Sweet Summertime

This summer has been most excellent in many ways.

1. I have adored spending time with my family.  I have always had such a good relationship with my little brothers, and being away at school did nothing to diminish our bond.  They were happy to see me, and we have had wonderful adventures together this summer.  They are both taller than me now!  This is something of an adjustment - but I will always be the oldest.

2. It has been nice to stop and rest a bit.  The school year was absolutely crazy!  I have enjoyed having a little time to myself.

3.  Credo.  I absolutely love my camp, and this year I was old enough to be a counselor!  I was able to work more closely with the Peter and Vicky Slowik because of my counselor status, and I learned invaluable lessons in logistics, planning, people skills, and compassion.  I was also blessed to be part of an excellent quartet at Credo, playing Mendelssohn's Eb Major quartet.  We named ourselves "Aestas," which means "summer" in Latin.  Appropriate, yes?  We played beautifully together.

The other counselors were all excellent musicians, and I was fortunate to spend such quality time with them.  We are the future of classical music, and I am sure we will all be in close touch throughout the years.  The contacts we make now will stay with us and be useful forever.

 I was blessed by my two chamber coaches, Dr. Stephen Clapp (dean emeritus of Juilliard), and Anne Martindale Williams (principal cellist of the Pittsburg Symphony).  They were both encouraging and helpful.  I also had lessons with Mrs. Williams, and with Bryan Dumm (cellist in the Cleveland Orchestra).  I worked with Stuart Pincomb, a baroque cellist, and had a chamber masterclass with Marilyn Macdonald (violin professor at Oberlin Conservatory).  Everyone was kind, professional, and extremely helpful.  It was an incredible experience.

All the kids were precious, as well!  They were extremely well behaved, which was great for the stress level of the counselors!  I enjoyed working with them, and they became dear friends.

The camp ended with a stunning performance of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony in Severance Hall.  I fell in love with that hall!  It was so amazing to play such a beautiful symphony with dear friends in such a phenomenal concert hall.

So, if any of you are interested in a chamber-intensive camp that focuses on Developing the gift, Acknowledging the Source, and Responding in service, Credo is the best place in the entire world!

Semester 2

How can finals week be so quickly approaching?  Where on earth did my second semester go?  It is terribly true: time flies when you are having fun.

Fun is the only way I can describe this semester.  No- no, I can describe it.  Exciting, exhausting, exhilarating, incredible, excellent, unexpectedly glorious.  Beautiful in every sense of the word.  My friendships have grown, bonds have been strengthened.  I will be friends with these people the rest of my life, God-willing.  My progress as a cellist has been very good, very steady.  I am pleased, all things considered.  I am a much better musician than when I left home last fall, even than when I came back this Spring.  I perform with less nervousness.  That is such a blessing!

This week I will perform Samuel Zyman's "Suite for Two Cellos"  (movement 1) with my fellow freshman cellist Nathan Barber.  It is a gorgeous piece, and I am looking forward to the experience.  It is such a new piece that few people have heard it; definitely a premier, as far as our own college is concerned.

What else can I say?  As much as I love to write, I cannot convey all the beauty, all the joy, all the wonder of this time I have spent here thus far.  I do not want it to end.  I cannot wait for sophomore year!  Until then, I shall study for finals, enjoy these last few weeks with this new Wheaton family, and prepare myself for summer and all the great experiences it holds for me.  Credo counseling!  I am thrilled.  My music is my life, and I am grateful to be in a place that allows me to revel in it!  Credo will allow me to continue my musical (and spiritual) growth throughout the summer.

I am so thankful to get to spend time with my family!  That is my summer joy.

Back to Wheaton!

Suitcase?  Packed and lying in wait beside my bed.  Bow?  Music?  In case and backpack, respectively.  Laptop?  Ah, yes.  In my lap, but soon it will be in said backpack.  It is the only thing that remains, actually.  I am ready to go back.

Most of my friends are already back in dear Fischer, but my plane leaves tomorrow morning, bright and early!  I had one last beautiful night with my family, eating delicious food, cooking daring new desserts, playing music, and watching movies.  I will miss them.  I will miss this home.

This break has been so eventful!  I played a wedding fit for a queen, my secondary cello exploded (never fear - my luthier is a miracle worker).  We went on a road trip to Atlanta to visit my grandparents (it was so much fun!)  I attended my old church; I saw so many people that I have not seen in ages!  The general consensus amongst them is that I have not gained the freshman fifteen and I must have been fairly successful at school.  Little do they know.  (I shall refrain from inserting a smiley face here.)

And now a new semester begins.  Who knows what it will bring?  All I know is that tomorrow cannot arrive soon enough.  I miss my Wheaton family so much!  Seeing them again will be absolutely wonderful.  I hope they are all prepared for giant hugs.  

One more night, beloved Wheaton, and I will be home.