Sunday promised hope for the future of this semester. Yesterday was a good day. Today was even better.
Naoko's hand is doing better and with more rest she will hopefully be fine. I was able to get my recital hearing changed to April 30 - no problem. Woo-hoo. I've had two great rehearsals for concerto and honors competition and a great coaching on the Bartok in my lesson today as well as another great coaching on one of the Handel pieces with flute obligato. I love my ensembles - and my teacher!
I also got my recital dress. It's soooo pretty. It's a full gown, Champagne-gold color with beading. The best part (besides it's being so pretty) is that it was majorly on sale - $37.00 which was marked down from $150!!! If you want to see it - well, you'll have to come to my recital!!! Seriously.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
We sang this in church on Sunday. For those of you familiar with the Episcopal Hymnal 1982 it's hymn 469. I love the tune - and I love, most especially, the words.
There's a wideness in God's mercy
like the wideness of the sea;
there's a kindness in his justice,
which is more than liberty.
There is welcome for the sinner,
and more graces for the good;
there is mercy with the Savior;
there is healing in his blood.
There is no place where earth's sorrows
are more felt than in heaven;
there is no place where earth's failings
have such kind judgment given.
There is plentiful redemption
in the blood that has been shed;
there is joy for all the members
in the sorrows of the Head.
For the love of God is broader
than the measure of man's mind;
and the heart of the Eternal
is most wonderfully kind.
If our love were but more faithful,
we should take him at his word;
and our life would be thanksgiving
for the goodness of the Lord.
There's a wideness in God's mercy
like the wideness of the sea;
there's a kindness in his justice,
which is more than liberty.
There is welcome for the sinner,
and more graces for the good;
there is mercy with the Savior;
there is healing in his blood.
There is no place where earth's sorrows
are more felt than in heaven;
there is no place where earth's failings
have such kind judgment given.
There is plentiful redemption
in the blood that has been shed;
there is joy for all the members
in the sorrows of the Head.
For the love of God is broader
than the measure of man's mind;
and the heart of the Eternal
is most wonderfully kind.
If our love were but more faithful,
we should take him at his word;
and our life would be thanksgiving
for the goodness of the Lord.
SPRING BREAK!!!
Spring break for Longy and company started out with a Nor'easter that brought 6-7 inches of snow in the Boston area and a foot north of us. My mom says, "Well, you wanted to have snow for winter!", to which I replied, "BUT IT'S NOT WINTER! IT'S THE MIDDLE OF MARCH!!!!" I suppose I forget where I live sometimes.
Life has been interesting. A bit stressful actually. Organizing this recital has turned out to be really high maintenence. I was really excited about it for a long time. Recital's are always a lot of work - but the end result is always well worth the hard work that goes into it. Now, I'm just really stressed, and worried, wanting this all to be over with. Being prepared for the actual recital isn't going to be a problem (May 14), but being prepared for the pre-recital jury is a little sticky. My original date for my pre-recital had to be moved up by 9 days which resulted in two less lessons at my disposal as well as only having 3 lessons left until the *new* jury All of my piano accompanied pieces (my Mozart aria, Wolf set, and Juliana Hall set) are in good shape and memorized - woo-hoo! However, I have two sets that are collaborative sets - 1 set of three Handel German da capo arias for voice, harpsichord, continuo and obligato instrument (I've chosen violin for 2 of them, and flute for the other), and then a set of 4 Bartok pieces for 3 voices. The problem is that 2 of the Handel were coached last semester, 1 hasn't be coached at all, and NONE of the Bartok have been coached. I know, I know... this is my own fault for doing a recital so full of collaborating projects! But, I love working with ensembles - and sharing something like my recital with others can be a lot of fun. That's what collaborating with others should be about, right? So, the problem is fitting in those ensemble coachings in, in the next 3 weeks.
Then comes big blow to the recital #2. My accompanist, who've I've been collaborating with now for almost 3 years has an injured right hand! Poor Naoko - she woke up Sunday with pain in her wrist and couldn't open up her hand. A VERY bad thing to have happen to a pianist. She's not sure what is wrong with it but is going away for 3 days to play in a recital in S. Carolina, so can't get in to a doctor this week. She is going to rest it as much as she can - and depending on how bad it is she may (MAY) have to cancel everything for the rest of the semester. She said she will decide in the next two weeks. This means I either postpone the recital or get a new accompanist to learn all of my music in record time - in time for the recital hearing.
So, this is what is going on in the life of Rachael at the moment. If you haven't heard from me recently it's because I'm either never home or dealing with too much stress to want to talk to anyone. :-(
On a happier note - I'll add pics from our St. Patrick's day escapade Saturday night. The girls and I had a lot of fun - being our weird and goofy selves.
It is spring break and it's nice not to have classes or coachings this week.
On to tackle life...
Spring break for Longy and company started out with a Nor'easter that brought 6-7 inches of snow in the Boston area and a foot north of us. My mom says, "Well, you wanted to have snow for winter!", to which I replied, "BUT IT'S NOT WINTER! IT'S THE MIDDLE OF MARCH!!!!" I suppose I forget where I live sometimes.
Life has been interesting. A bit stressful actually. Organizing this recital has turned out to be really high maintenence. I was really excited about it for a long time. Recital's are always a lot of work - but the end result is always well worth the hard work that goes into it. Now, I'm just really stressed, and worried, wanting this all to be over with. Being prepared for the actual recital isn't going to be a problem (May 14), but being prepared for the pre-recital jury is a little sticky. My original date for my pre-recital had to be moved up by 9 days which resulted in two less lessons at my disposal as well as only having 3 lessons left until the *new* jury All of my piano accompanied pieces (my Mozart aria, Wolf set, and Juliana Hall set) are in good shape and memorized - woo-hoo! However, I have two sets that are collaborative sets - 1 set of three Handel German da capo arias for voice, harpsichord, continuo and obligato instrument (I've chosen violin for 2 of them, and flute for the other), and then a set of 4 Bartok pieces for 3 voices. The problem is that 2 of the Handel were coached last semester, 1 hasn't be coached at all, and NONE of the Bartok have been coached. I know, I know... this is my own fault for doing a recital so full of collaborating projects! But, I love working with ensembles - and sharing something like my recital with others can be a lot of fun. That's what collaborating with others should be about, right? So, the problem is fitting in those ensemble coachings in, in the next 3 weeks.
Then comes big blow to the recital #2. My accompanist, who've I've been collaborating with now for almost 3 years has an injured right hand! Poor Naoko - she woke up Sunday with pain in her wrist and couldn't open up her hand. A VERY bad thing to have happen to a pianist. She's not sure what is wrong with it but is going away for 3 days to play in a recital in S. Carolina, so can't get in to a doctor this week. She is going to rest it as much as she can - and depending on how bad it is she may (MAY) have to cancel everything for the rest of the semester. She said she will decide in the next two weeks. This means I either postpone the recital or get a new accompanist to learn all of my music in record time - in time for the recital hearing.
So, this is what is going on in the life of Rachael at the moment. If you haven't heard from me recently it's because I'm either never home or dealing with too much stress to want to talk to anyone. :-(
On a happier note - I'll add pics from our St. Patrick's day escapade Saturday night. The girls and I had a lot of fun - being our weird and goofy selves.
It is spring break and it's nice not to have classes or coachings this week.
On to tackle life...
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Oh my - I'm delinquent yet again. Not only in my own personal blog but also in my 20th and 21st Century American Art Song blog. Only thing is - I'm not getting graded on this blog! Not to worry, I'll catch up on that one after this.
So must keep this very short.
Let's see...
Michelle and Bree's and my Experiential Education Program project has been going very well. We have been placed as Artsts in Residence at the BAA, The Boston Arts Academy,(www.boston-arts-academy.org/Pages/index), and we are working with the freshman vocal music class on a program we have entitled Poetry, Art Song, and Popular Song. It's been a HUGE success so far - and really makes me miss teaching. We are having a lot of fun and working our butts off way too much on this thing. Igh... I'll write more on our program when I have the time and energy to do so.
I'm running again!!! Woo-hoo! Saturday's are our long days, and Adam and I made it up to 9 miles yesterday! Yay us! We ran all the way down Broadway (my street) to the river and the Longfellow Bridge, crossed over into Beacon Hill, ran up probably one of the steepest hills I've ever run up (almost puked at the top because by now we'd already run 5 miles - Adam kept saying "don't look at the top! don't look at the top!), then ran down Beacon Street past the Public Gardens, and all the Brownstones, to to Mass Ave., turned down Storrow drive along the river and made our way back to Harvard Square. I did fine until the last 1/2 mile when I suddenly became absolutely starving. Didn't y'all want to know the route?? :-P
Then I came home and made an omlet with turkey bacon, avocodo, and cottage cheese. mmmmmmm.....
One hour later, I was starving again.
What else is new? One more week until Spring Break. During spring break I will do all sorts of fun things like, work, practice, memorize, and run. Basically what I do now, except without the classes. Life will be easier for one week.
That's all for now!
So must keep this very short.
Let's see...
Michelle and Bree's and my Experiential Education Program project has been going very well. We have been placed as Artsts in Residence at the BAA, The Boston Arts Academy,(www.boston-arts-academy.org/Pages/index), and we are working with the freshman vocal music class on a program we have entitled Poetry, Art Song, and Popular Song. It's been a HUGE success so far - and really makes me miss teaching. We are having a lot of fun and working our butts off way too much on this thing. Igh... I'll write more on our program when I have the time and energy to do so.
I'm running again!!! Woo-hoo! Saturday's are our long days, and Adam and I made it up to 9 miles yesterday! Yay us! We ran all the way down Broadway (my street) to the river and the Longfellow Bridge, crossed over into Beacon Hill, ran up probably one of the steepest hills I've ever run up (almost puked at the top because by now we'd already run 5 miles - Adam kept saying "don't look at the top! don't look at the top!), then ran down Beacon Street past the Public Gardens, and all the Brownstones, to to Mass Ave., turned down Storrow drive along the river and made our way back to Harvard Square. I did fine until the last 1/2 mile when I suddenly became absolutely starving. Didn't y'all want to know the route?? :-P
Then I came home and made an omlet with turkey bacon, avocodo, and cottage cheese. mmmmmmm.....
One hour later, I was starving again.
What else is new? One more week until Spring Break. During spring break I will do all sorts of fun things like, work, practice, memorize, and run. Basically what I do now, except without the classes. Life will be easier for one week.
That's all for now!
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