time

i've been meaning to send out an update for quite some time now - although honestly, it's probably not as long as i think considering i feel like i've been gone from mexico for an enormous amount of time.  it's only been two weeks.  crazy.

yesterday was my first day off since i got here (except for July 4th, but i'm not counting that since it was a holiday!!) and all i had today was a lesson followed by going to hear the festival orchestra play mahler 1 - which i might add was momentarily interrupted by a fire alarm and evacuation of the music tent.  luckily there was no fire (perhaps a stagehand burned his toast??) and the concert resumed for all to enjoy!

this week for me includes dress rehearsals and performances of magic flute, which i'm rather excited about - i've never played a mozart opera before!!  and next week i'm playing principal on scheherazade!!  i've never played it before and to say that i'm excited is an extreme understatement!!  it's going to be tons of fun!  and also keep me very busy.

which is why i decided to write now - as i sit on my porch, listening to the rain, drinking beer, and watching the sunset.

admittedly, my last few weeks in culiacan i was a bit concerned about my decision to go to aspen, because it meant ZERO downtime.  i was worried that i would get here and crave time off and want nothing more than a chunk of time that i could forget about the bassoon.  lucky for me, just the opposite happened.  i've been extremely motivated to play and quite eager to soak up all the music i can!!  it's actually made me think about if i had not decided to come - i know that right now i'd be feeling guilty for not having touched the bassoon once since leaving mexico and having very little motivation to do so.  i sure am glad i decided to come, i cannot think of a better way to spend my summer!!

last year i came here during, what i think, was probably the highest point in my playing.  my life, however, felt like (translation: WAS) one big hot mess.  it's funny to think/realize how much things can change in a year.  right now i feel like my life is in a pretty good place but my bassoon playing is leaving A LOT to be desired.  i'm hoping that i can sort all my bassoon dilemmas out and leave here feeling like i can conquer the world.  (who doesn't want to conquer the world with a bassoon??)

that being said, i'm never going to get any better if i sit on the porch drinking beer all night, so i'm going to head inside to practice!

wishing you all a happy week!!!