About

 

I’m Sarah Hicks, hi, and welcome to my blog!  Work Still in Progress is all about my adventures in life while trying to figure out my place in this wild and wonderful world.

 

What I do for work

I’m a conductor who travels the globe working with orchestras on all kinds of music.  While I do still conduct straight-up classical repertoire, my main focus is orchestral “pops”, which covers popular music of all kinds.  This often means collaborating with artists of many different genres, from Leslie Odom Jr (Broadway) to Roseanne Cash (country) to Sting (pop).  I also specialize in conducting shows that feature films live with orchestra (Harry Potter, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Star Wars are some of my faves).

 

What I do for fun

Since my work takes me to so many amazing places, exploring new cities during my travels is one of my great pleasures.  Wandering unfamiliar streets, meeting new people and immersing myself in different cultures makes me feel alive.

I’m an avid runner and fitness enthusiast;  I’ve placed in a bunch of races, including first in my age group in the 2017 Rock’n’Roll Half Marathon in my hometown of San Francisco (yeah middle-aged badassery).

When I’m home the Bay Are provides incredible opportunities for hiking, biking and camping.  My husband Paul and my dog Pinkerton are the best company for all my outdoor adventures.

And of course…food and wine!

 

My journey

As charmed as my life sometimes seems, I’ve been through a lot to reach this place, and I still have a long way to go.  I have survived the suicide of a loved one,  dealt with a bunch of significant health issues,  lived through the heartbreak of reproductive difficulties and been kicked in the ass by depression and eating disorders.

It’s all about finding the balance between allowing the past to inform me but to also being fully engaged in the present and trying to find a way to move forward with openness and compassion.  Easier said than done!

It’s a process, and one that I’m still trying to figure out.  I’m hoping that this process resonates with you as, together, we all navigate through this extraordinary thing called life.