December 12, 2004 at 4:56 AM

We've had snow. And we've lost snow. We've had more snow. And we've lost more snow. This last dump of snow has sadly melted and there are only hints of it left where there have been driveways shoveled and roads cleared. When you look up the hill and into the mountains of the valley though, the snow and winter season is very much present! Today would have been the perfect day to take pictures of the snowy mountains. I was walking to work and the view overlooking the lake was astounding! The water was almost glass like and the clouds, after much rain, were opening up to reveal a brilliant blue sky and rays of sunshine. The combination of the pure white mountain tops, and glass like water with the clouds, mountains, blue sky and rays of sunshing reflecting on the mirror of water was dazzling!

I've taught just two days at the local music school, but so far I'm really enjoying it! All the students are different in personality and ability and it's fascinating to see how different they each sound and how creative you have to be when it comes to each individual student. The challenge of teaching is really enjoyable. I hope I'm doing a good job as a teacher. It's definetly going to stretch me, I think, but in a positive way! It's nice too, to be able to go to the school and go into "my" studio and practice. I'm in a much more concentrated state when I'm in the studio like that, so it really helps me focus and get a lot done in a short space of time.

On Thursday, I had to be in town for a massage and because I had to be in from 9-5 I went and practiced there for a couple hours. I was meeting my teacher there for some music for a concert I'm doing on Tuesday. I needed some Christmas carols to fill out the short program of Bach and my own composition. After practicing until about 2:30, I went to the office to say I was leaving and that I had gotten some stuff sorted out and the classical guitar teacher was there. - This guitar teacher is really a phenomenal guitarist and a really genuine guy, just a lot of fun. - He asked if I was expecting students, I said no, I had just stopped by to get some practicing done while in town, and he asked me if I wanted to play! A couple of his students had cancelled and he had some music, so we played some chamber music for awhile. It was really a great deal of fun! It's not often you get to play with someone as amazing as him and it was really just pure bliss for me! We played some Medieval music, which was really great stuff!

Playing the Medieval music was interesting too from the point of view that on Friday I wrote my RCM History 4 exam. It has a huge concentration in vocal music, particularly that of the Middle Ages and Renaissance but also through to the classical era.

The history exam was quite brutal. I did not enjoy writing it one bit, and I honestly don't know how I've done on it. All I can do is wait and see. I was a little scared right off the bat, because in the "easy" marks section there were questions that didn't actually pertain to what was outlined in the syllabus. I'm anxious to know how I did on the exam.

My next project now, is trying to finish a work I'm writing for a string orchestra. I was hoping to have it finished for Monday and the quartet I play viola in was going to try it out for me, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to have it finished and have the parts copied out by then. I'll see though. I for sure want to finish it by New Years so that I can send the score back with the conductor of the orchestra when she's down visiting over the Christmas holidays. It will be exciting to see how the piece works out and how people like it!

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December 12, 2004 at 4:56 AM

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