A Whirlwind Week
On the front steps of Longy with filmmakers/photographers Anna Brannon and Emily Cameron
We’ve reached critical mass, people! Next Saturday, April 19th at 3pm, I’m putting on a concert with the all-women string quartet, GAIA Quartet that we’ve been planning and preparing for almost a year! In addition to original music by myself, Aspen Barker of GAIA, and Longy alum Hsiu-Ping Patrick Wu, we’re playing Dvorak’s Piano Quintet No. 2, a soaring and epic set of music for piano and strings that’s been with me through peaks and valleys, literally and figuratively! It will take place in Boston, just down the street from the Boston Marathon finish line in the beautiful Arlington Street Church.
We very deliberately programmed this on Boston Marathon Weekend as there are SO many parallels in music and running performance, and really anyone striving toward a personal goal! The dreaming, the hard work, the struggle, and the nerves and excitement leading up to the big day.
I was drawn to this music initially when I heard the final movement, a rompy, folky, fiddle tune that just lights me up and reminds me of running/trail-dancing quickly downhill in the mountains. The music set as a whole explores a wide breadth of emotions; from the impassioned opening movement, alternating between lovely and lyrical to unsettled chaos to total exuberance; to the loneliness and nostalgia of the second movement “Dumka”; the whirlwind Furiant named for a fast Bohemian folk dance that reminds me of spinning nearly out of control, breathless and giddy; and then the final movement, that reminds me of how I feel when I’m out running in the mountains with joy and freedom.
If you are in the Boston area, come to this show! If you know someone in the Boston area, tell them about this show! Seating is limited to 60 and over half of the tickets have already been sold–be sure to reserve your ticket in advance.
In another news, it’s been a total whirlwind week between getting ready for the concert with GAIA Quartet, writing and performing a new art song “Constellations” for violin and piano with violinist Carter Fogg, and juggling school, work, and PCT/run training. I was up at or before 4am just about every day this week, scrambling to maximize my time and make everything work. And filmmakers/photographers Anna Brannon and Emily Cameron were with me to witness and capture the madness! This week felt like a little show-and-tell into my life. I loved getting to introduce Emily and Anna to my cats Bo and Juno, my partner Chris, my friends, and musical collaborators. It makes me appreciate everyone in my life and the communities I’m part of, and all the cool projects I’m working on. A lot of the time, I am generally pretty stressed. I’m stressed right now! Haha. But looking at all of this from more of an outer perspective makes me appreciate my very full life, and I know that the temporary stress is worth it. Between the few days I got to spend with Anna and Emily, who were just overall delightful to be around and fun to work with, and collaborating with the women of GAIA Quartet on this upcoming concert, I am just so appreciative and excited to be working on creative projects with other women artists.
Juno is ready for her interview!
Over the next few days will be some more wildness with a training trip and creative project with Mountain Hardwear taking place in the mountains near Tucson, AZ! Yes, you heard that right! It will be a whirlwind trip during a whirlwind time (have I said whirlwind enough times in this newsletter?), but considering I woke up to snow here in Boston on April 12th, I am so looking forward a little sun, warmth, and being up in the mountains for a couple days–lucky me! My piano-playing arms and fingers could certainly use a little rest too, as I’ve been practicing a ton. Be sure to follow along for the adventure on my social media @pinkfeathers on Instagram and Facebook.
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