My Blog

Wow, where do I start!?! These last couple months have been unbelievable, I love my job, my colleagues and my students. Everything has worked out so beautifully. We took our clarinet choir to Eastman to perform on Oct 14 which was also my birthday - then after there was much celebration with old and new friends.

Just last weekend we had an international conference at Crane which really came off well and left all of my students, colleagues and myself supercharged and really pumped up and motivated. Looks like some doors have been opened for me professionally that might not have been opened for another 5-10 years had I been anywhere else. I feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful career blooming. It is truly exciting.

Now I just want to play play play my clarinet. Have to set up some more recitals! I only have 3 so far this year, I think I need a few more…

So its the end of week 4 and things are going well but are sooooo busy! I love my job! I have incredibly dedicated students who really work hard and are showing so much improvement. Some have more work to do than others but I think I have succeeded in really inspiring them to listen more and have questions. Its really rewarding.

We’re doing a lot of exciting things this semester. We are taking the clarinet choir to perform at Eastman on October 14 (also my birthday!) and then 2 weeks after that we are hosting a single reed festival. Keeps me busy, once November rolls around I’ll really have some extra time - I’m sure I will fill it up though.

I spend a lot of time hanging out with colleagues who are really wonderful! The country up here is beautiful, I go running everyday along the river and the trees have been turning for about a month now, its just gorgeous. I will try to get some pictures and post them.

Its Friday! And I think I’m headed up to Montreal tomorrow to do some shopping and just simply check things out! Would you believe it is only a 2 hour drive!?! Pretty amazing! Ottawa is only 1 hour, Watertown about an hour. Syracuse is between 2 and 2 1/2, Rochester is 4 hours and NYC is about 6 pending on your speed.

Fall break is only 2 weeks away - haven’t decided, NYC, Rochester, Syracuse….depends but I want to get out of town because once fall break ends, October is going to fly!

Hope everyone is doing well!

So after travelling all over the Eastern/Southern US, I’m back in Potsdam and happy to not have any trips coming up for a while. It has been a wonderful summer but I don’t think I was ever in one place for more than 3 weeks. I spent early May in OK with my family, then went to Rochester, Cleveland, Potsdam all in the span of less than a week. Then I was back in Tulsa for a few more weeks before the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium in Norman. That was a fun week though, made some new friends, reconnected with some old ones, played a good concert and heard some wonderful performances. From there I drove back to Indiana for 3 weeks to teach at ARIA and pack up my life for the much anticipated MOVE.

After ARIA - I went back to Tulsa for a little over 2 weeks and spent some good time with the family, interned more with the Tulsa Symphony, played some hideous outdoor concerts (hideous because it was 105+ degrees out) and visited with friends. Then July 26, Dad and I packed in the car and drove from Tulsa to Cleveland in one day! I elected to take an alternative route of Highway 64 from St. Louis to Louisville so that I avoided Indianapolis and most of Indiana. We still spent about an hour driving through that state, but it was a part I didn’t know so that was ok. It took us near 18 hours but we did it. Then we spent the 27th with my aunt, uncle and Grandmother throwing a birthday party for Granny since she was 81. It was the walker brigade since she is in a nursing home and everyone is either in a wheelchair, on a scooter or using a walker. But the old folks had a great deal of fun and Granny was thrilled.

Then Dad and I headed onto Potsam on the 28th. We stopped in my favorite city of Rochester, just to get lunch at DiBella’s and stop at Wegmans for some non-perishables. We arrived in Potsdam early evening and met some of my colleagues for dinner which was very nice. After dinner, I dug into unpacking the kitchen. Over the next few days I got all but about 5 boxes (of 95) unpacked. Realized of course that the movers didn’t get my music stand but that I ended up with someone else’s wedding photos and scrapbook box. Ooops!!!! Couldn’t do anything about it too because on the 4th, we left for NYC!

That should be its own blog entry but I will try to sum up. Dad has never been to NYC before, so we arrive and drive to my friends house in Douglaston (Queens). They gave us a quick snack, we visited a bit then caught the LIRR into Penn Station where we of course hit Friday afternoon rush hour!!! Unreal! So we made our way through the crowds and to our hotel. Dad was exhausted though. My brother met us there after arriving in from his flight just a few minutes before we got there. Mom arrived later in the evening.

Aug. 3rd was my parents’ wedding anniversary and they had hoped for their 1st anniversary they would take a trip to NY. It took them 33 years but they did it! So my brother and I gave them a carriage ride through central park as our anniversary gift. This carriage ride followed a wonderful evening at Avery Fisher Hall seeing a concert at the Mostly Mozart Festival where we sat 6 feet behind the clarinets and horns. I could read Manasse’s music we were so close. It was the best place to sit and the cheapest seats in the house.

Sunday we took my folks to Chinatown and Little Italy to do some shopping, then rode the Staten Island Ferry round trip. We then jumped on the train out to Douglaston to have dinner with Jim and Eileen Cohn at their favorite Chinese Buffet. We came back and called it a night since we all had traveling to do the next day.

From NYC I took a flight down to Richmond where I hung out with friends for a day then Jared and I drove down to Atlanta for the ICA convention. I performed on the Saturday early morning recital, things went well and I got a lot of nice feedback. The conference was a lot of fun, I spent too much money as always but oh well, its all tax deductable. After Atlanta, I went back to Richmond for a couple of days and just unwound a bit. We sat by the pool, went to a movie, shopped and relaxed which was fun. Then I went back to NYC for 3 days and visited with many friends.

The craziest of all was Wednesday night the Cohns’ were going to see a musical off broadway but the show was sold out. So I met an old friend for dinner and then met up with the Cohns’ after the play. We were walking out to the street to leave and I was pointing out to Eileen that my friend Sylvia lives just 2 blocks up the street but she’s out of town when I hear someone say “Oh my god!” and we turn and there is Sylvia!!! She had just gotten back from the airport and was walking home! So I had a wonderful suprise of getting to have lunch with Sylvia on Thursday and then we went to the Off-broadway musical “Walmartopia” which Eileen and Jim had seen the night before. Thursday evening I met two old friends who are now living in New York and it was like old times. It was such a treat to catch up with them and we all hope to stay in better touch in the future.

So then Friday morning I got in the car and headed to Potsdam. I have to say it was a very pleasant drive…6 1/2 hours and the last 2 1/2 were especially gorgeous through Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and more. I definitely will bring anyone who visits down to Lake Placid - its just unbelievably gorgeous! This evening I had dinner with a colleague and his wife and then we played pool for 3+ hours and visited. Tomorrow I am going to dinner with a classmate from Eastman who I never met while I was there but she is a new adjunct faculty at Crane. I’m really looking forward to it.

This week is already filling up and then next week begins the semester! Unbelievable. I would like an extra week off but oh well, I might get too bored! That was my summer in a nutshell - not much relaxing but a lot of fun and good times with friends.

Its hard to believe but I am totally moved to Potsdam, everything except me. I will head up there in a couple weeks to unpack. The movers picked up all my things Monday from good old Muncie and today dropped everything off! How quick is that?! They gave me an estimate of 3-13 days from the time they picked everything up. But now its all done and I didn’t have to break my back like last year!

Now I’m just hanging out with family, enjoying a little down time and practicing for ICA. I’ve got a month until my 15 minute recital. I think I’ll be ok. I just have to keep playing daily.

Dad is going to do the road trip up to Potsdam with me and we are planning to go through St. Louis and then over to Louisville, KY. Then up to Cleveland where we will hang out with my Aunt and Uncle a day and see my grandmother.  Then Dad wants to go visit a place he lived when he was a kid - Bradford, PA so we will swing through there on the way up to Potsdam. Then after unpacking and getting settled in, a few days in New York City before going down to Atlanta for the ICA conference. Then following that a few days in Richmond, maybe a couple days in New York before driving back up to Potsdam.

That is August - then school starts on the 28th and I will be ridiculously busy until Thanksgiving…when I finally will have  a break. But I’m so excited about my new job, my new home and my new colleagues!

And if anyone wants to go hiking, kayaking, or once it gets snowy - come see me for some skiing or snow shoeing. I have a spare bedroom!

This week marks the end of my summer "vacation" although I have constantly been working, practicing, or doing something. I’ve had a few days to "veg out" but not many. I leave Tuesday for Norman and my recital at the Symposium is 9am Thursday (probably more like 9:30). Then I get to hang out and be a total clarinet nerd for the rest of the weekend.

Sunday I head back up to my most (not) favorite place on this earth. Muncie! Although it will be different, I will be teaching at an international camp for 3 weeks just coaching chamber music. Most days I won’t start teaching until 1pm so that is nice. I play on recitals on June 23 and 30th but just one piece each night. No biggie.

Outside numerous knitting projects, continuous goal of knocking off another 10-15 pounds and practicing, I’m not up to a lot. Just enjoying a slightly laid pack pace. I’m looking forward to my new job in the fall - just doing all I can to stay afloat financially until Oct. 1 when my first full paycheck will arrive. Unemployment may be a possibility in August.

Hope everyone is having a good summer!

Well, I spent the last two days stuffing 600 envelopes with the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra Brochure, pledge cards and solicitation letters. We did a mailing last Friday and yesterday got 2 pledge cards back with sizeable contributions…not bad!!! I am enjoying my internship and visiting with everyone in the office. We’re working hard to hunt down addresses of possible donors and working on marketing campaigns. The Educational programs are on the front burner as well. Its work but not too stressful.

Tomorrow I leave at 6am to fly up to Rochester. Then Mom and I will drive to Cleveland for the evening and spend Friday morning with my Grandmother. We will then return Friday evening hopefully in time for the pre-graduation reception. The official hooding is Saturday morning and then the Eastman Graduation on Sunday morning. Following Sunday’s graduation, I will drive up to Potsdam in time for the faculty BBQ Sunday evening. Then I will spend Monday and Tuesday looking for a place to live, I just hope I can find something in those 2 days.

Then Tuesday evening we will head back to Rochester, perhaps stop at a winery on the way. Mom and I fly out Wednesday afternoon so we will have the morning to hang out in Rochester a bit.

Hope to see some of you around this weekend!!!

I came back to Oklahoma for a while before my crazy summer starts. Just last weekend I played the Brahms Requiem with Tulsa Oratorio Chorus and musicians of the former Tulsa Philharmonic and the new Tulsa Symphony Orchestra. I’m hopeful that the Tulsa Symphony will be prosperous in the next year and grow into a leading organization in this state. However it is very sad that Tulsa has gone since 2002 without a full time professional orchestra. Many of the musicians have stayed here in hopes for a new orchestra and now it may be here. However, several are beginning to move on. The principal clarinetist and 2nd flutist will be leaving to take academic positions, the principal flutist and 2nd cellist will be leaving to freelance in the DC area and others already left a few years ago and/or have retrained to work in other fields.

It is really sad that a community that was once a huge supporter of the arts, has forgotten what its like to have outstanding quality organizations. There is another little what i call "pick up" orchestra here but the quality is embarassing and it is run by people with no artistic vision beyond their own egos.

After playing with these musicians all weekend, I see the quality that Tulsa has given up. These people have degrees from all of the major conservatories in this country and are fine musicians who could hold positions in any orchestra in the country. However, many have been here 15 or more years, and are now trying to get their audition chops back so they can earn a living. I would not be playing my clarinet - who knows what I would be doing, if those musicians had not been here and the orchestra hadn’t been such a wonderful organization.

But I guess all things change. It saddens me to see so many old friends leaving Tulsa because there is no full time orchestra anymore. It is really hitting the musical community hard, the quality of music in the schools is dropping because there aren’t any private teachers around to teach students. Therefore the school programs are on the decline, what is happening to the arts?

Ok - enough soapbox - I guess when you are gone from a place for 10 years, you figure it will be just as you left it. Unfortunately that isn’t the case here. I’m off to hear my dad’s school orchestra and jazz band concert.

Its down to the end of the semester. I only have one more week of "work" and then I’m off for the summer. I will still be working all summer but it will be all performing. Some teaching at a 3-week festival back here in good old Indy but that will be totally different than the school year. I’m really looking forward to it actually. Its been a good year all in all, the isolation in the midwest has been good in many ways. I’m going to be more appreciative of things in the future, like the lack of chain restaurants and going to restaurants and bars that are non-smoking. Amazing what you take for granted until you don’t have it or do.

I’m heading to Oklahoma for May and half of June to play a bunch of gigs and prepare for the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium, aka "Dorkfest". Then I will return to Indiana until July 9 which at that point I will head back to OK for some gigs. At the end of the month I will move to Potsdam just before heading to Atlanta for the International Clarinet Association conference. I will return to Potsdam around August 14 and begin to settle in for the semester which doesn’t even start until August 28! Talk about a LONG summer!!! I love it!

Now to make some long term life plans, like recital bookings, CD projects, articles to publish, master classes and recruiting trips, whew its going to get crazy fast! I’m looking forward to settling in a place, rolling up my sleeves and getting to work. I will finally have a "home base" and not be moving around every year.

Time to get back to packing up the extra bedroom. I figure if I start now, by July I’ll have less to do. Plus I’m bored to death and packing feels very clensing.

I got the offer today! As of August 2006 I will be the Assistant Professor of Clarinet at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. I can’t even express how excited I am to be moving back to NY state and to be given the opportunity to serve on the Crane faculty. I know it is a wonderful opportunity to work on the clarinet faculty there to build a strong and competative studio. I can’t wait! Now I just have to get through the summer! I have 2 conference recitals and a bunch of gigs to keep me busy so I think its going to be exciting!

I will be in Rochester for graduation in May so if you are walking - I’ll see you there!!! Needless to say this is a big weight off my shoulders and now I am just enjoying a little relaxation and family time and saving up some energy for all the travelling I will be doing this summer!

I hope everyone else is doing well! If you are ever up in the North Country don’t hesitate to contact me!

I just returned from what is termed the "North Country" or Northern New York, my interview was yesterday and it was intense. I feel fairly optimistic about it and that I did the best job I could have under the intense circumstances. It all depends on how the rapport was with the other candidate. I felt that I really connected with everyone on the committee, the students, the administration and I was so impressed by the program there. The students are so enthusiastic, inquisitive and ready to learn. It was really exciting. The faculty is very knowledgeable, kind and open and the town while small is very charming. I guess what will be will be, I had a nice visit up there and hope it works out. Otherwise - plan B, C, D…who knows.

For now - I’m exhausted, I think its sleepy time and I’m setting NO alarm tomorrow. I set it for 8:15 today and still woke up at 6:30.

GOOD NIGHT!!