|
| A BIRD and A BLENDER
So, I was teaching a Master Class yesterday. On the 'hotseat' was James, 10 years old.
He was concentrating very hard on developing his dynamics and vibrato more fully for his performance as the Opener for the upcoming concert with GFA Winner Marcin Dylla.
Then, a bird flew through the room. A cute, little sparrow...The door had been propped open and somehow it had found it's way in...and all of the adults (except maybe three - me, James' mom and one other guy who realized that 7 adults vs. one sparrow was probably enough) mobilized to help it find the way out again.
Meanwhile, James is concentrating as though nothing special is going on. The bird is dipping and swooping with the gallery of Parents and Teachers close behind waving arms and notebooks, attempting to guide it back to the door or through an open window. It was noisy. And a little chaotic. In a crazy way.
Kudos to James who didn't miss a beat - as the saying goes - but kept right on going to a good performance on the piece.
Then today there was the Blender. Yes, well, at breakfast one of the young ladies here was making a smoothie. I never saw this technique before:
Fill the blender up really full.
Turn it on and stand there for two or more minutes while it runs. Just stand there.
If you let it run long enough, it will make it really smooth like a milkshake....
(WHAT, you mean it won't???)
Put more stuff in. Better let it run some more. A good, long while. Stand there while this happens.
WOW!!! WHAT A LOT OF NOISE!! Something like a lawnmower at your breakfast table.
The usual blender protocols were not in use (maybe the book was lost or she just was never shown how efficiently they work when only half full, stirred often and the PULSE button is used!)
| | |
| ALEXANDRIA GUITAR FESTIVAL '08Suzuki Institute - Going strong this year...with Book 1 Teacher Training and a full-blown student contingent.
Tomorrow the Guitar Festival begins. That's when it really gets fun!!!
My Solo Recital is tomorrow at 1pm.
Old Presbyterian Meeting House
321 S. Fairfax St. (between Duke and Wolfe Streets)
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
In the Sanctuary where George Washington once sat...
I will play some solo tunes and then jazz duos w/Special Guest Star Roger Taylor of the Arlington Suzuki Guitar Studio
This year it should be interesting since it all came together kind of late.
My dad is sick with a bad cold/cough/maybe pneumonia. No one from my family will attend. It stinks...I'm sad about it.
I hate that he is so miserable AND I hate that no one will be in my cheering section. I know he would like to be...
| | |
| DRIVE FLY WAIT FLY RUN FLYThere ya go. Four trips - beginning at 7am with a two hour ground shuttle to the airport, flights from Winnipeg to Minneapolis, Minneapolis to Cleveland and Cleveland to Washington.
WAIT came between MSP to Cleveland...RUN to the Washington connection. The flight landed in Cleveland at the same time the DC flight was boarding. Hence, the RUN!!
Long day.
The good news is I am back in Alexandria and I love that. | | |
| BRANDON FAREWELL
Next year this Institute will not offer guitar.
Sad! It's gotta be the nicest place... great people to work with. Paulette and Ivan at Casa Maley are gracious and accommodating hosts.
I'll sure miss everyone!
On Facebook my Houston Friend network totals 11 people. If you combine Winnipeg and Brandon, it also equals 11 people. Isn't that interesting? Close-knit community. I'm happy to have been a part of it.
| | |
| AWESOME...This photo just doesn't bring it home....
It was the brightest double rainbow I've seen
The picture is a composite of two. I sorta pasted them together on the Mac desktop and did a screen capture. Nothing fancy....
I guess you just had to be there to fully appreciate it.
| | |
|
