Introductions

January 18, 2006 at 11:43 PM

Kathryn Hoffer, the concertmaster of the Anchorage symphony, will be coming to town next weekend to adjudicate our first ever raggle-taggle Soldotna String Festival. Ida has the certificates (so it's official), Maria is accompanying, and I am responsible for the refreshments.

(I can't quite put my finger on why this feels exactly like I'm a fourth grader playing house.)

Once again, Maria encouraged me to pursue a lesson from Kathryn. Only two years of Maria's pestering, and today, I finally got the nerve up to email her. I didn't even ask if she'd teach me. I only basically tapped her shyly on the shoulder and asked if we could meet and talk.

I'm scared to death to find a teacher. But I'm so thirsty for instruction after two years of creative experimentation, I'm finally ready to commit to driving 300 miles round trip through Turnagain pass to get the dreaded constructive criticism and some kind of direction. If there's a chance that it will make me play better... I think it will. I hope it will.

This feels just like a date. I never was any good at dating, either.

From Charlie Caldwell
Posted on January 18, 2006 at 11:59 PM

It can't be that bad. Lessons only help.

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on January 19, 2006 at 12:02 AM

You know where this is leading to. You're going to be in the Anchorage Symphony and Kathryn Hoffer is going to be on here babbling.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on January 19, 2006 at 6:46 AM

Driving 300 miles bespeaks real dedication. I admire you.

From Emily Grossman
Posted on January 19, 2006 at 9:30 AM

Well, I haven't gone anywhere just yet...

From Michael Schallock
Posted on January 19, 2006 at 3:47 PM

Are you driving up to hear Pip Clark play the Korngold on Sat.? They reduced the strings so Heidi and I aren't playing but I am going up anyway with my family. It should be quite good.

From Terez Mertes
Posted on January 19, 2006 at 5:27 PM

Ooh, can't wait to hear how this turns out...

From Emily Grossman
Posted on January 19, 2006 at 8:29 PM

Michael, I'm driving to Homer on Saturday to work at the Ptarmigan gallery. Bleh.

...Still wanting to play with the symphony, though.

From Michael Schallock
Posted on January 23, 2006 at 4:22 PM

Pip Clark was awesome. I love the Korngold and it was the first time I got to hear it live.
City lights was fun, too.
I caught cold so it is just as well I wasn't playing.
Blizzard warning when we drove home but it wasn't too bad; mostly just blowing snow.
500 miles through the mountains is pretty far for a concert, though. It is sure easier to fly.

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