new developments...!!!

Well its been a little while since my last post. Apologies, but I have been incredibly busy with the preparations for Spring.

Next weekend I will be attending the National Orff-Schulwerk Conference in Spokane, WA. I am one of three first-year students who were invited to go with the PLU Music Ed department. I am not particularly interested in Elementary Education, but I think this conference will prove as a notch in my belt. I am excited to meet other educators and learn about the field.

Speaking of being excited, my mind has been floating in the Choral Music Education clouds for quite awhile. With traveling to Bellevue in February for the NW Music Educator's National Conference, as well as a week in Chicago for the National American Choral Director's Association Convention, I am in need of business cards. Whew. Lot of words. Working with a friend of mine here shortly on a possible logo... I'm pretty excited!

And on top of all THAT, I ordered a Mollard Conducting Baton today. Pictures to come when it arrives :)

I also have been working ferociously on linkedin.com and connecting with other choral masters. In the spring I intend on meeting and interviewing Eric William Barnum, a choral composer and conductor. He is currently working on his DMA in Choral Conducting under Dr. Geoffrey Boers at the University of Washington.

AND we are preparing for our Christmas series at Pacific Lutheran University. The Choir of the West, University Chorale, and University Symphony Orchestra are combining to perform The Pacific Sanctus by Robert Kyr. It is incredible. You really don't want to miss it!

To sum it all up, I am FREAKING EXCITED for all the crazy things going on!

success.

Taylor Capellaro, KeelyAnn Kelly, and myself after our concert in Lagerquist

After completing our fall concert series at PLU, I feel right at home. It wasn't until I was singing "Beautiful Savior" at the end when I realized that my place in this choir, university, and family is all I could ever ask for.

I am still walking on clouds after last night's concert. I can still feel the energy of the performance and the thrill of being onstage. I live for that feeling.

Without a doubt, this has been an experience I will never forget. It is really hard to "move on" from the high school choir, but university is where its at! I am with a great group of people who are all dedicated to an amazing cause: music. We all work together to create such a beautiful sound in an amazing hall.

I will say, that I was nearly out of my skin during Chorale's warm ups. I was chosen to lead them.

Imagine you're driving a huge truck. This truck is strong, yet bumpy and sometimes hard to control.

No imagine you're driving the smoothest BMW ever. It responds perfectly, it purrs, and it hauls ass. Yeah. That's what leading warm ups for Chorale was like. Amazing.

To my fellow ensemble members, I thank you for letting me be a part of this family. I thank you for introducing me to the music I was born to live in. :-)

agent of chaos

flooding your mind

confusion

chaos: the beginning of all things.

every cloud begs for room in the sky of the mind

wind blows from all sides

there is air

but no breath

suffocate in the anxiety of your own passions, freedoms, loves, and smiles.

crashing waves 

spikes

lightening

frost

surrounds you surrounding me.

no direction.

no guide.

no love...

news...?

well, well, well. if it isn't for that seasonal feeling of stress, homework, midterm and proficiency exams.

ahh....

I will say that University Chorale is really picking up. (We better be, after all we DO have a concert in a week).

Dr. Galante is an amazing conductor. Today he harped on the fact that we, as a choir, don't pay enough attention to the text of the piece. Which is very true. When singing in a different language, it isn't really easy to connect to the text. But ya just gotta break out those translations and get to work! The audience deserves to hear what the composer intended. There should be nothing less.

This Sunday, Pacific Lutheran University will be premiering a work by Ola Gjeilo called Meridian. It is combined with the University Wind Ensemble, Choir of the West, and University Chorale. Ola will be visiting us this Friday to rehearse with the piece.

Ola Gjeilo

It is an interesting work. Not really my "cup of tea" but it sounds pretty good. I guess.

In other news, I will continue my vocal lessons with baritone Charles Stephens. Yah?

I haven't had much time to get working on my OWN music. I wish I did. Gosh darn, I want to write so bad!!

when it rains...

it pours.

this week was difficult. the timing of all the homework, friends, and activities built up a huge wave of "i don't have time for myself". It wasn't until this evening when i was really able to let go of somethings that have been on my mind.

the weather tonight was especially helpful - we're having this very strange florida-like weather, causing the humidity to soar while the rain falls. i tend to enjoy this heat, since i can't stand being cold.

taking a walk in the rain is so amazing.

i always like to say "that yeah, the rain really sucks. but it washes all the blood away."

in other, not-so-king-arthur words, the rain purifies everything. it gives the soul a chance to wash away all the bad things that get cluttered up over time.

tonight was about the rain. tonight was about revealing parts of myself so that they could be rained on. i needed some help and support, and i got that from another strong hearted person.

always remember the rain.

..f.i.r.e..

peace cannot exist today.

flashing spires crisp-burn at your mind's desires.
you burn the house you build.
a voice

cries but evaporates into the flame.
such a shame.

passion exists at the core of the troublesome desperation.
i cannot lie.
i cannot die.

fire breathes through my heart.
my soul weeps at the sight of smoke,
burn.
crash.
flames. destroy. all you have made me to be.

the study of alchemy, homecomings, and best friends.

This weekend was incredibly uplifting and enlightening.

I went home on Friday to attend my hometown's homecoming game. Such an ironic event - homecoming. I realized after several minutes of seeing people I didn't really want to see, that I didn't feel "home". It felt very awkward seeing people who hadn't graduated, or worse, those who had and aren't doing very much with their lives. Sad.

The next part of the night, I enjoyed some quality "roof time" with my best friend. Sitting on top of his house, we caught up on several weeks from being a part. As I've mentioned before, I consider my best friend to be my brother. It is so hard to go from being attached at the hip to living in different schedules. But this night made it worth the while - we talked for hours catching up.

Saturday was all about PLU. We brought Reece up here to hang out all night and have some fun. This was by far the highlight of my entire weekend - ping pong, music, hanging out, and spending time with other lutes.

Saturday night was interesting. After all the festivities of the day, everyone went to bed. Reece and I went outside and continued some of our conversation from Friday night. We talked until five in the morning. This conversation was the best I've ever experienced with my best friend. We laughed about the fun we had all day. We cried about the distance, the pain of being alone, and the emotions involved in letting it all out. I walk away from last night a changed person, ready. Thank you brother for that night. It means the world.

In my dreams class we are studying how alchemy can be applied to the interpretation of dreams. (Which, by the way I have to write a paper on in about twenty minutes).

The first stage of alchemy is lead. the nigredo.

Lead is:
dirty. heavy. worn down. garbage. rotten. wretched.

In a dream, it is represented by darkness and fog - being confused and not having a way out. Depression and uncertainty.

The second stage is silver. the albedo.


Silver is:
Clean. White. Sterile. Glossy.

In the dream world, this is described as the moon - you know the moon is there in the darkness because it gives you enough light to see. There is hope.

The third and final stage is gold. the rubedo. 


Gold is:
light. power. sex. beauty. sunrise. passion.

When in a dream, this becomes a pivitol point. It can represent all things good. But it can also burn out, and become less valuable. Thus, sending it back to the first stage of lead.

This topic is incredibly facinating to me. I have found ways to apply it to my life - what I've been through and which stages those events took place in.

In the end I feel certain:

That my brother is an amazing human being, and will always be there to lift me up.
That my life is worth more than bad days and complaints.
That my home is now found here at PLU, no longer in Enumclaw. Here I have family :)