13 March 2016- My, but where’s the winter gone…?
Things are well into March Madness here: term-end recitals and concerts are just around the corner; year-end juries are in four weeks; Brandon’s being treated to some unseasonably-warm (like +16C) sunshine. Barbeque’s got some pastured beef sizzling on it, and Paul’s taking a minute from what’s been a hectic few days for a long-overdue update of his interwebs…
As you may have guessed from the long layoff, it’s been a busy year. My Conservatory schedule is busting at the seams – 21 in my Suzuki progam alone! It’s past time for me to add another hour of group instruction – it’s going to mean no small amount of disruption in my schedule, but these are the realities of a growing and successful program ( a welcome problem, it is).
Just finished three days of adjudicating guitars at the Winnipeg Music Festival. Big thanks to the amazing, superpower-enabled administrator that is Joanne Mercier for the gig (and to Brandon Festival of the Arts chair Bill Gordon for dropping my name to her), to all the Winnipeg guitar teachers whose students enrolled (David Letkemann, Kurt Tittlemeier, Ian Hodges, and Ryszard Tyborowski. Apologies if I’m forgetting anyone…), and to the classroom guitar teachers in the Winnipeg school divisions whose ensembles I heard on Thursday morning. You all do amazing work! A big thank-you to my fellow adjudicators, as well: Rennie Regehr (Strings), Linda Kundert-Stoll (Piano), Barry Valleau (Winds), and Matthew Abraham (Trophy Day adjudicator) – it was a real pleasure working with you through that long last day of trophy concerts!
Soon be time for making summer plans – ensemble repertoire to arrange and choose; solo repertoire to learn and polish (it’s been suggested to me that another CD project might be in order – we’ll see…), weddings to play (click on the “Weddings” link at the bottom of the page if you’re interested in hiring a classical guitarist), a bike to ride, locally-sourced animal protein to grill…. the summer life is good in western Manitoba!
Ciao for now, amici… be kind to each other.