Silber und Gold

Another lovely day - woke up before my alarm, got an offer for a sweet gig in October in KC oh my god my town has a professional new music ensemble and room for me!!!!, a soundSCAPE friend who lives in Switzerland may visit this weekend, the fog cleared enough for me to see the summit of Mt. Pilatus out my bedroom window, and rehearsal went smoothly. This Berio is FUN y'all.

The best part of the day, however, was getting to spend some time chatting with some of the other women in this ensemble, including one from my former school years whom I never really spent time talking to.  She was a much cooler kid than me (you know, when we were both masters students), and  IU is a big school.  I regret now that we didn't know each other then - it would have been lovely to have another comrade championing the unbeaten path of contemporary excellence. After bussing and taking the 10 flights of stairs up a hill to the Dreilinden Konservatorium building (a mansion-ish space where an excellent student group was rehearsing Mozart 40 and the practice rooms were all full...), a few of us sat to chat and then made dinner plans.

After reading more Good Omens, I met up with them at the KKL. While waiting, I was treated to a lovely jazzy rendition of the Chicken Dance by an accordion/sax/guitar trio. It's on video somewhere. . .We had dinner at one of the slightly-less-costly places, and ate gelato, and generally had a lovely evening. The mosquitos were few, the weather is still perfect for me (72 tops during the day, around 60 at night with the windows open!).

After fighting through the other tourists at the late night grocery in the Bahnhof, I came home with a cheap can of cider to accompany my wind-down for the night. The enjoyment of three days has already been immense, and I am ever more grateful to be here. I'm pretty sure my host family is tired of the endless thankings...but my host mom laid out breakfast things for me, and the yogurt/bread/nutella/orange juice/fruit is the best thing ever and super helpful as food is VERY EXPENSIVE OMG. Except that we found a place that sells its sandwiches at halb-price between 1:30 and 2 when it closes, a block from the Hochschule where we rehearse. So, 3CHF for a good baguette sandwich, which is crazy good for a city where a delicious macchiato is 4.50. Or is it 4,5?  I haven't been paying attention.

First rehearsals are always the scariest

We had our first soprano sectional today with Maestro James Wood...quotes of the day:

"That was almost right!"
"Don't let that 'p' cramp your style..."

He's excellent, to say the least.

This afternoon was spent exploring. First, I walked the very ornately painted wooden bridge across to the old part of the city - Lucerne/Luzern is so beautiful. Even the evil swans. I managed to find a good-sized sandwich for under 7CHF, which is a miracle, as my tiny coffee this morning, the first I've purchased, cost 5. Everything here is extremely expensive. . .and I'm determined to save part of my per-diem in the name of fiscal responsibility or to buy an Alpine cow bell...

I came home to rest for a while - my host family was going out for the evening, and seeing me in my walking attire, Frau Susi told me where I could find some hiking just around the corner from the house.  I managed not to get lost on the Waldwegs - several trails that intersect and diverge around a very large, steep hill.  I was rewarded with a beautiful view of the east side of Luzern and the lake - and the mountains adjacent. In addition, there were tiger-striped slugs, snails, a deer, several cats, some noisy HUGE not-crow birds, an enormous bass-voiced ram (on a small farm nearby), and some plums and raspberries growing wild. At least, I hope they were raspberries. . .I didn't eat enough to drop dead.

As the hike involved walking up and down said steep hill in one direction, and then doing the same to go back, I am a little pooped. So, I'm going to sit for a bit, continue to take in the sounds of the city: train brakes; the Knie circus, whose big-top I can see from my room; the distant sound of some pickup football; church bells of all sizes; and the long low whistles other trains? factories? what are these ghost noises?!?!?

//

I brought an old favorite book with me - Terry Pratchett/Neil Gaiman's Good Omens. A few sentences have always stuck with me. The "occultist" character Anathema Device wonders at another character's curious lack of a perceptible aura:

"It might, or might not, have helped Anathema get a clear
 view of things if she'd been allowed to spot the very obvious
 reason why she couldn't see Adam's aura.  It was for the same
 reason that people in Trafalgar Square can't see England."

This imagery stunned me the first time I read it. I am fortunate to know a few people who could fit such a description - their life force, energy, and charisma emanate from every fiber of their being in an at first imperceptible way. Only by stepping away do we truly appreciate these inspirations for everything they are. (Yes, perhaps in Good Omens Adam is actually the AntiChrist, but the point still works).

Anyway, I'm a little beat from hill-climbing. Tchüss!

Lucerne

3 years later - no DMA yet, but I only have the final major hurdle of writing left.

I also have a completely different musical life, and a new midwestern city (Kansas City, MO) to call home.  more on KCMO later...

I would never, ever have imagined that today, I would be sitting on the "2nd floor" (3rd) of a beautiful home in Lucerne, Switzerland, listening to the sound of a gentle Alpine thunderstorm mixed with the tones of train brakes, occasional EU police sirens, church bells, far-off neighbors and animals? not sure yet. 

After sending off the rushed audition tape (impending sore throat and out-of-town Quince gig meant I had to record the day I learned the pieces), I wasn't expecting to hear anything back, as that's the standard these days - many companies can't be bothered to even send a "no thanks, you can stop waiting to hear from us now" email. That's rude, but we just accept it. Singers or instrumentalists, or regular people applying to jobs have to send out polished, beautiful materials and often money to companies, for the possible privilege of a 5 minute live audition, and sometimes not even that. Companies can charge a premium in "consideration fees". . .it's a YAPRacket.

I don't have the heart for it - more power to those of you that do, and for those of you who reap benefits from this system, I am glad.

Anyway - Lucerne's application was simple (well, if you consider learning 4 Berio Folk Songs in a day and recording them unaccompanied "simple") and FREE. I didn't pay a dime to the Festival Academy, which is as refreshing as the breeze here can't resist the cheeze Liz.

I am still shocked that I was chosen for this year's Lucerne Festival Academy, singing Berio's Coro under Sir Simon Rattle.  THAT'S REAL THAT'S REALLY HAPPENING. And I inadvertently achieved one of my vague should probably fix that career goals - being invited to perform in Europe, and not having to pay my own way to get there.  I am grateful, and lucky, and I know that.

The plane-fog is wearing off, finally - time to go see more of my temporary home!

thanks be to those that have helped me become the musician I am today - inspirational singers like Amanda, Kayleigh, Carrie, and Aubrey - my Quince ladies; Tony Arnold, in a class by herself; Dr. Schoonmaker Rodgers, Ms. Stiles, and Sheila Murphy - my teachers, Dr. Shrude who keeps prodding me into doing good things; Dr. Pelletier ANDY who also is an expert inspiration and laziness vanquisher; and my family - Gary, JJ and Em, and my beautiful and ever-supportive parents. You didn't get a CDC physician for a daughter like you thought you would...but you seem okay with it. Especially now that ebola has returned as a threat.

Take that, faux-prano

So, my adoooooorable baby brother over at the bunny ranch is posting right now, and I'll throw my verbing hat in the ring.

I've finally achieved my dream of making up for those years where my brother was cool but I missed it because I lived in Indiana...by luring him (now twice) to my school-of-residence and being roomies. I now have a kickass rental home in BG, and the Boy lives here with Gary and me. WOOOO!

I'm pretty sure he's watched most of the entire run of The Office this last week, which is our fault.
He's also cleaned compulsively at least once, which is part our fault, part that of the rabbits. They're furry. They leave dustbunnies everywhere.

Speaking of...the bunnies are so excited (and by "excited", I mean wholly indifferent) about their new living situation. They're currently celebrating the tripled square-footage by hiding in the milkcrate in their pen, where I suppose they can more easily see the whole huge living room...


I haven't updated anything in a long time, 'cause nobody has any business caring that much about my opinions. This summer's been a lazy mess, but I've had more gigs in more states than I could claim about any other summer - so far, I've sung in Ohio, Nebraska, Michigan, and will be adding another Ohio destination as well as Madison, WI in the next two weeks. It helps quell the feelings of "you suck and didn't get a summer program...or a job" - that, and it's been nice to be around my partner for more than a week at a time. Gary living in Texas during the school year sucks...there's really no other way to put it.

Like the end of last summer, once I finally got home from AR, we're squeezing all the fun summervacation crap into a week. Gary got the fabulous "opportunity" to rewrite his Masters thesis proposal, in between hours of work, but he finally got the last draft turned in on Sunday...so we went to Cedar Point and rattled our brains out yesterday. Woohoo! Maybe there will be waterpark fun later this week.

Next week will be a maelstrom of rehearsing Crumb with brand new people (well, new to me...but they've performed Madrigals before, and I haven't done book 2...), packing up Gary to go back to A&M for another year, and preparing for my own scholastic enterprises. I'm in charge of a required undergraduate class for voice majors this year! OH THE POWER. I cannot wait.

I'm going to go look up flights to Texas.

First full day in ARkansas!

The internet at camp is somewhat a joke- so, I'm using the Angler Cafe's wifi. I bought a beer to be nice (and 'cause my lunch was lame, and it's a bit 'til dinner still, and I haven't any more singing today) - this particular beer happens to have been brewed in La Crosse! Spanish Peaks' Honey Raspberry ale. . .formerly out of Montana. A little heavyhanded if anything - but I enjoy it thoroughly.

Camp. . .thus far, not bad. It is "rustic", as described by friends who've been here before. However, everyone is in cheerful spirits, and in eager 1st day o' school mode. I suppose I'll sort through folks better later. Dinner, perhaps.
I am at present sans-roommate, but even if I did, I made myself a little fort out of my bunk bed (found some sheets to tuck into the top bunk, so I have the bottom bunk in seclusion). There's also a fan and a light clipped to the bed.

Woo, freshman me!

I had my singing nonsense audition already, so I'm free 'til dinner...it'll be a good time.

oh dear lord lame

La-may, that is. So, I'm attempting to foster some sort of creativity within myself, and currently - it's not working. I feel stagnant in a world of possibilities, disappointed at my own laziness. I'm surrounded by talented artists - in fabric, food, paint, composition. . .and I don't count myself among them.
See, I start focusing on what I don't do well regarding anything/everything. I can't knit better than a scarf, I am worthless in paint, and I have the sculpting abilities of a 3rd-grader. I want this feeling to change.