Dominican Republic Day 2

Our first full day...unreliable internet last night :/ Sorry for no pictures, they take forever to load. 

I'm about to make everyone living in the northern states a little jealous. I'm just sitting poolside, typing in the dark, a few of my new friends are close by, but I already went for a swim and it's time to blog. Today was incredible-the first time I saw my surroundings in the sun light..palm trees everywhere! I woke up early, and indulged in some fresh pineapple, watermelon, and papaya, as well as some potatoes cooked with onions and peppers. My roommate and I took a quick walk on the beach and then went for a dip in the pool, before heading upstairs to get ready for today's adventure.

We got to the school at 11, and met our students for the next week. I have 5 amazingly talented clarinetists-4 on Bb and 1 bass clarinet. If I didn't have a clarinetist who wasn't amazing at English I don't know what I would have done! I always knew I should have taken Spanish in high school instead of French! My limited vocabulary posed a little bit of an issue, but we were able to laugh about it. A fellow oboist had only one student today, because we were still waiting for our Haitian students to arrive tonight. She started speaking to the oboe player and he said “No English”...she responded “No Spanish” and they laughed...but it's amazing. I found that you can teach music without even speaking. By demonstrating on our own instruments, we found a new means of communication.

Here was my schedule:

11-12: meet and greet with our students, then finding out respective rooms for the coaching

12-1:00: auditioned them, handed out parts, warmed up and started playing the rep

1:00-2:00-lunch

2:00-3:45: clarinet sectionals lead by me, with the help of one other student who could speak English and translate for me

3:45-4:30: break, where I hung out with some friends in the shade of some trees while meeting a really nice Dominican girl who was helping out with MESDA, plus some snacks...papaya juice with these huge fried wonton-esque chicken filled snacks

4:30-7: more sectionals, including the oboe, at at 6 we joined with the flutes

7-9:30: ceremony

We all had a huge lunch together at the school, and went back to rehearsing. Lunch was salad with generous slices of avacado, rice, and beef cooked with peppers and onions...with some pineapple juice that was too sweet (probably because sugar cane is the most valuable crop here). For the last hour (out of 5), the clarinets, flutes, and oboes joined together to start learning one of the new pieces.

At the end of the day there was a huge outdoor ceremony complete with speeches, a small chamber piece, awards, a high school band playing their national anthem, dancers, singers, and even some fruit-filled punch at the end.

(It is here where I take a break from blogging to take one more swim...the bar at the hotel closes at 11, but apparently right outside they were selling more beer, so five of us split 2 more 40s while talking about Mahler in a pool in the Dominican Republic. Dude...life is so good)

We got back to the hotel at 10, and started eating dinner...then we were wired from dinner and a few of the girls decided to go swimming. There is nothing better than getting into a pool after being sweaty, hot, and clammy all day...plus our brains were mush from teaching all day.

I can't wait for tomorrow. We get out a little on the early side, so there will be time to not only teach, but relax. What a rewarding experience so far.  

Dominican Republic Day 1

At 5 in the morning, I stood outside waiting for the T, the cold winds showing no mercy whipping my hair in my face, winter jacket bundled up tight with a scarf up to my nose, hands in my jacket pockets, shivering. Currently, it is 11pm for me, as we are an hour ahead of the east coast. I'm sitting at the hotel's outside restaurant at a table, in a long white t-shirt with leggings and flip flops. It's hot and humid down here, and a bunch of us just went swimming in the chilled pool.

It was a 12 hour commute. We met at Logan Airport at 6:30am, and hopped on a flight at 8 down to Miami. A few hours later, we boarded a huge plane for a relatively short flight to Santo Domingo-which was uneventful except for the harsh landing...where a few compartments opened up, but nothing fell out thankfully. We got off the plane, and it was probably around 90 degrees and humid. I made sure to exchange my US money, and in return got about 2,000 pesos...how rich I feel right now. Then we boarded a bus for what was supposed to be a 3 hour bus ride, but turned out to be 5 hours. We shared it with some of the youth orchestra students, and towards the end they were getting a little rowdy. They started attempting to sing a Gregorian chant with all the harmonies, and ended with and interesting version of the Stars and Stripes Forever...I love traveling with musicians. We stopped at a rest stop where the bathrooms were terrifying, but necessary...but hey, if I can pee in a hole in China I can take on a Dominican bathroom. Too much information? At the rest stop, some alcoholic purchases were made and taken aboard the bus. Apparently, if you ask for a beer they don't bring you a puny little 12 oz bottle...they bring you a 40. And it's only about 3 US dollars.

Palm trees! The view from the bus ride

We got to the hotel, unpacked, changed into assorted summer outfits and went down to the covered, but outdoor restaurant/bar area. There was a buffet style dinner set up for us with salads, beef with onions and peppers, an unknown fish that was really, really good, potatoes, rice, and a dessert area.

Dinner

Dessert

The entrance to the elevators

After eating our fill (and waiting the obligatory 30 minutes), a few of us went swimming. The water was surprisingly cold, but after hours on planes, trains, and automobiles it was refreshing and rejuvenating. In the shallow end there are little bar stools so you can chill in the water while drinking...an excellent idea, but it made me wonder about the alcohol content of the pool water. The chilliness of the pool got to us after a while, and so did the little obnoxious mosquitos, so I went back up to the room to unpack. The rooms are amazing, and my roommate is a really sweet girl. There are two huge beds, and we have a balcony. Super nice. My only complaint is that the wifi doesn't work incredibly well up in the rooms, so I'm typing this outside at the restaurant that has long since been empty...but I'm hanging out and getting to know two of the girls who are on the trip as I type.

My room! 

Our balcony at night...I'll take one in the daylight tomorrow, but we have a great view of a palm tree. 

Tomorrow is the first day that we get to work with our students and I'm so excited. More tomorrow!

This Nomadic Life

Here we are. It's the eve of my departure from the United States to the Dominican Republic. I can't even begin to explain how excited I am...but this is how this weekend has gone, thus far:

This weekend was amazing. From Thanksgiving Eve (apparently the biggest drinking night of the year, over New Years) all the way until now has been utterly amazing and fun. I got to see some of my best friends, got to know some people who I haven't really been able to hang out with, and met lots of great, new friends. We went out on the town, chilled at friends' houses, and stayed up way past our bed times (and I apologize ahead of time for any spelling or grammatical errors...so tired right now).

Just one of the gems from this weekend's fun

Thanksgiving was great, got to see all my family and close family friends. My mom cooked up a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, complete with lots of turkey, butternut squash (basically dessert), stuffing, mashed potatoes, green been casserole with crispy onions, carrots, gravy, and of course biscuits. Not to mention the pre-dinner snacks: tortilla chips and mango salsa, crackers with cheese and chutney, and assorted nuts. And the pumpkin, apple, and lemon meringue pies. Oh, and the many glasses of wine, liquor, and cocktails that were poured (most notably, the amaretto sours). I was glad my family stayed for the football game, where the Pats totally crushed the Jets, while snacking on chips and onion dip and homemade chocolate peanut butter fudge.

So again, it is the eve of my Dominican Republic trip with MESDA. I've got my Jimmy Buffet pandora station to put me in the mood to pack and go somewhere tropical. I swear my packing skills could win awards. Now, I'm a pretty well seasoned traveler, but nothing too crazy. I don't have 40 stamps in my passport, actually, I probably don't even have 10...but I've been to some really sweet places. I've spent a few weeks during the summer in Canada at Domaine Forget twice in a row (packing bed sheets is always a hassle). I've played in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, as part of a Catholic mass (and I really should have left more room in my suitcase for the amazing leather jacket and assorted pastas and goodies I brought back). I've spent three weeks in China as part of an orchestra tour with Benjamin Zander's Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, but my mom helped me a lot for that trip. Oh, and then there was that time I lived in Austin, Texas for a month...but let's not get into that.  

Then there are the little trips I've been on...packing for auditions in Virginia, Ohio, Washington D.C., Arizona, and soon California. Not to mention all the vacations I've packed for. With each trip, no matter how big or small, I've adapted a very methodical approach to packing. 

I've already packed most of my things. Coming back from the weekend with my stomach full of turkey and pie and a little sleepy, I forgot I had to do laundry. And this was after I went out to dinner with some old friends from GBYSO. I've already packed what I could clothing wise (roughly 10 outfits for 7 days...and too many pairs of shoes), and it made me so happy to be packing flip flops and shorts! (and the obligatory concert attire). My backpack is pretty much packed with books I intend to read (in the little free time I'll have), a planner, and my passport and assorted liquids (in an accessible place)...not to mention my phone, computer, and kindle chargers. The stuff I'll need for tomorrow morning is out near my backpack so I'll remember to pack it. My outfit for tomorrow is laid out. My clarinet is all set with all the music I'll need, with plenty of room for my laptop. Yup...I'd say I've got this. 

I'll be updating my blog as much as possible (hopefully every day). This is my big challenge for November. I'll be working (and playing) extremely hard this week, because this is one of the first big teaching opportunities I've had so far in my career as a working clarinetist (Peter Hadcock reference anyone?). 

I will be sharing everything I know with my students, and I'm sure I'll be learning just as much, if not more. 

This is going to be an incredible experience. 

The U.S.S. Constitution

My posts have recently began with "On a sunny, beautiful (insert day of the week), I..." well, yesterday was sunny, beautiful and really freakin' cold! But it was still a great day to check out the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. Let's break that down.

Oldest: launched from a shipyard on Oct. 21, 1797 right across from where she is currently docked. 

Commissioned: Still sails on the sea as part of tours

Warship: Has seen battle, most notably the capture of HMS Guerriere in the War of 1812 *cue music*

afloat: this boat is not dry-docked, nor has it sunk. It is still afloat and maintained, crewed, and operated by the U.S. Navy. 

As my fellow curly brown-haired friend and I stood in a line waiting to board the USS, and older gentleman behind us struck up a conversation. I think he was wondering why two local little twenty-something girls were at the shipyard, surrounded by tourists and boy scouts. Well, we just like doing things like this! We're not exactly history buffs, but I have a great newfound pride when someone asks me a question about the history of Boston and I can actually answer it. 

After showing our fresh anchor stamps on our hand (after going through security) (I should also add that I was proudly sporting my anchor pendant on my necklace...however you couldn't see it due to my jacket and scarf being bundled all the way up), we were allowed up the ramp and onto the top deck. We learned that the spine of the boat is still the original oak, and it's one piece of oak too, meaning the tree they cut down to make it was over 100 years old! The hull is also made of Live Oak (found in the south), and was the reason she has the nick-name "Old Ironsides" (a story I will soon tell). She remains undefeated, 33-0...as our tour guide said "She's the only undefeated Boston sport's team!" 

She was given the nickname "Old Ironsides" during the war of 1812 which is a remarkable story. In order to free trade and sailors rights, America declared war on Great Britain. An enemy ship was spotted south of the Gulf of Lawrence, which turned out to be HMS Guerriere. HMS started firing cannons at the USS, but the cannon balls were falling short, and when the ships got closer, because the hull was made of such strong oak, the cannons did very little damage, making one sailor say "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!". The captain of the USS didn't tell the crew to fire until the boats were abreast, and only about 25 yards away, and then he commanded the crew to "pour into her!". The USS began to circle around, creating a T shape with the other boat, but then (awkwardly) got stuck on the HMS. As the USS pulled away, it tore down the entire length of the enemy's decks, cutting away most of the rigging. This forced the HMS to shoot a cannon in the opposite direction, signaling surrender. 

 There are a huge amount of pictures today for the simple reason that I love boats:

All the cannons have names written above them.  I believe this one is named "Victory or Death".
Each cannon was manned by 4-6 men, and having 30 something cannons on deck, and a whole bunch on the second deck, the boat needed at least 400 sailors. That's one crowded boat. 

This is a scuttlebutt. Also the term for "gossip". This is where sailors could come and get fresh water, much like the water cooler at the office. Men would come down with their friends while the other men aboard were busy rigging, and the captain's quarters being at the other end of the deck, they were able to talk about who did what and when. 

Little hammock beds. I can't imagine a night on the high seas in a swinging hammock. 

The very precarious and steep staircase down. I'm surprised there were some people who weren't afraid to go down. There was even an old Asian man with a cane who made it down. 

The USS constitution bell

The USS with a sunset and the city of her birthplace, beautiful Boston. 

The stern

As it turns out, catching the last tour of the day (at 3:30) has many upsides, despite the setting sun and dropping temperature. I overheard someone say something about a cannon, and when I asked a nearby seaman, he said to follow the fence to the back of the ship, where I could not only get a good picture, but a good view of the cannon being fired. I did attempt to take a video, but sadly it did not save. We were back there with a small group of people left over from the tour whose curiosity also took precedence over the temperature. The crew aboard did a 2 minute countdown, then one minute, then 30 seconds, and then there was a huge bang, complete with smoke, reverberation, and the startled screams of most of the girls. A lone trumpet sounded, and the boat closed for the day.

After the boat closed, we walked over to the USS Constitution Museum and were able to see most of the museum before they also closed. We even took a walk through the kid's exhibit and had a little fun there. I think a lot of people don't go to visit the USS because it's kind of a hike, and not really close to a T stop. We got off at the Haymarket stop on the Green Line, and my friend had never been, so we took a walk through the produce and loud-mouthed Italian families haggling over the price of squash. We then figured out we had to take the 93 bus, which was about a 10 minute bus ride over a bridge and down the highway...not really a place you would want to walk. We did have to wait a while for the bus back, but we were in a good part of town in a well lit area in front of a store (for the family members who read my blog). 

When all was said and done, we had a great time, and a little too much fresh air...the kind that really tires you out (I did take a little nap when I got home). Obviously, I recommend the USS to anyone, locals and travelers alike...the subway-to-bus-to-Navy-yard really isn't that complicated, and is totally worth it. 

Oh, and did I mention that the whole thing is free? (Suggested donation, of course)

The Musician's Diet

It looks like I've started a tradition to write about music every Thursday, and rightfully so. Thursdays are the weekly college card days...and what exactly is a college card you ask? Well, anyone with a valid college ID can get one for free...you go to the box office the week of the concert, and pick up your free ticket. Seats range from being in the very back of the hall under the balcony overhang, to way up in the nosebleed section of the second balcony, to the second row from the front, which is where our seats were:                   (and check out that organ!)

Our awesome seats at Symphony Hall

The symphony was spectacular...and it was my first time hearing everything on the program! Usually I go because "OMG they're playing (insert favorite badass symphony like Rite of Spring, Mahler 5, Tchaik 5, Bartok Concerto for Orchestra...the list goes on)". And it's healthy to get a dose of new music, because how would we ever expand our artistry? It's nice to hear great music, in fact, when I got to the concert, I truthfully didn't really know what was going to be on the program besides Sibelius 6, however like my boyfriend said on our way back "Does it really matter what they're playing? It's one of the top orchestras in the country, and we get to see it for free!" As a musician, it's so, so valuable to see concerts like these, and there's always something to learn, even if you know the music like the back of your hand.
 First we got a little taste of Sibelius with the talented Dawn Upshaw. Give a listen:

The piano!

Next, we were treated to two piano pieces. Kirill Gerstein, was the talented Russian soloist who was a treat to hear and see...being this close to the piano we could see every note he played, with super solid technique. The first piece was written by Thomas Adès, called In Seven Days, who also happened to be the conductor...which you don't see very often. I read in the program notes that it can also be performed with a film, which wasn't used, but I found a short excerpt of it on youtube, along with the composer and the film maker sharing their thoughts:

The pianist was also playing off of an ipad like gizmo, which was wireless and showed the music. It's typical that solo pianists play memorized, but since it was a very new piece, it's acceptable to use the music. From what I could see from my amazing seat, was that he had the entire score in front of him, with all the other parts so he could clearly see where he came in. But how does one turn the "page" in this scenario? Well, there was a little wireless foot pedal near the three pedals at the bottom of the piano, when it was time to turn the page, he would just hover his toe over the pedal, and push the button and the page would turn. This of course takes some coordination, but it's all part of practicing!
He then played the first piano concerto by Prokofiev (memorized), which is a mere movement long, but it is one loaded movement. The clip I found of the concerto is actually similar to what Gerstein would have seen in the Ades:

Fun, right? And then we heard Sibelius Symphony No. 6:

I think it's pretty clear that Sibelius loved the French Horn...good choice.
I don't know what was most interesting...watching the sweat beads roll down the conductor's face, watching the pianist's nimble fingers roll over the keys, or being so close that I could read the first violin part. Being a conductor is a lot harder than one would think. To the non-musician, he's just a guy with a fancy coat with tails waving his arms in front of a bunch of musicians...you would be wrong. One of my earliest childhood memories was watching my dad conduct his orchestra. In my little girl mind I thought all the music was coming from the baton he was holding, and that the orchestra was just there to help...of course soon enough I found out that was untrue.
The conductor needs to have the score basically memorized, every part and every note, and uses the music in front of him as a guide, or a road map. He needs to know where he wants the phrases to go ahead of time, where he wants to take time, and how to make the orchestra follow him. He needs to emote what the music should show on his face and through his motions. With his right hand he keeps the tempo, and with his left hand he cues, shapes, and phrases. He basically forms the music with his hands like clay, and the orchestra follows him by interpreting what they see. 

So close we could almost touch their shiny shoes!

After seeing this amazing concert and hearing some really amazing music (like you just have!...if you had the opportunity to click on my links :P) I feel...healthy. It's like going to the gym...for your ears! It's all the musical nutrition I was missing for the day. I got my vitamins of new music with In Seven Days and my Prokofiev anti-oxidants, and my Sibelius protein. 

It's the same way with practicing, you need three meals a day right? So, think about that while you're practicing:

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I think long tones! A great way to start an awesome practice session. 

Lunch is a smaller meal that you need to have in the middle of the day to sustain yourself, a re-fueling almost, which I like to think of as scale/arpeggio time!

Dinner is most often the largest most flavorful meal of the day, so I think of the pieces I need to practice the most...orchestral excerpts. I spend most of my time these days on excerpts, since that's what you need to audition for orchestras and bands and such.

Dessert? The fun things...repertoire! Sonatas, concertos, chamber music, playing in orchestra...all of thee above. 

So those are my musical thoughts of the evening. Hope you enjoyed the samples of music I left for you, and please feel free to comment! 

Museum of Fine Arts

On Monday, which happened to be a very sunny and beautiful Veteran's Day, I decided to give the Museum of Fine Arts a visit. The MFA has been a popular destination for locals and travelers alike, and an especially popular destination for myself. Previous exhibits I have attended: the Scaasi exhibit, an American couturier (what's not to love about Barbra Streisand and Mary Tyler Moore...and their clothes?), an exhibit called Black Ink, featuring contemporary Chinese ink painters, and most recently, the Mario Testino exhibit, a Peruvian fashion photographer, also employed by the British royal family. 

Mario Testino

His works vary from the familiar to the strange, always surprising and fresh. Now, it's almost impossible to talk about art and my favorite paintings without actually looking at them, so pardon the excessive amounts of pictures and information.*

I also found that it's almost impossible to do the whole MFA in one day, without a plan of execution. I should have mapped out where I wanted to go instead of heading off in whatever direction I felt necessary at the time. But, since I frequent the museum, I know the layout of the MFA pretty well, and I especially know the routes that I wanted to take to see my favorite paintings. So here we go, from Monet to Chihuly, from Turner to Testino, from the traditional to contemporary, and from the familiar to the unknown. Enjoy.  

We begin with Claude Monet, and a very famous work entitled Water Lilies. The MFA owns two paintings from Monet's original exhibit of forty-eight. The series depicts his water garden at Giverny. I love how reflective this work is, and the serenity that comes from the colors and calmness of the water. It's a painting I could get lost in for hours.

Water Lilies (1905) Claude Monet

One of my favorite paintings in the museum is called Dante and Virgil, by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot. I find this painting to be absolutely epic. It inspired me to buy a copy of Dante's Inferno, however the whereabouts of my copy have been narrowed down to "somewhere in Texas". Dante in this painting has just encountered a lion, a tiger, and a wolf (oh my!), and Virgil, an ancient poet (not a cowardly lion), offers to be his guide through Purgatory and Hell...now that's real friendship right there. On the little plaque of information found next to this painting, it says that Corot "rediscovered it in his studio many years later". How do you paint this, and then forget about it? He tried to sell it to the French state, however Quincy Adams Shaw, a Bostonian collector, bought it in 1875, and donated it to the MFA. You really have to see these paintings to believe them. This is another painting that I have stared at on countless occasions, and each time I notice something different. Luckily, any Boston college ID will get you in for the low, low price of $0. This museum tends to be a bit pricier for the non-college visitors, but let me tell you, the admission is totally worth it. Although I suggest you carry a map with you, or you can get very very lost. For instance, when my boyfriend and I tried to make a hasty exit, we completely failed at finding the way out. 

Let's move on to yet another awe-inspiring painting by John Martin, called Seventh Plague of Egypt (1823). As we already know, in the Bible, Moses calls down ten plagues before the pharaoh after he tried to ask him nicely to let his people go. This painting shows how Moses "stretched forward his rod toward heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire rained down onto the earth". The clouds, the light, the pyramids in the background, and the anguished Egyptians make this painting go to the top of my list...also a painting of epic proportions. 

Seventh Plague of Egypt 

Here's something I bet you didn't know. Vincent van Gogh, while in the south of France, painted a flowering hillside, however he soon found himself out of canvas. He took said painting of the wild vegetation and painted the Ravine over it! And just how do we know this? Well, the curators took an X-ray of the painting, only to find the original painting under layers of paint. I think I said the word "paint" way to much. But...fascinating, don't you think? It's like if Mozart ran out of manuscript paper, and erased the Gran Partita to write a divertimento. The horror. 

Ravine(1889), Vincent van Gogh

I am always fascinated by larger than life paintings. Not just the subject matter, but actually, the sheer size. If I were to attempt to make a painting like the one below, not only would it be terrible, but it would be incredibly disproportionate. One horse would be huge, the other would have a really small head, and the man would probably be wearing some more clothes...luckily he had that red cape! But how does one make any large painting...and murals? It blows my mind. This painting is aptly named Automedon with the Horses of Achilles (1868). This painting depicts a scene from Homer's Iliad. Although there is no description found near the artwork, these two horses are being lead into battle, and they know that it will cost their master, Achilles, his life. It's a foreshadowing of doom and disaster. 

Automedon with the Horses of Achilles 

Even now, I am still getting a sense for this contemporary painting by Suzan Frecon. Contemporary art has always been difficult for me, and probably the rest of the population. It's hard to know whether someone just splatted paint onto canvas, or whether it's actually a good piece of artwork. My boyfriend brought up a very good point: Paintings like this one remind me of minimalist music, some which I have grown to love and appreciate, and some which I really have a profound distaste for. Either way, artists, like composers, are "ahead" of their time, or as composer and flutist John Heiss says "Composers are the only ones with their time...everyone else is behind". This piece of art is a study of four colors (like how a piece of music can be a study of four notes, perhaps?), and the little plaque next to it suggests looking at it from different angles, and different distances, to get the full effect of how the colors play off each other, the sloping lines, the angles, the shine, and the shapes. It took a little while for me not to see a big blue egg being eaten by a big gray face, but after a while I started to get a feeling for it, an appreciation, if you will. I don't know if this will eventually become a masterpiece, but if you ever see a painting like this, give it a chance. You might be surprised by what you experience. 

Below is one of my favorite paintings at the MFA...well, actually all of these paintings are some of my favorites. When I look at a piece of art, I like to play "name the painting before looking at the title". The things that stand out right away are the colors and the ship in the background. A shipwreck, perhaps? A closer look would reveal hands sinking into the ocean with chains attached, piranhas, and blood. Not a very uplifting painting, but a profoundly powerful one. This painting is by Joseph Mallord William Turner, and is called Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On) (1840). It is based on a poem, which is based on the true story of the ship Zong. The story is way to depressing and wrong to put on my blog, but I invite you to google it, or ask Siri on your iPhone. The hot, violent colors really capture the horrifying events and "terrifying grandeur of nature".    

In order to end my adventure to the museum on a positive note, this piece is by one of my favorite living artists, Dale Chihuly (from Seattle!). This piece is called Seaform Set (1982), and is made from blown glass. The MFA had an incredible Chihuly exhibit a few years ago, and it was like walking through Wonderland...with huge, larger than life, ultra colorful, vibrant blown glass creations. 

And of course, the giant baby heads.

I hope you enjoyed my little tour of my favorite works, and I hope that you can visit the MFA soon for yourself. Everything is better in person. 

*The images are mine, just not the paintings, and most of the information you see on this blog comes from the little plaque located near the artwork - believe it or not, I don't know this information off the top of my head. 

The Boston Public Library

On a beautiful sunny Saturday morning in Boston, I hopped on the T and got off at the Copley stop on the green line. I was a few minutes early so I stood with the other 8 people waiting for the tour to begin. Our tour guide started the tour promptly at 11am. We began by walking through the Guastavino vaulted ceiling exhibit. Guastavino is the inventor of the vaulted ceiling, which can be found throughout the library in tons of different patterns and sizes. The exhibit had a model of how how the vaulted ceiling looks from the inside. There was a video playing on how they made the model, using plaster of Paris, tiles, and concrete. They placed a mirror under it, which is what you see from the ground below, looking up at a vaulted ceiling. Soon, we were standing in the stairway, looking up at the paintings that I have often looked at, but never knew about. On each side of the staircase there are three portraits. To the right, portraits symbolizing philosophy, astronomy, and history. And the left, portraits symbolizing different types of poetry. The staircase diverges into two staircases, leading to a hallway and the large Chavannes mural showing the nine Greek muses hailing the Genius of Enlightenment. The staircase is made of marble of Sienna, with a few landings made from an extremely rare marble that can only be found in Egypt. The lions are made of Sienna marble as well, but as you can tell from the picture, they are unpolished. Apparently the creator, Louis Saint-Gaudens had a bit of a drinking and procrastinating problem. He didn't leave the lions unpolished on purpose. There is a myth in the library that if you rub the lions' tail, you will be filled with knowledge. The traffic going up the left hand side is more than the right hand side, because the lion's butt is more polished (by human hands) on the left. Silly, I know. The lions are memorials for the second and twentieth Massachusetts infantry regiments from the Civil War. 

Vaulted Ceiling Exhibit 

We continued up the staircase and did a silent walk through of the huge study hall/reading room that's full of encyclopedias and research books. We then continued into the Abbey Room, named after the painted who did a series of murals entitled The Quest of the Holy Grail. I've included a picture of Sir Galahad being lead by a spirit to the Round Table after being knighted. The murals show the story from his birth to his knighthood, the adventure and temples he visited, the curses he lifted, the woman who he chose for his wife and then couldn't marry because he wouldn't be able to finish the quest, his journey by boat with the angel-his own heavenly GPS system, and finally the last mural is him holding the grail, surrounded by angels. It's a beautiful piece of artwork, and it's completely free to look at. 

Sir Galahad and the Knights of the Round Table 

We then went up to the third, and last floor to the Sargent Gallery, with his mural sequence entitled The Triumph of Religion (perhaps there's a one-month challenge in the title). The gallery is hugely powerful, colorful, and genius, linking spiritual and intellectual enlightenment. The mural is more of a study of religion than a devotion to religion. The artist didn't have any kids, but he did travel around with his niece. After she was killed in a bombing raid, he used her face at the face of Mary in the portrait where she is holding him after the crucifixion. The murals combine Christianity, Judaism, and even eastern religions. On one side, there is Moses with the Ten Commandments, above him is the Goddess of the Universe, and across the hall there is a portrayal of the cross. You have to see it to believe it, to take it all in. It's really quite amazing. 

Christianity 

Moses with the 10 Commandments 

After the tour I did have a book to pick up that was on hold, so I got to walk through the lovely courtyard. As the tour is free and a little over an hour long, I highly suggest this to anyone currently living in Boston, or visiting. As one who frequents the library, it was rewarding to finally learn about the art and architecture of the museum itself that I've seen so many times, but taken it for granted. Now I know. 

Today, Tchaikovsky, Trifinov

Yes, I know I've changed the look of my blog yet again. I think I'm going to start changing it every month...keep you on your toes :) I know it's not Thanksgiving festive...but for the last week of the month I'll be in the Dominican Republic, so I'm trying to be tropical, despite the recent Nor'easter.

So the last time I updated you on my new cell phone alarm system...the one where I have to solve numerous math puzzles in order for the alarm to shut off? Yeah about that. I set this morning's alarm to go off at a reasonable 8:00am. When it went off, in my sleep-induced fury, I turned the ringer of my phone off, effectively silencing the alarm. Freaky Alarm also keeps track of your sleep patterns, kind of creepy...like Santa. There's something called an "iWake coefficient graph", and today I got 0%. I think it's disappointed. I should just hire somebody to tickle me awake...but even then I think I would rather punch them out and go back to sleep than to actually wake up.

Today was still a productive day...not a whole lot of time wasted, I'm so proud of myself. I had a weird dream involving pet chickadees, robbers, Thayer Street (Providence), and almost getting run over by a crazy old man in a car (yes, apparently I stress out in my sleep too)...which I wrote down. Then I had my lesson, had a quick bite to eat on my way to studio class (which turned into a fraternity-esque bass clarinet party, if possible), then I got coffee with a friend, practiced scales, scales, and more scales, taught a lesson, and went to the BSO. When I got home I listened to the repertoire that I need to learn for my upcoming auditions, and now I'm catching up on blogging.

Totally found this online today. Brilliant. 

If you're reading this and thinking to yourself "Wow, I really don't care about what you did today"...that's fine. It's my blog. I'm just trying to be absolutely honest with myself and trying to find where I waste time, which is my first mission in being mindful. Meditation comes after.

I heard some really good music tonight. I want to share some with you.

Tonight's performance included Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto, played by Daniil Trifonov, who was very good...but Horowitz is kind of a big deal. During tonight's performance there were no flapping dickies, tuxedos with tails, or any other bugs bunny-esque wardrobe malfunctions...and there was a great Schumann encore, complete with two standing ovations. 

Now, after listening to that great music, one must compare and contrast recordings. For those of you who are familiar with Victor Borge, he adds a few hysterical notes...this one will be sure to make you at least giggle. 

And I can't end this post without mentioning the Prokofiev and how amazing the woodwinds (most notably the clarinets) (most notably the Eb clarinet) sounded. I'm thinking...Maazel and Cleveland. 

And for those of you winding down for the night, here is the encore that Trifonov played this evening. 

Sweet dreams everyone.

The Weather Outside is Frightful

I think nature is a little bit confused.

Last week we endured Super Storm Sandy. We had a few lovely days of sun and gorgeous weather...in fact just yesterday I was outside enjoying the day. It was slightly chilly, but it was one of those "it's not so bad in the sun" type deals. Currently, there are at least 2 to 4 inches of snow on the ground. What?!

It's a little early to have a Nor'easter in my opinion. For those of you not from the East Coast, a Nor'Easter (or, northeaster), is a macro-scale storm that moves along the East Coast and Atlantic Canada. Winds come from the northeast, hence the name. The cold air turned the freezing rain into snow flakes, and plenty of them.

Freezing rain

Facebook and Instagram are now littered with pictures from neighboring areas and states, with plenty of comments about the weather...practically drowning out everyone else's post-election statuses. That's the other thing...if I didn't have a TV, I would just have to look at facebook and follow everyones statuses to see how the candidates were doing. I'm proud to have voted, and I'm proud of who I voted for, and I'm proud to be an American. I know that lots of people aren't happy with the outcome, but you know what? The next four years will be really good for some people, and really bad for some people. Just like the previous four years, and the four years before that. Let's just be happy and thankful that we live in America, and let's be proud to be Americans. 

Snow!

Here is how this month's challenge has been: 

So far, my Living with Mindfulness is off to a good start. I hate my new alarm...in a good way. It goes off, and I have between one and five puzzles to solve. If I get an answer wrong I get a kind little message saying "You're still asleep aren't you?". If you love the snooze button too much, you should try out Freaky Alarm. If you set the alarm to "high priority" and you need to absolutely wake up, the alarm will sound and you will have 5 math/logic puzzles to solve. If you get one wrong, you have to start over...the whole time the alarm is ringing. It's obnoxious and infuriating, but it gets the job done. Of course, I set mine to low priority, and only had to answer two questions...and immediately almost fell back asleep...but I got up!

Today I did my homework and went to class, had a great lunch on campus, took a short trip to pick up our college card BSO tickets for tomorrow night (Tchaikovsky piano concerto and Prokofiev 5!!!), came back and took a much needed nap (which is justified because of how late I stayed up to watch Obama's speech), then I went back to school, had a chamber coaching, and practiced for an hour and a half. I came back home to find that my boyfriend had also been busy...our living room is all set up! 

Right now I'm just relaxing on the couch watching Princess Mononoke and munching on some Wheat Thins (a change from Funyons!). I wasted very little time today, and spent the majority of my day doing productive things. It's still going to be hard to wake up, but with a little effort, (and some work on my division/multiplication), I think I can really get into the habit of getting out of bed on the first try. Yay me. 

Good movie for fans of Kiki's Delivery Service and Howl's Moving Castle :) 

Boston...at Night

Dear Blog Followers, 

By the time you read this, the president for the next four years will be decided upon! 

Happy Election Day!!

I was unable to update my Facebook status today to "I voted!" because I sent my absentee ballot in weeks ago. 

I am so sorry I haven't posted a blog in a while...a slew of amazing things happen to me, and I am about to share them all with you! Ready, set, go. 

After surviving Super Storm Sandy, carving pumpkins, baking a cake, and making mulled cider, it was time to go OUT! Just in time for Halloween. My plans to be Cat Woman were curbed when I realized the weather was probably going to be terrible...so I never got a costume. But that's okay, because Halloween night was spectacular. 

I've spent plenty of time during the month of October doing touristy things and exploring Boston during the day...but what happens to the city when the sun goes down (pre-daylight savings time)? Remember the reflection pool and the Christian Science Center? I think the reflection pool becomes even more reflective at night, as you can see. The darkness, the quieting down of the city, and the lights being mirrored back are mesmerizing. 

Squrepusher

So what did a twenty something college girl do to celebrate All Hallows' Eve? She spent it with her other short, cute, brown curly haired friend surrounded by lights, sound, and life. We ventured into Royale Boston, an awesome night club where we have previously seen Booka Shade, and Ferry Corsten (if you don't know those names...get 'em up on YouTube pronto!). We saw Squarepusher and out senses were bombarded with rhythm, frequencies, and lights that were an epileptic's worst nightmare. Even though it was all electronic, he eventually busted out a six string bass guitar, and played a wicked chill set of songs. It was an incredible, exhausting, sensory overload of a night. 

Now, most of the tourism happens downtown in the theatre and harbor districts, because that is where the history is. Rarely does anything historic or groundbreaking happen in Allston, and rarely does that happens only three blocks away. 

Well, 1325 Commonwealth Avenue, a mere seven minute walk from my current front door, just became the official home of the band Aerosmith. I was returning back from Rhode Island on a train, and my mom sent me a text asking if I lived near the area, and that the T would be down. Because they were giving a FREE CONCERT. It's not every day you see Steven Tyler and the band Aerosmith drive by in a Duck Boat! The woman who currently lives in their first apartment had her window open and was able to watch the concert from her living room. The band even turned to her asked "Hey...what are you doing in our living room?" Apparently, back in the day, that very same apartment housed six band members, and songs like Walk the Dog and Mama Kin were written in the window of that very same apartment. The building now has a plaque, stating that it's the official home of Aerosmith, and the handprints of the band members are now in the concrete sidewalk, in a very Hollywood-esque fashion. 

Aerosmith in a Duck Boat...how Bostonian. 

The band in the truck that they were performing out of. 

So in one of my last posts, I decided that I was going to combine October and November challenges. I am still going to explore Boston and do all the things I've been craving to do. Things to look forward to are:

-Visiting the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum.

-A tour of South Station, as well as the Copley Library and possibly Fenway (if the season permits)

-A walk along the entire Freedom Trail, complete with Mike's Pastry 

-lunch and/or dinner at Quincy Market

-explorations of the State House, U.S.S. Constitution, and more! 

I am also planning on leading a more mindful existence. This means waking up the first time the alarm goes off -  a problem I faced last month. Well, I think I finally found a solution. Tonight I am going to purchase an app in which you have to solve a simple math problem, or puzzle in order for the ringer to turn off. You can apparently set the difficulty level...and if it's math, then it will have to be very simple. I don't want to have to wake up my boyfriend to ask him what 12 X 17 is, but then again, if the ringer is going off while I'm trying to figure it out, he'll be awake too. 

This challenge is going to force me to make note of how much time I waste, and will hopefully get me into more of a routine of going to the gym, practicing, and getting things done. I also want to be aware of what's going on when I sleep...so I'm going to start keeping track of my dreams...something I used to do, but haven't in a while. I found that when I wrote down my dreams in the past, I could not only haphazardly interpret them, but after a while I was able to control my dreams. That is fun. 

One more thing, and I'll let you be. There is a big reason why I didn't start a huge challenge that required me to do something new. I didn't want to start something that would require lessons, or lots of practice. I can't choose this month to knit, and I can't choose this month to alter anything in my diet. This is because I'm leaving the country. I am going to the Dominican Republic for the last week of November! In a way, this is going to be the main challenge of November, but I wanted to work on being mindful for a long time, and figured I could at least start paying attention to how I spend my days in preparation to getting the absolute most out of the Dominican Republic. 

I am traveling down to the D.R. with fellow students and colleagues to work with the Music Education for Social Development Agency (MESDA). We are going to be coaching, teaching, and performing with the Bi-National Youth Orchestra in Barahona. More on that to come!