Sunday, January 11, 2015

First post of 2015

I have some spare time on my hands at the moment, so I figured I would post.  It's been a long time since I've posted.  December was crazy busy, and now things are relaxing a bit.  I'm in a place where I am making health an important part of my life.  Even though 2015 has only just started, I have been eating well, exercising and caffeine and alcohol free and have not looked back.  I intend to stick with it, I'm not making it a resolution, but a way of life.  Life is too short not to.  I'm taking it days and moments at a time, not just making it a goal for the whole year.  Health is a number of things, mainly just taking care of yourself mentally, physically and spiritually.  Actually that's pretty much the whole deal since a number of things wrap around those three things.  One of those things being allowing people who build me up into my life versus the opposite.  Toxic people have got to go.
   Artistically, things are a bit quiet right now.  I'm sure that will change.  Just have to stay positive and keep doing the work.  I am planning a homage recital to the late Russian bass Feodor Chaliapin during this year, so stay tuned for that.  I will talk about Chaliapin a bit, and sing songs he sang.  I like doing recitals since they make me feel artistically fufilled.  I am also planning a concert version of Lucia with some colleagues of mine, so stay tuned for that as well.  I'm just trying to let the pieces fall into place versus micromanaging the crap out of everything.  I'm planning some open mics with my songs and some covers.  I'm brushing up on the old guitar skills first.  Oh, and I forgot to mention that my students will be in a recital tomorrow night.  I'm very proud of their work.
  Enough about me.  Corny as this may sound, I'm hoping for less violence.  We are not off to a good start.  I'm referring to the events in Paris.  The obituaries of those who died made me very sad.  I'm sad for the families as well.  The people who died sounded like courageous and accomplished human beings.  I feel like violence just continues and it never stops.  I'll never understand why.  Musicians need to remember that we can help be an antidote to violence.  Leonard Bernstein basically said what I just said but more eloquently because he was brilliant.  When we are in nail biting rehearsals rehearsing a spot on the passagio a hundred times, it's good to remember that music is very peaceful for the soul.
  This blog feels random to me.  I was nicknamed random in eighth grade.  I wasn't a fan of that nickname.  The last point I'll make is to urge people just to be nice to each other.  Saying something nice to someone can have a tremendously positive impact.  The opposite is also true.  Be well everyone.  I'm going to hopefully blog more often this year.