Germany!

How beautiful it is to be in a small village in the Bavarian Alps of Germany. Every kind of weather holds its own beauty: morning rain showers, sunny afternoon s or a gray evenings with low clouds hugging the mountain tops.

How pleasant it is to hear the gentle tinkling sounds of bells through the hills as the cows graze and the goats mingle through the grass.

Ok, enough poetry, let's get to the point- this place is really cool! All that I've seen actually has been really nice. Today, August 7th, has been quite rainy so there's little to do besides cook and read a book. I started reading Pride and Prejudice on the plane. It was free in the iTunes bookstore and I figured it was about time I read what almost every girl my age has already read. It's quite entertaining, predictable but yet so well written the eloquent use of language makes it quite pleasant.

My first day in Germany was spent relaxing with Isabel's family and touring Basel. Her home is only about 10min from the border. Basel is a very cute town, looks just like the pictures you see of old European towns. :)

Now, we are so blessed to be able to stay in this nice condo in the small village of Obermaiselstein. Our first day we decided to do what all the tourists in the area do- visit a very famous castle "Schloss Neuschwanstein", which literally translates to mean "New swan-stone". It is relatively "new" for a castle, built for Kind Ludwig II in 1866, and was never completed after Ludwig unexpectedly died in 1879 (no guarantee on that date). The castle is high in the mountains (you have to walk a mile uphill from the closest parking) and looks like such a fairy tale castle. Unfortunately we had to wait 4 hours for the next tour, which then only lasted about 20min, but the breathtaking views made up for it.

Yesterday the morning was sunny and beautiful so I took it upon me to do some exploring on a long run. I ran up the nearest path up a mountain and somehow ended up at this cave. The gate was open so I went in, but not for very far because the passage was so small and it was so dark and scary! But the smell was so fresh and wonderful :) I then ran on a sidewalk on the street but it was so flat (I felt lazy!) so the next path I found was a bike path up to some lookout. This is where I found a beautiful waterfall, though not without consequence, for in doing so I also "found" some stinging weeds that made my leg burn for the next hour. After 10min of running up this 20 degree incline I finally went back down and though I was tired I felt so refreshed. After breakfast I was delighted to hear we were going to take a lift up a nearby mountain and hike to a peak. That was quite fun, with beautiful views. We hiked the closet peak, Weiherkopf, which was at 1665m. Being the adventurous person I am, instead of taking the lift back down with Isabel and Christoph, I decided that, despite my attire, my running shoes were calling for me to run back down the mountain. It was so much fun, especially the looks I got from people. Needless to say, however, I am quite sore...it's kinda funny, because I've never been so sore in EVERY muscle of my legs, front, back and butt. Woohoo!

Tomorrow it's supposed to rain as we drive through Austria and Switzerland to Milano, ITALIA! Nevertheless, I'm sure we'll still have some nice views as we drive :)

I don't have my computer, so I can't upload any pictures except those from my phone, but I promise, there will be plenty later on Facebook!

Love,
Violamad

The Middle

Sometimes it seems like the middle is a very good place to be. Other times, the middle is that awful place you get stuck.

Sometimes, in an argument or disagreement, the middle means a compromise. Other times, the middle is that awful place you get stuck, an argument you didn’t want to even be involved in.

Sometimes, when you are playing fast triplets with lots of string crossings, the middle of the bow is a very good place to be. Other times, the middle is that awful place you get stuck, when you’re not really sure what kind of articulation you are supposed to be doing.

Sometimes, the middle is the goal, the bullseye of a target. Other times, the middle is that awful place you get stuck, when you didn’t lose the race, yet you didn’t win.

Sometimes, the middle means maximizing space and opportunity. Other times, the middle is that awful place you get stuck, when you don’t know which opportunity to take.

Sometimes, the middle means lots of friends and fun. Other times, the middle is that awful place you get stuck, where you have to conform to fit in and don’t know who you can trust.

Sometimes the middle means balance, a very good state to be in. Other times, the middle is that awful place you get stuck—in mediocrity.

How can the middle be sometimes so right, yet other times so wrong?

Maybe the middle is not an answer of where to be but rather a question of how to live.

How to know when the middle is the place to be?

How do you use the middle?

One time at music camp...

As we are now approaching the half-way point at the Round Top Orchestra festival, I found it was time to give an update on what has been going on here. (Also, it happens that my internet is actually working right now *cross fingers*)

Round Top....Oh Round Top. This area never ceases to surprise me with its peculiarities. The campus is full of strange things: sculptures of faces, seashell covered ceilings, elfish pictures, botanical gardens, ornate fixtures and locked doors that lead to who knows where....

The food is quite good, so that makes meal time ever more exciting (and I’m always so hungry!) However, this cafeteria would have no place in New York. Fried fried fried things are coupled with butter soaked everything, and the vegetarian options consist of either tofu or a veggie burger. Pork quesadillas for dinner? Let's just plop a veggie burger on a tortilla and say it's like the same. There is a lovely bumper sticker posted in the kitchen which says "Save a cow, eat a vegetarian"....Last I checked, there were plenty of cows in Round Top.

Coffee...well, let's not talk about it. I usually just tell myself "It could be worse..." The nearest Starbucks is 30min away...Are you coming to a concert? Please deliver!

The orchestra is getting better, especially as we get to know each other better. In the first week I had a lot of fun playing the name game: "Oh you go to Eastman/Rice/UT/etc? Do you know ____?" And as usual between musicians, it only takes one degree of separation to have a mutual friend.

We come from a wide range of places and it's very interesting working with a new conductor each week. Needless to say, it seems that the cafeteria conversations almost always inevitably touch on imitating the conductor/praising him/complaining about him. It seems like every musician has something to say about that person on the podium. I really hope that conductors also get together sometimes and get to rant about "those musicians..."

Tonight is "Ladies' night" at the only bar in town. I've gone the past two weeks as a designated driver. It's usually a lot of fun, loud talking and dancing around the jukebox. This night I decided to stay in. I'm pretty tired from these days of 4 hours of Mahler 9 rehearsals and I am enjoying the peace and quiet of my room. I'm also looking forward to going home this weekend with a couple of friends--a chance to get away from the bugs, from the dirt, from the drama of new festival-relationships and the craziness of musicians after a Saturday concert.

If you’re nearby and not too busy, please come to a concert! The next two weekends have 3pm orchestra concerts, with chamber concerts at 7:30pm. I’m playing in two quartets on the July 9^th concert at 7:30pm. The closing concert is on July 16^th at 7:30pm, and there’s a big reception afterwards (free food/wine, anyone?)! The schedule with program information can be found here: http://festivalhill.org/schedule-of-events/2011-summer-festival/

So that's about how things "roll" here in Round Top, just like that one time at music camp...

Love,

Violamad

NYC-The Woodlands-Round Top

So when I heard Round Top was a small town, I thought, ok, there's a few little shops in the center. Wrong, there is no center, there is not much of a town at all. I don't really know what else to call Round Top except for "land". However, the Round Top Festival is on a special piece of land, decorated by a wide variety of buildings, each of which is elaborately furnished with antiques and consists of many ornate, hand-carved wooden structures. Nevertheless, I'm still in the middle of nowhere.

Rewind a bit.

In the past month, I have experienced a wide variety of company and scenery. The first two weeks of May were crazy- juries, final exams (meanwhile the weather in New York was gorgeous!) Then the third week, which I had kinda free, it rained almost every day. But there were plenty of highlights to end the year. This semester particularly I have had the blessing of being surrounded by this loving and supportive group of friends and I enjoyed spending time with them as we all prepared our goodbyes--running with Avigail, walking with Santi, biking with Fernando, shopping with Isabel, dutying with Adarsh, hugging Justyna in her Snuggie and wandering with dinosaurs with Lena. (and of course any other time we spent together!)

I was sad to leave New York on May 21st. I was in denial for a few days when I came home, missing my friends and the city which has taught me so much. Nevertheless, it only took one obnoxious text from my friend Trey to remind me what I should be doing instead of moping at home for two weeks- planning a friend get-together!

Morning runs with Tara were re-initiated by the end of the first week I managed to bribe my friends to come over! It was a fun night of crazy fajita cooking (a wonderful group effort I might add...) and ended with cookies. I got to see a few more friends over the weekend, my former teacher, Joan, and her family as well as Daniel, who I see on too rare of an occasion. Unfortunately me + Daniel + fish for dinner did not go so well and Memorial Day was celebrated with me and the toilet. (Oh, and Trey came over to veg with me on the couch while I watched more TV in one day that I ever have in my life). And actually, that day started a new addiction for Trey and I- it's called Firefly. Fortunately, it only had one season, otherwise we could've been watching those episodes nightly for two months!

I got most things done on my to-do list for my two weeks at home. Got a bow rehair, bought new running shoes, planned out (most) of my trip to Italy in August and found a good 18-week marathon training schedule. Oh, and PRACTICING. That kinda took up my day hours. Which is good :)

So, now I'm back to where I started. Round Top. I've only been here a couple hours now, so I'm sure I will have much more to say later, but here are my first observations:

-It's hot, there's a lot of dirt and not enough trees

-There are lots of bugs. Ew.

-Air conditioning is abundant. Good.

-Food...seems good.

-Roommates...pretty chill :)

-Practice rooms too resonant

-Night-life. HA!

-Nearest Starbucks- 30min.

-Coffee in dining hall...ehhhhh

-People: too many Americans ;)

If only the Blue Bell factory in Brenham was open on Sunday...

Orchestra auditions tomorrow morning and rehearsal on Bartok Concerto for Orchestra tomorrow night! Wooo!

Love,

Violamad

Words for Thought

Needless to say I've been extremely busy this spring semester. So many things have been going on that I don't even know where to start. So I won't. For now.

I do, however, want to share something that I've been reading recently, an excerpt from the book "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse. Please enjoy :)

"The river flowed toward the goal; Siddhartha saw it hastening--the river consisting of him and his near and dear and all the people he had ever seen; all the waves and the waters hastened, suffering, toward goals, many goals; the waterfall, the lake, the rapids, the sea, and all goals were attained; and each goal was followed by another, and the water became vapor and rose to the sky, became rain and plunged down from the sky, became a source, became a brook, became a river, strove anew, flowed anew. But the ardent voice had changed. It still resounded, sorrowful, seeking, but other voices joined in, voices of joy and sorrow, good and evil voices, laughing and grieving, a hundred voices, a thousand voices."

"Siddhartha listened. He was now all ears, utterly engrossed in listening, utterly empty, utterly absorbing. He felt he had now learned all there was to know about listening. He had often heard all these things, these many voices in the river, but today it all sounded new. He could no longer distinguish the many voices, the cheerful from the weeping, the children's from the men's; they all belonged together. The lament of the knower's yearning and laughing, the screaming of the angry, the moaning of the dying--everything was one, everything was entwined and entwisted, was interwoven a thousandfold. And all of it together, all voices, all goals, all yearnings, all sufferings, all pleasures, all good and evil--the world was everything together. Everything together was the river of events, the music of life."

Teachers

While procrastinating a reading I must complete for my liberal arts class, I thought I could take a moment to sit and write a blog that I've been meaning to write for some time...

Recently, I noticed quite a few students who were talking about their plans for the break mentioned how they were excited to see their former teacher when they returned home. I realized that when I'm home, I too am always trying to set up lessons with my former teacher, Joan or visit some of my school orchestra teachers.

And it's not just because I REALLY need/want a lesson.

I want to see my teachers because they were, and are, and will continue to be a major influence in my life!

Joan not only taught me *how* to play viola. She taught me how to be a good musician, she inspired me to always want it better and she was/is the perfect role model of a great orchestral musician and mother. She showed it was possible and gave me the confidence to pursue a career in music!

Other teachers who I like to visit are Ms. Ellis and Dr. Kempter. Ms. Ellis was my orchestra teacher in the 6th grade. Of course when she was teaching me, I had NO idea then that I wanted to study music to be my career, but if she had not inspired me and made me LIKE orchestra, I may not have continued through the next few years. Dr. Kempter was my high school orchestra director. In addition to being an excellent musician and person, honestly, if he had not cut me so much slack about skipping rehearsal to go practice, I may not have made it through my senior year auditions!

Basically, what I'm trying to say is this: we ALL have teachers. Maybe there is one, maybe there are a few that have greatly influenced or changed your life!

So why not take the time to tell them these two special words that can mean a lot if you say it like you mean it:

THANK YOU!

I would not be anywhere without them :)

Love,

Violamad

The ACHT Viola Studio

I would just like to take a moment to brag about the wonderful ACHT viola studio here at The Juilliard School. Heidi Castleman, who primarily is in charge of this massive viola universe, is one of the wisest and organized persons I know. (*Note: I don't mean to imply that other studios aren't great as well :)

Let me begin by describing how everything works:

-ACHT stands for the last names of all the teachers who comprise the studio (in alphabetical order): Misha Amory, Heidi Castleman, Hsin-Yun Huang, and Steve Tenenbom. Most of the violists in our studio study with two teachers, often a combination of Ms. Castleman and another teacher, since the other three teachers are active performers and travel frequently. For example, I study with Mr. Amory and Ms. Castleman. Since Misha is often traveling with the Brentano Quartet, I will have lessons with him when he's in town and lessons with Heidi when he's gone. For me, this combination works out great because I am always able to have technique lessons with Heidi whenever I feel like I need it and can usually start new pieces with her and then take more polished works to Misha. They are both FANTASTIC, inspiring teachers who have already taught me so much!

Because there are approximately 25-30 violists in our studio, organization is key. Ms. Castleman is a big Google fan (me too!) so our studio uses it's resources extensively. How do we use it?

• Scheduling: All of the teachers have a special Google calendar where they invite all their students to use it, and post lesson schedules there. That way, all the students have access to view when their lessons will be and know who to ask if they need to switch lessons. There's also a "combined student calendar" which lists all the students who are busy at a certain time (based on their school schedule), so you know who you can't ask to switch.
• Studio class: The ACHT viola studio class spans up to three hours, however each students is require to only attend the first two or the last two hours, with the middle hour overlapping. This gives us one hour every week to all be together and usually this hour is not just used for more student performances, but rather is used for different kinds of presentations (Technique class demonstrations, listening to famous recordings and analyzing them, having a guest speaker on a wide range of topics like how to build a website or how to be a better public speaker)
• If you wish to play in studio class, there is a sign up sheet that you fill out and submit online. First you must play in "play-through" class, which is a small group comprised of the other violists playing that week in class. This gives everyone a chance to practice performing in a more intimate space, a smaller audience, and gives the option of choosing not to play in studio class if it doesn't go so well.
• Recordings: Another great resource has recently been added by one of our own students, AJ. Our new recording engineer records all studio classes and studio recitals then posts the recordings on a webpage so that the players and the teachers can listen afterwards (and download the recording) of the performance!
• On that performance note, I have to mention that Ms. Castleman has a knack for getting everybody to perform a lot. She arranges studio recitals every two months for people to have the chance to perform for public short works or parts of works, and makes sure that everybody gives at least one half or full recital every year. (and if you never sign up for a studio recital, she might just sign you up anyways ;)
• ACHT Viola site: Our viola studio also has it's own webpage! Here you can find a wide range of incredibly valuable resources. There are pages with notes on collaborative playing, public speaking, lists of summer festivals, instrument shops and contacts for the studio, jury requirements, forms for recommendation requests and a schedule of upcoming performances by the teachers.

Have I bragged enough? Well, mostly I just want to say how much I love my studio and everyone in it. Maybe this set up is a little overwhelming for some people, but I think it's great and encourage you to spread these ideas and use any resources available to you in the world!