Oh hello there... it's been a while, hasn't it? I'm so sorry if I kept you waiting, Reader. Today is a day off and I'm finally able to catch up a little in both the personal and professional areas of my life.
So much has happened recently! I found a church home, organized and put on a studio recital, started taking lessons myself, and picked up two additional students, as well as accompanying for another school and a church.... all since the beginning of the year. Whew!
While our snow-filled Missouri January was quiet and seemingly slow, little did I know that things would gear up the way they have... aka Hello Contest Season! I am so stinkin' glad that my studio recital is done and out of the way, since I have choral music and rehearsals coming out of my ears... and I only have two schools to play for! I can't imagine how pianists who have more than that do it: a scheduling nightmare, to be sure.
The recital went so well. I had nine students perform and it was held at the Steinway Piano Gallery here in St. Louis. There was plenty of seating and a great piano for the kids to perform on, so I was super excited about that, especially considering that our alternative would have been the choir room at my church, which would've worked out ok. But the fact that it was at the Steinway Gallery made it special, especially for a couple of my students who made their first public debut as pianists last Saturday :) I will say that it was a little unnerving to wake up that morning to find 4 inches of snow with no warning in the forecast. But after checking the major highways, running up to the grocery store for post-recital flowers for the kids, and talking to Lone Ranger Smith who gets out no matter what, I decided that we needed to have this thing and that people would be fine if they drove slow and took their time. Everyone made it, the snow started to melt by mid-day, and I was so incredibly relieved that the whole thing went off as smoothly as it did. You just don't realize how stressed out you are about something until you can't stop sighing in relief and contentment afterward...
And we heard so many great pieces, delivered extremely well. Serena, my oldest student played one of the Beethoven Landler (Country Dances) from memory and the entire piece absolutely sparkled. One of my youngest students, Charley, wore a black tutu over leggings (it was seriously adorable) and she played two pieces, one of which was the Oompa Loompa song from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, complete with convincing dynamic changes, albeit a bit on the slow side, as Halley noted to me later... better slow and done well than crashed and burned, I say. One of my 13-yr-olds, Anna, who played first, did extremely well, playing three pieces including a simplified rendition of the last movement of Schubert's Trout Quintet. My other 13-yr-old, Jane, played three pieces from memory, not making a single mistake and was absolutely glowing with pleasure when she finished. Jane's younger sister Josie also played well, this being her first recital. She gave a beautiful rendition of a piece called Pumpkin Party from the Faber My First Piano Book 2 method, as well as a simplified version of the Russian Sailor Dance. Charley's older sister Sam played three pieces, including a simplified version of the Finale from The Carnival of the Animals as well as the Jack and the Beanstalk song from the Faber Level 1 Lesson Book. One of the highlights of the recital was when Sam went to play the glissando from the top of the keyboard to the very lowest C and couldn't get the keys to gliss... at all. Even after two or three tries. Of course, I had forgotten about this minor flaw in Steinways (that they tend to be a little stiff, especially if they're newer)... Steinway fail, Katie fail. But she played it off beautifully, moving on to the other pieces in her set and the whole incident was hilarious in the end. One of my male students, Daniel played two pieces extremely well, "The Jolly Clown" and a simplified version of the Theme from Swan Lake by P.I. Tchaikovsky, which he had worked on for a larger portion of last semester. Daniel's older sister Alex played the Hornpipe from Handel's Water Music Suite, as well as a lovely Lullaby by Cesar Franck. My other male student Josh ended the show with two jazzy pieces from the Faber 2B method book. And of course the kids all got flowers and the day off from practicing afterward, which they just thought was the greatest thing ever :) All in all, a huge success. Parents happy, pianists happy, Katie happy. And everyone in my family came, except my brother who had to work but would've been there otherwise, no doubt.
Everything else around here just keeps sailing right along. Every other Tuesday evening is spent with the geriatric crowd at one of the Lutheran churches in St. Charles County, who I now accompany for... they're trying to grow their choral program and so I'm happy to be there for them as an accompanist, but at this point, they're still quite small and the median age of all participants is probably something around 59 and a half. But it's an investment for both parties... for me: experience, for them: good music.
And I started going to the morning service at Central Presbyterian, where I'd formerly been going to the evening service (Trio). I also joined a house group, which has helped tremendously in terms of finding community. It's led by one of the pastors and his wife (let me just mention that there are several pastors on staff... pastors that don't necessarily preach every Sunday but are instead in charge of things like community formation and family development) and they are absolutely the sweetest couple, in their early thirties with three boys and super hip. They and their good friends, another couple who's also in the group... so, so incredibly down to earth and authentic. I love it. It's such a gift to be welcomed and accepted unconditionally. I only hope that I do likewise for others that come into my sphere.
AND I started taking lessons privately with Professor Annette Burkhart, who I would've studied with had I decided to go ahead and accept the Wash U candidacy for grad school. Prof. Burkhart also goes to Central and she has, since I came to St. Louis, been such a key figure in helping me get established as both a pianist and a person. We don't see each other or talk on a frequent basis, but when we do, it's significant. I've had two lessons with her... she is, hands down, the best piano teacher I've ever had, ever. She pushes me just the right amount but never makes me feel like I'm inadequate or incompetent as a musician. I hate to say it like this, but lessons with her are truly magical... I hope that she teaches me everything she knows because in all seriousness, I want to be just like her when I grow up.
This weekend I go to Columbia for my friend Stuart's graduate recital and to see Dr. Budds and Dr. Mabary again... it will be soooo good to catch up with them. I'll try to update again soon. Time flies when you're living the dream.
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