We're already on day three, but I've only just found half a second to stop and update everyone. This breeze of a school year? Yeah...ha ha.
I was really excited to get my job at Starbucks last spring, seeing as it's a chance to have a job I can hold onto outside of school, and maybe even transfer to a new location when I go to grad school. I held 20-30 hours all summer, and finally got enough hours to qualify for benefits. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), I got promoted at my school job, and now will be working 15 hours a week. Now, I know working full-time while doing full-time school has been done before, but I'm pretty sure I'm not the one to try it. On the upside, all three jobs at school that get me up to that 15 hours are jobs I enjoy. I was just the band librarian, but I have now been promoted to Instrumental Librarian, which means I take care of both band and orchestra. In many ways, this is great. We're completely re-organizing the library, and now I can take complete control without worrying about stepping on another librarian's toes. Unfortunately, it also means I'm responsible for the ENTIRE library. I'm also LA Coordinator for our new Aural Skills program, which means I'm in charge of the LAs (Learning Assistants) who work with small groups of freshmen on their aural skills twice a week. With a huge incoming class (there are 66 freshman in first year aural skills!), this means that I'm now in charge of 16 main LAs and 2 substitutes, 7 more people than last year. Oh, and my last job? That's the best one...I'm a practice room monitor on Saturday afternoons. Who could turn down an opportunity to get paid to practice? (Well, and also keep the practice rooms clean and fairly secure) However, with everything there is to do getting the ensembles set up for the school year, I'm left on the edge of being overwhelmed with how much there is to do. It's still manageable, especially considering I have almost the whole day to work on it on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but it's still pretty daunting.
On the more exciting end of things, I came back from New York on a big high. I've settled down into school some, but I'm still pretty excited about horn and grad school. This next month will be lots of hard work getting ready for my pre-audition for Eastman School of Music (which I just found out I should have ready by November 1st, instead of by the December 1st deadline like I had originally thought). Fortunately it's just about the same material I had ready for my lessons last week, so just more work on the same stuff. I'm really excited to get this done, but it's also super intimidating. There's part of me (somewhere in the back of my head) that wonders what's going to happen if I don't get past the pre-audition. I can't afford to think that way, but sometimes the thoughts still creep in.
Practicing is going well, even with all the work that needs to be done. I've pretty much maintained being "jet lagged" so that I can get up really early without too much trouble. Considering I have to wake up at 4 or 5 for Starbucks, it's actually a lot easier just consistently waking up early rather than constantly switching my sleep schedule around. It's also wonderful to practice early enough in the morning that no one else is there. 7 am is a quiet time in Crawford! My goal is to keep my face up in really good condition, putting in 3 hours of practice a day, maybe even 4 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
I also got to talk to my awesome friend Curtis, who's a professional photographer, about getting some really high quality head shots, since those are going to be more necessary as I keep going in this. Plus, who wouldn't want some really good pictures of them all dressed up with their instrument? Hopefully I'll be able to use them for my senior recital posters in the spring too.
Basically, the last three days have been a continual thought process about either two things: work or horn. Not a bad combination, but I am excited for Friday night when I get to finally hang out with friends! Here's to pretending to have a social life!
Allie
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
NY Trip: Day Five
This definitely will be one of my shorter posts, but it definitely was an interesting day.
Having stayed up til 2 AM the night before, I made the executive decision to sleep in until 10 the next morning (not that it worked. I'm too much of a morning person). Once I was up and moving, I went into the practice rooms and had a nice long warm up. I was lucky enough to get a room with a window, and since it was open, I could hear dozens of other people practicing. It was actually pretty cool to feel like I was joining in this great cacophony of sound, no one more important than anyone else, and no one really listening to the others as they concentrated on their own improvement.
After Billy got done with his Italian test (which I quizzed him on the night before...turns out I speak decent Italian thanks to my five years of Spanish!), we went and got lunch. Another horn player, Abby, joined us, and she asked how my lesson with PK had gone (which I thought was cool. Lots of people asked how it went, what I played, etc.).
After lunch was probably the highlight of my day: visiting the Eastman bookstore. It's like a normal university bookstore, but with study scores and method books and manuscript paper. I was in heaven. I also couldn't help but splurge on three new horn method books that I've been needing/wanting for a while. I didn't get to stay long however, because I had a very brief window of time before Caitlin and Billy had rehearsal and I had to grab my stuff out of Caitlin's room.
I ended up catching a taxi to the Amtrak station, and got there about 45 minutes before my train. The schedule said that I'd get on at 2:33 pm and get to Penn Station by 9:45 pm. But, of course, not all travels can go smoothly.
Somewhere out past Syracuse, we hit some construction and were stuck moving very slowly behind another train for almost an hour (we actually came to a complete stop for around 15 minutes). I began to panic a little as I had been burning through all the classical music on my iPod. On the upside, however, NY State is really a beautiful place. It reminded me a lot of Washington, but with no mountains, and very few (if any?) evergreens. I ended up getting into Penn Station somewhere around 11:45 pm (a 10 hour train ride...don't sign me up again for a while), having spent the last couple hours seeing how many Beethoven symphonies I could listen to. I ended up listening to 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7. Perhaps today on my flight home I'll get to the last 4 of them.
My hostel last night was a very different experience than the earlier one. I ended up in a mixed gender room, full of adults (rather than the last hostel which mostly had people my age). I also got to experience the awkwardness of overhearing someone masturbate as I was going to sleep. So awkward, and yet I had to laugh at the ridiculous situation. What is a trip without some good stories to tell?
It's almost time for me to check out of my hostel and head out to the airport. I've truly loved this whole experience, long train rides and awkward roommates included. I've found a school that felt like home, teachers who were (and are!) fantastic, and a great goal to strive towards for the next few months. Plus, apparently my entire music department is waiting on the edge of its collective seat to hear about this trip. I never thought traveling would make me a sensation, but it has made me really feel like a new person. I'm so ready for the adventure of senior year, and can't wait to see what happens next!
See you soon, Seattle!
Allie
Having stayed up til 2 AM the night before, I made the executive decision to sleep in until 10 the next morning (not that it worked. I'm too much of a morning person). Once I was up and moving, I went into the practice rooms and had a nice long warm up. I was lucky enough to get a room with a window, and since it was open, I could hear dozens of other people practicing. It was actually pretty cool to feel like I was joining in this great cacophony of sound, no one more important than anyone else, and no one really listening to the others as they concentrated on their own improvement.
After Billy got done with his Italian test (which I quizzed him on the night before...turns out I speak decent Italian thanks to my five years of Spanish!), we went and got lunch. Another horn player, Abby, joined us, and she asked how my lesson with PK had gone (which I thought was cool. Lots of people asked how it went, what I played, etc.).
After lunch was probably the highlight of my day: visiting the Eastman bookstore. It's like a normal university bookstore, but with study scores and method books and manuscript paper. I was in heaven. I also couldn't help but splurge on three new horn method books that I've been needing/wanting for a while. I didn't get to stay long however, because I had a very brief window of time before Caitlin and Billy had rehearsal and I had to grab my stuff out of Caitlin's room.
I ended up catching a taxi to the Amtrak station, and got there about 45 minutes before my train. The schedule said that I'd get on at 2:33 pm and get to Penn Station by 9:45 pm. But, of course, not all travels can go smoothly.
Somewhere out past Syracuse, we hit some construction and were stuck moving very slowly behind another train for almost an hour (we actually came to a complete stop for around 15 minutes). I began to panic a little as I had been burning through all the classical music on my iPod. On the upside, however, NY State is really a beautiful place. It reminded me a lot of Washington, but with no mountains, and very few (if any?) evergreens. I ended up getting into Penn Station somewhere around 11:45 pm (a 10 hour train ride...don't sign me up again for a while), having spent the last couple hours seeing how many Beethoven symphonies I could listen to. I ended up listening to 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7. Perhaps today on my flight home I'll get to the last 4 of them.
My hostel last night was a very different experience than the earlier one. I ended up in a mixed gender room, full of adults (rather than the last hostel which mostly had people my age). I also got to experience the awkwardness of overhearing someone masturbate as I was going to sleep. So awkward, and yet I had to laugh at the ridiculous situation. What is a trip without some good stories to tell?
It's almost time for me to check out of my hostel and head out to the airport. I've truly loved this whole experience, long train rides and awkward roommates included. I've found a school that felt like home, teachers who were (and are!) fantastic, and a great goal to strive towards for the next few months. Plus, apparently my entire music department is waiting on the edge of its collective seat to hear about this trip. I never thought traveling would make me a sensation, but it has made me really feel like a new person. I'm so ready for the adventure of senior year, and can't wait to see what happens next!
See you soon, Seattle!
Allie
Friday, September 21, 2012
NY Trip: Days Three and Four
Because these last two days have really the whole purpose of going out to NY, it's been pretty crazy, with very little time to stop and update. There's so much to talk about, and so little time before I probably start forgetting pieces.
Wednesday, I woke up early to get prepped and ready for my first lesson. Because the lesson was fairly early in the morning, I wasn't able to warm up in the hostel. Instead, I went down to Lincoln Center, and using my straight mute, warmed up in a grove of trees between the Met and Avery Fisher Hall (NYP). I actually had forgotten my checkbook back at the hostel, so after my warmup, I ended up jumping back on the subway to grab that. I still arrived back at the Met with plenty of time to spare before my lesson with Michelle Baker.
The lesson itself went pretty well. I was very impressed getting to go into the depths of the Met's backstage area, and it was pretty cool to go inside the pit for a bit. In our lesson, we covered three excerpts: Till Eulenspiegel (opening), Tchaikovsky 5 (1st horn solo), and Shostakovich 5 (which by far, scares me the most...low and loud!).
We concentrated mainly on breathing and she taught me a new, interesting way to use my diaphragm, expanding it outward rather than pulling it in to gain support. We also discussed airflow, and making sure that my air went all the way through my horn, rather than my tendency to play only to the end of my lead pipe.
After my lesson with Michelle, I had a few hours, and decided to go back to the hostel, take a nap, and relax before my next lesson at 3.
My next lesson with Al was at his place, not far from my hostel. I decided to walk there, finding some lunch on the way. Despite taking my time eating at a fun diner, I still got to his place nearly 45 minutes early, so I kept walking another block to a cool park. I sat and knit, enjoying the sunshine, while a guy sat nearby playing some quiet, peaceful guitar.
When 2:55 rolled around, I got to Al's place, and rang the bell to get inside. After getting buzzed in, I climbed up the stairs and was greeted by the most lovable old shepherd/heeled mix named Abby. By far, that was the best beginning to a lesson I've gotten to have. She proceeded to lie down and nap through my lesson, but it was nice knowing she was there. Al was incredibly nice, and I never felt nervous in front of him. We started by having me play the first movement of Strauss 1, which went pretty well. He had some notes on a few of my mistaken articulations, and even complimented my breathing, ear, and tone. (kind of funny since only 4 hours earlier I had heard how little I was breathing.)
We went on to play Mahler 1 (low Frere Jaques excerpt), Tchaikovsky 5, Ravel Pavan, Beethoven 3, and Strauss Ein Heldenleben. He had a lot of positives to say about my playing (good breathing, pitch, rhythm, and musicality) and we worked a lot on my beginnings of phrases (definitely the thing I struggle with most).
I learned a lot of helpful things from him, and came out of the lesson feeling good about my playing, but also inspired to get so much better. He also said we covered a lot of details he wouldn't normally cover in a first lesson. He also may have helped me begin to overcome my hatred of Conn 8Ds. We'll see if I can find one that I like...
He also encouraged me that everyone takes their own path in music, and told me that I have plenty of talent and potential, and that I'm smart, so he could see me doing just fine getting into grad school after my undergrad.
After my lesson, I headed back to the hostel to get dressed for going to the opening night of the New York Philharmonic. Al had given me comp tickets for the show, which was incredibly cool, and made me feel like some kind of insider to an exclusive club.
The concert itself was AMAZING! The first piece was a 20th century work for piano, timpani (both of which onstage with the conductor) and a menagerie of instruments like tons of percussion, harmonicas, a horn, some strings, trumpet, trombone, etc., all of whom were standing at the back of the hall, on three different levels. It was very different, but I loved the surround sound effect. The second piece on the program was Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto. The orchestra was well balanced, especially when the had to stay below the soloist, and my gosh, the pianist was fantastic.
After intermission was when the real amazement began. They doubled the size of the orchestra, and launched into Rite of Spring. It was mind-blowing! The horns were incredible, the full orchestra was spot on, and it got so loud that my ears were ringing for a half hour after they stopped. They definitely deserved all three rounds of applause, and the standing ovation.
Day Four:
The next morning was an early one. I got up at 5 to catch my airport shuttle to JFK at 5:30. My flight didn't board until 8:50, so I had plenty of time to knit and just chill until it was time. Once we boarded, we found out something was wrong, and ended up sitting at the gate for another 30 minutes until it was fixed. Once we got in the air, it was a very short flight up to Rochester.
I was definitely excited about getting to Eastman and seeing Billy, my horn-playing friend that I met in Florida. The excitement was tempered a bit by the discover at baggage claim that the handle in my suitcase had broken...no one likes finding out they have to lug 30+ pounds of suitcase rather than rolling it. Nonetheless, I got a taxi to Eastman (my very first taxi ride!) and was able to get into a practice room to warm up.
By 1, Billy's friend Caitlin (another horn player who was nice enough to let me stay in her room), came to my rescue and both let me dump off all my stuff in her room, but also got lunch with me. I got to meet a bunch of awesome people, who were all incredibly supportive of me as my nerves started to kick in for my 3:30 lesson with Professor Kurau.
I managed to have time to get some buzzing on my mouthpiece just before my lesson, and then found my way to his office.
We talked for a minute as I came in, and I confessed that I was rather nervous. He kind of played a mind game with me, saying that he should be the one to be nervous, since I was evaluating his teaching. We took some deep breaths, and once I felt relaxed, we delved into my etudes.
We started with Kopprasch, and he immediately found some different things to fix, such as smoothing out my articulation, and helping to equalize note volumes. We next covered Maxime-Alphonse, where there was more work on articulation, as well as working to project shorter notes (such as 16th notes) and those in my middle to low range.
He asked what I wanted to play next, so I jumped on the opportunity to play the first movement of the Gordon Jacob concerto. He had a lot of really awesome ideas about interpretation, as well as more to say about articulation and volume. The most amazing part of the lesson was when he isolated exactly how I was tonguing, and had me adjust everything and suddenly, though it was awkward to change such well-established habits, my sound became clearer, and articulating was easier. Everything he said was incredibly clear, and he was very demonstrative. It was amazing how much it helped to have him do different things such as hold my horn at precisely the angle that was best for bringing out low notes, or when he helped explain how to drop my jaw and open my oral cavity without spreading my lips.
He continued to have great insight through Tchaikovsky 5, and I came out of the lesson with many great tips and ideas I know I want to work on. I also made sure to ask about how many grad openings he expected (2) for next year, and I expressed to him how much I already had begun to like Eastman and the people there. I think it was an incredibly insightful lesson.
After my lesson, I got to change back into normal street clothes (I don't want to see my heels and slacks for a while), and went for really awesome pizza with Billy. He gave me a tour of the Eastman Theater, which is spectacular, and then just hung out until there was a horn sectional at 9. I really enjoyed watching and listening, and despite how young they all were (freshmen and sophomores), they really did sound fantastic.
I'm now on day five of this crazy trip, and on the train from Rochester back to NYC for my last night in NY. I miss Eastman, and the people there so much. I actually started tearing up as I left, just because I never thought I would find a place with everything I could ever want in a school: amazing teacher, great location, supportive, wonderful peers, and tons of opportunity. I know I'm ready to be home in my own bed, but I'll truly miss Eastman the most of everything.
I'll be home tomorrow night, then work Sunday morning, and school starts Monday. What a whirlwind!
Until later,
Allie
Wednesday, I woke up early to get prepped and ready for my first lesson. Because the lesson was fairly early in the morning, I wasn't able to warm up in the hostel. Instead, I went down to Lincoln Center, and using my straight mute, warmed up in a grove of trees between the Met and Avery Fisher Hall (NYP). I actually had forgotten my checkbook back at the hostel, so after my warmup, I ended up jumping back on the subway to grab that. I still arrived back at the Met with plenty of time to spare before my lesson with Michelle Baker.
The lesson itself went pretty well. I was very impressed getting to go into the depths of the Met's backstage area, and it was pretty cool to go inside the pit for a bit. In our lesson, we covered three excerpts: Till Eulenspiegel (opening), Tchaikovsky 5 (1st horn solo), and Shostakovich 5 (which by far, scares me the most...low and loud!).
We concentrated mainly on breathing and she taught me a new, interesting way to use my diaphragm, expanding it outward rather than pulling it in to gain support. We also discussed airflow, and making sure that my air went all the way through my horn, rather than my tendency to play only to the end of my lead pipe.
After my lesson with Michelle, I had a few hours, and decided to go back to the hostel, take a nap, and relax before my next lesson at 3.
My next lesson with Al was at his place, not far from my hostel. I decided to walk there, finding some lunch on the way. Despite taking my time eating at a fun diner, I still got to his place nearly 45 minutes early, so I kept walking another block to a cool park. I sat and knit, enjoying the sunshine, while a guy sat nearby playing some quiet, peaceful guitar.
When 2:55 rolled around, I got to Al's place, and rang the bell to get inside. After getting buzzed in, I climbed up the stairs and was greeted by the most lovable old shepherd/heeled mix named Abby. By far, that was the best beginning to a lesson I've gotten to have. She proceeded to lie down and nap through my lesson, but it was nice knowing she was there. Al was incredibly nice, and I never felt nervous in front of him. We started by having me play the first movement of Strauss 1, which went pretty well. He had some notes on a few of my mistaken articulations, and even complimented my breathing, ear, and tone. (kind of funny since only 4 hours earlier I had heard how little I was breathing.)
We went on to play Mahler 1 (low Frere Jaques excerpt), Tchaikovsky 5, Ravel Pavan, Beethoven 3, and Strauss Ein Heldenleben. He had a lot of positives to say about my playing (good breathing, pitch, rhythm, and musicality) and we worked a lot on my beginnings of phrases (definitely the thing I struggle with most).
I learned a lot of helpful things from him, and came out of the lesson feeling good about my playing, but also inspired to get so much better. He also said we covered a lot of details he wouldn't normally cover in a first lesson. He also may have helped me begin to overcome my hatred of Conn 8Ds. We'll see if I can find one that I like...
He also encouraged me that everyone takes their own path in music, and told me that I have plenty of talent and potential, and that I'm smart, so he could see me doing just fine getting into grad school after my undergrad.
After my lesson, I headed back to the hostel to get dressed for going to the opening night of the New York Philharmonic. Al had given me comp tickets for the show, which was incredibly cool, and made me feel like some kind of insider to an exclusive club.
The concert itself was AMAZING! The first piece was a 20th century work for piano, timpani (both of which onstage with the conductor) and a menagerie of instruments like tons of percussion, harmonicas, a horn, some strings, trumpet, trombone, etc., all of whom were standing at the back of the hall, on three different levels. It was very different, but I loved the surround sound effect. The second piece on the program was Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto. The orchestra was well balanced, especially when the had to stay below the soloist, and my gosh, the pianist was fantastic.
After intermission was when the real amazement began. They doubled the size of the orchestra, and launched into Rite of Spring. It was mind-blowing! The horns were incredible, the full orchestra was spot on, and it got so loud that my ears were ringing for a half hour after they stopped. They definitely deserved all three rounds of applause, and the standing ovation.
Day Four:
The next morning was an early one. I got up at 5 to catch my airport shuttle to JFK at 5:30. My flight didn't board until 8:50, so I had plenty of time to knit and just chill until it was time. Once we boarded, we found out something was wrong, and ended up sitting at the gate for another 30 minutes until it was fixed. Once we got in the air, it was a very short flight up to Rochester.
I was definitely excited about getting to Eastman and seeing Billy, my horn-playing friend that I met in Florida. The excitement was tempered a bit by the discover at baggage claim that the handle in my suitcase had broken...no one likes finding out they have to lug 30+ pounds of suitcase rather than rolling it. Nonetheless, I got a taxi to Eastman (my very first taxi ride!) and was able to get into a practice room to warm up.
By 1, Billy's friend Caitlin (another horn player who was nice enough to let me stay in her room), came to my rescue and both let me dump off all my stuff in her room, but also got lunch with me. I got to meet a bunch of awesome people, who were all incredibly supportive of me as my nerves started to kick in for my 3:30 lesson with Professor Kurau.
I managed to have time to get some buzzing on my mouthpiece just before my lesson, and then found my way to his office.
We talked for a minute as I came in, and I confessed that I was rather nervous. He kind of played a mind game with me, saying that he should be the one to be nervous, since I was evaluating his teaching. We took some deep breaths, and once I felt relaxed, we delved into my etudes.
We started with Kopprasch, and he immediately found some different things to fix, such as smoothing out my articulation, and helping to equalize note volumes. We next covered Maxime-Alphonse, where there was more work on articulation, as well as working to project shorter notes (such as 16th notes) and those in my middle to low range.
He asked what I wanted to play next, so I jumped on the opportunity to play the first movement of the Gordon Jacob concerto. He had a lot of really awesome ideas about interpretation, as well as more to say about articulation and volume. The most amazing part of the lesson was when he isolated exactly how I was tonguing, and had me adjust everything and suddenly, though it was awkward to change such well-established habits, my sound became clearer, and articulating was easier. Everything he said was incredibly clear, and he was very demonstrative. It was amazing how much it helped to have him do different things such as hold my horn at precisely the angle that was best for bringing out low notes, or when he helped explain how to drop my jaw and open my oral cavity without spreading my lips.
He continued to have great insight through Tchaikovsky 5, and I came out of the lesson with many great tips and ideas I know I want to work on. I also made sure to ask about how many grad openings he expected (2) for next year, and I expressed to him how much I already had begun to like Eastman and the people there. I think it was an incredibly insightful lesson.
After my lesson, I got to change back into normal street clothes (I don't want to see my heels and slacks for a while), and went for really awesome pizza with Billy. He gave me a tour of the Eastman Theater, which is spectacular, and then just hung out until there was a horn sectional at 9. I really enjoyed watching and listening, and despite how young they all were (freshmen and sophomores), they really did sound fantastic.
I'm now on day five of this crazy trip, and on the train from Rochester back to NYC for my last night in NY. I miss Eastman, and the people there so much. I actually started tearing up as I left, just because I never thought I would find a place with everything I could ever want in a school: amazing teacher, great location, supportive, wonderful peers, and tons of opportunity. I know I'm ready to be home in my own bed, but I'll truly miss Eastman the most of everything.
I'll be home tomorrow night, then work Sunday morning, and school starts Monday. What a whirlwind!
Until later,
Allie
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
NY Trip: Day Two
Today was much more chill than yesterday, or at least it seemed much lower in stress level. To help counteract jet lag, I went to bed as soon as I felt tired, which was 10:30 EST. I set no alarms so I would guarantee a full nights sleep, and to help make sure I wasn't disturbing all eleven of my roommates.
I woke up this morning around 7:30, feeling a bit groggy and with a headache, but otherwise fine. Hardly anyone else was stirring, so after a half hour checking my email, Facebook and twitter, I went back to sleep. 8:30 apparently was a better time to wake up.
After getting ready, I set out for Starbucks (I found one a block from the hostel) to grab a smoothie and banana bread, then caught the 1 and E trains down to the World Trade Center. It was crazy how much construction is going on down there, and also how tall all the skyscrapers are!
I didn't get to see the memorial, but the fact that I was at the site where thousands of people had lost their lives was incredibly powerful. I think I even teared up a little.
I proceeded to walk around, up towards City Hall. I took a break and sat by the waterfall in City Hall Park, then realized how close to the Brooklyn Bridge I was. Having decided to walk across the bridge, I set out, not realizing how LONG it is. Also, it was super windy. (you all will see when I get home and upload the pictures off my camera)
When I got to Brooklyn, I found the closest subway station, and went to catch the train back to Manhattan. Not realizing which direction was which, I incidentally caught the train going further into Brooklyn. It was sort of a laughable moment as the realization hit me, I stuffed my knitting back into my bag, and got off the train at the next stop. Two trains later, I was back at the hostel, rather hot (gosh, it's muggy here!) and footsore.
While I had been walking around today, I also got a call from one of the teachers I'm meeting tomorrow to tell me that it would be really hard to get me a pass to use the practice rooms at MSM (these kids practice so much, they have to sign up for rooms the night before! Crazy!). So, making a positive of the strange situation, I used my straight mute, while sort of hunched over in my bunk bed, to practice my horn. My face felt good, notes were there, and I'm excited for tomorrow! I have no idea where I'll warm up, but I'll cross that bridge when it comes, I suppose.
The rest of this evening looks to be pretty quiet, though I may wander the neighborhood to find something awesome for dinner. Then probably some more relaxing, knitting, and reading before my big day tomorrow!
And even more today than yesterday, I am so in love with this city! I hope that this trip will help all my hard work pay off, and tell me if this is where I get to be...so many nerves, and so much excitement! Truly, I've found what I want to do for the rest of my life.
Allie
I woke up this morning around 7:30, feeling a bit groggy and with a headache, but otherwise fine. Hardly anyone else was stirring, so after a half hour checking my email, Facebook and twitter, I went back to sleep. 8:30 apparently was a better time to wake up.
After getting ready, I set out for Starbucks (I found one a block from the hostel) to grab a smoothie and banana bread, then caught the 1 and E trains down to the World Trade Center. It was crazy how much construction is going on down there, and also how tall all the skyscrapers are!
I didn't get to see the memorial, but the fact that I was at the site where thousands of people had lost their lives was incredibly powerful. I think I even teared up a little.
I proceeded to walk around, up towards City Hall. I took a break and sat by the waterfall in City Hall Park, then realized how close to the Brooklyn Bridge I was. Having decided to walk across the bridge, I set out, not realizing how LONG it is. Also, it was super windy. (you all will see when I get home and upload the pictures off my camera)
When I got to Brooklyn, I found the closest subway station, and went to catch the train back to Manhattan. Not realizing which direction was which, I incidentally caught the train going further into Brooklyn. It was sort of a laughable moment as the realization hit me, I stuffed my knitting back into my bag, and got off the train at the next stop. Two trains later, I was back at the hostel, rather hot (gosh, it's muggy here!) and footsore.
While I had been walking around today, I also got a call from one of the teachers I'm meeting tomorrow to tell me that it would be really hard to get me a pass to use the practice rooms at MSM (these kids practice so much, they have to sign up for rooms the night before! Crazy!). So, making a positive of the strange situation, I used my straight mute, while sort of hunched over in my bunk bed, to practice my horn. My face felt good, notes were there, and I'm excited for tomorrow! I have no idea where I'll warm up, but I'll cross that bridge when it comes, I suppose.
The rest of this evening looks to be pretty quiet, though I may wander the neighborhood to find something awesome for dinner. Then probably some more relaxing, knitting, and reading before my big day tomorrow!
And even more today than yesterday, I am so in love with this city! I hope that this trip will help all my hard work pay off, and tell me if this is where I get to be...so many nerves, and so much excitement! Truly, I've found what I want to do for the rest of my life.
Allie
Monday, September 17, 2012
NY Trip: Day One
So, today has mostly been full of travel. I got up and the most indecent time on the planet (3:45 AM), to catch my rather early flight (6AM). The good news? I was so exhausted, I slept for the first hour! I knit and listened to music for the nearly three hours after my nap, and only got restless near the last hour.
I had my stop at O'Hare, and expected only 20 minutes between flights. I was hungry (American apparently only serves drinks?), so I grabbed lunch and sat at my gate, where a flight to Austin was boarding. I chilled there for a few minutes, then started noticing that the waiting area was almost empty aside from those passengers boarding. Lo and behold, my flight had been cancelled! No big deal, though. They had automatically put me on the next flight, putting me only 35 minutes behind schedule.
When I finally got on the plane, I had the pleasure of having someone nearly my age sitting beside me (she was 26). We ended up talking for the entire flight from Chicago to New York. She was deeply interested in my degree, my future, and my trip. And goodness, she was full of great advice about what to see! It was awesome having someone friendly to talk to, and even though I know it probably won't happen, I hope our paths cross again.
When I got off of the plane, I got my bag at the baggage check and found public transportation. Very conveniently, there was a bus that ran from LGA to almost my hostel. It took an hour to do it, but once I got to sit down, I didn't mind a bit. Also, the bus had a luggage rack! These people are brilliant!
I got all checked into my hostel, which is amazing and worth the money, and headed over to MSM (Manhattan School of Music) to scope things out and see if I could practice. Turns out I couldn't (I called the teachers I'm meeting on Wednesday to see I'd they could get me admitted), but it was so cool how close MSM is to Columbia University. This all makes me want to go there so much!!!
After dropping my horn off back in my locker at the hostel, I took the subway down to Times Square. I felt so silly as a tourist, snapping pictures left and right, but it was worth it. I wandered uptown, after stopping to eat a hotdog from a street vendor, and made it all the way to 50th St before I decided I was tired and wanted to get back. I caught the subway, but did get off one more time to see Lincoln Center.
I think I found where I want to be. Seriously. Now I'm just praying that I can get here and go to school!
Til tomorrow!
Allie
I had my stop at O'Hare, and expected only 20 minutes between flights. I was hungry (American apparently only serves drinks?), so I grabbed lunch and sat at my gate, where a flight to Austin was boarding. I chilled there for a few minutes, then started noticing that the waiting area was almost empty aside from those passengers boarding. Lo and behold, my flight had been cancelled! No big deal, though. They had automatically put me on the next flight, putting me only 35 minutes behind schedule.
When I finally got on the plane, I had the pleasure of having someone nearly my age sitting beside me (she was 26). We ended up talking for the entire flight from Chicago to New York. She was deeply interested in my degree, my future, and my trip. And goodness, she was full of great advice about what to see! It was awesome having someone friendly to talk to, and even though I know it probably won't happen, I hope our paths cross again.
When I got off of the plane, I got my bag at the baggage check and found public transportation. Very conveniently, there was a bus that ran from LGA to almost my hostel. It took an hour to do it, but once I got to sit down, I didn't mind a bit. Also, the bus had a luggage rack! These people are brilliant!
I got all checked into my hostel, which is amazing and worth the money, and headed over to MSM (Manhattan School of Music) to scope things out and see if I could practice. Turns out I couldn't (I called the teachers I'm meeting on Wednesday to see I'd they could get me admitted), but it was so cool how close MSM is to Columbia University. This all makes me want to go there so much!!!
After dropping my horn off back in my locker at the hostel, I took the subway down to Times Square. I felt so silly as a tourist, snapping pictures left and right, but it was worth it. I wandered uptown, after stopping to eat a hotdog from a street vendor, and made it all the way to 50th St before I decided I was tired and wanted to get back. I caught the subway, but did get off one more time to see Lincoln Center.
I think I found where I want to be. Seriously. Now I'm just praying that I can get here and go to school!
Til tomorrow!
Allie
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