Finally Beginning to Play Some Music!

Can I just say that even though my dorm room overlooks a random garage and dumpster, it is so worth being able to watch the sun go down every evening? The view of the side of the chapel isn't too bad, either. I was exploring the other day, and I found my way to the inside of the chapel, which is gorgeous.

Guess what else Missouri has besides real cardinals? Fireflies! I walked outside around dusk after a practice session, and all of a sudden I see all these little green glowing flying things! They were beautiful. Of course I had to catch one to see it more closely. :)

The church I checked out on Sunday was wonderful, and the family that drove me and fed me is also wonderful and great to be around. They taught me how to play Speed Scrabble and Nerts, which were both pretty exciting. :) The worship at the church was more gospel style than I'm used to, but it was great. We also sang in several different languages as the church has a large African population. I really liked the pastor, too. He preached on 1st Corinthians 15 and the importance of the resurrection.

Orchestra was supposed to start on Monday, but Dr. Richards was sick, so the Arianna gave us a concert schedule and repetoire list and sent us on our various and sundry ways. I'll find out seating placement and finally get to play my viola in an ensemble on Wednesday. This year we're going to play Symphony no. 1 by John Donald Robb, String Symphony No. 10 by Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto in C major by Haydn (David Gillham, one of the Arianna, is playing the solo with us!), Bach's Cantata No. 142 Uns ist ein Kind geboren, Saint-Saens Oratorio de Noel, the "Adagietto" from Symphony no. 5 by Mahler, Mendelssohn's violin concerto in D minor transcribed for trumpet, Beethoven's Symphony no. 5 (I'm way excited to play this one again!) Haydn's Missa in Angustiis (Lord Nelson Mass), and selections from Porgy and Bess by Gershwin. I think there will be other repetoire in there as well, but it's TBA.

We got our quartet assignments on Monday...I'm in a quartet with a cellist named Emily and two violinists named Jessie and Amanda. We get to have some say in which quartet we play, so if any of you have ideas of good ones, I'd love to hear them. Right now I'm thinking maybe Beethoven op. 18 no. 4 or maybe Shostakovich no. 1 or 7....one of the girls in the group hasn't ever played in a chamber group before, so I'm thinking maybe the Beethoven would be a better choice. But please, I'd love to hear suggestions!

I'm learning sol feg in my Aural Training class, which is pretty exciting. It's actually really fun....I'm still getting all the syllables confused, especially when it's not in the key of C, but it's kind of like a game. I think I'm going to go sit down at a piano and practice some sol feg later today.

I've got to run start a journal for my writing class! I hope you're all well and keeping out of too much trouble. ;)

Love,

Maren