Sometimes I worry I go overboard trying to make concerts happen. But I love playing, and in today’s freelance world, you gotta be your own manager, booker, agent, etc. So that means working hard to book concerts, promoting them, not making much money, but having a great time while tearing your hair out with stress. Oh, and somewhere in there, you practice and rehearse in the midst of it all. Beats working 9-5 in a dark cubicle somewhere, or at least, that’s what I tell myself.

We had our last quartet concert of the season the other week. My friend April (who has since moved away, NOOOOOOOOO) took some pictures of me. Evidently I play despite having a broken neck.

We had a nice crowd and enjoyed the concert immensely. I attempted to bake a gluten free treat (Eliana, our violist, can’t eat gluten) and it was somewhat tasty even though it fell apart. I guess gluten free baking is HARD. After the show a few of us went to Schlafly Bottleworks for more food than we had at the reception. It was a nice night!

(We played Haydn “Joke” Quartet and Ravel’s Quartet.)

(I had a really hard time typing the quotations. Not sure what that means.)

Anyway, then Louie and I headed out of town camping. I think I’ll focus today’s blog post on concerts though, since I hear blog posts should have topics. Today’s topic: how I look when playing. (Spoiler alert, great hair, weird neck angles.)

Louie took some pictures of Amy and I rehearsing for tonight’s House Concert. (If you look carefully you can see him as well. )This I also where I teach, so there’s a small keyboard, a dog, and off to the side, more music than anyone should own, all as disorganized as possible after a few years of working nonstop, or at least, a few years of working OR being out of town getting attacked by bears in Colorado. I plan to try to organize my music a bit this summer—it’s past time, and the house needs help too.

Help.

Anyway! After tonight’s concert, I have no serious chamber music concerts on the schedule for months. There’s a few more on my flute trio’s retirement community series, but those are repeats. We’re recording saxophone and string quartet music, but the concert isn’t on the calendar, so I can say what I said. I plan to relax more, organize, and spend some quality time with Piazzolla’s the Four Seasons for November’s performance. I also plan to work out more often, ride my bike more, and try to actually relax. I’d love to be able to sleep past 8 am as well. It’s been a stressful year, but there isn’t much I’d change, so that either means I’m a sucker for punishment or I’m doing okay! Or that I’ve forgotten what happiness is? (Just kidding, I’m mostly thinking of our political situation.) I also have a list of grand ideas, such as starting a chamber music series, but I’m probably too tired and busy for that. Aren’t we all? Are you even still reading this post?