change

I realize that many of you are probably wondering what this next season in life holds for me. If you have been following my blog for awhile, you may have guessed that I really wanted nothing more but to be back in the Pacific Northwest. And indeed I am.

I had planned to move to Portland, move in with my dear friend Meghan (and Kashi and Buttons, the cats). I was looking forward to living in community with her. And, while establishing a reputation in a new musical community always takes time, I felt ready to take the plunge in a new city.

But sometimes life throws us a curveball.

So without boring you with all the intimate details, I’ll just say that I have decided to take a position at Whitworth University in Spokane for the year. Everything happened rather quickly, and I am still a bit in shock that I am actually back here – that I actually have a job in music.

I will be teaching a couple sections of Theory I and working as a staff accompanist in the voice department. Then I will be reestablishing my previous connections in the Spokane musical community, hopefully working with local voice teachers, opera companies, school choirs, etc.

I am living in a wonderful apartment – basically the exact opposite of where I have lived for the last 2 years. I arrived a few days ago, spent a few hours unloading and unpacking. When I finished, I poured a glass of wine and sat on my floor and felt the tears come. I am the happiest I’ve been in months, maybe years. I know this place will be an oasis for me, providing space for my soul to decompress. When I stand at my kitchen sink and look out the window, all I can see are trees. And every morning, I put on my hiking shoes and hop on the trail that borders my backyard.

So I have gone from Baltimore sunrises…

…to Spokane sunsets…

  

I am viewing this as a year-long venture. I will continue to look into other possibilities for the future, maybe Portland, maybe Seattle – who knows?   I am also open to staying in Spokane, if the opportunity presents itself. Mostly, I am just along for the ride, open to whatever adventures come my way. And I am excited to be hiking, teaching, playing, making music – doing what I love, in a place that is dear to my heart.

Graduation

So, I did just finish my masters degree, and there are pictures below of graduation to prove it. However, of more particular note is the picture below which documents the realization of a long-time dream of mine.

Many months ago, I first had the idea for a school-wide game of Capture-the-Flag. I knew the nooks and crannies and secret passageways of the conservatory buildings would be perfect for the game, and the week of graduation, it finally happened. Of all the things that have occurred in the halls of Peabody Conservatory, this may be the most uniquely un-musical. And of all the things I initiated or participated in my time at Peabody, this is the one I am most proud of!! Especially because the grad students won!!

And now on to the token (less-exciting) cap and gown pictures!!

My mom came to see me graduate!

All of the Vocal Accompanying Program Graduates, with our teacher, Eileen

The Vocal Accompanying Masters Program Graduates

Two of my favorite composers (and now, doctors!!)

My dear friend, Nadja

a bouquet of sharpened pencils

It's a hot summer evening in Baltimore. Apparently, no one told the weather that tomorrow is September and it's time to cool off.   However, the harvest moon that now rises before my eyes heralds the coming of autumn.

It's the dawn of a new season.  The energy is back at Peabody. New and returning students swarmed the campus this week, bringing an end to months of a quiet campus.  They bring with them excitement, anticipation.  and perhaps some fear and anxiety as well.    What will this year hold?

Things are starting to take shape for me as I look at the year ahead.  I know I'll be playing for some of the rehearsals of Don Giovanni, as I had hoped as I began learning it this summer.  I'm excited for the opportunity and the challenge.  I will also be running the first few rehearsals of Ariel's Tempest, which Nadja and I pioneered last year.  Two other gals in our studio will be music-directing it this year, but I will help to start them off with a better foundation than we had!

My classes will most definitely not be as challenging as those of last fall.  The bulk of my work this semester will be practicing, which has its pros and cons.  Sometimes it's nice to have "real" homework which can actually be completed....with practicing, there is ALWAYS more to do.

And as I write, my new roommate, Rebecca, is putting her bed together in our bedroom.  It will be both a joy and a challenge to live together, I'm sure, in such close quarters.  I am both sad to say goodbye to this season of solitude, and also thankful to welcome in companionship.  With the dawning of something new, comes the loss of something else, perhaps even something cherished.  But the moon is no different.  Would its gleam be nearly as beautiful if it wasn't contrasted against the black of the night sky?   If we hadn't let go of the brightness of day?

The harvest moon bears silent witness to the coming of a new season.   In weather.   In schedules.   In relationships.   And yet the moon also bears witness to the constants of life.  The same moon has been rising and setting - waxing and waning - all summer long.

Sometimes, as the seasons change, I find myself caught up in the excitement - the preparation, the anticipation, the butterflies, the hope of what's to come.   And sometimes, I just need to rest in the constancy of the things that haven't changed.

The Big Apple

This week I ventured up north for my very first visit to NYC. Alison, my recital partner, has just moved there, so I had a place to stay, as well as a friend to take me around the city. 

We got up early the first morning and took the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. It was a glorious sunny day, and we had an incredible view of the skyline, across the water.   And it was amazing to walk around Liberty Island, taking it all in.

I marveled as I thought of the millions of immigrants that sailed through this harbor. 100 years ago, this statue would have been the tallest structure around; I can't imagine the beacon of hope this must have been for the immigrants, seeing it for the first time, after days, weeks, months on a ship.

It was so wonderful to be out on the water, and take a whiff of the saltwater. (Although Baltimore has a harbor, the water doesn't smell the greatest...).  Being on the ferry reminded me of the hundreds of thousands of trips I took to my grandparents' home on Bainbridge Island. Needless to say, I felt right at home!

We got back on the ferry and headed over to Ellis Island. It was incredibly moving to be there, knowing that I have relatives on both sides who walked through this hall. I was really thankful for the opportunity to be there and retrace their steps.

One of the highlights of my trip was getting to see James and Jillian (my sister-in-law's sister...although, I just usually call her my sister!) - and be the first to congratulate them on their engagement. James had surprised Jillian with tickets to "The Lion King" on Broadway - so she called me on Monday to tell me that she would be in NYC.  And it happened to coincide with my trip there! James proposed the night before I got into the city, so I was so excited to be the FIRST to see the hardware, as opposed to the LAST when I'm home at Christmas time.

It rained a little...OK, a lot....so we didn't get to do much, but we enjoyed drinking coffee, and then trouncing through the puddles a bit.

The next day, Alison and I wandered past Lincoln Center and saw the Metropolitan Opera building as well as the buildings which house Julliard.

Then we found some coffee and sat down in Central Park to watch a softball game. I loved seeing all the people out enjoying the park, and probably could have spent 2 weeks there. It blew my mind - the sheer size of it - as well as all the different parts of it.

We sat for a few hours, watching the games, and then wandered past fountains and lakes...and there were times that I totally forgot I was in the middle of the city.

And, it was wonderful to spend time with this dear friend. I will miss her, now that she is graduated and making a go of it in NYC, but it was great to have this "last hurrah" together before I start school in a couple of weeks. 

I won't lie; it wasn't easy to come back to Baltimore. There was an energy about NYC that Baltimore just doesn't have. I felt safe there, at all hours of the day - which I don't feel in Baltimore, sometimes, even in the middle of the day.  And overall, I sensed a spirit of community in the people of New York - they are proud to call that city home, no matter where they hail from. In fact, I don't think I ever walked two blocks without hearing another language being spoken. It was incredible.  Baltimore doesn't share the same kind of multi-cultural community, and its residents certainly don't boast the same kind of pride or care for their city. 

So I'm glad for the experience...glad I finally got to experience "the city."  I can't wait to go back...I'd love to go see a show on Broadway or at the Met. I'd love to explore the multitude of museums and historical sites.  Or maybe I'll just go for the weekend and spend three days getting lost in the park....

one thousand gifts

A few months ago, my friend Katie and her husband David invited me over to their house. When I arrived, we chatted for a bit, and then they started talking about how they appreciated that I hadn't charged Katie for rehearsals with me (I played for her voice lessons this semester). They appreciated that I was a good friend to them. And then they told me they were giving me a free plane ticket! David works for Southwest, and he gets 4 buddy passes a quarter. They had decided to give the first one to me - so I had a round-trip ticket to anywhere that Southwest flies!

I decided to keep the ticket a surprise, and worked over the next few weeks to coordinate dates, work schedules, etc. My plans changed pretty much daily - so, many thanks to the folks in Washington and Oregon who were flexible as I tried to figure things out. 

On June 25, I headed to the Baltimore airport early in the morning, ready to get on the stand-by list. Again, I had to be flexible with my plans. But, by God's grace, I finally got on a flight to Chicago, and then to Seattle! Thanks to my friend Courtney who picked me up at the airport at a moment's notice!

My mother, having no idea what I was up to, had scheduled a Skype date for 7PM (her time) that evening. So I was praying I would be home in time. And indeed I was!!

Check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBYY3aceK1g

I got to spend a few days with my parents, and do some hiking with my dad. It was great to go for a REAL hike...not a "nature walk" (I haven't found any steep trails in Maryland). It was wonderful to be in the mountains on a glorious day.  We even saw a bald eagle fly right over us, riding the wind. 

It was great to spend wonderful time with my grandma and brother and sister. I got to spend time with wonderful friends in Portland and Spokane. I got to spend some hours in the car, drink wonderful coffee, enjoy the rain, as well as some wonderful Northwest summer weather.  I got to wear a SWEATSHIRT (a luxury I don't get to experience much in this Baltimore humidity). I got to hike in the mountains, breathe fresh air, celebrate my birthday with friends and family, enjoy being home in the wonderful Northwest. 

I am still overwhelmed by all the many gifts that were lavished on me in those few days.  A plane ticket. Friends with flexible schedules and open homes and hearts.  Office managers that are willing to secretly rearrange my dad's schedule so that I can spend time with him.  Mothers that schedule Skype dates at the perfect time.  Sharing wine, meals, coffee, beer, chocolate.   Trees.   Mountains.  Fresh air. Sweatshirts.   Plans that change every other day, and yet still seem to fall into place better than I could have even imagined.   Home. 

It was so good for my soul to get a break. But every time I go west, it gets harder and harder to come back to Baltimore. It's good to know that I only have a few more months to go....less than a year now!

But there are many gifts here, as well.   People to enjoy spending time with.  Sunday morning trips to the farmers' market. Extra shifts at work. Evenings spent reading in the park. Time to practice and study. Game nights with friends.

So I continue to give thanks for the way God orchestrated so many things to enable me to be home for a bit, and I am counting down the days until I can return again. But I also recognize that if I will choose to be present in the next 10 months in Baltimore, there will be many more gifts to give thanks for.   He is a great God, and He is present here, now, to those who will be awake enough, aware enough, humble enough to receive the gifts He so graciously offers.

Heat Wave

In case you haven't heard, we've been in the middle of a heat wave. My first experience with days and days of temperatures in the 100's and humidity not ever dropping below 50%. You know it's a hot day when the LOW is 92!!   So how do we survive without melting?  I'm not really sure.  And being a pretty frugal grad student, I'm not too keen on turning on my A/C very often.  So here are a few things I've learned:

When it's hot and humid outside:

1. Your most important accessory is a waterbottle. I keep 4 in the frig. The first thing I do in the morning is get up, grab a waterbottle and start drinking.  Who knows how many gallons I've sweat during the night...so it's important to start replenishing as soon as possible.

2. All food must be kept in the frig. Even food that you would never think would have to be refrigerated...well, it does. Chocolate chips.  Peanut butter.  Even crackers, sometimes.  

3. No need to invest in a towel warmer for your bathroom.  When you get out of your (intentionally) cold shower, you'll be enveloped by a nice warm fuzzy towel....whether you like it or not.

4. If you're stupid enough to be walking down the street at 1 PM, you'll wonder where all the people are, as it will look like a ghost town.  Sooner or later, you'll realize why: they're all inside in the A/C.

5. Don't expect to get anything done.  You will feel like you weigh 500 pounds more than normal and it will take 500 times the effort just to motivate yourself to get up.

6. Never go anywhere without a sweat rag.

7. It's probably not a bad idea to bring a change of clothes...at least a shirt...when you have to walk a ways....like, say, 2 blocks.

8. No need to invest in a gym membership.  Just make sure to opt for the stairs (to the 8th floor) every time you get home. You'll get a great sweat-filled work-out, and as an added bonus, if you're craving some sauna time, you need only walk outside. 

9. Never cross your legs while sitting. You'll soon have a collection of drips on both legs.

10. Early mornings are your friend. Well, they always were mine...but now even more so, as it's the coolest time of day. Furthermore, grocery stores that open at 6 AM are also your friend.  That way, you don't have to carry a gallon of milk home in the middle of the day, or even at 10 AM.   It's the simple things....

Needless to say, we're looking forward to Christmas in July here...and hoping that means there will be snow. Or cooler weather.  at least a day below 80.   or 90.     even 95.   Pretty much anything less than 109 would be awesome right now.

Adventures

Well, I probably haven't been practicing as much as I should be. Actually, make that definitely. But I have been able to venture out of Baltimore a few times - which is also definitely much needed!

Yesterday, I went with Nadja and her family to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, which houses part of the famed Appalachian Trail. The weather wasn't fabulous - in fact, we hiked back in the rain. But I felt right at home!

It was great to be in the forest and see the Blue Ridge "Mountains" - which are not mountains by my standards, but certainly infinitely better than anything in Maryland.  And I always enjoy time with these friends. 

Vuk, Natalija, Nadja, and Kiki, the dog.

Natalija and Kiki.

It's always good for my soul to be out in the wilderness.

Beautiful views from a lookout in Shenandoah National Park.

I also went to DC last week. It turned out to be one of the hottest days yet, so we were drenched in sweat - but we had a great time! We enjoyed wandering through the memorials - I hadn't been to them since I was a little girl, so it was good to revisit them.

The others in the group opted to visit some museums in the afternoon, but I wanted to go visit my great-uncle's grave. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, in a section overlooking the Pentagon. Since it was the day after Memorial Day, I felt it fitting to visit his grave, since I had never been. It was quite a hike in the hot sun, as the cemetery is a ways away from the rest of the memorials. But I was really glad I went; it was very moving to be there. 

On my way back, I stopped by the Lincoln Memorial, which I think is still my favorite. It is wonderful to read his words, etched in stone, and to consider how applicable they are to today's world. 

There are endless things to do and see in DC - and most of them are free! I look forward to spending a rainy (or hot!) day wandering through places like the Smithsonian and the National Gallery.

Lunch across from the Jefferson Memorial with Rayna, Bethany, Elizabeth and June.

Uncle Jack's grave in Arlington National Cemetery

The Lincoln Memorial.

The Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol.

Summertime

Many of you have asked about my summer plans, so I thought I would update you.

I am planning on staying in Baltimore for the summer, and I may not get back to the West Coast for a visit, although I'm still hoping it will be possible.

I am working at the Peabody Inn, which hosts the Road Scholar program. So every week, a group of senior citizens come to attend lectures, go to recitals, etc. They stay in the inn, which is on campus, and also enjoy other "field trips" to museums, etc. in the area. I have seen these folks on campus all year and have often wished I had time to sit and hear their stories. Many of them have incredible musical backgrounds and many just want to expand their understanding of classical music.

The inn also houses a few faculty members who don't live in Baltimore, a few parents and grandparents, when they come for recitals or graduation...and occasionally a student or two when they are here for auditions. I met a young man last week - an American who grew up in France. He studied at the Paris Conservatory and was here to audition for Leon Fleischer's studio. He has all the degrees he needs, but desperately wants to study with Fleischer - so I chatted with him for awhile before he headed to the airport, and back to France.

I'm not working very many hours, although my boss is learning that I am happy to work more...so hopefully I'll be able to! And I don't get paid much...but then again, I really don't do much!  But I do enjoy getting to talk with people about Peabody, about where they're from, about Baltimore and the area of the city we're in. I've learned a lot...and I've enjoyed reading some great books when there's nothing to do!

So, I should be looking for another job to supplement my income a bit, but I haven't found the motivation just yet. I have several other things on my "to-do" list for the summer. There is a chance I will be playing for the rehearsals of the opera department's mainstage production of "Don Giovanni" (Mozart) in the fall. It is not an easy score, by any means, so I have my work cut out for me in getting learned by September. That project will be commencing today!

I also will be playing for more recitals next year...so I am trying to learn as much of that repertoire as possible (the things that people have already picked and will be doing for sure).  Those of us that are in my studio who are here for the summer have been getting together to sightread every day, which is great. As accompanists, we are asked to sightread a lot, and the only way to be better at it is to just do it every day. It also helps to practice doing it with other people, because then we're forced to keep going when we make mistakes, and to figure out how to jump back in when we're lost.   Hopefully we'll be able to keep this habit up all summer!

In addition to my practicing, I've got some language work to do. I am supposed to have one year of study in two of the operatic languages. Because I took Chinese in high school and college, I am a step behind. I chose not to take a language this past year, so I will be taking a French class at school next year, and attempting to learn German on my own this summer. I've researched all kinds of online programs and checked out tapes from the library, so I'm hopeful that I can get into a daily routine with this as well. I've done an hour and a half already today - so I'm off to a good start!

So that's my summer in a nutshell. I am also aware that this may be my last summer on the East Coast, so I'd like to see as many of the sights as possible. I have hopes of getting up to NY and Boston, and hopefully a few other places, as well as lots of day-trips to DC. A few of us are taking the train tomorrow to DC to see the sights and take advantage of all the free museums!

I am also ready for visitors! If you fancy a trip to Baltimore, you're always welcome!