Sunny Monday

Monday morning and spring break is over. This past weekend, other than the Warrior Dash, I was able to catch up with some of my favorite people. I am very glad I did that- it's nice to get outside of yourself and remember how much you love your friends and how much you want them to succeed. Phones are a wonderful way to catch up- but so is e-mail... and Facebook messaging. Without these things, it would be more difficult. Of course, if we didn't have these things, I don't think we would be 2000 miles away from many of our friends and family.

One of the conversations I had yesterday was with a friend from undergraduate who is finishing up his masters in music. It's the first time I felt on the same page as someone else who is in graduate school currently. I forget how really isolated I feel at my current program- for all the good things there are about small programs and about this school and teacher, I clearly don't belong with the undergraduates or the faculty. I also love having a life outside of school.

Speaking of which, I was so extremely productive yesterday. I studied some Rachmaninoff, did some research for my master thesis, practice my vocal pieces, practiced conducting (more on that in a moment), went over some choral music, and wrote out a great rehearsal for the women's chorus! I have a lot to get done today, too, but I feel confident that most of it will get done.

I was thrilled that I finally am getting a section to the point I want it to be at in Belshazzar's Feast. There are 12 measures that I have conducted hundreds of times. I haven't been able to decide how I want to conduct it, what I want to bring out, and it has been difficult to actually coordinate my hands and face so I can show everything. But last night I had a break through- I did it very close to the way I wanted to multiple times in a row. I don't consider it perfect, but I feel like I am finally on the right path with this passage.

I hope I get to conduct the Bach cantata next.