Happenings of late

The other day, as I was walking through the Close, I came across the Master of Queen's. We stopped to have a little chat. He asked how I was, and I answered truthfully, 'Busy, but well.'
His comment was something along the lines of 'Busy is your answer all the time.'
True that.
Especially of late.
Almost three weeks ago, Opera School Melbourne 2010 began. My aunt and uncle kindly came along to the morning tea and welcome. It was really nice to have some family there - I've gotten used to my parents not being able to come for stuff, which is fine. But I suppose it was exciting to have some people there for me! And they sort of know what I do now, though I suspect it is still fairly hazy to them. Perhaps they can explain it to my parents!

It has been quite difficult to balance stuff - especially in the first week. I wasn't ready for the accumulation of so many things: School, the commencement of College tutes (I hold two, plus have consultations where required), rehearsals for a new piano trio (of a 'normal' combination, shock horror!), rehearsals for Chiasma, continuing the Director of Music job. Oh, and the rest of my life before it all started, too....I think!

The first day started at 10am, and I finally managed to flop onto my seat in my own room at 10pm that night. Since then, I have decided that the morning is when my practice must happen, as it doesn't fit in otherwise. I still feel like I don't get enough at the moment - it feels a little like I'm flying by the seat of my pants, but hopefully it'll settle down even better now. I've taken to resuming my super-early morning practice; this routine sees my alarm wake me at about 5.50am, hit snooze a couple of times. I shower, eat breakfast, make my lunch, and walk out the door hopefully with the aim of beginning practice at 7am. It is nice that the Stafford is usually available in the morning - I'm usually out of there by the time most people would want to use it (who else starts work at 7am? Especially at College?!). I'm very paranoid though, so a 10am start at School means that we have to be there by 9.45am. And I leave so much time to get there. Too much. Always. It means I've tried to set myself the target of going to bed by 11pm each night (before School. Yes, that means Sunday night after church isn't a regular occurrence for me anymore). I've been doing pretty well so far. I get about an hour and a half of practice done - see? Not sufficient, really. Given that I'm preparing much.

For example, at the moment, I'm working on the production we just received at School - pretty much what constitutes an entire opera. As well as a Schumann trio, a Beethoven trio, supposed to be working on a Shostakovich trio, as well as some Liederfest stuff and some School people's arias. I don't think there's enough time.....and I had hoped to get back into Bach and Chopin for myself. Hmmm....

But what would this blogger be without all these pressures? It's the only way I know how to work!

I have wonderful students to mentor and tutor at College. I'm really enjoying being able to run tutes as I see fit, and direct them in the way I want. I hope they're good. It's funny how one teaches as a direct result, and combination of all they're taught. I find myself thinking, 'Oh, that's like what so-and-so would say!'. Or 'So-and-so taught me....'. I started keeping a book of notes from chamber music class and other masterclasses I attended, at uni and otherwise for several years now. I've just been collating them and have kept writing pearls of wisdom, and other interesting things. I was re-reading some of it the other night, and a few things struck me:
i) How much I've grown since the start
ii) How some of the comments and classes have stuck in my memory for this while
iii) How some of the things I re-read make much more sense now...
iv) or that comments can mean so much more even when they made sense back then.
Quite amazing. I'd suggest keeping a notebook if you don't already - it's been quite interesting and great to continuously learn.

I went to a few masterclasses last year (I was actually accompanying the people playing) was by Jeff Nelsen at the Melbourne International Festival of Brass. [Incidentally, I'm unfortunately away in Newcastle doing AYO Chamber Music Camp during this year's festival - I'm really disappointed that they clash! But I suppose it figures - chamber camp is only for strings and piano, not brass people......pity about the handful of pianists who do both! I suppose one can't have everything....] Check out his website at http://jeffnelsen.com/
The posts are a bit dated, but the other stuff he writes is quite interesting. The Get Fearless, and How Much Do You Want It? Great motivators.

So, back to School. It's funny - I'd heard of a few people and I was a bit scared of it all. I suppose, being 'new' (like most of the people there, incidentally!) was a change and that freaked me out a little. But then, I remembered that I wasn't making as many changes as some of the others - this was happening in a city I know already and have been living in for a while, I've been doing this music thing for a while now, and recently too. Although money is usually tight anyway, I at least didn't have to worry *too* much about it (I think!) and I didn't have to look for a place to live just before, or as, School started. Two years ago, a friend of mine, ND, after we had worked together on Poulenc, hatched a plan for a Mozart sextet. Out of that come the Mozart project - a complete hour's worth of beautiful Mozart music. I remember saying to him, just before our first get-together, 'Oh, I'm nervous! I've only ever worked with two other singers in one room - I'm not sure how I'll go with six!'
Of course, it was wonderful.
And I had a bit of a moment about having eighteen! All budding opera singers. Heck, I thought the room might implode. But it's been a wonderful three weeks so far, getting to know them. And yes, of course there is the share of diva-ness (in the best possible way!) and tenor moments! But I think that comes with it. We need a little, I think.

On the first day, we had a session of 'Operasports'. Like Theatresports, but some opera-themed games as well. We played StarJump - wow, haven't played that in a while. And I sat there plotting a little, because I remembered that if you got in early, you didn't have as many people to come up with a situation. (Otherwise, you have to do things like crowd scenes - a party, or a tableau or photo shoot, or exercise class....!) But I also forgot that the earlier you get in, the longer you're in for. And I don't consider myself a particularly drama/actor-type. In fact, quite far from it. But it was much fun! Then we did some fun opera-themed stuff. Think silent movie, where I'm the music. It was cool.
We also played some clapping game (sounds silly, but was really good).

And we also played it today, three weeks on. And I know it felt different, in a really good way. Because getting to know these twenty-odd other people over the last three weeks has been refreshing and exciting. Getting to know their personalities, and coming to trust them more about where the clap was going, or how it was travelling. Or having the little games! And knowing what they were capable of. There is an amazing vibe there.

We've already had our first concert. We did a Friendraiser Soiree on the evening of the sixth official day of School. We put the entire thing together in about three days. Pretty impressive if you ask me! It was a lot of fun.
And it was amazing to see these guys do their thing. I mean, that's what we're here for, isn't it?

The first day was spent doing introduction things and getting to know you and the start of getting to know your personality. Only on the second day, when the afternoon was spent at the National Theatre in St Kilda, did we hear everybody sing as they were. Think about it - one and a half days of just getting to know you, and then you hear them - what we're here to do. Amazing.
It has been pretty intense so far - in the sense that a bunch of enthusiastic, energetic young people have converged to do this Thing. They all have similar goals, similar spirits of encouragement and critical criticism (not in a bad way. We need it.) And the best part of it I think, is that I get the chance to get to know each one of them. And work with them. I hope I get the chance to know each one of them inside out - personally and musically. I'm really excited by that.

There have already been a few moments where I have been overcome with the emotion of their singing. Not that instrumental music cannot have that same effect, but I think singing is a really organic, physical thing. I mean, much of the sound that every instrument attempts to make is based on singing. And having something to convey in text is a really powerful thing.

Even though I feel inspired and excited, I also feel a little intimidated. And I know I would be told that it's rubbish, and that I shouldn't, and have no reason to be. By my calculations, I have a suspicion that I am among the youngest five people in the group. That's not a bad thing, just I think sometimes I don't have all this experience (also given my limited experience with opera so far) or maturity. But I think it may be well-masked given that I've been with music for the majority of my life (in fact, almost nineteen years!). That is, learning constantly and making a large part of my life. I think I can be painfully aware of differences, because I find differences intriguing in general. But yes, I know it's irrelevant...

So, as always, I apologise if it feels like I don't have time to catch up so regularly with all my friends. I've just inherited a new set (subset of the 'musicians' clan) who I spend much of my day-to-day time with. It's wonderful. But it all has to be balanced. Maybe that should be my motto for this year: Balance.
I still do care about you all, and spend much time thinking about all those relationships. We were made to be relational people - I just internalise and think a lot about them. I'm still figuring it all out....I have a sneaking suspicion that is a lifelong journey....