the final stretch!

Hello everyone,

Sorry for the absence,,, I just finished my recital preview this morning, and let's just say that I've had, and will have, no life until my recital is over.  Actually, no,,, until everything else is over... but let's not think about that right now...

Though the preview was a bit rough around the edges, I passed!  In case you don't know what a recital preview entails, you basically run through your recital program for the panel (in my case Mr. Lin, and Mr. Kantor), and they decide if you are ready to give the recital or not.  Scary and really stressful because that means you have to have your recital ready to go at an earlier date, but in the end, a very useful and helpful practice!  Now, I have a week and a half until November 2nd to really polish the pieces I'm playing!  oh, and breathe... and chill...  haha both Mr. Lin and Mr. Kantor told me that I need to relax after the preview today. =p

So this is the final stretch until the recital on November 2nd at 3 pm!  If you are in the Houston area, you are all invited!  Would love to see you there.  It will be an intense recital of Bach g minor Sonata, Struass Sonata, and Ravel Tzigane!  =)

Then, later that evening, at 8 pm, the Shepherd Symphony is giving a concert of Dvorak 7th Symphony and Hindemith Mathis der Maler, and yes, I am playing in this one too.

Then, the next day we start rehearing Golijov's Last Round for Mr. Lin's recital which is happening that Wednesday!  And I'm so sooo excited to be performing with Mr. Lin!   =D =D =D!!  what! so stoked for this concert!

Then, we have the chamber marathon in which I'm playing the Beethoven Trio Op. 70 No. 2.

 *excuse me while I go hyperventilate a little bit about the sheer amount of music I need to learn*

BUT THEN!!! I GET TO GO TO CLEVELAND!!!  to see my MEADOWLARKS!!!

It's going to be such a hurricane of performances and activities and then BAM. chill time. at least for a weekend.  I can't wait! =)

In the meantime, I've been having cravings for anything munchy or greasy. For example, last weekend, I just really really wanted a burger!  yup, I do believe it's the stress-eating syndrome kicking in.  I'm the worst about chowing down my stress..  haha

but hey, this burger was pretty darn tasty, and sometimes, you just really crave a good, juicy burger, ya know?  no harm done, I'll probably feel the intense desire to detox and go all vegetarian as soon as I can breathe again, but until then, bring on the munchies!

I hope you are all having a wonderful week so far!

--Janny

Start of... 18th Grade!!

Hello everyone!

Today was our first day of school here at Rice University!!  my 18th first day of school!!

Even though I was excited about starting this school year, I must say how I greet first day of school has changed dramatically from all other years.   I'm not sure what caused it to be so different, but this year, there was none of the I'm-so-excited-for-school nerdy purchases of new notebooks or 3 ring binders, no new purchases of clothes... 

no skipping along and going around the school taking photos like we did last year...

You know, maybe I've just grown up.. *gasp!*   nooooooo!!

naw... no, it's not that I'm grown up..  no way.  I refuse to believe it.

I think it's more that my roomy was gone for the day auditioning so I had to get ready for school all by my lonesome.  After all, once I got to school and got to see everyone, I was definitely more excited  =)

another reason for the damper on the excitement might have something to do with the fact that this year is audition year!!!  AAHHHH  I feel like I just I mean just  applied to Rice (because I did..  2 year programs are so short!) and now I'm preparing for yet another round of auditions!  ugh.  

Of course, applying to any sort of a program is stressful, but for me, applying for a music degree is especially stressful because not only do you need to fill out an application, write essays, and have good grades and what not, but also, you need to have (usually) 2 rounds of auditions!  For one of the programs, I have to record about 2 hours worth of music for the preliminary round.  That's just to see if they feel like inviting you to do the real audition!  That's so much work just to get an invitation!!!

Oh man oh man.  Sorry for the rant.  I'm just quite stressed out about this year because, man, doctoral application/audition is SOO much more intense than the Master's one that I just went through!  AND the fact that I just went through it adds to my need to rant.

Anyway, despite all of this, I am actually quite excited for this school year.  just minus the audition part.  =)

Thanks for sitting through my rant, hopefully I'll learn to deal with the stressfullness of the audition year a bit better as the inevitability of it sinks in..

Hope all of you had a wonderful Monday!

--Janny