call 48 hours in advance to reserve the shuttle...even though I already paid for it...at which point I began to freak out, the lady put me on hold for about 5 minutes and then got back on the line to tell me that I had ten minutes to make it to the opposite side of O'Hare if I wanted to catch the only other shuttle that would be available, at which point I ran like heck (with my suitcase, flute bag, and my winter coat) to catch the shuttle, tried not to vomit as the driver bobbed and weaved through the city into the suburbs, ordered overpriced roomservice, tried to sleep as the drunk people next door yelled obscenities, called the front desk when I found it absurdly impossible, listened as they finally calmed down...but then began smoking (not me...the neighbors!), resigned to covering my nose with the sheet, woke the next morning, travelled to the convention hotel, tried a baZillion flutes...most of which cost more than my car, met Aunt and cousin for lunch, listened to an orchestral masterclass, met another cousin for three hours of non-stop laughter and yummy comfort food, walked around Evanston (I'm in love and seriously want to move there...).....
And then, the highlight of my trip:
Jim Walker.
Though you've probably never seen him, you will undoubtedly recognize his flute playing from movies like Titanic, Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters, Beauty and the Beast, and about 600 more...literally. Here's the list.
I got to hear him play with his jazz group called Free Flight. It was amAZing. Sure, jazz flute with a drumset, string bass, and piano is pretty darn cheese-ball, but his improvisation skills were exhilerating. He is SUCH a wonderful musician. The entire 60-minute show was completely memorized, and I'm pretty sure he could've laid down another hour or two without much trouble. Wowzers. What an inspiration.
After finally getting back to the hotel in yet another crazy taxi experience, it was 11pm and I had to be out front for the airport shuttle at 6am the next morning. After the pre-sunrise shuttle ride, I slugged through security (with an additional flute in tow) and sat in a restaurant for an hour eating breakfast while I waited to board the plane. Upon arriving in St. Louis, the tiredness finally started to get the better of me. I had to stop at least two times to rest on the drive to Columbia.
And then...
It was time to play a Wind Ensemble concert.
I'm honestly suprised I made it through the program without falling asleep, but I think my dad being there gave me a little extra gumption to play well.
Though I was so physically exhausted by the time the weekend waned, it was worth every yawn. Not only did I need to go to this festival to begin the flute shopping process, but I desperately needed to prove to myself that I can still do things on my own. That I am capable of getting myself from point A to point B successfully and happily. I needed to know I could still do it.
So, now I am going to buckle down for the craziest week yet of Grad School. Two more proficiency tests, a 25-source annotated bibliography, and a listening quiz followed by a football AND volleyball game on Saturday. Woo!
Possibly the only downfall of being gone this past weekend was the fact that I missed this:
I love band. :)
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Every Day I'm Shufflin'
Yes, I do realize it's been an entire month since I last posted.
Life is just THAT crazy right now.
The teenage body I once had is now encroaching 30, and it just can't function after about 9pm.
Isn't that sad?
Makes me feel OLD.
As if the 3 new gray hairs I found recently weren't enough...
I digress.
I'm realizing that following my dream is going to be a battle, one I'm not sure I'm equipped to fight. All I know is that I have to keep trying...keep setting goals...keep picking myself up off the ground after a devastating tumble to try again.
Oddly enough, the physical part of this struggle isn't overtaking me...it's the mental game. It's the "letting go of what everyone thinks of me" and just doing what I know I can do...and doing it with every bit of confidence I'm convinced I don't have.
It's looking fear in the face and screaming so loudly its eyelids stick to its menacing forehead.
I know I can do this.
I have one life to live, and this is its dream.
And I just cannot give up this time.
Life is just THAT crazy right now.
The teenage body I once had is now encroaching 30, and it just can't function after about 9pm.
Isn't that sad?
Makes me feel OLD.
As if the 3 new gray hairs I found recently weren't enough...
I digress.
I'm realizing that following my dream is going to be a battle, one I'm not sure I'm equipped to fight. All I know is that I have to keep trying...keep setting goals...keep picking myself up off the ground after a devastating tumble to try again.
Oddly enough, the physical part of this struggle isn't overtaking me...it's the mental game. It's the "letting go of what everyone thinks of me" and just doing what I know I can do...and doing it with every bit of confidence I'm convinced I don't have.
It's looking fear in the face and screaming so loudly its eyelids stick to its menacing forehead.
I know I can do this.
I have one life to live, and this is its dream.
And I just cannot give up this time.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Latin Nights
Tonight, we saw Wynton live in concert.
We were tired, annoyed at the college kids behind us texting and talking, and trying not to think about the practicing and studying we could've been doing, but it was definitely worth it...even if the look on Tom's face when he got to meet him was the greatest reward.
I promise I'm not making a gang sign with my hand. Or flipping you the bird. I was holding a glass of pink fox wine...and tried to take it out of the picture at the last moment so you wouldn't know I was sipping wine with Wynton. Apparently, I was a little to late.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Checking it twice
This week has been a much needed reprieve after two months of hit-the-ground-sprinting-madness. Our director of bands gave the kids an entire week off from marching band practice, giving us an extra three hours each afternoon to catch up on our growing to-do lists.
Yesterday, I knocked three very important items off of mine:
Yes, friends. I got threaded.
After six years of watching my St. Louis friends get their hair ripped from their faces by very skilled Indian women, I finally mustered up the courage to try it myself. It took at least 3 gulps of wine and a valuable coupon....but at least I did it! Anyway...I'm definitely hooked. It didn't really take that long and the pain was minor. Definitely better than attacking my face with a pair of tweezers in a poorly lit bathroom, which had been my method to date.
And.....
I don't have a picture for this one...but we found the best gluten-free pizza here. I'm always a bit skeptical anytime a restaurant claims to have gluten free items...especially pizza...and especially when the waiter casually claims that it will most definitely knock Shakespeare's "out of the park". I did take the risk, however, and boy am I glad I did. It was deLIcious. Even Tom couldn't taste the difference. AND it was only $10 for a 12" pizza which is outSTANding. Pi, a pizzeria we enjoyed in St. Louis, offered gluten free pizza for around $17 for a 12". We scored a better deal here, and the quality wasn't compromised in the least. The location adds to the appeal as well. All we had to do was walk down the street! I'm starting to really love this place:)
And last, but certainly not least.....I biked the MKT Trail
This trail is literally steps away from the building where we work, and I've been desperately needing a cardiovascular escape in the middle of our long days. Since I already have my bike on campus to get to my classes, it made perfect sense. In addition to providing a great workout and a beautiful scenery, it really helps me deal with my anxiety when I'm in Wind Ensemble rehearsals. Somehow, I auditioned at the top of all the flutes here...which means I'm first chair....which means I get the lovely pleasure of playing all of the crazy solo passages...in front of all these people I don't know...and did I mention it's been SEVEN years since I sat in an ensemble like this?? At any rate....it's super anxiety producing. And after Wednesday's episode of shaking like a 6th grader when it was my turn to play (did I mention the director decided to record rehearsal that day? AND put it up on Blackboard?!? Oh...the horror...), I decided I needed to take serious action. And, apparently it worked, because I felt fine during rehearsal yesterday.
I do have to give Tom some of the credit, though....I made him glare at me while I played all of my solos for him the night before. What a nice guy:)
Today, I will be occupying my little nook in the library--happily researching my year-long project topic:
BLUEGRASS MUSIC
I really hope you're excited...
because I sure am!
Yesterday, I knocked three very important items off of mine:
Yes, friends. I got threaded.
After six years of watching my St. Louis friends get their hair ripped from their faces by very skilled Indian women, I finally mustered up the courage to try it myself. It took at least 3 gulps of wine and a valuable coupon....but at least I did it! Anyway...I'm definitely hooked. It didn't really take that long and the pain was minor. Definitely better than attacking my face with a pair of tweezers in a poorly lit bathroom, which had been my method to date.
And.....
I don't have a picture for this one...but we found the best gluten-free pizza here. I'm always a bit skeptical anytime a restaurant claims to have gluten free items...especially pizza...and especially when the waiter casually claims that it will most definitely knock Shakespeare's "out of the park". I did take the risk, however, and boy am I glad I did. It was deLIcious. Even Tom couldn't taste the difference. AND it was only $10 for a 12" pizza which is outSTANding. Pi, a pizzeria we enjoyed in St. Louis, offered gluten free pizza for around $17 for a 12". We scored a better deal here, and the quality wasn't compromised in the least. The location adds to the appeal as well. All we had to do was walk down the street! I'm starting to really love this place:)
And last, but certainly not least.....I biked the MKT Trail
This trail is literally steps away from the building where we work, and I've been desperately needing a cardiovascular escape in the middle of our long days. Since I already have my bike on campus to get to my classes, it made perfect sense. In addition to providing a great workout and a beautiful scenery, it really helps me deal with my anxiety when I'm in Wind Ensemble rehearsals. Somehow, I auditioned at the top of all the flutes here...which means I'm first chair....which means I get the lovely pleasure of playing all of the crazy solo passages...in front of all these people I don't know...and did I mention it's been SEVEN years since I sat in an ensemble like this?? At any rate....it's super anxiety producing. And after Wednesday's episode of shaking like a 6th grader when it was my turn to play (did I mention the director decided to record rehearsal that day? AND put it up on Blackboard?!? Oh...the horror...), I decided I needed to take serious action. And, apparently it worked, because I felt fine during rehearsal yesterday.
I do have to give Tom some of the credit, though....I made him glare at me while I played all of my solos for him the night before. What a nice guy:)
Today, I will be occupying my little nook in the library--happily researching my year-long project topic:
BLUEGRASS MUSIC
I really hope you're excited...
because I sure am!
Happy Saturday, everyone.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Who needs sleep?
It's the end of another busy week here at ol'Mizzou and we are gearing up for our second home football game this Saturday. Lucky for us, the weather should cooperate. The crisp air is a welcome change---especially on the marching band field!
I'm still trying to figure out how to be a student again...it's a lot more challenging than I thought it would be. Even just figuring out how to organize all of my homework and notes has been a pretty darn big issue! Oh, and don't get me started on trying to find time to shop. Seriously. NOTHING in my closet fits me. I bought a pair of black pants a month ago because my other ones were getting too baggy...and they already don't fit! I spend at least 20 minutes each morning trying to find an outfit that doesn't look ridiculously huge. I get home in the evening to find the tornadic wreckage of clothes I left as I was desperately trying to get out the door on time...This body has NEVER seen a size 6 and I really need to figure out how to dress it!
Ok...well I feel like I'm just whining about stupid things and I'm too tired to come up with anything valuable to offer you...so I'm going to look at flutes I can't afford until it's time to go to bed.
:)
Happy early Friday!
I'm still trying to figure out how to be a student again...it's a lot more challenging than I thought it would be. Even just figuring out how to organize all of my homework and notes has been a pretty darn big issue! Oh, and don't get me started on trying to find time to shop. Seriously. NOTHING in my closet fits me. I bought a pair of black pants a month ago because my other ones were getting too baggy...and they already don't fit! I spend at least 20 minutes each morning trying to find an outfit that doesn't look ridiculously huge. I get home in the evening to find the tornadic wreckage of clothes I left as I was desperately trying to get out the door on time...This body has NEVER seen a size 6 and I really need to figure out how to dress it!
Ok...well I feel like I'm just whining about stupid things and I'm too tired to come up with anything valuable to offer you...so I'm going to look at flutes I can't afford until it's time to go to bed.
:)
Happy early Friday!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Friday Wisdom
I have learned one thing so far in grad school.
I take myself WAY too seriously.
Suprisingly enough, this does not suprise me.
Oh...and that I don't really know much about music.
AWESOME.
Happy Friday!
I take myself WAY too seriously.
Suprisingly enough, this does not suprise me.
Oh...and that I don't really know much about music.
AWESOME.
Happy Friday!
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