January 21, 2013 at 10:29 AM
Hey.Did I tell you what I got for Christmas? It was the best present ever, even better than a pony. I've asked for years now, and though most people thought I was joking, a few took me seriously, and finally someone took some steps to make it happen.
I got a string quartet! Kevin shopped long and hard around Anchorage in search for just the right violinist and violist to complete the set. After all, finding four people with similar skills and ideas, amiable personalities, well-balanced group dynamics, like-minded goals, and work schedules with the same free time is about like... well, let's just say, if I wasn't before, I'm a firm believer in Christmas miracles. We met for the first time last Monday, and I can already tell that I like them. We move fast, too! After opening our first session with Shostakovich's 8th string quartet--talk about ice breaker!--we sight-read the Borodin nocturne, closing the rehearsal with the first movement of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and promptly proceeded to book our first wedding gig in February. I'm getting up extra early tomorrow to make the drive through the mountain pass to Anchorage for our second rehearsal, to sight-read a couple of wedding anthologies and sketch out possible repertoire for a summer concert.
My very own string quartet... Best Christmas present ever. It's like, if the ship sinks, I at least know I'll have a quartet to keep me company on the way down now. After all, nothing beats playing good music with good friends.
That's like the ideal Christmas present. I want a string quartet!
Yes, it's truly humbling and amazing how my life has been transformed since September. I couldn't have been happier today, really. Our quartet has some amazing chemistry, and I'm in love... Playing Mozart on second violin is the absolute best!
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